Childlike faith and Childish Faith, there is a difference
Like every Church, Boundless Grace has an age limit for children who can be placed in our nursery. I think it’s around two or three years old. Of course, the reason for the age limit is that infants demand lots of attention which requires more personal care and staffing than other ministries. These little ones are still crawling, crying, and wanting to be coddled. The fact is, infants have one thing in common “need.” In keeping with the vernacular of our day, it’s all about them!
Well, recently while driving down the highway a humorous thought came to mind. What if Churches lifted the age limit, spiritually speaking for attendance into our nurseries? The result I fear would be overcrowded nursery rooms with people in their twenties, thirties, forties, and even fifties, all needing to be checked in.
All right, I must confess, I have become a little jaded over my twenty plus years in vocational ministry as a pastor but I have observed many believers who are old in their confession of the faith by mere infants in their walk of faith. As I used to hear from a pastor in my former Church, some men are so old in God that you must part their beard to give them a bottle. Ouch!!!!!
The Crawling Believer
When a baby starts crawling a parent gets excited, but if the child is still crawling at the age three there is reason for concern. Well, my blogger friends, I think that our churches are filled with crawling believers; crawling in their knowledge of the word of God, crawling in their ability to serve faithfully without complaint, crawling in their ability to trust God under trial, crawling in their ability to love people unlike themselves, crawling in their willingness to forgive and forget. They are just crawling! There is reason for concern. After all, God gets glory from our walk, not our crawl.
The Crying Believer
Of course, a baby cries because it has only one way to express his need! But at age forty we would hope a person would be able to communicate need without whining. I’m afraid some believers are better known for their whine than their worship. They whine because the pastor didn’t acknowledge their need or ideas, they whine when they are overlooked for a leadership position, they even whine if the coffee is not hot enough or the doughnuts don’t have sprinkles on them! All right, maybe it’s not all this bad, but deprive some believers of what they feel they deserve and be ready to plug your ears!
Perhaps we have forgotten that just being in God’s family is a blessing.
I’m reminded of the story of the prodigal son in keeping with this point.
You know the story! The son goes out and sows his wild oats and screws up his life only to return home in repentance. The words uttered by the boy upon his return home to his gracious father are worth reflection here.
I am not worthy to be called a son, just let me live as one of your servants!
Dear Believer, do you remember how blessed you felt to know that the Father had forgiven you of your sins and rebellion? Do you remember the sense of privilege of just being welcomed into the family of believers? I’m afraid that sometimes we can lose sight of our blessings and be self deceived into thinking that we are somehow being neglected by the Father or his people.
The Coddled Believer
Have you ever been around someone in Church that made you feel that you must walk on egg shells around them? You know the type, people who seem to say non-verbally, it’s my way or the highway. My friends, the Church isn’t Burger King’s where you can have it your way! We are called to consider others more important than ourselves (Philippians 2). It’s not about us is it?
Growing up in our Faith
All right, what might you ask is the solution to growing out of the spiritual nursery? I think the Apostle Peter with great precision and concision has the answer: a statement, a scripture printed on our giveaway coffee mugs at Boundless Grace:
Grace and Peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. 2Peter1:2
Mature believers are people who are so attracted to God that they not only want to know him better but that they want to become like him as well. Not just enjoying His grace and peace as a gift for themselves but gifts to be poured out on those with whom they worship next to in the pew. Or as the Apostle Paul exhorted the Church at Ephesus,
Be imitators of God, therefore as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Eph.5:1-2
Symptoms of Maturity in the Making
As a father of three, I can still remember using the door jam in my daughter’s bedroom as a benchmark for their growth spurts. Every few months one of my girls would want to stand up against the door jam to be measured. If the pencil mark was even a ¼ inch above the last line there was reason to celebrate, after all, growth had taken place. This exercise was always fun for both me and my daughters. Perhaps we would do ourselves well to standup in the doorway of our own spiritual bedroom and measure ourselves in the following areas to see if we have grown over the past few years:
1. Gentleness towards others:
Mature people are gentle spirited which is seen in a willingness to yield rather than be pushy and controlling. Phil.4:5
2. Able to overlook offenses: Mature believers are not easily offended and will work hard at overlooking faults. After all, love covers over a multitude of sins. 1Peter4:8
3. Hard to tick off: The Bible says that we are not to be easily angered!
4. Content to serve others rather than being served or seen!
The greatest in the kingdom according to Jesus are the servants of all! Matt.20:26
