I recently had an interesting exchange with a young woman who attended a church event where an evangelist claimed that hundreds of people were healed. As I was watching the event myself I knew that the claim was false. The young woman, whose sincerity I do not doubt, was adamant that hundreds of people were healed. When I asked her for evidence so that I could rejoice with her, what I received instead were seven statements that could only be described as denying all reality. In fact, these statements are common among Christians who have a tendency to over-super-naturalize their experiences. When you hear these objections to a request for evidence of something then you can identify a person whose understanding is divorced from reality and scripture. Before I provide those seven statements let me share this important foundational point: God is a God of evidences. In fact, God always asks us to believe things for which there is real world evidence. We are never asked to have faith without evidence. I’d go so far as to say that it is impossible for God to work in the world and not leave any evidence that he is the one doing what he has been doing. God does not hide or hide his work. He wants us to see and know and believe. I’d also like to say that such people who are trapped in this non-biblical perspective are just that—they are trapped. They should not be attacked, ridiculed, or made to feel stupid. Rather, firm but gentle persuasion should be applied to help them see the error that entraps them. We must be loving and gracious while we seek to firmly persuade. Now, here are the seven statements of someone who denies reality and insists on believing wild things for which there is no evidence. 1.) I am proof It is true that all Christians have a testimony about how God has changed their lives. These testimonies are powerful when coupled with the testimony of the Bible and the life of Jesus. However, the person who over-super-naturalizes everything states that his life is a proof, but then offers no specific explanation about how his life was changed. This claim simply amounts to saying, “Just believe me,” with no ground for that belief. 2.) Don’t be mean There are actually a number of ways such a person will say this. You’re being mean. Stop being contrary. Don’t be a know it all. Stop being cruel, etc. Whenever you ask for an evidence of a claim, or give a rational reason why you don’t believe the claim, this person resorts to emotionalism and near-name calling. This is a sign that he is unable to defend his view upon even minor examination. However, it may also be a sign of immaturity, which you must graciously excuse. 3.) Just pray about it When a person who cannot defend their claim says this, he is essentially trying to lay a guilt trip on you. If you are not spiritual enough to pray about it, then you are deceived or are a bad Christian. But this is not true. This is a defense mechanism to let the person off the hook for having to present real evidence. 4.) Words can’t explain it This is also a defense mechanism against having no proof. It’s meant to communicate the idea that something is so spiritually above you that mere words can’t do the claim justice. Honestly, this is pure foolishness. Words can indeed explain everything. We use commonly understood words in the Bible to describe God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and high theology. If mere words can describe the eternal God of the universe then mere words can describe your experience or provide evidence for your claim. It’s one thing if you are not an articulate person. There’s nothing wrong with that. But your lack of articulation doesn’t make something too high for anyone to understand with words. 5.) There is no need for proof Yes there is. If you claim that hundreds of people were bodily healed then there ought to be a whole lot of proof in the form of diseases, syndromes, and conditions vanishing and no longer needing treatment. If such things are not apparent then the claim is false. Consider that no one disbelieved Jesus was healing people. Even his enemies admitted that Jesus healed people and raised the dead. The same was true of his disciples. That is not true about most faith healers today. Consider also that Jesus offered proof of his resurrection. In the eyes of Jesus, proof was a requirement. If you deny the need for proof then you are denying the very practice of Jesus. 6.) The Bible teaches it When the claimant states this he is essentially saying that the Bible supports his claim—but he offers no relevant passage that teaches his specific claim his true. Too many people use the Bible to justify their claims without understanding its context. For instance, did you know the Bible says that there is no God? It’s true. The Bible says in Psalm 14:1 that, “There is no God.” I can make the argument from the Bible that God does not exist. Of course, I would have to do that by butchering the text. Because the full passage really says, “The fool says in his heart, ‘there is no God.’” The Bible teaches supernatural healing. But it doesn’t mean your claim of hundreds healed is true. 7.) It is beyond your understanding This is the claimant’s last resort. With this statement the person is essentially saying, “I’m more spiritual than you.” It is a statement of self-superiority and self-importance. It’s like saying to someone, “You’re too stupid to understand it.” It is nothing more than an insult as a way out of having to defend a view that doesn’t hold up under common sense scrutiny. Conclusion When you encounter wild claims about spiritual things and ask for proof, and you encounter these arguments you can know that the claim is without merit. Don’t be fooled by sincerity or emotionalism, or submit to demands that your attitude is wrong or sinful. It’s never sinful to want to believe the truth. You should not feel pressured by those who make wild, unsubstantiated, over-super-naturalized claims. Theirs is the burden of proof. Your job is to evaluate the claims so that you can defend against deception or rejoice with the truth. guywithabible.com

I once saw a poem in a gardening book about growing vines. This is how the poem read, “First they sleep, then they creep, and then they leap.”  The poem was teaching that in the natural world growing a lush vine will take three years.  The first year the vine doesn’t appear to be doing anything, but below the surface the roots are starting to spread out.  This is the sleeping phase.  The second year the vine is in the ground it starts to creep just a little bit.  But, what happens in the third year of cultivation?  Abundant growth follows in just three years.   What does Jesus calling himself the true vine in John 15 imply?   It implies there are false vines, counterfeit sources of energy and strength that we might seek to empower us to bear fruit.  But, these bogus sources will ultimately prove worthless.  Only Jesus offers life with God.  And, only life with God produces fruit that will last.   Look at Jesus’ words from John 15:1-11 .               “1) I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.  2) Every branch of mine that does not    bear fruit he takes away and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes that it may bear more fruit.  3) Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4)  Abide in me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.  5) I am the vine, you are the branches.  Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.  6) If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers;  and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.  7) If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.  8) By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.  9) As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.      Abide in my love. 10) If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.  11) These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”  ESV   Fruit bearing is God’s idea.  This simple concept can be easily twisted in our reasoning.  It is not uncommon when we find ourselves eager to advance God’s kingdom, for us to assume we must be acting from our pride.  We need to remember God desires for us to bear fruit, but the ability to produce fruit will not be found in our will power.   Jesus is the true vine, we are the branches, but who is the vine dresser?  Who perfectly trims our branch?  The Father, the first person of the trinity, is the Gardener who prunes our branch so we can be made even more fruitful ( John 15:1 ).  The purpose of pruning, however painful, is always to increase our fruit-bearing potential.   1)What are some growth areas or ministries where you experienced a pruning?     What instrument does the vine dresser use to trim back the branches?   Look again at John 15:3 .   “ Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.”   ESV   The gardening shears that the Father uses are the very words of Jesus.  This is an important distinction, because we might assume a trial or suffering are God’s pruning shears, but that is not what Jesus emphasizes here.  It is the time we spend receiving Jesus’ words which cleanses us and increases our fruit.  Look John 15:7 again.   “If you abide in me, and  my words abide  in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for      you.”  ESV   The Greek word translated abide in our English translations is a metaphorical word for place.  To abide is related to our English word abode.  A person’s abode is their home base.  It is the place they inhabit.  So, to abide in Jesus’ words is to metaphorically live with his teaching, to live in his strength.   Notice that Jesus does not say, my  word  abides in you, but my  words  abide in you.  The phrasing, “my  word  abides in you,” might imply the entire book of the Bible.  