Purpose

Have you ever listened to a speaker and found yourself wondering, “Where is he going with this? What is his point?” As people, we’re programmed to expect things to have a purpose or meaning. We have reasons for everything we do—we eat because we need nourishment; we go to the movies because we think it’s fun. If we can’t come up with a reason to do something, odds are we won’t do it.

On the large scale, our lives aren’t any different. We want our lives to have meaning. We desire our lives to have purpose. Too often it’s easy to fall into a routine and wake up one morning wondering, “Why am I doing this? What am I doing with my life?” Without a sense of direction and purpose, we lose hope and motivation to continue on.

Fortunately, God tells us in Scripture that He knows the purpose of each individual life. He knew eons before you were ever born who you would be and what you would accomplish. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)

Moreover, He has a glorious plan for your life. Psalm 40:5 says, “Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders You have done. The things You have planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.”

But perhaps you think to yourself, “That sounds nice, but how can God use someone like me?” Psalms 33:11 says, “But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations.” God knows what He’s doing, and has used His followers to impact countless people even centuries after their time—think of the apostles, or even an “ordinary” person who wrote a hymn that still stirs peoples’ hearts to worship. In fact, God has called many people who felt poorly equipped or unworthy—Abraham, Moses, Paul, Esther, and Gideon, just to name a few! Wherever you are now, God can use you to make a difference for eternity.

Your life and your every action are extremely important to God, and each day you have is a gift from Him. “…All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.” (Psalm 139:16b)

God is the one who gives us hope and something to live for. “For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

So if you ever wonder what the point of your life is…ask Jesus. He’ll assure you of His plan, and when you trust and follow Him, you will experience marvelous things. “…I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10b)

A Bit on Spiritual Warfare

Today, I am under major attack–major spiritual attack. Whenever I am not immersed in prayer, whenever I am not battle-ready and battle-aware, I am in deep dismay, and deep discouragement. I am in physical pain, and I am discouraged for many reasons which shall not be named here.

One thing I am reminded of: a warrior on the battlefield.

Likewise, when does a warrior survive if he is not on the offensive, using his equipment to fight? Whenever I was immersed in prayer, (using the tools I’ve been given), I was strong; I was winning the battle. But as I returned from my mountain hike and fell out of my constant, bold prayer, I was being defeated–am being defeated.

So that’s my side. Frankly, it’s all about spiritual warfare. We Christians are warring against our own flesh–holding at bay the evil desires of our sin nature. Also, when we are witnessing to people, and working to build our disciples, brothers, and sisters up in Christ, we are struggling against the holds Satan has in their lives. All that jazz about freedom in Christ (Galatians 5:1) and being free from the bond of slavery–that’s spiritual warfare.

When Paul tells the Philippians to be anxious for nothing but in constant prayer with the supplication of thanksgiving, he’s talking about struggling against Satan’s attempts to make us fear about life.

When Jesus tells the disciples that He has all authority in heaven and earth and is giving that authority to us (Matthew 28:18-20), He’s talking about spiritual warfare.

Those are just a few glimpses. The important thing is that Ephesians 6:10 tells us to be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might. We are warriors, Christians. We are warriors mired in the combat of life. Our respite comes when we go to heaven at the end of our battle.

Ever read the Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis? Lewis was on to something, I’ve no doubt his semi-fictional account the demons in the book is very close to reality. If nothing else, in the way they are constantly working on the subject’s life to direct him away from God.

I know this is long, but I just stumbled across a great set of notes about how to stay “free”:

1. Get into the Word of God (John 8:31-32)

2. Pray without ceasing (Luke 18:1)

3. Be armed with the Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-19)

4. Stay filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 6:18, Galatians 5:25)

5. Avoid situations that will cause you to sin

6. Resist the Devil and he will flee (James 4:7)

7. Praise the Lord at all times (Romans 8:28)

8. Forgive quickly and completely (Matthew 18:21-35)

9. Guard your heart and mind

We are in a war, and our weapon is the Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and our weapon is prayer–our communion with Him. We are told to pray constantly. Do so, Christians. Stand strong and firm in the Lord! We have nothing to fear from Satan while we are standing firm in the Lord. So stand firm, and stand strong. Do not be dragged away by the distractions of this life. Do not be dragged away by failure, or pride, bitterness, lust, or greed. Do not be dragged away by this world.

Be strong and courageous, for the Lord your God is with you always.

Suffering, Persecution, and Animosity

Three things we are promised in a life fully devoted to the Lord Jesus Christ. Rather, it should be put this way: Jesus never promises a life free from these things. Instead, in John 15:18-21 Jesus tells us that if the world hates us, we know that it hated Him before it hated us.

