 New year, new you. Well, not exactly. I'm a goal setter by nature. At the end of each year, I find myself naturally reflecting on the previous year. Sometimes, this is met with thankfulness and joy because I've seen some success in my life. Often, though, I find myself wishing I would've stayed the course a little better in March and April. Regardless of how I feel, I'm always ready to look through my priorities and develop my goal list for the following year. Different Perspectives on Goal Setting People respond differently to the idea of setting goals. One of my pastor friends said that making resolutions and setting goals is stupid because we don't usually make it past the shortest month of the year before we've jumped ship. We've all seen people losing weight for too many Januarys only to find it again by March and April, so he's got a point. But he's a bit too pessimistic. When goals are reasonable, specific, and measurable, we get closer to success. Another one of my friends has a knack for systems and structures, and he is a diehard planner. He has his days mapped out with a plan for how he will use his time most effectively and move toward his goals. He takes goal setting seriously. Unfortunately, I'm not even disciplined enough to create a daily plan, let alone actually trying to keep it. He's showing me some ways to keep my goals in the forefront of my mind throughout the new year. This is helpful since I love setting goals and planning my year but don't always do such a great job following through. Rethinking My Yearly Goal Setting Ritual This year, I've decided to think differently about my goals. I'll still have my overarching goals with my shorter term objectives. I'm planning to have some monthly check-ins to evaluate how I'm doing. However, I'm considering how to turn my objectives into short, doable habits that can be added to my daily routines. This won't work for every goal, but it should get me moving in the right direction. For example, if my goal is to write and record an album by June 2021, I won't plan to work on music every day of the week. That's not feasible because I get lost for hours when working on music. It would wreak havoc on my goals. However, one of my goals is to spend more quality time with my daughters. My habit can be to spend 15 minutes at the end of each day spending intentional, distraction free Daddy time with my girls. Will I spend more than that with my daughters? Of course. But if I add 15 minutes a day of quality time with my girls and hit that goal 80% of the time, I'll spend an extra 73 hours—over 3 days—of additional undistracted time with them. 2 Major Influences: Big Picture Themes and Priorities I have some big picture themes that I hope will permeate all areas of my life. In flawless Baptist preacher alliteration, here are my themes for 2020:
I also prioritize key areas of my life. My priorities don't change much, though there may be dynamics that need to shift in some of these areas priorities. My priorities include:
As you can see, I have a lot going on. I'm going to have to walk by the Spirit if I don't want to crash and burn. However, if I can chip away day-by-day, week-by-week, and month-by-month, with the Lord's help, I can make progress. God Has the Final Say Lest I be self-reliant and focus too much on my methods and plans, here are a couple of passages that I keep in mind this time of year: The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. -Proverbs 16:9 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. -Proverbs 3:5-8 Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. -Psalm 127:1 With these scriptures in mind, one truth must undergird all of this planning and goal setting: without God, I can do nothing (John 15:5). Nothing means nothing. If the Lord doesn't sustain my life, I won't even wake up tomorrow. If the Lord doesn't empower me to do good, my efforts will be no better than the self-righteous Pharisees who patted themselves on the back as they waited for the praise of men.
This very morning I was tempted to look in the mirror and think about how great I am. I had to immediately repent and pray for the pure heart required to be a truly godly man. Then, during corporate worship, my pastor reminded me that I'm not righteous apart from Christ. I'm a lost sheep brought home on the shoulders of a rejoicing Savior (Luke 15:6). I need the gospel in all of my plans and pursuits. The Lord has the final say on what goals I reach and what goals I don't. He gets the glory for every success and goal that I reach. And if I've set goals that aren't in line with His purposes, I should be praying that He would purify my heart and show me the goals He would have for me. All of this comes through time in the Word and prayer in the personal devotion and community with other believers. God's means of showing me His will are right here in front of me if I will open my eyes, humble my heart, and resolve my will to obey His Word. Have you set any goals, resolutions or plans for 2021? What methods are you using to track them and keep yourself accountable? Let me know in the comments! Happy New Year!
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 Another year has come and gone, though 2020 is one for the history books. Think about that we've seen in the past 366 days—yes, 2020 was a long year! We saw impeachment accusations, Covid-19, lockdowns, racial strife, lockdowns, more racial tension, lockdowns, a tumultuous election complete with fraud accusations, more lockdowns, and a terror attack on Christmas Eve. Did I mention lockdowns? And that's just here in America! Others fared less well than we did. I didn't even mention deaths, sickness, family strife, canceled dinners, lockdown boredom, tense conversations, job loss, and other trials that come in everyday life.
As Christians, many of us had seasons of virtual church followed by socially-distant (a new phrase for 2020!) indoor or outdoor services. Some of our churches may still be having virtual services. Some of them never shut down at all. For most of us, small groups, potlucks, and get-togethers were also canceled indefinitely. Spending quality time with groups of people has seemingly come to a halt. But is that all we should remember from 2020? Though 2020 was a crazy year, there is plenty to reflect upon with joy and thanksgiving. How many relationships were you able to invest in through Zoom calls, Facetime, texting or calling? Were you able to spend time with your spouse, children, friends or families? Did you meet anyone new? Perhaps the Lord used these days of adversity to strengthen you and increase your faith. For me personally, 2020 is a good reminder of Ecclesiastes 7:14: "In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him." God was as sovereign in 2020 as He was in 2019 and as He will be in 2021. We can rest in the fact that He is with us in the days of prosperity as well as in the days of adversity. He will often use these lean times to prune us and prepare us to bear much fruit. Isn't that one of the benefits of abiding in the vine? Check out John 15:2. Though 2020 was a crazy year, there is plenty of room for repentance and spiritual growth. 2020 revealed some sinful habits and attitudes buried beneath the surface of my heart. What about yours? There were moments of intense frustration and pride because people didn't agree with me. I experienced days and weeks of melancholy and discouragement from one-two punch of Covid-19 and race discussions. It's heavy being "the black evangelical friend" who doesn't fit the mold, but I need to entrust that weight to the gentle and lowly Savior who gives me rest. I've realized that while I want people to listen to me, I am often slow to hear, quick to speak, and quick to anger. Needless to say, I can take this all to the Lord in prayer in 2021. God is still gracious to me in my sinfulness. If I draw near to Him, He will draw near to me. He will graciously grant me repentance when I come to Him with a broken spirit and contrite heart, because He is pleased with that. And it is by His Spirit and through His Word that He even draws me to conviction. Though 2020 was a crazy year, God is unchanging. God is unchanging. His character and attributes don't shift with wind of the times. When the earth crumbles beneath us, He hasn't lost control. The enemy wants us to fear that God is somehow out of loop or socially distant from us, but He is alive and well. Don't forget that. He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-present. He's here when we need Him. Jesus and the Holy Spirit are ever interceding on our behalf—we're in good hands! As we usher in 2021, let's be mindful of God. We could face many more challenging days in 2021 than we did in 2020. If we send 2020 off with "Good riddance!", we may be in for a shock when 2021 arrives. I long for a "normal" year, even though I can hardly remember what that's even like. With continuing lockdowns, vaccine talks, presidential transitions, key verdicts, and unknown days ahead, we need to focus on knowing God. He is the only source of stability in all of this, and that gives us great hope. Though we'll still feel the weight of the days too, abiding in the vine is where our strength is found. As we welcome 2021, keep dwelling with Christ. He will carry us through.  “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.” -1 John 4:9 ESV Merry Christmas! Today is a day of celebration! As we spent the past 24 days (or more) remembering and rehearsing the anticipation of Christ's first advent, we now celebrate the Savior who was born. Today is a day of feasting and joy, for we know the rest of the story. We who have trusted in Jesus have received the greatest gift ever given to anyone on earth—the love of God.
In Christ's coming the love of God was made manifest among us. God's act of sending Jesus to the earth was the visible manifestation of the Father's love to us. Love is more than a feeling. It is action. And God acted! He didn't just tell us He loved us. He didn't just say He felt love toward us. He showed His love to us! And this love came to underserving sinners like you and me. God is love, and He shared Himself with us in Immanuel—God with us. God sent his only Son into the world. He came to us in His Son. He didn't make us climb the ladder of good deeds, religious sacrifices, or sinless perfection. Who could actually do that? Don't you remember what happened in Babel? Haven't you read of Israelites who thought their law-keeping could get them to heaven? We always fail. Every time. Epically. Sometimes we praise ourselves with pats on the backs and religious trophies. At other times, we simply beat ourselves up with self-pity and self-hatred. But God already knew that and gave us a better way. He took the initiative and came to us. It's far better to give than to receive. Yet, salvation requires that we receive a free gift without any sort of payment on our part. Jesus came so we might live through him. He didn't come to be a good teacher, though He was that. He didn't come to give us more rules to follow—in fact, He gave us the spiritual essence of God's law in two great commandments. Though He is no less than a good example for us, He is even far more than that. Jesus is a Savior. He came that we might have "life and have it abundantly" (John 10:10). That sort of life is more than Christmas gifts. It's more than a nice, comfortable Christian existence. It's more religious liberty in a Christianized nation. Most Christians have never experienced that, nor will they ever have that luxury. Most importantly, He gave us eternal life (John 3:16). Even as 2020 came crashing down on us, the candle of our security in Christ never flickered. When job security, health, relationships, and everything else are in upheaval, a mighty fortress is our God (Psalm 46)! Why? Because Jesus is here! Herod couldn't stop Him. Pilate couldn't either. His earthly enemies couldn't crush Him. Neither could Caesar. Not even sin, death, or Satan could phase Him. Jesus is more powerful. He is victorious. He is the Savior. Merry Christmas from Dwell With Christ! Enjoy food, family, and fun. But most importantly, enjoy the love of God made manifest in Christ Jesus! Photo by Dominika Gregušová from Pexels 
Just before my alarm at 6:30 AM, I hear the loud creak of a door followed by the scurrying of little feet across the cold hardwood floor. As I register what's going on, I hear a peppy two-year exclaim, "Good morning, Daddy!". It's immediately followed by "Can you get my cheese?". I always shake my head at that request, but at least it's protein and fat rather than sugar in the morning! As I wipe the sleep from my eyes, muster up the energy to get out of bed and get my coffee going, my influence has already started. Whether I like it or not, those little eyes are watching my every move. They're learning what it means to be godly—at least that's my hope.
