All posts tagged Heart

Directions for Running the Human Machine

by brad on April 4, 2011 in Counseling Reflection with 1 Comment

A Counselor Reflects on Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

“Moral rules are directions for running the human machine. Every moral rule is there to prevent a breakdown, or a strain, or a friction, in the running of that machine. That is why these rules at first seem to be continuously interfering with our natural inclinations (p. 69).” Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

It is funny how much we go back and forth on this one. Sometimes we desperately plead for an “instruction manual” for life. Other times we chafe at the idea of infringement upon our choices and preferences. This is not a conservative versus liberal distinction or a Christian versus pagan difference. This is a pendulum that swings in every human heart.

Directions for running the human machine would be moral in nature and are only needed if the machine tends to break down. The fact that we would ever ask for these instructions reveals our moral and wisdom inadequacies, but as soon as we catch a little positive (real or perceived) momentum we want to leave them behind.

The final sentence of Lewis’ quote reminds me of trying to teach my 4 year old anything. Our interaction starts innocently enough. I watch him struggle with some toy or game in the floor. His emotions grow down or angry. He looks to me for help. No sooner do I begin to speak than he thinks he has figured it out and says, “No, Papa. I know just what I’m doing” as he turns his shoulder between me and the toy.

On my good days I smile because that is such a picture of me. I ask God for help, but as soon as I think I’ve figured it out, I try to take life back. God’s plan might interfere with what I had in mind. At the very least, it would take away the joy and satisfaction of independence.

We have to begin to ask ourselves, “What is it that we really want?” Do we want simply to live well and experience love, joy, peace, patience, etc…? Or, do we want to conquer life on our own and define love, joy, peace, patience, etc…?

Most of us don’t want to completely rewrite the directions (Bible), we just see a few places where we could improve upon what God had in mind. Our situation is perceived to be the exception to wisdom. If that doesn’t completely blow up in our face, then we get a bit more comfortable in our revisions (being God’s advisor).

Eventually life catches up with us, we find ourselves in a mess, and we cry out for directions to life so that it wouldn’t be as painful. Yet when we hear the directions that would have prevented our pain, we often think they are simplistic and begin to make excuses: “You can be too legalistic about those things… Nobody really lives that way… Where’s the fun in that?”

The irony is that by the time we get into a mess and cry out for directions we are needing straight-forward advice, far from legalistic, and not having any fun. The ping-pong life of the human heart has returned serve. We beg, then we chafe.

In light of this, I would encourage us not to look for better directions but to find out how to become better students of what we have. I would further contend that becoming better students is not primarily a matter of the mind, but the heart. It is not our IQ, but our stubborn will that prevents us from following the simple, life-giving directions of our Creator. Following God’s directions begins with asking for a new heart.

A Collection of Quotes on Addiction

by brad on December 15, 2010 in Church Resource, Guest Materials with 1 Comment

What follows is a collection of quotes on this subject. They are not meant to sequentially walk through the subject or to comprehensively cover the subject. Their purpose is merely to expose you to a variety of thoughts and perspectives by Christian men and women.

“No matter how they start, addictions eventually center in distress and in the self-defeating choice of an agent to relieve the distress. In fact, trying to cure distress with the same thing that causes it is typically the mechanism that closes the trap on an addict—a trap that, as just suggested, might be baited with anything from whiskey to wool (p. 131)… The exposure event is thus a severe mercy, a potent bearer of shame and grace (p. 135)… In important respects, ‘the addiction experience is the human experience,’ since we all ‘have a habit’ where sin is concerned. Addiction shows us how the habit works, where it goes, and why it persists. In fact, we might think of addiction as a lab demonstration of the great law of returns, the law of longing and acting and the forming of habits that lead to renewed longing (p. 147)… When in full cry, addiction is finally about idolatry. At last, the addict will do anything for his idol, including dying for it (p. 148).” Cornelius Plantinga, Jr in Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin

“You can control things, but you cannot control God or your relationship to him. Proper worship is not only putting God where he belongs in your life but also surrendering control of your life to him. Impersonal things so easily seduce us because they put us in control, the place where every sinner wants to be. Here is one of idolatry’s great allures, yet it is at once also one of its great dangers. You and I were never meant to be in control, and when we are, we always make a mess out of things… The enslaving, addicting quality of idolatry must not be understated or ignored (p. 100)… Perhaps the biggest and most tempting lie that all of us tend to embrace is that our greatest problems exist somewhere outside of us (p.113).”Paul David Tripp, Lost in the Middle: Midlife and the Grace of God

