I was listening to a radio host in my community spewing on and on about the death penalty and how a certain kind of criminal needed to be taken out and killed for what they've done.  I can understand the feelings of wanting to see vengeance against a person for despicable things but then this radio host went a step beyond just advocating the death penalty.

He started talking about his "Christian credentials."

On and on he spoke about as a Christian we needed to get our morals enforced by the government by getting in and voting for politicians who would uphold and enforce the death penalty and even expand it for certain crimes.  This radio host has said that some criminals were unforgivable for what they've done even after they served a sentence and were released from prison.  His view was that they should be taken away from society permanently and never given any opportunities for redemption or forgiveness.  All the while, he's bringing up Christ and bringing up how he's a believer in the Lord.

Let me just say that as I listened I heard no love of God in this man.  In fact, I was embarrassed that he was calling himself a Christian after hearing his continual rants because I know he was showing absolutely none of the love of Christ.  His calls for vengeance and hostile action against those he disagreed with did nothing but continue to feed the fires of those who despise Christianity because of their perception that being a Christian means you're judgmental and feel you're better than other people.  That you're trying to force your beliefs on other people instead of presenting it to them and letting them make their own decisions.

(Now, I know for a fact this radio host off the air is just the same as he is on the air.  Whether he's really a Christian or not, I do not know.  That's between him and God.  All I can do is look for the fruit...and I don't see it...so I pray for him that if he's only saying he's a Christian to look good on the radio he finds Jesus for real and if he is a Christian that he opens his Bible and reads what it really says...)

As much as we may want to exact revenge on a murderer or rapist or child molester or embezzler or any criminal, we're called to show love to one another.

"We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother." - 1 John 4:19-21 (ESV)

Advocating the killing of a criminal or any other human being when it's not in self-defense is in my opinion violating the passage in 1 John.  The execution of criminals is not a case where someone is in imminent danger from them but rather where someone is bound and helpless.  They have to sit or lay there and wait for someone to end their life.  That's murder in it's purest form and there's no other way to spin it.

I see no way a Christian can endorse the death penalty.  None.

Now, the usual response I receive from Christians at this point is "well, the government isn't Christian and they're not required to do the things a Christian wants to do."  Well, that's obvious by the actions taken by the government in the United States.  They obviously have the right to take prisoners and kill them for the things they've done.  All we as Christians can do is vote for candidates that believe as we believe and hope they vote on those convictions. 

(Let me remind you:  There's nothing wrong with a Christian voting for candidates that support and endorse Christian beliefs in the government realm.  That is your RIGHT as a voter.  The people who say that you don't have the right to express your Christian beliefs in the public realm are doing nothing but trying to silence you while imposing their will upon you.  You have the right to speak and act in the government and you should let no one stop you.  I promise those who despise Christians don't allow themselves to even slow down in trying to use the government to impose their will upon you!)

Just because the government has the right to do it doesn't mean you as a Christian should endorse it!  It doesn't mean you should be getting on the radio or writing letters to the newspaper or posting blogs on the internet calling for other people to be killed!  You are called to forgive your brother and show love to them.  This includes even the most horrible human beings on the planet (as we humans would define horrible.) 

Remember...

"Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord."" - Romans 12:19 (ESV)

Remember the greatest vengeance that God can put upon a criminal for their actions...eternity separated from Christ.  Never ending hell.  Doesn't that surpass anything that human beings could do to another human being?  Of course it does and that's the point.  We can never inflict punishment that can surpass what God will do in judging someone for their sins.  Advocating the death penalty does nothing at all when it comes to God holding people accountable for their lives.

I know this is stepping on some toes and some of you who are long time readers are going to disagree with this.  I don't mind disagreement but I'll be honest in saying that I won't change my mind on this.  I already did it once...I used to be an advocate of the death penalty until God really worked me over on the subject.  We cannot stand for life in all cases like abortion and then turn around and advocate killing of another because they did something we think is evil.

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I had a bulletin this morning from a friend and it mentioned her new blog.  As I read the blog, it was encouraging to see the honesty of someone willing to admit their past without putting spin on it and accepting the responsibility of their actions.  She acknowledged the pain she had caused both to herself and to her family and the struggles that she faces even today dealing with the consequences of her sin.

She then went on to express frustration when someone would praise her for being an encouragement or someone that a person could look up to as they were transforming their life and looking to change.  She was almost ranting that they were to give the praise to God and not her.  While I agree we are to praise God...and I once felt the same way...I had a pastor talk to be about this issue and I felt led to share with this woman in the same manner.  Below is my response to her blog and I hope that perhaps it may minister to some of you as well.

"OK...please don't take this as condemnation because it's not meant that way.  Your honesty is refreshing and too many Christians don't reach the level of brokenness that you clearly have experienced.

I think you need to reconsider your position when people give you encouraging praise.

There's two things to consider here.  First, are we not God's hands and feet on this earth?  If that's the case...and we are the Body of Christ...then we are also His mouth on this earth.  Just as the Bible says we are to speak love to others and to tell them the truth of Christ I believe we are to also be the voice of God to speak encouragement and uplifting words to each other.

