Sigh—it was so beautiful and skillful and . . . .

The presence of such great works of art, displaying artistic mastery I cannot comprehend, completely overwhelmed me. On loan from the Art Institute of Chicago, the Kimbell presented more than 90 masterpieces from the impressionist era. Displayed were the works of master painters Degas, Monet, Renoir, Cezanne, Van Gogh, and Toulouse-Lautrec—just to name a few! The gallery not only grouped the paintings by artist, but also in a chronological manner; thus exposing the evolution of impressionism throughout the mid-nineteenth to early-twentieth centuries. To think a handful of painters, whose artistic eye challenged traditions and abounded with creativity, reinvented the art of painting and influenced culture decades later—absolutely incredible.

My afternoon at the museum made me ponder, What is the evangelical Christian to do with this art? Monet lived with another man's wife for 13 years; Degas was a vocal anti-Semite; Van Gogh acquired gonorrhea from an alcoholic prostitute he patroned for two years and was committed to a mental institute (during which he painted Starry Night); and Renoir fathered an illegitimate child by Aline Victoria Charigot five years before he married her. These hall-of-famers are not exactly upstanding Christian men.

Yet, when I look at the works of the impressionists, although an art novice, something within me reacts to the beauty and skill I behold—much the same way I react when I encounter nature. I am beholding God's glory. It prompts me to worship.

Created to Create

In Genesis 1:26-28, we learn that God created people in His image—possessing authority, a free will, a spirit, emotions, and creativity. As nature glorifies God by showing His creativity and skill (Psalm 19:1-2; Psalm 104), humanity glorifies God by reflecting His image. Thus, the artistic/creative person is an expression of God's image and glorifying God as he or she creates. Other Christians can then praise God and worship Him not only when they see His creative works—a sunset or mountain chain—but also when they see the creative work from His human creations—paintings, sculptures, architecture, design, literature, etc.

Pondering these possibilities reveals we can enjoy God and worship Him by enjoying His creation—both of nature and culture. (See 1 Timothy 4:1-5; Ecclesiastes 2:24-25, 5:18-19, 9:9.)

Although we may not agree with the moral and religious choices of a particular artist, we can, however, recognize the creative skill—whether genius or just simply genuine—as possessing some element of good and beauty, much the same way God set the example by declaring His creative works ultimately good (Genesis 1). We can appreciate those through the lens of God's creation—He made the person who could create something so unique and complex!

Create No Gods Before Me

Just as creation can become an idol, so can art—paintings, music, films, etc. This happens when it replaces God in importance. For instance, a person may admire and revere Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper but despise and reject Jesus. Furthermore, the Scripture warns against immersion in culture (Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 8:-10; 2 Corinthians 6:14ff; Ephesians 4:17ff;  1 John 2:15-17).

Yet, because an artist's material is not overtly Christian or is blatantly non-Christian, does it mean believers cannot praise God for the skill given to that person by enjoying the art? Perhaps, in the secular culture—art, music, literature—there are still glories of God to behold.

To the Artist

This should also be good news to the artist. No longer must you lay down your paintbrush, cloth swatch, or pen to pursue a Christian vocation. "Being in the ministry" takes all shapes and sizes, and some of those folks need to glorify God by utilizing and sharpening their God-given talents and interests. Just as God provides an example for the missionary, the pastor, or the theologian in His Word, He also provides an example for the creative heart. Think of the grandeur of Eden, the pomp of the Temple, and the descriptions of the new heaven and new earth. You are not left without an example. God is the ultimate artist, the ultimate creative mind.

In All I Do

Reading this, some may cringe. Thanks to America's puritanical heritage, it still may be difficult for American Christianity to swallow the idea of embracing creativity as okay, not to mention as worship. However, my Kimbell experience taught me that worship of God is not limited to Bible study, prayer, church, attendance, and good deeds. No, worship of God penetrates every moment of life, seeing Him in all I do and all I meet (1 Corinthians 10:31). Although I live in a fallen world, which often mars the purity of God's image in us, such sin can never fully hide our original design—to glorify Him. We do that when we create—stirring sermon or skillful watercolor, all to the glory of the great Creator.

Question: Knowing that bearing God's image means people are prone to create, how does that impact the way you categorize art—music, sculpture, paintings, films, etc?

Emily White Youree is a freelance writer and editor who lives near Fort Worth, Texas with her husband Bryan.

As ridiculous as this line of thinking was, what came next was even crazier. While contemplating the inevitably fatal influenza (which I did not yet have), I realized that if someone came to take me to the hospital, that person would see my apartment. I'd been meaning to clean it for days, but sometimes I'm lazy. It hadn't seemed important until I realized someone was actually going to see my mess. So, the housecleaning, which this morning seemed unimportant, jumped to the top of my priority list. I felt terrible. I had a low-grade fever, a headache, and I was exhausted, and I decided that the most important thing to do was clean. So, I cleaned house just as fast as I could before the fever got worse and I was forced to rush to the hospital for the flu I didn't yet have. Sometimes, I'm ridiculous.

While scrubbing down the bathroom sink I began to wonder, does this insanity extend to my spiritual life as well? Do I feverishly attempt to clean up for God? I know I need to spend more time in prayer with the Father, but I don't feel prepared enough. First I have to do all my spiritual chores: read my bible, go to church, volunteer for the homeless, etc. As if I could make my spirit a sparkling abode for God to visit. I know it isn't about works. I learned that in Sunday School. Maybe it's that first-born child syndrome which makes me feel I have to do everything exactly right, or that my worth is rolled up in how well I do things. That thought is dangerous enough, but when extended to Christianity, it approaches the heretical.

The Holy Spirit isn't like a friend who occasionally visits. If I am a Christian, then He lives within me. He knows what the place looked like before I cleaned up and He loves me anyway. Paul pronounces this in Romans 5:1-6, when he explains our faith should give us peace in the presence of God and comfort in hard times. Then he reminds us Christ died for us while we were still sinners. He didn't die for me after I cleaned my spiritual life.

It is important to live right for God because faith without works is dead (James 2:26). The problem is when the focus drifts away from the Father and on to how good I can be for Him. The difference is subtle, but vital. I've been placing the focus on me and what I can do for Him, but the truth is that I can't do anything for Him without Him. Without the Holy Spirit, I'll never scrape the grime off of my heart, and all that time spent trying could have been better spent relaxing in the presence of the Father.

Jacquelyn Spruill has a BA in English from Trevecca Nazarene University. She is the Circulation Supervisor for Trevecca's Waggoner Library.

Beneficial Fear

Although fear is generally an unwelcome guest, there is a healthy fear that keeps us—at least most of us—from passing certain boundaries in life. Why? Because they involve consequences that just aren't worth risking. When I drive down the road, that yellow strip of paint that runs down the center keeps me from hogging both lanes. The fear of being hit by oncoming traffic is a good fear that keeps me safely on my side of the road. In this case, fear is somewhat of a road block (no pun intended) that keeps me from possible danger. More often, however, it prevents any action, good or bad.

Debilitating Fear

Fear is an unwelcome visitor that attempts to paralyze its victim at his or her most vulnerable moments. It often attacks our minds with a bunch of "what if" scenarios. What if I fail? What if I never get married? What if I don't pass this test? What if something bad happens to me? What if, what if, what if?! We could list a million "what if" scenarios that have run through our minds in just the past day, and if we dwell on them long enough, we may actually believe they are destined to happen.

Fear is definitely a deception. It doesn't have any real power behind it other than the feeling it triggers inside. It causes us to believe something that generally is not true and never will be. It ruffles our feathers and stirs the pot with only a thought. The more we dwell on the "what if," the stronger fear's grip on us becomes until we yield under the power of it and become its slave. What may be a fleeting thought to begin with can easily become an enormous dilemma when we allow fear to toy with our thoughts.

Dealing With Fear

Despite my struggle to keep the unhealthy fear at bay, I often fail miserably. I wish I could just make my fears magically disappear and never deal with them again. But that would be too easy, and I wouldn't learn anything about trusting God along the way. When I was a child, I had a small wooden plaque that hung on my bedroom wall which read, "At times that I'm afraid, I will trust in God." At night, while lying alone in the quiet darkness of my bedroom, when fear often gripped me, I found great comfort in that short phrase.

In Isaiah we read, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee" (26:3, KJV). After being reminded of this passage, I know that it's God's will for me to be at peace in my mind, and anything less would be disastrous! Now if I could only learn to keep my mind focused and my heart trusting in Him, I know the "what ifs" behind my fears will not seem so big after all. 

Naomi Cassata has been married to her husband James for 6 years. They live in Florida. She has been writing articles for about 5 years.

So what does the Bible say about our rights?

First, as children of God we are called to be set apart, different from the rest. Peter said Christians are a chosen generation, royal, holy, and "peculiar." Why? So we may tell the world about Him who called us out of darkness into His light (1 Peter 2:9).

OK, we are supposed to stand out, and we know why, but how?

Peter goes on to say our conduct should be honorable amongst those who are unsaved, so that when someone talks bad about us, our reputation will be known as honest and reputable. In turn, they will glorify God because of our good conduct (1 Peter 2:12). Good deeds—check. Honorable lifestyle—check. Anything else?

"Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake" (1 Peter 2:13). Every ordinance? Every institution? What if I don't agree with their policies or the philosophy they espouse? What if it's just one of those silly rules? Peter continues by saying it is God's will for Christians to do good and in turn put the ignorance of foolish people to silence (1 Peter 2:15-16). Well, I guess that's doable. At least it says we still have our freedom. Submit to anyone in authority—check.

Still, what if it's unjust? Surely God doesn't want us to give up our rights and put up with unfairness? That's just wrong! Right?

Wrong. Peter says to obey your masters even if they are unjust (1 Peter 2:18-20).

Whoa. Let that sink in a bit. Even when they are unjust. So we're supposed to suffer personal injustice quietly without making a big deal out of it? Really? What does that even look like?

"For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed" (1 Peter 2:21-24; KJV).

Jesus suffered agony unjustly, for us. He is our example. He didn't revile or threaten, no. He simply entrusted Himself to the Father, knowing God is a just Judge.

This sounds like more than just suffering for our faith. It really goes against the grain of our culture. Is it possible that we're asked to trade our entitlement to rights for a Christ-like meekness and humility? After all, we are a "people for His own possession" called to follow His example as we point others to Him. A selfless, humble servant's heart would definitely set us apart from the rest . . .

With this in mind, consider the following scenarios. Compare your gut reaction to Peter's comments above. What Christ-like reaction sets you apart?

Scenario 1

You're standing in a long line at the airport waiting to check in, when a Hispanic man cuts line and proceeds to take FOREVER to get his things in order because he can't understand, thus making you late for your flight.

Scenario 2

You're overdue a pay-raise, and you've put in extra effort hoping your boss takes notice. You deserve the increase, but some upstart who transferred in six months ago is the one who gets it.

Scenario 3

You're out on a special date to a place that's normally out of your price range. The service is extremely slow, your food is not to order, and the waitress gets testy with your simple requests. When your check comes, the pricey tip is already calculated in.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we have the right to serve, the right to put others before ourselves, the right to remain silent and suffer patiently, the right to make personal sacrifices, and the right to have abundant life in Him. May we be ever mindful of those rights, and may we use them to the glory of God.

