"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Fatheris not in them.For everything in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--comes not from the Father but from the world." (1 John 2:15-16)
Love for the world (worldliness, the world system that is corrupted/polluted and is in opposition to God) and love for our Heavenly Father are incompatible. We cannot have both. If we love God, we must not love the world and all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh (fleshly desires such as gluttony, sexual sins, materialism), the lust of the eyes (appearance, status), and the pride of life (superiority, comparison, entitlement). All these things may seem attractive but they are worthless and dangerous because they pull us away from God.
"You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.Or do you think Scripture says without reason that He jealously longs for the spirit He has caused to dwell in us?But He gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: 'God opposes the proudbut shows favor to the humble.'" (James 4:4-6)
"You adulterous people" is an allusion to covenant unfaithfulness, referring to Israel as unfaithful bride of Jehovah (Hosea 3:1). Friendship with the world = enmity (hatred/hostility) against God. To maintain friendship with the world is to be on good terms with (to support, to favor, to approve) persons and things and ideas that are at least indifferent toward God if not openly hostile to Him. When we seek after our own desires/pleasures, we're doing what the world does (acting just like the world), not doing what God wants/tells us to do. Essentially, we would be committing spiritual adultery. Our God is a jealous God; He wants our undivided loyalty and will not tolerate divided allegiance. We cannot serve two masters. “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Luke 16:13) God or materialism? God or egotism? God or sensuality? Wealth, fame, power, pleasure, possessions, positions, and other temptations in this world can never satisfy our soul. Only Christ, our Lord and Savior, can!
Are you in or out? You cannot have one foot following the world and the other foot following Jesus. It won't work! Love and obey God alone! Live for God with no compromise!
“Farewell, vain world; my soul bids you adieu. My Savior taught me to abandon you. Your charms may gratify a sensual mind, but cannot please a soul for God designed.”
(David Brainerd)
"Growth in faith will be manifested by increasing deadness to the world. The more faith discovers of the beauty and glory of the Savior, and the splendors of that heavenly country to which the Christian is bound--the more worthless will this world appear!"(William Nicholson)
We are in the world but we are not of the world. "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--His good, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12:2) We must embrace a different mindset (have the mind of Christ) and an eternal perspective. This world is not our home.Don't waste your life chasing after temporary things! Don't waste your life fretting about temporary things, either! Live for God and give Him your undivided loyalty! Don't let the world and its pursuits or its troubles come between your soul and Him. Focus on reaching out to the lost and making an eternal impact while you're here on earth. Live intentionally in such a way that most glorifies God. Think God's thoughts. Love what God loves and hate what God hates. Look at everything (including current crisis) through God's eyes/perspectives.
Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for Your relentless & protective love for me! Thank You for Your inexhaustible grace and patience! Please forgive me for my selfish desires and motives. Please keep me from being enticed by worldly treasures. You know how difficult it is for us to live in this wicked world where our affection and attention are being pulled constantly by worldly things. I cannot win this battle by myself. I need You and Your strength to remain steadfast in faith and in pursuit of holiness. I desire to live wholeheartedly for You. Please fill every area of my heart and my mind with Your Holy Spirit so that there will be no room for the world, the flesh, or the devil. Please help me to continually focus my heart and mind on eternal things, not on earthly things. May I always live faithfully in the light of eternity for Your glory and Your kingdom. In Jesus's Name, I pray. Amen.
"When they see a follower of Jesus who is sold out for Christ, living free of legalism and bondage to the world, they are drawn to Jesus. When they see a follower of Jesus living for 'self' and the world, they have no problem rejecting Jesus because it allows them to play the hypocrite card. The world needs us to be an example of living the Bible so that they too are drawn to Christ. They need answers, and for us to say we are "Christians" and live our life in pursuit of personal gain would only be a contradiction to who we say we follow. " (David McGee)
If you read the Bible, you know that Satan (the devil) is real. Some Christians avoid talking about Satan as if he no longer exists or he is no longer active. Others give too much credit to Satan for almost everything bad that happen in the world/in their lives or blame Satan for their wrongdoings (without taking responsibility for their actions....similar to what Eve did). What we should do is: be aware of spiritual warfare and understand the devil's schemes so that we will know how to respond, defend ourselves, and stand firm. To defeat your Enemy, know your Enemy.
"Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light." (2 Corinthians 11:14)
"If you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice." (James 3:14-16)
He is crafty/cunning. He tempts (since Genesis). He lies (he is the Father of lies) and deceives. He knows the Scriptures but he twists God's Word for his own agenda. He takes advantages when we are weak and empty (physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually). He makes sins look good and sweet. He likes to make a deal (offering something attractive such as money, fame, power, sensual gratification, etc. if you'll only compromise your commitment/ obedience to God). He stirs up/seduces our fleshly desires/self-centered nature. He wants us to worship him, instead of God. He has temporary power to influence the world (but all things are ultimately under God's control). He dares us to test God or makes us doubt God/His Word. He wants us (the Body of Christ, family, marriage) to be divided, instead of being united/in unity.
Fear not! Our victory is in Jesus! Satan tried to tempt Jesus and failed miserably. We can learn much from Jesus's example in Matthew 4:1-11, Luke 4:1-13.
