I often pray for sin, including my own, to be exposed. It is exposed first to ourselves. When the Holy Spirit convicts us, we can repent of it or ignore it. If we ignore it, it will eventually be exposed to others. The longer it goes unaddressed, the bigger the exposure will be.

In light of a recent investigation, Ravi Zacharias has been exposed as a predator. He preyed on vulnerable women and used his position and influence for sinful purposes. This was not a one time indiscretion but a lifestyle of deceit. He was accused of inappropriate behavior in 2017 and denied it at the time. His statement was proven false in this investigation that was a result of new allegations. It’s also safe to assume that his actions were not limited to the United States. Although the investigation did not involve other countries, the evidence is there. Sadly, his family is forced to deal with the wake of this discovery. He passed away last year.

His relationship with God is between him and God. God has already judged him. I don’t know much about his ministry, but I know he had a big following. According to the report, he seems to have kept this hidden from everyone other than his victims. If this news shakes you as a Christian, understand Christ is your foundation. That foundation can not be shaken. If this news shakes you because you fear being exposed, then confess, repent, and work towards restoration. If you don’t know about Jesus love for you, message me.

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So, what do we do? 

Pray Psalms 26:2 “Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart.”

Pray Psalms 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

Find the escape that is provided from temptation. “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” 1 Corinthians 10:13

Seek accountability. “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” James 5:16 

Hold others accountable. “...If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive.” Luke 17:3 

Help those who fall. “Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:1-2

What should we not do?

Think we are good apart from God. “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.” Romans 7:18 

Think we are better than others. “Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.” Romans 12:3

Think we are incapable of getting caught up in “big sin.” “For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness.” Mark 7:21-22 

Think the good we do is our own doing. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 

Put our faith in people. “Don’t put your trust in mere humans. They are as frail as breath. What good are they?” Isaiah 2:22 

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His organization initiated the investigation and seems to be transparent and remorseful for his actions and the lack of accountability/oversight. Hopefully this is the beginning of healing for his victims. Hopefully this leads to repentance and restoration among believers. Hopefully other religious organizations evaluate their accountability and safeguards. 

Why write about this? Character of leadership has been an important topic recently among Christians. I think it is wise to hold all leaders to high character standards, but it’s Biblical to hold church leaders to the standards God put in place. Sadly, churches in America haven’t  had a good track record in this area. That has to change. 

I haven’t found any well known Christian leaders address this topic today. As I looked at things today, I saw that the organization’s first statement regarding his guilt was in December. No well known Christian leader seems to have addressed this situation since then. That needs to change. Turning a blind eye to sin committed within the church only harms the church. If this man’s actions are ignored by the church, we have been conformed to this world and lost all credibility. 

Lets pray for his victims, his family, and his organization.

"Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8

Chapter 23 starts with Josiah bringing all of the people of Judah and Jerusalem together and reading them the scroll that had been found. He recommitted to following all of God’s instructions and all the people did as well. 

I feel like this is as far as most Christians in America get. We are convicted about things we are doing or not doing and feel bad about it. We may think about it for a while, but soon we settle into the comfort of our lives once again. Before we know it, we’re back to neglecting the things Jesus told us. Our recommitment is nothing more than a feeling.

Most of the rest of chapter 23 tells of Josiah’s destruction of all things related to false gods and reinstituting the celebration of Passover. When reading this, it’s surprising how much of this stuff had made its way into the Temple. He was so set on destroying this stuff and ridding their land of it that he had some of the stuff burned outside of the city and the ashes carried away even further. His despair and repentance was more than a feeling. The action that followed was proof. He did the hard stuff.

The people of Israel didn’t have a personal copy of God’s law to read whenever they wished. They depend on their Kings to refresh themselves on that and keep the people on track. The people did however hear God’s law and were commanded to pass it down to the next generations. Unsurprisingly, they failed just as we would have. 