Rachel Donahue is a missionary with her husband Mick and son to Spain.

Deal Gone Bad

Aside from Tim's rather nondescript California ministry job, he put his business degree to work on the side, buying houses, fixing them up and reselling them for a handsome profit. In fact, he felt like business was the direction God had for his life until he heard the call to go into the ministry seven years prior. Yet it was a business deal gone bad that sparked the most life-changing week in Tim's life.

In the midst of wheeling and dealing, a friend recommended Tim buy an investment property in downtown Oklahoma City, site unseen. He convinced Tim that there was a substantial profit to be made from flipping this apartment complex. That was when the trouble began.

The owners of the apartment units and the property manager managed to present the apartment as a thriving area, one that showed great promise. But looks were more than deceiving. In reality, the apartment complex was home to some of the most down-and-out people in the city, not to mention a base for drug lords and every other imaginable kind of evil enterprise.

It wasn't long before Tim realized he was caught up in the middle of a con game and stuck with a building that was losing him anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 a month for a period of time.

"I was just dying inside," Tim tells The Brink. "All I could say is 'Jesus', and I could say that a hundred times a minute. I was crying myself to sleep at night. But I remember the week before I finally went to Oklahoma City to try and sell the building and get rid of it once and for all that I got on my face before God.  I said, 'I'll do whatever You want, however You want, whenever You want. I'm surrendered. Whatever that means.' Then the first thing He called me to do was give $500 to somebody—and I had lost significant amounts of money. But I did it, yet I was like, 'Are you sure Lord?' Then the same day that same lady I sent money to ended up sending us $400. I was wondering if I had missed His voice. Then the Lord started to show me what obedience looked like. That's when the Lord really started messing my life up. "

Acts Come Alive

Tim's plan to rid himself of this burdensome building was to fly to Oklahoma City, fix up the building and sell it. At this point, he was beyond caring about making a profit—he was more concerned with plugging the gaping cash leak. So Tim began fasting prior to his trip.

"I was trying to pull a wild card with my fasting, like, 'Lord, help me. Take this problem off my hands. Send a tornado through this building or burn it down with fire. Just take it away from me'," Tim said. "I thought I was off and I had totally messed up God's will for my life.

Still unaware of the real activity taking place within his building, Tim was horrified to discover the truth once he arrived. "Drugs, gangs, prostitution—it was a buffet table of evil," Tim said. "If evil could walk through the streets, it was walking down the ones near this building and getting whatever it wanted. Yet in spite of my fear, God began giving me an insane amount of boldness once we arrived."

What Tim thought was going to be a week of redeeming a rundown building turned into a different kind of redemptive mission—one that involved broken people who were in desperate need of God's love, grace and truth.

Two days into his extreme makeover project, Tim was perched on a ladder inside the building, painting when a 6-foot-4, 250-pound man walked near him. Trying to be polite, Tim asked him how he was doing.

"He just looked up at me and said, 'I'm tired,'" Tim recalls. "And as cheesy as it sounds, I just said, 'I know the one who brings rest.' Then within a few minutes, he starts weeping and repenting. Then the Lord showed me some things about this guy's life that I shared with him, and he was like, 'What is going on? I heard about you.'

"There was just this release and repentance. These were small indicators that God was up to something."

One afternoon, Tim and his friend ventured into a dark room near the roof's building and watched about 30 gang members bolt out the back door when they walked in. "We joked about how darkness would flee when exposed to the light," Tim said. "But it really was a visual picture of what was happening. God was at work in a big way."

Then God began to speak to Tim in a way that forever reshaped his journey.

"When I woke up one night after reading Zechariah 7, God asked me, 'Are you fasting for me or for you?' I was hoping that fasting was the wild card of God to deliver me, so it was clear I was fasting for me and not for Him," Tim said. "He began to show me that it wasn't about me—it was about him. He said he would rather have me obey than sacrifice. At that point, when I heard Him say, 'Obedience,' I knew I was supposed to move out here and become a part of this. "

By week's end, Tim knew that this wasn't a one-week fixer-upper in Oklahoma City, but the beginning of a much longer process of redeeming a building and neighborhood for Christ. "That week I had a hundred divine appointments and watched the word of God become more real than I had ever seen in my life. I think God still wants the book of Acts to be written today."

Radical Obedience

When Tim returned home, he walked into his church office and resigned, not knowing the full plan but knowing it involved him doing ministry out of this building, what eventually became known as The Refuge.

"Many people thought I was crazy," Tim says with a pause, before adding, "I thought I was crazy! And even a month after I moved out here, I asked my wife if she thought I was crazy. I didn't have the full vision for what I was to be doing, but I knew the Lord was teaching me to trust Him. The vision would come later. I wanted vision because I wanted to know where I was headed."

Despite shutting down the criminal activity inside the building, Tim was still wondering just what his purpose was after six months.

"Nothing was really happening, and I was scared all the time," Tim said. "Whenever I would get within a couple of miles of the building, this heavy oppression would come over me. I would be scraping these nasty crack-infested floors and look out at like the city and tell the Lord that I was in the wrong building. I was supposed to be in one of those skyscrapers doing business. It didn't make one bit of sense."

But things quickly began to change. Tim befriended two generals—Homicide and Tango—from a local gang and began meeting and praying with them regularly. "These guys started going throughout the building and asking if they could repent for their sins in each of the rooms where they sinned," Tim said.

One day later, a church shows up and says they heard about what I was doing and wanted to help fix up the building. Before too long, Tim was partnering with other local ministries and throwing a block party. Then more churches began hearing about what happening The Refuge and wanted to help.

Now, The Refuge is a growing ministry that is trying to model the love of Christ to a group of people who are downtrodden and often marginalized by society.

"A lot of what we're doing on a daily basis is trying to be an example of selfless people serving the selfish," Tim said. "The selfishness that they're in is their idol is themselves. They are the temples lying in waste. The reason why is they are full of idols—they're full of themselves. They're living in their image, rather than the image of God. What we're trying to do as believers to do is be the light and expose darkness just as Christ came to serve.

"We're trying to pursue what it looks like to love God and love our neighbors. Our neighbors are crack dealers, business owners, prostitutes, gang members. And we've decided to focus on giving them spiritual food. We're trying to transform that area by picking up trash, mowing lawns without people knowing it. It's Isaiah 58. We're modeling to the homeless people what it means to be creative producers and workers who use their hands to be fruitful and multiply. We think that's the ticket to transforming and engaging them rather than enabling them.

"We think if we go and make disciples, we'll advance the kingdom of God. It starts on our street. And when we get our street, we're going after our neighborhood. When we get our neighborhood, we'll go after our city and then our state."

Not a bad start for a guy who just thought he was going to fix up a building.

Jason Chatraw is a freelance writer from Boise, Idaho.

First, God has the right to take life however and whenever He desires. Since God is the author of life, He can take life and give life at His whim. Life is a gift from God. Every moment we exist is a gift from our Creator (Acts 17:24-28). God is under no obligation to sustain the universe or our individual lives. Since God created the world (and everything in it) He can do with it as He desires. Humans cannot take another life because they did not create it. Since we did not give life, we have no right to take it. But since God is the giver of life, He can take it in whatever manner He chooses. It's His prerogative.

Second, God shows tremendous longsuffering and compassion before executing judgment. When God first told Abraham that his descendants would inhabit the Promised Land, God instructed him that the fulfillment would be significantly delayed until the sin of the Amorites (the people of Canaan) was complete (Genesis 15:16). Why the wait? God was allowing sufficient time for the Canaanites to repent of their evil ways. 430 years was more than enough time for the Amorites to turn to God. Moreover, God promises to spare any nation that turns to God in repentance and abandons its evil ways (Jeremiah 18:7-8). God gave them considerable time to repent, but eventually justice must prevail.

Third, Gods commands must be understood in light of His covenant with Israel. God chose Abraham to be the father of a nation through whom "all the families of the earth will be blessed" (Genesis 12:1-3). Israel was to be a holy nation, set apart from the evil and corruption of surrounding nations (Leviticus 18:30). God was preparing a nation as a vehicle for the coming Messiah, the universal savior (Ephesians 2:11-22). In direct contrast, the Canaanites were involved in witchcraft, divination, child sacrifice, and sexual perversion (Deuteronomy 18:9-11; Lev 18:1-24). Thus, they were the most serious threat to God's divine plan for Israel. Dr. Paul Copan rightly observes: "Although the biblical commands are themselves considered harsh, not carrying them out would have undermined the very theocracy and plan of salvation God had established" (That's Just Your Interpretation, Baker Books, 2005, p. 165).

When difficult challenges like this arise, it's important to remember what we know to be true about God: He is good, patient, loving, and worthy of our trust. We may not understand entirely why he called for the destruction of the Canaanites, but we can rest assured that He has a good reason.

Sean McDowell is head of the Bible department at Capistrano Valley Christian Schools where he teaches Philosophy, Theology, and Apologetics. He is the author of several books on apologetics. Visit his website at http://www.seanmcdowell.org/ . 

            It's impossible to underestimate the importance of this question. If Jesus survived crucifixion then He was just a false prophet, we are still in our sins, and there is no ultimate hope for the world. If Jesus didn't die and then resurrect we may as well "feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!" (1 Cor. 15).

So, how do we know Jesus really died by crucifixion? Let's consider three lines of evidence. First, the nature of crucifixion virtually guarantees death. Crucifixion was designed to cause maximal pain to victims. Cicero called crucifixion "the most cruel and hideous of tortures . . . the extreme penalty for a slave." The pain was so unbearable that a new word had to be invented: Excruciating literally means "out of the cross." Jesus was whipped mercilessly, had a crown of thorns placed on His head, carried His crossbar to his place of execution, and was ultimately nailed to the cross. Given the efficiency of the Roman guards, it strains credibility to think that Jesus survived the cross.

            Second, medical evidence proves Jesus died on the cross. After Jesus was observed to be dead, one of the Roman executioners thrust a spear into His side, and blood and water immediately came out (John 19:34). While the apostle John was an eyewitness to this event, he had no idea about the significance of his observation. In 1986 (at least 1950 years after the crucifixion!) the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association featured an article demonstrating that the release of blood and water from such a spear wound is a sure sign of death.

            Third, there is extra-biblical evidence that Jesus was crucified. Non-Christian sources also provide evidence for the death of Jesus. These include Cornelius Tacitus (A.D. 55-120), who is considered by many to be the greatest ancient Roman historian as well as the Jewish scholar Josephus (A.D. 37-97). Believing that Jesus survived the cross might make for an interesting movie, but it strains credibility.

            Why does this matter? The death of Jesus should motivate us to reach out in love to a broken and hurting world. First John 3:16 says that we know what real love is because of what Jesus has done for us. The sacrificial love of Christ is the greatest display of love the world has ever seen. It's up to us to put that love into action.