Though our children learn from our examples, they also need to learn from our words. Family worship is an amazing opportunity to pass on our faith. When Paul wrote his letter to Timothy, he mentioned the godly legacy of Timothy's grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5). They shared the message of the gospel with Timothy, a man who God used mightily to spread the gospel across the globe. Thousands of years before this letter was written to Timothy, we see that God values family worship. From the moment those warm, bright beams of sun break through their curtains to the dimly lit hours of bedtime stories, warm milk, and cuddles to finish off a busy day, God calls parents to teach their kids about the glorious truths of the gospel. As a father, I have been greatly encouraged by the plethora of solid, biblical resources being written for children. One of my favorite publishers is The Good Book Company. They release a lot of great titles for the whole family! I recently received two books that I'd like to share with you and your family! Moses and the Very Big Rescue by Tim Thornborough* This retelling of the story of God rescuing Israel from bondage in Egypt is sure to keep your kids' attention. The illustrations are vivid but not scary. The story is told in a catchy way, even sneaking some counting in there for little ones who are learning their numbers! One thing that stood out to me was that Thornborough preserves the delicate balance between Pharaoh hardening his heart and God hardening Pharaoh's heart. It is good to know that they aren't afraid to let the tension between God's sovereignty and man's responsibility remain for our children (and their parents!) to wrestle through. Further, it shows a commitment to stay closely aligned with the actual story of Scripture. I also love the fact that Thornborough included Moses' and Israel's song as they celebrated God's very big rescue. This book is very appropriate for children as young as two years old. There are enough pictures to keep them interested and enough details to keep the interest of older children. Deborah and the Very Big Battle by Tim Thornborough* This rendition of Deborah and Barak's story is also an excellent storybook for children. To add to the engagement of this book, Thornoborough has some clever actions to accompany various scenes in the story. This is a great way to keep little minds from wandering while also getting them engaged in the story. My daughters absolutely loved acting out some of the scenes as they listened to the story. The illustrations are catchy and convey the appropriate emotions of the story as the people worshiped idols and faced the impending wrath of God for their sin. Thornborough did a great job of emphasizing God and His Word, even when pointing out the stories of Barak and Deborah. Rather than overemphasize Deborah and her heroic efforts (which were indeed amazing), the focus is on the fact that Sisera and his army "could never beat God". Again, they included the song of joy and victory that Israel sang when the Lord brought them victory. The story is engaging and helps our children see the power of God as He brought about the physical and spiritual salvation of His people. If you've read this far, you've made it to the giveaway! We are giving away a free copy of Moses and the Very Big Rescue and Deborah and the Very Big Battle. In addition to those, you will also receive The Biggest Story by Kevin DeYoung and Family Worship by Donald Whitney.
If you're already subscribed to Dwell With Christ, you will be automatically entered. If not, sign up below for a chance to win some awesome books! Be sure to check your email to confirm your subscription! This giveaway will end on Sunday, December 27th, so be sure to sign up soon!
*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to leave a positive review.  The Light entered the dark womb of a young virgin—a miraculous conception to say the least! Though the sun's rays could hardly pierce the skin of this unexpected expecting bride-to-be, she was as bright as she had ever been. The Light Who is the life of men was nestled within her body and soul.
She was dually filled with the Son of the Most High (Luke 1:31-32). Not only had the Light entered her body through the miraculous, overshadowing work of the Spirit of God, but He had also entered her soul through the mysterious blowing of that same Spirit who blows where He wishes. She was lit up with joy from the inside out! The Light didn't stay put for very long, though. The heavenly lights aligned on the night of His birth, and the magi followed it. They had been searching for the King. They wanted to worship, and they came prepared. Yet the luster of their shiny and aromatic gifts paled in comparison to the dazzling glory of the gift lying before them, wrapped in swaddling cloth. A few shepherds also got a glimpse of the Light. The glory of God shone around them, brighter than the sun, bringing great terror. Yet the message they received was far from dreadful: "The Light of the world is here! This is good news! The Messiah, the Lord is here! He's lying in a manger in Bethlehem." They found Him and walked away with their souls glowing with beams of unspeakable gladness. The Light who shined bright on that first Christmas night is the same God who said, "Let there be light." That's earth-shattering. The Son of God who created all things and who upholds the whole universe broke through the gloomy darkness once again to show us the love of God that would be shed abroad in the hearts of all who believe through the Holy Spirit! The Son of Mary is the Son of God. He is Light. He is Life. He is Love. He is God. The Savior in the manger that night wasn't just for Mary, the shepherds, or the magi. He is our Light. We need Him to break through the sin in our hearts. We need the gleaming power of God's gospel to bring us forgiveness, hope, and joy—especially in these dark days. Are you basking in the rays of the Son this Advent season?  Apathy at Advent
The Christmas season is upon us. For many Christians, myself included, Advent is a season of excitement and joy as we celebrate the incarnation (putting on flesh) of the Son of God. While it's easy to get wrapped up in the excitement of gifts, food, family time, and fun, there's another subtle distraction that can keep us from enjoying Christ during the Advent season—apathy. Who could be apathetic during such a joyful time of year? I can't speak for anyone else, but I know I tend to struggle with apathy. It's a sneaky little thought that creeps in every year: "I've read the Christmas story a million times. There's nothing more to get out of it. A virgin birth. Check. Shepherds. Check. Three wise men. Check." Some years I gloss over these magnificent and eternity-altering words without even a spark of excitement or joy. I can hear John Piper exhorting me to "LINGER....LINGER...LINGER!!" You may be thinking that Advent and Christmas aren't even biblical holidays, so we shouldn't even be worried about lacking holiday joy. You're right in saying that the Bible doesn't command Christians to celebrate Advent or Christmas. I've had some friends make a huge fuss about this, but you can't convince me that it's sinful to celebrate the Son of God coming in the flesh. However, I am fully convinced that there's something wrong with my heart when I don't get excited about Jesus. The Gift of Gifts I'm ashamed to admit that I get excited about lesser things. If you turn on a UK game, I'll find myself drawn to the screen. If you buy me a new tech gadget, I'll spend a day or two getting it set up and playing with it. If you hand me a new book, I'll spend some time flipping through the table of contents and reading the opening chapters. If those things bring me excitement, why doesn't Jesus? Part of my problem is that I let lesser gifts capture my attention. Flame, a Christian rapper, once said that we are like a pig in a pin who will pass up a steak to eat slop. C.S. Lewis said we settle for mud pies. I don't want pig slop or mud pie faith. I want the joy of the Shepherds and the Magi who dropped everything to celebrate the Life and Light of men who burst on the scene to save His people from their sins and be with them. I want to rejoice in the God who came to be with sinners in order to save them. For me, Advent is a time to be lifted from the miry bog and set on the firm ground. This is especially true in 2020 as I honestly reflect on my heart during this chaotic year. Too often, my eyes have been set on this earth below rather than on the things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Advent is a time to grab my Bible, a great devotional, and a notebook to feast on the glory of Christ. He is the greatest of all gifts. Cherish Him As I've talked to friends and family this year, 2020 seems to be a year that has felt more challenging than others. Worldwide lockdowns, a deadly pandemic, racial tension, protests and riots, local and national elections, and a whole host of other happenings have tended to draw my eyes from the glory of Christ. Instead of keeping my eyes on Jesus, at times I have beheld the spectacles laid out to distract me. This Christmas season will allow me some focused, intentional time away from all of that, Lord willing. I'll share my plans for Advent. Maybe you can add one or all of these plans to your list. Maybe not. Regardless of what you're doing, make sure you focus on cherishing Christ, regardless of the season. Advent will come and go. So will Lent. As fast as 2020 blew by, so will 2021, 2022, and so on until Christ returns. We have to take time daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly to simply slow down and give ourselves to time with the Lord. 6 Ways to Meet With God During Advent 2020 This year, my Advent plans are to:
I'm not doing every one of these things every single day. None of this guarantees that I'll be happier this Advent season. None of it earns me a spot closer to God. However, I want to do most of these on most days because they're simple ways to connect with God. I want to saturate my heart with Christ more than I saturated my mind with Covid-19 and election stats this year. I want to discuss the glories of Christ and His coming in the flesh more than I debated the constitution and perspectives on justice. I'm not saying that any of those things is inherently wrong to think about and discuss, but it is wrong to be consumed by them, and I found myself consumed for much of this year. Advent will be a much needed break. What are your Advent traditions? How will you celebrate Advent differently this year than other years?  Publishers The Good Book Company has some really good deals for the entire week—including some good Advent resources! Reformation Heritage is one of my favorite publishers, and they've got some awesome deals! WTS Bookstore has deals up to 80% off including study bibles, children's books, and theological resources. Banner of Truth has a limited list of Black Friday specials, but their Christmas deals are phenomenal! New Growth Press has some excellent deals on several good biblical counseling books including God Made Me and You by Shai Linne. Get 50% off Black Friday deals using BLACK50. General Reads Gentle and Lowly (Paid Link) by Dane Ortlund This is one of those must-read books on my list this year. Several of my closest friends and mentors have recommended it, and it has definitely lived up to the hype! It feels as though I'm reading a modern Puritan who is cross referencing the original Puritans to bring even more depth and rich biblical teaching on the heart of Christ. I dabbled in the Kindle version for way too long before I just had to purchase the hard copy to make it my own. If you're looking for a heart-stirring, Christ-focused read to stoke the fire of your love for God and your experience of His love for you, get this book. Reading While Black by Esau McCaulley In a year of racial turmoil and political chaos, Esau McCaulley's Reading While Black offers a biblical, exegetical, and theological insights into how the African American Christian has found hope in such racially tumultuous times, both past and present. Esau is scholar who writes at the popular level. His bibliography and citations coupled with his compelling prose are evidence of this. Whether you're black or white, woke or anti-woke, you will benefit from McCaulley's rich study of God's Word as he seeks to show the hope of God in the life of the African American experience. Anyone But Me (Paid Link) by Ray Comfort Ray Comfort is a masterful evangelist who has reached thousands of people through his evangelism ministry. In addition to his own evangelism, he has trained perhaps thousands more who have also gone out to share their faith. Regardless of how you feel about his evangelism methods, this book is worth the read. He shows that he's not a super-Christian who can just evangelize without apprehension. He is a real guy with a real heart, and he's experienced a lot of hardship in his gospel work. However, he has learned numerous lessons and led many souls to trust in the Savior for eternity. Read my review of Anyone But Me. Advent Reads Advent is coming soon! In a turbulent and chaotic year, it's often difficult to keep our gaze focused on what's most important. Advent is as good time to prepare your heart to celebrate the birth of Jesus with your loved ones—even if it's socially-distant or limited in capacity. Here are a few Advent reads that have caught my eye this year!* A Better Than Anything Christmas (Paid Link) by Barbara Reaoch*
