Tag: Living it out

Growing the Heart of a Spiritual Hero-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield- Psalm 5:12 NKJV

The book of Matthew is getting a lot of read time in my life right now. It is the gospel I chose to read in preparation for Resurrection Sunday (Lent). It is also the book my small group is studying together. 

That’s a lot of Matthew. 

 Reading through Matthew repeatedly and studying it with friends has allowed me to see some things I had never paid much attention to before, like the incredibly diverse list of men and women in the genealogy (Matthew 1:1-17). There are Jews and gentiles, some good guys (and gals), bad guys (and gals), some people no one has ever heard of and some people everyone has heard of.  Matthew’s genealogy proves Jesus came for everyone and everyone needs Jesus (Romans 3:23-24, John 3:16). 

This most recent trip through Matthew has also caused me to think deeply about some parts of the story I have never really thought much about, like Joseph. He’s kind of the unsung hero of the New Testament. Joseph was everything we should all hope to be. He did some truly hard things without complaining and sacrificed more than almost anyone for the cause of Christ. He was also willing to obey God even when it made little (no) sense to do so. Even so, there is not a single song written about Joseph, nor are there (to my knowledge) any books written about him. He was an ordinary guy, with little social standing or formal theological training but he’s the primary reason Jesus survived infancy. Joseph was just an ordinary guy who did a bunch of extraordinary things with little recognition or hoop-la. His story teaches us that any of us can do extraordinary things if we cultivate the right heart. His right heart included the following:   

Joseph showed love and care for someone who (appeared to have) wronged him badly-

In a world where virtually all unbelievers and even many Christians feel it’s justified to retaliate against someone who has done them wrong (Matthew 18:21-35, Romans 12:19), Joseph stands out for choosing the high road when he (mistakenly) thought Mary had cheated on him. No one in his world would have thought less of him for publicly disgracing Mary for sleeping with another man. In fact, many people would have cheered him on and thought more of him for calling out her “sin” in a public manner.  However, the God of the universe deemed Joseph “a righteous man” for wishing to protect a woman he had every reason to believe had wronged him.  It says a lot about God’s heart towards those those who choose discretion and kindness over truth practiced with a hard edge.  

Joseph knew God enough to know when He was speaking- 

One of the most extraordinary things about Joseph is he knew when God was speaking (Hebrews 12:25, John 10:27). He never got confused.  He never wondered if a dream was really from God or the result of too much food the night before. He just knew. That kind of understanding only comes from proximity. Joseph spent enough time with God to know when God was communicating a message. Anyone can do the same. 

Joseph obeyed-  

Obedience is probably Joseph’s number one claim to fame and the source of his greatness. When God told Joseph to take Mary as his wife, he did it. When God told Joseph to take Jesus and Mary to Egypt, he did it. When God told Joseph to go back to Isreal, he did it. He obeyed every time, no questions asked, no arguments and no foot dragging. God is clear: He loves obedience more than He loves sacrifice and great works done in His name (Acts 5:22, 1st Samuel 15:22, 1st John 5:1-3). Cultivating a heart of obedience is relatively simple but far from easy. The key is to obey all the time. If we obey when it’s easy (small things) when the hard stuff (big things) comes up, obedience will feel more like muscle memory than a big painful production.  (Romans 2:13). A life obedience is not easy this side of heaven, but it does bring all sorts of blessing in the next life (James 1:12, Matthew 16:27, Deuteronomy 28:1-2).

Joseph was willing to take on shame that was not his to protect another- 

Joseph was a righteous man not just by God’s standards but also by the standards of man in his time (Micah 6:8, Matthew 1:19). Mary was not. As a young woman pregnant before her marriage become official, she was an object of shame and likely even ridicule in her community.  By choosing to take Mary as his wife Joseph took on her shame as his own. He chose to stand with someone who did nothing but dimmish his reputation and standing in the community. It’s a reminder that God’s people are called to stand with the weak, poor, unpopular and unlovely even when there is no obvious benefit in doing so (Proverbs 14:31, Luke 14:13, James 2:1-6).  

Joseph shows us how to be a spiritual hero. 

His life teaches us God sees the things that no one else sees and rewards righteousness done in secret. In this life Joseph was the furthest thing from a big deal a person can get, although I have a feeling that he will be the biggest of deals in the next (Matthew 19:29-30). May we all be so forward thinking in our actions and attitudes. 

The Newest Thing in Idolatry-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to idols. Behold, the former things have come to pass, Now I declare new things; Before they sprout I proclaim them to you.”- Isiah 42:8-9 NASB

Idolatry is about more than bowing down to a creepy little statue. 

Even back in the day when people bowed down to creepy little statues all the time idolatry was still about more than bowing down to a creepy little statue (Psalm 135:15-16, Revelation 9:20). It was about what the creepy little statue could do for you. All the creepy little statues offered something. Some (most) offered sexual freedom, others offered spiritual protection, safety or financial success. 

People still practice idolatry. 

 Although, the age of creepy little statues pretty much ended (at least in the west) with the dawn of the Christian age. Idolatry is best defined as being devoted to something more than we are devoted to God. Conversely, idolatry can be defined as depending on an object, substance or person to give us something we should only get from God like comfort, peace or a sense of significance (1st John 5:1).  Anything can become an idol. Drugs, alcohol, sex, fame, careers, money, families and children are all things we commonly put ahead of God or look to give us a sense of significance or personal peace (Ephesians 5:5, Colossians 3:5, 1st Corinthians 5:11). 

 Idolatry is more complex than it used to be.  

Idolatry is also getting more complex all the time. Instead of worshipping creepy little statues, substances or material things, modern people have put a new spin on idolatry. We have taken a whole bunch of ideas God came up, twisted those ideas into something God never intended and then we love the twisted version of the idea more than we love God’s original plan. Christian’s and non-Christians are alike are guilty of these spiritual and moral shenanigans. 