We are blessed to be alive in a time and place where we have unbridled access to the complete Word of God. Yet, here we are living our lives as if the commands of Christ are just suggestions. How many self proclaiming Christians in our country are as ignorant of what is in the Bible as King Josiah was of what was on that scroll? How many of our churches have been infiltrated with things/teachings that Josiah would carry out of the city and burn? How many of our religious leaders would Josiah do away with for leading people in things contrary to the Word of God?

We need conviction, repentance, and action. Where do we start?

Get in His word everyday. Don’t do it to check a box or gather information. Ask Him to use it to transform you. Ask God to convict you of the evil in your life and to reveal it to others if you don’t repent from it when He reveals it.

Ask God to give you opportunities to share His love. When He does, get out of your comfort zone and share it in word and deed. 

Invest in the lives of fellow Christians. When there is a financial need, give of what He has given you. When support, accountability, or discipleship is needed, give your time.

Put the electronics away, turn the TV off, and spend time with your kids teaching them the Word of God. Then, strive to live it out for them to see on a daily basis.

The American Christian culture has drifted from the commands of Christ by making congregating within church walls the sole priority. It’s time we understand that is only part of carrying out His commands and acknowledge it’s the easiest part. 

I pray in 2021 we cancel our comfort and do something hard.

My heart is heavy. The video of George Floyd’s life being taken from him. The video of the destruction and theft across our nation. The video of the terrified little girl on her dad’s shoulders trying to get to their vandalized car in Houston. The video of the aggitators disrupting peaceful protests. The video of the National Guardsmen being berated. The video of the 75 year old man being pushed down by officers. The video of David Dorn, a retired Police Captain, lying on the sidewalk dying after being shot. All of the actions depicted in these videos are senseless! Every action taken in these videos is covered in Mark 7:21-23. What started out as a reprehensible act of police brutality has revealed that our issues don’t end there. 

We should do everything we can to eliminate police brutality. I don’t think any reasonable person, including police officers, disagree with that. We should also do all we can to extinquish racism. The term racism exists because we created different groups of race. Race is not genetic. It can’t be found it DNA. However, if we didn’t create groups of race or the term racism, it doesn’t mean the hate would not exist. The hate would still exist because we are sinful people and gravitate to people like us. We would find reasons to hate each other. According to studies, humans are 99.9% the same genetically. The .1% difference occurs within a race more than 95% of the time and less than 5% of the time between races. We are more likely to be more like people who don’t look like us. Regardless of data, seeing someone with a different shade of skin as beneath you is ignorant and sinful. There is no place for this type of hate and it should be confronted. 

I’m not writing this to try and solve all of America’s problems. I will say, communication is the only way relationships can be improved. It’s the only way marriages can be saved. It’s the only way friendships can be mended. It’s the only way divided sides can come together. Without communication there is no understaning. Without understanding there is no empathy. Without empathy there is no motivation to change. I do know that communication is step one.

As Christians, where do we go from here? What do we need to do?

We have to listen to those who are grieving and angry. 

It would do me no good to approach someone who is grieving or angry and start telling them the core of this problem is a spiritual problem. Someone who is grieving or angry needs to be heard. If we take the time to listen to those who are hurting, I guarantee we will have an opportunity to share God’s view of His creation and His love with them. If you’ve never had a personal conversation with someone unlike you about this issue, listen to someone you trust.

"Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions.” Proverbs 18:2 

We don’t need to be offended when we hear black lives matter. 

Black lives do matter. Saying "black lives matter" doesn’t mean all lives don’t matter. It doesn’t mean you support a particular organization. It is simply a way to express that you value those who God gave black skin. If we have a friend going through a trying time and we try to assure them we are there for them, do we end the conversation with “I love everyone” or “I love you”? We say “I love you” because we are focusing on them in their time of need. This is no different. Support those who need support.

"Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

We need to beg God to reveal the error of our ways.

Be vulnerable before God and ask Him to show you the offensive ways in your heart. 

"Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139:23-24

"Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart." Psalm 26:2 

We need to see people through the eyes of God. 

If we have a problem with how someone looks, we have a problem not with them, but with God who created them. 

"So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27 

"From one man He created all the nations throughout the whole earth…” Acts 17:26

We must work with integrity and be loyal to integrity.  

