Issues of certainty, assurance, and conviction are hot theological topics today. Indeed, they seem to be polarizing the church into two extremes. On the one hand, from a theological standpoint, some people believe that in all our convictions we should have absolute certainty or we don’t really believe them. Others believe that certainty is a past-time archaic dream that has no place in reality.

On an experiential basis, things become even more confusing. How are we to trust God in our troubles? Should we have confidence that since we are His children that He will deliver us? If we don’t, does this mean that we really don’t trust God like we should? If we lack certainty, does this mean we are faithless?

Most all of us know and are inspired by the story of David and Goliath. David, a young man, green in battle, fights a giant who is a celebrated warrior. David brings his case before this warrior standing only on the foundation of his faith. He believed, indeed was absolutely certain, that God would deliver Him from the hand of the giant, thereby vindicating his God and Israel from the scorn of the Philistines. So assured was he that he would win the battle, he did not rely upon helmet or shield to aid him. He took his sling, gathered five stones, and defeated the undefeatable giant.

I often ask myself what gave David such confidence that he would win? Where did such certainty come from? Is this the kind of certainty that I should have in my “Goliath” situations? What if David had not won? I remember the old Richard Gere movie where David misses with the first few stones thereby creating tension. But the text does not mention any misses if it were true. Maybe he took five stones just in case one of them were to miss. Does this show uncertainty? I don’t think so. David told the skeptical Saul as he questioned his certainty, “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:37). But how did David know this? Well, in the end, David did defeat the giant and thereby vindicated not only Israel and His God, but his faith as well. Continue Reading »

There have been times too numerable to count where it seems that I have gone one way suspecting the Lord was heading in the same direction only to find out the often heart-breaking reality that God is going a different direction.

As Christians, like anyone else, we seek to confirm our worldview (our belief system) in our experiences. I do. I am constantly looking for events—for “God-sightings”—in my walk that evidence what I already believe. Sometimes we become reliant on such events to the point where the event itself becomes the grounds or anchor to our faith. While this is understandable, it is very dangerous.

C.S. Lewis Story

I am haunted by the words of C.S. Lewis in his A Grief Observed, (loosely quoted) “It is not as though I have quit believing in God, it is that I have come to the point where I say, ‘So God, this is who you really are.’”

Let me back up.

In 1956, at the age of 58, Lewis married Joy Gresham. This was at first a benevolent legal marriage due to Gresham’s need for British citizenship. However, they both fell in love. After finding out that Gresham had contracted terminal bone cancer, they sought a Christian marriage. In prayerful hope they lived together as husband and wife. The cancer went into remission and they praised God for the unexpected. God had done something wonderful. An anchor in their experience. It was a reason to shout praises to God for his lovingkindness.

However . . .

The remission was short lived. Just three years after their hospital bedside wedding ceremony, Joy’s life was taken by the cancer. One year later Lewis writes the words above in one of his most profound and introspective works, A Grief Observed. The praise that he gave to God was turned into confused bitterness for a time. So confused that he wrote those terrible words, “It is not as though I have quit believing in God, it is that I have come to the point where I say, ‘So God, this is who you really are.”

A personal illustration

I often reflect on the journey of my sister’s death. The specific point in that journey has to do with a “message” that we got from God that turned out to be misunderstood, like that of the cancer’s remission in the life of Lewis. To make a long story short, my sister was very suicidal for about two years. She lived close to me in Frisco, so when there was a problem, it was up to me to come to the rescue. I had already had to break her door down at home and rush her to the hospital because of an overdose on sleeping pills, take her kicking and screaming to the local psych hospital to admit her twice, and travel to her house 16 other times in search of her when she had gone silent. One time, we could not find her anywhere. She was not at home or at work. I did not know what to do as I knew that this particular day was not a good day for her. We knew that she was very suicidal. I got in my car and started looking for her. In short, I found her. It was nothing less than a miracle as I randomly pulled into a hotel off the highway. I found her in a room with a six pack and a gun. I stopped her. 

In the middle of this tragic situation, my family and I thought that God was answering our prayers which pleaded for her life. We had this “divine” comfort that she was not going to die. Otherwise, how do we explain such a miracle?

Well, we were going right and God was going left. Despite the praise (which, looking back, seems like some sort of arm twisting way to gain divine assurance), Angie did take her life three months later in a different hotel room which I could not find.