But, the phasing, “my  words  abide in you,” is emphasizing the red letter words of Jesus from the gospels.  I believe it is the very teachings of Jesus recorded in the gospels that are the most critical for our fruit production.  This is why I love to teach the gospels.  These words of Jesus convict us of sin, expose the intentions of our hearts, and are always mixed with hope and redemption.   If we want to continue to bear spiritual fruit, we need to regularly meditate on the words of Christ.  Every gardener knows sharp pruning shears work quickly and do less damage to a plant.  Trimming off the small stems is also less invasive to the fruit cycle.  The same is true for a spiritual pruning.  Old woody growth develops when a vine’s pruning has been neglected, and it might require a saw to cut through.  Pruning off old growth can easily send a plant into shock.  Spending time applying the gospels will keep us from wild unpruned growth.   2) How can we practically apply Jesus’ red-letter passages of the Bible?     Why did Jesus choose the vine as a metaphor to describe our relationship with him?   The vine portrait of Christ perfectly illustrates the dependance we need to place in Jesus if we want to bear fruit.  Why didn’t he choose a tree?  Ezekiel 15 seems to address this very question, and Ezekiel even uses some of the same words and phrasing found in John 15 .  Look at Ezekiel 15:1-6 .               1) And the word of the Lord came to me:  2) “Son of man, how does the wood of the vine surpass any wood, the vine branch that is among the trees of the forest? 3) Is wood taken from it  to make anything?  Do people make a peg from it to hang any vessel on it?  4) Behold, it is given to the fire for fuel.  When the fire has consumed both ends of it, and the middle of it is charred is it useful for anything?  5) Behold, when it was whole, it was used for nothing.  How much less, when the fire has consumed it and it is charred can it ever be used for anything!  6) Therefore thus says the Lord God; Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so have I given up the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”      ESV   The vine metaphor was carefully chosen because vine wood by itself is not useful.  Maybe we can make a spindly basket or a decorative wreath from vine twigs, but we don’t make a table, or a bed.  We certainly don’t build houses that would protect us from the elements or an encroaching enemy.  Jesus is emphasizing with this vine portrait how our strength must flow from him.  We can do nothing of lasting worth in our own power.   Sap flows through the vine, into the branches, so they will have the energy they need to make flowers and eventually produce fruit.  In the natural world fruit, production is an exhausting experience for a plant and the conditions have to be just right.  Every plant has seasons when it grows fruit and seasons when it is storing nutrients, so it can bear fruit again.  Nothing blooms continually.  In the same way no one is constantly bearing spiritual fruit.  Most importantly from John 15, we see fruit will never grow on a severed branch, and dead branches have one purpose, to provide fuel for a fire.   Jesus as the true vine is an Old Testament picture that is first foreshadowed in Numbers 13 when the spies scout out the Promise Land that God was giving to Israel.  The single cluster of grapes they brought back to Moses was so enormous that it took two men to carry it on a pole.  This gigantic cluster is a prophetic picture of Jesus’ message from John 15 .  Abiding in Jesus yields a fruitful harvest.   Numbers 13 and 14 are the chapters where the story of the twelve spies who surveyed the Promise Land are found.  Sadly, it is only the minority report given by Joshua and Caleb that encourages the people to trust God.  This beautiful inheritance that God desired for Israel was a land flowing with milk and honey.  He wanted to bless them with fruitfulness and would provide everything they needed so they could conquer and prosper there.  But, God would not make them accept his plan.  A whole generation will needlessly die in the desert because they refused God’s blessed plans.   Instead of trusting in God’s dream, Israel listened to the many voices of fear.                3) Why is it hard to trust God’s dream for us?    There are multiple passages in the Old Testament which picture Israel as a vine and also as a vineyard.  Jesus also told many parables using these images.  Archeologists looking at the time frame between the Old and New Testaments have even discovered a Jewish coin engraved with a vine.  Jesus’ words describing the fruit bearing he designed for his disciples was taught in the middle of this context.  Many Jews felt their ethnicity and religiosity would insure they could bear fruit for God.  But, Jesus is making it very clear that only he has the power to bear genuine spiritual fruit and only disciples who stay connected to him will receive this power…because he is the true vine.

Thirty-six times in the New Testament we see a recurring word pattern—an action verb followed by the words one another. In English grammar this phrase is called a reciprocal pronoun—I am to act a certain way toward you and you should act the same way toward me. For instance, we’re told to encourage one another, accept one another, comfort one another, honor one another (and 32 other phrases). In the book I wrote on these actions ( Love One Another: 20 Practical Lessons ) I suggested that  all  of us should give  all  the one anothers to  all  people at  all  times. In short, give all to all. These phrases are commands for us to obey; we can’t opt out and choose not to participate. I shouldn’t pick and choose which of the one anothers I’ll give (for instance: I’ll encourage people but not accept them). I shouldn’t show favoritism as to  whom  I give them to (for instance: I’ll encourage some people but not others). I should willingly dispense these acts of grace  all the time  (for instance, I shouldn’t have the attitude: “I’ll give these when I’m feeling good but not when I’m upset.” But there is one exception to the “give all to all” guideline; there is one “one another” that can be sparingly dispensed: “Be devoted to one another” ( Romans 12:10 ). The Greek word for “devotion” is philostorgos, which means “to cherish one’s kindred, to be fond of, to be fraternal toward others, tenderly loving, and tenderly affectionate.” Devotion implies a deep level of commitment. It is, perhaps, the only One Another that we can ration out. Through the years, I have developed a deep sense of devotion to certain individuals, but not to everyone. My highest devotion is to my wife, children, and grandchildren. Even among my friends, I am more devoted to some than others. Jesus did the same. He had a small group of people he was deeply devoted to: his twelve disciples. Among the twelve, there were three men in whom he confided the most: Peter, James, and John. Some would even suggest he was closest to John. He didn’t love these three men more than the others, but he did spend more time with them, allowing them to know him in ways the others didn’t. They were invited to be with Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration, perhaps the highlight of his earthly ministry, and in the Garden of Gethsemane, arguably the lowest point in his life. Jesus didn’t have favorites, but he did have intimates. He loved the world, taught thousands, but was devoted to a few. Likewise, it’s okay for us to be selective as to whom we’re devoted to. On a practical level, it would be impossible for us to express devotion to the hundreds of people we’re acquainted with. A sense of devotion can be reserved for a few. I am devoted to my family. I’ve jokingly told my wife, “If you ever leave me, I’m going with you.” I’m devoted to my  two daughters; through life’s ups and downs, I’ll be their faithful father. I’m devoted to my son-in-law and his daughter. Five years ago, my grandson entered my scope of devotion. As a leader, I’m devoted to members of my team. I have hundreds of good friends and feel devoted to some but not all of them. Devotion is expressed in these terms: Value — “I highly value you; you are important to me.” Commitment — “I am committed to you; I pledge to be lovingly involved in your life.” Long-term commitment — “I’m in this relationship for the long haul. I’ll walk with you through good times and bad. We’re friends for life.” Priority — “My life, like yours, is multifaceted. However, you are a priority to me. Meeting needs — “I am aware of your physical and emotional needs and want to be a part of meeting those needs.” Faithfulness — “Relationally, I’m going to bind myself to you. I hope my deep commitment will make you feel secure.” Vulnerable communication — “I am willing to share with you the deep issues of my life, and you can trust me with the deep concerns of your life. I want to know you in a deep, intimate way.” Tenderness — “You are very dear to me.” Consistency — “You can count on me to be a consistent source of love and care.” Love, even unto death — “I would give my life for you.” Question: to whom are you devoted? As suggested by the previous list, true devotion requires enormous commitment; have you made such a commitment to a few people? Soon after Jack Benny died, George Burns was interviewed on TV. “Jack and I had a wonderful friendship for fifty-five years,” Burns said. “Jack never walked out on me when I sang a song, and I never walked out on him when he played the violin. We laughed together, we played together, we worked together, and we ate together. I suppose that for many of those years we talked every single day.” In a sweet and sincere way, George Burns and Jack Benny were devoted to each other. www.donmcminn.com .  Used by permission.