The memes about watching Remember the Titans always start to circulate when racial issues surface. If you haven’t seen it, check it out. There is a scene from the movie that we really need to grasp in America. The team captain, who is white, approaches his head coach, who is black, and requests that his close friend, who is white, be kicked off the team for intentionally missing a block that causes their quarterback, who is black, to be injured. The captain was loyal to integrity and got rid of a teammate who wasn’t. It doesn’t matter if we are police officers, teachers, medical staff, store clerks or on staff at a church, we have to do our job with integrity and help get rid of those who don’t care about doing the same. Ignoring a problem allows it to grow and creates more work to solve it.

"People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed.” Proverbs 10:9

"The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when we offer him sacrifices.” Proverbs 21:3  

"Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent—both are detestable to the Lord.” Proverbs 17:15 

"Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die; save them as they stagger to their death. Don’t excuse yourself by saying, 'Look, we didn’t know.' For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve.” Proverbs 24:11-12 

We must love like followers of Christ.

Love others.  

“Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Be in agreement with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own eyes.” Romans 12:9-16 

We must get out of our comfort zones. 

How can we be the hands and feet of Jesus if we are confined to comfort? We have to stop being only concerned about ourselves. If we would be upset about something happening to us, a family member, or a friend, we should get upset when it happens to someone else.  

“If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much!” Luke 6:32-33 W

We have to understand our battle isn’t with other people.

Other people aren’t the enemy. It’s never an us vs them issue. It’s a Spirit vs flesh issue. We will disagree with others about a lot of things. Some topics will be related to faith and other topics may not be. It doesn’t matter if we are discussing abortion or sports, we must strive to act in the Spirit and not the flesh. If we act in the Spirit, we may have the chance to share Jesus. If we act in the flesh, we will push others away from Jesus. Our job is to share Christ with others not win arguments.

"For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12 

"The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.” Galatians 5:17

"And then Jesus told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.” Mark 16:15

A divided heart can not function. A divided house can not stand. A divided country can not survive. A divided church can not serve. Literally and figuratively, our country is burning. Hate, violence and pride are burning our country down. A fire will continue to burn until everything is gone or until something puts it out. It may subside for a while, but if it is not properly extinguished, it will ignite again. We each have a choice to make. We can allow our hearts to be segregated or we can love equally. We are all a part of the problem. We are all a part of the solution. 

Speak up for things that need to change, but don’t be idle while waiting for the change to happen. Do your part every day. Do it at home. Do it at work. Do it out in public. Be loyal to the mission Jesus gave us. Be loyal to integrity. Be loyal to justice. Be loyal to love. 

"But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentlenes, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” Galatians 5:22-23  

For unity to exist, there must be u n i. Listen, learn, love.

A number of years ago I was listening to someone talk about a mission trip to a third world country. One of the reasons for the trip was “to teach” the people they would come in contact with. Of course, it was not said in an arrogant way, but having previously been to a third world country, I took it in a way only some will understand. Anyone that has been to a poverty stricken part of the world will tell you that you learn way more than you could ever hope to teach. We are commanded to go tell others about Christ, and we must continue to do so, but we have to be aware of the dangers that come with learning about Christ from Americans. In my opinion, one of the absolute worst things that can happen to new believers is for them to look to “American Christianity” as a guide. I say this for a few reasons.

First, doing so can result in rituals instead of a relationship. As Lecrae says in his song “Send Me”, “America ain’t christian they just practicing a ritual.” The majority of us fit God into our schedule instead of making Him the center of our lives. We give Him an hour or two on Sundays and if He is lucky He gets another hour Wednesday night. The most consistent time families pray together is probably before we eat dinner. Do we even have conversations about faith or read the Bible as families? A line from one of my songs without music, a more manly way of saying poems, says “You’re pushed to the back and only brought to the front when I’m caught in a bind or there is something I want.” We’re quick to pick up the Bible or hit our knees in prayer if an illness affects a family member or there is a job we really want, but even then we do so acting like we deserve something in return. The American Christian is willing to be friends with benefits, but we aren’t all that interested in a committed relationship with Christ.

