"Calling it like it is" - a game of chance with mixed results.

There are so many points in my life I can say that I "called it like it was", but I can't think of one situation that came out better because of it. Can anyone?

So it comes down to the question, what about truth? How do we as Christians stand for the truth in love?

Ephesians 4:15 - "but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ".

The truth in love is all about motive, sensitivity and compassion. Motive because there should be a reason to speak the truth, sensitivity because there is a time and place for it, and compassion because our goal should be to help, not to stir up dissension.

With these things in mind I have chosen to remain silent about many things that have hit home with me, you know, the stuff you anguish over in prayer. We must have the proper perspective and be led by the Holy Spirit before we venture into creative problem solving, especially in relationships.

Venture into sensitive compassion and stop "calling it like it is". It's not our job.

Related:

@loswhit - "If the Holy Spirit is in your life there is no way around conviction. If there is no conviction in your life, well, then you've got a problem."

@prodigaljon - Why Christians Are Jerks Online: http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/06/29/my-take-why-christians-are-jerks-online/

Life is not easy by any means. We start life as just a seed, each of us planted in different soil. We are fed nutrients that allow us to become strong, each of our diets different. Yet, we still arrive at the same place eventually: adulthood.

As a young adult I can admit that I believed I had it all figured out. I knew what I wanted to do (make money), I knew that I wanted a family, I knew that I was a Christian, but I didn't really blossom into those things entirely.

More than a completely blossomed flower, I am a bud, ripe with potential, primed for decision making. Now the question is, "Where am I getting my nutrients from?" Nutrients come from the roots, and our roots are planted in one soil only.

Matthew 6:24 - "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."

I'm not one to preach that wealth is bad, nor am I one to focus on God vs. Money, but I will say that the love of money is not the only other soil available. Many people I know plant their roots in their culture, many plant them in spirituality, hoping for acceptance. You see, we all long for acceptance from the soil we are planted in. Let me illustrate this:

There was one a boy I knew who did everything he could to belong to the cliques of culture and spirituality. He listened to the music that culture praised, wore the clothes that culture promoted, and spoke the way that culture articulates language. Also, he went to church, listened to Christian music, participated in church camp and other church related activities. The problem was that he had no planted roots. He was a free floating seed, unable to find soil to provide nutrients, unable to be accepted.

As the boy grew he saw in his heart that he was weak, easily washed away by the rain, damaged by the sun, unable to stand on his own. He was lost.

Perhaps you can cope with this boy. Perhaps you are trying to be planted in two types of soil, and yet in your heart you know that you can only receive nutrients from one source, and you also know that you need nutrients to be healthy and strong. It also could be that you know the boy I was speaking about is me.

If you have known me through my life then you know that I am, self-admittedly, a former smoker of pot, cigarettes, a previous drunk, a habitual liar, a thief, and a fake. I am ashamed of who I have been. However, I have finally planted my roots. My roots are in Jesus Christ, who has conquered my sin for my sake, has forgiven me for what I have done, who I now rely on as my savior.

The truth is, I desperately need a savior, and so do you. Maybe if you read this it will inspire you to ask questions, and seek answers. Maybe you will turn a blind eye to what you have read, or maybe it will stick with you until another shares Jesus with you. Whatever the case is, if you are not planted in good soil, you will surely die. Think about this for a second...

Psalm 145:6-9:
6 They tell of the power of your awesome works-- and I will proclaim your great deeds. 7 They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness. 8 The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. 9 The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.

Check your roots!

I started the P90X program about 5 weeks ago. Amid life's happenings I had to take 1.5 weeks off, but I'm back on track, getting ready to work out in about 30 minutes. I am doing this because I desire change. It's the same reason that many people make new-years resolutions, start diets, go back to school, seek out religion; change is something we all want to see happening.

Change is not, however, something that will spontaneously start itself, but more than that, it is something that requires an inner motivation, something that springs from the core of our being, crying out "I Want To Be Different"!

Physical change is great, and we should all try to be as fit and healthy as our lifestyle, jobs, and families allow us, but even more vital than physical fitness is spiritual health. The Bible speaks about a few ways to train ourselves up in spiritual health. We are told to pray: Matthew 26:41 - "Keep watcing and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." - Jesus Christ

We are also instructed to harness mental focus: Philippians 4:8 - Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

Often a neglected part of the Christian's faith, we are to read the Bible daily, as it helps connect us to Jesus Christ and His will. The Bible describes Jesus of Nazareth as God's Word (John 1:1), and later Jesus described the life of a Christian apart from Him: John 15:5-6 - "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned." - Jesus Christ

We are saved through faith, but the Bible also points to good deeds (works) as a sign of a solid faith: James 2: 17-18 - Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, "You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works."