The Bismark was the pride and terror of the German Navy in WWII. It could outrun and outgun anything in the English Navy. But when being pursued by the British on May 27, 1941 the Bismark began to sail erratically and then headed back into the British ships who sunk it. What happened to render the great ship useless? A torpedo had hit the Bismark on its rudder. It could no longer be directed. It sunk as now an easy prey. Such is a Christian who does not know his Bible and cannot make intelligent and informed decisions. Like the Bismark he has power and great potential but no direction. He soon will sink. “The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom….”( Pr 4:7) A discipline must begin in a Christian’s life of the disciplined regimen of the acquiring of the mind of Christ – the Bible. Solomon said “you cannot put a net in the eyes of a bird” (Pr 1:27), because a bird can see all things from its lofty perch. So it is when a person knows that which is the revealed will of God. They can’t be fooled or misled. But no matter how talented a person is, or how wealthy or intelligent or charismatic, magnetic of personality or endowed with noble heritage, when they are ignorant of the Bible they will have no guidance in the areas that can give true joy or true disaster. And usually the reason that a person does not have a biblical reference point is because they are self-confident and simply do not feel a need of Gods wisdom. David said to God in the Psalms, “… I am a stranger with You.” (Ps 39:12) Meaning that David in life felt like an alien in a foreign land. Such is life without God. Like a man in a foreign country David was helpless. He was in desperate need of God’s guidance through a dangerous life of which he was in himself ill-equipped. Have you ever been in a foreign country and felt that you were hopelessly out of touch with what was happening about you? That is how David felt without God’s guidance. Adam walked with God in the cool of the day. Man is simply not made to be without God’s word and guidance. Death is to be alien to the counsel of God. Point being, successful living means that one must make choices that are wise and good. These choices may not be instinctive because of man’s fallen nature. Thus, man had best know his bible. It is quite simple. The man whose delight is the law of the Lord shall be “like a tree firmly rooted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does he prospers. The wicked … are like chaff which the wind drives away.” (Psalm 1) Learn your Bible. Genesis through Nehemiah is a continuous story with hundreds of incidents – all meaningful, with hundreds of characters (good and bad) – all meaningful. The story is connected and interpreted in the Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Solomon, and Ecclesiastes. Learn them. The Prophets from Isaiah to Malachi speak of God’s responses to man’s responses to His word. Learn them all. The Gospels look at God Incarnate. “The life manifested full of glory…” The gospels are only three years of snippets and sound bites as that is all we can digest. The Book of Acts looks at the beginning of Gods’ ways in the first generation of the Church Age. Learn the ways of the Spirit of God. The Epistles are a commentary on all the previous story of the Bible. Learn each verse. The Book of Revelation shows what is coming. If you read the previous 65 books, Revelation will be your reward. You will know things to come. Learn it. It is not that difficult. Get to where when you are cut you bleed Bible. When jostled you spill Bible. When squeezed one hears Bible. Live Bible – succeed. Stay ignorant – fail. Success, however, will be in the areas that matter. God’s word does not attempt to direct one into vast wealth, popularity, good looks, or social status. All the things which are coveted by men are treated as minor issues in the Bible. What scripture does is give direction on the areas of the truth of God, the love of one’s fellow man and moral choices dealing with purity. These are the areas that produce true joy and stability or when violated are the areas that can devastate a life. David said of the scriptures, “By them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward.” (Ps. 19:11) Do you know your Bible? Do you read it? Me personally? I have never recovered from the fascination and power of the Bible. My wife and I read our bibles through every year. It is there where I and the eternal King meet over truth and delight and worship and resolve. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” It is the highway to the successful life…as God deems success. www.dentonbible.org . Used by permission.

Pastor John Beeson describes why a local pastor and a local congregation is key to your spiritual growth and well-being: “You have access to the best pastors in America. You have at your fingertips access to a trove of virtually endless content by some of the wisest and most powerful thinkers and speakers on the planet. As soon as you finish this post you can have them piped into your office, car, or living room and be impacted by their words. And I hope you do! What a ridiculous gift we have! If you were born five hundred and fifty years ago in Europe, in all likelihood not only could you not read the Bible, but it was likely that your parish priest didn’t own a whole copy of the Latin Bible and since he knew only a handful of Latin words, he couldn’t even read the Bible. Fast forward a few decades to the Reformation and now, for the first time, you would hear the Bible read in your own language and its words applied to your life. Fast forward five centuries to today and not only do we (in the West) have unfettered access to the Bible, but we have almost limitless access to some of the very best Bible teaching. What a gift we have! And yet, that begs a question: how is a normal pastor like myself supposed to compete? Why should you even bother with attending your local church? Why settle for the best I can offer when you can watch the best that Tim Keller and Albert Tate and (fill in your favorite preacher here) can offer?! The truth is that I can’t compete. I’ll never be on an “America’s Best Preachers” list like this. And frankly, I have no aspirations for that. But here is what I can offer that those other great preachers can’t: I’m here. I can shepherd you. I can (if you are patient and give me a bit of time) know your name and know your story. I can pray for you. When I preach I probably thought about you or a friend of yours at New Life as I prepared the sermon. If you have a question about the sermon, or are seeking wisdom as it comes to picking a college, dating, your marriage, parenting, I promise I’ll respond to your email. I will be there when you get married and I would be so honored to dedicate your children. I will pray with you when your mother dies and I commit to pursue you (if you’ll let me) if and when you go astray.[i] I’m a flawed pastor, but if you commit yourself to New Life, I promise to commit myself to you. In 1 Peter 5:1-3, Peter commends the elders (pastors) in the local church: “So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.” I love that little word “among” in verse 2. That’s the word that separates me from all of the better preachers and teachers of God’s Word when it comes to you. I’m among you. I’m a fellow sheep in God’s flock. And he’s gifted us with each other. You bless me with the many ways God has gifted you and I promise to do my best to bless you with the best of how God has gifted me. And because we are “among” one another, you are invited to speak into my life, so that I might live out Christ’s calling and exercise my compulsion humbly and in a God-honoring way. That best won’t win me any awards, but because of God’s purpose and design, it will impact you. And I’m grateful for that fact: I’m the pastor God intended for you.” [i] At my church, New Life, I speak not just for myself but all of your pastoral leadership. And if you attend another church, I’m sure I speak for your pastoral leadership as well. www.thebeehive.live . Used by permission

The world clamors for efficiency and productivity. But the life of prayer is neither efficient nor productive. Instead, as we learn in the psalms, prayer calls us to wait, to watch, to listen, to taste, and to see. These things are not productive by any modern measure, but they are transformative. First, prayer is like a muscle; the more you exercise, the stronger it is. If you have never had a consistent prayer life, you must realize that you are jumping into something that takes practice. To change the metaphor a bit, you are forming new taste buds. If you’ve never had coffee before, it can be bitter and abrasive the first time. But after drinking it for a while, there’s a depth to the coffee that you didn’t realize was there before. Prayer is the same. You need to exercise and drink regularly for it to become easier and even sweet. Second, I’m cautious of calling this a “method” of prayer, as if our communion with God can be distilled into a simple method. It cannot. But often times, Christians need to follow what has worked for Christians in the past in order to know and understand what works for them personally. God is personal, not robotic. You are a person, not a robot. Each of our hearts are different. We all have different fears and different longings. Certain parts of the psalms resonate with certain types of people in certain stages of life. Don’t be surprised if you find that your prayer life and communion with God slightly changes as you enter different life stages and face different challenges. But as you grow in understanding what your prayer life looks like, follow the lead of other Christians; see what they do and then try it on for yourself, like you would a coat. Soon you will know what fits and what maybe needs to be tailored. Third, don’t come to God in order to get an experience, but come to God in order to get God. If your prayer life is simply to get a rush or warmth of some kind, then God is simply being used as a means to an end. If you come to God merely for an experience, you will likely get neither a meaningful experience, nor God himself. But come to God for God’s sake and you will likely get both thrown in. C.S. Lewis, in a letter he wrote to a little girl in 1950, says this about feelings: . . . don’t expect (I mean, don’t count on and don’t demand) . . . you will have all the feelings you would like to have. You may, of course: