Doug Flanders's Blog

Ever since my wife published a free 30-Day Respect Challenge for wives to complete who were interested in nurturing their marriage and building up their man, we’ve been getting requests for a similar email series directed at husbands. And after years of waiting, my 30-Day Love Your Wife Challenge is finally available.

You can register for FREE by following this link. Once you do, you will receive a short, encouraging email every day for a month focused on a different way you can express love to the woman you married.

Completing the challenge is a great way to nurture your relationship and breath new life into your marriage. And for a double blessing, see if your wife would be willing to complete the 30-Day Respect Challenge simultaneously to your working through the 30-Day Love Challenge.

I hope both these resources will be a blessing to your marriage and will help you build your relationship into everything God intends it to be.

To dig even deeper into this challenge, you may want to read my book 25 Ways to Show Love to Your Wife, either along the way or once you complete the email series.

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“Anger is a survival mechanism”—that is the secular version of the story we tell ourselves, whenever we lose our cool. Our ancestors survived because they killed others while avoiding being killed themselves. It is all about survival of the fittest, and anger gave our ancestors the edge they needed. Acting first and asking questions later provided an evolutionary advantage. We are merely products of the refining hand of history, and anger is a by-product of that process.

The Bible, of course, gives a slightly different account of things. It shows that anger was with us from the very beginning, when Cain slew his brother Abel. The first two people born of woman, and one of them promptly kills the other. It didn’t take the human race long! Millions of years and thousands of generations were not required. No wonder Scripture is replete with warnings about the dangers of anger.

“But our anger is righteous anger”—that is the spiritualized version of the story we tell ourselves, whenever we lose our cool. You know, we are just like Jesus in the temple, except that we’re in traffic instead of the temple and the moneychangers are the other drivers. It is very satisfying to vent our wrath and feel that we are somehow being Christ-like, all at the same time. Makes a person feel sorry for the non-Christians: they’re just being obnoxious, whenever they throw a fit.

It is very satisfying to vent our wrath and feel that we are somehow being Christ-like, all at the same time.What is the worst you have ever lost your temper? What is the most common reason you lose your temper?What is the worst you have ever witnessed someone else lose his or her temper? Was it frightening? Did it seem Christ-like in any way?James 1:20 tells us, “The anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” (NASB) When you reflect on the times you have given in to anger, do any of those times qualify as righteous or Christ-like anger?The Bible commands us in Ephesians 4:6, “Be ye angry, and sin not.” (KJV) This would imply that it is possible to be angry without sinning. What would that look like? Does the reason behind the anger make a difference? What sort of behavior would be acceptable as non-sinful anger? What sort of behavior would be out of bounds?Christ is our example, but He is also God. Are there things He is able to do as God that we as mere mortals need to be careful about emulating? Might anger fall into that category?

We have very few examples of Christ getting angry. In John 2:13-25, it was directed at a very specific problem with a very specific group of people at a very specific time in history. Let’s examine those details and see if we can discern what Jesus—and ultimately His Heavenly Father—were so upset about and how it should influence the way we live today.

The original Tabernacle was built by Moses, in about 1450 BC, a year after the Exodus from Egypt. It was mobile, just like the Israelites themselves at the time.

After the Hebrews were comfortably settled in the Promised Land, however, King Solomon built the more “permanent” First Temple, about a thousand years before the ministry of Christ (1 Kings 6-9). Almost immediately, the First Temple began to accumulate wealth from around the world.

In 586 BC, the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar could no longer resist the temptation of such massive riches (estimated in the tens of billions), so they plundered the Temple and then razed it to the ground.

With permission from the Persians (who had recently conquered the Babylonians), the Jews were allowed to rebuild a Second Temple. The account is found in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah: Construction began under Cyrus and was completed under Darius in 516 BC.

The Second Temple rapidly accumulated wealth, as well, in the form of the Temple tax. Although it never reached the splendor of Solomon’s First Temple, it had acquired substantial assets (estimated in the hundreds of millions) by the time of Jesus’ ministry, having survived both the Greek and Roman occupations.

John’s account of Jesus’ cleansing of the Second Temple occurs at the beginning of Christ’s ministry. He quotes Jesus as saying, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.”

It is not until three years later, when He cleanses the Temple a second time, as recorded in the other three gospels, that Christ uses the phrase “den of thieves.” Apparently, the Jews had not gotten the message the first time, but had only progressed from bad to worse. It was shortly after this second cleansing that Jesus was killed, just as He’d predicted in the Parable of the Vineyard Owner (Luke 20:9-19).

Less than 40 years later, in 70 AD, the Romans destroyed the Second Temple. In the ensuing fire, the gold and silver within the Temple melted and ran between the stones of the Temple’s foundation. The soldiers tore up the stones to retrieve the precious metals, and all that remains of the Second Temple today is a portion of a retaining wall known as the Western Wall or Wailing Wall, where Jews can mourn what once was (the First and Second Temples) and look forward to the Third “eternal” Temple when Messiah returns (Ezekiel 40-47 and Revelation 21-22).

Read 1 Kings 9:4-9. Under what conditions would God allow the First Temple to be destroyed?Did Israel and her kings serve “other gods?”Do you think money or wealth might have been one of those gods?Matthew 6:19-21 says,

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (NIV)

Had Israel stored up earthly treasures? Was that where their heart could be found? Does Babylon and Rome looting the two Temples qualify as “thieves breaking in and stealing” but on a large scale?

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

In the Parable of the Vineyard Owner referenced above, the vineyard owner (God) kills the original vine-growers (the Jewish leaders) and replaces them with new ones (the apostles). The Christian Church (primarily converted Jews) then takes up the story both physically and spiritually where the Jewish story (to a great degree) ended with the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans.