On a less tragic note

Last week Mimi’s (Kristie’s mom) dog died. My girls loved this dog. They cried and cried and asked me why God would take the dog away.  Continue Reading »

I admit, I am not an overly emotional person.  In fact, I find being around overly emotional people uncomfortable and there are at times instances when I wish certain experiences could evoke more emotion within me.  However, as I also find that the discipleship and discipline process, in which God purposes some form of discomfort in the lives of His children, can produce a range of emotions.  And here is where my emotions will heighten. We may not express those overtly, but I think honesty would admit this is the case.   Sometimes, we just many only express these to God in the privacy of our prayer closet or hearts.  God knows even if others don’t.

The believer in Christ will encounter difficulties, of one kind or the other.  Some, I have discovered, seem to encounter more than their fair share.  Trials have a way of purging selfish excesses and redirecting foci on God and His purpose for our existence. This squeezes us and quite frankly, hurts.  Yet by design, trials should produce increased dependence upon God and form Christ in us who trust in Him, so that we look more like Him each day.

Faith in Christ, then is represented by assurance in His promises.  Even in the midst of uncertainties, of unanswered prayers, of unrealized dreams, our reliance upon Him should produce a rest.  After all, don’t these verses speak to the avoidance of angst:

Matthew 6:25 – Don’t worry

Philippians 4:7-8 – Don’t be anxious

1 Peter 5:7 – Cast your cares

James 1:2  – Consider it joy

It seems to me that these verses indicate that if we are truly placing trust in God, then our hearts will be settled and negative emotions would not be present.  I do find this to be a prevailing attitude, especially based on the passage in James, that there should be a delight in trusting God, a contentedness that puts emotions in their place and causes us to move on unfazed by present circumstances.  Moreover, James indicates that whatever we ask God for, we must ask in faith not doubting.  Perhaps, negative emotions are an indication that we are not quite trusting God.

However, I question if trust in God means we will not experience the raw side of human emotions.  When we consider it joy to go through trials, does it mean we will be joyful?  When Peter says should rejoice in suffering, does that mean we never get down?   Does the existence of negative emotions really equate to a lack of faith on our part?

When we look at the conflict that notable figures in the Bible encountered, that an argument of silence could be made about strong faith free of emotional disruptions. For instance, when Joseph was wrongly accused, thrown in prison and then forgotten, the focus usually seems to be on the outcome.   In God’s time, Joseph was elevated to such an exalted position that it made all those years of seeming defeat worth it.  When Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego faced the fiery furnance and cited undying loyalty to YHWH, they cited no fear on their part, even though they realized God might not deliver them.  When Esther made her famous speech at the behest of Mordechi’s urging her to possibly face death in order to save her people, that if she perishes, she perishes.   In all these cases the text is silent concerning emotions.

But does that mean that Joseph did not have fits of despondency, despair and even anger?  Did he at times feel forgotten by God after all he went through?  Did Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego not feel fear and sadness at the prospect of a their possible demise?  Or Esther for that matter?  Do we think these stoic declarations of faith were completely devoid of emotion because of the text’s silence?  The text does not say but after all it is people we are talking about.

People experience real emotions.  For I see in several instances of varying emotional displays by servants of God placed their faith in God to come through for them.  Consider when Jehosaphat was confronted with assault by the Moabites, Ammonites, and Edomites in 2 Chronicles 20:1-13.  He was afraid and cried out to the Lord (vs. 3).  Consider when Sarah laughed a cynical laugh at affirmation that God would deliver her a son after years of waiting in Genesis 18:10-13. Consider David’s many reactions to times of distress.

• Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God (Psalm 5:2)

• Be gracious to me O Lord, for I am pining away; heal me, O Lord, for my bones are dismayed and my soul is greatly dismayed (Psalm 6:2-3)

• I am weary with my sighing; every night I make my bed swim, I dissolve my couch with my tears.  My eye has wasted away with grief (Psalm 6:6-7)

• In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God for help; He heard my voice out of His temple, and my cry for help before Him came into His ears (Psalm 18:6)

Yes, David did much rejoicing but he also did much crying.  I further think that the pain caused by trials produces a desperation for God and a yearning for deliverance that only He can bring.  Consider Hannah’s grief and torment of reminders of her barrenness in 1 Samuel 1:1-18 that caused her to weep and not eat (vs 7).  “She, greatly distressed, prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly”.  And who can forget the anguish of Job who was so distraught that all his friends could do at first was to sit and watch him through dust on his head and weep.  He did not know what was going on but did believe that God had something to do with.  Yet in his distress he still believed saying “though He slay me, I will hope in Him.” (Job 13:15).  There is anguish of the soul that goes far in producing hope and trust.