“Sin is more than conscious choice. Like a cruel taskmaster sin victimizes and controls us (John 8:34). It captures and overtakes (Gal. 6:1 )….  In other words, sin feels exactly like a disease. It feels as if something outside ourselves has taken over. In fact, one of Scripture’s images for sin is disease (e.g., Isa. 1:5-6) (p. 33).” Edward T. Welch, Addictions a Banquet in the Grave

“Who would have thought? The treatment for addiction is to want something better than your addictions (p. 3)… You do your addiction because you like it. Maybe you want to change, but at the same time, you don’t want to change. You are caught between wanting to trust God and wanting to be God. Acknowledge this and you are walking in the right direction (p. 14)… You addiction went from being a friend to a lover to a slave-master (p. 25)… Right now [as you leave your addiction] it feels like you are giving things up. But in reality you are inheriting a new kingdom (p. 28).” Edward T. Welch in Crossroads: A Step-by-Step Guide Away from Addiction

“All sin is ultimately irrational….. Though people persuade themselves that they have good reasons for sinning, when examined in the cold light of truth on the last day, it will be seen in every case that sin ultimately just does not make sense (p. 493)…The Bible’s depiction of the human race is that today it is actually in an abnormal condition….  In a very real sense, the only true human beings were Adam and Eve before the fall, and Jesus.  All the others are twisted, distorted, corrupted samples of humanity (p. 518)…  Our view of the cause of sin will determine our view of the cure for sin, since the cure for sin will necessarily involve negating the cause (p. 616).” Millard Erickson in Christian Theology

“They become conscious of the fact that they have been merely fighting the symptoms of some deep-seated malady, and that they are confronted, not merely with the problem of sins, that is, of separate sinful deeds, but with the much greater and deeper problem of sin, of an evil that is inherent in human nature (p. 227, emphasis added)… Sin does not reside in any one faculty of the soul, but in the heart, which in Scriptural psychology is the central organ of the soul, out of which are the issues of life.  And from this center its influence and operations spread to the intellect, the will, the affections, in short, to the entire man, including his body (p. 233).” Louis Berkhoff in Systematic Theology

“In fact, the longer we struggle with a problem, the more likely we are to define ourselves by that problem (divorced, addicted, depressed, co-dependent, ADD). We come to believe that our problem is who we are. But while these labels may describe particular ways we struggle as sinners in a fallen world, they are not our identity! If we allow them to define us, we will live trapped within their boundaries. This is no way for a child of God to live (p. 260)!” Paul Tripp in Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hand

“There is a progressive character to this string of words that describes the turning away of the believer. The sinful heart, not wanting to live under the convicting light of truth, lives in the shadows and becomes weak and unbelieving. The unbelieving heart, having lost its confidence in God, has no reason to continue to persevere and begins to turn away. And the heart that has turned away, no longer sensitive to the truth of God, becomes increasingly hardened to the things of the Lord. What the passage [Heb 3:12-15] describes is a subtle acceptance of sin patterns, an acceptance that grows until it becomes a hardened turning away from the living God. What a terrifying warning (p. 144)!” Paul Tripp in War of Words

“Sin is what we do when our heart is not satisfied with God (p. 9).” John Piper in Future Grace

“Sin is not just about willfulness; that is, conscious stepping over God’s boundaries. Sin is also about blindness; that is, not seeing what needs to be seen in order to live as God has called me to live. The sinner is both willfully blind and blindly willful (p. 42).” Paul Tripp in “Strategies for Opening Blind Eyes” Journal of Biblical Counseling

“This is how idolatry grows in our hearts.  We want things and we aren’t sure God will give them to us, so we put our trust in other gods. This is THE problem of the human heart—misplaced trust. We value, love, and trust something in creation more than the Creator, and since there is nothing in creation that is intended to bear the weight of our trust, we are bound to live in fear.  All other loves must be subordinate to your love for Christ (p. 149).” Edward T. Welch in Depression A Stubborn Darkness

Self-Awareness: A Key Difference between Hypocrisy & a Hard Heart

by brad on December 6, 2010 in Counseling Reflection with No comments

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between being a hypocrite and having a hard heart?  Maybe I’m the only one. But I think it is a useful thought to explore. Depravity can come in different degrees (i.e., expressions, depths) even if it is “total.”