Within a few hundred years, Christianity would become the official religion of the Roman Empire. The Roman Catholic Church would dominate European History for over a millennium and a half, longer than the Tabernacle, the First Temple, and the Second Temple combined.

What is fascinating, as one travels throughout Europe, is the number and splendor of the cathedrals scattered across the landscape. It is truly breathtaking. Pictures cannot do justice to the beauty and magnitude of these architectural marvels. St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome is simply astounding.

But sadly, many of these beautiful houses of worship are falling into disrepair. There is simply no funding or even interest in maintaining them. It is a solemn reminder that all material things, no matter how carefully engineered or beautifully constructed, are in fact only temporary.

All material things…are in fact only temporary.Would the gradual disrepair of the European cathedrals qualify as “moths and vermin” slowly destroying these historical treasures?Did the Roman Church put too much emphasis on physical structures? Does that seem to be “where their heart was?”Is it possible that they used the construction projects as a way to employ the poor? Might that have been their primary objective?</li>Could God have used the Roman Church to preserve artwork, literature, and a variety of other historical artifacts that might otherwise have been lost?

As Europe has become more and more secular, America has become, to a large degree, the focal point of Christianity. The question is, “How are we doing?” Are we focused on eternal things (God and other people) or temporary things (money and possessions)? Will the things we have built eventually be looted or fall into disrepair, or will they stand the test of time?

NOTE: This post is adapted from my Life’s Big Questions Series, which encourages readers to examine all of life’s questions in the light of Scripture.

Whether used for personal devotions, as family discussion guides, or in a study group, this series provides an invaluable resource for enhancing your spiritual walk.

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When a country engages in Total War, all of its resources and every ounce of its strength is focused and dedicated to the war effort. Every citizen from oldest to youngest is conscripted into service in some shape, form, or fashion.

There are no luxury items. Every meal is rationed. Curfews are strictly enforced, for even time is a precious resource.

Nothing and no one belongs to themselves in times of Total War.

It is “all for one, and one for all” in a life or death struggle for existence. The enemy will give no quarter and expects none in return.

Can you think of some examples from history when a country has engaged in total war?Did the majority of citizens consider their cause to be just and necessary and, therefore, worth the effort and sacrifice?Consider what you know about World War 2. Do you recall Rosie the Riveter?Why were women needed to work in the factories?What were they making?Where were the men?What were some of the things rationed in WW2?How were “Victory Gardens” and “Knitting Bees” important to the war effort?Have you known older family members or friends who were still hoarding odd things like rubber bands over half a century later?Were they combatants or did they serve the war effort in other ways?What are some other ways the war left an imprint on them?

Not all wars are total wars. Many modern military actions aren’t even considered wars at all, but are given names like “conflicts” or “interventions.”

Only a small subset of the population is required for these “engagements,” usually in the form of professional soldiers and contractors.

Can you think of some examples of smaller wars or conflicts?Since not everyone participates, do the majority of citizens need to agree on the justness or necessity of these types of military action?Think of the Vietnam War in contrast to WW2. Was everyone committed to the Vietnam War?Did the combatants receive support and appreciation?How did the lack of agreement on the “justness” and “necessity” of the war affect the national morale?Did this conflict also leave an “imprint?”Was it a good one?

 
As we look at the first few verses of Colossians 3, we see phrases like, “keep seeking the things above,” and “set your mind on the things above.” (Some translations use the words “heart” or “affections” here, instead.)

The passage (Colossians 3:1-4) tells us that we “have died” and our lives are “hidden with Christ in God.”

We are exhorted to not set our minds “on the things that are on earth.”

Does this sound like a limited engagement or a total commitment?Is it possible to become “so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good?”Which is better? (see 1 Corinthians 9:24-25, Matthew 6:19-20)Do we have to choose? (see Joshua 24:14-15, Luke 16:13)Do our lives show that we have chosen already?What are some things we might need to ration or repurpose to the Kingdom cause if we have chosen a total commitment? Money? Time? Mental energy? Talent? All of the above?

Psalms 90:12 reads,

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

Statistically speaking, if you are 35 and healthy, you have roughly 50 more Christmases to celebrate this side of heaven. You have 2,600 more Sunday mornings to worship with your fellow believers here on earth.

If your parents are in their 70’s they may only have 10-15 more birthdays, anniversaries, or other holidays to celebrate with you before they begin to celebrate them with our Lord.

Since our time on earth is limited, how does the idea of “curfews” or time management fit into the Christian worldview?Christ exhorts us not to worry about tomorrow (Matthew 6:34). Is it possible to “number our days” without worrying?Is it okay to make plans, so long as we use the caveat, “If the Lord wills?” (James 4:15)Are there some things of which we must say, “Ain’t got time for that?”With what activities do you personally feel the need to limit your time and involvement?Are these “time-wasters” the same for all of us, or will they differ from person to person?

 
Many people think of time or resource management in terms of a pyramid. The most important things are at the top and the least important at the bottom. Most Christians, for instance, would place God at the top of such a pyramid, family and friends in the middle, and work and play towards the bottom.

An alternative view is to look at life as a pie chart. The pie is divided up into different slices. One slice might be family. Another slice would be friends. Yet another would be work, or hobbies, or volunteer work.

In this analogy, God would not be a slice at all, because God owns the entire pie. He doesn’t just want the first slice or the biggest slice. He wants the whole thing.

God is not the most important thing. He is the only thing.

Everything else in life is but another opportunity to serve Him.