but also you may not. But don’t worry if you don’t get them. They aren’t what matter. The things that are happening to you are quite real things whether you feel as you would wish or not, just as a meal will do a hungry person good even if he has a cold in the head which will rather spoil the taste. Our Lord will give us right feelings if he wishes — and then we must say Thank you. If he doesn’t, then we must say to ourselves (and to Him) that he knows best. A Method Preparation (2-3 mins) Goal: to collect yourself, preparing your heart and mind to taste and see the goodness of the Lord . • Pray a short psalm ( Ps 16:8 ; 27:4 ; 27:9-10 ; 40:16 ; 43:4 ; 63:1-3 ; 67:1 ; 84:5-7 ; 103:1-2 ; 139:7-10 ) that tells you of the presence of God and his availability of fellowship or his desire for it. Remember his worth, remind yourself of his presence, give up small ambitions and worries, remind yourself that he longs to connect. • Pray for attentiveness and illumination. Spiritual Reading (12-40 mins) Goal: Read and ask the text questions, but to do it in his presence. • Read your daily passages (OT, NT, Psalm), taking note of anything that’s sweet, thanking God for it, and tasting it at it goes by. • Take a portion of your reading (a paragraph, a few sentences, or even a phrase), put an emphasis on each word, and ask these basic questions, giving brief answers: – What does it say about God? – What does it say about me? – Does the passage give me (i) examples to follow, (ii) commands to obey, (ii) promises to claim, (iv) sins to repent of, or (v) idols to tear down? Meditating (15 – 45 mins) Goal: To take phrases, verses, and ideas we’ve reflected on in our “Spiritual Reading” and now reflect on them more deeply. This is the place where you move from asking the text questions to allowing the text to ask questions of you; from understanding the text to letting the text transform you into more like Christ. Meditation engages your heart and gives a foretaste of heaven, reshaping your desires • Teaching: What is the basic truth or teaching this conveys? • Adoration: How can I adore God for this? (What attribute does it show?) • Confession: What wrong thoughts, feelings, behaviors happen when this is forgotten? • Thanks: How is Jesus the ultimate revelation of this attribute and/or the ultimate answer to this sin? How is this sin being an inordinate hope for someone or something to give me the satisfaction that only Jesus can really give me? • Supplication: What do I need from God if I am to realize this truth in my life? Prayer (10 – 15 mins) Goal: To pray your meditation. Consider Augustine’s famous quote, “O God, our hearts are made for thee, and they shall be restless until they rest in thee.” Praying your meditation is finding, if just for a moment, that rest. Meditation is intentionally engaging your heart, but praying your meditation turns you back to God. It actively puts yourself at the disposal of the Spirit, preparing 8 the way for God’s desires to supersede your own and for God to create in you a greater capacity for himself. • Pray Adoration: Tell him what you love and adore about him. Visualize how your life, your friends, your church, your community would be like if he was adored for this more fully. Yearn for it. • Pray Confession: Confess back to him; admit what you’ve done or who you are. Visualize: what would your life be like; decisions, ambitions, etc., if this truth was explosively true in your life? Yearn for it. Imagine God responding to your repentance with words of assurance from Scripture. • Pray Thanks: Thank Christ; remember his life, some story or passage where this character/ attribute is displayed that you are thanking him for. Thank him for who he is and what he has done. Thank him for how he is the ultimate revelation for the answer of your sin. • Pray Supplication: Ask him for what you need to be or do with this truth. Pray for what you need for this truth to be more explosively true in your life. Listen In all previous parts of prayer, we are the dominant actor. We are the one looking, searching, learning, savoring, repenting, adoring. But we should end by listening, gazing adoringly in what we’ve seen of him, hoping to be acted upon, that God might give a heightened sense of his presence, assuring us our adoption and his love toward us. End your prayer by resting and thinking quietly on one or two truths that you learned. Thank Him for it! Order John’s Book:  The Possibility of Prayer

If there is one topic or theme that prevails throughout the book of I Corinthians it is unity. I Corinthians deals with many significant and difficult issues including leadership, wisdom, spiritual growth, marriage and divorce, spiritual gifts, love, and the resurrection of the body. But one of the themes that runs through the book is unity. The Apostle Paul, the author of I Corinthians, regarded the unity of the church so important that he dealt with the subject right at the beginning of his letter, and then nearly every other topic he addressed had something to do with, or became an example of, or life lesson about the unity of the church. Paul wanted to unify the Corinthians believers around Christ and certain core principles of the faith. As Christians, what unifies us? Are there times when it is permissible for Christians to be divided? Must Christians always be in agreement about everything? Why did the Apostle Paul regard unity as so important? Corinth was an important trade city in ancient Greece. It was situated on the Isthmus of Corinth between the Iconian and Aegean Sea. Corinth was a vital center of commercial trade, with a population of more than half a million people by the time the Apostle Paul established a church there in 51 A.D. Other than its value as a commercial hub, Corinth was known for its idol worship, slavery, and most importantly, its rampant immorality. The Corinthians were idol worshipers and their regular religious practices often included an ample supply of male and female prostitutes who worked in the religious temples and on the streets. It was not uncommon for a religious temple to have more than a thousand prostitutes in its employ. Virtually every kind of immorality was openly available in Corinthian society. It was in this dark culture that the Apostle Paul planted a church of new believers. And like any young inexperienced church, the Corinthians often brought the sins of their culture with them into their service of the Lord. In fact, there were many cultural and false religious practices within the Corinthian community that, for the Corinthians, were similar to their practices within the church, and so, they easily syncretized their pagan and sinful cultural practices into their expressions of Christianity. It was because of these difficulties in the church that the Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the Corinthians designed to help correct the cultural and spiritual problems that threatened the life of the church he planted. When the Corinthians came to faith in Jesus Christ, part of their new identity as Christians—as is also true for Christians today—was to separate themselves from the sinful and destructive practices of their culture. One of the ways Paul addressed this was to emphasize their singular identity as Christians—their unity in the faith. When Paul wrote his letter the Corinthian church was divided over personalities such as those who taught them the word of God. “I have been informed, concerning you…that there are quarrels among you. Each one of you is saying, ‘I am of Paul,’ and ‘I of Apollos,’ and ‘I of Cephas.’ Has Christ been divided?” – (I Corinthians 1:11-13). The Corinthian’s unity as a church body was damaged because of their divisions over the well-known leaders of their day. Paul wanted to counter this tendency to focus on earthly leaders and re-orient the Corinthians toward the person of Jesus and the principles he taught them. “I exhort you brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment…For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” – I Corinthians 1:10, 18). The Christian church must be unified around its head, Jesus Christ. God’s wisdom, Paul taught, was necessary for the church to be unified. “The ??fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” – (Proverbs 9:10). God’s wisdom is not like the wisdom of the world system. The wisdom of the world is grounded in the self. Whatever makes one happy, or wealthy, or healthy—these are the things the world is after. In one sense, there is nothing wrong with happiness or wealth or health. However, our chief aim in life should not be these things, rather, our relationship with God through Jesus Christ should be paramount in our lives. It is, after all, possible to be happy without wealth or even health. And it is possible to be wealthy or healthy but have no happiness. In Christ these things are balanced. But to be sure, it is Christ himself that must be the Christian’s first priority. So what exactly is the wisdom of God? Paul provides some insight. “The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace” – (James 3:17-18). Wisdom, godly wisdom, is necessary for the church of Jesus Christ to be unified. The standard practices of the world like exalting personalities, pursuing selfish desires, and personal ambitions do not establish unity among Christians—in fact, worldly pursuits can often divide the church rather than unify it. Christian unity is first established upon the person of Jesus Christ. “No man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” – (I Corinthians 3:11). While all Christians can and should be unified around who Christ is, it is not enough to be unified solely based upon that knowledge. Additionally, unity must also established through godly attitutudes and behaviors. “Walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” – (Ephesians 4:1-3). Divisions over personalities, as Paul was addressing, demonstrated worldly or human wisdom instead of godly wisdom. Paul made it clear in his writings that who brought them to Christ was far less important than the fact that it was Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, that actually worked salvation in the Corinthian’s lives. Therefore, the Corinthian’s divisions over non-essential issues demonstrated spiritual immaturity. “I, brothers, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ…For when one says ‘I am of Paul,’ and another, ‘I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men?” – (I