However, others, such as Aldous Huxley (author of Brave New World) feared that we would instead "become a trivial culture, preoccupied with some equivalent of the feelies, the orgy porgy, and the centrifugal bumblepuppy." He remarked in Brave New World Revisited that the "civil libertarians and rationalists" who are ever on the alert to oppose tyranny "failed to take into account man's almost infinite appetite for distractions." In the book 1984, written by George Orwell, we find men who are controlled by inflicting pain. In Huxley's book, Brave New World, people are controlled by inflicting pleasure.

Author Neil Postman explains that George Orwell, looking into the future, feared that what we hate would ruin us.

But Aldous Huxley feared that what we love would ruin us.

In saying such a thing, Postman is attempting to communicate that technology, specifically in his case television, [1] is the thing that we love and it is the very thing that will ruin us. I would agree and argue that what we love will indeed ruin us—but the problem is not television. That is simply an outworking of something much, much deeper.

Our hearts.

I Met the Buzzards at Church

For some reason, during church services in particular, distracting thoughts seem to swoop around my head like a flock of hungry buzzards waiting to eat a dead carcass.

It's a pretty disgusting thought.

But maybe you have the same problem. I just drift off into distraction all the time. I have an infinite desire for distractions!

And I am in desperate need of some kind of deadly weapon of retaliation in order to rid myself of these brain-devouring distractions. Especially when it comes to taking part in the things of God, like a Sunday morning at church.

Now, what exactly is the connection between Huxley's Brave New World and the vultures circling around my slowly disintegrating consciousness as I'm sitting in the pew? It's rather simple, really.

Your heart and my heart desire to please themselves—and part of that means entertaining (or distracting) ourselves. Remember the statement that "people are controlled by inflicting pleasure"? That's our society—that's me! I am completely controlled by the things that please me—not others, and especially not God.

There is a reason that I am never distracted while watching Sports Center or watching my favorite television show. I'm never worrying about what I'm going to have for dinner, or that project that's due tomorrow, or the conversation I need to have with a friend. Those situations still exist, but when it comes to things that entertain me, all of those things seem to fade into the background.

But for some reason those very things seem to leap into my mind as I'm writing down point number two from the sermon from my pastor. Let's take a look at why that may be by taking a closer look at the "heart."

Idols, Idols, Idols . . .

We have to realize we have disgusting idols permeating our beings. Not physical idols that we create and bow down to in our living rooms. These are much more subtle.

My own heart is the center of production for these things! And they're not always initially bad things, per se. They are simply things that we love more than God, things we look at and say (sometimes unknowingly), "I can't do without that thing. I just can't be happy without it!" It might be a good thing (like a relationship, a car, or the latest phone)—but when you lose a good thing, there is some time of sorrow, and it can be replaced by something else. But when you lose an idol . . . you despair. [2]

My distractions just happen to be one particularly powerful way to detect these idols that are in my life. Archbishop William Temple once said, "Your religion is what you do with your solitude." That is frighteningly true. Wherever my mind most often drifts can help me to discover and address the current idols that I have within my heart. If my mind drifts off constantly to the relationship, the car, the latest phone, or whatever, I have the perfect opportunity to test and detect the idols that I may have haunting my heart.

What Now?

Since Sunday morning just happens to be an excellent time for me to realize the idols that are in my heart, the appropriate response to those idols is to do the following:

1. I must acknowledge I have idols in my life. We all do! And I just happened to figure out what mine were in the moments when my mind began to be assaulted by what seemed like lovely creatures yet were actually disgusting buzzards waiting to devour the roadkill that had become my mind. That's what idols often do—they take over the brain and heart, completing destroying our allegiance to what should be first place: Jesus Christ.
2. I must realize that I cannot overcome or destroy these idols alone. Without help, I am completely enslaved to these idols. I am without the weapons to overcome them.
3. I must preach the gospel. The gospel is the very thing that I need to destroy the vultures, or idols, or distracting thoughts. Often our being distracted is showing that we do not care about the gospel enough to seek after the Word of God, His church, or His community. I want to be so enraptured by the gospel that I take it and make it "of first importance" as Paul says in 1 Corinthians.

Let's not allow our sinful nature (or the infinite desire for distraction) to rule our lives. If we are believers, we have Jesus Christ, who has conquered sin! We are no longer slaves to sin, but servants of Jesus Christ. Because He has saved us, He must be first in our lives. First does not mean second, or equal to other things in our lives.

There are so many other ways that we can have or allow idols into our lives and so many other ways to detect idols. But for now—when you see those buzzards, watch out. It might just be the perfect opportunity to start breaking some idols you're worshipping other than Jesus Christ.

Tim Sweetman is a 19-year-old journalist, blogger, and student who lives near our nation's capital, Washington D.C. He is much more widely known by his "code-name," Agent Tim, which also serves as the name of his popular blog http://www.agenttimonline.com, which has received over 750,000 visits since its debut three years ago.

[1] Postman, Neil. Amusing Ourselves To Death. Introduction.

[2] I recommend reading Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller for further information.

This is the second part of things to keep in mind when looking for God's will. (I'm thinking there will probably be four parts to this.) The first part was that God's will does not contradict the Bible. (For part one, copy and paste this URL: http://thebrinkonline.com/articles/read/how-to-know-gods-will-part-1.)

The second important thing to remember is to listen to the Spirit of God.

After the following introductory thoughts, I tried to make the rest of this piece flow like a conversation where I anticipate a question that might come to your mind. Feel free to ask more questions in the comments section and I'll do my best to find an answer for you.

I didn't hear much about the Holy Spirit growing up. I think some Christians have been scared to talk about Him in fear of being labeled something they didn't want to be. So as a result, He gets neglected. Or at least our understanding of His role in our life does.

But if we want to understand the Bible and the nature of God, we have to understand the significance the Holy Spirit plays in the story of God. And if you want to know God's will (essentially, hear Him), then it would greatly benefit you to know and at least partly understand one of the main methods in which God speaks.

Does the Spirit know what God's will is?

Emphatically, yes!

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians that the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. He went on to say that no one understands the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Other than Scripture and nature, the only way we can know what God is thinking is to listen to the Spirit of God. If you want to know God's will, listen to the Spirit, because the Spirit knows what God's will is for you.

How does the Spirit speak?

I have a caveat and then an example. The caveat is that in the same way God's will does not contradict the Bible, the Holy Spirit does not either. In fact, I have had experiences when the Holy Spirit spoke to me through a passage of Scripture. Someone was reading a passage, and the Spirit of God "said" to me, "This is what I want you to get right now." So yes it was the Spirit speaking to me, but He used the Scripture to tell me exactly what He wanted me to know. It was an unexplainable, incredible experience.

This caveat reminds me—if and when the Spirit of God speaks to you about the will of God, test it. If you want to know whether or not it was God's Spirit and not indigestion or a different spirit (evil spirits are real, and they can speak), test what the spirit said with what the Bible says. If it contradicts the Bible, you did not hear from God's Spirit, but something else (1 John 4:1).

The example I'm about to give is not necessarily the only way God's Spirit can speak (see Isaiah 30:27 for a time when God spoke loudly). It's just the way God has chosen to speak to me.

In 1 Kings, God spoke to the prophet Elijah. God had told Elijah to stand on a mountain so he could observe what was about to happen. He witnessed a wind that broke rocks into pieces, an earthquake, and a fire. The text says the Lord was not in any of those things. But then after the fire Elijah heard a "still small voice." That voice was the way in which God spoke to Elijah.

I think the Spirit still speaks in this way today—quietly.

How should someone go about hearing the Spirit speak quietly?

There's two parts to this answer. The first is you have to be quiet to hear something quiet.

I heard a speaker one time that had a real gift at using different volume levels in his presentation. He would get louder or softer depending on the moment or what he was saying. As I listened, I noticed something interesting about how the crowd reacted to his volume changes. The louder he got, the more rustling you could hear in the audience. But the softer he got, the softer everyone else got. You could hear a pin drop during his pauses. That's because if you wanted to hear what he had to say, you had to be completely silent in order to hear him at that moment.

I think listening to the Spirit works in the same way. Sometimes our lives are very, very loud and it takes the Spirit doing something very loud just to get our attention. Other times, we are very reflective and meditative and quiet, and the Spirit simply whispers to us.

If there is so much going on in your life that you never think about what the Spirit of God is saying to you, your life is too loud. Too noisy. Too busy. You need to unplug. Don't use your iPod for a week. Stay offline. Don't check email. Don't text. Sit in silence for 5 minutes without saying a word. Add 1 minute to that time each day.

The first part of the answer is you have to learn how to be quiet in order to hear something quiet.

The second part of the answer is you have to be close to someone to hear them whisper.

The Scripture says draw near to God, and He will draw near to you (James 4:8a). God has gone to great lengths for us to be able to know Him and hear Him. He reveals Himself through (1) creation, (2) Jesus, (3) the Bible, and (4) His Spirit. These things are all available to you. Now it's up to you to respond to what God has done. If you want to know God's will, you need to listen to the Spirit. And if you want to listen to the Spirit, you need to draw near to Him.

How does someone "draw near to God?"

The same text I referenced above goes on to say that we should cleanse our hands and purify our hearts. We are sinners and "double-minded" people (James 4:8b). This is how we draw near to God: we confess our sins and repent of them.

If sin is a blockade that keeps us from God, it is incredibly foolish to think God would show us His will when there is sin in our lives! It's not that God doesn't want to tell you, it's that you have chosen to cover your ears!

The Spirit of God cannot speak to someone who has put a barrier between that person and Himself. And if you want to hear the Spirit tell you God's will, you have to be incredibly close to Him.

The good news is that if you have accepted Christ, then you have the Spirit of God in you. And the Spirit is always looking to tell you things about Christ (1 Corinthians 2:12). In fact, sometimes He speaks in ways you wouldn't have thought—we would think a God so powerful as our God would choose to speak in an earthquake instead of a still small voice.

 Is there anything else?

The last thing I have to say in how we interact with the Spirit of God to find out His will is to ask Him. Ask Him.

Ask God to tell you.

Matthew 7:7 says if you ask it will be given to you. And if you seek, you will find it. If you knock, it will be opened to you.

Another point of advice is to literally verbalize what you are asking God. Don't just "ask it in your heart." There is something about saying things aloud when talking to God.

If you have a specific decision in mind, simply say aloud, "God, what do You want me to do about ______?" If you want to know whether or not God wants you to date a guy named Charlie, say, "God, do You want me to date Charlie?" Take whatever situation you are in and adapt it to the question.

If you want to know what God's will is for your life, you've got to get plugged into one of the main sources through which He speaks—His Spirit.

Jacob Riggs is Editor of The Brink. Contact him at twitter.com/jacobriggs.

I'm not here to discuss various societal issues and whatnot. My contention here is the rationale and application of the term 'hypocrite' is flawed. Furthermore, it is not a sufficient excuse for rejecting the Gospel of salvation. Would it be sufficient to say that the doctrine of love as preached by Jesus is not the prevalent mindset practiced by contemporary Christians? (That ball got dropped long ago.) Also, that Christians consistently fail to uphold the standards to which they are commanded? Ok. We're on the same page, then.

