In our last discussion, I confessed to you that "I Hate Religion", and I hope that you properly understood what I meant. If not, I'm really sorry.
I hate that.
In this post, I'd like to take the next step: If I hate religion, what am I (and what are you) supposed to do about it?
When it comes to things that we "hate", we typically aren't neutral about our behavior towards them, are we? For example, if I tell you that I hate snakes, it means the following:
- I don't like seeing them in the yard
- I don't like seeing them in a zoo
- I don't like seeing videos of them eating other animals
- I don't think it's funny when people make snake sounds to try and scare me
- If ever confronted by a snake, I would most likely: a. scream (probably like a girl, though I can't be certain), b. throw the nearest heavy object at it, and c. run away
In other words, when I say "I hate snakes", I mean it. I don't mean "I would prefer not to be around them", or "Those pesky snakes, I declare!" No, I mean that you will be able to TELL that I hate snakes if the subject (or an actual snake) comes up.
And I will most certainly not have a pet snake.
You might be thinking to yourself, "Of course you wouldn't have a pet snake if you hate snakes!" Good for you. You're thinking logically. Now, let's transfer that same logic over to the idea of "religion". If I say that I hate religion, that feeling should be accompanied with some obvious behaviors on my part towards religion, shouldn't it? For example, when I say that I hate religion, that should mean:
- I don't like it in myself, and when I see it, I recognize it & remove it
- I don't like it in others (because I love them & want the best for them), so I try to help them understand the truth about "religion" & help them remove it from their lives
- I proactively teach others about this issue because I think it's important
- I don't think it's funny when people make jokes about it (unless you're talking about that really funny joke where a Water Closet [bathroom] gets confused for a Wayside Chapel [church building] in a wacky correspondence between a curious woman and a foreign schoolmaster. Now THAT'S funny. Look it up. You'll laugh.)
So it might be a silly question to ask, "Am I going to keep religion around as a 'pet'? The answer is "no", but let's talk about what it might look like if we are keeping "religion" as a "pet", because I'm not so sure we understand this sometimes. When we keep religion as a "pet":
1. We feed it - This might mean that we keep "coming to church" long after we realize that we are completely disconnected from God; or it might mean that we "play politics" within the Lord's Church, treating it like a social club that exists for our benefit. Whatever the specifics might be, we "feed" our false/ineffective religion as if we care for it and want to keep it.
2. We make excuses for it - It might sound like this: "You'll have to excuse my religion; it's just too tired to do anything", or "My religion would do better, but it just hasn't been trained properly. I'll get around to it soon, though". The problem with this is really the same as the problems that come up when we make excuses for our actual pets: STOP MAKING EXCUSES FOR YOUR PET & ADDRESS THE PROBLEM!!!
3. We have a love/hate relationship with it - When we have a pet, we can go from warm & fuzzy hugs to a rolled-up newspaper pretty quickly, can't we? Although this is actually part of the normal process of disciplining a pet, I would describe this approach (for our purposes) as more random and arbitrary, and less consistent. We would often rather continue this love/hate relationship than to properly train our pet.
4. We give it a "name" - Every good pet has a name, and most religious people are no different. "I'm a _________", or "I'm a ______________", or, to mix things up a bit, "I'm a church of ___________". The truth is, God has given our "religion" some perfectly good names, so why do we keep picking new ones?
5. We clean up after it - When "religion" makes a mess (as it always does), we tend to clean up after it, realizing that it is really our fault.
So, to sum things up, let's all try to have the same attitude towards the wrongs kinds of religion that GOD has.
And let's try to act like it.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
I HATE RELIGION - PART ONE
I haven't blogged in a long time, but after last night's Sr. High Bible study, I felt the need to do so.
The title for the study we began last night was, "I Hate Religion", and if I'm being honest, I'm not sure there is a truer statement that I could make at this point in my life. I suppose there would be some statements that might come close, such as:
- "I'm losing my hair"
- "I love my wife"
- "I would like to be Batman"
However, "I hate religion" is #1 with a bullet right now. Let me explain why...
First of all, I don't want you to get the impression that I'm talking about YOU and/or your "religion" when I say this (although I might be, so stay tuned...). This is more about ME and the personal issues that I have had with "religion" for as long as I can remember.
Religion (for the purposes of this discussion) is simply "something a person believes in and follows devotedly" (Webster's). So, based on this definition, let me clarify what KINDS of religion I hate, because obviously I don't hate them all (that would just be rude and unfair):
1. Self-made religion - This is the kind of religion that we make up for ourselves; we do this when we "cut-and-paste" the things/teachings that we like from the Bible, from other religions, from our own personal desires, etc. This is basically like a religious "Art/Science Project", where we gather & assemble the pieces, put them together however we see fit, and then present it to others as "religion".
The only problem with "Art/Science Projects" is that they are usually mere representations of reality. For example, the volcano I made in Elementary School wasn't an actual volcano (to the relief of everyone else who entered the contest, as well as everyone within a 10-mile radius of the eruption); and our self-made religion isn't real either. In fact, it is counter-productive, harmful, dishonest, and unacceptable to God. See Col. 2:16-23 for a description of this.
2. Self-deceiving religion - This is the kind of religion that we have practiced for so long, we have begun to believe that it is actually true, despite the fact that we know it not to be. It isn't that we are stupid people (I guess some of us are, if we're being fair) who don't realize that our religion is phony; no, we would simply prefer not to be reminded of that fact; because this, after all, is the religion that we WANT. As an example of this, I actually AM Batman. See James 1:26-27.