Defensive and Counter-Attack Strategies:
- Live your life under the authority of God's Word. Be very familiar with God's truth so that you can detect the lies immediately (even when they come sugarcoated with a misuse of Scripture). Fill yourself up with God's Word, our spiritual food, daily. "Jesus answered, 'It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" (Matthew 4: 4) "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." (Psalm 119:105)
- Worship, serve, and obey God only...no matter what. With no compromise (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were great examples). Recognize that any deal from Satan is a bad deal. "Jesus said to him, 'Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.'" (Matthew 4:10)
- Trust God totally and don't demand God to prove Who He is. "Jesus answered him, 'It is also written: Do not put the Lord your Godto the test.'" (Matthew 4:7) "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil." (Proverbs 3:5-7)
- Be self-controlled and alert (watchful). "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith." 1 Peter 5:8-9a
- Put on the full armor of God. "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." (Ephesians 6:11-17)
- Pray. Be in constant communion with God. "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests." (Ephesians 6:18a) Spend plenty of time with God.
- Live by faith...by the Spirit. "We live by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7) "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other. so that you do not do what you want." (Galatians 5:16-17)
"The devil is willing for a person to profess Christianity as long as he does not practice Christianity." (Unknown)
"He who delays his repentance pawns his soul with the devil." (Unknown)
"God put the Church in the world. Satan seeks to put the world in the Church." (Unknown)
"One of the devil's snares is to occupy us with the past and future so as to take away our peace for the present." (Unknown)
"Without the renewed mind, we will distort the Scriptures to avoid their radical commands for self-denial, and love, and purity, and supreme satisfaction in Christ alone."
~John Piper
Sad but true, we have seen people, including those who appear to be "active" Christians distort the Scriptures to justify their sins, to serve their own agendas, and even to commit crimes. Satan knows the Scriptures. Most atheists know the Scriptures. Pharisees and false teachers know the Scriptures. What do they all have in common? The lack of the renewed mind (and transformed heart)!
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--His good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2
Without the renewed mind, the world continues to have a hold on you. Self is still on the throne of your heart. Love is still conditional and selfish. Purity is only for nuns and monks. Supreme satisfaction in Christ alone...no way. However, the Scriptures are clear about denying self (Mark 8:34-36), sacrificial love (1 John 3:16), purity (1 Timothy 4:12), and the spiritual satisfaction which can only be found in Christ alone (John 4:10, 13-14). This quote from St. Augustine comes to mind: "If you believe what you like in the Gospels, and reject what you don't like, it is not the Gospel you believe, but yourself."
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, He is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17
When one is in Christ and becomes a new creation, his/her old way of thinking and living has gone. His/her mind is renewed by God's Word and His Holy Spirit. It all starts with surrendering one's life completely to Christ.
"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
On a personal note: I received a phone call from my doctor's nurse on Jan. 5th. She said the doctor wanted me to go see him so that he could discuss the ultrasound result with me. No, I'm not pregnant :). I've had intense abdominal pain following my menstrual period for the past few months. Anyway, I didn't know what to expect. I'm thankful that the Lord gave me peace during the waiting days (my doctor appointment was Jan. 9th). I prayed for His will. My life is in His hands and that alone gives me comfort. I, of course, imagined how I would feel/react if I had cancer. By God's grace, I felt ready to face any news. My mind and my heart agree that Christ alone is indeed enough. I hoped and prayed that Christ would always be glorified in me, whether in my sickness or health. When I went to see the doctor, he told me that I have a tumor/fibroid (bigger than a golf ball) in my uterus but it's not cancerous. Praise God! The longer I walk with God in this life journey, the more I find supreme satisfaction in Christ alone!
Christ My All
Christ for sickness, Christ for health,
Christ for poverty, Christ for wealth,
Christ for joy, Christ for sorrow,
Christ today and Christ tomorrow;
Christ my Life, and Christ my Light,
Christ for morning, noon and night,
Christ when all around gives way
Christ my everlasting Stay;
Christ my Strength and Christ my Rest
Christ my Wisdom, Christ wants for me the best
Christ my Well-beloved Friend
Christ my Pleasure without end;
Christ my Savior, Christ my Lord
Christ my Portion, Christ my God,
Christ my Shepherd, I His sheep
Christ Himself my soul to keep;
Christ my Leader, Christ my Peace
Christ hath wrought my soul's release,
Christ my Righteousness divine
Christ for me, for He is mine;
Christ my Advocate and Priest
Christ who never forgets the least;
Christ my Teacher, Christ my Guide,
Christ my Rock, in Christ I hide,
Christ the Ever-living Bread,
Christ His precious blood hath shed;
Christ hath brought me nigh to God,
Christ the everlasting Word
Christ my Master, Christ my Head
Christ who for my sins hath bled;
Christ my Comforter on high,
Christ my Hope, draws ever nigh.
(Source unknown)
Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
This is one of my all-time favorite songs. In Christ alone, I am who I am today...born again and blessed!