The instructor in the P90X workouts is always saying two things that stick: "Do your best and forget the rest" and "You have got to bring it". Equally useful in our spiritual lives, these two statements sum up where our focus should be. We are called to spiritual fitness, and that comes from a life of prayer and meditation on God's Word, from mental focus, and from an addictive faith that inspires good deeds.

So what kind of change are you up for?

space & Happiness:

Life has been a rush lately. We just finished moving from a one-bedroom apartment to a four-bedroom house, complete with a backyard, two-car garage, and all kinds of space. Sometimes, when we look at our stuff here in this new place, we wonder how we ever fit it into the old apartment.

Overall, we are much happier in this new space, although we appreciate where we just came from. It was a stepping stone in life, something that God thought we should experience before accessing His total blessing, so I am very content with what's been happening.



Nathan is growing up so fast! He's even learned to take joy in beating up his old-man. He just laughs and laughs. My beautiful son is starting to say Momma and Dad consistently, and we're excited that we will find out the sex of our coming little one on May 12th, which is only a couple weeks away. I'll keep you posted. Just for your info, we will both be happy with either, but Steph is hoping for another boy, and I would love to have "daddy's little girl".

Stephanie is definitely showing now, and I'm really looking forward to having another bundle of Joy here. I miss when Nathan was tiny and just slept all day, cause he actually let me hold him back then. Now I have to keep him entertained to get some time with him.

The neighbors have been great, and Nathan has new friends. They already gave him a Spider-man bike helmet, and let him drive their motorcycle. He liked it for about 2 minutes, but when he can get himself going he'll be much happier.

Seminary has been a blast, and I'm learning more than I thought I would already. It is amazing what kind of depth and insight you can have in God's Word if you study and work hard at it. I am about to start my next classes in about 2.5 weeks, and they should be a bit easier than the previous 2. At least I have an office in the new house now, so I don't have to drive to Barns and Noble to get some decent study time.

We are very happy here in the new house, and I'm hoping that you will have time to come visit us. We have an extra bathroom (I designed it, BTW), and an extra room with your name on it. Looking forward to seeing you asap.

Did you catch it? Look at the picture again, read each word carefully. What you will find is a common issue of discussion: what is truth?

I have had the privilege of speaking to a few atheists and a few theists about important topics lately. Most importantly, we have all attempted to define truth; is it solely based on the Bible, is it completely based on science, or does everyone's truth change subject to their personal standpoint? This picture for me says 1000 words, in that many people claim they have the truth, many others claim they have the whole truth, and some attempt to auditorally blast you with everything but the truth. So where is the common ground?

I will propose that my views have been somewhat arrogant of late. My attempt to permeate the twitter empire with positive messages about who God is has been what I expected, but the result is what is surprisingly different. I believed initially that I would help change people's attitude towards seeking God, but instead my attitude has changed. I went in confident, and somewhat arrogant about my beliefs, and I'm now coming out, albeit only a few days later, with a new sense of humility.

Prior contention: atheists and agnostics are only choosing not to see God, but if they tried they would find Him.

While this might seem true to many Christians I know, the fact that echoes through our history is that God show us who He is through REVELATION, not through our research. A great example of this comes from the Old Testament prophecies about the messiah. Through revelation, we can look back with the knowledge of the New Testament and see things we would be previously unable to see. Unless of course we think ourselves smarter than the pharisees, who spent their whole lives studying the law and trying to gain as much knowledge as they could.

The word of God speaks the truth to those whom Gas has revealed himself. This is in contrast to the truth that most atheists and agnostics claim through science. Stepping in either side's shoes with an open mind can help one understand points of views, so long as the term "if" remains. For example, "if" God is real, and the Bible says that He reveals himself when and to whom He pleases, it is then logical for theists to have a belief in him. Also, "if" science is ultimately accurate and without flaw, and there is a pattern of precise answers that can be seen by anyone who test them, it is them logical for people to belief that science is truth.