Remember how we're all waiting for the day when we get to Heaven and Jesus looks at us and says "well done, good and faithful servant"?  I don't believe this is the only time that Jesus would want to tell us that we're doing a good job.  Just like a parent encourages their child as they go through their day so too does God encourage us as we go through our lives.  He can very easily use another human to speak something into our lives that is encouragement and "praise" to us.  

Remember the "praise" you're receiving isn't for anything you're doing but being obedient to God.  That means the person who sees that recognizes your commitment to the Lord and part of that commitment is your humility to say it's all Him.  That's part of the package that's radiating the beauty of Christ to others.  There is really no need to continually point it out.

Secondly, you're really robbing those giving you praise of a blessing.  They're feeling led to give you a blessing and when you bless others you bless yourself.  If someone comes to you and says you've been an inspiration or that you're doing a great job by being so sold out to Christ then don't essentially throw it back in their face.  Just as you get a good feeling when you do something through Christ to encourage or uplift another so too does someone get that feeling when doing the same for you.  Don't be a potential stumbling block to them by immediately saying "well, it's all Jesus."  They already know that because they see it in your life.  

It's hard when you've walked a harsh road to get to this place and then turn around and allow people to give you those encouraging praises.  I know that I've had problems with ego and pride in the past and it took me a while (and a very wise pastor) to bring this view into focus in my life.  Look at this from these Scripture verses I'm sure you know:

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." - Philippians 4:8 (ESV)

So many times we want to latch that onto an action or some kind of ministry movement for that passage but it can also apply to you or I if we're placed by God where we are an encouragement to another through our obedience to Him.  If someone sees us as worthy of praise...and therefore thinks about us...they'll pay attention to our deeds and our focusing on Christ.  We don't need to keep telling them about it because they see us live it.  Now, that puts a lot of pressure on us because we're in the "spotlight" (so to speak) but it's also the life we've been called to live by Jesus.

So while I completely agree we need to make sure their eyes are turned toward Christ, we also need to allow ourselves to accept the possibility that God is working through those people to do a few things.  First, it confirms to us that we're in His will and that we are working toward the prize God has in store for us at the end of this race.  Second, it allows them to experience the joy of blessing others as we ourselves are blessed.  Third, it gives us the chance to turn our own eyes back to our Father and thank Him for the gift He's given us in blessing that person enough they felt moved to give praise in our direction for our obedience to God.  Just like a child is pleased and thinks of their earthly fathers when someone praises their good behavior so too do we think of God when this happens to us."

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The advantages of holiday weekends can be many from relatives bringing you ample amounts of free food to the chance to just forget about the constraints of daily life and the problems that you face as you move forward in whatever world you call home.  It's a nice time to "recharge the batteries" (to steal that old cliche.) 

Now, the holiday is over and it's time to get back to our regularly scheduled problems, stresses and issues.  I would like to make a small suggestion:  Instead of going back to the same old ways of dealing with them let's try something that might be new for many of you!

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." - James 1:5 (ESV)

"But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." - James 3:17-18 (ESV)

Everyone who changes their lives or way of thinking always has a Day One.  That's the day where it all begins and they make a commitment to stand up for God in some part of their lives and to live out the truth that we read about in the Scriptures every day.  Why not make today the Day One for turning over your thinking pattern regarding the troubles of life?

We always want to solve our issues right away and find a tangible solution that we ourselves can do.  We want to be able to see the answer right away; to touch it; to taste it; to feel the comfort that comes from it's arrival.  Sometimes we look to someone else to provide the answer for us as we move forward but we look to another human being.  Many Christians fall into that trap...they want their pastor or a spiritual mentor to give them an easy path to the future God has chosen for them.

As Paul wrote:

"my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." - 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 (ESV)

It's time to stop listening only to other people and it's time to listen to God!

As James wrote so eloquently, we need to call on God to provide His wisdom for us in every situation that life will bring to us.  That's not to say that God cannot provide wisdom through people that would help you along the way. 

"Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future." - Proverbs 19:20 (ESV)

We need to seek first God and His wisdom and then seek out those to whom God has appeared to be giving them the gift of wisdom and discernment.  After you seek God you need to remember that His wisdom might not be what you expect to hear in response.  (And, based on what I've seen in my life, it's very rarely what you think it's going to be.)  There's nothing wrong with taking what you feel from the Lord and seeking Godly counsel about it.  Other believers who also seek God first in all things will be able to help give you confirmation of the spirit of God until you get to the point you know God when He's speaking and moving in your life.

Seek God first in all you do and then just be prepared to go along with whatever the ride is going to be.  When you face that first really bizarre avenue God has you travel just smile and enjoy the growth and experience for what it is.  You never know what you're going to learn beyond the fact God's wisdom is perfect, pure and aimed at making you reflect more of His son on this earth.