The second reason I believe it is dangerous for foreigners to look to “American Christianity” as a guide is the substance they are likely to get a hold of. We Americans enjoy a good prosperity sermon. We love to hear how the Lord promises us this and that. We enjoy a good pep talk telling us that our blessings are just around the corner. Why do I say we enjoy it? I say we enjoy it because pastors like Joel Osteen have huge followings; Christianity has become big business here in the States. The health and wealth doctrine is not Biblical, but obviously we don’t know our Bibles enough to understand that. You can also punch holes in these false teachings using a little common sense. This fall a show about millionaire pastors called “Pastors of LA” debuts on Oxygen. The promotions for this show should make us sick to our stomachs. As I was working on this blog there was a measles outbreak at one of Kenneth Copeland’s churches in North Texas. Copeland is a health and wealth pastor. It’s ironic that this would happen at a church where medicine is viewed as doubt. It’s amazing how quick their views changed when they felt their finances could be in danger. Often times when this sort of stuff comes up you’ll hear someone say something like “Christians are the only ones to tear down their own.” A wolf in sheep’s clothing is not a sheep. It’s past time we address this issue. Not only do we owe it to those who are being lead astray in our own country, but we owe it to those in other countries who are looking to us for guidance. Fortunately, there is a generation of young pastors in our country who are challenging us to sacrifice our comforts instead of indulge in them.

The last reason I think looking to “American Christianity” is dangerous is because I believe our focus is off. If they look to us, then they are likely to think they need a big elegant building with all of the latest technology. If they look to us, then they will probably promote their individual church more than they promote Jesus. If they look to us, then their idea of serving will be limited to teaching a Sunday School class or helping with the youth. If they look to us, then they will compete against churches in their community who have the same beliefs instead of serving alongside them. If they look to us, their focus probably won’t be where it should be, on Christ. 

The idea of “blessed to be born in America” has been on my mind for some time now. Yes, there are great things about being born in America, but often times those great things are taken for granted. We are blessed with great health care, but we don't take care of ourselves. We are blessed with food, but we often waste it. We are blessed with clean water, but we would rather drink something else. We are blessed to be able to worship together freely, but we often find something to complain about. I think those born in Kenya are blessed to have been born there as well. They aren’t focused on material things like we are. They don’t live in the constant rush that we have come to accept. They are willing to walk miles to worship with fellow believers. They are joyful.

When sharing Christ in poverty stricken regions, and all regions for that matter, we must make sure they don’t look to our country’s first world faith as a guide. Our first world faith is ruining our country. There is no reason to have it bring down other countries too. We must overcome first world faith!

They took our parking spot. #FirstWorldFaith Those visitors are in our seats. #FirstWorldFaith It’s too cold in here. #FirstWorldFaith Why don’t they have the air lower? #FirstWorldFaith Why is the music so loud?#FirstWorldFaith I haven’t liked the song selection lately. #FirstWorldFaith He needs to finish up. We’re five minutes over and the game is about to start. #FirstWorldFaith Those pews are so uncomfortable. #FirstWorldFaith Lord, I’ve been tithing for years. I’d like a new truck. #FirstWorldFaith I’ll raise my hand about a prayer request, but I won’t actually go to the altar and pray about it. #FirstWorldFaith I wanna be friends with benefits, but I’m not interested in a committed relationship with the Lord. #FirstWorldFaith Sunday is the most important day of the week. #FirstWorldFaith

For Christians, the same is true for our spiritual food. If I don’t get up and spend time in the Bible before work, the chances I take time to do it later in the day decrease. It’s been a struggle for me with all the changes due to working from home during this quarantine. My mornings were turned upside down and I haven’t done the best making the proper adjustments. I’ve seen more late nights than early mornings the past eight weeks.

When my daughter said she wasn’t hungry, I was convicted about lacking hunger for God’s word lately. You see, just like skipping breakfast consistently can turn into a loss of appetite, not getting in the Word consistently will result in a lost appetite. Neglecting food, physical or spiritual, for something else is harmful.

