Sitting By The Fire

"When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire" (Acts 28:3). After the shipwreck on Malta, we see Paul gathering firewood. In Paul's company were other, more physically capable men, sailors, natives, etc. Yet, it is Paul up and gathering firewood. It is not to say the others were not doing anything, but this old missionary was pitching in. He could have sit there by the fire to be served, but he was serving, exactly how Jesus had taught. When Jesus taught, He meant for us to obey. Discussion, even debate, can be useful, but ultimately, obedience is to follow. In this case, service. Are we following in the tradition of Jesus and Paul, or do we sit by the fire too much, letting others gather the wood. Think on that.

Focus

I was on my way to work today, and the song Lighthouse by my favorite band, Rend Collective came on. As I started listening to the words, I began to wonder how many Christian songs could be mistaken as or are self focused. Lines like "my lighthouse" or "you will carry me" could be taken with a focus on self. While it is important to remember what God has done, is doing, and will do in our individual lives, I think it is more important to remember that He is God, what He is doing in this world, and what He can do through us to glorify Himself. When Jesus spoke, He spoke often of the Kingdom and what it was like as what God is bringing about. When He spoke to the individual it was often to reveal who He was (miracles) and/or bring them to repentance. Yes, God does love us to the point the He died for us, but if that is where our attention ends, we are missing God and rather selfish. It is like reading Ephesians 2:8-9 and forgetting verse 10 even though it is right there.

Armed Or Unarmed?

The Navy Chaplain Corps decided that chaplains will be non combatants. Basically that means that we don't have weapons. It even goes so far as to prosecute any chaplain who picks up a weapon in a war zone. Personally, I wanted to option. I don't think it was out of the question to defend myself, and I doubt that any enemy is going to take the time to look for my insignia before they started shooting.
We are in a spiritual war, whether we like it our not, everyday, and I think it makes even less sense to go out into that war unarmed. We have two weapons with which to combat the Enemy, the Word of God (Sword of the Spirit) and prayer. Too often, Christians disarm themselves out of laziness or business or pride (thinking they are alright without it). In doing this, they give Satan an in and make provision. For the flesh to take over and have its own way in them. It is subtle at first, but one day you wake up and realize that you've been broken down without even seeing it. Today, arm yourself with the Word of God like I'm about to do by getting in the Bible, and talk to God. Don't go into the war today unarmed. Think on that.

The Naming

Thanks to my wonderful wife, I am reading through a book series while at work called Pellinor, by Alison Croggon, who has been influenced by J.R.R. Tolkien enough to name one of the bards in her series Tulkan. So far the first book, The Naming, has quite nicely kept at bay the hours of boredom that naturally come with working a job that, for the most part, calls on you to wait for something to go wrong. By God's grace, this does not happen very often. About halfway through The Naming, a situation comes about in which one of the main characters has to make a choice. He has the power to heal a child who is about to die, but he knows that if he does it will likely bring attention to the group, who is trying to go unnoticed, and endanger if not bring to ruin the group and their mission. Without hesitation, he heals the child. At first even the parents are suspicious of his powers and rather ungrateful. One of his companions later asks, "Was that wise? If we are trying to hide... Mr. Dringold obviously suspects us." He responds, "If that is all that matters: no, it was not wise. However, what is wisdom, if it means allowing that little boy to die?" In the same way, I think we as Christians are called to do good, even if it may cost us. The Scriptures recount Jesus doing this often. He healed people, even when it seemed to bring Him unwanted attention from the religious leaders who meant to do Him harm, and He is to be our example. Make sure to take the time to notice the good you can bring to someone and do so, even if it costs you. Think on that.

The Power of Mercy

I don't know about any of you, but I am not a naturally merciful person. I thought for a long time that if someone hit you then the best way to show them that was a bad idea is to hit them back harder. Maybe I was right about that, but whether you think that's true or not, the bigger picture and most important thing is not to teach them that was a bad idea at all. The bigger picture is that God be glorified in what you do. Now I don't know if God is most glorified in you taking another punch. Maybe He is. Expand this idea to all realms of wrong doing and think about the one doing wrong. Before we were saved, we didn't even know what sin was. How could we be expected to fight against it? Many people are still there, lost. They cannot see that they do wrong. Sometimes all they see is that they get punched in the face by a Christian who tells them God loves them before hitting them again. Maybe instead of hitting them back, yelling at them, condemning them, or whatever else we just throw a ton of mercy and love at them, and then we let God take up the sword when it's time fore that. What does that look like in everyday life? Maybe we don't freak out or get offended when people swear. Maybe we shrug off the crude humor. Remember that they can see you walk out of the room. I don't like it either. When I hear God's name taken in vain, it's like fingernails on the chalkboard in my soul. Think about when Jesus hung out with tax collectors and prostitutes. I think He probably heard things He didn't want to either. I may be wrong, but I don't think He walked out of the room. People will notice when you don't take part in the gossip after a while. They will notice very quickly when you don't cuss. They will notice even more quickly when you refuse to be around them. Maybe if you hang out with them and be their friend, you can share the Gospel with them and watch them move from death to life. "And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—" (Ephesians 2:1-5).

Watch & Pray

"Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation" (Matthew 26:41a).
I was listening to the radio yesterday going home from the church, and they were talking about the first three words in this verse. It is a combination we should be putting into practice all the time. Jesus said to watch, and we do need to keep watch. We need to examine ourselves, our actions, our thoughts, our motives, our reasoning. We need be aware of our issues an faults, but doing that alone will only lead to depression. We need to pray. Ideally we would be in constant contact with God. but what are we praying about? Sometimes people pray in a fantasy world without knowing or ignoring what they really need to pray through.By putting the practices together, we are about to see where we are lacking and we have the only means to really put it right. Think on that.

Am I Saved?

"And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked" (1 John 2:3-6). I get into conversations more often than I would have expected in which this question, or a variant of it, or a concern with this idea near the hear of it comes up: Am I saved? The questioner has likely had a point in their life where someone shared the Gospel with them and they took a step of faith. Yet, they have this nagging doubt about where their eternity is. Why wouldn't they? It is the most important concern for any person. Where will I go when I die? John gives a little glimpse into that answer here. Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments" (John 14:15). John says the same. Within this we can see something profound, yet simple. The Christian, the person who knows God, who is saved, who will spend eternity in heaven, is changed and changed toward Jesus. Their motives change. Their love changes. Their actions change, not to earn salvation but because they are transformed by God. If you are questioning this or you are talking with someone who is, this is how you can give them assurance or reveal to them that they are not saved and need to be. Have they been changed? What does this change look like? Does it look like them walking more as Jesus did? Have their desires come more into line with His desires?
"Have I been saved?" is not a question I believe God wants us to be in limbo about. Their is a solid answer, but someone asking the question is a good thing. We need to be able to help them find the answer. Think on that.