Corinthians 3:1,4) While it is generally true that wisdom brings unity and unity is critical for the church to function properly, there are times when believers divide themselves for good reason, even times when it is necessary to temporarily withdraw or separate oneself from another believer. We might say it this way: There is a difference between dividing over people and dividing over principles. There is one example provided in I Corinthians by Paul when it is acceptable to divide with a fellow believer. In I Corinthians 5 Paul mentions a Christian in the church who is guilty of gross immorality. Because that person was not repentant about his behavior, Paul ordered that person to be put out of the church until repentance took place. “It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife. You have become arrogant and not mourned instead, so that the one who has done this deed would be removed from your midst…I wrote to you not to associate with any so called brother if he is an immoral person…remove the wicked man from among yourselves” – (I Corinthians 5:1-2,11,13). It should be noted that this was not a permanent separation. Paul’s goal in ordering this separation was to push the offending brother away from his sin so that he could later be restored to the fellowship and supported by the very people who urged him out. There are other examples when Paul urged a separation because of sin: “Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned” – (TItus 3:10). “Keep away from every brother that leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us…If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother” – (II Thessalonians 3:6,14-15). The point here is that if there is anything that Christians can divide over it is the issue of sin. If there is a Christian who is living in sin and refuses to repent even after being appropriately confronted, then godly Christians must separate from that person in order to do two things: Protect the moral integrity of the church, and help push the sinning brother away from his sin through carefully exercised church discipline. Even in these cases where separation is necessary, the ultimate goal of such discipline is not permanent separation, rather, it is eventual restoration and support for the offending believer. Jesus taught that when a brother is in sin and refuses to repent that he must be treated as a tax-gather or Gentile. In other words, while the church must separate itself from such people who claim to be Christians yet openly live in sin, that person must be treated as an unbeliever. What are Christians supposed to do to unbelievers? Love and evangelize them! Paul’s admonishment of the Corinthian church to treat an incestuous brother this way did exactly as it was intended. The pressure and embarrassment of being separated from the church body drove this man to repentance and restoration. In a second letter to the Corinthian church Paul rejoiced over the outcome of their actions. “Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him” – (II Corinthians 2:6-8). There is a second issue in which is may be permissible to divide: that of doctrine. Doctrine is teaching that instructs us in what we are to believe and how we are to apply what we believe to live our lives. Sadly, there are many kinds of teaching that even though they may be well-intentioned, are destructive to the Christian church. But what kind of doctrine is permissible to separate over? And how does a church discern when it is permissible to separate from a brother? Some doctrines are not so critical that they must divide believers one against another. For instance, some Christians believe that the rapture of the church will happen at the beginning of the tribulation period. Some Christians believe it will happen at the end of the tribulation. This is not a critical area of doctrine to divide over. The core teachings of Christianity still exist for both groups. Believers can be flexible with one another on such issues and should preserve their unity even if they have disagreements over such interpretations that are less significant than others. One example of division in modern-day Christianity is the issue of prosperity theology. Prosperity theology is a teaching that Christians must always be wealthy and healthy. It teaches that Christians are entitled to these things. It teaches that Christians who are not wealthy or healthy are living outside of God’s plan for their lives. They teach that suffering and sacrifice are not for Christians. Often, teachers of this theology earn large amounts of money from their ministries, and live luxuriant lifestyles while many of their followers struggle financially. If Christianity could be described as a tree, we can say that there are many branches on the tree. Some are thick and strong and fed directly by the roots. Other branches are thinner and smaller, farther away from the roots. Prosperity theology is a part of the tree of Christianity. However, it’s branch is cracked and damaged, not receiving the full and proper nourishment it needs from the root. Prosperity theology affirms that Jesus is the Son of God who died for our sins. It affirms his deity, suffering on the cross, and resurrection. However, what it teaches about the meaning and application of these things is different from rightly grounded theology. Therefore, we might say that the branch of prosperity theology is part of the tree, but it is cracked and broken. It is in need of tender care and repair. There are many Christians that are part of prosperity gospel churches. They are genuine believers in Jesus Christ, but have been carried away by the desires of the world syncretized to their Christian faith. For their own preservation and spiritual integrity, Christians involved in prosperity gospel churches should seek fellowship elsewhere. Division, whether it is over a small matter or a large one, is always difficult. It should not be the normal experience of Christians who are following Jesus Christ except in the most extreme of cases. It is supposed to be the nature of Christians, through the Holy Spirit, for believers to be unified in common cause. Our sinful nature, our human selfishness, may want to divide or withdraw from others from time to time, but it is our new nature in Christ that fights against these urges in a desire to be unified with one another. In fact, it was for unity that Jesus prayed before he was lead away to his death. It is sometimes said that the last words of a dying man are his most important. If this is true then we can see how important it was to Jesus that we be unified. “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in me through their word; that they may all be one; even as you, father, are in me and I in you, that they may also be in us, so that the world may believe that you sent me…I in them and you in me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them, even as you have loved me” – (John 17:20-21, 23). You may have noticed that I’ve essentially said two things: One, that Christians must be united, and two, that Christians, in some cases, must be divided. It may seem like I am speaking contradictorily. On the contrary, I am speaking with a single voice, the same voice provided to us in the scriptures. Christians must never, ever, be unified with or give place to sin within the church, or a perversion of the Gospel within the church. Yes, Jesus prayed that we must be unified. But at the same time God’s word instructs us to hold fast to what is right and to reject what is wrong—what is sin. The scriptures instruct us that “Love rejoices with the truth.” When this is our attitude then we are unified with Christ. Can we be unified with Christ and tolerate sin in our lives or in the life of our churches? May such a thing never be! To excuse sin is to push Jesus off the throne of our lives. A commitment to Jesus and the excusing of sin cannot co-exist. In fact, in I Corinthians Paul urges us toward unity, but throughout the book he also chastises the Corinthians for their excusal of sin. The strongest point that the Apostle Paul seems to be making in his introduction to I Corinthians is that human wisdom divides, but Godly wisdom unites. It is possible for people to be united over sin or non-spiritual things. There are many things that unite people in our world. Some are united over political philosophies and politicians. Some people unite over a common social cause or community efforts. Some people are united over the history and heritage of their country or culture. Some people are united over philosophies and false religions. Yet all of these things will one day pass away, along with the temporary unity they create. Politics changes over time. Politicians come and go. Social causes ebb and flow. Communities change and some even disappear. History and heritage are good, but also change over time. Philosophy and false religion are doomed to eventual failure for not being connected to the truth of Jesus Christ. The scripture teaches us that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” God’s love and his reality will never pass away. In a world of transient beliefs and activities, one thing remains constant and dependable—Jesus Christ. The human wisdom of the world, philosophies, history, heritage, even culture, all vacillate, change, and even disappear. These things are transient, but Christ is transcendent. As history has taught us, at some point unity based upon the transient will falter and die. But unity centered on Christ and his word will always remain. Jesus Christ is supreme over all. Let’s recap the main points we’ve learned: The church must be unified around its head, Jesus Christ. A unified church honors Christ and functions the way God intended Godly wisdom is necessary if the church is to unified. The wisdom of the world puts the self first, but godly wisdom puts Christ and others ahead of our own desires Divisions over non-essential issues demonstrates spiritual immaturity There is a difference between dividing over people and dividing over principles. We must always preserve the core principles and truths of Christianity as those which unify the body of Christ, even if other issues may threaten to divide us Human wisdom divides, but God’s wisdom unites. Godly wisdom is more than the taking of an intellectual position, rather, godly wisdom seeks to serve Christ, serve others in his name, and exercise godly behaviors. guywithabible.com Used by permission.