“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent me.”

That’s harsh stuff to hear. They slaughtered Jesus! Shamed Him, beat Him, spit on Him, and crucified Him on a cross–the worst execution the world has ever known. He did not die of blood loss or anything like that. The way cross-execution works is that it suffocates you! You hang on a cross, brutally beat and bleeding from many, many places, then they drive nails through your hands and feet, and watch as you slowly suffocate because your lungs are being crushed.

Ayyyy! They persecuted Jesus, so the world will persecute us. We in America do not suffer as brutal torment as Jesus did (far from it!) but there will come a day…Either way, for now–we Christians are looked down upon, slandered, this, that, and the other. Nothing compared to other places in the world even today–but we are persecuted in our own minor way.

Christianity does not promise a plush life of security and (Ah!) comfort. It promises eternal life–eternal life in heaven with God! It promises that though this life will be miserable, heaven is awaiting us. Nay! God is awaiting us! (How awesome is that?)

Jesus says in Matthew 11:25-30 (verse 28-30) “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS, for My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

This seems contradictory, no? But Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 that “we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.”

Why? Because God is mighty. We may suffer in this life, because we cling to God, but we are promised eternal life. Why is Jesus’ burden and yoke light, yet still we suffer? Because what Jesus asks of us is good in the sense that when our hearts are for God alone, and we are doing His work He gives us joy. Paul talks about us being afflicted, perplexed, and persecuted, yet through all–we are with God. He gives us strength. He is our reward.

This is a hard message. Oh, by the way! The world is going to hate you for being sold out for Christ. But hey, take hope in this, Christians: the God we serve is mightier, bigger, wiser, and transcendent of all we will ever face. He is God!

I do not promise you will always understand what is going on; I do not promise that you will always be happy about what is going on in your life; but I promise this: God is with you! God is always with you!

“Abide in Me and I will abide in you.” Remember that as we are with God, in His presence, obeying His commands, and loving Him, we are with Him and He with us. Our reward for this life of suffering and loss and pain and torment is not heaven, (though that is a great benefit!) it is the eternal presence of God, with Him, in his home: heaven. Our reward is God. Remember that.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” ~ Joshua 1:9

Snap! Be encouraged, brothers and sisters. We will suffer, but we have an awesome God!

Strength and Courage in Christ

Fear. It is a driving force in all of our lives. We are often controlled by our fear, whether that be fear of the law, or of our parents, or of poverty, or of injury, we are driven by fear. But I say to you, we must find strength and courage in Christ Jesus our Lord. He is an almighty God–capable of anything.

Revelations 12:11 says that “they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faces with death.”

Hebrews 10:35-39 tells us “therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. ‘For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay. But My righteous one shall live by faith; and if he shrinks back My soul has no pleasure in Him.’ But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.”

In Philippians 1:21-26, Paul starts by saying that “to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Ahhh! To have that kind of love for Jesus! That to die is gain because we get to go into heaven and be with Him. What do we have to fear, Christians? Not only is the living God on our side, but if they come at us with guns and blades, what can they do but send us to our Father in heaven?

Paul goes on to say that since Christ is doing a great work through him, he will remain among the people. God has us here for a purpose, do not doubt that. But have no fear, for if we do end up dying, we will only go to heaven.

This issue is not as pressing here in America as it is abroad. We are not persecuted to the point of death here. But a day will come when that may be true. And on that day: Have no fear! What do we have to lose? To live is Christ and to die is gain!

The Lord speaks to Joshua in Joshua 1:1-9. In that short passage, Joshua is commanded to be strong and courageous three times. That’s quite a bit of repetition for nine verses. For example, verse 9: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

I know this may seem difficult to put into practice. But honestly? What do we have to fear? God Himself commanded us to be strong and courageous and not to tremble or be dismayed. He’s with us! Why in the world would we fear man? What can he do but destroy the flesh?

Matthew 10:28-32 reads as follows: “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. Therefore, everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.”

Do not fear. Be strong and courageous for the Lord is with you wherever you go.

Matthew 13: The Most Important Parable

Matthew 13 details Jesus’ most important parable: the Parable of the Sower. Mark 8:4-15 puts it much more concisely however. You can pick which to read. I’m going to feel through Matthew 13. So, let’s dive!

“Behold, the sower went out to sow; and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soul. But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. And others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. He who has ears let him hear.”