While I was in high school, I publicly committed to abstinence, complete with the mocking of my peers. I went off to a Christian college with great expectations and graduated with an ambition to serve "the least of these." My resolve wore down rather soon. I gradually made concessions and compromises, ultimately losing my virginity at the ripe old age of 23. Oops. Am I supposed to type that? See, I have always been a firm believer in the biblical view of sex: sex is a beautiful, glorious gift from God, useful for procreation and pleasure, and only permissible within the marriage of a man and a woman.

Hypocrite. I fully expect my now five-year-old daughter to blast me when I remind her of biblical standards during her adolescence and however far beyond. Still, even those who don't label me consider my moral choices suspect. Recently, I was shooting pool with some friends who were trying to decide whether or not we would go to a gentleman's club. I refused. What they had once considered absolute was now up for debate. As my friends, they would never say, "You're tainted now, bro. What's the big deal?" Even so, their approach to my convictions, which hadn't changed, demonstrated their perspective, which had.

The second effect of my failure was that I became afraid of judgment and therefore withdrew from Christian service. I judged myself far more harshly than anyone else did. Now, I may have permanently damaged what some call my "Christian witness." My choices may provide ammo to those who decry the teaching of abstinence. I know my choices shook the faith of a few, and changed the path of my ministry. (I intended to finish seminary and become a pastor—go figure.) But does that change the truth of the Gospel? No. Should that stop me from communicating in love, patience, and compassion, the hope I have in Christ? No.

Hypocrisy wields this great power to create divisions within our society and especially within our spirits. Hypocrisy is its own entity. So, I'm calling him out. "Hypocrisy" has meant that you say one thing and do another. Like when I tell my daughter not to sit on the arm of the couch—as I'm sitting on the opposite arm. "Do as I say and not as I do" kind of thing. The modern application of this misconception is when an individual's behavior is in conflict with his or her set of beliefs, or worldview.

If you possess a worldview based on absolute standards of right and wrong, and you sin, you're automatically a hypocrite. Since all have sinned, all Christians are hypocrites. Conversely, if you possess a worldview that is not predisposed to absolute right and wrong, you can never be a hypocrite. This understanding leads people to wrongly think Jesus' doctrine of love and conservative opposition to same-sex marriage are inconsistent. For marriage is based on love, is it not? How can one preach love, yet restrict the right of one individual to love another? (Again, an example, albeit a feisty one.)

This application of hypocrisy makes two faulty assumptions: (1) Behavior/choices are influenced by beliefs; (2) When they are misaligned, the tangible takes precedence over the intangible. That is to say, behavior influences belief. Since Christians cannot keep it in their pants, nor can they stay married, who are they to determine who can marry whom? Effectively, the sinfulness of Christians has rendered the Bible and its precepts obsolete. Even Christians have this in their mind. I've heard some say, "Yeah, I believe in the Bible, but that doesn't mean all the other religions are wrong."

I would go so far as to say belief and behavior are two separate categories of choice. You choose your belief. You choose your behavior. Should belief influence your behavior? Absolutely—especially Christians. But, to lump the two such that a choice can nullify the truth of a belief is philosophically unsound. It is an ad hominem fallacy to attempt to invalidate an individual's position simply because he or she may be a hypocrite. A person's failure to uphold biblical standards is not sufficient grounds for the abandonment of those standards.

So, how can we define and apply "hypocrisy" effectively and fairly? I shall try. If I believe Jesus commanded me to serve the least of these, yet I tell my daughter to avoid the poor—that is hypocrisy. If I believe Jesus is who he says He is ("The way, the truth, and the light"), yet claim other religions offer a possible way to salvation—then that is hypocrisy. It is not hypocrisy for Mr. Al Gore to leave all the lights on in his home incessantly . . . unless he truly believes it causes harm to the environment, and then he suggests to me that it is okay if I leave all the lights on in my home.

As for those of us who hold to absolute moral standards—if we believe the Bible determines sex to take place only between a married man and woman, and then advise those around us "what happens in the bedroom stays in the bedroom"—that is hypocrisy. If we are transparent, holding to our beliefs, our truths, yet acknowledging our failures, there is nothing hidden. There is no two-face, no double standard, and no hypocrisy. Transparency is the key to breaking down the walls that the accepted application of hypocrisy creates. So, let me ask you this: am I a hypocrite?

Bryce Thompson is a single dad, writing and residing in Connecticut's "Quiet Corner."

It's good to want to know God's will. It means you're concerned about what He wants with your life. That's a really great thing.

It's sometimes tough to know what God's will is. However, I don't think it has to be. I'm not saying it's simple black and white. I'm just saying it's not as mysterious as we might think.

I haven't had a ton of experiences with looking for God's will (I'm only 24). But the few that I've had have been memorable and impactful. I hope you find this beneficial.

So here's the first part of this and what I think is a very important component a lot of people overlook in finding God's will.

God's will does not contradict the Bible.

Nope. Not one bit.

We can know this because of what the Bible claims to be. Second Timothy says all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. So, if all of the Bible is inspired by God, how could we think God would do or be something different than what He Himself wrote?

The only way I can figure this would make sense would be if God changed somehow. You and I have opinions and we argue them. But sometimes we change our opinions based upon an experience we have or some new information we receive. Well, God already knows all. First John 3:20 says God knows everything. Since His knowledge is without end, His "opinion" will never change based upon a new influx of information or a new experience.

And since God is the same "yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8), He is the same today as He was when He inspired the Bible a few thousand years ago. The Bible will not contradict God. God's will will not go against what the Bible says.

Let me unpack this a bit with a few examples and try to make it applicable.

If you are married to a woman who is faithful to you but is starting to get on your nerves, it will never be God's will for you to divorce her. Never. Happy, unhappy, getting your needs met or not, it will never be God's will for people who are faithful to each other to divorce one another. We can know this because of the way the Bible speaks of marriage and divorce, and God does not contradict His Word (Matthew 5:32).

Here's another example.

If your taxes are increased by the government, it is not God's will for you to get around that, even if you are using the money for a good cause. I don't care if you're taking the money and using it to help save starving children in Africa. It is not God's will for you to cheat the government of your money, even if they are taking "too much." Why is this true? Because of how Paul said for us to deal with the government in Romans 13, and what Jesus said about our relationship with the State (Matthew 22:21). And since God's will does not contradict His Word, we know it is not God's will for us to do these things. 

One last example.

Let's suppose I got a job offer. My wife would not like to work some day and this job pays enough where she woudn't have to. But the job is directly linked with obtaining money in an illegal fashion. And I'm aware of it before I take the job. This is an easy decision for me. Because, well, the job would force me to be dishonest, and that would go against what the Bible teaches about honest gain and hard work (Proverbs 13:11). Lynsey and I would not have to deliberate on this decision because God is not honored by dishonest gain based on what the Bible says, and God's will does not contradict the Bible. 

Let me wrap this up.

If you're faced with a decision, the first thing you've got to do is ask yourself, "Does the Bible address this issue in any way?" Then, use honest discernment with the help of the Holy Spirit and ask, "Does this decision contradict what the Bible says?"

If the decision goes against the Bible, it is not God's will for you to proceed.

            So, that gets me back to my Moment of Revelatory Exhilaration, or MORE. (By the way, every time I write that phrase, imagine hearing it as a very loud Alan-Kalter type bellow.)  I can't say I was thinking about anything in particular while I was driving, so I wasn't exactly searching for anything beautiful, but beauty found me anyway. I had the radio on one of those "We play whatever we want" stations. The volume was low because the song that had been playing wasn't really doing it for me. So, because of that, I missed the first couple of notes of the next song, U2's glorious "With or Without You." Once I realized what song was on, I turned up the volume to a comfortably deafening level. Loud enough to hear Adam Clayton's overly simple, yet perfectly appropriate bass line, The Edge's precise guitar work, Bono's soaring vocals, and Larry Mullen's rhythmic time-keeping. I can't even begin to describe the rush of emotions that hit me. I forgot I was cold. I forgot my headache. I forgot the crappy day I had at work. I forgot about the bumper-to-bumper traffic. I simply allowed the song to "minister" to me. I know that sounds preposterous and touchy-feely, but it happened. And I am better for it. I don't base my theology on this song, even though it probably captures the typical Christian experience better than just about any song on Christian radio any given year. I don't have to agree with everything an artist is expressing, that is not how it works. I just need to be ready to catch a quick glimpse of eternity that the artist may or may not have even intended.

            I experienced MORE the first time I saw Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf the Grey hug on the big screen. I got hit over the head with MORE when Stephen Lawhead wrote about Merlin holding Arthur in his arms as their small boat sailed to Avalon. Every time I hear "The River Will Flow" by Whiteheart, my soul swells to touch heaven. (Pardon the hyperbole.) When Pocahontas/Rebecca takes John Rolfe's hand in The New World, my spirit smiles. I think God smiles too. These Moments of Revelatory Exhilaration are everywhere; we just have to be ready to open up to them. Mind you, the Moments are not just in the arts. It could be a sunset. A friend. Your family. I could go on for pages about the ways my kids help me experience MORE. My point is: We need to cultivate an appreciation for these moments God gives us. There is a fundamental reason we have this ability; it points our eyes to our Creator. If we truly appreciate the beauty and truth we find in our lives, it will only nurture our love and devotion to the Source of that beauty and truth.

            Open your eyes and your hearts and experience MORE.

Phill Lytle is a father of 3 and husband of 1, living in Nashville, TN.

Consider the huge and complex dance:

The universe is so incredibly big many scientists believe it doesn't even have an end. Our small, finite minds cannot comprehend such a thing. Our minds don't register endlessness to anything. We cannot fathom the enormity of what we know or guess is there.

Space and spatial bodies are so large the measurement of light-years is used. A light-year is simply how far light travels in one year. Light travels at 186,000 miles per second. One year's worth of those seconds comes to almost 6 trillion miles. Well, the average galaxy is about 1,500 to 300,000 light-years. That's huge!

There are hundreds of billions of galaxies in the universe. Each of these galaxies contains hundreds of billions stars. In addition, they contain lots of other bodies and substances. We live in the Milky Way galaxy, which is a spiral galaxy. That means it has several arms coming out from a hub and it looks like it is spiraling like a whirlpool. It is about 100,000 light years in diameter.

We live relatively close to the edge of this whirlpool in a minor arm called the Orion Spur. Our Solar System lies on the outskirts of this arm. For the size of the galaxy, our Solar System seems really small. Scientists estimate the Solar System is between 7,348,981,944 and 9,320,567,882 miles in diameter. Within this expanse are a number of familiar bodies: the Sun, the planets, moons, comets, asteroids, and meteoroids.

One of these nine planets is Earth—our Earth. As far as we know, it is the only place in the universe that sustains life. At this point in time, there are about 7 billion people inhabiting the earth. These 7 billion people are spread throughout 195 countries on 7 continents. Zoom to your continent. Zoom to your country. Zoom to your city. Zoom to your street. Zoom into your house, dorm, or apartment. We have come to you.

This is a very, very, very brief description of the universe. Yeah, we are a teeny-tiny part of it all. In essence each one of us is a speck on a speck (the world) on a speck (the Solar system) on a speck (the Milky Way galaxy) on a speck (that's right, the endless universe is a speck in the mind of God). We are less than nothing, but the sovereign God who is the omnipotent Creator of the universe, the divine choreographer of this great complexity yearns to have a personal, intimate relationship with you. You! He is the endlessness beyond the endlessness who cared for you before you were born, who cares about every aspect of your present life, and who wants to be forever with you after death.