This creates all sorts of problems. 

When non-Christians do it, they simply bully people into accepting the new definition of the old word. They mock and humiliate anyone who disagrees with them. This effectively keeps truth from being told which inevitably leads to spiritual decay and moral bondage (Isaiah 59:14-15).  When Christians change God’s ideas it leads people away from sound doctrine into a wish-washy feel-good kind of faith that is incapable of saving anyone from anything. Following are ideas that have been changed to the determent of us all:

Love-

It’s hard to argue against love. After all, God is love (1st John 4:8, Zephaniah 3:17). That being said, the biblical definition of love (1st Corinthians 13) is very different from the moral free-for-all our culture defines as love. Truth-be-told and view of love that encourages something (anything) the Bible forbids is an idolatrous impostor of love that poses moral danger to anyone who buys into it. 

Kindness- 

The words “be kind” are everywhere. They are plastered all over tee-shirts, bumper stickers and throw pillows. Christians and non-Christians alike love to talk about kindness but it doesn’t mean what it used to mean. Old fashioned biblical kindness is awesome (Acts 9:36, Ephesians 4:32). It means doing the same types of things for other people we would like done for ourselves, forgiving others, loving like Jesus loved and assuming the best in others whenever possible (Luke 6:38, Galatians 5:22). Authentic biblical kindness is meant to point people to God and His offer of salvation which is the epitome of kindness. The new definition of kindness demands people be allowed to do whatever they want, whenever they want, however they want. No one is ever allowed to give correction, words of caution or punishment, even if a person’s actions cause harm to themselves or others. This type of kindness actually the exact opposite of biblical kindness because it sends people to hell rather than pointing them to God. 

Peace- 

Worldly peace is all about an absence of conflict. Which often means one party simply acquiescing to the demands of the other in an effort to avoid further conflict and/or keep themselves out of trouble.   Biblical peace is rare in our fallen world even amongst Christians.  Biblical peace comes as a natural result of both parties being in alignment with God and His values (John 16:33). Any peace that does not consider what God would want for all parties involved is not true peace. It’s false peace. 

Compassion- 

Compassion is a deep awareness of another person’s suffering accompanied by a desire to alleviate it (Matthew 9:36). There are two common types of suffering in this world. This first is suffering due to circumstances beyond a person’s control like natural disasters and trauma. The second is suffering that comes about as a result of bad, stupid or sinful choices. Everyone agrees the first kind of suffering needs immediate relief through acts of kindness and generosity. The second kind of suffering is where things gets squishy. Godly compassion in these situations always involves helping people to see their need for repentance and real lasting change. As a result, biblical compassion often leads people to Jesus. However, idolatrous compassion seeks to make people feel good about bad choices and remove any conviction a person may feel for their sin. Without conviction no one will come to repentance (1st Corinthians 7:10). 

The twisting of ideas has transformed our world. Moral responsibility is a thing of the past and things that were once unthinkable are now commonplace. However, it’s never too late to change direction but it has to begin with God’s people. 

Should Christians be Concerned about A.I?

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour- 1st Peter 5:8 NKJV

I believe each generation of believers is uniquely chosen by God for the time they live in (1st Peter 2:9). That means (among other things) that each generation of believers has all they need “in Christ” to navigate the unique challenges, temptations and satanic schemes of their era (Esther 4:14, 2nd Peter 1:3, Matthew 10:18-20). This is true no matter how weird, crazy or evil their era might be. 

That does not mean Christians cannot be misled by the satanic schemes of their generation or tempted towards the sin that is predominant in their time, Christians can and sometimes are (Matthew 13:14-15). Therefore, it is imperative we understand our times and make every spiritual effort to walk in the Holy Spirit so that we are properly prepared for the unique issues our generation of believers is exposed to (1st Chronicles 12:32). 

I believe we are bumping up against one of those issues in this cultural moment. The issue is artificial intelligence or A.I. According to the online britannica.com artificial intelligence is:

 The ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings. The term is frequently applied to the project of developing systems endowed with intellectual processes characteristic of humans, such as the ability to reason, discover meaning, generalize, or learn from past experience. 

A.I. is taking our world by storm. Just about everyone including many Christians are using A.I to do all sorts of things. This includes sorting through information, automating chores (like list making and report writing) and making decisions based on data A.I. provides. Many have even taken to using A.I. as a counselor, asking it for advice and seeking comfort from it. Others use it as a spiritual guide; they ask A. I. to interpret the Bible for them and ask it to create prayers for them.  

A.I is novel, convenient, intriguing, and super tempting to use but is it a good or a bad thing? 

Like most things A.I is not all bad and it does have some helpful uses. However, I believe A.I should be approached cautiously (if at all) for the following five reasons: 

A.I. is the new internet-

When the internet came into existence EVERYONE rushed to use it. We all signed up for AOL accounts and encouraged our children to play educational games on the it. We were all kind of amazed with how cool we were (Romans 1:22). When smartphones came along everyone who was anyone got one. Our importance (or lack thereof) was measured by how much time we spent on our blackberry’s. Now we know that was mostly all bad. Human beings are dumber, more depressed and more addicted because of the internet and smartphones. Almost everyone has a tough time putting their phone down and some young people find it very difficult to connect with others without the aid of technology. If A.I. turns out to be half as addictive as smartphones we will be in even bigger trouble because we don’t simply use A.I. to acquire information or entertain ourselves like we do with the internet. We use it to do our thinking for us; the implications are terrifying.  