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There seems to be an undercurrent in society today among certain pockets of people who love to cause problems, divisions and fights.  They'll look for ways to try and stir up controversy just to draw attention to themselves or to try and cause enough problems to force their will on other people.  The idea of finding compromise anywhere for anything is practically akin to asking them to give up their lives and the idea of them not being able to run the show results in their yelling louder and louder until nothing can be done.

It can be irritating to deal with these people because you know they're acting incredibly selfish and with what appears to be a complete disregard for anyone else.  In reality, it could run much deeper than what you see!  It could just be that they're young and immature.  Possibly they're so disgusted with their lives or so unhappy with whatever they're facing that they think they can only make themselves feel better by causing problems for other people.  If they aren't a Christian then you can't really say much because they aren't living under Christ's call and therefore see nothing wrong with acting in any manner to try and fill the void which causes them to act out.  If they are a believer, this is a sign of trouble in their lives.

Our tendency when we run into other believers who cause divisions in churches or other groups of believers is to try and work it out.  We talk with them, we debate Scriptures with them and very often get to the point where they're quietly tolerated because we don't want to cause what we think are divisions by confronting them or ignoring them.  We just "accept" them. 

Let's look at this scripture passage...

"Avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels... for they are unprofitable and worthless.  As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned." - Titus 3:9-11 (ESV)

Wow...that's pretty direct!

It seems clear to me that if you have someone who thrives on causing divisions then their heart and their cause isn't necessarily for the cause of Christ.  I'm also thinking that this isn't about the person who is passionate about an issue and stands firm on it (like a worship style, for instance) but rather someone who seeks out ways to cause problems based on those passions. 

For example, I was once a part of a church that was facing the internal struggles that come from having a change from only traditional worship to a blending of worship styles.  There was a hard core pocket of people within the church who loathed the idea of changing anything even though the elders approve it and the church grew by leaps and bounds after the change.  They spoke up in congregational meetings and despite continually being up votes to have the music changed back they were always voted down.

Instead of accepting it or going to another church or keeping their comments within the congregational meetings, they proceeded to start complaining to the membership of the church every Sunday morning.  They would complain it was too loud.  They would complain they weren't picking the right hymns.  They would even go as far as to complain about the clothing that some of the worship team would be wearing on stage and saying those people didn't respect the Lord because their clothes weren't "Sunday Best." 

What happened?  The church catered to the complaints of these people because they didn't want to lose "long time members" and have to deal with potential fall-out.  They ended up losing younger members and families and attendance dropped. 

Another church I had been involved with faced a similar problem although they started out as a contemporary worship church.  A pocket of older believers who had been attending started to make noise about putting "traditional worship" into the services and when they didn't get their way in church votes they started the gossiping tactics.

This time the pastor spoke to each one of them and said simply "this is what we feel the Lord is calling our church to do.  If you want to stay a part of it, we would love to have you.  If you're going to continue causing divisions within the church, we're going to miss you but wish you well."  The gossip stopped and the church flourished.

To be clear, I'm not saying that you need to get into their face and quarrel with them about the issues.  A calm, reasoned discussion or debate is fine but when it progresses past logical discussion into an area where it's only emotion speaking then you're going to accomplish nothing or as the verse said be "unprofitable and worthless." 

When faced with people who thrive on causing the divisions and strife just warn them a few times that if they continue you're not going to discuss the matters with them and then follow up on your words.  Eventually they'll get the idea their behavior is unacceptable and out of line with God's standards and either come around to reasonable discussions or they'll go elsewhere.  I know it's hard to let someone just go elsewhere but the issue is theirs and not yours.

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I'm always amazed at how God is faithful to those who put all their trust in Him.  Even though I know without a doubt that God can do anything and that His Word will be shown true every time it's still awesome to watch how God's hand moves through His people when they're faithful to listen to His voice and obey.

" God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling." - Psalm 46:1-3 (ESV)

It's human nature at a time like that described in Psalm 46 for us to worry and to get a sense of panic because it feels like everything is going south quickly.  It may be anywhere from a starter in your car dying to losing a job all the way to the death of a family member or friend or perhaps an apartment fire the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  The hardest thing for a Christian to do in those circumstances is to buck against the feelings of the world...and usually those around you...and just say "this is the Lord's will and the Lord will deliver me from this situation."

I know I've struggled with that through my life and although I'm not ready to say I can make that comment in every situation I can say the Lord's worked on me enough (i.e. putting me in enough of those situations) where most of the time I can now have that attitude.  Usually I get that initial feeling of panic and worry and then just push it off with thoughts of my Father in Heaven who wants the best for me and if I trust Him completely will do whatever is best for His kingdom and the good of someone like me who loves him.

Just look at what the quoted passage says about God.  It doesn't say that He's going to just be around to help when the times get challenging.  It says that He is a "very present help in [times of] trouble."  That means He's going to be an active participant in helping you instead of just being around in case you find a solution on your own but need a little heavenly "oomph" to get the plan into motion.  God is right there working on your behalf at every moment even if you don't realize that's what is going on.  You might not be able to see it at the time...and it might not be working for you in the way you expected it to work...but He IS there and working for you!