If you drew a pie chart of your life, what would be some of the slices?Would some of the slices grow or shrink at different periods in your life? School might be a huge slice early in life, but be very small later on. Can you think of other examples where the allocated portion changes?Does this alternate viewpoint seem to fit with Scripture? Does it make the idea of total commitment fit better?Look at each slice individually. Are there ways to creatively use each one for God’s glory? Can you eat and sleep in ways that glorify God? (See 1 Corinthians 10:31)Think about all the other responsibilities and activities that lay claim to your time. Are there God honoring ways to relate to your spouse? Parent your children? Keep house? Do your job? Surf the Internet? Coach little league? Shop for groceries? Be a neighbor? Drive a car?God requires a total commitment

He has purchased us with His own blood. We are no longer our own, but “have been bought with a price.” (1 Corinthians 6:20)

Every aspect of our life, each facet, both great and small, belongs to God. Isn’t it time to lay everything on the altar for Him, just as He laid everything on the altar for you? Isn’t it time to declare Total War? (Ephesians 6:10-13)

NOTE: This post is adapted from my Life’s Big Questions Series, which encourages readers to examine all of life’s questions in the light of Scripture.

Whether used for personal devotions, as family discussion guides, or in a study group, this series provides an invaluable resource for enhancing your spiritual walk.

Photo Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo

The most extraordinary thing about the tea plant is how extremely ordinary it appears. It is a variation of the common camellia and looks like nothing more than a common bush.

One’s first reaction upon seeing it is to think, “Really? That’s it?”

There are no distinguishing features, no gorgeous flowers, just a jumble of haphazard branches and a bunch of green leaves. What makes the tea plant special is the fact that the entire plant is permeated with caffeine—especially the leaves.

Caffeine acts as a natural insecticide to make the tea plant resistant to virtually everything that is typically harmful to other plants. Insects obviously stay clear, but so do fungi. Even animals dislike the bitter taste. Deer and rabbits, so harmful to other crops, will eat the weeds all around a tea plant, but leave it undisturbed, thus acting as natural gardeners instead!

The net result is that tea plants can be healthy and productive for hundreds of years (some 600 year old plants are still producing) without the use of external pesticides of any sort.

It’s what’s on the inside that counts.

That isn’t to say tea plants don’t require care. They do. Left to themselves, they will grow tall and wild, reaching heights of over fifteen feet with leaves that are high and out of reach.

To be useful, they must be pruned regularly—as often as every three weeks—for their entire lives. They require lots of sunshine, but also lots of rain.

The roots, however, are the key.

New plants are cultivated using cuttings from old plants. These cuttings are placed in soil that is saturated with water and contains a root stimulator. Once the roots have begun to grow, the water supply is temporarily cut off.

As the soil dries out, the roots begin to spread deeper and wider, searching for moisture. Then, just before the plant begins to wilt, the master gardener will add a little water, but only enough to keep the plant alive.

This cycle is repeated until the roots are strong and robust. Only when the roots are fully formed can the plant be moved from the greenhouse and placed in the ground. Even then, the tea plant will require three or four years of maturation before harvesting of the leaves can begin.

Paul speaks of being “firmly rooted” in Colossians 2:6-15. What does that mean for the Christian?What typically happens to plants whose root systems are not firmly established?What are some things that might prevent a plant’s roots from growing properly?

Typically, the idea of firm roots falls into two broad categories: doctrinally firm and experientially firm.

Being doctrinally firm means having a solid understanding of the basic tenets of Christianity. Being experientially firm means that those basic tenets have been tested personally and have held up under the trials and challenges of life.

Which does Paul seem to be emphasizing in Colossians 2:6-15—doctrinal or experiential firmness?Which does James emphasize in James 1:2-5?Do some denominations focus on one idea more than the other?Do we focus on one idea more than the other in our own lives?Are both ideas equally important? Why or why not?What are the pitfalls of becoming too focused on only one of these aspects of faith?How does the development of doctrinal roots affect or differ from the development of experiential roots? Can you think of ways you might deepen and encourage the development of both?

 When we look at the experiential side of being firmly rooted in our faith, the idea of trials and tribulations seems to be a recurring theme in scripture.

Are trials and tribulations an important part of growing in the faith? Are they a necessary part?Like the tea plant above, have you ever experienced “dry spells” in your walk with God? Can you share an example?Did God, the Master Gardener, use those times to draw you closer to Him? Did you, in fact, become more firmly rooted in your faith as a result?Did you “rejoice” during that time? Can you rejoice now, looking back? Can you imagine a time when you will rejoice at the beginning of a tribulation rather than at the end?If larger tribulations deepen our roots, might the smaller trials in life be part of the pruning process? Is frequent pruning necessary or beneficial in the life of a Christian? Why or why not?Is it harder or easier to see God at work in these less dramatic trials as compared to the larger tribulations? Should we rejoice, nonetheless?

 
When we look at the doctrinal side of being firmly rooted in our faith, grace is the recurring theme of Scripture:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Christ and His sacrifice on the cross on our behalf is the deep taproot of the doctrine of our faith.

All other philosophies wither and shrivel before the awesome radiance of God because they do not have this strong taproot at their core. Yet for those of us firmly rooted in the forgiveness and mercy of Christ, we bask in that light and flourish under its warm and loving glow.

We bask in that light and flourish under its warm and loving glow.

Some things live best in the darkness. We have all heard about pale fish with blind eyes swimming in the depths of the abyss, as well as mushrooms and fungi feeding on the death and rot of the forest floor.