A.I. is not neutral- 

Nor will it ever be. Every computer is programmed by a fallen and sinful human being with a set of values and bias’s (Romans 3:23, Romans 1:18, Romans 2:12), that likely do not align with the Bible.  That means that any advice or help A.I offers will be at best impersonal and detached from any moral value system. At worst it will be dark, anti-God and anti-life. Christians should be cautious about seeking secular advice from anyone, especially a soulless robot. 

A.I. will make us dumber-

Anytime we outsource our thinking we lose the ability to think for ourselves. If you use a calculator to do basic math problems, it eventually becomes challenging to do math without a calculator. This is because our brains are a little bit like a muscle. The more we use them, the stronger they get. The less we use them the weaker they become. The whole point of A.I is for the machine to think for us. This will inevitably lead to more dumb people. We do not need that. 

A.I. will increase human suffering- 

There have already been several scary episodes where A.I advised a person to self-harm or commit suicide. A.I does this because, unlike God and other humans it has no regard for human life (Luke 12:6-7, Psalm 8:4-5). If a machine has no regard for human life,  it makes sense for the machine to tell a heartbroken or despondent human their life is without meaning and they should just go ahead and die. Furthermore, A.I was designed to decrease the number of jobs human beings do. We are already seeing that most of those jobs will be replaced with lower paying manual labor types of jobs. This will lead to a lower standard of living for many people.  No one should be opposed to work (Genesis 2:15, 1st Thessalonians 4:11, 2nd Thessalonians 3:10) or in favor of more  human suffering (Proverbs 31:8-9). 

And finally,

We may lose the ability to discern right from wrong-

Discernment is the ability to tell right from wrong and good from evil (Philippians 1:9-10, Hebrews 5:14, 1st John 4:1).  We acquire discernment by consistently making smart choices concerning the influences we allow into our lives and the information we feed ourselves (Proverbs 15:14, Psalm 110:11, 2nd Timothy 3:15). Discernment can be lost due to bad influences, lack of willingness to use the discernment we do have and bad information (Luke 8:18). A.I has proven itself to be both a bad influence and a source of bad information. If we make a practice of relying on it for help and wisdom, we will lose the discernment we have. That would be a disaster in a culture where wisdom and discernment are already in short supply. 

Christians should handle A.I with caution always praying for wisdom. 

Truths Christians must Embrace to Prevent More Moral Failure in the Church-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

 Produce fruit consistent with repentance- Matthew 3:8 NASB

Last week another well-known evangelical pastor/author admitted to a major moral failure (long-term adultery). His confession was followed by the announcement he will retire from ministry. Regrettably, these sorts of disclosures have become routine among Christian leaders. The stories are basically all the same. The leader has an affair (or dozens). Eventually, his sinful antics come to light, and he quickly decides it’s a good time to come clean. A public confession and tearful apology are made. Sometimes the leader retires from ministry sometimes they double-down on what they see as their “calling”. 

Occasionally, there is a slight twist in these stories. In these cases, the well-known leader dies. Various women (sometimes men) come out of the woodwork. All tell similar stories that inevitably involve sexual immorality, creepy power dynamics and sometimes even forced sex. In these cases, the leaders’ friends/minions/elders do exactly what they did when their leader was alive. They cover up the sin and/or intimate that the accuser has a mental illness and/or an unhealthy need for attention.  Eventually, the overwhelming magnitude of evidence becomes so damning that the dead guy’s minions can no longer maintain the lie that the leader was a morally respectable individual. The truth is quietly acknowledged, and a very low-key admission of wrongdoing is released to a small number of news outlets.  

Sigh.

I have observed this phenomenon enough times to know that the average Joe and Jane Christian tend to excuse the behavior of bad Christian leaders. We say stupid stuff like: it could happen to any one of us (Genesis 4:7) and this is why we should be thankful for grace (Titus 2:10-12). Sometimes it’s: he who is without sin should just go-ahead and throw the first stone (John 8:10), and of course: everyone sins (Romans 6:6-14). Then there’s: all sin is exactly the same so no one can judge anyone else (1st Corinthians 6:9-11) and my personal favorite: but his teaching has done so much good for the church. 

(Insert face-palm here). 

Lack of biblical wisdom and super questionable applications of theology aside. The churches collective loss of horror over sin has caused the church to lose its moral authority in the culture. No one takes Christianity seriously anymore and this is the number one reason why. 

Sigh. 

It doesn’t have to be this way. The church can (and must) do better.  However, in order for that to happen the church must return to a more biblical position on sin and grace.  Sin is deathly serious (Galatians 6:7, 1stCorinthians 6:17-18, Romans 1:18-32, Romans 6:23) and grace is not a massive bucket of forgiveness we can dip into anytime we decide we want to sin (Titus 2:10-12, Psalm 84:11, Romans 6:1-7). If we want church to become healthy again, we must return to believing and teaching these four basic biblical truths:

Real accountability is a non-negotiable for serious Christians- 

It just is. However, we must also acknowledge that real accountability is a lot harder to achieve that it looks on the surface. This is because accountability requires a spirit of humility that allows other people to call us out when we sin. No one becomes accountable to another person without some sort of consent. Accountability without consent is just catching someone in the act. This means we all ought to pray for the wisdom to be humble, teachable and repentant (Proverbs 11:2, Matthew 18:4, James 4:10). It also means that humility, candor and uprightness ought to be the criteria we look for in our leaders rather than high levels of self-confidence or copious educational degrees.

No one gets a pass on willful sin-

Everyone (yes everyone) feels they ought to get a pass at some point. This is either because they have done a lot of good for the kingdom and they feel sin should be their “reward” for faithful service. Or sometimes people feel that because they have been through a lot God should give them a break and let them have a little “fun”. Sadly, it doesn’t work that way. No one gets to ignore the command to be holy (1st Peter 1:14-16) just because they have done a lot or been through a lot. Sin is the most dangerous thing on earth and God wants to protect us from it, not give us free pass to indulge in its toxicity. 