What are we supposed to do about these situations when they arise?

""Be still, and know that I am God.  I will be exalted among the nations,  I will be exalted in the earth!" The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." - Psalm 46:10-11 (ESV)

Be still doesn't mean we sit idly by and wait for something to happen.

Being still means that your spirit is still...you don't dwell on worry and anxiety about the present situation and let those feelings idle you and your walk with Christ.  It doesn't mean that you sit around worrying about whether the car will be fixed or when you will have a roof over your head again.  It means that we're supposed to be still in spirit in the knowledge that God is there and doing what is best for us while we go out and still do the things we're called to do by God himself.  We're to honor him with our obedience to our callings in the times of good as well as the times of bad.

I'm not saying it's easy.  I'm not saying it's fun.  I'm not saying it's even comforting (at first) when you're in the midst of this and someone tells you to "let go, let God" or to take it "one day at a time."  We're human and we want things now and we want problems to have an easy solution with clear steps to get there.  God doesn't usually make things that easy for us!  (But, praise Him for the times He does!)  Just take to heart that no matter the situation and the trouble that you may be facing that God IS there with you and He is actively taking a part in helping you find the way of escape or the solution to the problem facing you.

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There is a lot of intolerance in the world today but most of it is being shown by the people who most loudly claim they're the victims of intolerance.  The people who are so busy trying to get the world to OK their lives celebrating sin that they use words like "intolerance" and "bigotry" to attack anyone who dares to disagree with the agenda they're trying to force down the throats of others.  They claim they have no hate for anyone yet the minute they're confronted with someone who clings to their Christian beliefs they spew very little but hatred, insults and derogatory comments about the faith and anyone who believes it.

A lot of Christians don't know how to handle situations like this and because of it they don't share their faith or stand up for their convictions.  Many times Christians won't even stand up for their right to stand up and speak their mind because they keep being told they need to "keep quiet" to "get along" with everyone.  

Don't forget the Bible says:

"Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him." - 1 John 3:13-15 (ESV)

Why is the world going to hate you?  It's very simple...you're speaking about the truth and that truth runs against everything the world holds dear.  It runs against the prevalent attitude the prince of this world wants people to believe:  You can do whatever you want whenever you want and no one has a right to tell you anything otherwise.  That's a horribly false statement in terms of the truth of eternity but to someone who's in the world they really don't care about truth when it's much more fun to chase the fancy cars, the high paying jobs, the lusts of the flesh and the material possessions. 

If someone tells you that you need to keep quiet about your faith to get along with someone, they're not a follower of Christ.  If someone tells you that you're a bigot because you believe in the Word of the Bible, they're not a follower of Christ.  If someone tells you that you need to focus on the things of this world over the things of God, they're not a follower of Christ.  If someone tells you that you have no right to point out to someone they're committing a sin like alcoholism, drug abuse or homosexual activity, they're not a follower of Christ.  As a believer, you're called to follow Christ so it shouldn't be hard to decide who to listen to even though you're going to be unpopular because of it.

Unfortunately, we all struggle with this because it's not a comfortable feeling most times to be the one who standing alone in the face of a crowd of people with hostile intent.

There's a message board that I frequent that is filled with anti-Christian hatred.  The people who spew their venom always deny they hate Christians and Christianity but it's very obvious to anyone who visits that forum their hate flows very freely.  They band together in a little clique and any time a Christian stands up for the truth of the Word they being to personally insult the person, to mock Christ and then any time a believer mentions their reprehensible behavior they all start proclaiming the person as a "persecution complex."  They use the same tactics that Goebbels used during WWII in Germany:  keep repeating lies over and over and over until people believe them.  It doesn't matter what is really true to these people...and they try to do all they can to hide real truth!

Why do they behave this way?  It would be easy to dismiss them by saying they have no morals, no decency and no personal convictions but I think it just comes from the fact they live in a fallen world that tells them mocking and hating Christians is perfectly acceptable.  (Why, for example, can you not show Mohammed on TV but it's OK for someone put a photo of Jesus in a jar of urine?)  If the atmosphere around you doesn't say it's wrong there is no incentive to have a different behavior.

The non-Christians outnumber the believers at least 50 to 1.  I stand up for Christ because as you probably guess from this blog I really don't care if someone hates me for standing up for the truth of God.  However, I've seen more than one person who calls themself a believer knuckle under to the non-believers and even compromise the truth of God just to get along with them.  I had a message sent to me a few weeks ago from another strong believer on the board asking why none of the other people who say they profess Christ will even acknowledge the simple truth of the Bible that Jesus is Lord.  Why they will always bend to the will of non-believers and say they have no right to vote based on their Christian beliefs or to speak up in a public arena for their Christian views.  I responded quite simply they were more interested in getting along with people than standing up for truth.

