A Different Life

A friend asked via Facebook, “If you didn’t know Christ would your life be any different?”

My initial reaction was, “Well, of course!” But then I thought about it some more. I’m a good person and was always a good person (as the world understands a good person). When I became a Christian I didn’t experience any major change in my life. So maybe, my life would be the same.

The possibility that this might be true shocked me. I still make foolish mistakes. I still think in selfish terms far too often. I still sin. I am no better than anyone else on this earth.

Then I thought about it some more. I may not have gone through a lot of outward changes, it may have only been an inward transformation to start with, but it impacted my life in a way that made all the difference.

God changed the way I think: I try to relate everything back to Him. He changed the way I respond to the world: I have to daily remind myself that I no longer belong to the world. And through those changes he impacted other people’s lives.

The difference lies in the choices we make, in our actions and inactions, and, most importantly, in the strength to speak out for Christ. This is how our lives are made different. This is how we are truly set apart.

We can all live “good” lives, but Christ changes us so that we want to shout out His name to any, and all, who want to hear. God’s love burns within us like a furnace and demands we share this warmth, this life, with others. How can we not share the Good News about our Lord?

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” Mark 16:15 (NIV)

How different would your life be if you didn’t know Christ?

Faith Thinking

A Thoughtful Life – Part 1

This week in a short series I will describe the “thoughtful life” that we are asked to live as Christians, what it’s all about, and why it’s so important.

The thoughtful life, or the thought-filled life, enables us to experience all of God’s blessings because it opens our world to something greater than ourselves. Being thoughtful means we are informed, aware, and self controlled. Being thoughtful reminds us who we are and to whom we belong.

Part of this life - and what today’s post is about – is the necessity to think about our faith. It’s not enough to simply accept Christ into our lives one moment and then forget Him the next.

Any great artist must work at their craft. Any great thinker must exercise their mind. Any great relationship must be nurtured. To do our best, we must work at what we do and maintain what we have.

And so we need to learn all we can about our Lord and our faith. We must think about these things to grow strong so that we aren’t easily turned away. We must think about these things so that we can fully appreciate all that He has given us, all that He means to us.

God is worthy of our thoughts. He is our most precious treasure, now, and forevermore.

Think of that. Think of Him.

Extreme Sport

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Romans 12:3 (NIV)

As humans we are extremists. We often find it difficult to sit in the grey. We fidget in the in between. Because we are taught early in our lives the difference between right and wrong, we think we must always live in the absolutes of yes or no.

And much of the time this is true. There is no other path to God except through Christ. This is an absolute. This is a Yes! And this is the best extreme there can be.

But there is also the not so extreme. In the Romans verse above, Paul urges us moderation. We are to think of ourselves with sober judgement. We aren’t meant to think too much of ourselves, but neither are we to think too little.

In Proverbs 30:8-9 (NIV) the prayer is one of financial moderation. Give me only my daily bread.

Many verses speak of self-control. While we are meant to die to the self this does not mean we are meant to deny all happiness, joy or a life.

God blesses us with wonderful extremes and He also blesses us with the not so extreme. It is all a blessing when we live our lives with the measure of faith God gave us.

What extremes do you tend to lean toward?

100 steps

Mathematical truth: if you have 100 steps in a process and each step has a 99% success rate, then the chance of gaining a successful completion is only 37%.

I’m not a mathematician so these numbers boggled my mind. I had expected a higher percentage of success.

This led me to thinking about Christianity in the community. When we accept just a small amount of sin in our lives, then we represent the 1% of failure. Failure to trust God. Failure to glorify God. Failure to be living examples of Christ. We might think it’s a little sin. We might think it’s inconsequential, but sin – all sin – is abhorrent to God. And sin impacts the community in ways that can be devastating.

When we feel all warm and fuzzy over the 99% of good Christian living we are able to achieve though trusting our Lord, we are ignoring that 1%. But when we combine all of us together, as we must since we are one community, then that minor 1% on a personal level becomes a magnified failure in the community.

No wonder everything seems so broken in our society. No wonder we struggle and we suffer. It’s because we too often accept those “little” sins. We think they don’t have much of an impact. We don’t even notice them eating away at our peace.

So, the next time you feel that spark of pride begin to rule your thoughts and your actions, give it instantly to the Lord. And if it’s not pride, then ask Him to show you where your 1% of weakness lies. Ask the Lord to show you where you may have relaxed your vigil.

What are some of the things to keep you alert against sin in your life?

Fast Food and Christ

I was feeling a tad frivolous this morning, and food is never far from my thoughts, so I resurrected an amusing list I created for a youth group I used to lead:

10 Similarities Between Fast Food and Christ:

1. The more you have, the more you want
2. They both taste good
3. When you ask for them, they both come quickly
4. They are both filling
5. If you leave them too long, the desire for them fades
6. We often turn to them for comfort
7. We often want to try them when we hear other people rave about them
8. When we partake of either, we then need to exercise. (Exercise our bodies and exercise our faith)
9. We are what we eat
10. Just as fast food comes in many shapes, sizes and flavours, so too does the body of Christ.