Incomplete theology has consequences-

The author/pastor who recently confessed to an eight-year-long adulterous affair wrote numerous books about grace. I read one of his books and frankly I found it quite troubling. Not because of what it said but because of what it didn’t say. The book wasn’t bad, just incomplete. He wrote page after page extolling the wonders of grace and forgiveness (which really are amazing). However, he said nothing said about the consequences of choosing to sin in a covenant relationship with God. Nor did he mention the many passages that state quite clearly that Christians who habitually practice certain sins will not inherit the kingdom of God (Matthew 7:21,1st Corinthians 6:9-11, Galatians 5:16-21, Ephesians 5:5). Any teaching that only tells half the story on either sin or grace is false teaching. Period. 

And finally, 

You are what you do- 

 The book of 1st John explores our relationship to sin. One of the primary points John makes is that we are what we do (1st John 3:7-8). If we sin habitually and willfully, we are sinners. However, if we make a habit of practicing righteousness, we are righteous. It is true, sin can happen to anyone, but it doesn’t have to. Every day we make moral and spiritual choices that determine whether or not we dive into sin. Christians must stop thinking that sin is something that overtakes us. If we are in Christ we have a choice.  

Three Game Changing Commitments for the New Year-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year for you- Exodus 12:2 NASB 

I tend to be a bit of a curmudgeon when it comes to the New Year, although this was not always the case.  As a child I was fascinated by the whole concept of the New Year.  The notion of getting of a brand-spanking-new-year complete with an opportunity to self-improve felt like a gift to my immature brain. Young Lisa would daydream endlessly about becoming a better person in the new year and swear off all of her bad habits.  These dreams tended to lack any real strategy. Young Lisa did not yet know hope is not a replacement for strategy and hard work.   As a result, young Lisa’s high hopes for a better version of herself would typically be dashed no later than mid-February, when her resolutions to eat less sugar and be nicer would fall to pieces in a frenzied fit of cookie eating after yelling at one of her brothers. 

As a young pre-Christian adult all the New Years hullabaloo felt like a societal construct designed to shame people into doing things they should do all the time, not just at the new year. New Years eve also felt like a weird excuse to overindulge one last time before dealing with the results of all the overindulging that was done in November and December. After becoming a Christian, I found myself frequently annoyed by those who I (secretly) felt over over-spiritualized the new year with “words from the Lord” and Christianized versions of New Year’s resolutions. I also felt a lot of shame over my judgmental spirit. 

Sigh.

All that to say New Years themed posts have never really been my thing. The few I have written I don’t like very much, and if the number of reads they received are any indication, neither does anyone else. Nevertheless, this year I feel inspired to set my curmudgeonly ways aside and try again.  My inspiration is taken from Exodus 12:1-12 where God gives His people parameters for the Passover feast. The instructions given (if followed) would save every first-born in the land from certain death. The Passover feast was more than just a set of instructions regarding a particular situation. Nor was it just a celebration of God’s power or commemoration of a miracle. Passover was also intended to be the start of the New Year for the Israelite people (Exodus 12:2). Imbedded in God’s commands for the Passover are some incredibly useful guidelines that if put into practice become a real gamechanger for any new year. Those guidelines include:

Making a daily commitment to doing life God’s way – 

God’s instructions in Exodus 12 are insanely specific. Nothing was left to chance, nor was there a lot of wiggle room for interpretation.  Everything from the choice of the entrée to what they were supposed to wear while eating the meal were commanded by God. This indicates to me that the life of faith is not meant to be a DIY affair (Leviticus 18:4, Deuteronomy 7:11-12, Matthew 16:24, John 14:23-24). There was only one way to observe the feast of Passover. There’s only one way to get right with God (John 14:6, Acts 4:12, 1st Timothy 2:5) and there is only one way to live a life of faith (Matthew 7:13-14). One very practical way we can commit to doing life God’s way daily is taking passages such as Romans 12, Colossians 3 and 2nd Peter 1:3-11 and make them our blueprint for day-to-day living. 

Make Christian community a priority-

Exodus twelve teaches that the life of faith is meant to be done together, rather than solo. No one was allowed to celebrate the Passover alone. Every family was to check in on the other families around them to make sure that everyone was with someone during the Passover celebration. This is (in my opinion) an indicator into exactly how important community is to those who wish to follow Jesus.  When we have close relationships with other Christians we are protected from false teachings because most false teachers tend to do their most damaging work secretly one-on-one with newer and weaker believers (2nd Peter 2:1). Community also safeguards believers from discouragement (2nd Corinthians 13:11, 1st Thessalonians 5:11, Hebrews 3:12-14, Hebrews 10:24-26). It also ensures our views are challenged in a way that can only make us better and wiser (Proverbs 27:17). It is no surprise that the greatest growth in the early church occurred when the church made relationship and community a very high priority (Acts 2:42-47). 

And finally, 

Make a commitment to be ready for whatever God brings along- 

The Passover was to be eaten fully clothed and in a state of readiness (Exodus 12:11). No one was to be barefoot or beltless. The idea was that everyone should be ready to hit the road the second God commanded it. Therefore, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that Jesus frequently warned His followers of the dangers of not being ready to do His will or for His return (Matthew 24:44, Luke 12:35). God promises blessing and favor for those who choose to be ready to do His will no matter the season (Psalm 119:173, 1st Peter 1:3-6, Revelation 19:7). Therefore, there is no better commitment we can make all year long than to be ready and willing to do whatever it is God is calling us to do at a moment’s notice.

Making Spiritual Sense of Those who Once Professed Christ but no Longer Live for Him-

Lisa M. Price1 Comment

The one sown with seed on the rocky places, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution occurs because of the [word, immediately he falls away- Matthew 13:20-21 NASB

From time-to-time, I have a conversation with the Lord that goes something like this:

Me: Good morning God!  What do you want me to write about this week?