Now, it's likely long time readers of the blog will say, "BB, you say that we need to witness through a relationship and not just go preach at someone.  Now it sounds like you want us to get right into their face."  That's NOT what I am saying right now.  Of course you want to build a relationship so they can see Christ working through your life.   However, building a relationship doesn't mean you compromise the truth of Jesus Christ just to be their friend.  You don't tell them sinning is perfectly acceptable just because you want to get along with them.  If you compromise yourself and your beliefs in Christ then the impression you leave on them is that you don't really believe what you tell them you believe.  Why would someone want to be a part of that belief system?

Just realize there will be times you're going to be hated just because you're a Christian and it doesn't matter how much you treat someone with respect or how nice you are to someone.  You're going to be branded a bigot or hatemonger or worse just because you dare to disagree with the agenda of certain activist groups and certain media outlets.  The Bible told you to expect it and it's happening right now.  You need to build your faith in Christ and trust in Him regardless of what's being thrown at you by the world because at the end of everything Christ (and therefore you) win. 

Finally, remember you do have a right to make your voice heard.  That doesn't mean you shouldn't be wise in the words that you use but it does mean when you have the opportunity to share your faith or share the truth of God's word you're to do it.  Be very careful for the Christian who tells you to not speak the truth of God just because you'll take heat for doing that.  Jesus wouldn't ever tell you not to share the Word of God with other people just because you might take heat for it.

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Sometimes I wish the Christian walk was easy.

I know that it might just be me but I really get irritated when I see someone either in the media or in a church preaching on about the glory of God and how great He is and how when you come to Christ He's going to take away all your burdens.  Now I don't question for a second the glory of God and how great He is because there's no doubt that's entirely true.  What I don't like is the concept so many spread that if you come to Christ you can put all your burdens upon Him and all will be good.

I don't like the "false advertising" method of evangelism.

I think a lot of the problem comes from people not understanding what Jesus was saying when he made the infamous statement in Matthew 11:30:

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."" - Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV)

Along with this passage in 1 Peter:

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." -1 Peter 5:6-8 (ESV)

I've heard several pastors in my life put those passages together in a "come to Jesus" message and make it appear to the struggling, hurting person who hasn't accepted Christ that once you accept Jesus you're in the land of milk and honey.  If you really look at those verses that's NOT what is being said in those passages.

First, let's look at what Jesus said..."my yoke is easy and my burden is light."  There's nothing in that passage talking about any problems you have in your life right now.  It doesn't talk about the things the enemy is going to do in an attempt to pull you away from God or the truth.  It doesn't talk at all about your fallen flesh and the ways it can pull you toward committing a sin.  It's all about Jesus and what He wants you to do with your life.  IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU. 

Jesus' yoke is easy and his burden truly is light.  It make take a while to get to this point but it is something that you'll not only find easy but also exciting.  The yoke of Jesus is to truly follow him...love one another, clothe the naked, feed the hungry, house the homeless....take the steps to do for people what Jesus himself did when he walked around on this spinning ball of dust.  The more you do these things the easier it will be and the more chance you give God to take and mold your heart, mind and spirit into that of His Son. 

Then in the Peter passage if you read it and take it as itself you'll see that Peter never says casting your anxieties on God will bring you instant relief or answers.  In fact, it just says to cast them onto God with no promise about what's going to happen next.  God could take away or provide immediate answer to the problem.  God could also let you learn a lesson by facing the consequences of your action and then taking that situation and using it for His plan.  It could also be a situation where you've sinned and God's not a part of that at all.   God can do anything at any time and there's nothing we can say or do about it.  Just because we cast our cares upon him doesn't mean the world is going to be all hearts and flowers.

God does care about you and God doesn't want to see His children suffering in any way.  God does not delight in our pain and He does not sit there looking for ways to cast affliction upon you just to watch you squirm.  The hardships we face in life could be because we're in a fallen world controlled by Satan; it could be our own fallen flesh or it could be that God has chosen to allow us to face the full consequences of our actions so we can learn and grow.  However, if you cast your problems and burdens upon Him and truly turn to Him not only is he faithful and just to forgive you of the sins but he's also willing to provide you the wisdom needed to get out of the situation.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." - James 1:5 (ESV)

I understand that we need to highlight the good parts of coming to Jesus because especially in today's society people run from anything that seems hard or difficult.  They want the quick fix or they want Oprah to give them The Secret.  The Christian walk and life isn't easy and it's not something that's going to be a walk in the park.  It's going to have struggles, it's going to have challenges and there are going to be times where you just look up and yell very loudly as God wondering what's going on.  When it's all said and done, it's going to be very good, even if it means you're in heaven with God himself.  That doesn't mean it's OK for us to only show the positive picture and not be real with the people with whom we're discussing Christ.

Remember that someone can get disillusioned even if they've spent years as a Christian.  A new Christian can just as easily become disillusioned if they think coming to Jesus solves their problems and discovers they didn't get a new job that covers their bills and then some or that their medical issue didn't go away overnight.  We need to tell the truth of the Good News but temper it with the truth that there's a lot of work involved and that it can take time for the promises of God to be seen in ways that we can see with our human eyes.