"The great mistake made by most of the Lord's people is in hoping to discover in themselves that which is to be found in Christ alone." A.W. Pink
In Christ we have... a love that can never be fathomed, a life that can never die, a peace that can never be understood, a rest that can never be disturbed, a joy that can never be diminished, a hope that can never be disappointed, a glory that can never be clouded, a light that can never be darkened, and a spiritual resource that can never be exhausted. ~Unknown
You're invited to share your thoughts about the quote above (by John Piper) on your blog and then link up your post here. To learn more about "In Other Words"(what it's about, how it works, and how it originated), visit here. This post is also linked up with Brag on God Friday @Beholding Glory, Spiritual Sundays, Sharing His Beauty @The Beauty in His Grip, Playdates with God at The Wellspring, and "Hear It, Use It" @Graceful.
P.S. I would like to invite you all to join my page, "Christ Alone" on Facebook. Please feel free to post there anything that is Christ-honoring and feel free to invite your friends to check it out. I dedicate that page to Christ and for His glory alone.
I love Selah, especially when they sing hymns :)! They have very beautiful voices. I was so excited to have an opportunity to review their newest album, "Hope of the Broken World" which is released today!
This album includes 12 songs:
On the Mountain
Hope of the Broken World (see a music video below)
Shelter Me
Coat of Many Colors (written by Dolly Parton)
He'll Hold You
Be Still
Moments Like These
I Turn to You
Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus (a hymn written by Louisa M.R. Stead, c.1850-1917)
Threshold of Glory
I Look to You
When Love Was Slain
My husband and I enjoyed listening to this album. It consists of various styles of music. Shelter Me (based on Psalm 91) is a fun song with country music feel. Coat of Many Colors is a folk song/story-telling song. Selah did a cool rendition of an old hymn, Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus, with a bonus of singing in African language (Did you know that Todd Smith, one of the singers, grew up in Africa?). Moments Like These is such a tender song about children and parents; it made me cry. On the Mountain is an upbeat, catchy song. Hope of the Broken World is a soothing song about Jesus who is the Light and Hope of the World. Some of my favorites are #2, #7, #9, and #12. All songs have great lyrics/encouraging messages. Selah is truly a talented group. I can listen to this CD over and over again :).
My Fave Five this week:-
1. Mission ConneXion Northwest 2011 (last Saturday). It was awesome! We attended many wonderful workshops. We are very passionate about the Great Commission and get so excited about all the different mission organizations that are reaching out to the lost (esp. the unreached) with the Gospel.
2. Operation World is a great resource to help you in praying for the world including the unreached! "Since its beginnings in Africa in the 1960s, the vision of Operation World has been to gather information to mobilize millions of believers to pray for the nations. We are one of only two Christian centres that compile comprehensive statistics on the religions, denominations and mission agencies across the globe." (from their Facebook page)
3. New Tribes Mission offers a free book: Tribal Beat, a compilation of exciting stories of God working among tribal people.
4. Almond Delight Bristo Cake. Delicious. Thanks to our lovely neighbors for giving us the cake!
5. Definition of a trader. Are you pursuing Christ or the American Dream?
Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the video.
P.S. I would really appreciate it if you could stop by this post to rate my review of Life Without Limits by Nick Vujicic. Thanks so much!
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
***Special thanks to Staci Carmichael, Marketing and Publicity Coordinator, Doubleday Religion / Waterbrook Multnomah / Divisions of Random House, Inc. for sending me a review copy.***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lisa Tawn Bergren is the award-winning author of nearly thirty titles, totaling more than 1.5 million books in print. She writes in a broad range of genres, from adult fiction to devotional. God Gave Us Love follows in Lisa’s classic tradition of the best-selling God Gave Us You. She makes her home in Colorado, with her husband, Tim, and their children, Olivia, Emma, and Jack.
Laura J. Bryant studied painting, printmaking, and sculpture at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. She has illustrated numerous award-winning children’s books, including God Gave Us You, Smudge Bunny, and If You Were My Baby. Laura lives in Asheville, North Carolina.
God Gave Us You
God Gave Us Two
God Gave Us Christmas
God Gave Us Heaven
God Gave Us Love
God Gave Us So Much – a limited three book treasury
AND NOW...THE FIRST FOUR PAGES...press the pictures to better view them:
MY THOUGHTS AND REVIEW:
While visiting a museum exhibit, "Bears Around the World," Mama Bear helps Little Cub learn about the different kinds of bears living in different places around the world. Surprised to see other kinds of bears that have strange diets like panda bears and sloth bears, Little Cub (who is a polar bear) begins to ask lots of questions. God Gave Us the World is a cute, colorful book that teaches young kids about the awesome wonders of God's creation, the amazing abilities of God the Creator, His creativity, and our responsibility to take care of the earth/world which is God's gift to us. Kids will learn to appreciate the uniqueness of each bear/person and celebrate the beauty of our differences. The illustrations are fantastic. Beautiful details. I encourage you to also check out other books in the God Gave Us series (eg. God Gave Us You, God Gave Us Love, God Gave Us Christmas, etc.). They all are adorable. The books are geared towards children ages 3 to 8.
"When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'" John 8:12
"Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it." John 1:3-5
May we all faithfully follow the Light of the world and reflect His light so that the world may see their need for a Savior and be led to the Way! May we never become so familiar with the CHRISTmas account that we stop appreciating the "good news of great joy!" Have a CHRIST-centered & joy-filled CHRISTmas and a bright New Year (because we have the light of life :))!