Tea plants, however, are not such creatures; they love the light. Shade is harmful to them and stunts their productivity. They yearn for rays of sunshine instead. (See John 3:19-20)

Are we basking and flourishing in the sunshine of God’s presence? Do we yearn for it, “as the deer pants for streams of water?” (See Psalm 42:1)If we find that we are wilting, could it be that we have placed our faith in something other than Christ—perhaps even unconsciously—such as our own strengths and abilities? Is it time to reach deeper, by reaching out to Him?On the other hand, if we find that our growth in Christ is stunted, could it be that we are living too much in the shadow of sin?Are we willing to come out from under that shadow, or do we find the shade comfortable?Perhaps it is merely a little rest or diversion from the work God has called us to do—sins of omission rather than commission? Can neglecting to do the things we should do damage our spiritual health and growth as much as doing things we shouldn’t? (see Romans 7:18-19)It doesn’t require a big towering tree to cast shade in our lives. Are there smaller things that are casting a bit of shade in a corner of your life? Are tiny little weeds, with just a few scraggly leaves, stunting you? Is it time to pull those weeds, so that you may flourish as God intends?Passages such as Galatians 5:19-23 and Ephesians 4:31-32 list some things God would consider weeds and others He’d consider good fruit. Can you think of additional attitudes or actions that belong on either list?

 
Jesus also used the analogy of roots when He told the parable of the sower in Luke 8:5-15.

New believers are usually excited about their faith. Because of their enthusiasm, and because of their more recent and direct contact with “the world,” we often look to them to lead the charge in evangelism. Is this the best strategy, given what we know about firm roots?Who then should be leading out in evangelism? Is this what we actually see taking place within the Church?Have we become “choked with worries and riches and pleasures?” Those things can affect our fruit bearing in more than one way. How so?If this is the case, how can we fix it? Are we willing to set aside these things to pursue Him? Are we willing to “produce a crop a hundred times as great?”God is the Master Gardener.

He is constantly at work cultivating, nurturing, pruning, and harvesting. May we become firmly planted in Him with deep roots both within our minds and within our hearts.

NOTE: This post is adapted from my Life’s Big Questions Series, which encourages readers to examine all of life’s questions in the light of Scripture.

Whether used for personal devotions, as family discussion guides, or in a study group, this series provides an invaluable resource for enhancing your spiritual walk.

Photo Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo

There are six things that go into making milk chocolate: cocoa powder, cocoa butter, vanilla, lecithin, sugar, and powdered milk.

If you want dark chocolate, which tastes more bitter, remove the milk. If you want white chocolate, remove the cocoa powder. In similar fashion, if you want chocolate peanuts, add peanuts. Chocolate toffee, add toffee.

Every recipe has its ingredients. Take away an ingredient, and you have something entirely different. Add an ingredient, and you get something else as well. To be sure, they may be similar products, but they aren’t identical.

What if you made substitutions to the chocolate recipe above—ketchup instead of powdered milk, for instance—would that work? What if you added non-food items, like sand instead of vanilla?Have you ever made these kinds of mistakes in the kitchen? Did you serve the altered recipe to guests before realizing your mistake? What was the result?

When it comes to the gospel message, there are two basic errors that people make. The first is to remove ingredients. The second is to add them.

That’s the problem Paul addresses in Colossians 2:16-23: the attempt some were making to add dietary and holiday rules to the gospel.

What are some ingredients that people have tried to remove from the gospel over the years?Was Christ’s divinity one of your answers? Unbelievers commonly claim that Christ was a wise teacher, but not God. Does He give us this option?What about miracles? Thomas Jefferson cut all the miracles out of his Bible. Do modern philosophers do the same by trying to explain the miracles away?What about sin? People like to reclassify certain trendy or popular sins as non-sins, so that they can keep doing them without repentance or guilt. Can you think of a few modern examples? Does “tolerance” benefit the sinner in the long run?What about the concept of Hell and eternal separation from God? Do people sometimes try to deny these things? What would be their motivation?

 
When you walk through the streets of Rome and review its history through its art, there are a few interesting things that come to light. For example, the way angels are depicted during the rule of Constantine is very ambiguous. The angels are neither the chubby little Cupids of Greek mythology, nor the frightful giants of the Bible who must constantly say, “Do not be afraid!”

They are a blend.

Constantine wanted both his pagan population and his ever-growing Christian population to be able to look at the very same artwork and still feel comfortable. Likewise, idols built to gods and goddesses were not torn down, but merely relabeled as patron saints. The pagans would recognize the statue and ignore the label. The Christians would find comfort in the new label, but eventually began praying to dead saints instead of the risen Christ!

The Catholic Church has been around a long time and has sampled a wide variety of added ingredients: Rosary beads are a direct copy of the Hindu “Japa Mala” prayer beads. The elevation of Mary to that of near deity status was an effort to reach out to women by emulating the pagan ideal of male and female co-divinities, such as sun and moon, yin and yang. Santeria, with its merger of voodoo and Catholicism, is just another, more exotic example of this blending.

The early church struggled with Jewish believers wanting to subject Gentile believers to Jewish law. They wanted Christianity to be a blend of Christ’s redemption on the cross plus the old laws. What did the early church decide? (See Acts 15:29)What are some other examples of this early struggle? Do you recall Peter’s vision? (See Acts 10:9-16)What about more recent examples of added ingredients within the Protestant Church? Baptism to be saved? Speaking in tongues to be saved? Have you heard of Theonomy or God’s economy with its call for a return to Mosaic Law?Do our churches today sometimes add things to make the gospel more comfortable or palatable for unbelievers?What about within our own lives? Do we place our faith in Christ alone—or in Christ plus? Have we elevated certain decisions in our life to a higher status than they deserve? Dietary decisions, maybe? Politics? Homeschooling, family planning, or patriarchy? Our good works?

It seems that keeping the gospel message both pure and simple has been a struggle since the dawn of Christianity.

It is a struggle that has continued through the ages and is alive and well in our own lives.

Pray that God would give you wisdom to neither add to nor take away from the glorious work done by Christ on the cross.

NOTE: This post is adapted from my Life’s Big Questions Series, which encourages readers to examine all of life’s questions in the light of Scripture.