5 Differences Between Fast Food and Christ:

1. Christ says that if we drink from the spring of eternal life we will never be thirsty, but the fast food people want us to remain thirsty so that we keep buying their drinks.
2. Fast Food encourages lazy people to remain lazy; Christ welcomes lazy people, but then changes them.
3. We have to pay for fast food, but Christ is free
4. Christ's promises are fulfilling, unlike the promising smells of fried chicken.
5. With Christ we are given eternal life; with fast food we shorten our lives.

Can you think of other similarities and other differences?

Recipe for a God Blessed Life

The Base:
14 bags of Burden
15 jars of Fear
1 bottle of Pride
1 heaped spoon of Impatience

Method: Mix these together in a large bowl and then hand over to Jesus. Do not take the bowl back. Do not make more mixture. If you do make extra, then hand that over to Jesus as well.

The Filling:
1 mustard seed portion of Faith
1 continuous flow of Prayer
1 heart filled with God’s Love
1 mind filled with God’s Word

Method: Throw into God’s hands all your Faith, stir in Prayer, then pour in God’s Word and God’s Love. Let the mixture infuse into your life. Be still. Stir in more Prayer.

The Topping:
1 spoon of Practise
1 cup of Perseverance
17 bags of Joy
1 truck load of Blessings
52 jars of Thanksgiving
1 God-breathed package of Peace
Note: These ingredients are provided by God. If you spill any, or run out, then God will provide more.

Method: Using the spoon of Practise, blend together the Perseverance, Joy, Blessings, Thanksgiving and Peace. Invite some friends around and distribute. You will have made enough mixture to share with your neighbour as well as anyone else you meet. Be generous. Repeat often.

My Mum ‘n’ Me

Deb over at Truth Vessel issued a "Tag" last week to all who follow/read her blog. The game is to look in your computer's photo files. Go to the 8th folder and choose the 8th picture, then post that pic and write about it.

My eighth folder is filled with images I took in 2008. The eighth photo was the picture you see above. It was taken on the balcony of a restaurant overlooking a winery in the Hunter Valley (about a 2 hour drive north of Sydney). We went there to celebrate my mum’s birthday.

My mum and I are best friends. We’ve gone through a lot together. We share all our struggles. We laugh at each other’s terrible jokes. We talk and we talk. We want the best for each other.

Because of this, my mum has been a powerful influence in my life. If you’ve read my testimony, then you will know that she is the one who brought me to Christ. And she had only been a Christian for a year. She became a minister and led many churches. She showed me that so much is possible if we only put our faith in God.

She even taught me the meaning of sacrifice. She gave up so much for her family. And she gave up so much for her Lord. My mum is an amazing artist, but she gave it up so that she could focus on her ministry work. At first I didn’t understand this. I thought she was giving up too much, but she always reassured me that when she retired God would give her the time to paint again. I am sure that conviction was what got her through some of the more difficult challenges she had to face.

Now she is retired and, yes, she is painting again. She works in the traditional mediums of oils and inks and watercolours. But her work is far from traditional. Every time I visit her the smell of turps fills the spare room/studio. Her eyes beam with excitement as she shows me her latest creations.

I love my mum. I feel so blessed to have a friend like her.

Who has had a huge influence in your life?
Is anyone brave enough to post the 8th pic in their 8th photo folder?

Making Sense – Taste

Taste is the fourth sense I’m looking at this week in my five day exploration of the senses.

Have you ever read any food reviews? They are often filled with flowery descriptions that include the presentation of the dish, the texture, the colour and whether it’s been properly seasoned. Very rarely do they ever describe the actual taste of the dish except to say it was good, bad or otherwise. They describe the whole experience.

This is because no one can accurately describe the taste of something unless the reader has already tasted the dish or something similar. It’s why so many things taste like chicken. It’s the closest comparison people can make that matches their understanding of an unusual dish.

For example, the only way I can describe vegemite to someone who has never met its distinct flavour, is to detail the key ingredients. I can explain to you that it’s salty because there is a large amount of salt in it. Most people know what salt tastes like, so I know you will begin to gain a vague inkling about vegemite. I can add that it can taste rather yeasty as well. You might think that means it tastes like bread, or perhaps beer. Neither is exact. You won’t truly know what it tastes like unless you find a jar of the gnarly stuff and brave a taste test.

Taste to the tongue is like colour to the eye. If you’ve never experienced anything like it, then you won’t be able to fully understand it or even appreciate it regardless of how well someone might be able to describe it. So too is our faith.