Format: Jacketed Hardcover
Trim Size: 6.30 x 9.30 x 0.80
Page Count: 218
Retail Price: $24.99
ISBN: 9780849920691
My Thoughts and Review: Outlive Your Life is a wake-up call kind of book that invites readers to put compassion into action and to make an eternal impact that outlives their lives. The world needs Christians to step up and be Christlike and act like the early Christians in Acts. God used those ordinary people then to change the world and He still does now. "You want to live in such a way that the world will be glad you did." (from page 4) Mr. Lucado helps readers ponder the truth and examples found in the first 12 chapters of Acts. Outlive Your Life reminds me of Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper, True Religion by Palmer Chinchen, and The Butterfly Effect & The Boy Who Changed the World by Andy Andrews. They share the same theme: We are created by God to make a difference in this world. "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:10)
This book is easy to read. I enjoy reading Max Lucado books. I've always thought he's a gifted writer but now I also think he could have been a comedian if he wanted to :). He is funny and yet insightful. I chose to overlook the imaginative add-ons (to the Biblical account) which is his style. I really like the questions for discussion and the ideas for action found in the back of the book. I would recommend this book to others because the message is important and definitely needed in this me&mine culture.
How are you living the one and only unique life that God has given you? You have a choice to live selfishly for yourself or to live for God and serve Him by serving and helping others, especially those in need. You are given an opportunity to do something to change what is broken in this world. What are you waiting for? Love like Jesus does!!!
"Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God." (~Bob Pierce, founder of World Vision)
Max Lucado has made it his goal to help World Vision find sponsors for 25,000 children to help commemorate his 25 years of inspirational writing.
You can sponsor a child and help reach this goal in the following ways:
1. Sponsor a Child at a participating bookstore.
2. Sponsor a Child at one of the shows for the Make a Difference Tour.
3. Sponsor a Child online here: http://www.maxlucado.com/worldvision/.
100% of the author royalties from the Outlive Your Life book will benefit children and families through World Vision and other ministries of faith-based compassion.
~I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the videos.
Product Details
Format: Jacketed Hardcover
Trim Size: 8.60 x 11 x 0.50
Page Count: 40
Retail Price: $16.99
ISBN: 9781400316052
Publisher: Tommy Nelson
Author: Andy Andrews
Illustrator: Philip Hurst
My Thoughts and Review:The Boy Who Changed the World is a delightful children’s book that carries an important message every boy and girl should hear. The theme is “Everything you do matters.” The story begins with Norman Borlaug’s childhood and his accomplishment that helped save more than two billion people from starving. But was he really the boy who changed the world or was it Henry Wallace? Perhaps it was George Washington Carver or Moses Carver? Well, all of them had their parts in changing the world either directly or indirectly. This book shows children that God made each one of them special to make a difference in the world. Every decision we make...every action we take has far-reaching effects not only on us or people around us but also on others around the world. This book is based on the author’s book, The Butterfly Effect. The illustrations (water color paintings) are vibrantly beautiful. I wish the author or editor caught the mistake on the page showing George Washington Carver teaching Henry Wallace about plants. “On weekends, George would roam the fields and forests with the professor’s six-year-old son Henry, teaching the boy about plants and how many ways they could be toused help people.” The words “to” and “used” were transposed. I would recommend this wonderful book to every parent, teacher, child care, and library.
~I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers through BookSneeze.com. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the video.
Asleep In The Light (words, music, and performed by Keith Green)
Do you see, do you see all the people sinking down?
Don't you care, don't you care, are you gonna let them drown?
How can you be so numb not to care if they come?
You close your eyes and pretend the job's done.
"Oh, bless me, Lord, bless me, Lord," you know it's all I ever hear.
No one aches, no one hurts, no one even sheds one tear.
But He cries, He weeps, He bleeds, and He cares for your needs.
And you just lay back and keep soaking it in.
Oh, can't you see it's such sin.
'Cause He brings people to your door and you turn them away
as you smile and say, "God bless you, be at peace,"
and all heaven just weeps...
'Cause Jesus came to your door.
You've left Him out on the streets.
Open up open up and give yourself away.
You see the need, you hear the cries, so how can you delay?
God's calling, you're the one, but like Jonah you run.
He's told you to speak but you keep holding it in.
Oh, can't you see it's such sin.
The world is sleeping in the dark that the church just can't fight,
'Cause it's asleep in the light
How can you be so dead when you've been so well-fed?
Jesus rose from the grave and you, you can't even get out of bed.
Oh, Jesus rose from the dead, come on, get out of your bed.
How can you be so numb not to care if they come?
You close your eyes and pretend the job's done.
You close your eyes and pretend the job's done.
Don't close your eyes, don't pretend the job's done.
"Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, SINS." (James 4:17)
"Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did." (1 John 1:6)
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
***Special thanks to Audra Jennings of The B&B Media Group for sending me a review copy.***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Palmer Chinchen has served as pastor of The Grove in Chandler, Arizona, for the past seven years. He grew up in Liberia, West Africa, and as an adult has led many people on numerous mission trips around the world. He has served in college ministries in Wheaton, IL, and southern California and has taught Spiritual Formation at African Bible College. Chinchen is passionate about Christians responding to affliction and injustice in the world. He holds a PhD from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Illinois and a BA and MA from Biola University in California. He lives with his wife and four children in Chandler, Arizona.