...Uh, Did I mention this is the God of the universe? Sometimes it seems we forget that part. We are mere specks and know so little. As mere, selfish specks we do not even deserve His attention. For some reason He gives it. For some reason He cares for our lives—both this and the next. How is this not reason for a greater joy and boldness? The God behind the endlessness is at work in you!

Ben Plunkett is a writer from Pleasant View, Tennessee.

It might be advantageous for an individual to consider the misery and torment of hell, particularly if the result was a determination not to enter its gates. But, just taking note of that tortuous scene will not prevent it becoming man's final destination. A more beneficial contemplation is the internal conflict and struggle that takes place inside one's heart due to the sinful nature inherited from our original parents, Adam and Eve.

Thinking can be a healthy process because our thoughts produce actions and our actions denote the person we have become, providing a catalyst for change. Since man began his long march toward infinity, the need for change has been apparent. Driven from the dwelling place provided by his Maker, man has been on an endless search for purpose and meaning, encompassing a quest for happiness and contentment. But there is a problem—sin and the separation it has caused between man and his Creator. It is this great gulf dividing God and man that we are to think on, to consider. Some way we must manage to reach across, to get to the other side, but what can man do?

What can man do? Absolutely nothing! God has already done what is required. Before God spoke the heavens and the earth into being, the thought of man and his need for redemption were uppermost in God's mind. God had created man, in His image, for the sole purpose of fellowship, for companionship. Man would be unique, superior to the animal and plant life. He would reason; he would think; he would make decisions; he would have freedom of choice. And in that freedom, man fell. Thereafter followed God's plan to redeem man back to Himself. And that plan embodied the incarnation of the Son of God, Jesus. Only the infinite mind, only the infinite thought processes of an omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent Creator could conceive the remedy for sin without violating His holy and righteous character.

God did not meditate on the internal struggle caused by sin within His own heart. He focused His thoughts, His mind, upon the inner struggle between man and his sinful nature, and produced a way for man to become reconciled to his Creator-God. You might say He was the original Thinker.

Dianne Sargent is managing editor at Randall House.

She finally answered. She sounded awful. I feared the worst. I knew I hadn't made the effort to check in with her like I should have. I immediately regretted not being more available. The second thing she said to me after hello was, "Steph, I messed up." I knew exactly what she meant.

Honestly, I wasn't shocked. How terrible is that? To suspect the worst only to have it confirmed. I was so very sad for everyone involved, knowing that the actions she chose were going to bring her even more heartache than what she was trying to rid herself of. Suddenly, to me, she was different. When she made the choices she did, every memory we had shared together suddenly seemed different. I wasn't really sure who she was or if she ever was the person I knew her to be.

What do you say when people disappoint you? How do you respond?

I thought I would be angry. I thought I would yell, and tell her she knew better. I wanted to tell her she could lose it all. But something else happened. I just listened. And cried with her. And listened more.

She knew what she did was wrong. She knew she put her relationship with everyone she loved on the line. She knew she wasn't owed forgiveness. She knew her life could change. She knew my opinion of her might change. But she owned up. She apologized to everyone involved. She is working on it.

In talking with some mutual friends about it later with her permission, I found so many saying, "I just can't trust her," "I don't know how to be her friend," "I don't know who she is anymore." I found people turning on her. They might not admit it, but they ran. Like she was infectious. Like her bad decisions were contagious.

I can't judge anyone. We all deal with hurt, anger, and disappointment in our own ways. But I couldn't help but think: isn't this just so very typical of "Christians." The very people who expect and put their faith in the principles of love and forgiveness and mercy are the first to revoke those gifts when it is us who feel wronged. Once, years ago, I heard my pastor, David Foster, say that the Christian army is the only army in the world that shoots its wounded. That statement has resonated with me and changed the way I view people who go through hard times or make what I would think are bad choices.

As Christians, we say we want our churches to be for people who need to know that God loves them and wants to be active in their life. Does that only apply to new converts? Do our churches and our relationships and our availability to help exists only for people who are not already "one of us"? I would say no. I think we are terrible at forgiving. We shoot people when they are down. Run when they need us. We write people off as no longer able to be a part of God's plan after they stumble.

We have to fix this mindset. We have to remind ourselves that we are every day in need of forgiveness. That everyone is worthy in God's eyes because of what Christ has done. Historically and biblically, those most used by God had massive screw-ups, did horrible things, and were once at a point where they could have been counted out. Why doesn't that mindset still apply today? Can we help those around us pick themselves up? Encourage them? Remind then that their present state when they fall doesn't have to be their defining moment.

My friend was so heartbroken to tell me where she was in her life. All I can do is be a friend. Love her. Help her get the help she needs. Only by the grace of God am I not her, and I would want my friends to never give up on me. So, I refuse to give up on my friend, because I know that it is not the mistake you make that determines who you are, but what you do after that determines your worth. I know she can find her way back to God's plan. I hope we all can.

He just does not understand why I would rather text him than call him. He'll call me and leave a voice mail. I eventually check it and text him back. He texts me back and says, "Call me." So I finally call him. He asks me a question like "Are you and Lynsey (my wife) coming to dinner Sunday?"

I'm thinking, "Why didn't you just text me that question?"

He's thinking, "Why don't you just answer your phone?"

We just don't get each other sometimes.

My dad and grandpa are different too. Dad spent a lot of time trying to explain to my grandpa that just because he was talking to someone long distance didn't mean he had to talk louder. I don't think my dad's explanation really worked.

My dad and my grandpa didn't get each other sometimes.

Generations are different.

I read this morning in Psalm 119:90 that "the faithfulness of God is extended to every generation."

God extends His faithfulness to every generation, yes, but the part that really stuck out to me was that every generation can understand the faithfulness of God. Twentysomethings get the faithfulness of God. So does Gen X. So do the Baby Boomers. So do those who came through the depression.

My brother Josh once video-taped my grandpa praying. They were on a farm in Missouri where it hadn't rained in a long time. The farm needed rain or else they were going to lose their crops. So grandpa and some others (including my dad and brother) went to the farm to pray for rain.

Josh zoomed in on grandpa as he was praying. His face was so intense. The funny thing is, I don't remember him asking God for rain. All I remember him praying was thanksgiving to God for His faithfulness. He gave God thanks becaue He had always provided for them and he knew God was still God and that He would not turn His back on His people. He was overjoyed at the faithfulness of God. That was his prayer.

I really don't know anything at all about farming other than you need water. But I understood what grandpa meant when he prayed and thanked God for His faithfulness. I got it. There were 2 or 3 generations between grandpa and I, and I still knew exactly what he was talking about.

Psalm 119:90 is exactly how you bridge the gap between twentysomethings and older generations--by focusing on God. Everyone connects with the attributes He has because everyone has an intrinsic desire for the things of God--holiness, faith, truth, love, mercy, faithfulness, justice, purity.

God is the bridge in the generation gap.

In the small town in the south where I did most of my growing up, the white population made up at least 90 percent. My exposure to a minority culture was obsolete. I knew one view, one culture, one way. When my family moved to another small southern town, I was exposed to more differences, though the minorities represented were still very small. For the first time in my life I met people who were Catholic, Muslim, and Hindu. I am sad to say my lack of exposure led me to approach these differences with fear and questioning.

The shift of thought that made such a huge difference in my life was when a woman in my church began bringing her grandchildren (who were bi-racial) to our church. I’m sad to say, this was questionable in our circle back then. I remember talking with my mom about the situation. It was then that she said something that changed my thinking from that day forward: "What difference does it make if they are black, or white, or yellow? Don't we send money overseas to support missionaries trying to reach these same kinds of people? How is that any different than being missionaries to the people we come into contact with every day?"

That tiny conversation has stuck with me to this day.

Today, as I look around the room at the women with whom I share my life, I am not surprised at the amount of differences amongst us. Some of us are pastors’ daughters who have all taken very different directions concerning the faith we were taught growing up. Another is a former Catholic who married a Jew, who now practices Buddhism. One is a very devout Catholic who is steadfast in her views. Two are searching, also brought up in Protestant households, but unsure as to where "religion" or "spirituality" fit in to their lives. I have friends who are Taoist, Hindu, Muslim, and nothing at all. This is a snapshot of any group of young people across America. This is our culture. This is the world we live in. I am grateful for the fact that, while others around me are different and believe differently, we can all teach each other important lessons.

Some people would say I should not socialize with these people. I need to find strength from people of my own faith, they say. That is true to some degree. I do have a wonderful set of Christian friends who I depend on greatly. However, I feel my greatest impact could be made with these women and their husbands that my husband and I socialize with who do not believe exactly as we do. I like that when we discuss religion, we don't always agree. It gives us a chance to sift through our differences and explain to one another why we believe what we believe. It challenges us to know our theology better. It begs us to be strong and not surrender or compromise our beliefs.

I find it interesting that so many Christian people I know only expose themselves to others who believe exactly as they do. If your practice is to only associate with people who believe exactly as you do about every issue, at the end of the road, you will only be left with yourself.

I am so tired of Christians living a life of fear. Afraid to speak up. Afraid to be labeled. Afraid to be associated with things or people who are different. So afraid of becoming “of the world” that they are no longer “in the world” either.

Please don’t put me off as someone who doesn’t care about holy and blameless living. It’s just that I am burdened for my friends. I pray for them daily. But they don’t tear me down because they have different beliefs. As a matter of fact, they make my faith stronger. They challenge me to know my beliefs and my God more than some of my Christian friends do. I look at the way they handle crisis and failure, and yes even blessings and joy, and it reminds me that my outlook is different. My hope is different. The way I respond to life and death is different. And I think they notice. My God is bigger than our differences and the love I show them may be the only glimpse of His love they see. So in regard to being holy, if I don’t spend time with them, I’m not being blameless.

Personally, I’ve never felt “called” to be a missionary. I have the highest regard and respect for people who do, though. Some devote their entire lives to a different country and a different people. That’s really how it should be for every Christian. None of us are “at home” in the United States. We’re all citizens of another kingdom—the kingdom of God.

There are people of different colors and religions and ways of thinking in my circle. My husband and my contact with them might be the only contact they have with a believer of Christ. It is a huge responsibility and a huge privilege.

I hope we can all expand ourselves a little. Listen to another’s view, befriend a person who doesn't believe exactly as we do, be exposed to the way they live and where they come from. Meanwhile, be strong in your faith and represent Christ well. You may be the only representative they see. And both of you will be better for it.

“You need to have more faith.”

That last statement gets me every time. According to many, Christianity and depression just don’t fit together. We think if someone’s depressed, he or she isn’t right with God.

That could not be any further from the truth.

In a world filled with so much negativity and pain, it is no wonder many people become depressed. For most people, this depression is easily controlled without becoming dependent on therapists and medication. But for others, myself included, depression is a daily struggle, leaving us no choice but to seek medical care. It’s a medical illness, not a spiritual one.