Whether used for personal devotions, as family discussion guides, or in a study group, this series provides an invaluable resource for enhancing your spiritual walk.

Photo Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo

Near the turn of the last century, America was at war with Spain, and President McKinley needed to get a message to a man named Garcia, who was the leader of a group of Cuban rebels.

Unfortunately, no one seemed to know exactly where in the thick island jungle the rebels were hiding. It fell to a man named Rowan to carry a letter to Garcia from the President of the United States.

Rowan took the letter, traveled to Cuba, and disappeared into the dense tropical foliage. He traveled on foot and in the darkness of night.

Several weeks later, he reemerged. His message having been delivered, he carried a response in his hand. Against all odds and without question or complaint, he had done what he was asked to do.

A journalist by the name of Elbert Hubbard was so inspired by this difficult task being so competently carried out that he wrote a short essay about it in 1899. The essay compared the quiet efficiency of the message bearer, Rowan, to that of the average American worker at the time.

The contrast was stark and anything but favorable to the typical employee of the time, yet the story seemed to resonate with the people who read it.

The essay was soon reproduced and began to spread. It grew into a pamphlet and then a book. Over 40 million people across the world read its message.

And its message was this:

Good workers are hard to find.

We need more men and women in this world who can be counted on to “carry a message to Garcia.”

Eventually, there were several movie renditions and “carrying a message to Garcia” became synonymous with doing your job and doing it well.

Over a hundred years have passed since the story was first told, but the need for competent, dependable, hard working people has not changed.Have you ever had to hire someone to work for you, even just for housekeeping, yard work, or babysitting?What are some of the things you worry about as an employer when you hire someone new?Do you ever find yourself expecting the worst, while hoping for the best?Have you ever had to fire someone? What was the reason? Was it difficult, even if justified?Is there someone at your company or job who is the “go to” person?What is so special about that person?Would you say that person exceeds expectations for the position that he/she is in?Would your company be better off if there were more employees like that?Are those kind of people born or made?Are the Christians where you work known as the best, most dependable and diligent workers? Should they be?What is your reputation at work? Do you exceed expectations? Do you set the standard of excellence?How does the quality of your work affect your Christian witness?Dorothy Sayers went so far as to claim that a believer cannot do shoddy work without “bringing Christianity into contempt.” Do you agree?

 
As we look at Colossians 3:17, 22-25; 4:1, Paul is addressing the extreme case of masters and slaves, so common at that time. The modern equivalent might be management and labor.

In the early days of America, the difference between managers and masters was very small. Young children would work long hours in squalid conditions for such low pay that their lives were virtually indistinguishable from those of slaves. It is still that way in some corners of the earth today, but is fortunately becoming less and less so. Christians have often led the charge in giving a voice to the voiceless and improving conditions for the oppressed.

What is the worst job you ever had or heard of?How do these worst case scenarios compare to what you know of slavery? How are they the same? How are they different?Should Christians advocate for those being mistreated? What if you are being mistreated? Is there a God-honoring way for you to advocate for yourself?What is the best job you ever had or heard about? If you include hobbies or volunteer work, does that change your answer?How big a role did your “boss” or immediate supervisor play in making the job good or bad? Did your co-workers have an effect? How about the work itself?
Paul tells workers to work “as for the Lord,” since it is actually Christ whom they serve.How does working for Christ instead of “the man” change our approach to our work? Our attitude about work?Who wins when we take this better approach? Our boss? Ourselves? Christ?Does our work ethic—the way we do the jobs assigned to us—reflect on our faith?Have you ever been laid off or been out of work? Were you glad to be employed again?Did you have a new attitude about work afterwards?Is there a different mindset between “having to do” something and “getting to do” something?Is your mindset one of having to work or is it one of getting to serve Christ through your work?

 
Paul tells masters to treat their slaves with fairness and justice. After all, the masters also have a “Master in heaven” who measures out to them in the same manner that they measure things out to others. (See Matthew 7:2)

Masters also have a “Master in heaven”

Modern business practice talks about internal and external fairness in pay. Internal fairness means that pay is similar for similar jobs within a company and external fairness means that pay is similar for similar jobs at competing companies.

When a company is internally and externally fair, workers are actually happier and do better work. Companies that pay slightly more than their competition get even more loyalty and even better work from their employees.

The opposite is true for companies that are “under the market” in pay.

Pay is just one aspect of fairness and justice to employees. What are some other ways an employer can bless their employees?There are both practical and spiritual benefits to God’s commands. Can you name some practical benefits of fairness and justice, whether in pay or otherwise?What might be the spiritual benefits to an employer who is fair and just?Do employees expect fairness and justice, or do they also expect the worst, while hoping for the best?Does being a good boss honor God in a similar manner as being a good employee?Can a boss exceed expectations, as well?Are the Christian leaders at your job known for fairness and justice? Should they be? Are you?

Many employers assume their employees will be lazy and dishonest. When Christians are honest and hardworking, they exceed their employer’s expectations and thus honor Christ. In similar manner, employers who are fair and just are also exceeding expectations and honoring Christ.

Both Christian employers and Christian employees are “carrying a message” to the world.

May all of us who carry the message of Jesus be known for doing our jobs and doing them well!

NOTE: This post is adapted from my Life’s Big Questions Series, which encourages readers to examine all of life’s questions in the light of Scripture.

Whether used for personal devotions, as family discussion guides, or in a study group, this series provides an invaluable resource for enhancing your spiritual walk.

Photo Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo

On January 8, 1956, five young missionaries were murdered on the shores of the Curaray River in eastern Ecuador by a group of particularly aggressive natives, known as the Huaorani. Ironically, the missionaries were trying to introduce those natives to the good news of Christ’s love. The story of their sacrifice became legendary within Christian circles and inspired an entire generation of believers.

