Two Trees - Which life will you live?

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits."

So, it would seem like the easy part is over, right? We make a decision for Christ. And, I would not say that the decision was totally ours -- but I’m not going Calvin versus Arminius on you. What does it look like when a life is yielded to God? Here in the next set of verses after Jesus charges his listeners to enter at the straight gate, and to walk on the narrow path, he turns to a warning about false prophets. Thank you Jesus that you warn us about false prophets. We should always be aware that there are many that are not preaching what is true about God. And, there are also some that are preaching a gospel, but they aren’t living the true gospel.

But, halt (as Lee Corso would say, “Not so fast, my friend!”), before we go off on a tirade about bad preachers and other “church folk”, what does YOUR life look like? Or mine for that matter? In the fall of 2008, I sat through a sermon series that knocked me for a loop. The title of the series was “Radical: What the Gospel Demands”. And, it was essentially a knock in the head that said we are indeed saved by grace alone through faith alone, but our lives after coming to faith must look radically different. In other words, at that moment we no longer live for ourselves. And, I know this all sounds familiar, but looking at the words of Jesus and saying let’s take him at face value is a lot different than most of us are taught. We MUST live lives that are yielded completely to God and that meet the requirements that Jesus lays out. What do these requirement look like? Well, first we are living lives that are not indulgent. The way you spend your money and your time are barometers that show your spiritual condition. Secondly, we must obey the primary command of Jesus Christ to his followers to teach other people what it means to worship God and baptize them making disciples to the end of the earth. And, as we do that, we care for the poor and those that are on their way to hell with an urgency that shows in our lifestyle. So, in the end there is a change on the inside that is reflected strongly on the outside. In essence I heard and believe that a life that pursues achieving our dreams (even the American dream) more than it pursues living out the Jesus commands (being led and sustained by the Spirit of course) is probably not truly bearing fruit for God.

So, what this has done to my life is to cause me to look inward. It has caused me to literally wrestle with whether or not my life lines up with God’s word. In other words, is the fruit that I am bearing good or bad? And, in the places where my life doesn’t look like God’s word, am I willing to yield to God, repent, and be obedient? And, quite honestly, I have been rebellious in some areas. I have gone through periods of refusing to pray. I have gone through periods of questioning my salvation as result of my disobedience. I have been so wrapped up in trying to figure out where I stand in light of all that I see in God’s word for myself. And, I think this challenge is good, because it is causing me to look at my fruit. Am I a diseased tree that today deserves to be thrown into the fire? Or am I a good tree bearing fruit. We will recognize false prophets by their fruit. We must also recognize whether or not WE as individuals have truly been regenerated (i.e. born again, born of water and Spirit, whether we are bearing fruit in keeping with repentance). Look at your tree and determine what kind of life are you living. Is it one that brings glory to God because God is inside of you helping to glorify him? If not, join me in praying for God to reveal it to you. And, then respond accordingly!!

So, in closing this entry, I know I will probably get some flack for saying that I question my salvation (and suggesting that you question yours) but, I think it is okay and healthy for all of us to question our salvation sometimes. Paul said in one place that we should “work out our salvation with fear and trembling”. And, he also said in 2 Corinthians 13:5 that we should “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” Because on the flip side, I would say it is a dangerous thing to walk in presumption. Being confident in your faith is one thing, but I think many have cheapened grace down to a prayer card form the first grade when they first said they believed in Jesus. And since that time, many have lived as they desire, not choosing to bear fruit, good fruit. Choose life, my friends!

Much love!!

Two Roads (There are really only two choices.)

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it.”

This is Jesus’ way of starting to close out his sermon. He has several impossible commands such as loving your enemies, doing good to those that hate you, not putting your good deeds on display that others may love you. And, his purpose in all of it was really mounting an impossible list of to-dos to show that the work that his Father wants from is to believe in the Son. That’s it. That’s how you’ll overcome the world, is by believing in the Son.

My take on this specific command from Jesus that we “Enter through the narrow gate (or straight gate as the translation may read) is that there are two choices that we have. There is one choice to make but only two options. If we are to enter God’s kingdom, the way is narrow and small. There isn’t a lot of room for error. Or the alternative is a broad path that is wide and very roomy.

Hearing this recently mixed with some other things made me think. The broad way includes options like all out rebellion against God. It also includes the proud attitude that “I am really okay because I am a good person.” It also includes the option to say that I am a Christian when there has been no change in your heart. But, to contrast these three options (and there may be more, but these are clear) there is a narrow road and small gate that leads to righteousness – that is right standing before God.

And, as I alluded to in the introduction entry to this series, I’m wrestling mentally, emotionally, and willfully to know whether I am dancing and silly little dance in this wide street or if I am crawling and scratching and moving cautiously in the narrow way. I think if we are to know that we know – or at least for me that is – we must wrestle. In the same way that Jacob wrestled with God until he changed his name, we must wrestle with the truths of God’s word to know that our names are changed and written in his book because in the last day, I don’t want to be found to have made the wrong choice.

