The gospel?

What is the crux of life? What is the the very foundation on which the Christian faith is built? Well, many would say the gospel…the good news, and they would be correct. However, can you articulate specifically what the gospel is? Can you articluate how it applies to your life daily and why it is the only hope for life? I am discovering that many Christians are learning a lot of stuff about the Bible and life and cannot explain to me the gospel. I am not here to rail on them…it is hard to articulate. It is easier to talk about the effects of the gospel on our lives than to look specifically at the reality of what it is. We tend to think…that is past. Been there. Done that. Let’s move on. However, we cannot move on. It is core. It is our hope daily, hourly. And, we are called to share it with others. It is the hope of the world.
While I am not here to rail, I am here to sharpen and encourage. Spend time knowing what the gospel is, learning how to articulate it. Share it. We are to preach it to ourselves daily…we need it daily. When I am overcome with my selfishness and pride, I am reminded that I was Christ’s enemy and he took the punishment for my sin…he bore it and he will do it no more, he died and then conquered sin and death in order that I might live to Him. There is no more condemnation for me because I am in Christ. I am wasting time and lacking faith when I am caught up in guilt and fear. The Father has called me a new creation, and nothing can separate me from the love of Christ.
So, study His word, refresh yourself with the truth of the gospel. I am convinced that it is the first thing I am going to tackle in discipleship with others, now, because without it, we are just pandering a self-help life.
So, for those who will comment, what is the gospel?

Growth

Growth is never easy…Comfort is easy, unawareness is easy. Spiritually, living is hard and dying is easy. I was talking to a friend yesterday about a book we are reading together. It is a book that deals with the heart–the reality of who God is and the reality of who we are. She remarked to me that it is hard to grapple with all of the things it brings up in her heart. I told her it causes us to look truth in the face and make a paradigm shift.
Most of the time our lives are so busy and full with distractions like eating, drinking, entertainment, work, responsibilities, dreams of being out of our responsibilities that we miss the real heart work. We can go through life completely ignoring the hard questions and not even knowing what is really going on inside ourselves and in relationship to God and others. We live as shells of who we are to be. Even as Christians, we may live in self-righteousness thinking we have got it together instead of seeing and fighting the sin that so easily entangles us.
It is hard work to grow and depend on Christ. Hard work in that it involves self-examination in the light of Christ, his word and his work on the cross for us daily. Our hearts are deceitful above all, so we tend to ignore the realities of them in order to numb ourselves. We think we cannot deal with all the work that needs to be done forgetting that the reality of the power of the cross is as true today as it was at conversion. There is freedom in being in his truth daily…in knowing that apart from Him, we can do nothing. We are reminded that He will bring about fruit in our lives, growth, when we remain in Him daily. (John 15:1-5)
Most of the books I recommend deal with His hard truths in the light of our hard hearts. Truth matters in practice and that practice comes from the anchor of who we are–our hearts. I challenge each of us to take a good long look in the mirror and hold His truth up to our hearts. It may be scary at first…and it is easier to run at first. But, the fruit and the freedom and the joy of knowing our Eternal Father and seeing Him as He is is infinitely better than the piddly things that we tend to treasure on this earth (Yes, better than material things and husbands, wives, children, dogs, status, ministry etc). He does not leave us to do the work alone. In fact, He tells us we cannot do it alone. It is by the power of Christ’s work on the cross that we have the privilege of knowing God in the first place, and He promises to complete the work in us. The Spirit is walking with us every step of the way giving grace and discipline…not condemnation (Romans 8:1).
So, read a hard book, listen to a hard sermon (by that I mean something that is not just comforting but challenging to your heart and life), have a real conversation with a friend, examine your heart. Truly living is hard and dying is easy. But, I would rather be truly living than trying to numb myself to forget the life we are called to.
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Ease