What made their story particularly fascinating was the fact that one of the widows of the murdered missionaries returned to the very tribe that had killed her husband, lived amongst them with her young daughter, and eventually led them to Christ!

One cannot hear the story of Jim and Elisabeth Elliot and their friends, Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Pete Fleming, and Roger Youderian, and not be moved. It is the story of ultimate sacrifice on the part of the five young men, who died serving Christ. It is also the story of ultimate love and forgiveness on the part of Elisabeth, who reached out to the very ones who had murdered her husband.

The story has been told and retold in numerous books and films and can be summed up in the famous words of Jim Elliot,

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

There are, however, a few things that are often overlooked in the story’s telling—things have to do with timing and preparation and aren’t quite as memorable as the major events.

For instance, Jim had been bold and outspoken about his faith from the time he was in high school, so going into mission work was a natural extension of something he had been doing all along. In college he served as a short term missionary to Mexico and then returned to school to study Greek as a tool for translating the gospel. He didn’t go straight out of college into the mission field, though he wanted to; it took several years doing local ministry before he was able to arrange it.

He had actually been in Ecuador for nearly four years working as a missionary and learning languages when he was killed. He had been communicating with the natives who took his life for several months and had been staying on the river for six days prior to his tragic death. In other words, he neither rushed to his death nor went about his work unprepared.

Sometimes in stories and in life, we want to “skip to the end” and get to the “good part.” Is it possible that the “boring” preparation part is essential to making us ready for the “exciting stuff?”Do you play a musical instrument? Have you ever acted in a play? Which takes longer, the performance or the preparation? What happens if you don’t practice your instrument or rehearse your lines? Does the performance go very well?The famous coach Bear Bryant said, “It’s not the will to win that matters—everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.” Do you think that is true in sports? School? Art? Life?“It’s not the will to win that matters—everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.”

In John 7:1-24, Jesus’ family tries to get him to go to a feast and to make His ministry public. Jesus, however, declines for two reasons. First, “the Jews were seeking to kill Him.” (John 7:1) That seems like a reasonable reason to lay low! Ultimately, the Jews would succeed in killing Jesus—that was the primary reason He came to Earth in the first place—but it was not the right time for that yet.

Which brings up the second reason He declined: “My time is not yet here.” (John 7:6)

“Timing is everything,” is a common saying. How old was Jesus when he began His ministry? (Luke 3:23) Could He have started sooner? Later? Why did He pick that particular age? Why that time and place in history?Did you know that most doctors start working at age thirty? They spend four years in college studying basic science, four in medical school studying diseases and their treatments, and then four or more in a residency learning a specific application of that knowledge, such as pediatrics, obstetrics, or surgery. Would you want your doctor to cut corners in his or her education? Is the sequence of events and volume of experience important?In the case of Christ, He has existed from all eternity, so He really didn’t need to prepare the way a doctor does. Who then was being prepared during the thirty years prior to His ministry? During the three years of His ministry? His family? The disciples? The Jewish leaders? The Roman government? The people? All of the above?Do you sometimes feel stuck in endless preparation, anxious to be “doing something” interesting for Christ? Could God be preparing you for the task ahead? Could he be preparing those around you? Do you trust Him to do things in the right time and the right way?Do you trust Him to do things in the right time and the right way?

Not many of us will be called upon to die for Christ, although the recent school shootings in Oregon are a reminder that we very easily might.

If Jesus came to die at the hands of the Jews, why would He avoid being killed? Paul does a similar thing in Acts 9 early in his ministry. He escapes Damascus in a large basket, even though he was clearly willing to die for Christ. Was there a message that needed to be communicated before either could die? Miracles to perform? Work to be done?Is it reasonable to avoid death if possible? What if we are asked to deny Christ to save our skin? (Matthew 10:33)Jim Elliot actually had a pistol in his pocket the day he died. He had determined beforehand that he would not shoot an unsaved native to save his own life, which he knew was already hid with Christ. To what extent should believers exercise self-defense?Many Christians over the years have been “conscientious objectors,” refusing to participate in military conflicts, including Jim Elliot and, initially, the famous WWI soldier and hero, Sergeant York. Is it appropriate for Christians to defend their country? Will their “rules of engagement” sometimes differ from those of the country they serve (like Germany in WWII)? How should they address the situation when they do differ?

God put each of us on this planet for a specific purpose at a specific time and in a specific place. It sometimes gets frustrating when we feel that our life is not as impactful or exciting as we would like it to be, yet every aspect of our lives are ordained by Him.

God often uses those boring parts to prepare us and those around us for the interesting things that lie ahead.

NOTE: This post is adapted from my Life’s Big Questions Series, which encourages readers to examine all of life’s questions in the light of Scripture.

Whether used for personal devotions, as family discussion guides, or in a study group, this series provides an invaluable resource for enhancing your spiritual walk.

Photo Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo

In 1926, a set of female triplets was born in Zurich, Switzerland. The firstborn weighted only two pounds. Despite limited technology to care for such small infants, the triplets survived.

During their teen years, Europe was in the midst of World War II, and the oldest became interested in relief work. She decided to study medicine, over her father’s vehement protests. Because he refused to help her financially, she had to work her way through school and eventually graduated in 1957. She married another doctor and moved to America to continue her training.

She wanted to specialize in pediatrics, but because she was pregnant, she ended up pursuing psychiatry instead. Her name was Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, and she would leave an indelible mark on the field of psychiatry with her ground breaking work on death and dying.

Perhaps it was her own touch-and-go beginnings or perhaps it was all the misery she witnessed during her teen years, but whatever the case, Elisabeth felt a special bond to those who were dying. She began to reach out to people that others had written off as hopeless. Later, she began to lecture on the subject. Then she began to write about it.