20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street,
        she raises her voice in the public squares;
21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out,
        in the gateways of the city she makes her speech:
22 "How long will you simple ones love your simple ways?
        How long will mockers delight in mockery
        and fools hate knowledge?
23 If you had responded to my rebuke,
        I would have poured out my heart to you
        and made my thoughts known to you.
24 But since you rejected me when I called
       and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand,
25 since you ignored all my advice
       and would not accept my rebuke,
26 I in turn will laugh at your disaster;
       I will mock when calamity overtakes you-
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
       when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
       when distress and trouble overwhelm you. – Proverbs 1:20-27

In dealing with a child that came to stay with us recently, one night when we were against the wire of a deadline. I laid out two choices for him. I offered him an opportunity to do his reading assignment or lose a privilege AND stay up until he read. In his words, he said, “I choose neither.” What followed was a rather short discussion where I said, that is not an option and if you persist in saying that you choose neither (which is not one of your options), the removal of privilege is the default AND we will sit here until you read. And so it is with us by not choosing, we really are choosing to take the broad path. So my friends, I encourage both you and me to choose life, seek life, and cry out to God because he will not deny us. But we must make our choice before it is too late. Remember “only a few will find it.”

Almost forgot!!  (mUcH lUv mY frIeNds!!)

Two Roads. Two Trees. Two Houses. (Two Choices. Two lives to live. Two Rewards.)

Introduction

I’ve wanted to write a series on this blog. Here’s why. I keep complaining that I have complex thoughts, but I keep throwing out softballs that can be handled in a page or so (maybe even three paragraphs when the truth is, I don’t think in three to five paragraph intervals). Long running thoughts are really closer to three to five year intervals before they are actually resolved. And I think this topic is my best shot at getting something out there that is not nerve wracking (to you that is) yet serious enough to cover in a series. I’m thinking Intro, 3 main parts and a conclusion of it all is what we’ve got in store.

I’ve mentioned before that our church is participating in something called the Radical Experiment. As part of that, we are doing a few things that are intended to point our lives toward living for the glory of God by seeking to “make disciples of all nations”. Part of this experiment is to read through the entire word in a year. Accompanying this reading are several things, one of which is a sermon based on the text (or some portion thereof) that was read during a given week. So recently, a pastor from our church preached on the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew Chapters 5-7). The best part about this sermon is that it brought the text from these chapters together in a way that I had never seen it. With the division of chapters that have been ascribed in the bible, it’s not always evident how things really were intended. It would be like having me write a paper and then having you come along and reassign the paragraph divisions. It could make for some confusion on what the point is or was.

As I listened, I learned that there were three major sections to this sermon that Jesus preached. He had an introduction (that we call the beatitudes). He had a main point as seen in Matthew 5:17-20 (that our righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees and scribes). And, he had a time where he described the expected response or goal. And, that (the response) is the basis of this set of blog entries that I’m introducing tonight. Jesus tells us as he’s preparing to close his sermon that there are two roads. He then proposes that there are two kinds of trees. And, lastly, he says there are two ways to lay the foundation of a house.

I do not intend to regurgitate a sermon that I heard, but in keeping with the intent of the “random Jarvis thoughts” blog’s purpose, I will extend to you my thoughts on what he said and the thoughts that I had beyond what he said. And, in keeping with the reality of this blog, I must tell you that sometimes I hear things through the complexity of what I am experiencing. And, I have been engaged in a mental battle for about two years about what it means to be a “follower of Jesus Christ”. And, the reason that battle exists is because I think it can be missed. We can hear what someone else tells us it means to be a Christian, but it really is something you must know for yourself. And, you must know that you know without being presumptuous. Presuming on God will only get you killed. And for no extra cost, I’ll throw out God will allow us to roll along presumptuously if we refuse to acknowledge that he must reveal to us the way of truth… See 2 Thessalonians 2:10b-12

Jesus and Morning Care

Like an episode out of "Kids say the Darndest things", as I was riding to work one morning, I had to take a 12 year old friend to school near our house.  I was later than normal because my schedule was changed for that morning.  He asked me a question that I found very interesting. 
    
    He said, "Why aren't you taking me to morning care?"  [Just to give you a little background, "morning care" is a period before school begins where one of the teachers stays with the students that are dropped off super early...6:30 AM ]
     So I responded happily, "We have a different schedule this morning."
     But he whined, "But, I love morning care and I don't want to miss!!"
     So, with a smirk, I asked him why morning care was so important just because I was in one of those moods to have a good debate.  He didn't really give an adequate response.  So, I continued, "Tell me then, do you love Jesus?"
    He responded, "Yes!"
    This was getting good now!  I said, "Well, who do you love most morning care or Jesus?"
    And, now it gets gooder and more interesting because responded that he loved them both the same.  Just when you think you're making a breakthrough, the breakthrough falls through.

The conversation went on mostly with me trying to convince him that as a follower of Christ we must love Jesus above all else.  In comparison to our love for Jesus we must almost hate everything and everybody else.  But, the conversation made me wonder about my own life.  Sure, I'm smart enough to say that I love Jesus supremely.  I'm not a universalist, ya know.  But, in the expression of the way I live, there are things that compete for the adoration that only Jesus deserves. 

