Walking on Water

When Peter tried to walk on water, he took his eyes off Jesus and sank. But Jesus picked him up, saying, “You have so little faith. Why did you doubt me?” (Matt. 14). Likewise, on our journey of faith, each of us is confronted by doubts—we cry out, “Lord, help me overcome my unbelief”  (Mark 9:24). Having doubts is normal. The important thing is how we handle them.

Imagine that doubt is a fork-in-the-road of faith (we'll have many of these in a lifetime). One road leads to the resolution of doubt to greater faith. The other is a dead-end of double-mindedness (James 1:8).

Double-mindedness (not doubt) was the primal sin: “I am afraid that you will be led astray from your pure and undivided devotion to Christ just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s craftiness” (2 Co. 11:3). Jesus attributes Martha's anxiety to double-mindedness while honoring Mary's singular attention on Him. (Luke 10:41-42). So, to the degree we fix our eyes on Jesus (Heb. 12:2), we will overcome troubling doubts and walk on the waters of bigger faith (Col. 3:2). Just like Peter did!

Stress-Free Living?

Mayo Clinic just published a “Guide to Stress-Free Living.” Based on 10 years of research, they discovered that making a few simple changes can help you let go of stress, and find a sense of peace.

I couldn’t help but see a parallel. Based on a few thousand years of research, the Bible promises that one simple change can bring you peace. “God will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are stayed on Him, because they trust in Him” (Is. 26:3). Note that Mayo Clinic only offers a “sense of peace.”  The Bible promises “perfect peace.”

With innumerable 21st century distractions, it is unrealistic to think we can live stress free. So how is it we can enjoy perfect peace? Listen how Jesus speaks to a distracted Martha: “There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it [undivided attention to Jesus]” (Luke 10:41). What a timely, and timeless, reminder: “Fixing your eyes on Jesus” (Heb. 12:2) is the key to perfect peace.

Coffee, Doughnuts, and Worship

More churches these days are offering worshippers coffee and doughnuts as they enter the service. At the risk of sounding like a curmudgeon, I remember when no one would have thought of eating and drinking in a church service. The ‘sanctuary’ was considered a ‘set-apart’ place/time to focus on God.   “There is an appointed time for everything” (Ecc. 3:1), and Sunday morning was a time for feeding the soul.

Before you accuse me of 20th century fundamental legalism, please hear my heart on this. I’m not talking about meaningless rules; nor would I want to restrict anyone’s freedom. No, I am speaking of the loss of something: the loss of un-distractedness, of undivided attention in our corporate gatherings.

While I understand our churches' objectives to be less culturally disparate, I fail to see how coffee and doughnuts add value to the worship experience. Paul was not discouraging Sunday morning coffee and doughnuts when he spoke these words, but listen to them as though he were. “I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord” (1 Cor. 7:35). Of course the real issue is not coffee and doughnuts, but how each of us is undivided in devotion to the Lord—and not just on Sunday morning!

Comfort Food

The most basic of human needs is nourishment, i.e., food and water. And a vast majority of Earth’s population struggle every day to get enough of it to stay alive. All the while, obesity in the U.S. has become an increasingly large problem (pun intended). According to a recent report, the amount of food Americans eat has been increasing since the 1970s. Why? Simply this: ‘wealthy’ (relatively speaking) Americans eat for comfort, not for nourishment. Comfort eating has always been one of the greatest saboteurs of well-being!

Why? Paul rebuked people “whose god is their appetite” as those who “set their mind on earthly things” (Phil. 3:19). In other words, Paul points out the eating connection between those whose focus is more on earthly than heavenly. The temptation for comfort and pleasure (or burgers, fries, and milkshakes) is the bane of fallen humanity.

The writer of Hebrews calls Esau “profane” (common or earthly) because he “traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal” (12:16). Think about this. Just as eating lost Esau his birthright, so it was eating that lost Adam His. And when Satan tempted Jesus to eat, it was Jesus’ refusal to eat that won back the kingdom! Metaphorically speaking, it isn’t eating, per se, but forfeiting our relationship with God for immediate gratification of comfort and pleasure (or fast food).

As Luck would have it

I suppose many of you won’t know who Andrew Luck is. He is a young man (21) in his third year at Stanford University who emerged as one of the top football players in the nation, leading Stanford to a 12-1 record and a victory in last week’s Orange Bowl. Naturally, everyone expected Andrew Luck to move on to the National Football League where he was sure to gain instant celebrity, a multi-million dollar contract, and millions in commercial endorsements. Some might say Andrew is a lucky guy.