3. Empty religion - This is the religion that doesn't mean anything to the person who claims to practice it. These people are "going through the motions" for some reason(s), but there is no meaning to it. Maybe they do it to please other people, or maybe they do it for the potluck fellowships. Whatever their reasons might be, this religion is worthless and - at the risk of sounding redundant - empty. If it helps, they are just dressing up like Batman and not actually fighting crime (picture Batman shopping at Target, if that helps you - "Look Robin...candles!!") Col. 2:8
4. Compartmentalized religion - This is the religion that fits nicely into one part/area of our lives, but never affects us as a whole person. It may not be self-made or empty, but it is equally useless. In actuality, we may be very excited about our religion when we've compartmentalized it. After all, if we only participate in the encouraging/self-serving parts of our religion/faith instead of actually living it out every day, I suppose it might seem like something to get excited about once or twice a week. See Amos 4:4-5; 5:21-24; 6:1,4-8.
5. Hypocritical religion - This is the worst one, right? This goes beyond everything we've looked at so far, doesn't it? This is a person who is actively pretending to be a Christian. These are the people who are responsible for emptying the church pews, right? What is the #1 reason people give for either leaving the Church or never becoming part of it? "Those darned hypocrites!" Whether this is a legitimate excuse for those people or not (by the way, it isn't), hypocritical religion is something that I hate; especially when I see it in myself. This is the equivalent of someone turning on the Bat-Signal, only to find out that the guy who shows up is overweight, never works out, and couldn't care less if you get mugged. See Mt. 23.
Allow me to also clarify WHY I hate these kinds of religion:
1. They are the enemies of true spirituality - We will never actually be the kind of people God wants us to be until we know what that looks like and then decide that we want to be. When we desire anything less, we basically say to God, "I don't really want what you're offering. I think I have a better idea." This simply won't work.
2. They are the enemies of true spiritual growth - One of the drawbacks of these different perversions of "religion" is that we don't get to experience genuine spiritual growth. It is one of the trademarks of a true disciple, and is conspicuously (and quite obviously) missing from those who are "faking it" - See 2 Pet. 1:5ff
3. They are the enemies of evangelism - If you haven't noticed, those who aren't Christians (the lost) are usually not super-excited to learn more about the "religions" we described above ("Yippee!! I wanna dress up like Batman and shop at Target too!!!"). If you and I haven't had anyone ask us about our faith recently, it may be because we don't really have one, or because we have traded it in for something else. True evangelism requires true religion on the part of the evangelist.
4. They are a cleverly disguised and cheap substitute for true discipleship - I'm not sure how Satan convinced so many of us that our man-made "religions" were going to be good enough to please the Lord, but we were fools to believe it (Mt. 7:21ff). Jesus makes it crystal clear what He expects from us, and we know better than to think that CHURCH ATTENDANCE = DISCIPLESHIP, or YOUTH TRIPS = DISCIPLESHIP. See Lk. 9:23-24; 14:25-35; etc.
5. Because God hates them too!!! - When we read passages like the ones in Amos (mentioned earlier), we see that God feels just as strongly about these cheap imitations of religion as we are supposed to. If God hates something, I might want to pay attention to what that "something" is, right?
So, how do you feel about these false/imitation "religions" now?
Do you hate them as much as I do?
Do you hate them as much as God does?
Do you hate them enough to do something about them in your own life - if necessary - so that you can help others with the same struggles?
Next time: What can/should we do when we come to the point where we hate "religion"???
The title for the study we began last night was, "I Hate Religion", and if I'm being honest, I'm not sure there is a truer statement that I could make at this point in my life. I suppose there would be some statements that might come close, such as:
- "I'm losing my hair"
- "I love my wife"
- "I would like to be Batman"
However, "I hate religion" is #1 with a bullet right now. Let me explain why...
First of all, I don't want you to get the impression that I'm talking about YOU and/or your "religion" when I say this (although I might be, so stay tuned...). This is more about ME and the personal issues that I have had with "religion" for as long as I can remember.
Religion (for the purposes of this discussion) is simply "something a person believes in and follows devotedly" (Webster's). So, based on this definition, let me clarify what KINDS of religion I hate, because obviously I don't hate them all (that would just be rude and unfair):
1. Self-made religion - This is the kind of religion that we make up for ourselves; we do this when we "cut-and-paste" the things/teachings that we like from the Bible, from other religions, from our own personal desires, etc. This is basically like a religious "Art/Science Project", where we gather & assemble the pieces, put them together however we see fit, and then present it to others as "religion".
The only problem with "Art/Science Projects" is that they are usually mere representations of reality. For example, the volcano I made in Elementary School wasn't an actual volcano (to the relief of everyone else who entered the contest, as well as everyone within a 10-mile radius of the eruption); and our self-made religion isn't real either. In fact, it is counter-productive, harmful, dishonest, and unacceptable to God. See Col. 2:16-23 for a description of this.
2. Self-deceiving religion - This is the kind of religion that we have practiced for so long, we have begun to believe that it is actually true, despite the fact that we know it not to be. It isn't that we are stupid people (I guess some of us are, if we're being fair) who don't realize that our religion is phony; no, we would simply prefer not to be reminded of that fact; because this, after all, is the religion that we WANT. As an example of this, I actually AM Batman. See James 1:26-27.
3. Empty religion - This is the religion that doesn't mean anything to the person who claims to practice it. These people are "going through the motions" for some reason(s), but there is no meaning to it. Maybe they do it to please other people, or maybe they do it for the potluck fellowships. Whatever their reasons might be, this religion is worthless and - at the risk of sounding redundant - empty. If it helps, they are just dressing up like Batman and not actually fighting crime (picture Batman shopping at Target, if that helps you - "Look Robin...candles!!") Col. 2:8
4. Compartmentalized religion - This is the religion that fits nicely into one part/area of our lives, but never affects us as a whole person. It may not be self-made or empty, but it is equally useless. In actuality, we may be very excited about our religion when we've compartmentalized it. After all, if we only participate in the encouraging/self-serving parts of our religion/faith instead of actually living it out every day, I suppose it might seem like something to get excited about once or twice a week. See Amos 4:4-5; 5:21-24; 6:1,4-8.