I am like the poster child of getting counseling. Seriously, in the last few years I have been to four different counselors. I’ve done individual sessions, group sessions, marriage counseling, I’ve done it all. But I realize that for some Christians, the idea of going to a counselor is a little weird. Which is funny, because we’ll go to premarital counseling but then not go again until our lives are on fire or some horrible catastrophe. I’m not going to convince you to go see a counselor though. What I am going to do is give you the tips you need to have a successful counseling experience: 1. Prepare an answer to the question “what’s the nature of the visit?” Sometimes, the admin will ask you some form of the question, “why are you coming?” I think that’s a horrible thing to do because basically someone has finally broken free of their fear to be real and honest about some pain and the admin is the last person they want to share their junk with. But it happens, and when it does go ahead and generalize your response. I told counselor #3’s admin that I was coming in to discuss “work issues and marital communication problems.” That was true, but it was definitely the G version my junk.   2. Don’t show up too early. Your goal is to spend the least amount of time in the lobby of the counselor’s office. The longer, you wait, the longer you’ll have to do awkward head nods with other people that are leaving from other counseling sessions. And the magazine selection always sucks. I think this is on purpose because if they had great magazines you might get happy in the lobby and feel like you could cancel your appointment. So instead they offer “Golf Digest” from 1987 and “Saltwater Trout Fishing Digest.”   3. Read the magazines while you’re waiting. Most counselors tend to run about 5-10 minutes late because the person before you is always a rambling narcissist. In many cases, that person might be me. My sincere apologies. But when you’re in the lobby, you want to stay busy to avoid the “I wonder what that person is in here for” game. Don’t stare at the other people and try to analyze what life crisis brought them to the lobby. Grab whatever magazine is nearby and read deeply, unless an addiction to salt water trout fishing is ruining your marriage. In that case don’t read the magazines.   4. Let’s not talk if we see each other at IKEA. The other day while looking at Glokgs and Rnijyds for our living room at IKEA, I noticed a guy from one of the counseling groups I took part in. We didn’t know each other’s name but we definitely recognized each other. And I was sweaty for a hot minute until he gave me the quick, “Hey, I know you get counseling and so do I but let’s not chat” head nod. It was beautiful. It was fast. It was perfect.   5. Judge your counselor. There are some whack counselors out there, so I recommend judging and analyzing them closely. For instance, there are a handful of books that if I see on the shelf in my counselor’s office that scare me. Like say, “Shock Therapy.” You don’t want your counselor to be a huge fan of shock therapy. Or a book titled, “Why the man is always wrong” or anything from the Every Man’s Battle series. And if the office is messy that’s not a good sign either. If he can’t put together his work environment how is he supposed to help put you back together. I find a beard to be a good sign. There’s something wise about a beard. Mutton chops however are not a good sign. The easy way to remember this is, “A beard is not weird, chops means stops.” See, that’s pretty handy.* Those are just a few of the tips I recommend. I would love to hear yours. And if you need a good counselor in Nashville, Atlanta or Birmingham let me know. *Lady counselors are awesome too but for them, the beard rule is just the opposite. A beard on your lady counselor is not a great sign. www.stuffchristianslike.net .  Used by permission.

I remember talking years ago with a young mother who had a two-year-old child and one-year-old twins. She said with a sigh, “I was never an impatient person—until I had these twins!” This lady believed what most of us have believed at one time or another—that we are the way we are because of our circumstances. The implication is that our circumstances make us what we are. Perhaps you’ve found yourself saying, as have I, “She made me so mad!” What we are saying is: “I am really a kind, gentle, loving, self-controlled, Spirit-filled woman. But . . . you can’t believe what she did!” “I wouldn’t have lost my cool,” we insist, “if my child hadn’t filled the dryer with water and painted the living room furniture with butter!” Or, “I wouldn’t struggle in my marriage if my parents hadn’t verbally abused me and made me feel worthless.” Or, “I wouldn’t be so bitter if my husband hadn’t run off with that other woman.” We are saying, “Someone or something made me the way I am.” We feel that if our circumstances were different—our upbringing, our environment, the people around us—we would be different. We would be more patient, more loving, more consistent, easier to live with. If our circumstances make us what we are, then we are all victims. And that’s just what the enemy wants us to believe. Because if we are victims, then we aren’t responsible—we can’t help the way we are. But God says we are responsible—not for the failures of others, but for our own responses and lives. The “If Only” Game The truth is our circumstances do not make us what we are. They merely reveal what we are. That exasperated mother who believed she had never been an impatient person until she had twins did not understand that she had always been an impatient person; she just didn’t realize how impatient she was until God brought a set of circumstances into her life to show her what she was really like—so He could change her. The enemy convinces us that the only way we can ever be different is if our circumstances change. So we play the “if only” game: If only we didn’t have to move . . . If only we lived closer to my parents . . . If only we had a bigger house (more closets, more storage) . . . If only we had more money . . . If only my husband didn’t have to work so many hours . . . If only I were married . . . If only I weren’t married . . . If only I were married to someone different . . . If only I had children . . . If only I didn’t have so many children . . . If only I hadn’t lost that child . . If only my husband would communicate . . . If only my husband were a spiritual leader . . . . We have been deceived into believing we would be happier if we had a different set of circumstances. The truth is if we are not content within our present circumstances, we are not likely to be happy in any other set of circumstances. When she was in her fifties, nineteenth-century writer Elizabeth Prentiss learned that her husband would be taking a new job that required them to uproot from their home in New York and move to Chicago. The move meant leaving all their friends and posed a danger to her fragile health. In a letter to a friend, she wrote: We want to know no will but God’s in this question. . . . The experience of the past winter would impress upon me the fact that place and position have next to nothing to do with happiness; that we can be wretched in a palace, radiant in a dungeon . . . perhaps this heartbreaking is exactly what we need to remind us . . . that we are pilgrims and strangers on the earth. 1 George Washington’s wife, Martha, expressed the same conviction in a letter written to her friend Mercy Warren: I am still determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may be; for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions and not on our circumstances. We carry the seeds of the one or the other about with us in our minds, wherever we go. 2 Learning to be Content The apostle Paul learned that he could rejoice and be content and fruitful in any circumstance because his joy and well-being were not dependent on his circumstances but on the steadfast love and faithfulness of God and the conditions of his relationship with God. He wrote, “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need” ( Phil. 4:11–12 ). Paul understood that we may not be able to control our circumstances, but our circumstances don’t have to control us. The truth is that we can trust a wise, loving, sovereign God to control every circumstance of our lives. Joy, peace, and stability come from believing that every circumstance that touches our lives has first been filtered through His fingers of love and is part of a great, eternal plan that He is working out in this world and in our lives. 1  George Lewis Prentiss, More Love to Thee: The Life and Letters of Elizabeth Prentiss (Amityville, N.Y.: Calvary, 1994), 374. 2  Harry C. Green and Mary W. Green, “The Pioneer Mothers of America,” 1912, cited in The Christian History of the American Revolution: Consider and Ponder, comp. Verna M. Hall (San Francisco: Foundation of American Christian Education, 1988), 76. Adapted from  Lies Women Believe: And the Truth That Sets Them Free!   © 2001 by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth. Published by Moody Publishers. Used with permission.