Someone once told me my faith wasn’t strong enough and that was why I was going through my horrible depression. And for a long time, I really did believe him and, as a result, felt even more hopeless. I thought maybe he was right. Maybe my faith wasn’t strong enough and that was why I was suffering.

It was only after tons of researching and soul searching that I realized how wrong he was. I began to dig into God’s Word and found comfort in the book of Job.

Man, I thought I had problems! But compared to Job, my problems seemed small—trivial even. Here was a man who had literally lost everything and yet continued to praise God through it all. He was told by all his friends and family to just give up. They told him to “curse God and die” (Job 2:9). But Job did just the opposite. He turned to God, praising Him.

I wish I could tell you that after my diagnosis I immediately turned to God to get me through it all. But I’d be lying. Truth of the matter is I became bitter. I couldn’t understand why God was allowing this to happen. I just wanted to be a normal college student who didn’t have to worry about taking medication every single day and could hang out with friends without fear of relapsing.

As I continued to fall deeper and deeper into my depression, I slowly began to alienate myself from everyone and everything; I even stopped going to church. In my mind, there just was no point in going. I felt God had abandoned me.
But one day something changed. My eyes were opened to the truth that it wasn’t God who abandoned me. I had abandoned God. Suddenly I was faced with the realization of losing everything I had worked hard for if I didn’t change my ways.

It happened so quickly and so suddenly that I realized church was the very place I needed to be if I wanted to win this fight with myself. I slowly got my life back on track and began taking the steps towards God’s loving arms.

I was a senior in high school when I was first diagnosed with depression. Eight years later, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. To this day I honestly believe I had been bipolar all along and was misdiagnosed in high school. Just ask any of my family members. They’ll tell you I was extremely hard to live with. My moods were all over the place and I couldn’t control them. I recall sometime during my junior year of college joking to my best friend that maybe I was, in fact, bipolar.
Who knew that a few years later, I would be told I was right?

I’m not telling you this to get you to feel sorry for me. In fact, please don’t.

I’m telling you this so you can get a better idea of what millions of Americans have to battle each day. But that’s not what is important. It’s how people handle their illness from day to day.

Imagine, if you will, the worst headache of your life. I’m talking about “can’t get out of the bed—unable to move—my head is going to explode” type of feeling. Now take that pain and double it. I battle this pain every single day. Mentally and physically. As do millions of other Americans.

The question is, how do we handle our illness? Do we retreat to our rooms and wallow in self-pity? Or do we step out on faith and place all of our troubles on God?

Me? I wallowed for the first few months. I had to force myself to get out of bed in the morning. I called in sick to work on days I couldn’t find the strength to get up. I bailed on my friends. On numerous occasions, I stayed in my room, curled up in a ball on my bed, and cried for hours.

I felt like no one understood me. No one seemed to want to understand me. I would get angry every time someone told me to “snap out of it.” I wanted to strangle them for thinking I wanted to be like this. Why would anyone want to feel this way?
When I rededicated my life to the Lord a few months later, I became a completely different person. At least that’s what I’ve been told by those who remained by my side even through the periods of darkness.

Truth is, I felt like a new person. I was smiling more. I was genuinely happy. I was getting my life back! And this time, I was allowing God to work through me. To this day, I know without a shadow of a doubt that God allowed me to go through that dark period in order to bring me back to Him.

I’m not saying I don’t have bad moments. I still struggle sometimes. I have my down days. But this time, rather than ignoring God’s tug at my heart, I turn to Him and allow Him to do His job. Because let’s face it—we’ll never be able to cope without Him.

As my buddies and I joked about what might happen and whom we wanted to kill, a small amount of fear began to inch its way into my mind. I couldn’t help but be scared, but as I mounted my 240B machine gun onto the gunner’s turret and the music roared in my ears, fear was replaced with anger. The air was thick and cool in the dark early morning hour. The four Humvees began to rumble as the diesel engines cranked up. My mind raced as I contemplated what might happen that day. Will I be hit by another IED or shot at again? I asked myself.

As we approached the gate of the base a cool wind blew in my face, teasing me. It won’t be cool for long, I thought. Stopping at the gate, we made final combat checks of our equipment. I removed the ear buds and loaded my machine gun. “We’re up,” the squad leaders exclaimed to the lieutenant. The lieutenant gave the signal, the gate opened, and a new day began in Iraq.

The trucks crept outside the gate as the sun began to pierce the sky. As we traveled into the streets of Baghdad my senses were stimulated by the ever-familiar pungent smell of trash and the sound of morning prayers being recited over the loudspeakers of the mosques. I liked being the gunner on the truck, although it was the scariest place to be; it was the most important but vulnerable position to enemy fire. We patrolled hour after hour, weaving in and out of neighborhoods and markets like a never-ending maze, stopping only to speak to the local people and conduct searches of suspicious vehicles and houses.

The day was beginning to grow hot and dangerous. I could feel the 140-degree heat forcing the sweat to bead up and stream down my face, a familiar feeling but one you never get used to. Gunfire was all around us now. It was not uncommon to hear gunfire in the distance. I wonder who is seeing some action right now.

As quick as a lightning strike, a burst of AK-47 gunfire rang out from a speeding car, hitting the front truck in our convoy. We sped up and began pursuit of the small car. My senses instantly peaked; my heart raced. After losing sight of the car we found it abandoned outside of a house. The decision was made to block off the area, surround the house, and search the houses in the blocked-off area.

The truck I was on was positioned on the corner of a main intersection. Beside my truck stood this little white sign with Arabic writing on it, just hanging there on a little pole about four feet from the ground. I gave no thought to the sign for it was of no interest to me.

My job was to ensure no one from that main road got near the area we were searching. As I stood diligently behind my weapon in the sweltering heat, I scanned the road and watched for anything suspicious or any sign of danger. The local people began deserting the street in front of me. I felt my muscles tighten up, for this could mean only one thing. Something was about to happen and they didn’t want to be around when it did.

I continued to scan the street for the enemy. We had been sitting there for over an hour, giving the enemy plenty of time to maneuver on us. Time seemed to drag. In an instant my worst fears were realized. I saw a flash, and dust kicked up about a quarter of a mile down the street. Before I had time to process what was happening, I heard the dreaded whistle of a rocket-propelled grenade coming right at me. Everything instantly slowed down; I felt like I was seeing it in slow motion. The RPG hit that little white sign and ricocheted off of it. It flew right over my head and blew up the building behind me. Instinct and training automatically kicked in. I yelled out over the radio, “RPG! RPG!” I immediately got down behind my weapon, and without giving it a second thought squeezed the trigger, unleashing hot lead down the street. In less than ten seconds it was over, and my body was shaking from the adrenaline overload. I tried to catch my breath and communicate what had happened as everyone moved to my position to back me up.

As things began to calm down and another unit went in pursuit of the shooter, I started to contemplate all that had just taken place. All at once I realized how God was working all around me. I looked down and saw that little white sign lying on the ground. The Lord positioned me and the sign in exactly the right spot to avoid a direct hit from the RPG. The chances of me surviving such a hit would have been slim to none. I knew two things at that moment. I knew that the Lord had given me a purpose for my life, and I was ready to accept His purpose.

That defining moment set in motion a fundamental change in my life. I got on my knees before God and cried out as I expressed my thanks for saving my life, as well as my need for Him in my life. I started to seek His purpose and make Him Lord of my life. I began to regain the wonderful loving relationship with God that had been neglected. God worked in an amazing way to accomplish amazing results in my life, and all it took was an RPG and a sign from God.

This is our generation.

You’ve heard stats like these before. The conventional methods of the church are not working because our generation is a whole different animal than the one that came before us. Our generation can be characterized in many different ways, but I think there are three things that most define what makes us different from the generations that have come before us. We are obsessed with appearance, we desire to experience real things, and we are extremely skeptical. To combat these things I see three more things emerging from Church leaders across America: Professionalism, Reality, and Lives Devoted to the Gospel. These ideas are slowly starting to spread across American Churches, and they are working.

If I asked anyone in our generation or any student in any church whether or not our culture, our generation, is obsessed with appearance, everyone would undoubtedly say yes, would they not? We see it everywhere from celebrity culture, to movies, to shows like Cribs and America’s Next Top Model. Pick up any magazine at Borders and you will see fashion tips and beauty secrets. The church is timing in on this idea. We have new church buildings and pastors that are in shape. We all wear nice clothes to church.

Some of you are sitting there wondering why what we look like is so important to reaching our generation. Let me help you see. Imagine if I was standing next to you talking about this very subject, and I was wearing jeans that had one leg ripped off at the knee and a shirt that was torn and sleeveless and three-year-old faded flip-flops. Unless I was talking about how to look homeless, none of you would take anything I said seriously. Why is that? It’s because we don’t trust people unless they look like they know what they are talking about. This has to be big for us, but it can’t be too big. Appearance without authenticity is nothing but a church fashion show. That is why these next two points are probably more crucial than the first.

I believe that our generation seeks reality. The TV shows of the 80s and 90s were characterized by fictitious families with fictitious problems. Full House, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and Seinfeld. You could jump in on any episode without seeing the ones that came before. That is what that generation wanted. We, however, want something different. We want shows like American Idol and Survivor. We want things that are real, and we want to see people live their lives out in front of us. Even the sitcoms today are based upon stories that feel real. You can’t just jump into an episode of 24, Lost, or even The Office. These shows are based upon a continuing story. Our generation doesn’t give value to things that don’t hold up practically.

Why do you think the hypocrisy of the church is such a big deal to our generation? The way they see it, if we believe something that even we can’t live out, it isn’t real at all. But some people out there are making it real. One of my favorite stories about evangelism comes from a book called Blue Like Jazz. The book is a biography of Donald Miller’s Christian life.
Donald goes to a school called Reed College, which is known as one of the most liberal schools in America. During the craziest weekend of school, the campus security blocks off the roads so that cops can’t come on campus and the whole school has a huge party with drugs, drinking, and sex. It was during this that Donald and the handful of other Christians on his campus set up a confessional booth in the middle of campus. Donald describes the situation as he was sitting in a chair in the booth when the first guy walked in and sat down. The guy asked if he was supposed to start telling Donald what he had done wrong. Donald shook his head “No, I’m going to confess to you.” So Donald asked forgiveness for the church’s sins, his own sins, and the sins of his friends.

He was completely real with the people that came in that night. While only a handful of people wanted to know more about Donald’s faith, you can bet that not a single person walked away that night with a negative view of Christianity, and for any of you that have tried to witness to a friend, that is a huge step in the right direction. Being real with people can change their entire perception of us.

Our generation has an eye on everything that the church does. Things like the Internet with sites like YouTube don’t allow anyone to get away with faking it. There are tons of videos on YouTube about the hypocrisy of those in power. I was so bored one day that I watched a lot of them. It made me realize how famous people and institutions in our world can’t really hide anything, so if they are not at or above par at all times, someone will find about it, it will inevitably end up on YouTube, and next thing you know, the whole world knows about it and they’re discussing it on the E! channel. We as Christians face this same scrutiny. Our ideas cannot just be ideas to us. We have to live lives devoted to the gospel.