I believe these considerations will help us guard our own hearts from sin and more skillfully love those caught in their sin. Too often we just call bad, bad and think we have done our job. If we are going to be effective physicians of the soul, we must know the ailments of the soul particularly.

I would propose that one key difference between being a hypocrite and having a hard heart is the level of self-awareness the individual has about his/her sin.

  • A hypocrite is self-aware. He knows that he is not what he claims to be or is not doing what he expects other people to do.
  • A hard-hearted person is not self-aware. He is blind to the wrongness of his actions. His heart has lost the sensitivity to discern good from evil, truth from lie in the area of his particular sin.

Which is worse? I would contend that having a hard heart is worse than being a hypocrite. As a hypocrite, I would still be agreeing with God’s law regarding my sin. I still advocate for others to follow God’s law and feel some form of offense when God’s law is broken. Unfortunately, my self-centeredness would only allow me to detect when the violation of God’s law hampers my preferences.

As a hard-hearted person, I would both defend my sin and advocate for the freedom of others to behave (not that sin should be reduced simply to behavior) in a similar manner. I have reached the point that I have renamed bad, “good.” I must not only be given eyes to see my own behavior, but I must (before that) have my conscience enlivened to accept God’s truth.

What are some implications from this consideration?

  1. When we interact with someone who is continuing in a particular sin we should seek to discern if they are under conviction (neither hypocritical nor hard-hearted), self-aware but in denial (being hypocritical), or not acknowledging the truth at all (hard-hearted).
  2. We then respond to this person on the basis of their self-awareness.
    1. For the hard-hearted person we can only pray that God will change their heart and avoid as much personal/relational damage as possible (Matt. 7:6).
    2. For the hypocrite we can appeal to the part of their conscience that is active and seek to help them come under complete conviction.
    3. For the person under conviction (and really for them only is it wise/effective to) we remind them of God’s grace to forgive and the guidance of His Word to restore them.
  3. We recognize that a failure to change is not because we have not shared relevant, biblical information in a clear and compassionate way.

As for our own hearts, this reflection should cause us to be very cautious when we refuse the counsel of fellow believers and should urge us to live more transparently with our fellow believers as a protection of starting the hypocritical to hard-hearted slide.

Good and Bad Desires Do Not Exist

by brad on August 17, 2010 in Counseling Reflection with 1 Comment

A Counselor Reflects on Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

“It is a mistake to think that some of our impulses—say mother love or patriotism—are good, and, others, like sex or the fighting instinct, are bad… Strictly speaking, there are no such things as good and bad impulses. Think once again of a piano. It has not got two kinds of notes on it, the ‘right’ notes and the ‘wrong’ ones. Every single note is right at one time and wrong at another. The Moral Law is not any one instinct or set of instincts; it is something which makes a kind of tune (the tune we call goodness or right conduct) by directing the instincts (p.11).” Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

I think we too often treat good and bad as qualities (like hot and cold or sweet and sour) instead of directions (like East and West or high and low). In terms of what Lewis is saying, if good and bad are qualities then particular impulses inherently have a particular quality. For instance, mother love would be good in the same way that a jalapeño is hot. The definition of jalapeño necessarily includes hot.

Yet mother love can be both good and bad. Mother love is at the root of fond childhood memories and the negative cliché’s associated with the title “mother-in-law.” This is where the metaphor of direction (towards or away from God) is helpful. If I am traveling North to New York City and reach Canada, then I have gone too far North. North was originally “good” but the excess now makes South “good” and continuing North “bad.”

The movement of the “direction” is love.  Too often we try to think of sin as hate and holiness as love. But in actuality all sin is love and holiness is also love (just in the opposite direction). Consider the Great Commandment passage:

And [Jesus] said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 22:37-40).”

If the command to is to love God first and neighbor second, then I break this command by loving something or someone else first and second.  Therefore, all sin is love (in the wrong direction or order). Hence, Paul would warn Timothy, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs (1 Tim. 6:10).”