While these are examples from the Old Testament, I don’t think believers in Christ are immune to these emotions.  In fact, I contend that one of the chief motivating factors the New Testament writers picked up their pens was to encourage the followers of Christ to keep hope alive in the midst of trials.  They knew that trials hurt. Consider what Paul tells the church at Thessalonica to “admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak and be patient with everyone” (1 Thessalonians 5:14).  Even leaders could succumb to emotion and need encouragement.  Paul recalls Timothy’s tears (1 Timothy 1:4) and reminds him that God has not given him the spirit of fear (vs. 7).  Perhaps it was because Timothy feared.

So while believers in Christ are encouraged to rejoice in suffering  and consider it joy, I don’t think that necessarily means that cheeriness will necessarily or always be part of that package.  Nor do think that the presence of emotions in the midst of trials is indicative of an absence of faith.  But I do believe they are in response to our human condition that will most assuredly let us know that God is indeed working in our lives.

Acts 16:31, after Paul and Silas are miraculously released from prison, the jailer obviously impressed with fantastic occurrences that freed them asks the simple question “what must I do to be saved?”  To which they gave an equally simple answer, “believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved”.  Simple.  And isn’t that in line with modern day prescriptions?  No need to break down the 10 theological points or the 4 spiritual laws or taking them down the Romans road.  For it is a simple belief in Jesus that will unite you to God and that’s all that’s needed.  Or is it?

I think we live in a day where it is easy to confess Christianity, to say that I believe in Jesus.   When asked “are you a Christian”?  Response…yes, I believe in Jesus.  One may even go so far as to claim the sinner’s prayer as their rite of passage into Christianity.  I believe in Jesus because he died on the cross for my sins and I’ve asked Him into my heart.  Well, then it’s a done deal.

But I think a further examination of what believing in Jesus entails and also what transpires in the Acts account of the jailer.  For it is interesting that, despite the simple prescription that Paul provides, vs. 32 indicates that they spoke the word of the Lord to him.  My Expositor’s Bible commentary indicates that speaking the word of the Lord to him was to explain the good news of redemption in Christ for them in terms they can understand.  It sounds like there was more to believing in Jesus than just saying, yes I believe in Him.  The had to break it down for him and unpack  what believing in Jesus meant.

I think this is significant.  It seems to me, and I could be wrong, that in an effort to accommodate seekers of Christianity and not make salvation invitations too burdensome, that we’ve lost this very important explanation process.   They just need to know that Jesus died for their sins.  Why bore them with details.  What is even worse are the “altar calls” that I have heard that doesn’t even include this basic point.  Your life is not going right?  You know something is missing?  You want to get right with God?  Come to the altar.  Now I am not saying that every situation is going to warrant a long diatribe, but if an offer of salvation goes forth, isn’t it fair for people to know what we are asking them to believe?  Are even professing Christians aware of the basis of their belief?  Does the simple message of  Jesus dying for sins really get the point across, especially to an unchurched, badly-churched or other world-view person? Will it really get to what is being asked of people to put their trust in? Continue Reading »

It was in my expository preaching course that I learned it. It was driven into my teaching psyche and intended to become a part of my basic presupposed knowledge of ministry. Without it, all your preparation would be in vain. Lacking this, your message will fail to do what God actually intended it to do.

It is the message for a new generation. It is something emergers know and they know that they know it. It is what  I hear on blogs, read in books, and a continued favorite among those who are despondently depressed and shamed when surrounded by “fundamentalists.” It is pridefully stated as if this epiphany is going to miraculously wake a sleeping Evangelical culture of John MacArthur and John Piper groupies.

What is it?

“Belief is no good without practice.” Wake up and smell the manna!

Sounds reasonable doesn’t it. Let’s put it another way.

“Belief is not the end, it is a means to an end. The end is doing not believing.”

In preaching, it goes like this:

“If you don’t have a way in which people can apply the lesson to their lives today, you have not really done anything.”

Another:

“Introduction. Body. Three points of application.”

A friend said it the other day. We visited a church led by a young seeker-friendly preacher. After the lesson he said, “Now I really liked that sermon.” “Why?,” I asked. “Because it has so much application,” he responded. “That is what I need—application.”

The idea here is that belief, in and of itself, is not the end game that God has for us. God primarily wants us to be active in our practice. Good works, being nicer to people, acting out our love, giving to the poor, self-sacrifice, not cheating on tax-returns, avoiding certain web-sites, bringing home flowers to your wife, forgiving your father, protecting the unborn, knowing when to set down the beer, taking your daughter out on a date, remembering to say “I love you” (don’t just suppose they know), and trading your Hummer for a Honda. These are all things I can do today. This is what we need. Right?

emergentos moschos skubula

(Excuse the French). Nice translation: “What a load.” Continue Reading »

The other day while on Facebook, I saw a status update of one my facebook friends proclaiming the goodness of God and how He will grant us the desires of our heart.  I confess my reaction was tinged with some cynicism as I reflected on my own desires that have seemingly been ignored despite earnest, sincere and rightly (or at least I believe) motivated prayers for God to move in a particular situation in my life.  And these are prayers that I have prayed for a good while now, believing that God does hear, does care and is concerned.  Although admittedly my emotional response to delay would seek to refute this at times.