After enjoying Barbara Reaoch's A Jesus Christmas (Paid Link) last year, I was excited to check out her latest Advent devotional! Just like her previous work, each chapter includes:
Reaoch doesn't bring cheap theology to the table. This Advent devotional allows us to teach our families about faith, freedom in Christ, forgiveness, salvation, atonement, union with Christ, true righteousness, etc. The best part is that it's in kid-friendly language and anchored in the actual text of Scripture! There's a Lion in my Nativity (Paid Link) by Lizzie Laferton and Kim Barnes* This captivating little book will remind our busy little ones that Christmas is not about us at all! With the Christmas play coming up, a little actress wants to be the star of the show. As she lets everyone know who she thinks the play is about, all sort of confusing and frustrating things keep popping up in the play. Each element proves to be more than some silly hijinks or distraction, and our little Mary finds out what Christmas is really all about! In the end, we get to understand why all of these random little items and characters show up on the scene. And I think you'll really enjoy why there's a lion in the nativity! I'm a sucker for good illustration and rhyming books, so I have had a blast reading through this book with my little ones. If you want to help your children focus on the star of the show this Christmas, you'll surely want to let them know why there's a lion in Mary's nativity! The spotlight is always on Jesus! The Christmas We Didn't Expect (Paid Link) by David Mathis I haven't read this one yet, but I'm really looking forward to digging into this one. I have been blessed by Mathis' Habits of Grace (Paid Link), and with endorsements by Sinclair Ferguson, Tim Challies, and Julius Kim, I'm expecting it to be a good one. Mathis' aim is to point out some surprises and turns along the way to Jesus' arrival. If you're looking for an Advent devotional, I'd say this will be a good one to check out! What are paid links? I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. *I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to leave a positive review.  Evangelism doesn't seem to come easy for most of the believers I know. Perhaps that's a Western problem, I'm not sure. If I were to ask you, "How have you been growing in evangelism?", you might get a little uncomfortable. I know I would. For much of my Christian life, it has been difficult to share the gospel with strangers and unbelievers I don't have a strong relationship with.
The temptation is to think, "People who me know I'm a Christian, and they'll see my life and wonder what makes such a difference". This may be true in a tiny percent of cases, but most people never just randomly ask me to share the gospel with them. Part of the reason for this passivity is fear. Part of it is unpreparedness. Ultimately, my flesh is crying out, "Anyone but me!". Have you ever felt that way? If you have, you're not alone. Ray Comfort, a well-known evangelist and Bible teacher, recently published a new book titled Anyone But Me*. This is a book for people like us—people who struggle to with fear or feel unprepared to share the gospel. Filled with personal examples and anecdotes, Comfort walks us through 10 ways to overcome our fear and grow in our confidence to share the gospel:
In each of these 10 points, Ray paints vivid pictures and gives a biblical foundation for sharing the gospel. He is a man whose heart is moved with compassion when he encounters unbelievers. He doesn't let his convictions end with simply feeling sorry for them. Rather, he gives them the only news that is powerful enough to change their hearts. He is a man who practices what he preaches. I'll leave with this quote, which sums up much of what is shared throughout this book: "If you become addicted to winning souls, you are being wise with your time. The world is filled with brilliant people who are spending their precious lives doing great things that only matter in this life." (p. 166). I don't know about you, but I want to be addicted to the Great Commission. Perhaps this book can be a catalyst for reaching the lost and making disciples of all nations. *I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.  Gravity illustrates a glorious paradox.
In the beginning, there was goodness and bliss. There were trees ripe with delicious fruit, unrivaled by the grandest of orchards. The vegetation was lush, unlike any garden we've ever been in. It was teeming with life, and it was good. But something was missing. From the dirt, God formed something he called "Adam". This man was unlike anything else in the garden. He wasn't a plant. He wasn't just an animal. God talked with him, walked with him, and gave him authority over everything around. God even made a beautiful woman from Adam's flesh. Eve was her name. Things were very good. One day, Eve felt a strange tug while talking to the serpent. She decided to eat the forbidden fruit. Adam ate it, too. Sin came in. Death came with it. Now they were rolling down a hill, hitting every rock and branch as they tumbled toward death. Things were very bad. They took us with them as they fell. Down, down, down. It’s a rapid descent as we spiral downward. At times, there’s the feeling that our stomachs are in our throats as we plummet so fast. We lament. We grab our fig leaves and try cover up. But God sees us. Down, down, down. It’s a long way down as we float along the lazy river of ungodliness, feeling weightless. We see a few trout swimming upstream and wonder to ourselves, “What's their problem?”. As we enjoy the warm sunbeams of sinfulness, we don’t realize that rough waters are soon to destroy us. As we nosedive toward death, by the mercy of God, the sinfulness of sin begins to take on an odious smell, like that of rotting flesh. Everywhere we go, there’s a faint stench that grows more and more foul until we can’t stand it anymore. We are the ones rotting. The stench is coming from us, and this a grave situation. The gravity of our condition becomes unbearable. If we don't get help soon, we'll be lost forever! It feels like someone turned the gravity up a few notches, and we need a way out of this heaviness! Then, suddenly our eyes are opened to a different sort of gravity. As we lament our depravity, crying “Woe is me! I am undone!”, the gravity of God’s glory is within our gaze. Suddenly, there's hope for us. The burning coal of God’s grace is placed on our tongues, and the glorious Son is revealed. He says, "Come to me, you who are heavy laden. I will give you rest." The weight of sin is lifted. Now the weight of God’s glory becomes our all-consuming passion. Our eyes are set where He is, in His abode. And yet He abides with us and in us until we get there. Day-by-day, moment-by-moment, we are becoming more like the One who opened our eyes and shined bright in our darkened, heavy-laden souls. The gravity of this paradox compels us to share it with the world.  Do you ever read the Bible and feel like God purposely led you there so He could share His heart for you in a certain situation? Have you ever read a book that was so good you just couldn't put it down? What about a sermon that convicted you deeply and drove you to make resolutions to change? Has a conversation ever stirred you so much that you just want to get up and go do something?
This happens to me pretty often. I often read blog posts that pique my interest or stir up my heart about some biblical truth or experiential reality. Sometimes I read a game-changing sentence about the goodness of God toward His people. Other times I read a moving biographical sketch of a saint that makes me want to imitate them as they imitate Christ. Many weeks at community group, a sister will share how God has been at work in her heart as she meditates in the Word during the chaos of motherhood. More often than not, the stirring ends there. But why? Why is it so easy to be hot one moment and ice cold the next? How can I have zeal for the Word during the sermon and then be apathetic by the time lunch is over? It's not that I care less about God or His Word when I've just finished my lunch after church. It's not that I know less of the Bible when my belly is full and my kids are winding down for nap time. What is it, then? We Need To Slow Down and Keep Coming Back For me, it is a lack of meditation. If that sounds too new-age for you, it’s actually a biblical principle. Meditation is slowing down to think deeply and apply truth to our hearts. Whether it's a rousing quote from a good book, a deeply moving blog post, or a verse that sets my soul on fire, without meditation, it seems to stop as soon as I move on to the next sentence. It's like getting only a teaspoon of my favorite thanksgiving food--my mom's corn pudding. I'll enjoy every bite of the other food, but I'm showing up for Momma's corn pudding. I need more than a bite to really enjoy it. In fact, I need some leftovers for Black Friday, too! This is how it is with Scripture, sermons, good books, and quotes, too. James Ussher wrote that meditation is “worth more than a thousand sermons, and this is no debasing of the Word, but an honour to it.” If we want to get the most out of reading the Word, hearing sermons, talking with friends, or reading good books, we will have to slow down and let our minds dwell on what we've just encountered. 30 seconds may be all it takes. Why 30 seconds? Honestly, it's an arbitrary number. But in 30 seconds, I can pull out my prayer journal and jot down a quick prayer. In 30 seconds, I can jot some thoughts into my notebook about what I've just read or heard. In 30 seconds, I can stop what I'm doing and ponder what I've just heard. In 30 seconds, I can think of at least one way to put into practice what God is revealing. In 30 seconds, I can pray. God Can Do A Lot With A Little Tweaking a John Piper quote, God can do more with our 30 seconds of prayerful meditation than we can do in 30 hours of information intake. This article is an example. I was reading Blogging For God's Glory in a Clickbait World when the authors asked if I would be willing to keep writing if my page views were zero and only God read my writing. This resonated with some recent thoughts and struggles I've had about writing and making music. Normally, I would've just kept reading, but this time I stopped. It might've been 30 seconds. It could've been less. Regardless, I paused. I pondered. I prayed. I wrote a simple, short sentence in my prayer journal: "Lord, give me a desire to write and rap regardless of the applause". I've never prayed this specific prayer, though the thoughts have crossed my mind plenty of times. This 30 seconds could shape the rest of my life and ministry, whatever God may allow. It could be that God prevents anyone from reading this post or anything else I ever write. It could be that God uses my writing to bless a multitude of saints. Either way, I am hopeful that He will continue to shape my heart to write for the right reasons. From the Head to the Heart I share this not to boast in my own piety. The Lord knows how weak I am! Rather, I'm sharing this to show how quickly we can move from information to transformation. When we take our head knowledge and bring it to the Lord in meditation and prayer, He makes it heart knowledge. The implications for this are boundless. For example, if we read the "one anothers" of Scripture and take them to the Lord in prayer, we will begin to have gospel-centered, biblical unity and reconciliation stamped on our hearts in a time when we desperately need it. We won't be heady, puffed up, theological snobs seeking to devour everyone who disagrees with us. Paul said it best when writing to the Philippian Church: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me--practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8-9) By grace, our right thinking will lead to right doing. If we want the God of peace to dwell in and among us, we must fight to slow down and meditate on the right things. If we are in the presence of God seeking the power of God, we will know the peace of God that surpasses understanding.  Year after year, I start a lot of books. Some are worth finishing. Others aren't. Regardless of whether I finish them or not, I highlight and take plenty of marginal notes as I read. I make plans to use the highlights and notes, but I often never get back around to it. This is especially true for my digital books. It's bittersweet that I love reading and learning because there's usually another book on my radar before I've even finished the one I'm reading now. I take in a lot of information, but it often seems like it's in one ear and out the other.