Hopefully this will help us in our battle with sin. Too often we have turned to God and His Word asking, “Tell me what I should and should not do; should and should not feel; should and should not think.”  This is a request for labels; not direction (or a tune).

Now, as we turn to God and His Word we can ask, “Tell me where my love should go; what should it sound like; what is the outcome I should strive for?” The answer to this question is not primarily rules, but outcomes.

A young pianist memorizes notes (and this is good for the novice). An experienced pianist reads the music, understands how the music is to “move” the audience, and delivers a song. As we read God’s Word and learn to follow it, let us begin with memorizing notes (learning good from bad), but let us not be content until we allow the Word to “move” us in the rhythm and direction of God’s heart.

Parental Discipline Assessment Tool

by brad on August 12, 2010 in Counseling Reflection with No comments

Do you miss the days of report cards?  For some of us that might be a traumatic question. But there was something nice about always knowing how you were doing. That is part of what can make parenting so scary. It is hard to know how you are doing.

When we do not know how to measure how we are doing, we tend to ride a roller coaster. On bad days we assume we are cosmic parental failures and that our kid’s life hardships will be our fault. On good days we are prepared to tell everyone else what they ought to do with their rotten kids.

Below is a “report card” of sorts to grade your parental discipline (printable PDF copy — CRC_PDAeval_BCH).  This tool, among many other things, will be unpacked as part of the “Effectively Using the Bible & Gospel” seminar.

Tuesday Sept 7, 2010
National Hills Baptist Church
2725 Washington Road; Augusta, GA 30909
9:00 am until Noon or 6:00 pm until 9:00 pm
$20.00 per person
Register at:
(706) 364-1270
www.crossroadsaugusta.org

What was the offense?

I. Pre-“Issue” Assessment: Are you and your spouse (if applicable) in agreement on this subject? Are there aspects of this subject you need to further study biblically or otherwise? Do you have insecurities or pet peeves that make it hard for you to be objective on this subject?

 

II. Pre-Discipline Assessment: (Circle One)

1.  Did you remain calm?                                                                                               Yes      No

2.  Did you restrain from making hollow threats of punishment?                Yes      No

3.  Did you restrain from shaming or embarrassing the child?                     Yes      No

4.  Did you restrain from physical aggression?                                                    Yes      No

5.  Did you resist viewing the episode as a power struggle?                           Yes      No

6.  How many times did the action occur before you addressed it?            _________

III. Disciplinary Conversation Assessment: (Circle one)

1.  Before acting did the child know the action was wrong?                           Yes      No

2.  Was the child asked to express what they did wrong?                               Yes      No

3.  Was the child asked to answer a heart question (see below)?                 Yes      No

4.  Was an opportunity for the child to repent provided?                              Yes      No

5.  Was discipline administered within predefined parameters?                 Yes      No

Discipline Administered: ____________________________________________

6.  Did you forgive and re-affirm love for the child?                                         Yes      No

7.  Did you follow through on discipline (if applicable)?                                Yes      No

IV. Post-Discipline Assessment: Heart Questions – What was it that was so important that you were willing to disobey in order to get it?  What were you trying to achieve with this action?  What desire were you obeying when you did this?  How would this action have provided security, identity, or pleasure?  Who were you trying to please or win their approval?  Do you think this was your “right”?

Key Theme of Heart Question: ________________________________________

What elements of this disobedience (activity, patterns, threats, peer presence etc…) have been frequently repeated in past episodes of disobedience? What instruction, discernment, or training is needed in the future to help your child mature? How are you preparing to help your child meet this struggle?

Real Change with Grit – II Corinthians 5

by brad on August 2, 2010 in Application Supplement with 1 Comment

The Love of Christ Controls Us (5:14)

What rules your heart controls your life. What you love most will determine your behavior. Primary relationships always get the most mental air time. Day dreaming reveals your current life dream. These are all different wordings of the same answer to the ultimate question, “Why do we do the things we do?” Answer: we do what we do to serve who we love.  That is as true when we sin as when we obey. It is as true when we are angry as when we express affection.

Paul is asking the Corinthians to assess his words and ministry based upon Who he loves most.  It is important to note, Paul is not doing this as a tactic to get them to excuse an outburst or moral indiscretion. That would contradict his entire point and a horrible abuse of this passage.  Paul is referring to his personal loving sacrifice as a way for the Corinthians to consider the accusation levied against Paul’s ministry—it was not outwardly impressive (assumedly, Paul’s opponents were flashier or had more charisma).