5. Refuse to whine!
Do all things without grumbling or disputing: so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom we appear as lights in the world holding fast the word of life. Phil.2:14-16a
6. Follow your leaders rather than fight with them.
A clear symptom of immaturity is an unwillingness to submit to leadership, i.e. authority figures in the church. Heb.13:17
7. Growing in your knowledge of God: Growing believers are growing in their knowledge of God by means of Bible study.
Well, in wrapping this blog up, can I ask you a question or two? Have you grown in the past year? Do you have reason to celebrate, or are you still crawling, crying, and needed to be coddled? If you are growing go out today and celebrate your growth in Christ! If not, get off the carpet at once and make up your mind to start walking after Christ. After all, the carpet will give you rug burns!!!!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
The Big Rocks Must Go in First
Recently while preaching on the importance of evaluating how we use our time, I asked the congregation to raise their hands if they had goals for the coming year. To my delight, the majority of the people raised their hands. However, when I asked the follow up question, how many have their goals written down, 90% of the folks put their hands down. To be honest, I expected such a response because people are filled with good intensions but most fail to take their goals serious enough to write them out and carve out time to make them happen. We all want to lose weight, save more money, spend more time with our kids, etc…. But, will good intensions enough to realize our desires? I would suggest they are not.
Moses prayed in Psalms 90:12, Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom. This prayer was uttered on the heels of his comment; the length of our days is seventy years – or eighty, if we have the strength.
You see, life is brief and will quickly pass. Therefore we must make good use of our time. While there is some value to having a spark of spontaneity in life, unless we take charge of our schedules we will discover that our year will come and go with very little progress or productivity in the areas that really matter.
My blogger friends, the following story is worth the read as a starting place to help us gain a heart of wisdom:
A time management expert was teaching a seminar for executives. He placed a large, clear open-mouthed jar in front of the group. Next, he put seven or eight large rocks into the jar until it was full. “Is the jar full?” He asked. Everyone nodded. Then he took pebbles and filled up the jar with the small rocks until they reached the rim. “Is the jar full?” By now, they didn’t answer. So, he poured fine sand in. “Is the jar full?” Some nodded. He proceeded to take a pitcher of water and filled up the jar again. “What’s the lesson about time management?” he asked. Hands shot up, and everyone agreed “No matter how busy you are you can always fit more things into your schedule.” “Wrong.” he replied. “The lesson is: unless you put the big rocks in first, they never will fit in. You must figure out what the big rocks are for you.” What are the big rocks in your life?
As 2011 passes through the hour glass of time I hope you have placed your “big rocks” in your calendar and that these priorities are governing your routine. After all, life is a vapor that is here today and gone tomorrow.
In this context, I would like to suggest four big rocks that must make it into our schedules:
Rock Number One-You: That’s right, unless you take care of yourself you will be of little value to others. But what, may you ask, does it mean to take care of yourself? Well, I think that we all need exercise, proper diet, mental stimulation(read), recreation(play), & meditation (pray). And while it is true that all the above require determination and discipline, I believe you are capable. So, get started today! Begin with some baby steps in each area. You will be surprised at how much improvement you will experience in a week if you will but get started.
Do you love life? Then don’t squander time, for it’s the stuff that life is made of. Benjamin Franklin.
Rock Number Two-Your Family: One of the greatest of blessings in life is family, and yet, we can neglect our own families by default. We all live in such a busy world, filled with demands and allurements that can rob us of time or emotional energy to bless those we love. In this context, I beg of you to get your family and even extended family into your weekly and monthly schedules. A family movie night, a dinner date with your wife, a game night with your children’s aunts & uncles, etc….. I promise you that this investment of time will be one of your best ways to number your days afresh!
Rock Number Three-Your Church: Of course, you reading a blog written by a biased Pastor. But, I would suggest that the scriptures lend ample proof that God’s children were brought into His family to serve, fellowship, give, and worship together. Can I ask you a few honest questions? How many Sundays do you skip out on Church each year? How many times have you served the people in your church in the past year? How much money does God kingdom receive from you each year? How many people have you entertained this past year for the purpose of blessing? My friends, the rock of fellowshipping with God’s people is a wise investment of your time.
Rock Number Four- Your Neighbors: As Christ followers we are called to love our neighbors as ourselves. I know far too many Christians who spend all of their time with other Christians or working in their communities for positive change but have no impact on those living right next door or working in the cubicle next to them. Could it be that we have forgotten that, going into the world to make disciples is a top priority with God (a big rock)? My friends, get your calendar out and schedule in a barbecue, dessert night, or a wine and cheese night and invite some of your neighbors over to your house, after all, outreach is best accomplished through acts of kindness motivated by love.