Proverbs 27:7 came to mind when thinking about this. It says, “A person who is full refuses honey, but even bitter food tastes sweet to the hungry.” Those who are truly hungry aren’t picky about what they eat. We are more likely to start complaining about what’s for dinner when the pantry and refrigerator are full. The same goes for our spiritual walk. The following passage addresses this concern.

“So obey the commands of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and fearing him. For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land of flowing streams and pools of water, with fountains and springs that gush out in the valleys and hills. It is a land of wheat and barley; of grapevines, fig trees, and pomegranates; of olive oil and honey. It is a land where food is plentiful and nothing is lacking. It is a land where iron is as common as stone, and copper is abundant in the hills. When you have eaten your fill, be sure to praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. But that is the time to be careful! Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees that I am giving you today. For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in, and when your flocks and herds have become very large and your silver and gold have multiplied along with everything else, be careful!” Deuteronomy 8:6-13

I think it’s safe to say that for a large portion of Christians in America, our plenty has caused us to forget the Lord and disobey His commands. I’ve often said that comfort leads to complacency. When we are full and prosperous, comfort comes easy. When we are full and prosperous, dedication, humility, and a servant’s heart are harder to maintain. 

What are you hungry for? Do you start your day hungry to catch up on social media or to have quiet time? Do you go to work to collect a check or to reflect the love of Christ? Are you content with who you are or do you pray for transormation? If we want a healthy spiritual appetite, we must evaluate the things we consume. We shouldn’t expect spiritual growth when our diet is full of worldly things. 

My daughter didn’t want to eat because she wanted to do something fun. She knew the food would be there later. I think we fall into the same trap spiritually. We tell ourselves that we will do it later because we assume we have plenty of time. We must not let what we conisder to be plenty to cause us to become passive. “Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God."

Dr. Landreth’s quote stuck out to me while watching one of his videos in graduate school. While all of our choices are important, after a choice has been made, the next choice becomes more important. We’ve all made wise choices and we’ve all made foolish choices. What’s important is making the next choice a wise choice. With it being Easter weekend I wanted to take a look at a couple of scenarios that took place during the time that we celebrate.

First, let’s look at Judas’ situation. Matthew 26:14-16 says “Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests and asked, ‘How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?’ And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.” In Matthew 27:3-5 we are told “When Judas, who had betrayed Him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders. ‘I have sinned,’ he declared, ‘for I have betrayed an innocent man.’”

Here is what Peter had going on at the same time. Luke 22:54-62 “So they arrested Jesus and led Him to the high priest’s home. And Peter followed at a distance. The guards lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it, and Peter joined them there. A servant girl noticed him in the firelight and began staring at him. Finally she said, ‘This man was one of Jesus’ followers!’ But Peter denied it. ‘Woman,’ he said, ‘I don’t even know him!’ After a while someone else looked at him and said, ‘You must be one of them!’ ‘No, man, I’m not!’ Peter retorted. About an hour later someone else insisted, ‘This must be one of them, because he is a Galilean, too.’ But Peter said, ‘Man, I don’t know what you are talking about.’ And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: ‘Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.’ And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly.”

Both Judas and Peter turned their back on Jesus. Judas’ motivation was financial gain while Peter was concerned about his reputation, physical well-being or both. At this point, Judas was filled with remorse and Peter was weeping bitterly. These aren’t descriptions for people who didn’t care. Judas and Peter are both devastated by what they had done, but these two situations take drastically different turns at this point.

John 20:1-8 “Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, ‘They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!’ Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb. They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn’t go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings. Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed”

What did Peter do after what he had done? After denying Jesus three times, we find him running to the tomb on day three. What did Judas do after what he had done? Matthew 27:5 tells us he hung himself after he brought the 30 pieces of silver back to the religious leaders.

