"Read Your Bible and Pray!"

I had the privilege of growing up in an excellent Christian home. We were the kind of family that was in the church building “whenever the doors are open.” I remember reading the Bible (KJV) from a very early age. And how about “Bible Drills”? and “Bible Clubs”? In that context, whenever the subject of spiritual growth (spiritual formation/transformation) came up the advice was clear and simple: Read your Bible and pray!

It seemed too simple somehow. And yet, so true. The regular, consistent practice of communicating with God through Bible reading and prayer is, in fact, the key element in our spiritual development. But we can make it too simple by reducing it to a set pattern or practice. It’s possible to read the Bible without ever engaging your mind. It’s possible to pray without ever involving your heart. So why is reading your Bible and praying so significant to your transformation, and what does it really mean in our real lives?

In 2004, Willow Creek Community Church did an extensive study of the “catalysts” of spiritual growth, asking the question, “What are the consistent elements and practices that drive the process of spiritual transformation for Christ followers?” They discovered several key ideas: (1) the most consistent driving force in a believer’s spiritual development is “Reflection on Scripture,” when respondents answered “frequent” or “daily” to the statement, “I reflect on the meaning of Scripture in my life”; and (2) the second most important spiritual catalyst comes from a “frequent” or “daily” agreement with the statement, “I pray to seek guidance for my life.” Read your Bible and pray! Easy, right?

So how is that working for us? And if we are consistently communicating with God by reflecting on Scripture and praying to seek guidance, why aren’t we more transformed? Anyone who has ever had a serious relationship with someone can testify to how important, tricky, and scary communication can be. The “typical” communication barriers between men and women have become well known. Communication challenges also exist between young and old, rich and poor, very educated and very uneducated, between various ethnic/cultural communities, etc., etc. Learning how to effectively communicate with another person is the most important key to a growing, healthy, happy relationship with them. But good communication is hard work and requires diligence, commitment and patience. All too many don’t take the time to develop good communication skills. Others who have experienced failed relationships are afraid to try again. However, anyone can master communication skills and grow in interpersonal relationships.

So what does that have to do with reading your Bible and praying? These two spiritual practices are a way of saying, “Grow in your ability to communicate with God.” And remember: Good communication requires commitment and persistence. And good communication goes both ways. If, as some have taught, 93% of all communication is non-verbal, developing good communication skills requires much more than the ability to understand words, both for human relationships and our relationship with our Father-Creator.

Prayer is not just a matter of words; prayer is not just mind-to-mind communication. Prayer is a matter of the heart. Remember what Jesus taught about prayer in his famous sermon: “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Matthew 5:5-8). Prayer is not public religiosity; prayer is about your personal relationship with God. Prayer is not about using the right words often enough; prayer is about your heart connection with the Father.  Prayer is not a way to manipulate God; prayer is intimacy with God.

Granted, Jesus did refer to the words involved in prayer (see Matthew 6:9-13). But even those words reflect the deep longing in the heart of a Christ-follower, communicating personal needs to a personal God. The words of prayer flow from the heart of the pray-er to the heart of God. Those words also reflect God’s heart-desire to commune with his children, to listen to their requests, and to bring encouragement and strength.

I believe God is speaking to us all the time – in our hearts, in the world around us, in Scripture. The simple fact is this: we have a hearing problem. We are seldom listening to God. Even when we listen we tend to do so through the grid of our self-centeredness. The first and most important communication skill is learning how to listen. “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:9). Having a regular, consistent practice of prayer and Bible reading is an excellent foundation for your relationship with the Father. To build on that foundation, take some time this week to listen. Read a short passage of Scripture slowly, prayerfully, listening to what God wants to say to you in that passage. Find some extra time to pray and focus on praising, then listening. And see if you heart is not strengthened and the spiritual development of your soul encouraged. It's just that simple – read your Bible and pray!

Seeing the Face of Jesus in “the Least of These”

When I first came to Christ in the “Jesus Movement,” following Jesus as the Way on the Way meant dropping out, having long hair and wearing sandals (“Jesus boots”). While that may be an extreme example, it’s not uncommon for people to have a fairly superficial version of what “the Jesus Way” looks like. What does it look like for you? Is it wearing (or not wearing) certain kinds of clothes? Is it avoiding (or listening to/watching) certain kinds of music? Movies? TV shows? Is it the nature of your vocabulary? Your political party affiliation?