Well, lest I run the risk of running on a bit in this blog I had better stop. However, let me leave you with a few simple words of encouragement. First, remember that failure is not fatal. In pursuit of your goals don’t give up just because you fail along the way. Failure does not have to be fatal or final. Second, ask the Lord to help you-(commit your plans to the Lord) He will help you if you invite him into your routine. And finally, if you are serious refuse procrastinate, start today. Get out a pencil, a note pad, and a calendar and start planning. You must remember that Someday is not a day of the week!
Moses prayed in Psalms 90:12, Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom. This prayer was uttered on the heels of his comment; the length of our days is seventy years – or eighty, if we have the strength.
You see, life is brief and will quickly pass. Therefore we must make good use of our time. While there is some value to having a spark of spontaneity in life, unless we take charge of our schedules we will discover that our year will come and go with very little progress or productivity in the areas that really matter.
My blogger friends, the following story is worth the read as a starting place to help us gain a heart of wisdom:
A time management expert was teaching a seminar for executives. He placed a large, clear open-mouthed jar in front of the group. Next, he put seven or eight large rocks into the jar until it was full. “Is the jar full?” He asked. Everyone nodded. Then he took pebbles and filled up the jar with the small rocks until they reached the rim. “Is the jar full?” By now, they didn’t answer. So, he poured fine sand in. “Is the jar full?” Some nodded. He proceeded to take a pitcher of water and filled up the jar again. “What’s the lesson about time management?” he asked. Hands shot up, and everyone agreed “No matter how busy you are you can always fit more things into your schedule.” “Wrong.” he replied. “The lesson is: unless you put the big rocks in first, they never will fit in. You must figure out what the big rocks are for you.” What are the big rocks in your life?
As 2011 passes through the hour glass of time I hope you have placed your “big rocks” in your calendar and that these priorities are governing your routine. After all, life is a vapor that is here today and gone tomorrow.
In this context, I would like to suggest four big rocks that must make it into our schedules:
Rock Number One-You: That’s right, unless you take care of yourself you will be of little value to others. But what, may you ask, does it mean to take care of yourself? Well, I think that we all need exercise, proper diet, mental stimulation(read), recreation(play), & meditation (pray). And while it is true that all the above require determination and discipline, I believe you are capable. So, get started today! Begin with some baby steps in each area. You will be surprised at how much improvement you will experience in a week if you will but get started.
Do you love life? Then don’t squander time, for it’s the stuff that life is made of. Benjamin Franklin.
Rock Number Two-Your Family: One of the greatest of blessings in life is family, and yet, we can neglect our own families by default. We all live in such a busy world, filled with demands and allurements that can rob us of time or emotional energy to bless those we love. In this context, I beg of you to get your family and even extended family into your weekly and monthly schedules. A family movie night, a dinner date with your wife, a game night with your children’s aunts & uncles, etc….. I promise you that this investment of time will be one of your best ways to number your days afresh!
Rock Number Three-Your Church: Of course, you reading a blog written by a biased Pastor. But, I would suggest that the scriptures lend ample proof that God’s children were brought into His family to serve, fellowship, give, and worship together. Can I ask you a few honest questions? How many Sundays do you skip out on Church each year? How many times have you served the people in your church in the past year? How much money does God kingdom receive from you each year? How many people have you entertained this past year for the purpose of blessing? My friends, the rock of fellowshipping with God’s people is a wise investment of your time.
Rock Number Four- Your Neighbors: As Christ followers we are called to love our neighbors as ourselves. I know far too many Christians who spend all of their time with other Christians or working in their communities for positive change but have no impact on those living right next door or working in the cubicle next to them. Could it be that we have forgotten that, going into the world to make disciples is a top priority with God (a big rock)? My friends, get your calendar out and schedule in a barbecue, dessert night, or a wine and cheese night and invite some of your neighbors over to your house, after all, outreach is best accomplished through acts of kindness motivated by love.
Well, lest I run the risk of running on a bit in this blog I had better stop. However, let me leave you with a few simple words of encouragement. First, remember that failure is not fatal. In pursuit of your goals don’t give up just because you fail along the way. Failure does not have to be fatal or final. Second, ask the Lord to help you-(commit your plans to the Lord) He will help you if you invite him into your routine. And finally, if you are serious refuse procrastinate, start today. Get out a pencil, a note pad, and a calendar and start planning. You must remember that Someday is not a day of the week!
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