God: I want you to write about ____________________.

Me: Uh… I’m sorry God, I hate to tell you this but no one wants to read that. It will make people mad. 

God: I know. Write it anyway. 

Me: Sigh. Okay. 

Such was the case this last week. I asked God for a topic. He gave me one. I argued with Him. He won. It’s His thing. 

So.

I work in an arena of ministry with many people who have relatives (usually adult kids, but not always) who are walking a very sinful path. Sometimes these adult kids are so steeped in sin they are walking several different sinful paths all at the same time (trust me it can be done). All these adult children know their behavior is wrong because they were raised to know right from wrong. The folks I work with are looking for some kind of spiritual hope for their loved one. More often than not, they find that hope in a commitment the adult child made to the Lord a long time ago, often in childhood or their early teens. Sometimes the child who is now walking in sin appeared to walk with God for a season. However, that ship has officially sailed. They are now living lives that completely oppose God and everything He’s all about.  Nonetheless, these parents cling to the belief that their child’s childhood commitment was the real deal and “proof” their child is a believer. 

I hate to be the bearer of bad news (truly I do). 

However, this line of thinking is not wise or biblical. It is personally comforting to believe a loved one is saved when they are living far from God. However, it is not in our best interest or theirs to hang all our hopes on a prayer a child (or an adult, for that matter) prayed at some point in the distant past, when there is zero fruit to indicate they have made the journey from spiritual death to spiritual life (Matthew 3:9-11, Matthew 7:16-20, Luke 6:43-44, John 15:4, Galatians 5:19-24). 

 Here’s why:

False hope keeps us from praying rational and compassionate prayers-

The most loving thing one human can do for another is pray for their salvation (Acts 2:21, Acts 4:12, 1stCorinthians 6:9-10, Titus 2:11-12).  Therefore, if a loved one does not live like a Christian the loving and logical thing is to assume they aren’t one and pray accordingly. If we get it wrong, the Lord will sort it out. 

There is very little space in the New Testament for Christians who don’t at least try and act like Christians-

There’s just not (Romans 6:1-23, Romans 7:4-6, Ephesians 2:1-10, 2nd Corinthians 5:17, 2nd Peter 1:3-11). It is normal for new Christians and even seasoned saints to stumble and even fall sometimes. No one this side of heaven is free of their sin nature. We should not assume that just because a Christian screws up (even in a really big way) they are unsaved. That being said, the Bible makes it clear: authentic believers in Jesus do not wallow around in sin for years and years with no apparent remorse or desire to change. Nor do they mock Jesus, Christianity or other Christians. True Christians do not write or speak about how freeing it is to depart the faith and live a life of unfettered sin. Jesus is clear: no fruit (or ONLY bad fruit) no salvation. That doesn’t mean anyone is doomed. As long as a person is breathing there is hope for redemption (John 3:16, Romans 5:7-9).  That said, we must be realistic about their spiritual state in order to help them. 

Children don’t always understand the commitment they made-

It is spiritually risky to assume a child or teenager understands or understood all the ins-and-outs of making a heartfelt commitment to Jesus when many saved adults struggle with the concepts of salvation and sanctification. We must understand that from a developmental standpoint the teen years are a period of life when people “try on” identities and decide who they want to be and how they want to live. If a teen or child “tries on” the identity of “Christian” or goes through the motions of living like a Christian for a season but never REALLY repents of their sin and follows through on a commitment to obey Jesus as the Lord of their life, the whole thing was (sadly) just another phase of childhood and nothing more. Consequently, it’s critical parents ensure children and teens who profess Christ are given a LOT of follow-up care and discipleship. It’s the best way to stack the odds in favor of a genuine commitment to Jesus (John 10:9). 

I am not arguing people “lose” their salvation. However, Jesus made it clear there will be people who make commitments to God who don’t really mean it or understand what that commitment entails. Those people inevitably “fall away” (Matthew 7:13-23, Matthew 25:31-46, Mark 16:16). If those folks die without truly knowing Christ as Lord, they will not make it heaven. We prove our love for these people by praying fervently they will understand their spiritual reality and seek God while He can be found (Isaiah 55:6, Hebrews 4:6-7, 2nd Peter 3:9, Matthew 24:13).  

Four Practical ways to Love the Unlovable Without Enabling Sin-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

We urge you, brothers and sisters, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek what is good for one another and for all people- 1st Thessalonians 5:14-15 NASB 

One of the most challenging aspects of being twenty-first century follower of Jesus is the disparity between how Christians are commanded to behave in Scripture and how the world encourages people to behave. This contrast is especially glaring when it comes to dealing with the unlovable among us.

The message we get from the world concerning this subject could not be more straight-forward and clear. Most non-Christians (including most secular counselors) believe and teach that unlovable people should be ejected from one’s life as quickly and efficiently as possible. If a friend, co-worker, parent, child or spouse is needy, rude, selfish, sinful or even just kind of dumb that person should be given the old heave-ho the second they indicate a lack of willingness (or ability) to change. 

I won’t lie. 

My flesh finds the counsel of the world appealing in this situation.  Life is short and unlovable people are, well, not fun to love. So, why waste time and energy on anyone who is less than awesome or reluctant to change?

Well. 