First of all, let me make be clear in pointing out that “the Jesus Way” is a supernatural way of life. It cannot simply be imitated or scheduled. It has to be informed by Scripture and empowered by God’s Spirit.

That becomes increasingly clear as well consider the life, ministry and teaching of Jesus. Jesus had a unique perspective that resulted in a unique response to people and circumstances. One of the clearest examples is found in “the Parable of the Sheep and Goats” (Matthew 25:31-46). In this story Jesus contrasts the values and life-decisions of his “sheep” who have chosen to follow him and the goats who have chosen to go their own way and do their own thing. There are so many amazing things about this story so let me point out just a couple of them: first of all, Jesus provides a consistent list of behaviors that pertain to both groups – giving food to the hungry and drink to the thirsty, inviting the stranger (alien, foreigner) in, providing clothes to those who need them, looking after the sick, and visiting those in prison. (People were imprisoned for a variety of questionable reasons in those days and no attempt was made by the prison system to care for the incarcerated.) In every case, these behaviors are aimed at those who do not have the power to care for their own needs; they are the relatively powerless in society. It is assumed that the “sheep” have sufficient resources themselves and that they are sensitive to those who are under-resourced. Those who are following Jesus in “the Way” have learned to see “the least of these” the way Jesus sees them, and share his response to them, finding meaningful ways to empower the powerless.

But the perspective (and response) of Jesus goes even further: Jesus begins his list of Kingdom responses and behaviors by saying, “I was hungry . . . I was thirsty . . . I was a stranger . . . I needed clothes . . . I was sick . . . I was in prison.” Both the sheep and the goats failed to understand this claim of Jesus. “When did you see you hungry . . . or thirsty . . . a stranger . . . needing clothes . . . sick or in prison?” The reply of Jesus to this question is the central point of the parable: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it for me.” We know it is the primary point because Jesus begins it with, “Truly I tell you” (literally Amen, I say to you). Jesus fully identifies himself with his brothers and sisters, with those the Father has created. Remember Paul’s statement that Jesus is “the firstborn over all creation,” that all things have been created “through him and for him” (Colossians 1:15-17). Every human being is a unique creation of God, designed with eternal significance; every person, not just Christ followers, has a unique relationship to Jesus. He sees everyone as a member of his (created) family. In fact, Jesus has such a profound and complete solidarity with every person, he sees himself in them – and he invites his followers to see his face in every person. Only then is it possible to respond to every person in the same way Jesus responded to them.

Furthermore, scripture confirms the fact that Jesus has a special relationship with “the least [smallest, most insignificant] of these.” Perhaps it’s because they are the relatively powerless in the world, those who cannot fully care for themselves, those who are often ignored (or exploited and oppressed) by the powerful of the world. As a Good Shepherd, Jesus is passionately committed to care for those who will not be cared for otherwise – and he anticipates that those on the Way with him will do the same.

Some of the saints in church history have been given a special gift of seeing the face of Jesus in “the least of these.” Mother Teresa of Calcutta testified that she saw the face of Jesus in the face of each sick and dying person she helped. In the 1950s she founded the Missionaries of Charity, committed to caring for “the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, and all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout society, people that have become a burden to society and are shunned by everyone.” She understood the passionate commitment of Jesus to the vulnerable and rejected and she was given the grace to see the face of Jesus in their faces.

Do we have anyone like that in LaGrange and Troup County? Do you have anyone like that in your neighborhood? Your family? Your home? If so, do you see the face of Jesus in their face, or are they just an irritant, an inconvenience? The challenge of walking with Jesus on the Way surely includes the challenging of seeing every person the way Jesus sees them and responding to them as if they were his brothers or sisters, those dear to his heart – because in fact, they are just that!