5. Hypocritical religion - This is the worst one, right? This goes beyond everything we've looked at so far, doesn't it? This is a person who is actively pretending to be a Christian. These are the people who are responsible for emptying the church pews, right? What is the #1 reason people give for either leaving the Church or never becoming part of it? "Those darned hypocrites!" Whether this is a legitimate excuse for those people or not (by the way, it isn't), hypocritical religion is something that I hate; especially when I see it in myself. This is the equivalent of someone turning on the Bat-Signal, only to find out that the guy who shows up is overweight, never works out, and couldn't care less if you get mugged. See Mt. 23.
Allow me to also clarify WHY I hate these kinds of religion:
1. They are the enemies of true spirituality - We will never actually be the kind of people God wants us to be until we know what that looks like and then decide that we want to be. When we desire anything less, we basically say to God, "I don't really want what you're offering. I think I have a better idea." This simply won't work.
2. They are the enemies of true spiritual growth - One of the drawbacks of these different perversions of "religion" is that we don't get to experience genuine spiritual growth. It is one of the trademarks of a true disciple, and is conspicuously (and quite obviously) missing from those who are "faking it" - See 2 Pet. 1:5ff
3. They are the enemies of evangelism - If you haven't noticed, those who aren't Christians (the lost) are usually not super-excited to learn more about the "religions" we described above ("Yippee!! I wanna dress up like Batman and shop at Target too!!!"). If you and I haven't had anyone ask us about our faith recently, it may be because we don't really have one, or because we have traded it in for something else. True evangelism requires true religion on the part of the evangelist.
4. They are a cleverly disguised and cheap substitute for true discipleship - I'm not sure how Satan convinced so many of us that our man-made "religions" were going to be good enough to please the Lord, but we were fools to believe it (Mt. 7:21ff). Jesus makes it crystal clear what He expects from us, and we know better than to think that CHURCH ATTENDANCE = DISCIPLESHIP, or YOUTH TRIPS = DISCIPLESHIP. See Lk. 9:23-24; 14:25-35; etc.
5. Because God hates them too!!! - When we read passages like the ones in Amos (mentioned earlier), we see that God feels just as strongly about these cheap imitations of religion as we are supposed to. If God hates something, I might want to pay attention to what that "something" is, right?
So, how do you feel about these false/imitation "religions" now?
Do you hate them as much as I do?
Do you hate them as much as God does?
Do you hate them enough to do something about them in your own life - if necessary - so that you can help others with the same struggles?
Next time: What can/should we do when we come to the point where we hate "religion"???
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Respect
Do you enjoy being disrespected?
If your answer is "no", you will fit in nicely with the vast majority of normal human beings.
If your answer is "yes", you will not fit in with the rest of us.
You are, in fact, a weirdo.
And for all you weirdos out there, for a limited time, you may sign up for my "DDT" service (Daily Disrespectful Texts), which should scratch your itch for being disrespected on a regular basis*.
Some examples include:
"LOL @ YOU. NOT WITH YOU...@ YOU."
"UR STUPID."
"U SMELL LIKE DONKEY."
"I DO NOT RESPECT U."
"U MAKE ME :c=== [BARF]"
*Standard text messaging rates apply
Most of us, however, like to be treated with a certain level of respect. We don't enjoy being disrespected and we generally don't tolerate it for very long before we either say something about it or we discontinue contact with the disrespectful party.
Can you tell when someone is disrespecting you? What are the signs that someone does not respect you? Here are a few that I've noticed:
1. They don't really look at you or listen to you when you're talking to them
2. They don't value your time (they may be late for all of your appointments)
3. They break promises that they've made to you
4. They choose other things/people over you
5. They are dishonest with you
6. They don't stick up for you around other people
7. They only talk to you when they need something from you
8. They don't appreciate what you do for them
These are fairly basic things, aren't they? Generally speaking, we extend these courtesies to most of our "friends", don't we?
A disrespectful person might say, "Well, I didn't MEAN to ignore you!" or "I really DO appreciate you, even though I don't act like it!", but after a certain point, disrespect is inexcusable, obvious and irreparable.
There are only so many times that someone can disrespect us before their excuses simply don't cut it anymore. They visibly, openly and deliberately don't respect us and there is no getting around it.
Wouldn't you agree?
What amazes me is how many people show these same signs of open disrespect towards God, and still have the nerve to call themselves "Christians". I'm not talking about the people (like myself) who sin on a regular basis because we're not perfect. I'm not talking about the people who admit their mistakes, repent of them, and ask God's forgiveness. I'm not talking about those of us who acknowledge our sinful nature and our dependence on the grace of an Almighty God.
I'm talking about THESE people:
1. They don't listen in Bible class (if they bother to attend at all), sermons, devotionals, etc. when the Lord is speaking to them from His Word. Instead, they are on their phones, texting their friends, checking facebook, daydreaming, or playing games.
2. They are habitually late for worship (it starts at the same time every week...get up 15 minutes earlier and you can fix this problem!), and/or they leave before it's over.
3. They claim to have become a disciple of Jesus Christ and to have given their life over to Him, yet their life still seems to be all about them.
4. They choose sports, recitals, friends, family, etc. over worshiping their God & being with His people on a consistent basis. In short, we have time for every other commitment we've made in life except for the one we made to God.
5. They say one thing in the church building (when other Christians are around) and another thing altogether at school, work, etc.