Parents of teenagers: are you excited or panicked about your kids? Dr. Russell Moore pens words of encouragement for you today! “I noticed in my social media archive app that one year ago I had posted on Twitter the following words: “Parents of small children, don’t let people fill you with dread about ‘just wait till the teenage years.’ We find these years a source of joy, and even fun. I’ve been a teenager, and I’ve parented teenagers. This is the better part.” I stand by those words. Here’s why. To some degree, what I was combatting with this message is a much larger reality. I tell couples in premarital counseling all the time not to listen to people who will say, “Just wait until that first year of marriage; the fighting is awful.” And I tell newlywed couples not to pay attention to those who say, “Yeah, you’re happy now; just wait until the honeymoon’s over…until you have kids…until…” There’s a certain sort of personality that just likes to cast any stage of what seems like happiness as naïve ignorance just on the precipice of being disillusioned by cynicism. For almost everyone, that’s best disregarded. When it comes to the prospect of teenage children, though, that’s maybe especially pronounced. Most of us, when our children are small, are nervous about the teenage years, if we think about them at all. Some of that is because we have learned that parenting is harder than we thought, and with the teenage years, the stakes just seem higher. A toddler throwing a temper tantrum is a problem, but a sixteen year-old with a DUI is a crisis. A kindergartener who isn’t invited to a classmate’s birthday party is sad, but a teenager who is pregnant is a tragedy. Add to that the truth that most of us don’t remember clearly all the states of mind that we had as toddlers, but almost all of us remember with clarity what it’s like to be a teenager. As a matter of fact, most of us feel internally just as we did when we were sixteen or seventeen years-old, just with, one hopes, a better perspective on what matters, less hormonal chaos going on inside, and a lot less energy. We know how thrilling those high school moments can be, and how dangerous too. Those who rebelled as teenagers, think about what they did and what could now happen with their children. Those of us who didn’t rebel that much, think about the life trajectories of some we know who did, and tremble to think of such happening to our children. But, above all of that, I think the reason for parental anxiety about the teenage years is what psychologists call “imposter syndrome.” When we were teenagers, we implicitly trusted (even if we rebelled against it) that there were grown-ups around who were responsible and who could fix our catastrophes if needed. Now, suddenly it seems, we are those grown-ups, and we realize that we don’t have the confident wisdom and competence we assumed came along with adulthood. We are responsible, the stakes are high, and we have fewer tools in our repertoire to deal with people who physically look and sound more or less like adults, who can make adult-size messes out of their lives, but whose brains and consciences are far from adulthood. If that’s you, calm down. Like any form of imposter syndrome, this is just a comparison of your reality to some imaginary ideal, to which no one ever attained. Your parents felt the same way when you were fourteen years old, and their parents did when they were. Yes, the teenage years are a time of transition and sometimes tumult. Adolescents are seeking to figure out how to differentiate themselves from their parents in some ways, to figure out what belongs to them and what is merely part of their family inheritance. That’s normal, and it’s not a repudiation of you. Yes, awful things can happen. That’s true at any age, just in different ways. As Wendell Berry put it, “Children, no matter how nurtured at home, must be risked to the world. And parenthood is not an exact science, but a vexed privilege and a blessed trial, absolutely necessary and not altogether possible.” A vexed privilege and a blessed trial—yes indeed; everything worth experiencing in this cross-shaped world is just that. In those teenage years, you can start to see a glimpse of who your children will be as adults. You can see God preparing them to go out into the world. You can see their hearts broken, and have yours broken along with them. But you can see their hearts alive with grace and wonder too. That means vulnerability. Love always does. But in that vulnerable love are signs of joy. Don’t the fear the teenage years. And don’t take them for granted either. They, like life itself, are a vapor, that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” www.russellmoore.com . Original article HERE.

Atheists.org begins its post on Biblical Contradictions [i] with this statement: “It is a central dogma of all fundamental Christians that the Bible is without error. They teach this conclusion by “reasoning” that god cannot be the author of false meaning and he cannot lie. Is this true? If written by a perfect being, then it must not contradict itself, as a collection of books written by different men at different times over many centuries would be expected to contradict each other.” [ii] It’s a well-stated premise. I heartily agree. If the Bible’s forty authors who wrote the Bible over a span of approximately 1,500 years and three continents contradict one another (and let’s be honest, how could that kind of motley collection of authors not contradict one another!) it would be a sure sign that the Bible is a human, not divine document. The Atheists.org post goes on to list its top 15 contradictions in the Bible . [iii] Those are: 1)      The Permanence of Earth: we are told “the earth abides forever” and that it will be “burned up.” [iv] 2)      The Holy Lifestyle: should we celebrate “with a merry heart” or be sober-minded in our living? [v] 3)      Seeing God: have some seen God face-to-face or have none? [vi] 4)      The Sabbath Day: we are told that the Sabbath day is to be kept holy and later that “every day is alike.” [vii] 5)      Personal Injury: is “eye for an eye” punishment the rule, or non-retaliation? [viii] 6)      Circumcision: are we to be circumcised or not? [ix] 7)      Family Relationships: are we to honor our parents or to hate them? [x] 8)      Incest: is incest blessed or disallowed? [xi] 9)      The Power of God: is God all-powerful or is his power limited? [xii] 10)   Trusting God: does trusting God bring us blessing or difficulties? [xiii] 11)   Human Sacrifice: are human sacrifices encouraged or forbidden? [xiv] 12)   Punishing Crime: does the punishment of sin fall upon the children of the offenders or not? [xv] 13)   Temptation: can God tempt or not? [xvi] 14)   Resurrection of the Dead: can those who die be resurrected or not? [xvii] 15)   The End of the World: was God supposed to return quickly when the New Testament was written or not? [xviii] Let’s deal with these apparent contradictions with three responses. 1)      PROPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE VERSES The first group of alleged contradictions can be sorted out by properly understanding the meaning of the verses that apparently contradict one another. Apparent contradictions one (the permanence of the earth) and two (the holy lifestyle) both quote from Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes is a book written from the perspective of life “under the sun” a phrase used twenty times in the book. Both apparent contradictions are no longer contradictions when one understands that the point of Ecclesiastes is to contrast the apparent truth from the temporal earthly perspective with the ultimate sovereign perspective. One can make sense of apparent contradiction in scripture about whether or not we can see God’s face (number three) with understanding the context of the Genesis 32 passage. In that passage, Jacob claims to have seen the face of God while John says that no one has seen the face of God. If one reads what precedes Jacob’s declaration in Genesis 32:30 , the wrestling match Jacob has with a man who is some sort of manifestation of God, it is clear that while Jacob has encountered God, he has not come face to face with the fullness of God. 2)      THE FULFILLMENT OF JESUS Some of these apparent contradictions misunderstand the progressive revelation of the Bible and the fulfillment of Jesus. [xix] Jesus came not merely to destroy the law nor merely to keep the law, but rather to fulfill the law. And he came as the new lawgiver with a new covenant sealed by his blood and empowered by the Holy Spirit. That means that there are times that Jesus heightens the law and other times Jesus overturns the law altogether. This clarifies Paul’s interpretation of the Sabbath (apparent contradiction four) in Romans, where he says some interpret particular days (like the Sabbath) as more important and some interpret every day as alike. To this Paul allows both interpretations: “Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.” Paul goes on to encourage the two groups to demonstrate humility and charity to one another. The reason that both can be right is that the law (including the Sabbath) is fulfilled in Christ. That means that our Sabbath-keeping is an invitation. Christ is our rest who also invites us into patterns of rest both daily and (perhaps) on special days. This does not demonstrate a contradiction, but rather that the coming of Jesus ushered in a new era where the followers of God, through the power of the Spirit of God, lived a life that adhered to a higher moral standard. This explains the apparent contradictions five (personal injury), six (circumcision), and seven (family relationships). In a world where God’s relationship with his people calls the people to muster up the resources of obedience internally, God does not ask for obedience that reflects his flawless character perfectly. Once Jesus has come, he pays the cost of our breaking of God’s law and gives the Holy Spirit to his followers. The Holy Spirit is the instrument of change and transformation and enables Jesus’ followers to follow a higher law. It is because of this that Jesus exchanges “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” with a message of non-retaliation. It is because Jesus circumcised our hearts, that physical circumcision is no longer required. 