So Many Trivial Treasures

There are many things we all chase after most of which are trivial.  So many conversations in which we engage (both internally in our minds, and externally with others) are focused on the job we work, the house we live in, the car we drive, the money we make (or wished we made), the sports we watch, the recreational activities we engage, and so many similar fleeting things.  We know better that these things don't ultimately satisfy us, but we continue going to these various "wells" of refreshment hoping that it will give us that same thrill and somehow sustain us.

When All is Stripped Away

There is rarely the time in this life where we recognize the sufficiency of God.  The fact of the matter is that we don't often have any concept of how needy we are, nor how sufficient He is.  And this is because too many of our "things" get in the way.  As the life of Moses came to an end it was Joshua who was left with the responsibility of leading the people of Israel into the promised land.  It may not seem like such a big responsibility, but consider a few things: 1) there were an estimated 1.5 to 2 million people he was leading, 2) there stood in the promised land nations and cities of people who will war against Israel, 3) Joshua had never led before, and 4) Moses, his friend, and leader is gone.  We get the indication that Joshua was exceptionally frightened by what was upon him and in front of him because three times in verses 1-9 of the first chapter of Joshua we hear these words "Be strong and courageous."  God is the one who said this and He did so because He knows what Joshua knows: that Joshua is neither strong nor courageous.

Not This Life, But the LIFE TO COME

Pain is a wonderful reminder of our vulnerability.  It exposes just how needy we are.  It grips us with a deep desire for both how things were in a day prior, and births from somewhere within a hope that one day we will find relief.  It causes us a brokenness in us where others can finally see the person who cries, who suffers, and who "can't do" the simple, mundane things previously taken for granted.  And pain exposes the innate desire of every human who has ever lived: to be happy.

Perspective on Living by Faith

If you have been a Christian for any time you have probably met them.  They are everywhere.  They are these "super-Christians" for whom everything seems to go just as they want, or as they planned.  And while maybe it doesn't (and of course it doesn't) they at least convince us that more faith is the key to our life's journey, even as theirs has been changed by such faith.  They use phrases like, "Well you need to believe more," and "Put all your faith in God," especially to encourage us on through our trying seasons.  They ultimately cause us to think that there is quite a bit less faith in us such that God will not answer us until our faith rises to a higher level.  While I believe there can be some truth to that, I do not think we understand faith rightly if that is all we can say to people.

Does Christ Really Have ALL AUTHORITY?

I have found myself wrestling with the words of Jesus from Matthew 28:18 lately where He says, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me."  I have never given much thought to these words, in fact I knew they were there but always made the verses following the focus of my attention.  But the entire commission that Christ gave unto His Apostles was based on the authority that He claimed (note: He uses the word "therefore" in v. 19 to create a link back to what He said in v. 18 about His authority).  

God's Throne: To Approach or Not to Approach?

I've never dared to during any term of a recent or current president, or felt the need to hop the fence outside the White House and go to the front door and demand to talk to the president to ask for what I wanted and needed.  Indeed, I'd probably be tackled, and afterwards face some considerable legal action against me.  Now consider: the presidency of the United States is every bit nothing in comparison to the throne of God.  There have been 44 U.S. presidents...but ONE GOD.  The office of president was first assumed in 1789...but GOD has reigned for eternity, from before time.  And every 4 years we at least hold another election to determine the next president of the U.S...but in 10 billion years GOD will remain and He will be on THE THRONE and will be on this throne FOREVER.

Consumers of What?

Nobody has to labor to prove it, we know it.  We are all consumers.  We constantly find ourselves consuming our favorite foods, our favorite shows and movies, and time with our favorite people.  Of course the world around us knows we are consumers and we feed their desire to acquire more money so they can consume as they will, when we consume what they place before us.  

But something troubles me.  Something that has been happening for sometime in the church.  The church has bought the lie that we need to appeal to the consumerism among us and go to all lengths to get people to attend at which time then we might impact their lives with our message.  I'd expect this philosophy from the world, but not of the church.  Yes, our intention is every bit on par, namely to make Christ known.  But our failure is in having way too many things up in the faces of these who consume what we place in front of them such that their sight of Christ is obstructed.  They see but a part of Christ (if they see any part at all) and while they might be intrigued by His seeming glories, they are not sure what to do with Him.  And so again they continue to consume with more readiness, in increasing measure, all the peripheral things we've put before them. 

The fact is many churches we walk into any more will say much of what they have, what they do, how to get involved.  You will likely hear more about those throughout the course of the service than of Christ.  When is the last time you walked into a church and someone said, "We have JESUS!"  And when is the last time we even asked the question, "Do they have JESUS here?"  But likely we don't ask such a question.  Maybe that is because our all-consuming propensity is engaged and satisfied, or at least distracted by things so far less than Christ.

My soul, your soul, and every soul out there is hungry and we are all hungry for the same.  We are hungry for Jesus.  I am less convinced that any sort of appeal to "consumers" needs to be done in order to connect with people.  We are already connected with so many people.  Relationships are the antidote for the poison of consumerism.  We will only continue to be consumers, there is no denying that.  But we will not cause people to get close to Christ, neither will we get close to Christ by consuming so many peripheral things.  When we put Christ on display, when He is present in our meetings, in our relationships, in all our efforts, where He becomes the object of our everything, that is when lives will be changed.  So...be sure you are consuming Jesus.  Be sure you are helping others consume Jesus.  He is everything we need and will desire, we just need to better see Him.  Learn to sift through all the things you have regularly consumed that are nothing more than a front door to viewing HIM.