SIN: An Equal Opportunity Employer

In 1988 the famous psychiatrist Dr. Karl Menninger published “Whatever Became of Sin?” As one of the “fathers” of modern psychiatry Dr. Menninger made the case that the biblical idea of “sin” still provided important explanations for what ails us humans. However, we still hesitate to talk much about “sin,” less we be accused of being “judgmental” or “legalistic.” If “sin” is the moral virus infecting the human race, and indeed all of creation, understanding it is very important. It has been said that an accurate diagnosis is 90% of the cure, so if we want the cure to sin we need to accurately understand what sin is.

Fortunately the Bible is filled with teaching about sin. In fact, there are several related words translated with our English word “sin.” The most common word for “sin” (Greek hamartia) simply means “to miss the mark,” to miss the goal of God’s glory being reflected in humanity and in creation (see Romans 3:23). Another word for “sin” (Greek parabasis) describes us crossing a border or violating a boundary, and is also translated “transgression” (see Romans 5:14). “Disobedience” (Greek parakoe) is another “sin” word, and refers to us “hearing alongside of,” placing ourselves in a position to judge whether or not we want to obey a command; it is selective hearing (see Romans 5:19). The old word “trespass” (Greek paraptoma) means to lapse or deviate from the truth (see Romans 5:20). The biggest word for sin (Greek anomia) is sometimes translated “iniquity” and refers to our sinful, lawless nature (see 1 John 3:4). Paul taught that whatever is not of faith is sin (Romans 14:23). James wrote that knowing to do good and not doing it is sin (James 4:17). John added that all wrongdoing is sin (1 John 5:17).

The first place where the word “sin” is found in the Bible is in the story of Cain and Abel (Genesis 4). These two brothers had a very different attitude toward God as seen in their approach to worship. When he came before the Lord Abel brought “fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock.” He offered his very best to God as worship. On the other hand, Cain “brought some of the fruits of the soil” as an offering before the Lord, showing a casual attitude toward his worship of God. When God looked with favor on Abel and his offering, rather than learning and repenting, Cain got ticked off and bitter toward Abel. That’s when God brought up the subject of sin: “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it” (Genesis 4:7). If Cain responded with repentance toward God and love toward his brother, he would be “accepted” (literally “forgiven”). However, Cain needed to have no illusions about the fact that “sin” was waiting like a wild animal at the entrance to his life, ready to pounce and take advantage of any opportunity to dominate and rule his life. It was possible for Cain to “rule over” sin, to gain the mastery over sin, but he wouldn’t be able to do so without a right response to God and others. That first story of sin is still the present story of sin.

When you look at all these facets of “sin” it’s easy to see that the essence of sin is self-centeredness, any attempt to live life independently of God. Evidences of sin in our lives include all of the classical hyphenated self-issues: self-indulgence, self-gratification, self-fulfillment, etc., etc. Our parents in the Garden chose to believe The Lie that a life under the authority of the Father-Creator was a limited life, that full human potential could only be realized independently of God. Seeing all of life with ourselves rather than God at the center is now instinctive for us; it’s part of our moral DNA.

Yes, sin is our universal, equal opportunity employer. And our boss pays everyone the same wage. “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Think about it! The definition is “death” is “separation from God,” so if the essence of sin is living autonomously, independently, separately from God, then it only makes sense that the consistent result is death. That’s why sin is the virus that is killing us, that has twisted and perverted the human person and all of creation along with us.

Various sinful behaviors are really only symptoms of the core of self-centeredness: dishonesty, fear, anger, stealing, hatred, murder, sexual exploitation, greed, etc. – none of these things would exist if we lived under the authority of God, if God was truly at the center of every part of our lives, if the love of God ruled our hearts and lives.

But here’s the good news: “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). The ultimate cure for the sin disease was provided by God in Jesus, beginning with the provision of forgiveness and cleansing provided by the death of Christ on the cross. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). But that’s not the end of the story – through his resurrection and ascension into heaven, through the power of God’s Word energized by the presence and work of the Holy Spirit – God has provided transformation from the inside out. We are being changed, from glory to glory, into the image and nature of Christ. In the end, sin will be defeated, the curse reversed, and all things made new and whole again. “No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads” (Revelation 22:3-4). That beautiful vision, that hope, defines the road we are now on, overcomers on the Way.

NOTE: I want to acknowledge my friend, Ken Malmin, who still faithfully teaches about sin in his Basic Doctrine class at Portland Bible College. 