3)      A NUANCED READING Finally, many places of apparent contradiction involve a wooden literalistic reading of the Bible that doesn’t allow for the literary nuances of the writing. [xx] The claim that the Bible endorses incest (the eighth apparent contradiction) leans on a literalistic reading that is void of cultural nuance. As is the case in much of the biblical narrative, the presence of sin in the narrative does not mean that God endorses the sin. The Bible is brutally honest about the sin of God’s people. Abram is married to Sarai before God calls him, and additionally, the law against incest comes later in God’s revelation to his people. When one considers the verse about the ninth apparent contradiction about the limit of the power of God, it is best understood by God’s choice to connect Israel’s military success to their obedience (or lack thereof). God’s choice to self-limit his power does not demonstrate his lack of power. The same could be said of the tenth apparent contradiction, that the Bible says that trusting God will grant one favor ( Proverbs 12:2 ), while there are times where God allows suffering to befall those who love him. As is clear in the course of the Bible, obtaining the favor of the Lord is not ultimately a matter of earthly health and wealth. The eleventh apparent contradiction, that God both condemns and endorses human sacrifice is perhaps the worst misreading of the Bible in the bunch. God clearly disallows human sacrifice. The telling of the story of Jephthah in Judges 11 is no endorsement of human sacrifice, but rather an indictment of the rashness of Jephthah. The twelfth apparent contradiction, that God visits iniquity down through generations (the results of the parents’ sin impact their children) is not the same as children bearing the responsibility of the sin of their parents. Likewise, the twelfth apparent contradiction, that God tempted Abraham, requires a nuanced reading of the text. The entirety of Scripture helps inform a reading of the text that God while tests, he doesn’t tempt. Such tests can be felt as a temptation from our human perspective (the perspective much of Genesis is written from), but isn’t, in fact, temptation. Texts regarding the resurrection of the dead and the end of the world (the fourteenth apparent contradiction) are also understood when one reads the texts in the manner that is intended with the biblical-theological framework given to us by the Bible. In the book of Job we see Job wrestling throughout the book with what the eternal state is and what our life beyond this life looks like. At other points in the book we find Job reflecting on life after death and him facing God for this judgment. Meanwhile, the claim that the Bible’s authors were wrong about the imminent return of Christ (the fifteenth apparent contradiction) misunderstands the scope of the redemptive plan in the Bible: a very long arc of history as well as misunderstanding God’s eternal nature. What is 2 , 000 years to the eternal God? I understand that this post cannot adequately address in detail each of these concerns, but I hope that you get a sense that with some basic tools of interpretation, there are answers to many of the apparent contradictions in Scripture. The purpose of this post is not to dimension the reality that there are challenges and tensions in the biblical text, but to show that such challenges and tensions don’t necessarily mean that the Bible is full of contradictions. On the contrary, it is more than remarkable that a book written by prophets and kings, by the most learned and the most common, by the richest and poorest, by people inhabiting different cultures at different times would produce a book that is so unified in its understanding of God and human beings. Are there difficult passages to understand in the Bible? Certainly! Ought we be more surprised by those challenging passages or by the unity we find in the Scriptures? I believe it is the latter that is what is truly jaw-dropping. [i] https://www.atheists.org/activism/resources/biblical-contradictions/ [ii] https://www.atheists.org/activism/resources/biblical-contradictions/ [iii] This is the list exactly as it can be found on the above post with the only difference being that I’ve renumbered the list to be able to deal with the misunderstandings more simply. [iv] Ecclesiastes 1:4 and 2 Peter 3:10 [v] Ecclesiastes 9:7 and 1 Corinthians 7:30 [vi] Genesis 32:30 and John 1:18 [vii] Exodus 20:8 and Romans 14:5 [viii] Exodus 21:23-25 and Matthew 5:39 [ix] Genesis 17:10 and Galatians 5:2 [x] Exodus 20:12 and Luke 14:26 [xi] Deuteronomy 27:22 , Leviticus 20:17 , Genesis 20:12-12 , and Genesis 17:15-16 [xii] Matthew 19:26 and Judges 1:19 [xiii] Proverbs 12:2 and Job 2:3 [xiv] Leviticus 18:21 and Judges 11:29-34 [xv] Ezekiel 18:20 and Exodus 20:5 [xvi] James 1:13 and Genesis 22:1 [xvii] Job 7:9 and John 5:28-29 [xviii] Matthew 16:28 , Luke 21:32-33 , Romans 13:11-12 , James 5:8, 1 John 2:18 , and 1 Peter 4:7 [xix] See New Life’s series Level Up where we explore Christ’s teaching on the new law in the Sermon on the Mount. See also Reisinger’s But I Say Unto You . [xx] See https://www.atheists.org/activism/resources/biblical-contradictions/ and https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2013/08/19/an-incredible-interactive-chart-of-biblical-contradictions/ . of the contradictions also involve a lack of understanding of the relationship between the Old and the New Covenants. See New Life’s series Level Up where we explore Christ’s teaching on the new law in the Sermon on the Mount. See also Reisinger’s But I Say Unto You . A few of these contradictions just simply misunderstand how to properly read scripture (for instance the interpretation that Judges 11 supports human sacrifice) or that the Lot narrative supports incest. www.thebeehive.live . Used by permission of the author.

I want to go out on a limb, I want to expose the secret society that has long held sway over churches around the world. I want to talk about the Church Mafia. The Church Mafia is a loosely constructed, by tightly wound, syndicate of four ruling families. Modeled after the Italian Mob of the early 1920s, they are the ones pushing and pulling for political power within the church. They control everything from the quality of cookie you get at Vacation Bible School to which people get elected to the Pastor Search Committee. Even mentioning they exist could get me black listed from the sarcastic writers religious speaking tour. But it’s a risk I am willing to take. I am sure I will remix this post later, possibly covering each family individually, but here they are at a high level: 1. The Elderati Background: Although they would never admit this, the Elderati is the strongest of the ruling families. Their influence is not often direct and visible, but is instead quietly woven into almost every decision the church makes. Once you make it into the Elderati, you can never really leave. For although your official “term” might end after a year or two, you will constantly be called into conversations and decisions long after you actually attend an Elder’s meeting. It’s rumored that they all have a small letter “E” tattooed on their ankle. But since members of the Elderati never wear shorts, it’s impossible to prove. Also known as: “The only people the pastor fears.” Nemesis: The Deaconistas Signature sentence: “Have you cleared that with the Elders?” 2. The People from the Old Country Background: This group of people has always been with the church. You know this because they will regularly tell you, “I’ve been coming here for 42 years and I’ve never seen anything like that.” Even if your church is only 38 years old, it doesn’t matter. They probably came to the field where they predicted the church would be planted and sat in the grass in the spot where their favorite seat would one day be. Their faith may be well seasoned, but if you do something offensive to them, like accidentally park in their spot or try to add a praise song to your hymns, they will cut you. Also known as: “The OGs” or “Original Gangsters” Nemesis: The Changeleones Signature sentence: “We’ve always done it this way.” 3. The Changeleones Background: The Changeleones are dedicated to changing things at church. The particular thing doesn’t matter, they simply want to do something different. They are constantly suggesting a change in direction, a shift in mission, a new vision statement, anything that will help the church “reach more young families” or “connect us with this generation.” They are often big on words and small on action, suggesting radical changes and then fading back into the shadows to let other people actually do the work. Also known as: “The Fadorinis” for their uncanny ability to jump on the latest and greatest fads. Nemesis: The People from the Old Country Signature sentence: “We gotta shake things up around here.” 4. The Old Minister Mob Background: Occasionally, for a variety of reasons, a minister will leave a church. And when he or she does, the Old Minister Mob springs into action. They will regale you with tales about how amazing the old minister was, creating lavish examples of his awesomeness. “The music was just better with the old music minister. He did something with the piano and triangle that few people can. I’m not getting fed the same way with this new Family Life minister. We should bring the old minister back to speak sometime.” They will mount a verbal campaign of grouch and forget all the things they didn’t like about the old minister when he was here. They often suffer from a weird mix of “ex-girlfriend syndrome” and “small Goditis.” They look back on the old minister with rose colored glasses and doubt that God is big enough to use the new minister to whatever purpose He ultimately has in mind. Deep down, they are a good hearted family, but if they channeled the time and energy they spent grumbling, they would have a ridiculously cool impact on the church. Also known as: “The Grumpilucas” Nemesis: Any new minister. Signature sentence: “I fully support the new minister but … .” It should be noted that the families are not bound by age requirements. Sometimes you’ll find someone from the Old Country family that’s 15 and a Changeleone that’s 82. And it’s possible to have a great Elder. But all of that is starting to change. There is a new family on the scene that is starting to shake things up. A new group spilling into the church that is threatening everything the ruling families hold dear. I am of course talking about the Young Bloods. The Young Bloods are a new generation of Christian. Whether they just came to faith recently or are having a quiet faith renewed in a loud way doesn’t matter, the results are the same. They are exploding from the inside out. They are walking into churches and coffee houses and colleges across the world and they are changing the face of faith as we know it. They don’t play by the Mafia rules, they live by grace. They don’t get caught up in the politics, they’re too caught up in the passion of God to notice they’re even there. Their faith is messy and fresh and not restricted by a desire to do things differently or do things the same way they’ve always been done. They’re not mounting a revolution, they’re giving in to a surrender. They’re rolling up their sleeves and sharing scars and stories and the overflow of a love that is too big to contain or hoard in one person. And if enough ever get together, if the Young Bloods keep coming, the Church Mafia will never be the same. www.stuffchristianslike.net