One of my favorite books that I have ever read is called The Irresistible Revolution. I’ve had many discussions about it in the past because of how radical it is, but I think so highly of it because it is about a man who doesn't just take care of his community. He lives with his community. He sees the stories of the Bible lived out every day of his life. I experienced this same thing when I was on a mission trip with my school last spring to San Diego. David, the leader of the community we were with, was talking to me one day and I asked him how much it took to run the community that he led. Since all of the people in the community spent every day giving out food and working with the less fortunate, none of the people that lived there was bringing in an income. He told me that it took $15,000 a month to run the place. He said that they never, in over 10 years, had missed a payment! It all came in from somewhere. He certainly didn’t know where.

You see, when people live out their lives in pursuit of the gospel, something crazy happens—they start to see what they believe come to life! And I guarantee you that any twentysomething that sees it will be mesmerized. I’ve watched it happen. You know why? Because you can’t fake reality; you can’t hide it when God works. When Christians are real, people will notice. We don’t have to stand up and shout in people’s faces for them to notice us. It will happen without us trying.
Our generation is a hard group to reach, but we are reachable! When Christians are relevant, when they are real, when they live their lives devoted to the gospel, they won’t have to try to bring in the young un-churched. They will come running, looking for an opportunity to live lives that mean something, because that is what we all want: Churched or un-churched, we want to have lives of meaning.

Jesus was often condemned because He appeared to many to be spiritually contemptible. Conversely, the Pharisees were often honored because they looked holy and demonstrated great knowledge of the law. The Jewish people had come to revere this law over the God who gave the law. Steeped in such legalism, they automatically rejected anything they saw as remotely contrary to complete adherence to the law. They came to judge people based not on what God wanted, but on appearances. They judged based on their own selfish interests.

We too tend to judge people in this way. We too judge others according to appearances rather than by “righteous judgment.” Who are these “others”? What are they like? They are awkward. They are short. They are wrinkly. They are fat. They are plain. They are poor. They are smelly. They are ugly. They come in all shapes, colors, and sizes. The world of mankind revolves around appearance.

To an extent, appearances are important. It is important to present yourself in a respectable, modest, Christian way. Everything about our appearance and presentation finds a place in the minds of everyone we meet. However, there is a definite line we should not cross in being concerned with appearance. There is a special danger of basing our judgments entirely on appearance. Verbally, society takes a negative view of judging people based on appearance. However, what people say does not always translate to what they do. We may be spiritually repulsed by acting out of selfish, superficial judgments. Physically we’re drawn to such behavior. It is how the fallen minds of men work.

We do not have to be taught to judge based on appearance. From childhood, we are drawn to honoring what looks the most visually appealing. In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis noted that human beings judge each other by external actions, but God judges by their morality. Even the most moral of non-Christians tend to judge people on these external, outward actions. It is true that Christians have been made closer to God. However, we are never perfect while on this earth. We are still attached to these human bodies. The danger of judging based on appearance is a very present danger throughout our lives.

Even Paul freely expressed his own struggle to keep his body in line (Romans 7:7-25). The lesson of Paul is even Christians can fall into the danger of doing what we know we shouldn’t and not doing what we know we should. We know we shouldn’t judge people based upon appearance. We know we shouldn’t act based on those shallow judgments. However, that’s exactly what we do. We judge people before we even know them. We judge filtered through our own whims based upon how they look, what they do, and how they talk. The key phrase here is “through our own whims.” Christianity does involve judgment, but the judging is not to be based on our own feelings and thoughts. Follow the command of Jesus; follow the command of God; let your judgment be a righteous judgment.

The term religion is pretty vague. It’s too broad to rule out anything. A belief in a god. A system of beliefs. Attributing value to something. Basically whatever someone believes can be called a “religion.”

That fact serves as a starting point to the discovery of an ancient problem with not-so-ancient consequences. What some might not understand is that being religious has nothing to do with what people call religion these days. It’s become more about traditions, status, reputation, and repetition. This type of thinking has become so embedded into society that even those on the outside hold the church to those standards. Just like the Pharisees Christ rebuked throughout His ministry, we have added to the words of God in an attempt to make sure we don’t cross the line. Unfortunately, people associated with this have been called “religious.” Yet this has nothing to do with real religion. As a result, many are trying to throw out the idea of religion entirely. They think they can revolt from it in the name of humility, purity, and social justice. They renounce religion when all they need to do is understand it.

It’s not popular to be religious.

Religion has an important meaning according to the Bible. James 1:27 says three things about religion.

First, it says pure religion is only God’s concern. James began his discourse on religion by letting us know that God is the one concerned with it. No opinion of man, whether he’s a Catholic priest or a progressive youth pastor, has any bearing on the status of one’s religion. This mistake is the first step on the tragic road of religious misunderstanding. When we are doing something “religious,” its purpose is defeated if we are thinking about what someone else might think of us. Man’s opinion is irrelevant. We cannot further understand religion without understanding that our religious exploits are for God and for His evaluation alone. We have to be concerned with pleasing Him only.

After this, James gave two ingredients in the concoction he calls religion, and what they are might shock you. James said a truly religious person is characterized by both holiness and social justice. That’s right, James thinks we are not only to look after the purity of our hearts and actions, but also to see to the well-being of the “fatherless and widows.” We cannot understand religion if we don’t see a need to show the love of Christ to those who have fallen upon hard times. Granted, that means different things for different situations, but regardless of the situation, the church has failed in this part of religion. We live in a world where churches assume the people to whom they show benevolence should return the favor by faithfully attending the church. And when it does not happen, (which is most times) the church feels slighted, and the downfall of the operation begins. If we would instead allow ourselves to be motivated by a desire to obey, then God would be honored by our efforts and lives would be changed. But until we give up assuming that the broken people of this world should respond to our help with wholesome gratitude, we will not honor God in this area.

The other characteristic is not so hard to understand, so it seems. Holiness is something we conceptually agree upon as Christians for the most part. Yet, none of us have figured it out. There are many whose concept of holiness is actually legalism, and many rationalize all their unholy deeds in order to feel validated, not necessarily holy. But when we look at James’ interpretation of holiness in this tiny verse, we realize he is actually saying we are to be “unspotted from the world.” That means there should be no evidence that our lives are run in a manner similar to that of the rest of the world. That doesn’t mean we throw out our rock band t-shirts and sports jerseys, but that we actually keep ourselves unspotted from the world.

The “world” as it is meant in the Bible usually refers to that which is self-serving, God-ignoring, and Satan-empowering. In the Old Testament, Egypt was a type of “the world.” The world is typically spoken of as whatever is contrasted against God. Sometimes we mistake things of culture as things of the world, when really the selfish idolatry of our culture and the lack of a place for God in our lives are what we should eliminate.

When others look at you, they should see someone who is different than they are. We must live a life that without a word convicts the hearts of the observers. Some people apologize to me for using language in my presence just because I don’t use it and because they know what I am. I have never asked for that treatment, and I shouldn’t have to. If God is radiating in me, then people will see it without so much as a word from my mouth. If that is how we operate, then we are doing more than following rules. Our holiness will be shining a light to a dark, hurting world. At that point, we are following the Great Commission. And that is what religion is.

So if you want to avoid hypocrisy, adopt a World Vision orphan, donate blood to the Red Cross, or make an extra plate from your dinner table and take it to the old lady in your church struggling to make it on Social Security. Give the gift of social justice to those who never had a chance. Take your Bible to work and read it on your break. Give a hundred percent to your boss and don’t complain. Be the only one not participating in the conversations about the wild weekend. Let God convict the sin in the lives of others as they observe your life, not just as they hear you talk. Just be . . . religious. So I ask you, “Is religion really a waste of time?”  

Walking alongside the Sea of Galilee, Jesus stopped to watch as Simon and Andrew cast their nets. He called to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” The Scripture says that they immediately left their nets and followed Him.

The nets symbolized everything about those two men. They were fishermen; this was their livelihood, the way they paid their bills. It was their identity; who they were. But at the call of Jesus, both unhesitatingly dropped their nets, docked their boat, and got in step with Jesus. These men left behind all they had been previously and followed Jesus of Nazareth.

When Jesus calls us today, He asks us to do the same thing Simon and Andrew did—to leave all and follow Him. Maybe we do not have to change our occupation as those two did. That depends upon the role Jesus has for each of us in His kingdom’s work, but our decision to become a follower of Jesus Christ entails a complete surrender of who we are, our dreams and aspirations, as we give the Lord Jesus Christ first place in our lives.

Why would two fishermen willingly turn their backs on who they were to become something completely different? Why should you and I be willing to do that? Could it be because Jesus has made a better offer? How does the best this world has to offer stack up against what you have when you become a follower of the Son of God? How do you think fishing compared to eternal life? When Jesus calls you to come follow Him, lay aside whatever you’re doing and get in step with Jesus. You will become a fisher of men.   

Dianne Sargent is managing editor at Randall House Publications.

The sun’s rays blind me. My heart races as I grope my way forward. I can’t see; I begin to look for somewhere to go; some place to hide. But before I can crawl behind my wall, a hand reaches for mine. An arm goes around my shoulder and someone I know who loves me asks, “Are you ok?” And the flight impulse subsides and I turn and answer, “Yeah, I’m ok.”
Exposure gives place to a sense of abandonment. Although I chose to walk out from behind my walls, they left me. I’ve been abandoned. What once gave me security, comfort, and even a measure of contentment is no longer a part of who I am. Much like a toddler taking her first steps, I embark upon a journey that will require every ounce of courage, strength, and faith I can muster.

What is so hard about letting go, of stepping out from behind the walls put in place years ago in a desperate dash for survival? That’s what it comes down to—I simply wanted to survive. Instead of trusting God to take care of me, to provide for whatever I needed, and to set me on a new course in life, fear took control. Like a rat scurrying for its hole, I ducked behind my walls, throwing them higher and making them thicker each time someone or something threatened my safety or security. Instead of running to my Lord and Savior, instead of letting Him heal my heart, instead of making Him my fortress, my comfort, and my security, I chose to hide. I refused to trust. I was afraid.

According to 2 Timothy 1:7, God does not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind. All I had needed, even wanted, God had available for me. He is the God of all resources.

So why did I hide? I was afraid. Why was I afraid? I simply refused to let God do for me all He has ever wanted to do—empower me through His love to live a productive life for His glory. All I needed to do was let Him be God.

Middle ground is the same as straddling the fence; one foot on the left while the other is on the right. It must be a most uncomfortable place to be.

Middle ground smacks of compromise, indecisiveness, hesitancy, and powerlessness.

To some it is safer than the two extremes. It does not require that you make a statement for what you believe, desire, or expect.
Others say those who sit in the middle have the opportunity to bring the two extremes together.  And maybe that is the purpose for this oft-visited real estate.

Maybe there are those God has called to occupy the seat of the middle ground. Maybe some good will come from that much sought after position; I don’t know. But, God has not bent me in that direction.

People say I am opinionated, forceful, hard, unyielding, stubborn, strong willed, in charge, proud, arrogant, and probably other adjectives that are whispered. And maybe they are right. But, one thing people never say is that they don’t know where I stand.

I do not occupy the middle ground; that seat is for someone else. Regardless of the issue, I have an opinion, a stance, a guideline, a principle, a desire, or a position. And I tend to be vocal, especially when asked.