As much as I like this advice on a personal level, I also find it super hard to rationalize from a biblical perspective. Nowhere in the Bible are we given permission to eliminate unlovable people from our lives. Truly evil people, yes, the Bible has no issue with Christians avoiding truly evil, totally unrepentant people. We are also called to avoid those who might corrupt our character (1st Corinthians 15:33). That being said, Jesus made it abundantly clear that we are to love the unlovable (Matthew 5:44-46, Luke 6:27-32) and even pray (nice prayers) for those who mistreat us, even when they do it on purpose. Jesus followed His own admittedly hard advice. He prayed for those who crucified Him (Luke 23:34) and loved the man who would eventually turn Him over to be crucified (Judas). He forgave Peter for denying Him three times and He forgives US for ALL the really stupid stuff we do. None of us are Jesus. However, God has given us the power (through the indwelling Holy Spirit) do what Jesus did (John 14:11-13, Matthew 7:7, Luke 10:19). Here’s how to love an unlovable person without enabling bad behavior that makes the person even more unlovable:

Set and enforce limits- 

Unlovable people are oftentimes boundary busters. They overstep, ask for more than is reasonable and show little (or no) respect for what other people want or how they feel. This can become a valid source of bitterness for the person whose boundaries are being busted. Bitterness is bad. It should be avoided at all costs (Ephesians 4:30-31, Hebrews 12:15). The answer to this problem is not to kick the unlovable person to the curb. All that does is make the unlovable person bitter. The answer is to set limits for the person who will not set limits for themselves. There does not need to be a lot of discussion around these limits. Just decide what you will and will not do and then stick to your guns. This will keep you from becoming bitter. Getting free from the bondage of bitterness frees us up to love from the heart. 

Forgive as often as necessary- 

Forgiving others is something Christians are straight-up commanded to do (Matthew 6:14-15, Matthew 18:15-35, Mark 11:25-26). However, contrary to popular belief forgiveness is not something we do for other people. Most people we need to forgive do not care all that much about being forgiven. Most unlovable people are more than happy to keep on making other people angry and bitter. Forgiveness is something we do for the sake of our own souls. Forgiving others is truly the ultimate in selfcare. When we forgive an unlovable person God frees us from anger, resentment and bitterness (Ephesians 4:31, Hebrews 12:15). That freedom allows us to love (and forgive) others joyfully, whether they deserve it or not. 

Fight for the good- 

Fighting for the good does not mean putting up with endless abuse, sin or disrespect. In fact, fighting for the good is the exact opposite of putting up with all sorts of sinful behavior in the name of being “loving”. It is not loving to allow people to sin; in fact, it’s the exact opposite of loving someone.  We fight for the good when we lovingly confront sin and refuse (in a kind way) to allow people to sin against us or anyone else (Galatians 6:1-5,1stThessalonians 5:14, James 5:19-20). Paul’s experience with Peter in Galatians 2:11-13 is a perfect example of this in action. The apostle Peter was sinning against Paul and the gentile Christians by refusing to eat with them when the Jews were around. Paul called him out on it and (apparently) Peter repented and started treating everyone the same all the time. If Paul had refused to confront Peter on his behavior it would have surely led to more sin. Not good. 

And finally, we must:

Do the things- 

We must behave in a loving way towards unlovable people whether we feel the desire to do so or not. Showing kindness and love is not optional for believers in Jesus. It’s a command (Ephesians 4:32, Luke 6:35, Colossians 3:12, 2nd Timothy 2:24). It’s also the key to loving the unlovable in such a way they experience God’s love and care for all people. When we love the unlovable from the heart we become the hands and feet of Jesus in a sin-sick world. 

Four Strategies for Being the Light of Christ in “Terrible” Times-

Lisa M. Price1 Comment

Arise, shine; for your light has come, And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth And deep darkness the peoples; But the Lord will rise upon you And His glory will appear upon you- Isaiah 60:1-2 NASB

We live in terrible times. 

We just do. I am not being excessively dramatic, just stating an obvious fact. I will not belabor my point with a bunch of examples of how bad things have gotten, although I would have no problem doing so. Instead, I will point you towards 2nd Timothy 3:1-5. It’s pretty much where the whole stupid world is living right now. Paul’s words read like a brutally honest review of the social media page “Am I the A**hole?” or really any other social media page anywhere. 

It says:  

 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,  traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! NKJV

None of this comes as a surprise to God (Psalm 139:4, Isaiah 40:20, Hebrews 4:13).

God saw this whole messy muddle coming (we just read the prophesy). God also knew exactly how hard and discouraging it would be for His people to live in this period of human history (Galatians 6:9).  Knowing our current situation was ordained by the Almighty begs a critical question: 

What does God expect from His people in terrible times? 

Truth-be-told God doesn’t ask a whole lot those who live in terrible times (or any time for that matter). He doesn’t ask us to change the world. Nor does He want us to hide from the world and exist in a bubble surrounded only by church people. He for sure does not want us to live in a La La land where we pretend everything is great when it isn’t. All God really wants us to do is find ways to shine in the darkness (Isaiah 60:1-3, Matthew 5:16, Philippians 2:15). 

That’s it. 

We are to shine the light of Christ in the darkness of our times. That’s it.  We are not called to change anything in our own power. He just wants us to shine His light in all the dark places; He’ll do the rest. We do that our part by 

Refusing to complain or grumble- 

We become a light that shines in dark places when we cultivate a heart attitude that glorifies God and wins people to team Jesus (2nd Chronicles 7:14, Proverbs 4:23, Mark 11:25, James 4:6-7). It’s simply a fact that no one in the history of forever has glorified God or won anyone to Jesus with grumbling, complaining or faultfinding (Philippians 2:12-15). It just doesn’t happen. We must do what God has called us to do (serve others, love others, provide for human needs) with a spirit of joy and love. This is not always easy, and it certainly doesn’t come naturally to anyone.  In order to obey this command, we must choose to walk in the Spirit at all times and in all situations (Galatians 5:13-16). The Holy Spirit gives us all the power we need to live a life of joy in a hard world. 