We Are Family

Who thought up the whole idea of “family,” anyway? Oh, wait. It was God. It was God who insisted that humanity must be made up of “male and female” (Genesis 1:27). God thought Adam was insufficient, that he needed a suitable counterpart (Genesis 2:18). The result was – Woman! And Adam seemed very pleased with the result and broke out in song: “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (Genesis 2:23). Just a guy and a girl hanging out in the Garden was not enough for God – he had to insist on a long-term covenant relationship between them, inventing the institution of marriage. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). And what about kids? “Be fruitful and increase in number” (Genesis 1:28), and the family was born.

We can all agree that the family was God’s idea. Marriage is God’s idea. Kids are God’s idea. Families providing a healthy environment for little people to grow into happy, fruitful adults were God’s idea. But here are the facts: In LaGrange, Georgia 32.3% of the kids are growing up in a family with a father and a mother. Another 28.6% are growing up in single parent families. In addition, 47.3% of the grandparents living in LaGrange are raising one or more of their grandchildren. The condition of our families in LaGrange is both a reflection of and a contributor to the financial health of families: 21.6% of our families are living below the poverty level; 42.7% of our single parent families live below the poverty level. All too often these facts reflect a high level of stress and instability. Somehow the family recipe has become increasingly unhealthy.

The fact is, families look different in different cultures. It has only been in recent times in Western cultures that a “family” has been defined as a mom, a dad, and the children the two of them brought into the world together (2.2 kids on average). Other cultures do not limit the idea of “family” to this “nuclear” model but think more in terms of an “extended family” – parents and kids, grandparents, uncles and aunts, cousins, etc. In fact, most cultures define a family in terms of a “kinship network,” i.e., a community people in relationship who are specifically committed to the upbringing of healthy, happy children. I found that out when I spent some time in Jamaica and Uganda. After getting to know some of the families there the kids began to call me “Uncle.” Clearly I was not their Uncle, but it defined a certain role for me in the context of their “family.” As a college instructor I had mentoring relationships with quite a few Asian students; in that context I experienced being carefully held at a distance until they were convinced I would do well functioning as a member of their “family,” then I was really “in” (sometimes more “in” than I wanted to be).

In the book of Acts we see salvation coming to whole households: the entire family of Cornelius responded to the Gospel and were baptized (Acts 10:2; 11:4). In Philippi, Lydia’s household embraced the Gospel together (Acts 16:15). When Paul proclaimed the Gospel to the Philippian jailer, his entire family believed (Acts 16:31-34). “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household” (Acts 16:31). After preaching the Gospel in Corinth, the whole family of the synagogue ruler came to faith in Christ (Acts 18:8). In fact, Paul refers to the local church is referred to as a family: “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:10; see also Ephesians 2:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:10; 1 Timothy 3:15; 1 Peter 2:17; 4:17; 5:9). The local church is, in the end, a family of families. In that sense, we all share responsibility for the health of our various family units.

Here’s a simple proposal: Let’s begin by finding out what children need to grow into healthy, happy adults. Let’s commit ourselves to doing whatever is needed to make sure kids get those things – no matter what member of the “family” provides them. Then let’s agree on the insights and instructions given to us in Scripture for the developmental needs of kids and effective ways of meeting those needs. In the end, the old African proverb is true: “It takes a village to raise a child.” It’s unrealistic (and unfair) to expect all our single parent homes to provide everything every child needs to grow into a healthy, happy adult. We need “Uncles” and “Aunties” in the community ready to step up and meet some of those needs. We need “Mentors,” adults committed to kids and to meeting the needs of kids, committed to the effective development of fruitful and fulfilled adults. We need new role models in our “village.” We need marriage mentors and parenting mentors to help our new, young families who maybe did not grow with models in their lives. And what better place to see that happen than in God’s Kingdom Community – the Church of Jesus Christ.

Are you ready to accept the challenge? Then begin by asking God to put a new love for kids in your heart. Then determine to find out what the Bible says about growing Kingdom Kids God’s way. Let’s begin now to examine God’s Word in the Devotional and Discussion below with a commitment to applying Scripture to our circumstance and season of life, confident that God will show us the way and make us a blessing.