Have you ever learned or grown from things being easy? I do not think I have, yet I tend to strive for it and listen to voices that encourage ease. I spend a lot of money for ease and comfort, and yet, I have nothing to show for it.
The most fruitful parts of my life have been because of hard work and struggle and suffering. Pain is not easy, but it reminds me of what is true, important, good, lasting. Struggle causes me to look to the source of life, God. Struggle and pain and adversity stretch me beyond my limits to see that I need to depend on Christ and let go of things that I have valued above Him.
This week I read a challenging book and listened to a challenging sermon that have stretched me to think beyond comfort. The book is written for teenagers, but it is really for all of us! It is called Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris. They have a website called The Rebelution that encourages teenagers to rebel against low expectations. I read it to check it out as a resource, and I was challenged with a fire lit inside me to do hard things.
They begin the book by addressing the concept of adolescence that began over a century ago. They proceed to show how adolescence has become a breeding ground for low expectations. I was convicted how I, myself, have encouraged teenagers to relax and not push themselves too hard. I have adopted a worldview of our culture instead of a biblical worldview about adolescence. I see even how I struggled in my early twenties with what I wanted to do. I stretched my adolescence out a lot. I see young adults do it all the time. We want to live as long as we can for pleasure when there is a lot of work to be done. We are created to live and work and be productive–as Christians for the glory of Christ.
The book shares many stories of teenagers who are pushing themselves to do hard things. They share their struggle and enjoyment in it–and their failure at times. They point out five things that one needs to do and be aware of when tackling the goal of doing hard things…they include: how to do hard things that step out of your comfort zone, how to do hard things that go beyond what is expected or required, how to do hard things that are too big for you to do alone (need for collaboration), how to do hard things that don’t pay off immediately, and how to do hard things that go against the crowd.
Reading this in light of my current path in life, I was challenged, encouraged and fired up in a way I have not felt since I was 18. I guess in my own way, I am a person of adventure, but I still struggle with fear. The older I get, the more safety becomes an idol in my heart. I am in the midst of working towards forming a non-profit, and before I left for the beach, I spent a week researching all I needed to do. I was what you call—overwhelmed and scared and intimidated. This book reminded me of hard work, trust in God, collaboration with others and perseverence. I felt energized after reading it. God also reminded me that this venture is not about me…it is about His kingdom and His gospel. It is about fighting the good fight by investing my life in teaching Truth. He can do it without me, but I want to surrender in obedience to the life He has called me to. I do not want to miss out because I want a nicer, newer house or a respected reputation or a heftier 401K. My friends, I want to live for the furthering of His kingdom through the good news of Jesus Christ. It is not a mere whim of faith. I was reminded that it will be hard…hard work. There will be times it feels or maybe is impossible, and then I am reminded that in God all things are possible.
The culmination of my week was listening to a John Piper sermon driving back. In his famous fashion, my heart was wrenched as I listened to Him speak on a Living a Radical life for the Supremacy of Christ. He reminded that the comfort that we worship is nothing. He reminded me that God calls us to meet Him (Christ) outside of the Gate (comfort and safety) (Hebrews). He spoke of suffering with Christ. My heart welled in me…my spirit soared because safety and comfort and new curtains do not bring joy–knowing and following Christ does. I have experienced it time and time again in the hardest parts of marriage and friendships and sickness and death–my Hope and life and joy is in Christ. I get sick and saddened when I see myself and friends and family living just like the world when we have such a higher hope.
I listened to two more sermons yesterday that reminded me, with clarity, of the gospel–our hope. My prayer is to remember these truths–this purpose. My prayer is that I store up treasures in heaven. My prayer is that we would sharpen one another toward this end. I am reminded of His grace that calls me to truth, gives me strength and courage and gently reminds me I am not alone. I am reminded that it is not my own power that I rely on.

Where have I been?

I was privileged to go with my mom to the beach this past week at my Aunt and Uncle’s condo. It was more of a last minute thing while Greg spoke at X-Fuge in Glorieta, NM. I needed to be in de-tox ,though, because I did not have internet access all week. It was really good for me, but I have a lot to catch up on!
I will write more later as I have several books to recommend and things to share that I have learned. God is so faithful to refresh and refine us especially when we take time to be in His word and listen.

My friend, Daniel

One of my good friends from college, Daniel Smith, is deep in the battle with cancer. Through technology, he is sharing his heart in his blog while he cannot speak verbally. He is one of the most upbeat, kind, genuine, funny people you will ever meet. Please pray for him!

Need any more reasons?

I spent some time the last few days in Psalm 19. The psalm speaks several adjectives in regards to God’s law. These are the adjectives: perfect, sure, right, pure, clean, true. Let those sink in…
Those are all beautiful adjectives because they reflect the character and heart of God expressed to us in His word. After each of these adjectives, the benefits of His law are shared. It : revives the soul, makes wise the simple (mind), rejoices the heart, and enlightens the eyes (sight). As I reflected, I was reminded of how Jesus reminded us that the greatest commandment is to ‘love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.’ The benefits of His word line up to point our heart, soul, mind, and eyes to look to Him–to be transformed by Him in those areas. Do I need any more reason to dive into His word daily? I love when He transforms my mind and affections as I obediently seek Him and meet Him in his perfect, sure, right, pure, clean and true word.