Sometimes I wonder if retaining books is worth my time and effort when there's so much to learn directly from God's Word. to be sure, I want to hide Scripture in my heart (Psalm 119:11). This is the most important book for me to remember, retain, and apply to my life. However, I also want to use the insights of godly men and women who have been impacted by God's Word in their lives. He has given them insights and experiences that have greatly benefited saints throughout history. I want to glean from them the best that I can. Review What You Read One of the best ways to do this is to review what I know. Recalling information makes it stick—especially when that recall is active. Think about it. When you were in high school or college, few of us could read something once, memorize it on the spot, and use it on a test or a paper. We at least had to memorize a study guide, meet at the library for a study session, or quiz ourselves over relevant topics in our class notes. In the busyness of life, this not always so easy, though. We have full time jobs, children, ministries, and real life! Tim Challies, an avid reader, daily blogger, and pastor shared that he hires someone to enter his notes and highlights into a database for him. There are options for us, too. If you're diving deep into a good book right now, perhaps you could stop at the end of each chapter and type out all of your notes and highlights. Maybe you're the type who tries to read a book every month or two. If so, you could devote a week to typing out and updating your quotes and notes at the end of each new book. It would definitely take a lot of work, but if you're willing to take the time and effort to do this, the payoff would certainly be worthwhile. If you read digital books, highlighting and note-taking are pretty simple, depending on your device. If you use a Kindle or Scribd, you can look up your notes and highlights for each book with relative ease and add them to your favorite note-taking app, Bible software, etc. There's still a time commitment required after you finish reading, but it's significantly less than looking back through a physical book and typing out everything. 3 Tools For Remembering Books Books Summaries. Companies like Accelerate Books produce high-quality summaries of Christian books for leaders and readers pressed for time. While I love reading a book for myself, Accelerate Books has helped me review the key insights and quotes from a book while also providing application questions and short chapter summaries. Whether it's a book you want to read or a book you've already read, book summaries help you review books quickly. These summaries do a good job of distilling the book down for easy review. Book Databases. My friends over at Homeschool Happens have created a book database development tool using Air Table and Google Forms. If you're reading more physical books, this database can be used on a smartphone in conjunction with an OCR app to quickly grab quotes and add them to your database. For digital readers, you can grab your highlights and notes to copy and paste into your database. This tool is not free, but it is very helpful for devoted readers who want a long-term solution. Readwise. Tim Challies recently wrote about a new app that resurfaces quotes and notes from books that would have been otherwise long-forgotten. Readwise has proven to be a game-changer for me in this season of life. It links to Amazon (for Kindle highlights), Instapaper, Pocket, Goodreads, etc. to grab your highlights as well as popular highlights from books you've read but haven't highlighted. It features a daily list of quotes as well as an endless newsfeed of quotes from books you've read (repurposed scrolling, anyone?). You can also add your own quotes to their system. It's not free, but the convenience may be well worth the cost. Regardless of the tools you use, reviewing what you've read is vital in the process of remembering what you read. Most books are worth reading once or twice. Few books are worth reading and rereading once every few years. If you're going to invest the amount of time it takes to read through a whole book, it's at least worth recalling what kept you reading. What are some ways you review and remember the books you've read?  Presidents come and go. Whether or not your candidate wins, one thing is for certain: he won't be there forever. Even the greatest presidents have come and gone. Some have been assassinated while others simply finished their term and gracefully drifted into old age. Some people may still say, "President Obama" or "President Bush", but their leadership is obsolete because they are no longer in office. They may have some cultural and political sway, but they have no more authority.
Jesus Will Reign Forever Jesus is different. Isaiah says, "...of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end" (Isaiah 9:7). His rule and dominion will increase. He will continue to bring peace. His government will never end. Ever. Jesus has no term limits. Many weeks at corporate worship, I have been reminded of this reality as we sing: "You will reign forever, let your glory fill the earth". His reign is forever, and it is globally expansive. Jesus’ Rule Knows No Bounds Jesus has no national borders. Though some erroneously claim exclusive ethnic or national ownership of Jesus, they are dead wrong. It's not as if He only owns a small plot of land in the Middle East. His Word is clear: "the whole earth is full of His glory" (Isaiah 6:3). Jesus is not bound by national boundaries or man made walls. His Kingdom spans the globe. Men and women, rich and poor, Jew and Gentile, slave and free from every land have been grafted into Jesus Christ, the True Vine (Galatians 3:28 and John 15:1-17). Jesus Never Changes Unlike government leaders who change over time, Jesus is remains infinitely great and matchless forever. Jesus' people grow more fond of Him every day. He is infinitely glorious and He never changes with the times. Christians submit to His lordship and His reign every day, giving more and more allegiance as each moment passes by. Why? Because He rules with love and peace over those whose hearts have been shaped and molded by His Words (Hebrews 1:1-2). Even when we fail Him and violate His commands, He disciplines us in His loving care rather than wrathful vengeance. He joyfully laid down His life for us and He intercedes on our behalf to His Father (Hebrews 12:1-17). We who are His subjects have new hearts, new citizenship, and a new aim in life. This is the work of His Spirit (Titus 3:5). Jesus Rules With Infinite Joy Jesus rules and reigns with great joy. He takes joy to reign over the people who trust in Him. For His joy and ours, He died on the cross. In His kingly presence, there is fullness of joy for us (Psalm 16:11). When we dwell with Him, His joy is in us and our joy is made full. When we abide in Him and He in us, we bear much fruit—including joy. Lift Your Drooping Head! Lift your drooping and fearful head! There is still hope and joy for us today! What earthly government can compare to Jesus' reign? Do we long to see Christ's government increase? Surely, we do! Do we wish our government could better reflect His government. Of course! But even if it doesn't, none can stop what He has been doing since before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). He could run against any candidate on any platform and utterly dominate. There is no smear campaign that could truly malign His character. No candidate can have better character, competence, or policies. Yet He chose a cross and a heavenly throne over an earthly one. Remind yourself of this as you either lament a political loss, celebrate an election victory, or soberly ponder the future of our nation. Jesus is worthy of your thoughts. Give yourself to meditating on our great King. He is worthy of your affections. Give Him your joyful and zealous thoughts and emotions. The Lord is worthy of your obedience. Offer your life as a living sacrifice and a pleasing aroma in the nostrils of God (Romans 12:1). Do all of this by the grace supplied to you by the love of the Father, death of the Son, and power of the Spirit. Let Christ's governance change how you lead the people in your life. Whether it's in your church, your office, or your home. Lead with joy, love, and peace. Put off unnecessary harshness and anger, knowing that the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God (James 1:20). Remove unreasonable burdens and expectations while offering the grace and forgiveness we find by faith in the Great King, Jesus. Pray for our nation. Pray that you and I would long to obey Christ and cherish His commands. Pray that your neighbors who don't know Jesus would come to love Him. Pray for unity with Christian brothers and sisters who think differently about American politics. Pray that people around the globe can see the glory of God in His people this day. The world will go on until Christ returns. Nations will rise and fall. But Jesus is King. Never forget that "of the increase of His government and of peace, there will be no end." Note: This was written before a winner was announced in the 2020 election. These truths transcend American political parties. Image Credit: Pixabay  I have a love-hate relationship with sleep. I love how great it feels to get a good night of sleep and how it reminds me of the goodness of the Lord who "gives to His beloved sleep" (Psalm 127:2)*. Even when I'm asleep, God is still at work upholding the universe, and He keeping the world moving according to His plan (Hebrews 1:3). Sleep is a time that I can let go of control and fully trust God to do His work—that's literally something I can do nothing about. Yet this lack of control is why I also struggle with sleep. There are nights where sleep eludes me, and I fight with everything inside me to get some rest. I can't solve my problems while I'm laying there, but it seems impossible to shut my brain off. The stress of desiring to relax is exhausting! Yet I lay awake, tossing and turning, longing to get comfortable. This reminds me that I'm not in control—even of sleep itself. Those nights I cry out, "Lord, help me sleep. You can take care of my problems... but I can't seem to trust you enough!". Sleep is deeply spiritual. There's no doubt about it. But it's also is heavily impacted by our physical environment and life choices. Since we aren't disembodied souls, we need to think about sleep. Consider what Scripture says: "It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil" -Psalm 127:2 Chasing vanity is spiritual, but it has physical consequences—rising early, going to sleep late, and toiling anxiously. We need to cast our anxieties on the Lord, and that's something we all know (1 Peter 5:7). However, we may also need to change our habits and take practical steps to get the rest we desperately need.