6. They deny God in their speech and behavior when they are around their worldly friends. They abandon God's commands when it's something they really want to have or something that they really want to do.
7. They only mention prayer when they need something "big" from God or when they're in trouble; the rest of the time, they seem to be doing just fine without Him.
8. They are ungrateful people who have "earned their money" and can't seem to open their mouth to give thanks and to sing praises to the God who has given them everything they have.
This behavior is disrespectful towards God.
Period.
And if those around us can see it, God certainly sees it.
And the bottom line is that God won't tolerate it (long term) anymore than we will.
"Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified" - Lev. 10:3 - [something God said immediately after killing 2 priests who disrespected Him]
"but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy" - I Pet. 3:15
"He will come and destroy those tenants" - Lk. 20:9-18 [a parable concerning what will happen to those who disrespect God/Christ Jesus/His servants]
Our specific level of respect towards God is something (on some level, at least) that can only be known by us and God.
However, our level of DISrespect towards God is another matter altogether.
It is not a secret to those around us who are paying attention.
It is visible, public, and shameful.
We all need to examine our lives, attitudes and behaviors on this issue of respect towards God.
After all, hasn't He earned it?
If your answer is "no", you will fit in nicely with the vast majority of normal human beings.
If your answer is "yes", you will not fit in with the rest of us.
You are, in fact, a weirdo.
And for all you weirdos out there, for a limited time, you may sign up for my "DDT" service (Daily Disrespectful Texts), which should scratch your itch for being disrespected on a regular basis*.
Some examples include:
"LOL @ YOU. NOT WITH YOU...@ YOU."
"UR STUPID."
"U SMELL LIKE DONKEY."
"I DO NOT RESPECT U."
"U MAKE ME :c=== [BARF]"
*Standard text messaging rates apply
Most of us, however, like to be treated with a certain level of respect. We don't enjoy being disrespected and we generally don't tolerate it for very long before we either say something about it or we discontinue contact with the disrespectful party.
Can you tell when someone is disrespecting you? What are the signs that someone does not respect you? Here are a few that I've noticed:
1. They don't really look at you or listen to you when you're talking to them
2. They don't value your time (they may be late for all of your appointments)
3. They break promises that they've made to you
4. They choose other things/people over you
5. They are dishonest with you
6. They don't stick up for you around other people
7. They only talk to you when they need something from you
8. They don't appreciate what you do for them
These are fairly basic things, aren't they? Generally speaking, we extend these courtesies to most of our "friends", don't we?
A disrespectful person might say, "Well, I didn't MEAN to ignore you!" or "I really DO appreciate you, even though I don't act like it!", but after a certain point, disrespect is inexcusable, obvious and irreparable.
There are only so many times that someone can disrespect us before their excuses simply don't cut it anymore. They visibly, openly and deliberately don't respect us and there is no getting around it.
Wouldn't you agree?
What amazes me is how many people show these same signs of open disrespect towards God, and still have the nerve to call themselves "Christians". I'm not talking about the people (like myself) who sin on a regular basis because we're not perfect. I'm not talking about the people who admit their mistakes, repent of them, and ask God's forgiveness. I'm not talking about those of us who acknowledge our sinful nature and our dependence on the grace of an Almighty God.
I'm talking about THESE people:
1. They don't listen in Bible class (if they bother to attend at all), sermons, devotionals, etc. when the Lord is speaking to them from His Word. Instead, they are on their phones, texting their friends, checking facebook, daydreaming, or playing games.
2. They are habitually late for worship (it starts at the same time every week...get up 15 minutes earlier and you can fix this problem!), and/or they leave before it's over.
3. They claim to have become a disciple of Jesus Christ and to have given their life over to Him, yet their life still seems to be all about them.
4. They choose sports, recitals, friends, family, etc. over worshiping their God & being with His people on a consistent basis. In short, we have time for every other commitment we've made in life except for the one we made to God.
5. They say one thing in the church building (when other Christians are around) and another thing altogether at school, work, etc.
6. They deny God in their speech and behavior when they are around their worldly friends. They abandon God's commands when it's something they really want to have or something that they really want to do.
7. They only mention prayer when they need something "big" from God or when they're in trouble; the rest of the time, they seem to be doing just fine without Him.
8. They are ungrateful people who have "earned their money" and can't seem to open their mouth to give thanks and to sing praises to the God who has given them everything they have.
This behavior is disrespectful towards God.
Period.
And if those around us can see it, God certainly sees it.
And the bottom line is that God won't tolerate it (long term) anymore than we will.
"Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified" - Lev. 10:3 - [something God said immediately after killing 2 priests who disrespected Him]
"but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy" - I Pet. 3:15
"He will come and destroy those tenants" - Lk. 20:9-18 [a parable concerning what will happen to those who disrespect God/Christ Jesus/His servants]
Our specific level of respect towards God is something (on some level, at least) that can only be known by us and God.
However, our level of DISrespect towards God is another matter altogether.
It is not a secret to those around us who are paying attention.
It is visible, public, and shameful.
We all need to examine our lives, attitudes and behaviors on this issue of respect towards God.
After all, hasn't He earned it?
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Stinkin' Thinkin'
If you have many religious conversations, you have probably noticed how many times the words "I think" or "I believe" come up.
It's almost as frequent as the phrase "Roll Tide" when you have a conversation with someone in the state of Alabama.
Not quite...but almost.
When it comes to Christianity, we certainly see and hear a lot of this mentality, don't we? Everyone seems to have their own thoughts and beliefs on something that God has made clear we are all supposed to agree on (I Cor. 1:10).
It almost seems as if some people have organized their personal religious beliefs in the same way that they would fill up a plate at a Chinese Buffet.