List Price: $14.99
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: David C. Cook (June 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 078140343X
ISBN-13: 978-0781403436
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:
TRUE RELIGION
I believe God wants us all to live bothered by things around us that are not right. The world is a broken place, and He has put you and me here to make it whole. Possibly the most important indicator of true religion is the desire to love and care for people who hurt.
Trues
Some friends told me about a brand of jeans that are popular with the Hollywood crowd and the fabulously rich; they’re called True Religion. I stopped and looked at them in a store the other day—the
price tag read $348. That might become your religion if you spent so much on jeans, but that certainly is not true religion.
Jesus’ brother James said it like this: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless [true religion] is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress.”
Can I just say if I were to ever spend $348 on a pair of jeans, then I’ve lost all bearing on life? Seriously, if children in Malawi are being chained to trees because there’s not enough food to go around, or if Africa is filled with children living bare naked because they have no clothes … then how on earth could I make any sense of spending $348 on jeans?
True religion is more about others and less about me. Living out true religion means I’ve stopped being so concerned about what I want and what I get, and I spend my days caring about what others don’t have and what others need. The Christian life is meant to be that way.
Jesus explained true religion like this: “Whenever you feed the hungry, clothe the poor, give water to the thirsty, visit the imprisoned, or loved the unloved—you love Me!”
My favorite introspective writer, Brennan Manning, observes, “Jesus spent a disproportionate amount of time with people described in the gospels as: the poor, the blind, the lame, the lepers, the hungry,
sinners, prostitutes, tax collectors, the persecuted, the downtrodden, the captives, those possessed by unclean spirits, all who labor and are heavy burdened, the rabble who know nothing of the law, the
crowds, the little ones, the least, the last, and the lost sheep of the house of Israel…. In short, Jesus hung out with ragamuffins.”
So, in the name of Jesus, give your life away to love people who hurt! God wants everyday people like you and me to be His hands and feet. So go! Love the marginalized, free the oppressed, show mercy to the hurting, give to the poor, feed the hungry, love the orphans and the widows, and take good news to the lost.
Margins
Jesus always seemed to notice when people were pushed into the margins. They are still there today. But too often they are the invisible ones. We pass them and don’t know their names. We don’t stop to ask about their pain. They are the forgotten ones.
Jesus lived bothered by abuse, injustice, and oppression.
On one occasion He happened upon a crowd of men planning the stoning of a woman accused of adultery. Jesus’ eyes pierced the men surrounding the shamed woman. She stood guilty of adultery and infidelity. But Christ stood close. His fists were clenched, His words were curt: “Let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone.”
The silence was deafening. He slowly bent down and wrote with his finger. Were they words of compassion he wrote? Was it a line from the Torah? Theologians have debated the words in the sand for centuries. Personally, I believe he wrote this: “The first one of you who dares to throw a rock at this beautiful woman … I will personally beat you down!” Okay, I’m probably wrong, but I like the thought, and I might be close. I feel this way because His attitude toward injustice was always—NO WAY! Not on my watch; not as long as I am here.
This must be our attitude as well. We must develop a moral conscience. Injustice should gnaw at our soul. Begin to be bothered by situations that are not right. Start speaking up when things are not right. This is what the Lord requires of His followers.
We all need to live a bit more bothered when something is wrong with this world.
Moral Dilemmas
Christians talk much about conversion and change. An important aspect of the change that must take place in the believer’s life is moral transformation. All people are created with a moral dimension to their human personality. In much the same way we grow and change physically, we also develop morally.
Donal Dorr, who writes extensively on the need for a balanced faith, one that addresses issues of justice, says we need a moral conversion. Because sometimes Christians have a conversion of the intellect, but their soul remains calloused to what is not right in this world.
Harvard University professor Lawrence Kohlberg developed the idea of Stages of Moral Development. He explains that people develop morally in stages.5 For example, children do not understand or comprehend justice the way adults should; that’s why two-year old always say, “Mine!” We’re supposed to outgrow that.
The problem is that as Christians we often only teach moral knowledge. But unfortunately, moral knowledge does not always lead to moral action. The moral conscience can be scarred, callused, or ignored. For example, the religious leaders of Jesus’ day knew the Hebrew Bible inside and out, yet Jesus said if they were to see a bleeding man on the side of the road they would walk on by. Their spirituality was not true religion.
The ancient Jewish prophet Micah wrote about true religion, religion that makes the heart of God smile: “He has shown you all people what is good, and what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God.”
Jesus described his own purpose and mission as this: “He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed.”
I would argue then that moral transformation often comes when we are willing to step outside our places of comfort and safety and not just think morally but do morally. When you give yourself away to the world, when you live out your religion as God intended, you open your life to being stunned by God and having your moral character transformed.
The world is filled with places and actions that are unjust and oppressive. A primary Christian duty is to put an end to these practices. Live convinced that you can change what is wrong in this world and make it just a little bit more beautiful.