What Hinders Our Sleep? Anxiety and vanity aren't the only reasons we aren't getting enough shut-eye. Some sleep hindrances are easy fixes, while others are going to require major changes—changes like a job change or waiting for your babies to grow up and sleep better! However, getting more and better sleep is something that most of us could probably benefit from. So we should learn what else could be keeping us awake at night.
Why Does This Even Matter? For me, this matters tremendously. When I don't get enough sleep, I struggle in every aspect of life. I'm usually irritable, impulsive, and I have a hard time focusing. Worse, when I don't get good sleep, it's a struggle for me to wake up and spend time with the Lord. There are many days where I get an extra 15 or 20 minutes of sleep instead of getting up to spend time with the Lord. The day isn't a total loss, but I can definitely feel a fatigue in my soul that seems to match my body. Maybe it's just me, but when my sleep suffers, my soul suffers too. You may not be as sensitive to changes in your sleep habits as I am, but sleep is still important. Perhaps better sleep could help you think more clearly or give you more energy to spend with your children. Surely a sharper mind could help you memorize more Scripture or teach with more clarity. Maybe you'd be more fun to be around because you have more energy and aren't moping around like Eeyore. I know my wife and children are thankful for the days that I get good rest! What about you? Are you getting enough sleep? What will you change to improve your sleep quality? How does gospel give you hope even if you can't make drastic improvements to your sleep? *Your translation may say that God gives to His beloved even in his sleep. This rendering reminds us that God gives to us even as we sleep. He never stops providing and caring for us. Photo by Julien Bachelet from Pexels  As phones get smarter, people are getting dumber—so it seems. There may be some hyperbole in such a statement, but Cal Newport shared some valuable thoughts on a 2017 study discussing the impact of smartphones on our memory and overall mental capacity. In his short article, one section really captured my attention: "The mere presence of the device... sapped cognitive resources. The effect was particularly pronounced in those who self-reported to be heavy phone users." Who Wants Brain Fog? This is alarming on many levels. I am concerned with mental clarity and reducing the brain fog I have often felt over the years. Most of us don't want to lose our ability to learn and retain our fondest memories and new information. We hate the hazy afternoon brain fog that overcomes us. We desire to watch and pray without falling asleep (Matthew 26:41). The process of sanctification involves learning and applying wisdom from God's Word, and I desire to think as clearly and deeply as possible. Don't you want to memorize more Scripture, retain more of God's Word, and be more present with God and His people? Let us not forget that distractions—like our smartphones—hinder us from the focus needed to meditate on God's Word and pray. J.C. Ryle famously stated in A Call To Prayer: "Faith is to the soul what life is to the body. Prayer is to faith what breath is to life. How a man can live and not breathe is past my comprehension, and how a man can believe and not pray is past my comprehension too." In other words, we are not bodiless souls going about our spiritual disciplines for the next 20 or 30 years. Rather, our bodies impact our spiritual lives and vice versa. This is important because we need to be good stewards of the bodies God has given us.
On countless mornings I have peeled open my eyes with a desire to spend time with the Lord before getting wrapped in the chaos of everyday life. Before I slid our of the sheets and placed my feet on the cold hardwood floor, I reached for the nightstand to grab my iPhone. Five minutes became fifteen. Fifteen minutes became thirty. Then, I'd hop out of bed in an adrenaline-packed flurry to get ready for work, leaving my Bible on the shelf. No time was left for my Lord. The Savior of my soul is on the backburner as I go about real life and leave my spiritual life behind for the day. I'm not saying I wasn't saved or didn't care about God the rest of the day. That's not the case. It's just much harder to get my mind and soul focused on Christ if I don't meet with Him early in the day. If I don't speak to my Father in the morning, it's much more challenging to walk by His Spirit in the afternoon. "The mere presence" of my device has kept my mind from taking in God's Word. You've been there before. You try to focus, but you find yourself going back over a verse 5 or 10 times because you can't seem to stop your wandering mind from drifting to the tasks awaiting you later that day. As a "heavy user", I've seen that forbidden fruit light up and grab my attention away from prayer only to never return. I told myself, "This might be important. I better take a quick glance". Soon after that quick glance, my already "sapped cognitive resources" didn't improve. I got up from prayer feeling like a dried leaf on a brisk afternoon in late autumn. What should we do about our phones? We're spiritual people, but God has also given us bodies with our souls. Cognitive impairment matters. We are called to be "sober-minded and alert". We have a real enemy who "prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). Our minds and thoughts are inseparable from our souls. Our thoughts reflect the heart beneath the surface (Matthew 15:19). 1. Recognize the importance of your mind. The greatest commandment is to love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37). This points to more than just the brain and its cognitive abilities, but it doesn't call for less. Remember this and live in light of it every day of your life. Many people lament the loss of their brains, and we should make the most of ours while we are still able. 2. Evaluate your phone usage. Is your phone a tool or a toy? Do you use it for education or entertainment? Does it aid your devotion or add to your distraction? When do you pick it up for the first time? When do you put it down for the night? Are you enslaved to your phone (1 Cor. 6:12)? How you use your phone says more about your relationship with God and others than you could ever realize. 3. Confess or celebrate. For most of us, excessive phone use will be a catalyst to confession. Whether it's escaping to your phone to cope with a rough day or furiously tapping out your angry thoughts and emotions in the comments of Facebook and Twitter, confess the sin in your heart. God is faithful and just to forgive His children because He poured out His just wrath on His innocent and righteous Son instead of you and I—the ones who deserved it (1 John 1:9). 4. Pray and plan. Pray for God's grace and make a plan on how to use your phone more cautiously. Caution may seem to be an excessive word, but our spiritual health can be endangered by our uncontrolled phone use. Smartphone addiction and overuse are symptoms of a grander problem of distractedness from our souls and the God who can transform them (Romans 12:1-2). The present world is passing away, so what sort of people ought we to be in lives of holiness and godliness (2 Peter 3:11)? We need to be diligent to pursue godliness in every area of life—especially our smartphones. Who's In Control? We don't have to be enslaved to our smartphones. Nor do we have to fear that we can never get past our smartphone addictions. The key is not simply to use your phone less. Anyone with a little bit of self-discipline can do that. As a Christian, our desires come from a much deeper motive than just wanting better brain health. You are a child of God, and God calls you to consider yourself dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:11). You are more than a shiny piece of metal glued to your palm. Remind yourself of this every day.  Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works. - 2 John 1:9-11 Deceivers Abound!
Would you give your Social Security information and your credit card number to a person pretending to be the IRS? Would you let a person convince you that your identity has been mistaken and your whole life is a lie? I sure wouldn’t! It may happen to us once, but we would be foolish to let it happen again. As much as you value your money and identity, you should value your soul much more than that. If you wouldn’t be negligent with your vital, personal information, neither should you ever let a lying, Christ-denying deceiver into your home or your church with a hearty greeting. Imagine letting a thief enter your home and steal everything you own while smiling in your face and promising they’re doing everything in your best interest. That would be insane. Watch Yourselves! The apostle John’s stark warning is “watch yourselves!” (2 John 8). Today, there are many lies and heresies that abound as liars attack the church. One such heresy is that Jesus was not and is not God in human form. Some Christian cults have denied the deity of Jesus in favor of a Unitarian—God in one person—view of Father, Son, and Spirit. Others have denied that Jesus really took on a human body—they imply that He is God but not man. Many of them may be earnest, knowing that God is one (Deut. 6:4). However, they fail to take the Bible and it’s full teaching about Jesus into consideration. Paul clearly refutes such nonsense, saying that Jesus “was in the form of God“ and had “equality with God“. He is wholly God. In becoming human, Jesus “emptied himself“. He did this not by giving up his divine nature, but by taking on a human nature (Phil 2:5-8). If a King puts on street clothes to rescue someone from a ditch, he is no less a king with his street clothes than he was with his kingly apparel. Neither is Jesus, in the flesh, any less God than he was before he took on flesh. To say otherwise is to clearly deny passages of the Bible in the old and new testaments. Falling into such a mess of denying Jesus’ human and divine natures will cost the full reward of the apostles works (2 John 8). It will render the apostles’ work in vain (Phil. 2:16). To have a human-only Jesus, God-only Jesus, black Jesus, white Jesus, republican Jesus, democrat Jesus, or any fill-in-the-blank Jesus will lead you to eternal separation from the real Jesus. It is eternal to know Him—the real Jesus (John 17:3). Our Necessary Response First, let us go on ahead and abide in the teaching of Christ (2 John 9). Stick with the basics. Remember the truth that has been preached from the beginning. Church history is replete with documents and statements about the plain and clear doctrines of Scripture. Many modern heresies are just old heresies dressed in new clothes. Let the word of God and the witness of church history be your guide as you seek to discern truth from lies. You don’t need any other Jesus. If you abide in another, you will not have God. If you stay with the teaching, you will have father and son (2 John 9). Second, keep false teaching far from you, your family, and your church! “Many deceivers” have gone out into the world (2 John 7). They need to be met with fierce rejection. They shouldn’t enter our homes or our house churches. They shouldn’t be allowed into our congregations with open arms. If they show up, they should be met with solemn warnings and exhortations to repent and renounce their repulsive rhetoric. They need to be sharply rebuked (Titus 1:9-14). This response is necessary because “whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.” John isn’t mincing words, here. We can’t keep letting political, ethnic, or any unbiblical versions of Jesus into their homes without a fuss. Too often, we don’t take Jesus serious because we won’t take the time to read the Word and see who He says He is! He has a lot to say! Know the Real Jesus! We must all commit to seeing Jesus as he really is! If we aren’t careful and rigorously biblical, we may be swept away into deception and lies. I don’t mean that a true believer can lose salvation. That is not possible! However, many people in churches today are not in the faith and are not safe from these lies. However, the true believer shouldn’t be overly fearful. The God who started a good work in us will bring it to completion at the day of Christ. He can’t be stopped! The Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead will not only reveal the truths of Christ to us, He will make us more like Christ as we behold Him! Do you know the real Jesus? Or have you been settling for a cheap deception? Don’t receive a false Christ. If you do, you won’t have God. It’s a matter of life and death.  In 2007 I was fresh out of high school and new to the faith. An upperclassman football player at Centre College invited me to hang out and study the Bible and watch football. I was ecstatic. I couldn’t believe I found some Christian friends with the first few weeks of college. I immediately said yes and got my copy of The Cross-Centered Life. I never could have imagined how that Bible study would shape my views on discipleship and the Christian life.