"I think I'll have a scoop of faith, a spoonful of trust, a bowl of self-control - no, make that a cup - and a heaping helping of grace. And for dessert, a fortune cookie with a little Bible verse on it...nothing too long, though, or I'll lose interest. By the way, how much is this gonna cost? That much??? Let me put back this trust then. I don't really need that."
To put it as simply as possible, when it comes to following Christ and obeying the Word of God, what I think and what I believe simply doesn't matter.
Let me clarify...
If my thoughts and my beliefs line up with the Word of God, then they do matter.
If my thoughts and my beliefs do not line up with the Word of God, then they don't matter...and I need to change them.
"Jeremy, you are saying that people don't matter! You cruel man!"
No, I'm not saying that.
And I'm not a cruel man.
That old lady had it coming, no matter what her 3-year-old Grandson says.
And people absolutely DO matter; but when it comes to the truth of God's Word, their opinions & thoughts don't...can't...and shouldn't.
Let me illustrate:
Let's say that two people are going to see the same movie. For the sake of the story let's say they're going to see "Lincoln".
NOTE: I chose "Lincoln" randomly and am not endorsing it in any way. For a more historically accurate version of one of our greatest presidents, see "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter".
NOTE: Before you jump all over me, I have not seen "Abraham Lincoln:Vampire Hunter"...it was sold out and I was forced to see "Madea Goes to Disney World" for the 3rd time.
I digress...
These two people both believe that they are going to see "Lincoln". They have even planned to go together to the theater. Let's join them in their conversation...
"Hey Dave, are you ready to go see Lincoln tonight?"
"I sure am, Franklin! I've heard that it's really good. I'm excited about seeing the top hat on the big screen."
"Cool. I'll pick you up at 5:00 PM."
"Actually, Franklin, I think it starts at 2:00 AM."
"No, it starts at 5:30. I called ahead and already bought my ticket online. So I thought we would get there a little early & get some fried Oreos."
"I believe you're wrong, Franklin. All my friends told me that it started at 2:00 AM."
"Where did they hear that? They don't even PLAY movies at 2:00 AM."
"Well...I think they do."
"Why would you think that?"
"Because they told me that it started then."
"Where did they hear that?"
"They said that their parents told them."
"Have any of your friends actually called the theater to check on this?"
"Gee, that seems like a lot of work, Franklin. And I'm not sure I like your accusatory tone either. Are you trying to tell me that I'm wrong for thinking this? Are you telling me that the movie DOESN'T start at 2:00 AM???"
"Um, no. I'm trying to help you realize that you think/believe something that simply isn't true. I can prove it to you if you'll just let me pick you up at 5:00 PM. I'll even show you my ticket and we can call the theater together."
"Now you're just being pushy. In fact, I'm not sure I even want to go with you anymore. I think me and my friends will just go together at 2:00 AM...and get our own snacks."
"You're going to miss the movie, Dave."
"You're so judgmental."
Jesus once said to a group of people, "Go and learn what this means..." (Mt. 9:13). Notice that Jesus didn't say...
"Tell me what you think this means..."
"Tell me your beliefs on the following..."
"Let's just agree to disagree on what I'm about to say..."
No, He put the responsibility on them. Jesus told the truth, period. It wasn't up for discussion or debate; it simply needed to be learned, believed and obeyed.
We are told to do the same when it comes to our faith (2 Tim. 2:15; Acts 17:11; I Jn. 4:1; etc.).
So, the next time you're in a religious conversation with someone, do your best to replace "I think" and "I believe" with "The Bible says..."
And the next time you're at a Chinese Buffet, don't skimp on the self-control soup.
It looks thin, but it's delicious...and very filling.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Worship
For people who call themselves Christians, worship is pretty important, isn't it?
Worship means that it's time to put on our nice(ish) clothes, pile into the family vehicle, and head to the church building.
Worship means that we pray, sing, give, remember the Lord's death, and study a portion of His Word (as we should).
Worship is one of those things that most Christians are GOING to do, no matter what, right?
No matter how bad the fight was with our spouse on the WAY to worship, we are going to worship.
No matter how tense our relationship is with the person sitting three rows behind us (and it can get pretty tense, can't it?), we are going to worship.
No matter how many times we may have (or haven't) studied our Bible and prayed during that same week, we are going to worship.
No matter how many opportunities we have missed to serve or tell others about our God, we are going to worship Him.
Worship is pretty important to us, isn't it?
In fact, for some it seems ALL-important.
Sometimes it is the one (and possibly only) characteristic that defines our faith. This is why, instead of asking people to tell us about their faith in God, we say, "Where do you go to church?"
We adopt a set of beliefs, show up to worship (in a certain way) a few times a week, and - for some - that might just be it.
Is worship this important to God?
Is this what God wants?
Has God elevated worship to the point that our participation in it will "erase" everything else that may be going on (or NOT going on) in our lives? Or have we done that?
The Bible has answered this question for us. Consider the following Scriptures:
1. Amos 5:21-23 - "I hate, I despise your feasts [worship], and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies [worship]. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings [worship] and grain offerings [worship], I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals [worship], I will not look upon them. Take away from me the noise of your songs [worship]; to the melody of your harps [worship] I will not listen."
2. Matthew 5:23 - "So if you are offering your gift at the altar [worship] and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift [worship]."
3. Matthew 15:8-9 - "This people honors me with their lips [worship], but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men."
Allow me to make a few observations about worship, based on these passages:
- Worship is simply not as important to God as our hearts and our lives. It never has been.
- Worship can become detestable - and vain - in the sight of God if our hearts and lives aren't right before Him.
- If we have conflict in our lives with other people, or if we aren't living lives that glorify and honor God, those things need to be a higher priority than our worship.