Reflection: Is it the love of Christ that controls you? One way to determine this is with the same dilemma that faced the Corinthians.  When you are faced with two options (choosing friends, church/pastor, books, etc…), do you choose the more outwardly impressive or the Christ loving option?  Paul made his appeal to the Corinthians on the basis of what should be “attractive” to a Christian. Paul trusted genuine conversion would influence them to the right choice.

Might No Longer Live for Themselves (5:15)

“But doesn’t God want me to be happy?” many people have asked as they struggle with a temptation that they are struggling to even call a temptation (after all that word sounds so negative).  To which God replies, “Yes, I do want you to be happy, but as the Author of happiness and the Creator of you, I know what makes for true happiness.”  This question is ultimately not about happiness, but trust.

Either we think we know best (and therefore live for ourselves), or we trust that God knows best (and follow His ways).  Either way we are pursuing happiness, but it’s just a matter of whose map we trust to get us there.  Jesus was very clear that this battle between trusting self and trusting God is foundational to happiness, “And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.’ (Luke 9:23-24)”

Reflection: When are you most tempted to trust your definition of happiness more than God’s? What expressions does this false trust usually take? In these moments what is it that you are after that appears more satisfying than God?  These are hard questions to be honest about.  Yet until we are honest about our God-replacements we will not replace our idols with God.  As you struggle to be honest with yourself and God, rely on the Gospel for the courage to see what is there. Remember, Christ became sin so that we would be defined by His righteousness not our failures or foolishness (II Cor 5:21).

New Creation with a History

(BCH_2Cor_5_handout for Printable PDF Handout)

 

In Christ we are a “new creation” (II Cor 5:17), but we still have a history.  We have habits, preferences, relationships, and a fatally-wounded-yet-living-flesh as baggage in this new life.  It does us little good to deny these things exist.  As we seek to reconcile these two realities without succumbing to the temptations of shame or defensiveness, it is important to ask two questions.

What does it mean to be a new creation?

  • Salvation is secure – when we become a new creation we die to death. Christ bore our sin. We are no longer the person who was damned to hell.
  • Residual guilt is false – there is no condemnation for those in Christ (Rom 8:1). Guilt over past sin is a tool of our adversary not our Father.
  • New gifts have been received – a transformation has occurred which should make us expect changes; namely, a heart for God’s kingdom and gifts to serve God.

What role does our history play in our life as a new creation?

  • We are exploring redemption – with the curiosity of a child we are to explore our new life. Our history gives us a basis of comparison for the superiority of what we have in Christ.
  • Our history gives a platform for ministry – we are a rescued captive called to rescue the captives. Our history gives us insider information about the enemy’s lies and traps by which we can express more clearly the message of redemption.
  • God is greater than [our particular sin] – without history we have no basis of comparison. To know that God offers the most love, freedom, hope, peace, or joy we need something to measure by. Our past is “ground zero” by which we begin to measure the vast superiority of the Gospel (and our growth in grace) to anything else that could be offered.

Introduction to the “Living Our Faith” series.
TOOL: “Using Prayer Time to Cultivate Ministry”
BLOG POST: “Teachers Equipping Ministers Through Prayer Time“

What Would a Truth-Telling Machine Do?

by brad on July 22, 2010 in Counseling Reflection with 2 Comments

Where would you attach such a device? To someone’s brain, tongue, heart? I am going to contend that you would attach it to someone’s eyes, because a truth-telling machine would have to alter what we see in order to change what we say.

In order to “see” (sorry, couldn’t help myself) where I am going with this, consider 2 Peter 1:9.

“For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.”

A lack of a growing character results in moral blindness. The best liars have to be convinced of their lies before they can ever be convincing liars. They “see” their world in such a way that makes their deception seem (at least) reasonable.

Ask someone who struggles with substance abuse, “Are you an addict?” and they will say, “No!”

Ask someone who struggles with intense guilt, “Does God accept your repentance?” and they will say, “No!”

Ask someone who works 50 hours a week and spends another 20 hours on hobbies and friends, “Are you a good parent?” and they will say, “Yes!”