Judas and Peter are the two disciples that we normally think about when it comes to the crucifixion, but all of the other disciples abandoned Jesus as well. Over 2,000 years later, it’s easy for us to question their actions. I’m sure they all felt some combination of shame, confusion, anger, fear, disappointment, and regret during this time. All of these emotions were eliminated in the coming days for everyone except Judas. The other 11 experienced the hope of the resurrected Christ. John is believed to be the only one not martyred for spreading Jesus word. How did the same guys who abandoned Jesus live with such boldness? What they did after what they had done was possible because of what Jesus did after what He had done. Jesus dying on the cross is of great importance only because He left the tomb three days later.

What have we done? We’ve all sinned. We all fall short of the standard Jesus set for us. What do we do after what we’ve done? Sometimes we deny our sin. Sometimes we rationalize it. Sometimes we isolate ourselves from those trying to hold us accountable. Sometimes we embrace the sin. Sometimes we feel like we’ve messed up too much. Sometimes we feel like we will never overcome our struggle. Sometimes we believe those who have given up on us. Sometimes we lose hope. These are all different ways to do the wrong thing. Repentance is the only correct way to deal with sin. It is what we must do after what we have done.

What are you struggling with? What has you feeling defeated? Are you isolating yourself? Have you lost hope? Have you repented? 2 Corinthians 7:10 says “For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.” 

We can deal with our sorrow in worldly ways like Judas or we can be like Peter and run to the tomb. Don’t allow past sin to hold you back. Don’t continue in current sin. All of our foolishness can be wiped away. What He did, leaving the tomb, after what He had done, dying on the cross, is the reason we can have hope.

His mercy is enough. “Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” Lamentations 3:23

Focus on the future. “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,” Philippians 3:12-13

What about things we didn’t choose? What happens when we lose our job, our spouse leaves us, a loved one passes away, our parents divorce, we get a bad report from the doctor, or a virus spreads around the world? What do we do after the air is sucked out of the room? We can give up on life like Judas or we can persevere like Peter. Giving up is never the answer.

We may all be in different stages of life, but we are all in the most important stage of our life. Let’s live like what we do is more important than what we’ve done. Don’t give up. Let’s persevere like Peter.

Have you ever re-read a passage and noticed something that had never occured to you before? That happened to me when I was reading Matthew 27. It's after Jesus had been arrested and was brought to Pilate. Pilate says he finds nothing wrong with what Jesus had done and gives the people the choice to free either Jesus or Barabbas. Of course, the people call for Barabbas to be set free and shout for Jesus to be crucified. 

If you saw the Passion of the Christ you probably remember Barabbas. He was a nasty looking crazy guy. According to Luke 23, he was guilty of rebelling against the government and murder. He was locked up paying his debt to society when Pilate put his freedom in the hands of the people. Why would people choose to set a murderer free over someone who had done no wrong? Their choice doesn’t make sense when you read it, but look at the amazing picture it paints of God's mercy.

Barabbas didn't deserve to be set free, but he was. He was serving his time for crimes he committed when out of nowhere Jesus took his place. Barabbas deserved the punishment he was sentenced to. We may not be guilty of the same sin as Barabbas, but we are guilty of sin. We deserve eternal separation from God, but the same crufixicion that set Barabbas free physically can set us free eternally. All Barabbas had to do to gain physical freedom was leave. All we have to do to gain eternal freedom is put our faith in Jesus. If you are unsure about this, I encourage you to read Romans 3:9-31. Just like Barabbas, our sin's put Jesus on the cross. Just like Barabbas, we can be a beneficiary of God's mercy through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. We don’t know if Barabbas put his faith in Jesus, but there is no doubt that Jesus died for him. We are Barabbas.

If we are only consuming Jesus, we sit down at the table, eat, and go about our way. We check the box or “get my Jesus on” and then we are on to Monday. That is better than nothing, but it’s not what a relationship with Jesus is about. When we desire consuming Jesus, we are desperate to be consumed by Him. What does it look like to be consumed by something? I’m sure we can all relate to being consumed. Whether it was a health issue, your job, the loss of a loved one, a broken relationship, school, an approaching hurricane, a potential promotion, or starting a new career, we have all been consumed by something.