In 1969, she published her seminal work, On Death and Dying. It became a best seller and was both revered and reviled, as all truly original things are.

The basic premise of the book is that those who are dying go through five stages of grief as they face their impending demise. The first stage is denial: There must be some mistake—the lab results got mixed up, perhaps? The second stage is anger: Why me? What did I do to deserve this? The third stage is bargaining: I’ll never smoke again if only the cancer will go away. The fourth stage is depression: What’s the use? I’m going to die anyway. And the fifth and final stage is acceptance: I am going to die, but there are some things I need to do first!

Have you ever known someone who was dying?Did you see them go through some or all of the five stages described by Kubler-Ross?What if you were given a terminal diagnosis, would you identify with some of the stages she outlined?Have you already made a “bucket list?”

Interestingly, the five stages of grief as related to death can also be seen in a wide variety of other areas that involve some form of loss or change. If your spouse decided to seek a divorce, for instance, you might begin with denial or anger and quickly progress to bargaining or depression, but after an undoubtedly painful transition period, you would eventually be forced to accept the dissolution of your marriage and move on with your life.

Have you ever experienced an unwelcome life change, such as moving away from close friends? A career-ending sports injury? A rejection letter from your dream college, a potential employer, or an inconstant sweetheart?Did you see some of those stages of grief pop up? Did you eventually work through them?Have you ever experienced an unwelcome life change?

In John 8:12-30, the religious leaders are confronted with a dramatic and undesired change in the status quo. They would no longer be the gatekeepers to God’s forgiveness. The law they had so long upheld and protected was finally being fulfilled. The ground was shifting under their feet, and they did not like it.

Think about the five stages discussed above: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Can you see the religious leaders exhibiting any of those attributes in this passage? Do denial and anger stand out?What about in the gospel story as a whole? Angry when they crucified Jesus, perhaps? Judas, depressed maybe? The thief on the cross, accepting Christ in the end?What about in history in general? Do some deny Christ? Get angry over Him? Battle helplessness and hopelessness separated from God? Try to bargain with God? Eventually accept His grace and love?

When we are confronted with the message of the gospel, we are first and foremost confronted with the problem of sin. Were it not for sin, we would need no Savior, no cleansing, no forgiveness.

It is only in the context of our own sinfulness that the gospel makes sense or has any real meaning.How do people typically respond when they find out their behavior or lifestyle is viewed by God as sin?How did you initially respond when faced with the sin in your own life and heart? Was there denial or anger? Bargaining or depression?How about now that you have accepted His love and forgiveness? Are there still pockets of unaddressed sin or corners of your life you are in denial about? Attempting to bargain with God? Depressed that you cannot find victory?Sin, like death, is a hard truth that we all must face.

Doing so is not easy. We will fight it—it is in out nature to do so. We will want to deny that what we are doing is actually sinful. We will want to lash out at God or at anybody else who confronts us concerning our sin. We will try bargaining with God and with ourselves. We will become despondent and depressed that we cannot continue in sin and still have Grace abound. But if we can come to the point where we accept that God’s Word is true and that sin must go, then we can also realize that His Love for us is unfailing and that His grace is sufficient to cleanse us of all unrighteousness.

NOTE: This post is adapted from my Life’s Big Questions Series, which encourages readers to examine all of life’s questions in the light of Scripture.

Whether used for personal devotions, as family discussion guides, or in a study group, this series provides an invaluable resource for enhancing your spiritual walk.

Photo Source: www.pexels.com

A few years ago, I was reading an article in Biblical Archeology Review. The article was discussing a pottery shard that had been discovered near the ancient Philistine city of Gath. The shard dated back to the time of King David and was inscribed with the name, “Goliath.”

Isn’t that incredible? I was ecstatic! Here was a secular discovery that helped confirm the Biblical account of David and Goliath. And I wasn’t alone in my enthusiasm; many hailed the discovery as the most important since the Dead Sea Scrolls. It was the kind of thing I was hoping to read about one day when I first started subscribing to BAR—and there it was, in black and white.

Strangely, as I read on, I found that the author of the article was not as impressed as I was. His take on the situation was completely opposite of mine. In his view, it was obvious that Goliath was just a common name at that time and in that area, which is why the name appeared on the shard. The author further reasoned that since Goliath was a common name, it had been utilized by the people of the time when they made up their legend about King David killing a giant. He viewed the tale like one would view Paul Bunyan and his blue ox—no big deal really. It was just another harmless fairytale.

This discrepancy in the interpretation of the discovery was a classic example of something called confirmation bias. Confirmation bias is a term that psychologists use to describe something we all do nearly everyday: We interpret new information in such a way that it fits into our preconceived ideas or biases.

If you are a Cowboys fan, and the referees make a tight call against them, then the refs are obviously “blind.” If you don’t like the Cowboys, then the same call seems completely fair. Politics is notorious for bringing out confirmation bias. If you are a Republican, then anything the Democrats do is suspect, and vice versa. Similarly, if someone you don’t like is kind to you, then they “must want something.”

We simply make up our minds, then make the data fit.In the illustration above, would you suspect that the author of the article on the Goliath pottery shard was a Christian or not a Christian, based on how he interpreted the discovery?Assuming that he is not a Christian, do you think there is anything anywhere that could possibly be dug up that would change his opinion about God (apart from the Grace of God, of course)?Christian apologetics is important—we must be able “to give an account of the faith that is in us”—but will we ever find evidence so strong or arguments so convincing that they can win over a hardened heart on their own?

Today’s passage in John 10:22-42 answers that last question definitively. The Jews, who are calling Jesus crazy and wanting to stone Him, have actually seen His miracles and heard His words firsthand. Jesus, Himself, explains why those wonders have had no effect on them: They are not His sheep. It is that simple.

