Be Good. Really? That’s All You Got?

What a ridiculously good question that maybe all of us who are in the faith have all struggled with and asked was asked at my life group last week.  “Do we really think that God will only answer my prayer when I’m living ‘Good’?”  That question stopped me in my tracks and I did not hear anything after that for a few minutes as I quickly wrote that question down before I forgot it, even though I knew there was no chance of forgetting it because it’s a question I have asked myself many times.

“Do we really think that God will only answer my prayer when I’m living ‘Good’?” I have thought so many times that I’ve sinned so God can’t hear my prayers or that God can only communicate with me when I am pure in His eyes.  I have struggled with trying to do good and be good so that God would hear my prayers.  Maybe I pray so God will GIVE ME what I want or maybe I pray for Him to reveal Himself to me or I pray for OTHERS but every time I pray, I wonder does God really hear my prayer if there is sin in my life and I’m just not “GOOD”?

Then there is Galatians 3:5 that says, “Answer this question: Does the God who lavishly provides you with his own presence, his Holy Spirit, working things in your lives you could never do for yourselves, does he do these things because of your strenuous moral striving or because you trust him to do them in you?” -The Message

Once again Galatians 3:5 in a different version, “I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ.” -The New Living Translation

Based on that passage, God works miracles because of our belief, not necessarily because we are good.  Interesting point from a friend who said, “If God only heard us based on how good we were He would never have heard me cry out to Him to begin with.”  It is comforting to hear again and again that God hears my prayers because of my belief in Him not because of my belief in how “GOOD” I think I am.  So I ask this question because the truth is I’m still trying to figure this out.  Still trying to figure out this communicating with a God who loves me so much deal.  Still trying to convince myself that I will never be “GOOD” enough.  It’s a journey not a destination I’m told but what happens when the journey seems lonely and without answers?  For me its pushing through and trusting Gods Word and believing with a simple faith that God hears me because He loves me and I love Him.

So I think this is a great question for discussion, have you ever asked that question before?  What answer(s) have you come up with?  “Do we really think that God will only answer my prayer when I’m living ‘Good’?”

A Gathering Force

Francis Chan wrote an article back in 2008 titled, A Gathering Force for Catalyst.  I found what he wrote to be very exciting, alarming and unattainable, but is it?  Read part of this article and share with me your thoughts below.

“Is there any logic in believing that God started His church as a spirit-filled, loving body with the intention that it would evolve into entertaining, hour-long services?  Was He hoping that one day people would be attracted to the church not because they care for one another, not because they are devoted to Him, not because the supernatural occurs in their midst, but because of good music and entertainment?

Try to imagine what conclusions you would come to if you had no prior church experience.  The things in church services might make sense to the American church-attendee, but they don’t make sense biblically.

Picture yourself on an island with only a Bible.  You’ve never been to a church-you’ve never even heard of one.  The only ideas you have about church are what you’ve read in your Bible. Then you enter a building labeled “church” for the first time.  What would you expect to experience as you entered that building?  Now compare that to what you actually experience when you attend church.

What if the church looked like this?  ’They devoted themselves tot he apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.  All the believers were together and had everything in common.  Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.  Every day they continued to meet together int he temple courts.  They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.  And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.’ (Acts 2:42-47)

It describes what the world is looking for.  I used to look at this passage as something that was wonderful but could never happen int he twenty-first century.  There are just too many cultural obstacles for the Holy Spirit to overcome.  He is powerful enough to form a sharing and loving body in our individualistic society.  I doubted God’s ability to stir a body of believers to love tirelessly and give without restraint.  I reasoned that this type of fellowship was probably not intended for our time.  Besides, we don’t have time to love like this.

Looking back, I wonder if I came to those conclusions because there was a part of me that wasn’t sure I wanted it.  It’s interesting how much our theology is driven by desire.

Something real was happening in the early church.  It was something of the Spirit, too powerful to be replicated by human effort.  Imagine taking a friend to one of their church gatherings.  Your friend might not experience a smoothly run, professional service. But one thing he would experience: God.  Do we even need to ask which is better?  So much of church growth today has nothing to do with the Holy Spirit.  The right team of talented people can make any church grow.  When people sit through creative services, is it really God they’re experiencing?

Don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying that we shouldn’t give our best to God.  If you’re a musician, work diligently are your music.  If your a teacher, labor intensely over your messages.  I’m just asking you to be willing to rethink what you’re doing and ask: How can we create a more biblical environment where people see and experience God?

May people see our churches and know that mere human beings could not have created what they experienced.  May we seek the priorities of the early church and trust God to once again produce the fruit of the early church.  ’And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.’ (Acts2:47″

Great reminder for me to not be performance based but Spirit based.