Ask someone who cannot explain the Gospel but believes they are a good person, “Are you going to heaven when you die?” and they will say, “Yes!”

In almost every case the person would be speaking a lie, yet a polygraph would not beep and a truth serum would not change their answer. Why? Their answer fits the way they see their world. Until they see their world differently, they would not know they were lying. Yet their sincerity would not make their statement any more valid.

In light of this consider Jeremiah 17:9-10 and Matthew 13:13-17 (quoting Isaiah 6:9-10).

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?  “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.  For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.”

But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. Truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

I think this should change the way that we pray (for ourselves and others).  We often pray to “know” the truth, as if truth were merely information. We would be better served to pray to “see” the truth, recognizing that truth is the reality in which we live created/designed by God.

I think this could often change the way we minister. Often we assume that people reject Christ because they have the wrong “information” about Jesus. It is more likely that people reject Christ because they do not “see” themselves as needing a Savior.

This is hard, because it makes the Gospel both offensive and relevant. However, when we “see” and admit our constant need for the Gospel, then our lives can be used by the Holy Spirit (the only true “truth-telling machine”) to open blind eyes and free tongues/lives to speak truth.

Stewardship in God’s Family – I Corinthians 4

by brad on May 31, 2010 in Application Supplement with No comments

Stewards of the Mysteries of God (4:1)

As you reflect on this verse consider “The Parable of the Talents” in Matthew 25:14-30.

A good “steward” is someone who skillfully manages a commodity according to the owner’s intentions.  When you leave your children with a babysitter, that babysitter is a steward of your children.  You may have left instructions about completing homework, forbidden foods, or a bedtime.  If these instructions were followed, then the babysitter was a good steward and faithfully served you.

In I Corinthians 4:1 Paul says that we are to “serve Christ” by being “steward” of the mysteries of God (the Gospel and revelation of Scripture).  God left detailed instructions about how to carry out this stewardship – Matthew 28:18-20 most succinctly.  God also left instructions regarding when the job is completed – Revelation 7:9.  The only question is whether we will be found as faithful servants and good stewards.

Reflection: Do you feel free to disregard this assignment?  If we are honest, we all would have to say that we answered yes.  The question is, “What do we use to deceive ourselves into believing our ‘yes’ answer?”  Fear of rejection.  Pride and autonomy.  A plea of ignorance.  Spiritual ADD and forgetfulness. Believing it is less important than God says.  A lack of concern for those around us.  As you evaluate your answer, imagine it was given to you by the babysitter of your children after the babysitter’s neglect could have been the peril of your children.  How would you respond (both emotionally and in content)?  How do you imagine God responds when we treat the children/people He longs to adopt in that same neglectful manner?

Our Hearts Revealed (4:5)

Have you ever had the fear that other people would be able to hear your thoughts or watch your dreams?  This is the kind of thing that Paul says Christ will do when He returns.  Yet Paul does not say this as a threat to intimidate us away from cognitive sin.  Rather Paul uses this truth to promote patience, grace, and humility in relationships.

Paul says we do not have to guess at the motives of others, because God will make those motives clear.  Often many of our conflicts are like two school children arguing over who has performed better on a test before the teacher has graded the exam.  They each get worked up over what is said, thinking that if they convince the other, then they will have won the argument.  All the time the teacher is grading and their argument is useless (but passionate!).

Reflection: In what circumstances are you most prone to assign motive to the actions or words of another person?  Business, ministry, family, school, peers, authority figures, politics.  When you do this what are you protecting yourself from or what advantage are you trying to gain?  If your objective is good/necessary, is the discussion of motive necessary to accomplish your objective?  Most often when we focus on what are not called to do, we create an unnecessary distraction from the work we are called to do.

Relating as God’s Family

(BCH_1Cor_4_handout for Printable PDF Handout)

In I Corinthians 4:14-21 Paul uses many family roles and images to discuss the church and instruct the Corinthians.  This is a passage that should be put along side Ephesians 6:1-4.  In Ephesians Paul is trying to talk about family and realized he’s talking about Christ and the church.  Here Paul is trying to talk about church life under Christ and winds up talking about the family.

What are some of the lessons we should glean from this passage?