Unsilenced
My friend Scott Erickson, who paints the images that are branded on his heart from his travels to Cameroon, says he paints so that his art becomes a voice for all in Africa who have been silenced.
Part of our Christian duty is to become a prophetic voice. By this I mean you and I speaking out, as did the ancient Jewish prophets, against practices that are not right.
The work of Brazilian educator Paulo Freire has revolutionized the way Christian educators talk about our moral duty. Frustrated with Brazil’s oppressive educational system, Freire began promoting the idea of conscientization.
Conscientization is the process by which people become aware of practices around them that are dehumanizing. People must first realize their oppression before they can confront it and overcome it.
Liberation comes through conscientization. The more people understand their oppression, the more they become human. And once the marginalized can name and verbalize the oppression, they become empowered to take part in confronting, speaking out against, and reshaping that reality.
But you don’t have to go to the Democratic Republic of Congo or Sudan to see oppressive practices that need your voice.
The first time I passed a sheriff’s chain gang in Arizona, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Women in prison-striped uniforms hoeing weeds … chained at the ankles, with shotgun-toting deputies standing watch. I was shocked. It looked like a scene from 1950s rural America.
My soul ached to the gut. Yes, these women may have committed crimes that deserve incarceration—but not this dehumanizing humiliation. I hurt for them. I wanted to cry for them. My thought was, “Palmer, you must do something …” So I hung a U and got out. I approached the deputy and asked if he would give a message to the sheriff. He listened patiently as I said, “Please tell your sheriff that in Chandler, we do not want women humiliated. In Chandler, we believe that every person should be treated with dignity and respect. In Chandler, we want this practice stopped.” He was kind enough to say he would pass my message along.
All human beings have great worth. Regardless of race, gender, ability, wealth, religion, or nationality, all people deserve dignity and respect. This is not only a Christian argument or position. This is a
moral position. To publicly humiliate another person is immoral and unjust. It’s wrong at every level.
Who among us would stand idly by while a person maliciously scarred da Vinci’s Mona Lisa with graffiti? We would scream NO! Stop!—we would take action because this painting is deemed beautiful and priceless. How much more beautiful and priceless is the life of a woman—even one in chains!
The Christian today must be aware of the pain that society, consciously or unconsciously, imposes on people. The suffering is real, it hurts, and it’s time to stop it.
Respond
Solomon, in his great wisdom, explained that empathizing with those who hurt is not enough: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
About twenty of us Chinchens were standing under the shade of a giant tree at Disneyworld trying to decide where to head next when just a few feet away I noticed a young couple arguing loudly. I turned just in time to watch him raise his hand high and slap her hard across the face.
I couldn’t believe what I just witnessed. Without thinking, I reacted by grabbing him from behind.… Okay, I realize this was not a pastoral response, but I’ve got some Scotch-Irish in my blood.
“What are you thinking?! You can’t hit her,” I blurted out.
“She was asking for it,” he mumbled, still in my grip.
“Well, not here,” I stated with conviction. “Never, ever again will you hit her. Is that clear?”
I’m not sure if it was the headlock or my convincing words, but he agreed.
Anywhere in the world, slapping a woman is despicable … especially at the happiest place on earth!
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As I said earlier, Christian morality is not simply about having good judgment on issues of right and wrong; it’s more about moral action—doing what it right.
In the late 1960s, John Darley and Bibb Latane were the first researchers to do extensive studies on the psychological phenomenon of noninvolvement, or why people fail to help when someone is in distress.
Darley and Latane found several reasons why bystanders will simply watch a person drown, for example, and do nothing. One is stage fright: “I may appear foolish if they really do not need help.” Another reason is risk: “They may pull me under, and I may drown with them.” Still another reason is deferred involvement: “If others are not helping, I guess I don’t need to help.”
Here’s what’s most bizarre. The more people present, the less likely it becomes that someone will help! Researchers have put children on the streets of both cities and small towns and had them say to passing strangers, “I’m lost. Can you help me?” People in cities like New York kept walking. I’m not kidding. People in small towns were far more likely to help. Their finding was that it’s better to be desperate in a small town with fewer people than in a city, especially New York, with many passersby.
We can live a lifetime that way. We can see pictures of women chained to trees as slaves in Sudan and say, “That’s sad. I’m sure the U.N. will put a stop to that.” Or we can watch CNN and see men eating dirt out of cans in Malawi to ease their hunger pangs and think, “That’s not good. I’m sure World Vision will ship in some rice.” We do this never realizing the responsibility may be ours!
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I was glad to be getting out of Kenya. The county had been going through months of civil unrest. For the first time in decades, Kenya had become a place of violence. Neighbors who had lived for years peacefully next door to one another were now turning on each other because of tribal differences. The mood of the country surprised even Kenyans.
I woke up early to catch my flight to Monrovia and left my hotel by six thirty. But as my taxi driver went past Nairobi’s central park, it was already filling with riot police and water-cannon trucks. In spite of the government’s objections, a new political party was planning demonstrations for this day, and no one expected them to be peaceful. I was really glad to be getting out of Kenya.