What is even more troubling is that as I pray for God’s will to be done in my life, there are no guarantees that these prayers will be answered.  Even though Matthew and Luke  record Jesus as saying that a snake would not be offered for the fish that is requested, implying that if we present a particular request then we should expect a response corresponding to the nature of that request.  Naturally, this is not a blanket prescription for expecting prayers that are not aligned with God’s mandates in context of the whole counsel of Scripture.  The contexts of these passages also suggests that the gift of the Spirit is what Jesus had in mind and not necessarily a license for a prayer free-for-all.  But even with these restrictions, there is an encouragement to approach God with our requests but those requests are tempered by the sovereign will and reign of God, which may not produce the outcome we desire. Continue Reading »

One of my best friends that I grew up with asked me a very hard question about God. I want to share this with you.

Let me back up first so you can see the context from which this question was sprung on me—and it was “sprung” on me. 

My friend was not a Christian, but he was seriously considering it. He was one of my wild friends that I hung with in my crazy days. I reconnected with him a few years ago. He was married with kids and so was I. After our reconnect, which involved uncomfortable retellings of our former days of sin along with some (compromising?) laughter about such, we spent the next year talking about Christ. We would talked on the phone about once a week. Often it would be for hours late into the night. The conversations usually ended when he was too drunk to talk anymore!

During these talks, he would present his objections and questions and we would discuss the possible answers. Often he would put his wife on speaker phone to ask and listen along. I sent him a couple of books that really helped him overcome some of his misleadings concerning the nature of Christianity. Primarily he saw Christianity as a legalistic set of “do’s and dont’s.” He had never even come in contact with the idea of grace. Our conversations culminated in his reading of Chuck Swindoll’s Grace Awakening (a book that every Christian should read). He was refreshed. Hurdle #1, successful.

In the backdrop of our conversations was his supposed perception that Christianity is naive and has no place for the serious intellect reasonings. We talked much about this and I sent him a copy of Letters to a Skeptic. His objections were slowly losing their hope in his retention of unbelief. It was incredible to see the slow transformation. Hurdle #2, successful.

But then he asked “the” question that I did not expect.

It was the day of my sister’s funeral. He came to my parent’s house along with many other guests. He sat by the side of the house, timidly lurking about, not really knowing what to say. When we finally talked (it was the first time that I had seen him since our reconnect), our conversation led to Christ. He mentioned my sermon at the funeral and seemed very appreciative. But there seemed to be something desperate in his thoughts, something that was personal and apologetically selfish.

“Look, Michael,” he said, as if all our conversation until this point was just a deterring prelude to something more, “I get it!”

“Get what?” I responded.

“I get it. Call me whatever you want—a believer, Christian, or whatever . . . I get it. I believe.”

Then there was some silence. I knew there was something more.

He continued, “But I am scared.”

“Scared of what,” I said. 

“You love Jesus and have been doing so much for him.,” he said. ”Yet look at what has happened to you. Look at what happened to your sister. Look at the pain of your family, especially your mom. Your mom has always been into Jesus.”

After another period of silence he asked, “Will God protect my kids?”

I did not know how to respond. I did not expect this.

“Yes, of course he will protect your kids. God did not hurt my sister. God wanted my sister to live, but she decided to take her own life. God was not in control of this.”

I almost wanted to say this, but it would not have been the truth. God was in control. God could have protected her. But he did not. My theology did not provide me with the opportunity for such an easy answer.

I finally responded, “I don’t know if God will protect your kids in the way that you desire. I really don’t. I am sorry.”

I had no guarantees for my friend. There were no prenuptial agreements that he could have had God sign. Loved ones of Christians do die. What was I supposed to say?

My daughter Katelynn has always been as sharp as a whip. She loves to learn. At church, people used to get kicks out of her understanding of theological issues. When she was six she came to me and saw that I was reading the Greek New Testament and asked if she could learn. Within the month she started reading Greek. She has known the Gospel since she could listen. I watched a home video of her tonight. She was two-years-old. In the video I asked her where Jesus was and she pointed to the sky. Why? Because I told her that is where God is. She simply believed what I said.

Continue Reading »