If you are one of Jesus’ sheep, you respond to His voice. If you aren’t, you don’t. Period.Does knowing that non-sheep simply cannot respond to the shepherd’s voice change how you view unbelievers? Make you feel sorry for them? Make you want to pray for them?Would you get angry with a deaf person for not hearing you? Would you get mad at a blind person for bumping into you?Should we be shocked when sinners in fact sin? Can they do anything else apart from Christ?What if we get them to stop sinning in specific ways though legal means or social pressures, will that change their eternal status?Should we battle certain sins, such as murder and robbery, anyway? Should we keep the higher goal of leading sinners to Christ in mind when we do so? How would we do that, exactly?

The Jewish leaders were “biased” against Christ. Everything He said or did confirmed that bias. Apart from supernaturally acting on their hearts, Jesus could not win them over. No words, no miracles, nothing.

Are there people in your life whom you are biased against? If they dress up, they are “showing off.” If they dress down, they are sloppy or lazy. If they act mean, they are “showing their true colors.” If they act nice, they are “up to something.”Do you think there is anything they can say or do that will change your opinion of them? (Hint: they can’t)Is viewing another person in this way—as less than yourself and deserving of your disdain—a type of sin? (Hint: It is)Would you be willing to ask God to supernaturally change your heart and remove your bias against them, so you can see them the way He sees them, through eyes of love?

Unbelievers are biased against Christ. Apart from supernatural intervention, they have no hope. Pray that their hearts will be changed. In similar manner, we are sometimes biased against others. Pray that Christ will supernaturally soften our hearts towards others, believers and unbelievers alike.

NOTE: This post is adapted from my Life’s Big Questions Series, which encourages readers to examine all of life’s questions in the light of Scripture.

Whether used for personal devotions, as family discussion guides, or in a study group, this series provides an invaluable resource for enhancing your spiritual walk.

Photo Source: www.pexels.com

For nearly eight hundred years by the time of Christ’s crucifixion, Roman generals had been celebrating their foreign victories by having elaborate parades through the streets of Rome.

For one day only, a victorious general could ride on a chariot through the heart of the capital to great pomp and fanfare⎯the greater the victory, the greater the celebration. Sometimes there would be games to follow the parade, sometimes food. Spoils of war might be distributed. Monuments might be built.

Great attention was paid to even the smallest details of the parade. How long did it last? How many people and animals were involved? What did the general wear? What color were the horses that pulled the chariot?

Every general wanted to outdo prior generals, but only to a point. If he overdid it, a general might inspire jealousy from his peers or the politicians. He was due his victory lap, but he didn’t want to showboat too much. One of the reasons the senators assassinated Caesar is that he insisted on wearing his victory garb as everyday apparel!

The Roman victory parades continued long after the time of Christ. They lived on for centuries more, not only in Rome proper, but through adaptation in multiple other cultures as well.

When Titus and his father conquered Jerusalem in 70 AD and destroyed the Jewish Temple for the second time in history, they brought its treasures back to Rome and used some of them to help build the Coliseum. The scene can still be viewed today carved into the Arch of Titus in Rome. That arch was then the model for Napoleon’s Arc de Triomphe, where many a modern victory parade has been held.

Can you think of any military victory parade that you have seen or read about?What other types of victory parades are there? Sports, perhaps?In what other ways do people celebrate besides parades?At these celebrations, do people sometimes try to outdo one another?Is it possible to overdo a celebration? Do people sometimes make others jealous when that happens?Do unwritten rules develop over time about what is acceptable and what is not for any given form of celebration?Do those rules sometimes get formalized, like end-zone celebrations in football?

In today’s lesson in John 12:12-19, the Jewish people have a spontaneous parade for Jesus. They were probably very familiar with the Roman military parades and may even have been imitating them to some degree.

If Jesus is being treated like a conquering hero, what had He just “conquered” that the people had witnessed?In raising Lazarus from the dead, He had conquered death. Was this a foreshadowing of an even greater victory over death and sin that was to come? Did the people really understand what sort of victor Jesus was?What did Jesus ride instead of a victory chariot? What clothes did He wear? What gifts did He give out? What monument would soon be raised to commemorate His victory?Did the other “generals” become jealous of His victory and His parade?

In Luke’s telling of this story, the following exchange occurs:

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.”
But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!” (Luke 19:39-40, NASB)

Whereas the Roman generals had to sponsor and fund their own parades, this one occurred spontaneously. Even though it had very little pomp and ceremony, it still inspired jealousy amongst the Jewish leaders.

Furthermore, the Roman generals often tried to link themselves with various deities in hopes of appearing to be more than mere mortals. Jesus went the opposite direction. Being God, He took on all the humble trappings of humanity⎯but nature itself could not ignore His divine presence!

When you or someone you love gets over an illness, especially a serious one, don’t you naturally want to thank and praise God?How about when you see a beautiful sunset, mountain range, or field of flowers, doesn’t it make you want to glorify the creator?What are some other instances that make you want to honor and magnify the Lord? Beautiful music? The birth of a child?God is the creator and ruler of the universe.

It is the natural instinct of creation to glorify and honor its creator. Sometimes that natural instinct gets misdirected towards other aspects of the creation itself. Nonetheless, it is the duty and privilege of Christians to join with nature and the angels in praising and glorifying God for all that He has done and is doing. And we don’t need a chariot or a victory lap to make that happen.

NOTE: This post is adapted from my Life’s Big Questions Series, which encourages readers to examine all of life’s questions in the light of Scripture.

Whether used for personal devotions, as family discussion guides, or in a study group, this series provides an invaluable resource for enhancing your spiritual walk.