We made our way onto the four-lane road that leads to the Nairobi airport and were doing about sixty when suddenly the minivan in front of us abruptly changed lanes, striking the rear quarter panel of a minibus to its left. The minibus was packed full of passengers, at least a dozen. The minibus swerved left, then right, then violently flipped onto its side. It skidded before rolling up onto its roof, which immediately collapsed.
I have to be honest—when I saw the minibus full of people crash onto its roof, my first thought was, “Let’s get out of Kenya. Riots are coming. If you stop you may miss your flight. The road is busy with cars; of course others will stop to help. Palmer, you don’t have to get involved.”
But of all thoughts, in that nano-moment, my mind raced back twenty-plus years to the memory of Mike driving past the upsidedown taxi. And I remembered my promise: I will live differently.
“Driver, stop the car!” I shouted with urgency. We both jumped out running. He was a Christian too; we had been listening to praise songs in Swahili.
The collapsed roof had smashed every window in the van. The openings were now barely wide enough to pull people out. Others joined as we took people by their arms or legs and eased them through the shattered glass. Within just a couple of minutes everyone was out. Some had minor cuts or bruises to their heads, but miraculously no one appeared critically injured.
Just as I was feeling relieved, my driver shouted, “They’re beating the other driver.” I turned to see a mob attacking the driver who had caused the accident. Some were kicking him in the head, others
punching, some throwing huge stones.
In Africa they call it mob justice. If you hit a pedestrian with your car, the mob will beat you to death. If you steal a shirt off a neighbor’s clothesline, the mob will chase you and beat you to death. It’s become a senseless form of law enforcement that, unfortunately, unemployed young men seem to take pleasure in.
With my driver shouting at the mob in Swahili, I ran into the midst. Pushing to the middle I dropped to my knees and bent over the man to protect him from the blows. A thought flashed through my head—“I hope they don’t turn on me.” Strangely, I did not feel afraid. I sensed that a man was dying and I had to do whatever I could to save his life.
I looked up as one man buried his foot in the man’s side and clasped my hands together, a sign of pleading, and yelled, “Palebe, palebe!” (In Chechewa, the national language of Malawi, where
I had just been the day before, this means please. But now I was in Kenya where they speak Swahili.) They seemed to know what I meant. Their faces were still filled with rage, but the kicking and punching stopped. The stones were dropped.
The angry men continued to argue with my driver in Swahili (he later translated): “We want to kill him. He’s a fool. He deserves to die!”
My driver was adamant in return, “No, you will not.”
The man had been struck hard on the back of the head by a cement block. He was unconscious when I first bent over him. I held his head and began to say, “You have to get up, you can’t stay here, they want to kill you.” He regained consciousness, and I helped him sit up. I rubbed the debris from the back of his head and finally helped him to his feet. I waited till the mob dispersed.
Just the day before I had been feeling sorry for myself because during this particular trip to Africa I had missed my wedding anniversary, I had missed my son’s eighteenth birthday, and I had missed a large weeklong event at my church. But as we drove the rest of the way to the Nairobi Airport the thought hit me that maybe this was the only place God wanted me. Because if God used me to save just one man’s life, then it was worth everything I had left behind.
I’m not a hero, just a Christ-follower trying to do what I encourage others to do.
Give your life away.
Pour it into people.
Souls last forever.
Ideas for Becoming the Expatriate
Rent more movies with subtitles. France, India, and Japan, for example, are producing an increasing number of good films that rarely make it into American theatres.
MY THOUGHTS AND REVIEW:
I love this book! The author and I share the same passion and vision: to reach the world with the love of Christ not only locally but also globally. This book aims to make you bothered; the author shares several disturbing events that may shock you. I am indeed bothered (often digusted) by the prevalent evil, injustice, oppression, and sufferings in the world. The author's goal is to challenge us to give our life away to make a difference in the world. The book encourages us to put the two greatest commandments (Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and love your neighbor as yourself) into action. "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:27) That's true religion! We, Christ's followers, are to live and love like Jesus does, to spend and want less but to care and give more, to be more Christ-centered and other-focused. "Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God." (~Bob Pierce, founder of World Vision) May our heart be bothered/broken and may we do all we can to take pieces of heaven to places of hell on earth by sharing the Good News, God's love, hope, our time, talents, and treasures/resources with the hurting world!
Note: David C Cook is sponsoring the “True Religion Missions Trip Scholarship” through October 31. The winner will receive $1,000 to apply towards a short term mission trip. For more information, visit www.TrueReligionBook.com.
"When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'" John8:12
Have you ever tried walking in darkness? You may stumble, bump into things, and/or (more often than not) head in the wrong direction; your life could very well be in danger. In Thailand when I was little, my aunts took me to see a movie on an outdoor screen which was set up on a public lawn. It was a dark night and while we walked, we relied only on the moon's light to guide us. My aunts were busy chatting and for a moment, they forgot to watch me. I fell into a manhole (obviously without a cover). I don't remember all the details. Thank God, somehow...someone...pulled me out. It is a scary thing to walk in darkness. I am so thankful that I follow Jesus, the Light of the World. Since we, Christ's followers, have the light of life, we also are light to the world.