In early 2012, I stumbled upon a community group that was having meals together, walking through books of the Bible, and living their lives together. As a single, 23-year-old bachelor, I was always at John’s house sipping coffee, talking Scripture and theology, and watching him love and lead his family. One night, he handed the teaching portion of the group to me. It was a game-changer. From that night on, I had a hunger to teach God’s word that would eventually come to fruition in a call to preach. Later that year, when moved away to Knoxville in 2012, I didn’t know anyone except my wife—we were engaged at the time, and she was in college. As I got intensely lonely and depression was starting to set in, a couple of guys from Legacy Church invited me to their community group. We’d grab a meal, spend some time discussing Scripture, and hang out for a few hours afterward. Those were some amazing times. In 2016, shortly after I moved back to KY, two friends from high school invited me to Dairy Queen once a week to sip coffee and eat the 3 Buck Breakfast. We’d whip out our ESVs and talk about Scripture and life before heading off to work. Those conversations eventually led me to being called and affirmed as an elder. The common denominator in each of these scenarios is time and proximity. If we want to be discipled and make disciples, we need to find Christians close to us and we need to spend time with them. As we work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, we will need other believers to walk with us along the way. Your local church—and your extended network of believers—are here to help you persevere and to build you up as you walk with God and do the work of the ministry. But what does this actually look like in real life?
I could share hundreds of examples of how God has used the lives of other believers to shape me. We are called to bear one another’s burdens while also carrying our own load. It’s not a contradiction because we work out our salvation by loving God and loving our neighbor as ourselves. God is working in us to will and work for His good pleasure, so we can rest assured that discipling others is pleasing to Him and helpful for them. As is commanded in the Great Commission, we don’t just evangelize, we make disciples. This is a picture of the Christian life that I can see and rejoice in.  The University of Kentucky basketball program has become the emblem of one-and-done college basketball. We grab high school athletes from the highest tier of basketball greatness, bring them in for a season, teach them the Coach Cal way, and get them to the NCAA tournament. The season-opening blue and white game looks like an all-star weekend dunk contest. The high-scoring, double-digit preseason victories stir up buzz about March Madness before college football has even played their bowl games. If you want to watch freshman phenoms year after year, tune into UK basketball. By the time they play against the big shots, they are usually a top ten team, and with the exception of some major freshman slip-ups, we always feel one step closer to another national championship banner. As March comes and goes, we watch these young men earn their first round draft picks as they rally to the Elite Eight, Final Four, or the national championship. They reach the pinnacle and then they’re gone. As quick as they came, they vanish. As soon as they announce their draft status and their agent, we say our goodbyes. Another year of one-and-done basketball. We see them off to their first round NBA glory and they make a life somewhere out there on an NBA team. We watch them from afar, but we're not nearly invested. We've got eight-graders and blue chip seniors to keep our eyes on! Have you heard about next year's draft class?! We have to watch them early because we know they'll be gone soon. Following Jesus Is Costly We need to beware of a "one-and-done" Christianity. Too often, it's right in front of our eyes. It may even be in our living rooms. We invest in some top-tier church prospects—the ones we think can really make an impact for the Kingdom. We tell them we are Christians, invite them to a Bible study, and get them to visit our churches. After some good book studies or a convicting Bible conference, they get all the way to the point of confessing Jesus as their Lord and Savior. After their baptism, we celebrate like we just won the NCAA national championship. Then we see them off to the rest of Christian lives, rooting for them from afar, hoping they look more like Lebron James than Greg Oden (just do a Google search if you don't know what I mean!). Of course, we still want to see them on Sunday morning. We make sure they're in a Sunday School class or weekly small group. We want them to be plugged in to a local church! However, seeing people saved and attending a local church is not the end. It's only the beginning. For most Christians, following Jesus is long journey of perseverance and suffering. This is why Paul told the Philippians, "work out your salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil. 2:12). Getting into the faith is a glorious miracle! There is no doubt that "unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:5). But we can't stop there. If our ultimate aim is to merely see people baptized and showing up on Sunday mornings, we have settled for a weak, unbiblical Christianity. We have chosen to side-step the path of discipleship for an easier route. Work It Out Just as UK's one-and-done freshmen move on to a much more mature game of basketball, so new converts are called to move from "milk to meat" (1 Cor. 3:2). Those young men work with strength trainers, dietitians, sleep coaches, chiropractors, and many more professional specialists in order to grow and thrive in the NBA. Failing to disciple new believers is like an NBA team leaving it up to the players to train themselves for game day. However, God gave the Church gifts to build up His people after they get saved: "And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood..." (Eph. 4:11-13) The aim is much further than conversion. God desires saints who move on to maturity. Together, the church does the work of ministry. Sunday morning is a piece of the preparation. The church leaders are here to equip the saints to do the work of ministry in everyday life. It is for this very reason that Paul says, "work out your salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil. 2:12). If we want people to mature in their faith, we must continually point them to the Savior who is at work in them "both to will and to work for His good pleasure" (Phil 2:13). We exhort them to live obedient lives because God is at work in them! We walk with them and urge them to pursue spiritual maturity! Preach the gospel. Urge people to confess and believe in Christ. Baptize people of all nations. But please don't fail to make disciples, teaching them to observe all that Christ has commanded them (Matthew 28:18-20). There is no one-and-done Christianity. New converts aren't just banners to put in our sanctuaries or hall-of-fame rosters. They are eternal souls awaiting the day of Christ.  I recently came across a Ligonier article titled "Congregational Discourse". I highly recommend that you read it and ponder the conversations in your local church.
How are you contributing to the discussions that happen there? Are your conversations just shooting the breeze, talking about sports, discussing politics and the pandemic, and complaining? Are you intentionally speaking to encourage and edify the believers around you? As you're reading these questions you may be tempted to bristle and think, "This guy's being legalistic! The Bible doesn't say we can't fellowship and talk about real life at church!". I’m not saying we shouldn't be able to have open and honest conversations about life. It's not a sin to talk about high school football or the Kentucky Derby. However, do you ever spend time "teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom" (Col. 3:16)? It's easy to think this is the pastor's job, but "one another" puts the ball in your court, too. It’s the responsibility of every believer to contribute to the good of the church through godly conversation and encouragement. If you're spending time with other believers outside of the corporate gathering on Sunday morning, then you're probably talking about the Word of God and how it intersects everyday life. That would allow for some casual talk on Sunday morning. It may also stir you to more godly conversation about the events of the previous week. But imagine the impact we could have on an unbeliever if they heard us rejoicing about Jesus’ work in our lives and sharing the Word with one another on Sunday morning. They'd be able to truly look in and say, "Wow! They really love Jesus! He's all they can talk about!". Instead of simply being wowed by the pastor’s handling of the Word, they’d be encouraged by “normal” Christians, too. Imagine our children or a new Christian hearing us talk about Jesus week after week. They would see us living out what we are teaching them! It has been said that more is caught than taught. While there may be some flaws in that statement, we should strive to be Christians worth imitating—especially in our conversations. This godly discourse could also be preparing our hearts for the songs we are about to sing, the sermon we are about to hear, the Lord's Supper we are about to take, or the week we are about to live. As a younger man, I would love to have an older believer drop a practical nugget of wisdom on me moments before corporate worship or just after hearing the sermon. It would be a blessing to hear an older woman drop a gem of parenting knowledge on my wife and I. I'd love to hear a zealous young believer share how God is using the M'Cheyne Bible reading plan to shape his days throughout the week. In the words of Dr. Mark E. Ross: "This is the 'buzz' that should be heard in our congregational discourse. Will it be heard in your church this coming Lord's Day? Will the word of Christ be dwelling among you richly, or just barely?"  Social media is destroying us. I don’t say that lightly, either. We are losing our ability to sympathize with people. We've replaced the virtue of compassion with crassness. Instead of using caution, we share click-bait before we check the sources—sometimes before we've even read it! In these hyper-political days, it’s easy for us to treat every post as an opportunity to be a bastion for our own political stance.