We can describe our faith to someone. We can explain what Jesus did for us. We can offer encouragement based on God’s word. We can teach Christian truths. We can tell people that God loves them and we can tell them how much God has changed our lives. We can even show them. But they can’t truly understand what faith is before they take that leap into God’s arms.

Some people call themselves experts on the scriptures. Some dedicate their lives to researching the historical accuracy of biblical events. Some attend church every Sunday. But if they haven’t accepted Christ into their lives, then they are not saved and they have no real understanding of what faith means.

To be saved they must take that step themselves. We can’t do it for them. We can promote God’s Kingdom, we can pray for them, but only God can change their heart and only they can decide to accept what God offers.

To a Worm in Horseradish

There is a Yiddish proverb that says, ‘To a worm in horseradish, the whole world is horseradish.’ This is very true. What else does the worm have? The worm is content. The worm only knows horseradish. The worm eats it and is filled by it. It knows what to expect from horseradish. It is easy for the worm to be convinced that the horseradish completes it.

And even if the worm is not content, even if the worm recognises that the horseradish is rotten, the worm knows no better.

But you and I know there is more to the world than horseradish. As Christians, we are asked to live outside the horseradish.

When the other worms notice us not feeding on the horseradish, not being of the world of horseradish, they will ask, “Why are you different? Why do you not partake of all that horseradish has to offer?”

And we can reply, “Worm does not live on horseradish alone.”

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Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’

Matthew 4:4 (NIV)

Which Animal Are You?

Are you an eagle or a duck?

Do you soar on wings like eagles (Isaiah 40:31)?

Or do you wander around the picnic grounds like a duck looking for scraps?

Are you a lion or a mouse?

Are you strong and fierce for the Lord?

Or do you hide and scurry about, lacking in courage to take a stand?

Are you a deer or a sloth?

Do you scale great heights (Psalm 18:33)?

Or do you go nowhere and do nothing?

Are you a dog or a cat?

Do you follow your Master, happy to do His bidding?

Or are you independent and indifferent?

These are questions you need to ask yourself.

Your answers will reveal how close your relationship is with God.

Do you give your all?

Or do you hold back?

Of Planets and Normalities.

Who wants to be normal? Who wants to stand out? Many of us want both, but is it possible?

Planet CoRot-9b is an exciting discovery. It was found in a constellation 1500 light years from Earth. Its orbit is similar to that of Mercury. Its size is similar to that of Jupiter and it’s believed that its surface temperature is between -20 degrees and 160 degrees Celsius. This makes the planet mighty similar to those in our own solar system.

This planet stands out because of its very normality.

We as Christians can also stand out for the better when we embrace our ‘normality’.

As a Christian it’s normal to show kindness when no kindness is first shown to us.

It’s normal to forgive the unforgivable.

It’s normal to love the unlovable.

It’s normal to care when no one else does.

These things don’t make us extraordinary. They make us normal in Christ. They may not always seem easy, but it’s God’s power that makes them possible.

And these are the things that make a difference. These are the things that people notice and remember.

We are not strange and unusual. We are normal.

Do you embrace your normality? Do you feel normal? Or do you feel highly unusual?

Show and Tell

One of the more important, and frequent, tips I’ve heard for writing narrative is to show the readers, rather than tell the readers. If a reader is ‘shown’ a scene, they can fall into the story more easily, otherwise they will remain disconnected from that story. No one likes to be told what to think. If they are shown, then they have the freedom to make up their own minds, the freedom to get to know the characters as they would normally get to know a new friend. The readers are pulled into the scene and they become involved in the story.

This too is the case when we share our faith. No one can gain any true understanding if they are simply told about Christianity. Unless they can see it for themselves, people can’t comprehend the phrase, “Jesus makes a difference to my life.” Words are empty without being able to witness the active reality of the power of God.

This is why Christ became a living example for us and why we are called to live as examples for others.

How are you a living example of the difference God makes in your life?

photo: taken while fishing at sunset at Kurnell, NSW, Australia

The Ides of March

Today is the Ides of March according to the Roman calendar. It is a date best known as the day that Julius Caesar was killed in 44B.C. For me however this date is best remembered because I had to study Shakespeare’s, “Julius Caesar” in school. For some reason what stuck in my head was the soothsayer’s warning to Caesar, “beware the Ides of March.”

I was never a fan of Shakespeare in school. It was filled with convoluted wording and difficult to understand concepts. I only learned to appreciate it later in life when I wasn’t forced to write boring essays on the subject. Now, however, I can genuinely say I like this particular play because it focuses on the main character’s struggle between right and wrong, friendship and politics, and the powerful influences of society.

These are the struggles we all face every day. We struggle with so much because we are human. It’s a part of who we are. Of course, we should never let that be an excuse to make the wrong choices or to allow society to influence us in a way that turns us from God. Instead we should always be aware of this weakness, to pray for strength so that we can continue the fight, and to always remember how much we need our Lord.