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16
This week, I'm sharing something different than usual :). I wrote "Pencil with a Purpose" (see below) two years ago to encourage people to participate in the Operation Christmas Child (a project of Samaritan's Purse founded by Franklin Graham). My kids get excited every year around this time. Why? They get to pack shoe boxes!!! Their boxes along with boxes from others will be given out to children around the world who are living in extreme poverty, in constant fear because of wars/fighting, or in disaster-struck areas. These simple gifts will brighten up the children's life with God's love, joy, and hope. These shoe boxes are also evengelistic tools; they give local believers the opportunities to tell children about Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, through Gospel literature and evangelism programs.
This is a wonderful project to get your kids involved in. Kids in America have so much to be thankful for, yet many take their plenty for granted. This is one of many ways we can share with others in need. For details (including how to pack a box and the location of the collection center near you), please visit https://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/ or call 1-800-353-5949. The collection week this year is November 16-23. If you choose to make your donation ($7 for each box to help cover shipping and other project costs) online using a credit or debit card, instead of putting your donation in an envelope and placing it in your box(es), you will receive an EZ give label (one for each of your boxes). The barcode on the label enables OCC to track each gift. You will receive an e-mail telling you the destination of your gift, along with information about Operation Christmas Child in that country. Isn't that cool? I was always curious about where our boxes traveled to.
By the way, there are so many ways we can give, especially near Christmastime. Many Christian organizations (ex: Samaritan's Purse, Gospel for Asia, World Vision, etc.) have gift catalogs available from which you can purchase lambs, cows, chickens, pigs, goats, fishing boat, Gospel literature, VBS material, wells, etc. for native missionaries and needy children/families. These kinds of gifts touch lives and make a significant impact. Giving (especially secret giving) is such a joy!
"If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain." Emily Dickinson
"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord JESUS Himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" Acts 20:35
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Pencil with a Purpose
Pick me...pick me, please! Yes! A 7 year old girl picked me and put me in a clear plastic box next to sweet-smelling candies and a beautiful rag doll. There are more things in this container: a box of crayons, a sharpener, Bible activity pad, a writing pad, bouncy balls, a yo-yo, a jump rope, a toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste, a purple comb, a washcloth with heart shapes all over it, several glittery hair clips, a pair of pink socks and a pair of white socks. Before the girl closed the lid, she placed an envelope addressed to Samaritan’s Purse, and a letter on top. Then her mom and she bowed their heads and prayed for the child who would soon receive this special gift. I have to admit...it’s a little crowded in the box but I’m glad it’s a clear plastic box. I can look out and see the world while having a fantastic adventure. First stop was a local church which was one of 2,000 drop-off locations nationwide. I could see rows and stacks of all kinds of shoe boxes and plastic boxes. Christmas music was being played in the background. I felt festive all of a sudden. From there I traveled in a huge semi-truck to a regional processing center where boxes were inspected and prepared for shipment overseas. Volunteers cheerfully checked each box to make sure that there were no used or damaged items, war-related items, chocolate (which can melt), liquids or lotions (which can leak), breakable items, medications or vitamins (no-no items). A lady looked in my box and she smiled at me (wasn’t she sweet?) These volunteers also took out the envelopes with the donation. Then they secured the boxes by using rubber bands. I was thankful for that because I didn’t want to risk falling out of the box and getting lost. Oh...what a nightmare that would be. Ooh...my next stop was at an airport. I got to be on a plane for the first time. Millions of box gifts were loaded onto ships and planes and delivered to more than 90 countries. I wondered what country I would end up in. How exciting!!! I was so excited and bewildered that I didn’t realize we were in the sky for over 10 hours. Finally, the plane landed and boxes were transported to a rural orphanage by a pick-up truck and by a motor boat, respectively. People speak a different language here. They speak Thai. I’m in Thailand...can you believe it? Tons of children gathered in a small room. The room was filled with excitement and anticipation. How lovely those smiles were! The National Leadership Team explained about the Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse and told the kids that these gifts were packed by caring people from several parts of the world who wanted to share the love of Jesus with them. They introduced the children to God’s greatest Gift of all–Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. Then the team members distributed boxes along with Gospel booklets written in their own language to the orphans who were beaming with joy. I was anxious to see who would receive the box I was in. Then the moment came...when the box was handed to a long, black-haired 8 year old girl. She said, "Kawp Koon Kha" (thank-you in Thai). She quickly opened the lid and took out the items inside one by one. When she picked me up, she looked at the words on me: "Jesus is God’s Greatest Gift." She wanted to know what they meant so she asked one of the team’s staff. The man took the opportunity to share with her the message of salvation through Jesus Christ. She listened attentively. The man invited her to join in the children’s Bible study program after school. She said yes and was so happy (I could tell because she couldn't stop smiling). She also asked that same man to translate the letter she found in the box. She then sharpened me and started to write a letter to the girl who wrote her. She asked the man if he could translate her letter into English and send it for her. He assured her that he would. Now...do you understand why I’m a pencil with a purpose? What better purpose is there than to be used to share a message of God’s amazing love and to spread His joy? I know...my life is short but it has been well spent. Don’t you think? :) ~Written by Urailak Liljequist Copyright 2007 __________________________________________________
Please visit here for the links to other Spiritual Sundays posts.
Please visit here for the links to other blogs that are participating in the Operation Christmas Child Carnival.
Have a blessed week in the Lord, everyone!