Absence

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder.  Who says that I don’t know but I wonder does that work the same with God?  We all get into those seasons or ruts where we are not as close to God as we would like.  Not as intimate and in some cases we almost can’t seem to hear Him.  When you miss time with God does that bug you?  When you miss time with God does it create a hunger in you to get back to Him to hear from Him?  I hope it does.  I hope that the season you may be going through or will go through does not cause you to separate from Him for too long.  He loves you and has so much He wants to share with you if only you chose to return to Him and stop and listen.

Tears

I have watched this video two dozen times over the last two days with the same result, tears.  I think of my kids and my life and how I take the opportunities I have to truly LIVE for granted.  I challenged teenagers last night to realize how precious their life is.  That it is a gift.  That no matter how difficult it gets or how much junk builds up, there is a God who loves us.  There is a God who is bigger than our hurt and our pain.  There is a God who is bigger than even our hopes and dreams because we have no idea the plan that God has for our lives.

16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. -Ephesians 3

Just a reminder today to not just make it but to LIVE.  LIVE with passion and excitement.  LIVE with purpose.  LIVE today with an intention to make somebody else’s life better.  And may you not just exist but end today releasing a balloon knowing that you truly LIVEd.

 

My Story Sucks

I can’t tell you how many times I have heard somebody say, “My story sucks”.  They have said that their story does not involve radical life change or some sort of rehab visit.  They have said that they didn’t do some historic rescue or walk across America to raise awareness for social justice causes.  They have said many, many things.  The truth is everyone has a story and the uniqueness of that is, not every story is the same.  If everybody had the same story then that would suck.

The fact is God is writing your story and how you choose to respond to that is up to you.  We fight to allow God to write the chapters of our life out of fear of the unknown but I say that is what makes the story exciting.  When you watch the movie and know the ending the story just doesn’t seem to be as exciting.  It lacks the mystery and suspense, sure it can still be emotional but it is not the same.

Sit back and enjoy the story that God is writing in your life.  Sit back and enjoy that you are the feature character and that God has a plan for our story.  One that will prosper us and not harm us.  One that will give us a hope and a future.

Are you enjoying the story? What’s your story that God is writing right now?

Response To The Unexpected

When I spoke a couple weeks back and launched our Christmas experiences, I said this quote, “A person’s character is revealed by his or her response to the unexpected.” It’s so easy to say that but then when the unexpected happens and you have to live it, that is when it gets difficult.  I love the fact that God uses ordinary people to do the extraordinary but sometimes because of the unexpected that will happen in my life I don’t even feel “ordinary” enough for God to use me.  Ever feel that way?  Ever feel like you blew it?  Ever feel like what’s the point?

I’ve been bombarded with messages from students and adults over the last couple weeks that feel that exact way and are ready to quit.  My challenge to you is this, if you are a Christ Follower, then you are a child of the King.  It may not always feel like it but we don’t walk through life based on emotions and walk through life based on what is happening around us or to us…we walk through life with a joy knowing what was done for us.  Find comfort that your joy is found in Christ and Him alone.  Maybe as the new year approaches you need to get away from the business of life and run to Him.  For those who read this who may not be a Christ follower, there is so much that will keep you from a true relationship with Christ because you will try to fix it before you run to Him.  If only I can quit looking at that porn, or put down the bottle, or step away from this addiction of sex and drugs.  If only, if only, if only.  Just a reminder that you will never be good enough and you will never have it all fixed before you run to Him…so just do it now, He is waiting.  He loves you.  Don’t give up.  Don’t quit.  What a great way to start out the new year by giving everything to Him.

Maybe your unexpected moment before the new year gets here is to humble yourself and admit that you don’t have all the answers and don’t have it all figured out.  Maybe your unexpected moment of surrender will reveal more about your character than you thought.

Are you resolution maker?  Are you a goal setter?  What changes for you in the new year?

Earn It

I watched one of the most powerful movies ever written on Monday and Tuesday called Saving Private Ryan.  I sat there and watched the sacrifice of so many that have come before me and thought about the freedom that I have and in reality how I don’t deserve it because I have done nothing to earn it.

I watched the final scene of the movie where Tom Hanks is sitting on the bridge trying to blow it and keep the Germans from crossing over and taking a huge step towards victory.  He could have taken private Ryan with his 6 out of 8 remaining guys and left but they chose to stay and fight.  In doing so he gave his life for his country and for private Ryan.  His ending statement to private Ryan was, “Earn this, earn it”.  At the end of the movie private Ryan asks his wife if he has led a good life and if he was a good man?  His entire life he felt the need to earn what had been given to him.  He felt the need to pay back the debt that was paid for his freedom.

I sat and thought I am so much like private Ryan.  There was a debt that was paid for me and I spend my life trying to pay it back and earn it.  The truth is there is nothing I can do to earn God’s love or lose God’s love.  There is nothing I can do to earn or payback the debt that has been paid for my life.  So today live as if you are free because if you believe you belong and the debt has been paid for your life and you don’t have to try to earn it or pay it back you simply honor God by loving Him, loving others and serving both to the best of your ability.  That’s it.  We don’t deserve it but that is why it is a Gift.