  • We must not confuse shaming with correcting our children (v. 14).  Statements made to belittle a child are an abuse of parental authority.  Venting our hostility at the expense of our children’s dignity is wrong.
  • The role of instructing our children is uniquely, although not exclusively, given to parents, particularly father (v. 15).  It is not the church’s job to disciple our children.  Parents come to church to be equipped to disciple their children (Eph 4:11-16).
  • Our primary tool of instruction is our example (v. 16).  Patience is only seen in the presence of an irritant. Courage is only seen in the presence of a threat.  In the same way, faith is truly seen in the response we give to the daily challenges of life. That is when we “incarnate” what we have been instructing.
  • Our children should teach their younger siblings (v. 17).  We should put our children in a position to teach what they have learned.  We should look for opportunities to point to their example and use it as a point of instruction, thereby, affirming their growth.
  • We must be consistent (v. 18-20).  If our children do not believe we will follow through on our instruction we will embolden their resistance.  Words alone do not soften the hard hearts we all have, even our sweet little children.
  • Our instruction should accentuate the choices our children make (v. 21).  A big theme of parental instruction is simply “choices matter.”  If we do not highlight this in our interaction with our children, we merely teach them to obey (good but temporary) to not think.

Introduction to the “Living Our Faith” series.
TOOL: “Using Prayer Time to Cultivate Ministry”
BLOG POST: “Teachers Equipping Ministers Through Prayer Time“

Rash Words & Unintentional Sin – Leviticus 5-6

by brad on May 3, 2010 in Application Supplement with No comments

A Rash Oath (5:4)

Scripture is clear a rash oath is wrong whether the sworn action is good or evil.  Rashness is in opposition to the character of God and, therefore, should not be in the character of God’s people.  To make a rash oath is to make an impulsive promise of action/reaction based upon an intense emotion (i.e., anger, fear, jealousy).

“Oh! That’s not a threat.  That’s a promise!” is the common reply when someone is called on the carpet about making a rash oath.  Rather than repenting of their sinful response, they multiply their folly.  Instead of allowing room for God’s wrath, submitting to God’s providence, or seeking God’s wisdom, the individual continues to play God assuming that without thought or reflection he/she knows the precise prescription for justice.

Reflection:  What kinds of situations most tempt you to make rash oaths?  Do these situations center on money, relationships, reputation, influence, or something else?  As you examine yourself in this way, recognize that you may well be “right” in your vowed action but “wrong” in your heart motive of revenge or control.  Allow the challenge of that thought to push you towards a greater trust in God.

 

Can We Sin Unintentionally?

(BCH_Leviticus_5_handout for Printable PDF Handout)

At first glance, reading Leviticus 5:14-16 would seem to indicate that we can sin unintentionally.  With a bit of reflection, however, we might be more cautious in this assessment.  The reference of “unintentional sins” in this passage has to do with ceremonial uncleanness.  These laws were abolished by Christ (Luke 11:37-41).  We no longer have fear if touching a vehicle which ran over a dead animal in the church parking lot puts us in bad standing before God as we enter the sanctuary.

In the New Testament sin was defined by heart more than action.  This is not an excuse, but it does reveal that sin and redemption are rooted in worship not ceremony.  We sin when we love, trust, fear, adore, rely on, hope in, or long for something more than God.  Another way to say this is that we never break the Second Great Commandment without first breaking the First Great Commandment.

As New Testament believers, when we sin (whether there was malice aforethought or not) we are revealing that our heart was not fully loving/trusting God.  If we are honest, we all do this quite often.  So while our sin was not cognitively intentional, it still fully reveals the condition of our heart not just the clumsiness near unclean things.

While this should cause us to resist the urge to blame-shift (which has been a strong tendency since Genesis 3), it need not cause us to fear or live in shame.  In Leviticus being unclean temporarily limited one’s access to God and God’s people.  Because of Christ’s death on the cross, we do not live with those consequences to our sin.

Part of our continual growth as Christians is seeing the constant implications of loving/trusting God in the details of our life.  Doubtless, as believers still in process, we miss many of these opportunities to love/trust God and, thereby, commit many sins.  However, these still reveal our heart.  Yet we can repent to a loving Father who is eager to forgive.  The freeness of His grace makes even our repentance an act of worship when we see it as another opportunity to love/trust God.