Loving the jerks anyway- 

All people are sinners (Romans 3:23). As a result, no one is really worthy of God’s love and grace. Nonetheless, God chooses to love people anyway, regardless of whether or not they are worthy of His love (John 3:16, Romans 5:8, 1st John 3:1). Christians are called to be like God (Matthew 5:48). This means loving unlovable people (jerks) is a big part of our assignment as Christians. It is not easy to love an unlovable person; it helps to remember that from a biblical perspective love is less of a feeling and more of a decision. God wants us to show love to people whether we feel loving or not (1st Corinthians 13). Thankfully, God rewards obedience. Therefore, loving feelings almost always follow the choice to behave in a loving manner. 

Choosing holiness in a world that just doesn’t get it- 

Christians are called to be holy (1st Peter 1:15-16, Hebrews 12:14). Holiness can be defined as: being set apart from sin, walking in truth, adopting right behavior and choosing moral goodness (2nd Corinthians 7:1, Ephesians 4:24, 2nd Peter 1:3-11). Choosing to be holy is a challenge in a world that truly believes such things are only for nubs and fools. Nonetheless, when we choose holiness, we purify ourselves, grow in our knowledge of God and point dying people to a holy God that loves them.

And finally, 

We must understand what we’re dealing with in these times-

The times we live in are not terrible because the average Joe or Jane just woke up one day and decided terribleness is where it’s at.  Our times are terrible because we are nearing the end of all things (Daniel 12, Matthew 24, 2ndPeter 3:3). This means that people (unsaved and saved) are literally taking their cues on how to live from demonic teaching (1st Timothy 4:1). People are being told by social media, self-help books and even some clergy and counselors that contempt, hate, estrangement and hostility are all forms of self-care that lead to peace, freedom and personal happiness. The behavior we see is just an ugly byproduct of spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:10-18). Christians cannot make a real difference using the weapons of this world (hate, estrangement, hostility, division). We shine in the darkness when we use the weapons of heaven: love, grace, kindness, holiness and truth. 

How to Spot a False Teacher in the Church-

Lisa M. Price2 Comments

 There will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.  Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute- 2nd Peter 2:1-2 

Last week, I was scrolling a social media site, and I happened upon a post entitled “twelve false teachers to avoid”.  There were a couple of people on the list I had never heard of but for the most part it was a “who’s who” of popular Christianity. The poster (not someone I know) did not give a list of reasons for placing those folks on their list. It was just a list of names. The comments were passionate. Many disputed the posters conclusions; others felt the poster was spot-on. 

I am not opposed to the notion of identifying false teachers the Church.  The New Testament frequently warns readers to be on the lookout for false teachers (Matthew 7:15, Acts 20:28-30, 2nd Peter 2:1-3, Jude 4). False teachers mislead and sometimes even entice people to sin (2nd Timothy 3:1-8). This makes all Christians look hypocritical, causing unsaved folks to reject Jesus because of the behavior of Christians (2nd Peter 2:1-2).  

Not good. 

Nonetheless, I don’t love the idea of publicly calling out false teachers. Such tactics lack grace, teach nothing and hurt those who may have made a mistake in their teaching and have since repented. All human leaders are fallible. Punishing anyone for immaturity or a mistake is worldly rather than Christian (Titus 3:11). Moreover, it seems to me it is more important for the average Joe or Jane Christian to be able to identify false teachers rather than be given a list of people to avoid.   So, in the interest of education I am providing a list, not of people to avoid but of characteristics to lookout for. The list is not exhaustive, but it’s a good place to start. 

First and foremost:

They are almost always squishy when it comes to sexuality-

This is the most glaring red flag for false teachers today. Most (not all) false teachers take a worldly stand on sexual issues. Oftentimes they openly promote LGBTQ lifestyles in the name of “love” or “grace”. It is neither loving nor gracious to celebrate any behavior God explicitly forbids (Acts 15:29, Romans 1:24-27, 1st Corinthians 6:18, 2nd Corinthians 6:9-11, 1st Thessalonians 4: 3-8). 

Their ministry is about something besides Jesus or living for Jesus- 

Many false teachers center their ministry entirely around the “prophetic word”. These self-proclaimed “prophets” have a fresh “word from the Lord” nearly every day and their predications typically have a very low rate of accuracy.  Other false teachers focus mostly on politics or psychology. They tend to make the Bible secondary in their teachings. False teachers often blend politics or psychology with the Bible explaining away sin in psychological terms or making patriotism a standard of holiness. For the record, I am not opposed to patriotism or psychology as long as we put God first and keep the rest in perspective.  I also believe God speaks to and through people, even today (Hebrews 12:25). Furthermore, the New Testament explicitly cautions readers not to become contemptuous or dismissive of prophecy (1st Thessalonians 5:20-21). That being said, a healthy Christian teacher focuses MOST of their teachings on living a victorious Christian life, understanding the teachings of the Bible and glorifying Jesus, NOT on politics, psychology or the prophetic word.

They resist authority including scriptural authority-

Most (all) false teachers resist any kind of authority and are rarely (if ever) under a denominational covering. Furthermore, they tend to become angry and belligerent when told that their teachings do not measure up to biblical standards. Truth-be-told there is little real spiritual authority anymore, even in many denominations (Judges 21:25). Therefore, it is critical Christians study the Bible for themselves so they can spot erroneous teaching when it is presented (Acts 17:11, 2nd Timothy 2:15).

The fruit is bad-

Most false teachers do not have (for the most part) good fruit. They don’t lead a lot of people to the Lord and when they do those folks tend to fall away. They also tend to lack the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23, 2nd Peter 1:3-11, Colossians 3). Be on guard for those who make salvation secondary and/or talk about Christian virtues but do not walk them out.  