But joining the NFL would mean dropping out of school before obtaining his degree. And the serious Luck would have none of that. Not one to count on luck, Luck was staying in school. And given his intelligent choice, showing foresight, diligence, and good work ethic, I think it is obvious that luck has nothing to do with Andrew's success. This young man’s decision proves his character.

To use another sports metaphor, Andrew Luck has set the bar pretty high—refusing to give in to the you-can-have-it-all-now, immediate gratification value of his generation. And even more refreshing, refusing to be influenced or shaped by his culture. I don’t know if Luck is a Christian, but his decision has the mark of godliness. Speaking of athletes and soldiers in the same vein, Paul says they are those who keep their focus, not distracted by the lure of the culture (2 Tim. 2). And so should be our attitude when short-term happiness threatens our long-term focus—we should all be so ‘lucky.’

Effortless Growth?

Everyone who is reading this blog wants to grow. And growth always means change. The problem is that we want to grow, but we find it difficult to change. But change and growth are inseparable.

When a seed is planted in the earth, it begins to grow. And as it does, it changes its form—from kernel to sprout, from shoot to plant. As the seed grows, it changes into a healthy plant, effortlessly. Is it possible that our process of change and growth should be as effortless?

Consider this: Jesus compares God’s Word to a seed (Mark 4:15). And if God’s Word is like a seed growing in you, doesn’t it make sense that growth should be fairly effortless? After all, you can’t make it grow. It just does—because that is the nature of a ‘seed’—it grows. But in the case of God’s Word, it doesn’t change as it grows. Rather, it changes YOU. But let's get real! There is effort involved: the effort is to stay focused on God’s Word.

See that what you have heard from the beginning [God's Word] remains in you… let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught (1 John 2:24; Colossians 2:7 NLT).

Distracted Driving is a Threat to Our Well-being!

Do you talk on your cell phone while driving? Do you text? An article in the newspaper, “Driving while distracted,”claims this is a growing danger as more drivers insist on using their cell phones and handheld devises. Last year, almost 6,000 people were killed and a half-million injured due to driver distraction.

Did you know there is a Biblical mandate against distraction? Paul says “be not anxious!” (Phil. 4:6). The word “anxious” is NOT exactly the same word we use today to describe the ‘clinically’-diagnosed problem of anxiety. The Greek word “anxious” is rooted in the word “divide,” meaning a divided or distracted mind. Jesus diagnoses Martha’s problem using this word: “Martha, Martha, you are worried…” (Luke 10:42). Martha was not having a panic attack: but she was terribly distracted by the details of dinner preparation.

Fortunately, Paul does not give the prohibition against “distraction” without offering the solution. The cure for distraction is FOCUS: “Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right...pure and lovely and admirable...excellent and worthy of praise” (Phil. 4:9 NLT)…,“set your minds on things above” (Col. 3:2). Paul’s solution: “single-mindedness.” When Jesus spoke of Martha’s “distraction” He too pointed to single-mindedness: “you are distracted by many things but only one thing is necessary” (Luke 10:42). The “one thing” that mattered most that day was devotion to Jesus. Mary understood that.

And finally, Paul says Satan’s strategy in the Garden was to distract Eve from her single-minded devotion to God, followed by his warning: Satan will try to distract your minds from attention to Jesus (2 Co. 11:3). And his strategy remains unchanged. He will do everything to distract you in your quiet times of Bible reading and prayer. He will distract you with the things of this world—both good and bad. Be careful! These distractions can cause accident and injury. Distractions are a threat to your well-being!

I Hate Looking at Myself

One of my dear Christian brothers recently called to tell me the Lord is revealing things in his life that need to change. He said it is embarrassing and humbling to see these things; I knew exactly what he meant! (See the June 30 blog post.) Reflecting on his words, I realized the reason for our embarrassment is that we like to think of ourselves as being better than we are—accordingly, we avoid such self-examination.

Paul affirms that we ought to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith (2 Cor. 13:5). But the inherent danger during these times is that we become introspective—painfully “self-conscious.” Note Paul’s emphasis is not on ourselves, but on whether or not we are living in faith.

When Adam and Eve sinned, they became SELF CONSCIOUS for the fist time. Their nakedness is symbolic of self-consciousness and shame. Shifting focus away from God’s sufficiency, they paid more attention to their incompetence and what to do about it. Paul says we become slaves to the things we pay attention to (Ro. 6:16). Overly paying attention to our problems keeps us stuck.

We will never be changed by looking at ourselves; when we forget who we are (in our flesh) and focus on who He is, we will be changed into who we are called to be. Let us be careful during times of self-examination to keep fixing our eyes on Jesus (Heb. 12:3).