Please do not read anything into the questions I'm about to ask: Is science without flaw? What about the "missing links" that were considered fact and taught in public schools as such? What about the carbon dating system that has since been replaced by "Radioactive Isotope Dating", which is now considered "fact" and accepted as such, even taught in public schools? What about the "fact" that the world was flat, or that the Sun revolved around the earth?

As some atheists ask similar questions about God, I have to keep in mind that what I can know is not what they know. My life has been touched by divine revelation, mostly based on faith. Why shouldn't it be? I am astounded that some hold that we used to be monkeys millions of years ago, especially when I look at the created world. Think about what I feel (not what you know, I'm trying to be clear on that point): I see my wife and my son, two anatomically correct people, with personalities, emotions, and who demonstrate love in a real way, even when I am a jerk. To me, there is no science to test that, there are no instruments to measure their capacity to forgive. In my mind, it was and still is logical to believe in a creator behind that beauty.

So I opened my heart to it, and searched. Here is what I was blessed to find. God is real, and has revealed himself to me in many numerous ways. Yet, what God has done in my life is only in my life, and cannot be fathomed by anyone else.

My NEW contention: God chooses to whom He will reveal himself, and He is not obligated to do anything else.

But doesn't that mean that He isn't loving? Is that fair? Well, my friend, life isn't fair. Just ask the people who are murdered, those who are bombed mercilessly in the middle east, those who die in earthquakes and tsunamis.

The fallacy lies in believing that God doesn't exist simply because those things happen. Bad things happen to me too.

Not everyone will go to heaven. Not everyone will see God until Jesus returns. Not everyone will have access to the truth, but that's not for me to decide. However, the Bible says that YOU have a chance to see God. He can and will reveal himself to you, but it will only be on His terms, and "if" God does exist, and "if" he embodies truth, then He is not obligated to do it your way. Or mine...

Deuteronomy 29:29 - The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

1 Samuel 2:27 - Now a man of God came to Eli and said to him, "This is what the Lord says: Did I not clearly reveal myself to your father's house when they were in Egypt under Pharaoh?"

1 Samuel 3:21 - The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.

Matthew 11:25-27 - At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those whom the Son chooses to reveal him."

Romans 1:17 - For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY!!!!!!

1 Chronicles 28:9 - And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understand every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.

Matthew 7:7-8 - "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."

The decision is yours to make, who am I to stand in your way?

We are all friends of "this guy". He's the friend or family member that is always stirring up controversy. You know what, many times "this guy" is you and me.

Imagine your inner attitude - what is your daily goal? How do you explain your views? Are you doing it out of a spirit of anger and frustration, or out of a spirit of love?

The Bible has a lot to say about our motives, our words, and our hearts:

Proverbs 12: 15-16 - The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice. A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

Examine your heart and your life - I will examine mine as well...

James 3:5-6 - Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

What things have I said recently that could have been avoided? Said differently...

Proverbs 16: 21-25 - The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction. Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it, but folly brings punishment to fools. A wise man's heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction. Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

Our attitude is what is important because the attitude is reflected in what we say. I know that I have been guilty of a poor attitude when communicating with someone, so I'm sure we all have work to do in this area.

Ephesians 4:29 - Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Keep your intentions and attitude in check. This is good advice, and it's advice that I am trying to take to heart more and more each day. Be careful not to apply unnecessary labels to others when you and someone else don't agree on something.

Lastly, don't take my example as something to live by. I am still on a journey to make myself a better person, and much of that will never be accomplished before I am dead. I cannot be perfect, but that doesn't mean that my God isn't. If you need help with your attitude and your tongue, consider asking God for his help.

Psalm 57:10 - For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

God is faithful to answer when we ask for help. Just try Him...

Think of life in terms of food – in order for you to be healthy you must have a well balanced diet. No one would disagree with this statement. Your meal is a balance of protein, fat, sugar, carbohydrates, and vitamins, and health and fitness experts are adamant that you have to consistently balance your meals for long-term results.

Think about your life in the same way. Each of us is intelligently designed with similar needs including social, physical, spiritual and mental needs: social in that we all have a need for both private time as well as time spent with loved ones, physical in that we all need a balance of food and exercise to get the most out of our bodies, mental in that we need to exercise our mind in order to keep it at the top of it’s pinnacle, and lastly spiritual in that we are on a quest to find out how to relate to God.

Most of us have a firm grasp on a healthy social life, we take time to get physical exercise, we learn and grow mentally…but what about a healthy spiritual life? What does God say about how to best relate to Him? I present to you the following special, on sale for a limited time only:

The Spiritually Balanced Cuisine: a 4 course meal...