You might say, "Jeremy, am I supposed to just get up from worship and go have that conversation with that person three rows behind me??"
Um, no.
You were supposed to have done that before you sat down.
And the worst news is, if we haven't done that, our worship may not be accepted by God. In fact, He may hate it.
Think about this: if we were as dedicated to keeping our relationships and day-to-day lives in line with Scripture as we are at keeping our worship in line with Scripture...
What a concept, right? It just so happens that it isn't my concept; it's God's.
A truly "scriptural" church isn't just scriptural because it worships God correctly (although that's part of it). It is scriptural if it follows the rest of Scripture when it comes to the rest of our lives.
After all, the Church is the people...not just the few hours a week when we meet to worship...right?
It doesn't do us any good, as God's people, to worship "scripturally" and live "unscripturally".
So, before you put on those nice clothes, pile into the family vehicle, and go back to that church building...take a moment to think about these things.
Is there something we need to do differently before we worship God again?
Is there someone we need to talk to?
Is there something we need to pray about?
God wants us to do these things before we worship Him.
Worship means that it's time to put on our nice(ish) clothes, pile into the family vehicle, and head to the church building.
Worship means that we pray, sing, give, remember the Lord's death, and study a portion of His Word (as we should).
Worship is one of those things that most Christians are GOING to do, no matter what, right?
No matter how bad the fight was with our spouse on the WAY to worship, we are going to worship.
No matter how tense our relationship is with the person sitting three rows behind us (and it can get pretty tense, can't it?), we are going to worship.
No matter how many times we may have (or haven't) studied our Bible and prayed during that same week, we are going to worship.
No matter how many opportunities we have missed to serve or tell others about our God, we are going to worship Him.
Worship is pretty important to us, isn't it?
In fact, for some it seems ALL-important.
Sometimes it is the one (and possibly only) characteristic that defines our faith. This is why, instead of asking people to tell us about their faith in God, we say, "Where do you go to church?"
We adopt a set of beliefs, show up to worship (in a certain way) a few times a week, and - for some - that might just be it.
Is worship this important to God?
Is this what God wants?
Has God elevated worship to the point that our participation in it will "erase" everything else that may be going on (or NOT going on) in our lives? Or have we done that?
The Bible has answered this question for us. Consider the following Scriptures:
1. Amos 5:21-23 - "I hate, I despise your feasts [worship], and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies [worship]. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings [worship] and grain offerings [worship], I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals [worship], I will not look upon them. Take away from me the noise of your songs [worship]; to the melody of your harps [worship] I will not listen."
2. Matthew 5:23 - "So if you are offering your gift at the altar [worship] and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift [worship]."
3. Matthew 15:8-9 - "This people honors me with their lips [worship], but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men."
Allow me to make a few observations about worship, based on these passages:
- Worship is simply not as important to God as our hearts and our lives. It never has been.
- Worship can become detestable - and vain - in the sight of God if our hearts and lives aren't right before Him.
- If we have conflict in our lives with other people, or if we aren't living lives that glorify and honor God, those things need to be a higher priority than our worship.
You might say, "Jeremy, am I supposed to just get up from worship and go have that conversation with that person three rows behind me??"
Um, no.
You were supposed to have done that before you sat down.
And the worst news is, if we haven't done that, our worship may not be accepted by God. In fact, He may hate it.
Think about this: if we were as dedicated to keeping our relationships and day-to-day lives in line with Scripture as we are at keeping our worship in line with Scripture...
What a concept, right? It just so happens that it isn't my concept; it's God's.
A truly "scriptural" church isn't just scriptural because it worships God correctly (although that's part of it). It is scriptural if it follows the rest of Scripture when it comes to the rest of our lives.
After all, the Church is the people...not just the few hours a week when we meet to worship...right?
It doesn't do us any good, as God's people, to worship "scripturally" and live "unscripturally".
So, before you put on those nice clothes, pile into the family vehicle, and go back to that church building...take a moment to think about these things.
Is there something we need to do differently before we worship God again?
Is there someone we need to talk to?
Is there something we need to pray about?
God wants us to do these things before we worship Him.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Let's All Vote
Well, tomorrow is the big election.
I plan to vote, and I also plan to wear that little "I Voted" sticker on my shirt; because I believe that it makes me better than all of the people who either didn't vote, or who refuse to wear stickers.
To be honest, one of the only reasons that I go vote is because I like to get that sticker. If they stopped giving it, I might just stop voting.
Stickers are important to me.
I, for one, think that they ought to give out more stickers at these elections. I think that it would encourage more of us to vote if there more specific stickers to commemorate the occasion.
Here are some ideas for more stickers:
1. "That Ballot Was Very Confusing" (for honest voters)
2. "Voting is Awesome" (for enthusiastic voters)
3. "Vote or Die" (for angry voters)
4. "Don't Be a Goat...Vote" (for those voters who look down on goats)
5. "Bundle Up in Your Coat and Vote" (for cold-natured voters)
6. "Bundle Up Your Goat in a Coat & Go Vote" (for voters with cold-natured goats who wanted to share in the experience of voting with their owners)
7. "I Floated As I Voted" (for those who passed gas as they voted)
8. "I Didn't Vote" (for those voters who changed their mind at the last minute)
9. "I Voted Twice" (for voters who like to lie a lot to impress other people)
10. "We Voted" (for schizophrenic voters)
11. "MMMMMM, Voter Votin'" (for voters who can't get that Little Big Town song out of their heads)
12. "Did I Vote?" (for forgetful voters)
13. "I Got Donuts When I Voted, But They're All Gone" (for cruel voters)
14. "Gloatin' 'Bout My Votin'" (for voters who like to gloat, but don't like to use complete words when they do it)
15. "I Was Loaded When I Voted" (for those who have lots of money)
16. "I Was Loaded When I Voted" (for those who had too much to drink before they voted)
17. "I Was Loded Win I Vowtid" (for those who had way too much to drink before they voted)
18. "Detov I" (for dyslexic and/or vain voters who like to look at themselves in the mirror a lot and admire their own patriotism)
19. "I Voted for You" (for close friends of either Barack Obama or Mitt Romney who plan on spending the day with them tomorrow)
20. "I Plan to Vote Tomorrow" (for procrastinating voters)
In all seriousness, I would encourage all of us to participate in this important process tomorrow. It is a privilege and a responsibility, as Christians who live in a democratic society, to engage in the selection of our leaders.