We bite at our opponents—if we can really call them that—with our memes about the mask mandate. We share our hot displeasure about whether the country should have ever been reopened in the first place. We wage war about whether or not athletes should kneel during the national anthem or schools should reopen. You wouldn’t talk to people that way in person. But “those idiots” aren’t face-to-face with you, they’re behind a phone just like you are. Those spoiled brat athletes have the same constitutional rights to peacefully protest at their jobs as the school teachers who chose to participate in sick-outs to protest against the government leaders. But it didn’t fit your agenda, so you shared a meme. You say those gun-toting conservatives should leave their guns at home when they go to their “rallies”, but you turn a blind eye when black men show up fully-loaded to protest on behalf of black lives. Both groups have a constitutional right to protest and bear arms, but one group fit your agenda and the other didn’t. So we continue. I talk to my friends about how dumb your view is. You talk to yours about how stupid my view is. We never talk face-to-face, but we @ one another in the comments and make sure everyone knows where we stand. We screen shot it and send it to other friends, and the gossip ensues. All of this because we don’t think before we post. We are like conditioned animals who hear a bell or see a red notification pop-up and respond. We ask Google to provide us with wisdom—and it gives us knowledge without reproach. Can a search engine get mad at you? Nope. But it can cheer you on using algorithms that feed you the narrative you crave. So you find it and you post it. Jesus has a word for us, and obedience isn’t optional. Even if your church doesn’t discipline you for your words, you should read this and tremble: I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak... -Matthew 12:36 Every careless word. This includes the memes we share, the comment wars we get in, and the private conversations we have about “those” people. You know.. the “idiot liberals” and the “Republican morons“. Every time we falsely label someone a racist or a cultural Marxist counts, too. Anytime we speak slander and spread lies, we are guilty. Every careless word. Most of us are guilty of this. Some of us are sinning like this several times a day. It needs to stop. We must not sit back and let sin reign. The Bible calls us to examine ourselves and put sin to death. If we walk by the Spirit, we will live. But if we walk by the flesh, we are on the path to death. God takes even our little “careless” words seriously. If He does, why would we do otherwise? What does this look like in practice?
Do you think before you post? Maybe it's time to give up social media for a season until you can build up self-control. That's what the Lord has stirred me to do lately.  Love Eternal
God the Father has loved His Son for all eternity. As students of the Bible, we know that God’s love for Jesus didn’t begin (John 1:1). God is eternal. The fellowship between the Son and the Father transcends time, and the idea of Jesus being created is a heresy long refuted by Scripture and the Church. Our eternal God has been in an eternal, living relationship. That takes me back to something Jesus said in John 17:24. He said, “You loved me before the foundation of the world.” That immediately takes us back to the unimaginable time before there was a universe or even empty space. Empty air is still something! There was not even empty space because the fullness of God simply was. We can’t even fathom that. Yet there it is. The love of God the Father being poured out on His Son and the Son reciprocating His love for the Father. The Holy Spirit, too, was in this loving relationship too great for our minds to fathom. This is a sight too glorious for eyes. It’s too vast for the likes of Jonathan Edwards, Charles Spurgeon, John Owen, or even Augustine. Some things are worth pondering, but they are still too deep. We must be careful (Psalm 131:1). Even As Jesus Is Loved As we ponder the depth of the love of the Father and the Son, let us take a long glance at another word Jesus has to say about the love of God. For those who are in Christ through faith, Jesus prays, “You...loved them even as you loved me” (John 17:23). Again, He prays that “the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them” (John 17:26). Don’t hurry past that. Reread it. Slow down and think about what you just read. God the Father loved Jesus perfectly and beyond measure (1 John 4:8). He loved Jesus before the foundation of the world for eternity past. And somehow He loves me even as He loved—and still loves—Jesus. To say I’m unworthy is a gross understatement. I’m a sinner saved by grace. Amazing grace! Matchless grace! Infinite grace! Grace that is greater than all my sin! And by that grace, I am immeasurably loved by God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. I'm looking at the moon as I write this. It’s 238,900 miles away and it’s massive in the night sky. The sun that is 92.96 million miles away warmed my skin today as I played outside with my family. And the God who made these and everything else loves me as much as He loves Jesus, His perfect, holy Son. I’m moved to tears. I hope this can rock your soul, too. This is the beauty of the gospel. Sin-stained sons and daughters of Adam are adopted into the household of God by faith, through the Spirit because God loves us as much as He loves His Son. We see it when we read “in love, He predestined us for adoption to Himself” (Ephesians 1:4-5). Not New, But Amazing This isn’t anything new. It’s not something I’ve never read. But it’s the most amazing verse I’ve read today. It’s the most wonderful truth I’ve pondered tonight. It’s the greatest message I can share with my wife tonight before we drift off to sleep. If you’re in Christ, through faith in Jesus, you are infinitely loved by the infinite three-in-one God of heaven. Walk in that love. Be one with everyone else God loves. Let your manner of life be worthy of this gospel message. Ponder this love and bask it in for the rest of eternity. In Christ alone, we are deeply loved by God. In Christ alone, we can press on til tomorrow. In Christ alone, the love of God will compel us to glorify and enjoy God forever.  As of today, July 10th, 2020, Andy Beshear (Kentucky) will require masks to be worn in public spaces for at least the next 30 days. Some think such a requirement is government overreach and unconstitutional. Others consider this mandate to be a simple rule to follow. My aim is not to argue politics or the constitution. I am not an expert in either of those topics, and I think politicizing every issue often misses the point.
Regardless of your political opinions on the matter, should you wear a mask or not? What if a judge has ordered a block on pandemic executive orders coming from the governor? Here's where the issue gets a little sticky. Who do we follow? What does the Bible teach on the matter? How do we move forward for the next 30 or even 60 days? 1. Is it loving or unloving to wear a mask? A good place to start is Matthew 22:36-40: He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands. Does wearing a mask help us love God or our neighbor? To put it differently, does wearing a mask hinder me from loving God or loving my neighbor? These questions should drive us to think deeply about the health and social implications of such a mandate. Does my wearing or refusal to wear a mask display a political stance more than a biblical one? Does my wearing or refusal to wear a mask portray an unbiblical measure of fear or anxiety? Does my wearing or refusal to wear a mask shout, "I trust (or reject) the government!"? 2. Is it sinful to wear a mask? In Philippians, we are called to "approve of what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God" (Phil. 1:10-11). Let's break that down in light of wearing masks. Does wearing a mask stop you from:
If you can biblically answer "no" to these questions, then it is not sinful to wear a mask. If you can biblically answer "yes" to these questions, you shouldn't wear a mask because it is sinful either in omission or commission of sin. Further, if your conscience does or does not allow you to wear a mask, you need to heed Romans 14:23: "For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin". Be warned, doing Bible gymnastics to twist Scripture to fit your opinions is dangerous business! If you're willing to do it for a mask, you'll probably be willing to bend over backwards to make more serious and spiritually deadly decisions in the future. 3. Is this a situation where civil disobedience is necessary? There are times, as in the case of Daniel, where civil disobedience glorifies God—he was told to worship a god other than the God of Scripture (see Daniel 6). The high officials knew that Daniel lived a godly, upright life and would obey the government unless it pertained to the "the law of his God" (Daniel 6:5). This begs for our attention! There are situations where the world and corrupt governments will try to bait us into sinning against God. We must resist the temptation to sin. However, we need to use the Word of God to discern when and how to resist governing authorities in such cases. We also ought to reflect on how the Bible calls us to relate to the governing authorities in our cities, nations, and states. This doesn't mean reading the Bible through your political (or anti-political lens). It means striving to take the Word of God as it is and applying it to the situation in front of you. Romans 13:1-7 calls us to "be subject to the governing authorities" and not do wrong because "rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad." Paul refers to God's sovereignty over the rulers of the nations and calls us to "do what is good." We do this not only to guard against "God's wrath", but also for the sake of our consciences. 1 Peter 2:11-17 is similar to Romans 13. Peter calls Christians to "keep [our] conduct among the Gentiles honorable" and to "be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution" because "this is the will of God". He continues, "Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the Emperor." Peter reasons that living godly lives and being subject to governing authorities:
After reading these two passages, are masks inherently sinful? Does wearing or not wearing a mask keep us from being subject to the governing authorities? Are we following the revealed will of God if we decide to wear or not wear a mask? Who are we honoring if we do or don't wear a mask? Let the Word of God Lead the Way At the end of the day, you must let the Word of God dictate how you'll respond to the mask mandates—and any other government policies we meet in this lifelong journey. Here are three reasons I'll be wearing a mask in public:
I am not prescribing a policy for whether you should wear a mask or not, but it seems that this shouldn't be a hill to die on. This isn't a specific or direct attack on churches or religious liberty, so I don't see the need to buck against the system. You may disagree, but we must all strive to have the mind of Christ and "do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than ourselves" (Phil. 2:3). Cry Out, Don't Complain This is a hard time for us all, but especially pastors and church leaders. Before you criticize or complain, cry out to God on their behalf. You may not like the governor's or pastor's decision on masks, but remember that they are striving to make decisions based on Scripture and the flock God has called them to shepherd.  If you’re looking for a family friendly resource to get your kids learning about the Bible and having fun at the same time, this is it!