Relationship - Appetizers
Support - 2nd Course
Service - 3rd Course
Rest - Dessert

RELATIONSHIP

You can grow your relationship with God by seeking His advice through the Bible, Worship, and Prayer. These are all key to a healthy spiritual life.

John 8: 31-32 (NIV) – To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

How do we know what the teachings of God are without reading the Bible?

Matthew 22:27-28 (NIV) – Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.”

Worship is the act of letting God know how much you love him. It is a focused demonstration and outward expression of your awe of who He is, and what you think of Him.

1 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV) – If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Prayer is your gateway to direct communication with God. Through prayer we can ask tell God how grateful we are, and we can ask God to intercede in our lives and the lives of others.

SUPPORT

You can increase your support by surrounding yourself with people who love God by joining a church, getting involved in a small group, and attending Bible Studies.

1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV) – Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
Galatians 6:2 (NIV) – Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

A quality support group will not only support your character and morals, but also will help you through troubled times so that you can weather life’s storms.

SERVICE

Service is a vital part of the Christian life because it is in service that we are energized and that we can demonstrate the love of God.

Galatians 5:13 (NIV) – You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.
Galatians 6:9-10 (NIV) – Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Church is not merely a place to seek and find God, but it’s also a place to serve others so that they might also find God for themselves. If you are wondering how your church experience can get better, try volunteering for something and ask God to help your attitude towards service. You will be thrilled with the results.

REST

Lastly, we need to balance a little rest so that we don’t grow tired of our spiritual life and start to avoid it.

Genesis 2:2 (NIV) – By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV) – “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

A healthy balance of these 4 areas is only healthy when you take time to rest. Rest is something God saw as Holy, and spiritual burnout occurs when you don’t take time to rest. Even the employers of America have realized the importance of rest, so do not neglect it!

The main goal of balance is to avoid spiritual “highs and lows”. God has a plan for our lives, and it’s spelled out in the Bible. But don’t take my word for it, check it out yourselves! Ask God for support while you cultivate your relationship, build a support group, take time to serve others, and rest. This is a spiritually balanced cuisine.

I was speaking with a friend yesterday and he said something profound to me: "I don't understand how you and I can grow, live, and age and still come to completely different views on God."

It's a question that many people struggle with - Christians, atheists, all people from different religions and cultures - a question that is impossible to understand unless you try to experience, unless you look for a fresh start.

We spoke a bit more about the topic, and my answers seemed to make sense to him, but the one that mattered the most was the simplest answer I could have given: "Why don't you try experiencing God for yourself?"

Life has all kinds of mysteries and is riddled with differing opinions based on life experiences and research. (I'm sure we can all agree about that) So how did it happen? Why is God to real and present in my life? How can I have such a clear picture of Him while someone else can't see it? The Bible speaks of the difference as faith.

I found this website in my search for a definition of faith: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/faith - The most interesting definition I find here is: "firm belief in something for which there is no proof". That, my friends, is exactly where the difference lies. I believe that there is proof all around, from the historical evidence of Jesus apart from the Bible, as well as creation itself. LOOK around; can you believe that what this world holds is from anything other than intelligent design?

So, back to life's riddles. Mankind as we know it has always searched for answers. So, if your questions is "why don't I see God the same way you do?" then get out and start experiencing Him for yourself. The easiest way to do that is to get to a place where God can be seen.

One of the last things my friend said to me yesterday was, "I don't like church because God isn't there. I see God in you more than I see Him in a church." GREAT NEWS buddy, I go to church, and there are many like me to go to church and experience God first hand. This is not an empty part of my life, but one of the most fulfilling and life-changing aspects of my life! And it doesn't have to be different for anyone, all of us have the ability to experience the one true God in a safe environment! Just try it, what have you to lose?

Verses for thought:
1 Corinthians 1: 18-21 - 18 For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And the discernment of the discerning will I bring to nought. 20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For seeing that in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom knew not God, it was God’s good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe. (ASV)

1 Corinthians 2: 6-10 - 6 We speak wisdom, however, among them that are fullgrown: yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nought: 7 but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, even the wisdom that hath been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds unto our glory: 8 which none of the rulers of this world hath known: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory: 9 but as it is written, Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, And which entered not into the heart of man, Whatsoever things God prepared for them that love him. 10 But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. (ASV)

questions, comments, concerns? Post them in a comment.