We can play a vital part in the direction of our country, and we should vote in a way that reflects our morals, values, and commitment to the Lord.
I am not a very political person, so I don't get involved in many political discussions, but I thought I would weigh in just to encourage you to vote.
Plus, you get a sticker.
It's a win-win.
I plan to vote, and I also plan to wear that little "I Voted" sticker on my shirt; because I believe that it makes me better than all of the people who either didn't vote, or who refuse to wear stickers.
To be honest, one of the only reasons that I go vote is because I like to get that sticker. If they stopped giving it, I might just stop voting.
Stickers are important to me.
I, for one, think that they ought to give out more stickers at these elections. I think that it would encourage more of us to vote if there more specific stickers to commemorate the occasion.
Here are some ideas for more stickers:
1. "That Ballot Was Very Confusing" (for honest voters)
2. "Voting is Awesome" (for enthusiastic voters)
3. "Vote or Die" (for angry voters)
4. "Don't Be a Goat...Vote" (for those voters who look down on goats)
5. "Bundle Up in Your Coat and Vote" (for cold-natured voters)
6. "Bundle Up Your Goat in a Coat & Go Vote" (for voters with cold-natured goats who wanted to share in the experience of voting with their owners)
7. "I Floated As I Voted" (for those who passed gas as they voted)
8. "I Didn't Vote" (for those voters who changed their mind at the last minute)
9. "I Voted Twice" (for voters who like to lie a lot to impress other people)
10. "We Voted" (for schizophrenic voters)
11. "MMMMMM, Voter Votin'" (for voters who can't get that Little Big Town song out of their heads)
12. "Did I Vote?" (for forgetful voters)
13. "I Got Donuts When I Voted, But They're All Gone" (for cruel voters)
14. "Gloatin' 'Bout My Votin'" (for voters who like to gloat, but don't like to use complete words when they do it)
15. "I Was Loaded When I Voted" (for those who have lots of money)
16. "I Was Loaded When I Voted" (for those who had too much to drink before they voted)
17. "I Was Loded Win I Vowtid" (for those who had way too much to drink before they voted)
18. "Detov I" (for dyslexic and/or vain voters who like to look at themselves in the mirror a lot and admire their own patriotism)
19. "I Voted for You" (for close friends of either Barack Obama or Mitt Romney who plan on spending the day with them tomorrow)
20. "I Plan to Vote Tomorrow" (for procrastinating voters)
In all seriousness, I would encourage all of us to participate in this important process tomorrow. It is a privilege and a responsibility, as Christians who live in a democratic society, to engage in the selection of our leaders.
We can play a vital part in the direction of our country, and we should vote in a way that reflects our morals, values, and commitment to the Lord.
I am not a very political person, so I don't get involved in many political discussions, but I thought I would weigh in just to encourage you to vote.
Plus, you get a sticker.
It's a win-win.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Thoughts on Halloween
Today is Halloween.
Hoo......ray.
My excitement level - as far as Halloween is concerned - is probably at an all-time low.
In fact, as far as holidays go, Halloween is probably one of my least favorite (only St. Patrick's Day trumps it on the "Apathy Scale").
As a recently-diagnosed diabetic with two small children to clothe/feed, I find that copious amounts of sugary candy and expensive costumes now have only a fraction of the appeal they once had.
I know what you're thinking:
"But Jeremy, you need to be excited about Halloween for the sake of your children! Don't you want them to enjoy it as much as you did?"
Be quiet.
Of course I want my children to enjoy Halloween (eventually), but since neither one of them is really old enough to know what's going on right now, you'll have to forgive me if I'm less than pumped about it this year.
Part of it simply comes from the fact that Halloween seems to get kind of "old" to me, as the years go by. I mean, it's just the same old thing, year after year.
I think, just to shake things up a bit, we should change Halloween from year to year. You know, just to keep people on their toes.
Here are some possible ideas:
1. Instead of watching scary movies, we could watch historical documentaries of people from other countries
2. Instead of bobbing for apples, we could bob for chicken breast
3. Instead of dressing our children up as super heroes, ghosts, vampires, etc., we could dress them up as our favorite City Councilman or our best friend from college
4. Instead of giving out candy at every house, we could give out tire gauges and magnifying glasses
5. Instead of rolling our neighbor's yards with toilet paper, we could knock on their door and simply tell them, "There's a wolf on your roof!". And then when they come out to check, we can run inside their house, lock them out, and stand in front of their front window, drinking their soda, pointing at them and laughing maniacally. We could call it "Wolfing".
[I haven't figured out an exit strategy for Wolfing yet, but I don't think it will be a problem]
6. Instead of teaching our kids to say "Trick or Treat" when they knock on a door, we could teach them to say random words like "Portable" or "Therefore"
7. Instead of doing cake walks, we could do cake tosses. I'm not sure how it would work, but I think it would be lots of fun
8. Instead of having witches riding on brooms, we could upgrade them to vacuum cleaners
9. Instead of jumping out of bushes and scaring people, we could cut down bushes and throw them at cats
10. Instead of sitting around campfires, roasting marshmallows and telling ghost stories, we could stand around puddles, spitting into them and talking about finance (and maybe politics)
These are just some ideas. Feel free to contribute some of your own if you like.