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Chris Tomlin released a song titled "Unchanging" with these lyrics:

"Great is Your faithfulness
Great is Your faithfulness
You never change
You never fail, O God

True are Your promises
True are Your promises
You  never change
You never fail, O God"

Some bold statements in the song and something that leads me to ask you a question.  How faithful do you really believe God is to you?

I know millions of us sing songs similar to this every Sunday morning and Wednesday night about the faithfulness of God and His mighty power and the great things that He can do.  I also think millions of us sing it with really having the concept about what's being said in these songs! 

Let's start with Webster's Dictionary's definition of faithful:

" Main Entry: ¹faith·ful
2 : steadfast in affection or allegiance : LOYAL
3 : firm in adherence to promises or in observance of duty : CONSCIENTIOUS
4 : given with strong assurance
5:  true to the facts, to a standard, or to an original faithful copy

Isn't faithful an incredibly powerful word?  Steadfast.  Firm.  Duty.  Assurance. It's a word that's filled with strength.  It's a word that can provide comfort and a challenge to us at the same time.  If you are on the receiving end of someone who's faithful it's a comfort to know they're ready to do anything to help you.  If you are the one giving the faithfulness to another you are called to go above and beyond what the world would consider as your duty to another person.

God is faithful to you my friend.

"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." - 1 John 1:8-9 (ESV)

Let me paraphrase it using a bit of the dictionary definition:  "If we confess our sins, God is firm in his promise to forgive us and cleanse us."  He's not going to waver, He's not going to change, He's not going to walk away from you just because you've done something for which you might think God would instantly drop God's Mighty Anvil on your head.  If you confess and truly repent of your sins then God will forgive you.  There's nothing to question about it.

" The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. " - Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV)

Does it say the love of the Lord "might not" cease?  That His mercies "hopefully won't ever" come to an end?  No!  It says that his love will NEVER end.  Remember in elementary school when your teacher would tell you to never use the word never unless you really meant it?  Do you believe it?  A fourth grader would believe it and we're supposed to be smarter than a fourth grader.

I won't write here that we're all to the point that we never question this principle of God regardless of what our brain may know about it.  We all have had times where we think..even if it's a split second...that God's not going to forgive us for something.  Mostly these times are during the early parts of our Christian walk when it just seems to foreign to think that God would forgive us for what we have done throughout our lives or a sin from our old life that carries over into the beginning of our new life in Christ.  The Word is not unclear about it.  We need to keep words like the Lamentations passage in our hearts for the times Satan wants to make us doubt in our Lord.

"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." - Hebrews 10:22-23 (ESV)

I want to try and encourage you today to hold tight to God's promises and not to waver from them regardless of what the world throws at you or regardless of what you do because of your fallen flesh.  Don't let the shame that the enemy is going to pour all over you effect your thought process.  Refuse to stand there and feel as if you're a horrible Christian or that you're unforgivable or that no matter what God won't let what you've done be forgiven.  I'm not saying you don't have to deal with the consequences here on Earth for your actions but God Himself will cover you in Christ's blood and your sin in His eyes will be gone forever if you truly turn your heart to Him and ask for the forgiveness.

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Webster's Dictionary defines "endure" in a number of ways:

"transitive verb
1 : to undergo (as a hardship) especially without giving in : SUFFER <endured great pain>
2 : to regard with acceptance or tolerance endure noisy children>
intransitive verb
1 : to continue in the same state : LAST endured for centuries>
2 : to remain firm under suffering or misfortune without yielding endure>
synonym see BEAR, CONTINUE"

Whew...that's not exactly what we'd call a happy word, is it?

That word brings to mind things like suffering, sticking it out in unbearable situations and those situations being unchanging for a long period of time.  As you look at that word and it's definition, is that something you want to sign up for?  If I walked up you and said "hey, I want you to endure something" would you jump at it and say "OK!!!!!" and then drop everything for it?  Likely not.

However, that's exactly what we have to do in our Christian walk.

"For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps." - 1 Peter 2:19-21 (ESV)

I have to admit that I'm not fond of the churches and pastors that spend all their time preaching about the "good" of Jesus and how if you come to Christ your world is going to change for the better.  Yes, when you come to Jesus you have eternal life and no matter what happens you're going to spend eternity with Him whuch is definitely a change for the better in your life.  However, getting to that point could be anything but joyful and just accepting Christ doesn't automatically mean your situation is going to turn around for the better.

I don't want to call it false advertising on the part of those pastors and churches but it's not really telling the whole story.  There's such an overwhelming desire in many churches and by many leaders today to see people accept Christ that it's almost to the point anything will be said...or anything left out...just to drive up the numbers of salvations you see in a given week.  Church leaders or ministry people talk about how many people they see people getting saved every day or every week.  It's as if you can't be successful unless you have tons of people accepting Jesus and if that's the focus then your focus is blurred.

We need to start focusing on the truth of Christ and being honest in our witnessing to people instead of worrying that the truth will drive them further away from Christ.  I'm not saying we don't focus on the positives of being a child of God but we can't expect someone to stay strong in the faith if we paint a picture of a land of milk and honey and they find themselves in a cesspool.  We need to bring them the whole picture and let them make a real decision about what's ahead of them.