I think it’s safe to say, the world has been consumed by this new Coronavirus. We have consumed information, reports, and updates. It has changed our consumption of hand sanitizer, water, and toilet paper. It has consumed our thoughts and conversations to some level. Schools and businesses have even been swept up in it’s wake. How long have we known about this virus? Most of us probably hadn’t heard of it three weeks ago. Look at the difference in this country in the matter of weeks. That is what consumption looks like. It has literally affected every part of our lives.

What if our relationship with Jesus did that? Are we going to church, small groups, and having quiet time because we desire transformation or just to check a box? What does our time outside of those things look like? What do our conversations at work sound like? What do our thoughts consist of? What do our conversations at home sound like? Are we teaching our kids to get a little Jesus here and a little there to make it through the week or are we planting and watering the seed and praying for growth?

Deuteronomy 6:5-9 says, “And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

This passage is instruction for the children of Israel after getting the Ten Commandments. Their lives were to be consumed by them. Fortunately for us, we are under grace and not the law. We shouldn’t be consumed with keeping the law anymore, but we should be consumed with glorifying Jesus. Are we? If not, why not?

I think we find our answer a couple chapters later. Chapter 8:11-18 says, “'But that is the time to be careful! Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees that I am giving you today. For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in, and when your flocks and herds have become very large and your silver and gold have multiplied along with everything else, be careful! Do not become proud at that time and forget the Lord your God, who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt. Do not forget that he led you through the great and terrifying wilderness with its poisonous snakes and scorpions, where it was so hot and dry. He gave you water from the rock! He fed you with manna in the wilderness, a food unknown to your ancestors. He did this to humble you and test you for your own good. He did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’ Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.'”‭

In our plenty, we have become comfortable and complacent. Those two things are a result of being consumed by something other than Jesus. There may be happiness in that, but there is no joy. There may be temporary satisfaction, but there is no lasting fulfillment. There may be less worry, but there is no true peace. Let’s stop consuming Jesus on a regimented schedule and ask Him to consume our lives.

In Haggai 1:4, God spoke through Haggai saying, “Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins?” The people had been far more concerned with the construction of their own homes than with the construction of the temple. This selfishness lead to unfulfillment, poor harvests, and droughts. When called out by Haggai, they could have continued to live comfortable complacent lives or get up and get to God’s work. They worked with enthusiasm and completed the temple in four years.

This enthusiasm for building the temple is still strong in America today. Church facilities across this nation have quality articheture, sound systems, stage design, and the latest technology. We should maintain church facilities and there is nothing wrong with updating them, but if Haggai were to deliver a message to us, would he ask why we have luxurious facilities while the communities around them lie in ruins? Would he call us out for investing so much in our facilities and neglecting our neighbors needs? Would he point out the effectiveness of places of worship around the world that are far less aesthetically pleasing? 

Our enthusiasm for building the Church must be greater than our enthusiasm for our facilities and creating an appealing Sunday experience. Creating a comfortable atmosphere for people to spend a few hours a week must not take precedent over the people who are outside the walls. There are people in our communities who are lying in ruins. Relational problems, health concerns, loss of loved ones, employment issues, addictions, and financial strains are ruining those within our reach. More importantly, people in our commuinities are lying in eternal ruin without the hope of a relationship with Jesus. 

Do the ruins of our community cross our mind as we sit with friends in the comfort of our luxurious church facilities? Are the eternal ruins of those we come into contact with concerning to us? If not, we are complacent and all of the talk on Sundays is mere lip service. Offering service times that our community can attend is great, but it isn’t enough. If service times are all we offer, we aren’t serving our community well. If we are only interested in investing in ourselves, we aren’t carrying out The Great Commission. We must start serving those outside the walls as a bridge to sharing the love of Jesus with them. If we are unwilling to leave our luxurious facilities to serve our community, we may be the ones who are lying in ruins.

"But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.” James 1:22

I have new things to write too. I plan to write more consistently on here this year as well as start on a new book or two. I have a lot of ideas that I will pursue, but it is my prayer that anything I attempt that isn’t God’s plan will fall apart. It is my prayer that Christ will use these things to challenge, convict, and comfort His followers. Let’s strive to stumble less and be more like Jesus daily.