Unfortunately, this character trait spills over into everything I do and affects everyone in my life. My family is my family. The same is true where my friends are concerned. Once you become part of my life, there is never any going back. There is no middle ground.

Is it unrealistic to expect others to treat me the same way? Probably, but I still harbor that expectation. When you let me into your life, there is never any going back. There is no middle ground.

You may prefer the middle ground, the place of least commitment; the safest place to sit. And I suppose there is something to be said for playing it safe. However, I prefer the excitement of full commitment and wide-eyed expectations. Can you not sense the surge of excitement that builds as you throw your shoulders back and embrace a new vision, a new hope? That’s the thrill of refusing to sit down on middle ground.

Our Lord did not embrace the middle ground. He called for complete commitment; total lordship over our lives. Take a stand, form an opinion, or state a principle by which to live. Commit your energy to your Lord, your family, and your friends. Let them know you love them, unequivocally. Change your residence if you must. Refuse to occupy middle ground.

Knowing through other people is risky. Speakers often don’t make verbal endnotes, but you have to know they got their information somewhere. That source learned it from someone or something else, and that source from someone or something else, and so on, and so on. Somewhere down the line in whatever source someone was the first to experience the event or think of the idea. Can we really trust that? We don’t always know how accurate information is. Good writers can write things in such a way that anything can sound true. Adequate rationale or rhetoric can make anything make sense. Anything can be said to make anything sound stupid.

And knowing through your own conception or perception is riskier. One might conceivably know something for sure through experiential witness. But can we really? Is it always possible to trust our senses? The world of man is fallen. The eyes lie. The ears deceive. The sense of touch can mislead. One cannot fully trust any of the senses. And that’s not all. One cannot fully trust the mind or heart. What we read, hear, and see we often twist to agree with our own preconceived opinions. So basically, we cannot trust ourselves.

Is there no recourse, then? If we cannot fully trust anyone or anything else, if we cannot fully trust even ourselves, what is the hope of knowing anything at all? How can we trust the Bible, if we cannot trust our eyes?

It all goes back to the glory days in the Garden of Eden. Ironically, the event that opened the eyes of man also closed them. The first lust for knowledge deprived Adam, Eve, and all future mankind of ever being able to completely trust anyone or anything of this earth for full knowledge. (Read about this tragic scene in Genesis 3.) How can we believe in God if we cannot fully trust our own hearts and minds?

First, we must understand the imperfection of the present, worldly knowledge. Everything in this world is passing. There is not a thing in this world that will last. God, on the other hand, is complete perfection. When His perfection enters, the world’s imperfections will cease existing. That means the imperfection of our thinking will be no more. Right now we have a faulty picture of everything, but when that time comes we shall see everything clearly (John 13:8-12).

Second, we must understand the imperfection of worldly wisdom. Wisdom knows how to use knowledge. What the world thinks is wisdom is not really wisdom. It is selfishness masquerading as wisdom. True wisdom is from God and is characterized by selflessness, purity, peace, consideration, submissiveness, mercy, and good fruit (James 3:13-17).

Third, we must seek these things from God, the only source of perfect knowledge and understanding. Prayer is how we express our relationship with our heavenly Father. Like a devoted child, we must come to Him in love. He knows what we need and therefore knows we need His gift of knowledge. However, we must ask for it (Psalm 119:65).

Fourth, we must be very careful that what we think is godly knowledge is really godly knowledge. God delivers wisdom and knowledge through the Holy Spirit. The Bible warns there is a danger of being deceived by other people. First John 4:1-3 warns of many “false prophets” in the world who are the “spirit of the antichrist.” We can recognize the falsity of these people by whether or not they confess Jesus really appeared in the flesh. Believing and obeying Jesus who came in the flesh is the crux of the whole matter. Through obedience of Him we shall receive knowledge through the Holy Spirit. We shall know the truth and the truth will set us free (John 8:31-32).

I have abandoned myself. I feel through the Father’s heart. I think through the Father’s mind. I know what the creator of knowing has made known to me. That is what I can know. God’s revelation of His knowledge is how you can truly know.

The world of knowledge hangs on that knowledge. That is what keeps us from despair. That is how we can truly know.

The Scriptures tell us to do all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31) and without doubt this means sports as well. They also tell us that bodily discipline is of little profit when compared to godliness (1 Timothy 4:8). We readily acknowledge this. But it is true that bodily exercise is still important.

As Christians, when we play sports, our actions should glorify God. Sports should be a time of relaxation, enjoyment, physical satisfaction, and fellowship. Our attitude when playing should always be Christ-honoring.

If we participate in sports with unbelievers, they should be able to tell there is something different about us. We don’t get furious or use foul language when things don’t go our way. We show good sportsmanship and are gracious as winners as well as losers. It’s ok to joke, to have a good time, and to poke fun at someone if it is done in a playful spirit. There is also nothing wrong with showing desire, competitiveness, and joy when playing. That’s only natural and normal. Sports can and should be God-honoring and enjoyable to us.

Sports Can Hurt Our Christian Walk
But for many Christians, this is not how sports are played. Sports often bring out the very sins we should be trying to eliminate—pride, anger, boasting, envy, bitterness, and idolatry are often associated with our activities. The golfer who misses an easy putt and lashes out in anger; the basketball player who curses under his breath at a call he felt was wrong; the person who watches so much sports that it becomes an idol. These are a few examples that many of us know all too well. And the sad fact is that many Christians say nothing about it, and some even promote these actions.

A former basketball player reminisces about how practice was slow until a fight broke out between two players and now even encourages it to motivate the team. Is this the Christian way? A player thinks he is unbeatable and carries a swagger that reminds everyone of this fact. He says it is confidence, but often it is nothing more than selfish pride. A football player makes a tackle, quickly gets on his feet, hovering over the ball carrier, staring him down. He wants to make sure everyone sees his dominance over the other person. Pride. 

We must be careful, lest we promote attitudes and actions that the Scripture forbids. Once again, it is ok to try hard in sports and be competitive, but there is a point where playing hard stops, where competitiveness stops, and sin begins.
Parents may say their children will play sports no matter what because sports build character. But if that were always true, then our professional athletes should be the most well-behaved citizens in our country. We know that is not always the case.     

Not only can sports interfere with our behavior toward others—they can also impact our relationship with God. How many of us can bring up from memory the latest stat, score, and sports update but are unable to quote and explain some of the most well known teachings of the Bible? How many parents are teaching their children the sports they love while never thinking of their children’s souls that could be heading for hell?

A Better Way
Sports can and should be enjoyed. They should be played for the glory of God and in a Christ-like spirit. The questions we should ask ourselves about the sports we play, as well as everything we do in life, are these: Is God glorified and pleased with the way I behave? Is this hurting my spiritual life?

If we cannot participate in sports in a way that glorifies and honors God, then we must stop playing—at least until we can play in the right way. Someone when reading this may say, “But sports will never be the same if we play them in this way.” 

Exactly.

Frodo lay unmoving, unable to stand. The mountain was in sight; they were so near, yet so far. Sam reached down, and pulled Frodo onto his shoulders. "Come on, Mr. Frodo. I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you" (my favorite line in the entire trilogy).

Sam was Frodo's gardener, a simple man in some people's minds. He was not the one entrusted with the ring. He was not the one people looked to for leadership, nor was he expected to have all the answers. Yet, when the going was the toughest, Sam came through. It is doubtful Frodo's mission would have been successful had Sam not tagged along.
Loyal. If one word could describe Sam, that’s it. He was never very far from Frodo. Although Frodo was committed to destroying the ring, Sam was committed to Frodo. The task that had been thrust upon Frodo was made easier by Sam's loyalty and faithfulness. When Frodo could go no farther, Sam stepped to the plate; he stood in the gap.

"I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you."

Has God entrusted you with a task that, at times, seems almost impossible to complete? Exhausted, you lay crumpled, unable to get up. Despair washes over you, draining you of every ounce of courage you ever possessed. You need a Sam who will come alongside you, pick you up, and set you back on the course God has planned for you. Look around. Somewhere, maybe lurking back in the shadows, God has placed a Sam in your life to watch out for you, to step to the plate, to stand in the gap when life becomes tough.

"I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you."

Don't miss out on the blessing of being Sam. Frodo needs you.

Walls present few choices for reaching the other side. Still the challenge remains. People have devised numerous ways to get past walls. Grappling hooks with ropes attached are thrown over the top of the wall and a skilled climber is easily up and over. Those with more time and less imagination dig down and under the foundation of the wall, thus reaching their destination. The more agile simply take a stroll and walk the length of the wall, getting past its obstruction. But the most insidious wall is the glass wall. The need to get past the wall does not exist. One merely looks; all is revealed. And yet it, too, remains a barrier.

God had a more ingenious way of getting to the other side of the wall. When the children of Israel followed Joshua to attack Jericho, God told them to march around the city once each day and on the seventh day they were to march around Jericho seven times; the priests were to blow their rams’ horns, the people were to shout, and the walls would fall down. There were no grappling hooks, no ropes, no shovels. The people were simply to trust God to give them the victory. The walls built to prevent the intruder, the captor, from taking possession of the city failed to do their job. At the people’s shout on the seventh day, the walls fell down flat. They did not crumble or collapse, strewing the pathway with debris. Neither did they shatter and leave shards of glass for the unsuspecting traveler. Nothing blocked the path of the Israelites as they marched into the city, victors!

Sometimes people are like the city of Jericho, thinking they are hidden behind impregnable walls, safe and sound. Nothing can reach them; they are completely protected from any perceived threat or harm. Often people build walls so high even the most athletic climber cannot reach the top, so thick excavation is impossible. And to think of walking past the wall is unrealistic. Yet, God says to tear down those walls. He wants to get inside. Sometimes, He has to knock the walls down flat, making the pathway plain for all to see.

Recently, God brought events to bear on my fortified “city” that resulted in my self-imposed walls falling down flat. People who have cared for me for a lot of years have painstakingly chipped away at the foundation of my walls. Some have even tried to circumvent the perimeter of my “city,” looking for any crack or broken place to squeeze through. Eventually most gave up, suspending all efforts, choosing to let me remain closed and hidden behind my walls of protection. Miraculously, these precious people remained my friends, loving me in spite of myself.

Then at just the right moment in my life and in God’s timing, God’s divine plan worked and the right person arrived who was able to do in a matter of months what others had tried desperately to do for decades. Unrelentingly, with the tenacity of a bulldog, she did not look back nor did she ever loosen her grip. She pushed, questioned, prodded, and loved. Slowly, as a flower opens in the spring, one petal at a time, the layers began to peel away and soon my soul lay open, raw and bare for all to see. There is no need for a skilled climber, any amount of earth-moving equipment, or walking shoes. My glass wall has shattered, offering no resistance. Just step across and have a look around.

What lies on the other side of the wall? Freedom—freedom to be myself, freedom to use all of my abilities and gifts, freedom to love and be loved, freedom to follow God’s call, and freedom to live a happy and contented life. Was it worth the pain of allowing God to expose the deepest recesses of my mind and heart, the secret places? You tell me. Have you looked at me lately? Then it’s time you did.