No Christian has an easy life if they're truly seeking God and doing what they can to fulfill His wishes.  God takes and molds and changes us and that usually involves painful situations, uncomfortable conversations and sometimes losing friends and perhaps family.  The end result, if you endure those lessons, is going to be a better life because you're more like Christ and the more Christ-like you become the more you appreciate life and the little things that go into it.  The materalism and selfish tones of the world begin to fade into the background in the light of the Light.  However, it takes time and effort and being willing to endure some trials that could literally even be by fire!

I know this is going to make witnessing to someone even harder than it is.  I know that it's going to require you to really lean on the Lord for wisdom when dealing with someone who's hurting and looking for a way out.  The temptation to paint the rosy picture is always going to be right there but doing that is only going to help plant seeds of doubt later when the storms of life eventually come back and hit the person you're pointing to Jesus.  Satan is going to attack them...or their fallen flesh is going to act up...and then they're going to look at you and ask why they're still facing this trial if they belong to Jesus.  Are we really to put Jesus in a place that we have to make excuses for Him?

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This is blog #150.  I didn't even realize I was at this point until I went to start typing the blog and looked at the counter on my MySpace page.  That made me want to run back through the archives and it hit me that today's blog marks the end of the first six months of the Bible Blogger Bible Blog.

I'm not one to get sappy about things like anniversaries but I am amazed that the Bible Blog has not only lasted six months but has grown as much as it has grown.  The total number of daily readers has jumped exponentially and especially over the last two weeks.  I'm honored that all of you take the time to read the words I post here every day and I praise God for the that opportunity. 

As I'm sitting here reflecting on the last six months of my life and how the Bible Blog has affected it.  It's increased the discipline with which I look at and read scripture.  Sure, I read the Bible every day and studied it but it's a whole new level when you dig in to find meanings that God opens up to you.   You'll see some passages in a whole new way and there's an excitement to share them with other people. 

It's changed my personality in many ways.  I'm not as quick to jump into the fray when it comes to arguing about spiritual issues.  Rather, I listen to find places to make a calm, direct comment.  I've gotten to the point that if I'm rejected for standing up boldly for truth and lose a "friend" over something that I don't feel anxiety about it as I would have in the past.  The knowledge that I'm in God's will makes everything just fine.  It's getting me up earlier in the morning to listen to the Daily Audio Bible and write this blog....and I really like sleep! 

The most important thing is that I've finally been able to let go of my own desires and completely turn things over to God.  I do not have any of the desires of my heart right now.  None.  However, I have a complete and total peace about it all because I know that God is doing to do what needs to be done for my life.  It doesn't mean it's easy nor does it mean it's fun...God doesn't say that if we come to him life is going to be a box of chocolates.  I can tell you without hesitation that sometimes it's a box with no chocolate in it.  Yet I know that nothing in the world will satisfy like God's presence in my life.

I know we all say that.  We all know promises in the Word like:

"The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him," - Nahum 1:7 (NIV)

Yet if you stop and think about it we rarely get to the point where we can lay everything down for the sake of God because we know no matter what comes our way that He cares for us.  Are you willing to give up your job?  Your house?  Your friends?  Your parents?  Your children?  I know that I couldn't until I started writing this blog and it's taken six months but I know I'll lay it all down for the sake of the call.  It's hard to get to that place...I won't say it's been easy...but I can tell you this is a wonderful place to be.  I encourage you...shake off the world and put on God.

I know today's blog is more than a little self-indulgent and I apologize if you're expecting profound words of wisdom.  Every morning when I sit to write this blog I ask God to show me what He wants said each day and type the words that come flowing into my head.  On rare occasions, like the recent blogs on pornography and accountability, He has put thoughts into my heads well ahead of the actual writing or put circumstances in my life where He's shown me crystal clear examples of what He wanted to see in the blog.  Mostly it's wake up, spend some time in the word and then sit in front of my trusty Dell laptop and start typing uncensored.  (That's right...I don't go back and edit the blogs.  What you see is what comes out.)

I'm having many thoughts right now revolving around the fact I've hit the six month mark with the BBBB and perhaps God is going to have me share some of them but I'm hearing a very large "not right now."  I do feel that I'm to say this to you in closing:  I love all of you, I only want to see the best in your life and I know that this doesn't mean days of wine and roses (or, for those of you who are children of the 80s, Guns N' Roses.)  I only can promise you that if you make a solid commitment to God to be in His word and to see His wisdom, you'll find it.

I know I have and I can't wait to go deeper and see what God's going to do next.

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Today's blog is on the heels of yesterday's blog because I had a situation where I was dealing with someone who felt in a similar way to the people I had talked about as objects of scorn.  They're struggling with their walk right now and even feel as if they're falling farther and farther away from God.  This is something I know I've felt in my life many times.

The good news is that you're never too far away from God.  NEVER.