Family can be one of those things.  I love Kimberly and Caleb and "my momanem" but I know I must be careful that my love for them is Christ's love and not an idolatrous one.  Work can sometimes be one of those obsessive things as well.  It is easy to look at my job as being the source of my supply, but it isn't my source because it is God who gives me the ability to get wealth.  There again, I must enjoy my work but love the one who gave the ability.  And, I know the list could go on, but I won't persist.  So, what's your morning care?

Much love!!

Busyness has stolen my life

i've been too dang busy to blog because i:
 - work more than 40 hours a week
 - have the privelege of chasing a 15 month old around when i get home from work and on weekends.
 - get to spend time with his mama (if i'm lucky)
 - have to travel for work (sometimes for the whole week)
 - am in the middle of reading 3 books
 - am taking a class from 6 to 8 on Sunday nights (that requires more reading besides what is listed above)
 - have to do yard work
 - have to do house work (the parts that my wife doesn't like to do)
 - have to spend lots of time on facebook checking out what my friends are doing (haha!)
 - think complex thoughts that aren't always easy to blog about either because you would cast me off as a friend or just because they're hard to articulate.

i'm sure there's more, but i don't feel like thinking of it, so i'm quitting.  americans are busy people and apparently somehow i've gotten sucked into that mode.

much love!!

Childhood memories

So, lately I've been somewhere or seen something or talked with somebody about something that took me back to my childhood.

First, the new school brings all the school buses back to the highways.  And, it takes me back to when I used to ride Marengo County School Bus No. 22.  Yeah, you guessed it, I'm old and so was my bus.  The bus driver was Coach Washington.  He picked me up at about 6:05 AM.  I was usually the first to get on even though my stop was second or third along the way.  But, that also meant I was among the first to get off.  I was usually home by 3:30 in the afternoons.  Coach Washington was awesome.  He was a heavy black guy that had been a basketball coach at some point in his career.  He came complete with a constant piece of drool on his lip.  That reminds me of my 15 month old.

The second bit from childhood came when the family was eating at the Pita Hut a couple of weeks ago.  A kid came in and tried to sell us some doughnuts on behalf of his "church".  Out of pity, we helped him out, but told him to give the doughnuts to somebody else.  I pitied the poor fellow because I remember selling doughnuts.  The great thing about selling doughnuts where I lived though is that KrispyKreme was a special treat because there wasn't a KK store there and they weren't being sold in the grocery stores like they are now.  Yeah, I'm both ancient and country.  But, oh the misery of rejection when you attempt to sell something.  And, oh the pain of having to deliver the tons of stuff that you've sold if you do make lots of sales.   Fundraisers are a double edged sword.  So, mamas don't make your babies grow up to be salesmen.

And, the next memory came when I was talking to somebody about Saturday morning cartoons.  I got my fair share when I was little, but the minute my dad thought I was useful for anything (even holding his hammer), he took my Saturday mornings and turned them into opportunities to make money.  We either went to my grandmothers to do stuff (like cut hay, rake hay, bale and stack hay, fix pasture fences, look for the cows - if they got out of the pasture, chase the cows into the catch pen - so we could haul them away and sell them for you your steak or hamburger, feed the cows hay or feed, pull corn, shell peas, pull watermelons, collect eggs from the chicken).  Okay you get the picture.  My grandma lived on a cattle farm and my dad made me work on Saturdays.  And, if it wasn't working there, it was cutting grass.  So, guess what I'm buying a farm and a riding lawn mower.  Caleb's going to be working soon.  That way, he can be a great guy like his dad.  Yes, I can be vain.  :o)

Much love

God still hates idols

The church that I attend is participating in something called the Radical Experiment.  There are five practical components including:

1.To pray for the entire world
2.To read through the entire Word
3.To commit our lives to multiplying community
4.To sacrifice our money for a specific purpose
5.To give our time in another context

As you can imagine, this is pretty challenging.  And if you're trying to be a legalist about all of the components, you are either a professional Christian or you are about to jump of the bridge.  It takes the Holy Ghost and a lot of grace to even try to keep up especially when it comes to including family in the whole picture.

But, I have been really diligent about reading which brough me to the following scripture.

1And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, set thy face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them,
3 And say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys; Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places.

4 And your altars shall be desolate, and your images shall be broken: and I will cast down your slain men before your idols.
5 And I will lay the dead carcases of the children of Israel before their idols; and I will scatter your bones round about your altars.

6 In all your dwellingplaces the cities shall be laid waste, and the high places shall be desolate; that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, and your idols may be broken and cease, and your images may be cut down, and your works may be abolished.
7 And the slain shall fall in the midst of you, and ye shall know that I am the LORD.  -- Ezekiel 6:1-7

And, I just told you all of that Radical Experiment stuff and copied this scripture here to say that we are under a new and better covenant, but God still hates idols (even American ones ;-).  Things that you can buy or make or create in your mind that take the place of God in your life; yeah, he hates them.  So, be careful lest you idolize something and get destroyed along with it.  Reading the prophets makes me search my soul HARD!

Much love peeps!!