They lack the character required for Christian leaders- 

The Bible sets clear standards for those in Christian leadership. Anyone can have a bad day (or even a bad season) but for the most part a healthy Christian leader should be mature and tested (1st Timothy 3:6). They should also set a good example, be kind, clear minded, able to teach and patient with difficult people.  They should not be pugnacious (fighty), greedy, gossipy or given to drunkenness (Ephesians 4:11-15, 1st Timothy 3:1-13, 2nd Timothy 2:4). If a Christian leader is dishonest, lacking in virtue and/or cannot live in peace with most people most of the time, he or she should not be followed.  

They are motivated primarily by money and attention- 

There is nothing wrong or sinful with having a big ministry or lots of followers, nor is it wrong to raise a lot of money for godly causes.  However, a lot can go wrong when a teacher or preacher tailors their teaching to gain a huge following and raise a lot of money (Mark 8:36, 1st Timothy 6:3-6, Titus 1:10-11).  If a teacher or preacher talks a lot about money but very little about sin and living a righteous life, chances are good they are more interested in a personal following than seeing souls saved and people sanctified. 

Ultimately, false teachers are a lot like the fig tree in Matthew 21:18-19. They tend to be all style with no real substance. They profess to believe all the right things but the more you look the more obvious it becomes that their lifestyle and teaching is a little “off”. The era of podcasts and YouTube has made it possible for false teachers to thrive with little or no real accountability. It’s on the individual Christian to choose who they follow wisely and practice discernment in all things. 

What Does Trusting God “Look Like”?

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you- Psalm 9:9-10 ESV

Life is full of struggles, events and trials no one (Christian or non-Christian) really understands. 

Kids get sick. Politicians lie. Leaders scheme and mislead. Disasters strike out of nowhere, sometimes wiping away a lifetime of diligence. Friends betray friends. Good people die before we think it’s time. People we thought were decent behave in ways that cause us immeasurable hurt and pain. Children who were raised right sometimes go terribly wrong. Spouses who swore before God to be faithful and true “till death do us part” sometimes don’t. 

This gloomy list could go on forever but I will spare you. 

For Christians all these things (and hundreds of others) are more than a long list of things that vex us or stuff that tempts us towards bitterness (Ephesians 4:31, Hebrews 12:15). All of these things (and hundreds of others) are just an opportunity to trust God with things we don’t understand (Proverbs 3:5-6, Jeremiah 17:7-8, Psalm 37:4-6). 

Most folks tend to think of trusting God as a passive undertaking where we do nothing and God does everything, it’s not. Trusting God is more than just sitting back and patiently waiting for God to transform our mess into a message. Trusting God is an active process. Trusting God is a verb not a noun. There are things we can do that both prove we trust God and cause us to trust God. When we choose to trust God with things we don’t understand, we grow as believers. Our faith is proven genuine and our ability to love God and people is expanded (Hebrews 11, 1st Peter 1:3-9, James 1:2-4). All good things. 

All this begs the question: what does trusting God look like? 

Trusting God is more than a commitment. It’s a series of choices we make every day. The tougher the times the harder it is to make those choices. Some of those choices include: 

Choosing the path of transformation and growth-  

The whole aim of the Christian life is to be transformed into the image of Jesus (Romans 12:1-21, 2nd Corinthians 3:18, Colossians 3:1-25, 2nd Peter 1:3-11). This is a process, never a one and done. Transformation is lifelong journey where we cooperate with the Holy Spirit to take off our “old sinful self” (Romans 6:6, Colossians 3:9, Ephesians 4:22) and “put on” new attitudes and behaviors pleasing to God.  Over time with the help of the Holy Spirit, we are transformed into person who looks, thinks and acts more like Jesus (2nd Corinthians 5:17, Philippians 2:12). Anytime we experience hardship or difficulty we are also tempted (sometimes subconsciously) to put the transformation process on hold and essentially stop growing spiritually. Actively trusting God means we choose to pursue holiness and growth in spite of the things we do not understand. 

Choosing forgiveness and letting God deal with people however He sees fit-  

 One of the most basic (but critical) ways we trust God is to give up our right to seek revenge and /or harbor anger and bitterness towards those who have hurt us. It doesn’t matter if they did what they did on purpose or accident. Nor does it matter if they are sorry for what they did. Trusting God means we believe that God will deal with the people who have hurt us in whatever way is most appropriate, when the timing is just right (Matthew 6:14-15, Romans 12:19).

Trusting God means serving God and others even when we feel like retreating- 

Hurt, pain and betrayal can cause us to shutdown emotionally and retreat from living life to the fullest (John 10:10). Trusting God means we continue to live life running full steam ahead serving God and people both inside and outside our local churches no matter how we feel at the moment (Romans 12:10, Ephesians 6:7-8, 1st Peter 4:10-11). 

Continuing to grow in grace-

Trusting God means that we never allow the tough, ugly stuff of life to make us hard, suspicious and/or callous towards people. Trusting God means we choose to grow in grace. Growing in grace means we do our level best to become kinder, wiser, gentler and more loving in spite of the difficulties we encounter along the journey (Proverbs 1:5, Proverbs 4:18, 1st Peter 2:2, 2nd Peter 3:18, Colossians 1:10). 

Never allowing our brokenness to become our identity- 

For Christians the hurt, pain and trauma we experience in this life is not our identity (Psalm 139:14, John 1:12, Ephesians 2:10). If we are followers of Jesus, we are NOT the sum-total of our most traumatic experiences (Ephesians 4:22-24, Galatians 4:6-7). We are not our worst mistakes. Nor our we our darkest moment. We are children of the King. We were created to be over comers and lights who shine in a dark world (Matthew 5:14, Philippians 2:14-16). Trusting God means we choose to live out our God-given identify of wholeness rather than an identity of brokenness and pain.

None of these things are easy. In fact, all of them are impossible when we try and do them in our own power. The only way to trust God fully with things we do not understand is to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26).  He gives us the spiritual power we need to trust God with the things we don’t understand.