I'm going to address today's blog mostly to believers who feel drawn away but it can also apply to anyone who feels like they need God in their life but either don't know how to come back or don't know if they can ever come to God.  Let's start out with a passage from Romans 3.  I like the way The Message translation phrases it:

"Basically, all of us, whether insiders or outsiders, start out in identical conditions, which is to say that we all start out as sinners. Scripture leaves no doubt about it:

   There's nobody living right, not even one,
      nobody who knows the score, nobody alert for God.
   They've all taken the wrong turn;
      they've all wandered down blind alleys.
   No one's living right;
      I can't find a single one.
   Their throats are gaping graves,
      their tongues slick as mudslides.
   Every word they speak is tinged with poison.
      They open their mouths and pollute the air.
   They race for the honor of sinner-of-the-year,
      litter the land with heartbreak and ruin,
   Don't know the first thing about living with others.
      They never give God the time of day."

Nobody's living right, my friends.

There's nothing more that Satan would enjoy in this world than to keep you away from the love of God.  Satan knows better than probably any human being on the planet about the love of God.  He does not doubt at all the promises of God because first he was enjoying them and then after his fall was fighting against them.  Satan knows that when God says He is faithful and just to forgive He does exactly that. 

So how do you combat that truth?  By doing all you can to keep people from letting that truth sink into your soul.  If you can take someone and make them question the very thing that can save them then you're going to win the battle.  

"And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand." - Matthew 7:25-26

And what are those instructions that come to us from the Word?  The Word clearly tells us that all we have to do is turn to the Father and repent and we would be forgiven of our sins. 

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." - 1 John 1:9 (ESV)

Does the Word say "some" unrighteousness or "all but this part of" unrighteousness?  NO!  It says ALL unrighteousness and that means no matter what you've done, what's you've said or what you've thought you can still come back to God and be cleansed from everything.  There is nothing that is too bad for God and nothing that is so abhorrent that God won't forgive it.  Remember that God doesn't have the eyes of men that condemn you when you do wrong. 

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." - Romans 8:1 (ESV)

Satan will do all he can to make you forget or doubt that truth.

Remember Paul's admission of struggle?

"I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate." - Romans 7:15(ESV)

If the Apostle Paul struggled with doing the things he didn't want to do then how can you expect to never struggle with it in your life?  Look at all the great things God did through Paul even though he continued to wrestle with the things that he did not want to do!

So whatever you're struggling with that makes you feel you're too grimy or dirty to come back to God remember that He is always there and He's always faithful to forgive if you repent and turn back to him.  Now, I'm not going to say it's going to be easy for you to be on that narrow road you walk as a believer but I'm going to say God will forgive you every step of the way.  Never doubt that promise.

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Casting Crowns has a great song called "If We Are The Body."  In the song, lead singer Mark Hall makes a very bold statement:  "Jesus paid much too high a price for us to pick and choose who should come."  The point of the song is that Christians are called to be the hands and feet of Christ yet the majority sit back and pass judgment on others without showing any of the love of Jesus. 

Many times Christians say that some people just are too far gone to come to Jesus.  They're so wrapped up in their own world or the little country club they call a church that the idea of reaching out to someone being beaten and worn down by the world is practically repulsive.  They'll see the town drunk or the town tramp or perhaps the "black sheep" of a neighborhood family and say "there's no way they'll ever come to Jesus so why bother trying?"

Frankly, that's a disgusting attitude and if you have it you should be ashamed of yourself..

"Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first." - Revelation 2:5 (ESV)

"Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." - Ephesians 2:12-13 (ESV) 

If you're a Christian, YOU were once just as far away from Jesus as the drunk, the whore, the thief, the liar, the adulterer, the drug addict, the deadbeat dad, the abusive mother or the mentally ill homeless person living under a bridge by the church.  There is NO difference.

"But BB," you're saying, "I grew up in church.  I was there every Sunday.  I didn't smoke, I didn't chew and I didn't go with girls who do."  That's great!  That means you probably have less baggage then some others who come to know the Lord and are cleansed by the blood of Jesus.  That's really a great blessing and I praise the Lord you had that path to walk instead of the path some others have had to walk.

That doesn't mean when you were in the world that you weren't just as far gone as the people you might want to pass judgment on now and write off as unworthy of coming to Jesus or unworthy of taking the time to share the Gospel because you're afraid they will reject you or the message. 

This situation, however, is far from new.  Jesus confronted this kind of attitude himself in Luke.  (By the way, this is going to be a long Scripture quote but I love this story so much.)

"One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and took his place at the table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner." And Jesus answering said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he answered, "Say it, Teacher." 

"A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?" Simon answered, "The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt." And he said to him, "You have judged rightly." Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven--for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little." And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."" - Luke 7:36-48 (ESV)

"WAIT A MINUTE BB!" you're now saying loudly.  "Are you saying I'm a Pharisee?"

I'm saying the Pharisees looked at certain people as "sinners", found them unworthy to associate with and wrote many people off as too worthless to be a part of the Kingdom of God.  A lot of Christians today are doing the exact same thing