The book has several Bible stories to choose from:
Each of these stories has scripture and a brief summary of the Biblical text. In addition to the Scripture is a seek-and-find that is sure to keep kids and parents searching together while talking about the Bible stories. Each page contains at least 50 objects to count, which helps with math skills as well as attention to detail and memorization. As a guy who loves bonuses and special features in books, I was excited to see some extra goodies tucked into the first page. This is a book full of surprises and fun finds for our children, and it is especially good for younger children who may not be able to focus very well on longer Bible stories. I recommend Seek and Find Old Testament Stories to families with young children who want to get them involved in Bible time and family worship. It’s a great starting point, and is tied directly to the biblical text for those who want to use it in family devotional time. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to leave a positive review.  Theological Bobble Heads
Bobble heads are some of the funniest decorations I’ve ever seen. The heads are so big that they wobble with every move. They are especially funny when they are on the dashboard of someone’s vehicle. I haven’t seen one in quite a while, but it reminds me of a spiritual problem that I’ve seen in my own heart and in people around me. I have noticed a tendency to be fat-headed when it comes to theology. When I go to someone’s house, the first thing I look for is their bookshelf. One reason is to see if we stand on the same theological ground and read the same authors. Another reason is simple: I want to see how well-read they are. By All Means, Read Reading good books and studying the Bible is not inherently sinful. In fact, Paul tells Timothy to study (or be diligent) to show himself approved (2 Timothy 2:15). However, he also tells Timothy to continue in what he learned from Paul, including his conduct, aim of life, faith, patience, love, steadfastness, and more (2 Timothy 3:10-11). In the same chapter, Paul says that all Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for a host of reasons including “training in righteousness.. that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Don’t Just Learn For the more academically oriented Christians, we read of studying and get excited. We envision ourselves with books strewn across the table as we dive deep into the meaning of a Greek term or theological concept. We hear the words “study”, and “teaching” loud and clear. We often feel that we are “equipped” simply by our learning. This can be a dangerous way of thinking, if we are not careful. Very dangerous. In some Christian circles, learning is where we stop. As our heads swell with doctrinal knowledge, our desires to love and listen to others seem to wane. We are quick to quote scripture, our favorite theologians, or our confessional statements while we are slow to practice the principles and commands found in those same documents. Notice that I said “we”. I’m a fat head too, sometimes. Just ask my wife and close friends. Commit To Obedience I recently had a conversation with a friend of mine about how challenging it is to discuss and discern tone—especially in writing. What I mean is this: there is a way to speak truth that is loving, and there is a way to speak truth that is unloving. It is hard to figure out, sometimes, when a person is trying to be loving or unloving. This is where we must search our own hearts and discern our true motives. As quickly as we study, we must also be willing to apply that learning through loving. That is what Paul speaks of in Philippians 1:9 when he says “and it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment”. The clear way forward is to commit to applying and obeying everything we read and study in scripture. We are not to be hearers of the word only but also doers. We can’t settle for just being bobble heads who have minds full of knowledge and hearts dulled by the pride and arrogance that comes with unapplied excessive learning. Are you a Christian bobble head? What would your friends and family say? What is your social media saying?  “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:10 As we scan the horizon of American church history, we would be foolish to pretend that racism or ethnic partiality has not been and is not an issue. We know that the stain of racism has soiled the garments of the Church in this nation. As John Perkins stated in Welcoming Justice, the church allowed the culture to pervade their thinking.
However, the bride of Christ is always being made pure by her Bridegroom. We are a people being sanctified day by day as we behold our glorious Savior. Her sin-stained garment is being made white as snow by the blood of Jesus, and we must never forget that. The gospel is radically powerful no matter what culture or what sin issues may abound. The Prophetic Work of the Church Reconciliation starts with us... well, sort of. Reconciliation starts with God who first extended His electing love to a people who were hell-bound and deserving of eternal death. Yet, after He saved us, He sent us to all nations to proclaim His glorious message of reconciliation. Our ultimate problem is enmity with God, and politics won’t fix that. Only the gospel can. Since we have been reconciled to and sent out by God, reconciliation in America starts with us—the ambassadors of Christ. As I have looked at the issues of racism and injustice in this nation, I have shared a similar sentiment with many friends and family: the church needs to be at the forefront of reconciliation efforts. In fact, I believe the church will lead the cause of racial unity and equality in America. The far-left agenda of organizations like Antifa and Black Lives Matter won’t sustain it. The alt-right groups like bro-confederates and the KKK want nothing to do with it. Partisan politics is only fuel for the fire. This doesn’t mean we don’t need reforms in the justice system. It also doesn’t mean that fighting for the rights of the oppressed is a waste (see Isaiah 1:17). But it does mean we need more than than that. We need the gospel. We need a biblical worldview. Our foundation is Christ, and our strength lies in the power of God. Christians are called to hate all evil (Psalm 97:10). As we deal with the evil in our own hearts, we will become more Christlike, and that Christlikeness will be put on display for the world to see. The gospel is a powerful message, and those who have new hearts also have the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead dwelling within us. We are mystically, and yet actually, in union with Christ. He is our power for a change! This Is Church Work The work of the Church in reconciling with one another is prophetic. I am not speaking of institutional religiosity and buildings. The church is the universal assembly of grace-filled believers who join together in local assemblies—churches—to worship and work together for the glory of God. Our message and mission will speak volumes to the culture around us. The church has always been called to love one another and do good to everyone, though we do this imperfectly. Today, I see Christians throughout this nation rising up and listening and loving one another. I see Christians of every ethnicity studying the Bible in order to grow in their knowledge of the truth as well as their application of it. I am hopeful! Jesus said that nobody can come to the Father except through Him. He has invited the world to come to Him, and He uses the church to do it. As the world sees Christians love one another, they will know we are His. We are living pictures of the reconciling work of the gospel! What Is Your Part? We each have a part to play. What is yours? As we desire and strive to see reconciliation In this nation, it is going to take far more than more policies and diversity training. Those things are indeed helpful, but they don’t change hearts. We have seen that with the Civil Rights movement and laws that followed it. As disciplemakers, we are in the unique position to both teach and model biblical diversity. Are you a parent? Teach your children the Bible. Share the gospel with your children as often as you can. And as you’re teaching them the gospel, show them what it looks like to be Christlike toward people to all people, even those who don’t look like them. Teach them to respond to racism or ethnocentrism in ways that glorify God. Do you have a job? Grab lunch with a coworker that you’ve been meaning to connect with. Speak to them about these issues from a biblical worldview, and share the gospel as you speak on these matters. Reach to friends of other ethnicities and get to know them. Even if you don’t have many opportunities for that, speak to people of your own ethnicities about the issues and show them the biblical response. We don’t have to live in diverse areas to make a difference., Do you go to church? If you’re in a predominantly black or predominantly white church, you can still make an impact in the discussion of reconciliation. We should be willing to discuss our struggles and point one another to the gospel. Perhaps there are racist tendencies and mindsets within our own hearts. The church is the place to discuss that, because we have the Scriptures and the gospel to change those things. If you are in a diverse church, share your struggles while carrying the burdens of the Saints around you. This is exactly what the church is here for. Will you buy in? For some of us, reconciliation has been a way of life already. There may not be much for you to change at all. As a black man with a white wife and mixed children, reconciliation is part of the fabric of my life. I am in predominantly white churches, but I am striving to stay connected with the black culture in my community as well as connecting my church to the people I love and grew up with. Sometimes it is tough to balance because I feel stuck in the middle of two groups of people I love. For years I’ve been praying for God to send me as a laborer in the harvest of my community, and now I’m seeing some of the answers unfold. For others of us, reconciliation may feel like a foreign task. It may be scary. It may even be offensive to think that you need to pursue diversity in your life. I challenge you with this: if heaven will be multicultural and multi ethnic, don’t you want a taste of that today? I don’t believe that you have to befriend every black person or every white person you meet. I am not saying that pursuing relationships with Latinos or people from other nations should be your only focus. But could it at least be one of them? As I look at the world around me, reconciliation is bigger than just race. There are people in poverty from all races. There are people who have faced injustice from all walks of life. There are people everywhere looking for the hope of the gospel. The bigger picture of reconciliation is that we desire to see all people as image bearers of God who desperately need to be connected with the Savior—Jesus Christ. Will you grab them by the hand and take them to the foot of the cross? Reconciliation starts with us. Image Credit: Photo by fauxels from Pexels  I’m tired right now.
I’m tired of having to witness another unarmed—this time subdued—black man killed by some bad police officers. I’m tired of saying that most black people aren’t “thugs” and that there are “good” blacks everywhere. I’m tired of saying that not all cops are bad. I’m tired of people thinking that I’m a “white” black dude who only wants to talk about how bad the looting is and not about the racial tension that caused it. I’m tired of having to remind people that not every black protestor desires to see riots and destruction of business in their own community. I’m tired of my white friends having to ask me how I’m doing because it’s happened again. I’m tired of being told that since it didn’t happen to me, it shouldn’t affect me. But I’m thankful. I’m thankful for all the peaceful protestors who are using their freedom to speak out against injustice and evil. I’m thankful for the black Christian voices that can keep me encouraged and remind me that I need to speak up and use my voice as well. I’m thankful for the white Christian voices who are truly concerned and desirous to be there for us. Im thankful for the white pastors who are literally taking action to help their churches be catalysts in reconciliation, even if they’re called social justice warriors or lose credibility with some in their theological camp. I’m thankful that there are good police officers of all races—including white!—out to serve and protect the people of this country. I’m thankful that many police officers and government officials have spoken out on the atrocity we witnessed this week. I’m thankful most of all for the gospel which saves the souls of all who call on the name of Jesus. I’m hopeful. I’m hopeful knowing that this will all be over some day. I’m hopeful that God will use circumstances like these to strengthen and unite Christians all across this country. I’m hopeful because Christ will come back and God will wipe every tear from the eyes of His children regardless of what their skin looks like. I’m hopeful because the Holy Spirit is crying out with groanings too deep for words on the behalf of many speechless and hurting Christians. I’m hopeful because Christ has given me rest and is interceding for me as well as my brothers and sisters in Him. And I’m hopeful because I’ve read Revelation. I know the end already because God revealed it and promised to make all things new. If you don’t know Christ. Get to know Him now. It’s not too late to trust in Him and His finished work. It is through the cross that Jesus paid for sin and broke down the dividing wall of hostility between all of His people. He died to make us all one in Him. He rose again so we could have life. If you want to see true change, seek the Lord and watch Him change you first. Then come join us as we fight together for justice. |
Dwell with Christ exists to encourage people from all walks of life to give their lives to fervent devotion to Jesus. For eternity, God's dwelling place will be with man, and we can experience a taste of the eternal glory now on this pilgrimage we call life.
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