As I understand it, Halloween has evolved over the years/decades into something that is very different from what it was, originally.
Originally, I doubt that anyone who called themselves a "Christian" would have wanted anything to do with this event; but now, our churches hold special "Fall Festivals" and "Trunk-or-Treats" during this time and we embrace this holiday as a time for families to have fun and spend time together.
I think that's ok, and I think it's actually a good "shift" for this particular holiday to make.
Who knows what Halloween will look like in another 50 years? It could be very different than what it is now, couldn't it?
As a people, we tend to fashion things into what we want them to be, no matter how they started out, don't we? We cut and paste, add and subtract, and generally make things into something that fits/suits us, personally, don't we?
We change recipes because maybe we don't like some of the ingredients.
We order sweet tea and then add more sugar because it isn't sweet enough.
We buy cars and then spend thousands of dollars turning them into something very different than what we bought.
We play board games and make up our own rules (I'm talking to you, Brooke)
There is nothing wrong with doing any of these things...except for that last one.
But isn't it sad that many have done this with Christianity, faith, and even with the Bible?
It seems as if some look at these sacred, God-given concepts and say, "I like it, but I'd change this", or "That's good, but it would be better if we took this out".
When it comes to holidays, I don't know that it matters what we do with them, but when it comes to God's Word and what it has to say about Christianity, salvation, worship, etc.....it absolutely does matter.
God has spoken.
We simply need to listen, and obey.
But when it comes to Halloween, do whatever you want to with that.
I don't care.
Just be careful when you go Wolfing, because you might get arrested.
Or shot.
Hoo......ray.
My excitement level - as far as Halloween is concerned - is probably at an all-time low.
In fact, as far as holidays go, Halloween is probably one of my least favorite (only St. Patrick's Day trumps it on the "Apathy Scale").
As a recently-diagnosed diabetic with two small children to clothe/feed, I find that copious amounts of sugary candy and expensive costumes now have only a fraction of the appeal they once had.
I know what you're thinking:
"But Jeremy, you need to be excited about Halloween for the sake of your children! Don't you want them to enjoy it as much as you did?"
Be quiet.
Of course I want my children to enjoy Halloween (eventually), but since neither one of them is really old enough to know what's going on right now, you'll have to forgive me if I'm less than pumped about it this year.
Part of it simply comes from the fact that Halloween seems to get kind of "old" to me, as the years go by. I mean, it's just the same old thing, year after year.
I think, just to shake things up a bit, we should change Halloween from year to year. You know, just to keep people on their toes.
Here are some possible ideas:
1. Instead of watching scary movies, we could watch historical documentaries of people from other countries
2. Instead of bobbing for apples, we could bob for chicken breast
3. Instead of dressing our children up as super heroes, ghosts, vampires, etc., we could dress them up as our favorite City Councilman or our best friend from college
4. Instead of giving out candy at every house, we could give out tire gauges and magnifying glasses
5. Instead of rolling our neighbor's yards with toilet paper, we could knock on their door and simply tell them, "There's a wolf on your roof!". And then when they come out to check, we can run inside their house, lock them out, and stand in front of their front window, drinking their soda, pointing at them and laughing maniacally. We could call it "Wolfing".
[I haven't figured out an exit strategy for Wolfing yet, but I don't think it will be a problem]
6. Instead of teaching our kids to say "Trick or Treat" when they knock on a door, we could teach them to say random words like "Portable" or "Therefore"
7. Instead of doing cake walks, we could do cake tosses. I'm not sure how it would work, but I think it would be lots of fun
8. Instead of having witches riding on brooms, we could upgrade them to vacuum cleaners
9. Instead of jumping out of bushes and scaring people, we could cut down bushes and throw them at cats
10. Instead of sitting around campfires, roasting marshmallows and telling ghost stories, we could stand around puddles, spitting into them and talking about finance (and maybe politics)
These are just some ideas. Feel free to contribute some of your own if you like.
As I understand it, Halloween has evolved over the years/decades into something that is very different from what it was, originally.
Originally, I doubt that anyone who called themselves a "Christian" would have wanted anything to do with this event; but now, our churches hold special "Fall Festivals" and "Trunk-or-Treats" during this time and we embrace this holiday as a time for families to have fun and spend time together.
I think that's ok, and I think it's actually a good "shift" for this particular holiday to make.
Who knows what Halloween will look like in another 50 years? It could be very different than what it is now, couldn't it?
As a people, we tend to fashion things into what we want them to be, no matter how they started out, don't we? We cut and paste, add and subtract, and generally make things into something that fits/suits us, personally, don't we?
We change recipes because maybe we don't like some of the ingredients.
We order sweet tea and then add more sugar because it isn't sweet enough.
We buy cars and then spend thousands of dollars turning them into something very different than what we bought.
We play board games and make up our own rules (I'm talking to you, Brooke)
There is nothing wrong with doing any of these things...except for that last one.
But isn't it sad that many have done this with Christianity, faith, and even with the Bible?
It seems as if some look at these sacred, God-given concepts and say, "I like it, but I'd change this", or "That's good, but it would be better if we took this out".
When it comes to holidays, I don't know that it matters what we do with them, but when it comes to God's Word and what it has to say about Christianity, salvation, worship, etc.....it absolutely does matter.
God has spoken.
We simply need to listen, and obey.
But when it comes to Halloween, do whatever you want to with that.
I don't care.
Just be careful when you go Wolfing, because you might get arrested.
Or shot.
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