 

Making Wrongs Right (6:1-4)

What am I supposed to do when I find a twenty dollar bill on the sidewalk?  This passage gives us the heart with which to answer this question – make every effort to ensure that everyone gets the money they have earned.  The larger point of this passage is to ensure that our actions do not in any way defraud someone of their money.

At first this may sound like it is rooted in materialism.  But consider that most every economy in history has operated on the same basic exchanges.  We trade hours for dollars and dollars for stuff.  Too often we only think of the dollars and stuff without considering the implication of the hours.  To steal money is to steal life; not in the sense of murder, but precious time.

Reflection:  Consider a caveat to the last statement, “To spend money is to spend life.”  It is not a leap to say, “Spending is worship.”  Dollars are a currency form of hours.  How does this change the way you think of money (yours and others), budgets (personal and church), and everyday commerce?  Financial integrity is not just about protecting one another’s assets, but also about honoring the hours/days someone has already lived.

Introduction to the “Living Our Faith” series.
TOOL: “Using Prayer Time to Cultivate Ministry”
BLOG POST: “Teachers Equipping Ministers Through Prayer Time“

Approaching the Red Sea – Exodus 13-14

by brad on March 15, 2010 in Application Supplement with No comments

 

God’s Misdirection Play (13:17-18)

The people were equipped for battle (v. 18), revealing that they were expecting resistance.  Yet God knew their hearts were still fickle (v. 17), so God directs them through the “long-cut.”  Not only do they take the longer route, it is the long route with a dead end at the Red Sea. 

 The people still did not know what the Exodus was about.  They viewed Moses as their leader (14:11) instead of merely as God’s servant (14:31).  The longer route was intended to teach a final lesson to Egypt (14:4, 18) and to continue to shape the thinking of Israel.  They were used to one slave master—Pharaoh—and would grumble against Moses as if he was their new master.  They had much to learn about living free under God.

Reflection: How much of our suffering is because we are not ready to fully follow God and he must, therefore, take us on the long route to protect us from ourselves?  How often do we place God and God’s servants into the character molds of previous oppressors?  Notice how God continually reveals Himself by name and character in the book of Exodus to break through this strong tendency.

Doubt and Sarcasm (14:11)

 The progression seems to miss a beat.  Israel is afraid so they cry out to God (v. 10).  Then they get sarcastic and accusatory with God’s leaders. Where did that come from?  They just witnessed 10 amazing acts of God through Moses on their behalf.  Yet they talk to Moses as if this whole Exodus thing was his idea.  They do not yet get that Moses is merely God’s servant (14:31).

 Moses to his great credit does not personalize their venomous words (14:13).  Later in his ministry Moses will struggle to exhibit this kind of faith (Numbers 20).  At this time in his life, Moses knows he can’t take the criticism personally, because he has not been the one calling the shots or doing the miracles.  He is merely the messenger and Aaron does most of the talking anyway.

 Reflection:  Who do you turn on when you are afraid?  What form/tone do your words take?  What responsibility, expectation, or motive do you put on them that is unfair?  How do you personalize the fear or anger of others?  How does this personalizing serve to further distract the conversation from the main issue(s)?

Fear and Belief

(BCH_Exodus_14_handout for Printable PDF Handout)

 It was because of fear that God led Israel on the long route (Exodus 13:17-18).  Similar fear was the root of Israel’s rebellion against Moses (Exodus 14:11).  Now it is fear that corrects their hearts causing Israel to believe God and view Moses as God’s servant (Exodus 14:31).

 ”Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians,
so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.”

 Fear is central to belief.  Without an element of fear belief would be merely academic and factual rather than practical and devotional.  Prior to seeing the action of God at the Red Sea Israel could have said the words, “Yahweh is God and Moses is His servant.”  Afterwards those words resonated deep in their soul and were reverently precious.

It is important to examine the link between your own beliefs and fears.

  • What are the great events of your life which serve as markers?
  • Where was God in the midst of those events and how did they change your view of God?
  • When you grumble, doubt, or rebel who/what are you fearing?
  • As you examine those fears what do they reveal is most valuable to you?
  • Based on those values, what is your life really all about?

Use these questions to help you identify with the struggle and journey that Israel is on in the book of Exodus.  They are continually wrestling with what it means to live free under God when their history and experience makes that hard.  Let the interaction of your fears and beliefs allow you to draw greater encouragement and instruction from the activity of God in Exodus.

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