First of all, know that the seed which the sower sowed is the Word of God. Next, notice that the sower sowed on all the ground–not just the good soil, he sowed on the path and the rocks and the thorns. He sowed carelessly. Likewise, we Christians are called to sow the word of God into all lives–paths, rocks, thorns, and good soil. We are not the judge of the soil–God is. Sow generously, sow carelessly.

Second, why am I explaining this? Jesus does the work for me:

“Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; you will keep on seeing, but will not perceive; for the heart of this people has become dull, with their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes, otherwise they would see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand with their heard and return and I would heal them. But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

“Hear, then, the parable of the sower: when anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown n his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. And the one on whom seed is sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it comes unfruitful. And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.”

Not only is this for our own benefit in that we are to examine what kind of soil we are, but it is also a call. We are sowers of the word, Christians. We are the ones God ordained to go into the world and spread His word–we are the sowers, and we are to sow carelessly, sharing the word with all people everywhere.

Notice also that only 1/4 of the seed actually produced fruit. The sower sowed generously, and he reaped only a quarter of what he sowed. How then should we Christians be sowing the word of God and allowing the Spirit to work?

We are to minister to people in their iniquity, and bring them our of their sin. Provide them with the transformation of Christ. In order to come into the kingdom, you must repent. Call people out of their sin and into a relationship with Christ. People need to see their need for Jesus, or they will not repent.

I know that I do not live by this verse. Did not, maybe. I sowed seeds in a select few: the soil I got to know, this patch of ground and that. I did not spray the seed everywhere, as this parable instructs us to. Now, I want to spread the word of God everywhere. I am a sower of the Word of God, and I will reap. If you don’t sow, how can you reap? Even if it is only a quarter of all that I sow, it will be worth it.

Christian Views on Abortion

She is looking at you, waiting. Her eyes are full of tears. Her face is the picture of total discouragement. Fear. Uncertainty. Her last statement, that penetrating question, is hanging in the air awkwardly. It’s begging an answer, but you don’t know what to say. You don’t know what to do. You feel her pain, and the agonizing uncertainty. Yet you have no idea how to respond to her question.

“Should I get an abortion?”

The question makes sense. With no financial resources to care for a child, a runaway boyfriend, and no parental support, abortion can be an appealing option. What about pregnancy from rape? What should a teenage girl do? Or consider the heart-rending discovery that the child you are carrying will be seriously disabled for life? Abortion is available, safe, and legal. Often, it seems to be the only way to bring a negative situation to a permanent end.

As negative and unpleasant as the subject is, it needs to be faced head-on. You cannot avoid it for the rest of your life. The subject will come up either in your life or in the life of a friend or a family member. Abortion is a volatile subject even among Christians; Christian views on abortion are not necessarily uniform. Rather than get swept into the rash decision-making of an emotional moment, you must think the issue through ahead of time.

The purpose of this article is not to push you to one side of the issue. The purpose of this article is not to go through scientific data nor rehash old arguments. The purpose of this article is to answer the question personally or to help a friend who wants abortion. Here are some thought-provoking questions to help you navigate the situation.

When Does Life Begin?

This is not the place for a medical discussion of the beginning of life. However, if your friend wants an abortion, she should understand when life begins. Is it at the moment of conception, or is it when the child comes out of the womb? You must decide this critical question, as it will influence what to say if your friend wants an abortion.

Is Abortion Murder?

Another simple question must be addressed. Is abortion really the taking of life? Is it actually killing? Some see a fetus as a mass of tissue. Is this true, or is that a fetus is actually a living human being? Is there a point at which abortion becomes murder? Is it in the third trimester? The second? The first? Is it true that sometimes life circumstances require murder, or is murder always a sin? You can see how Christian views on abortion are influenced by many factors.

Who Authored Life?

Let’s make sure that we understand the true authority in life. Is God ultimately responsible for, and thus the authority over, life? Or was conception simply a reproductive act of human beings? Are human beings charged with deciding whether a baby should live or die?

When Do Scars Heal?

A final question to consider as you grapple with the issue is a long-term issue Yes, an abortion may take place in just a few moments, but how long will the memory of that action be with you? Failing to think through the moral consequences of an abortion may lead to serious regret in the long term. No doubt there are incredible difficulties with giving birth to, raising, and living with the child. But consider the alternative, too.

The issue of abortion is not an easy one. It’s an issue of life or death. If your friend wants an abortion, give serious thought to these four simple questions, and pray for God’s guidance in the issue. He is more interested in it than you are.

Holiday Charities

Are You a 412er?

You are a young adult.

That sentence could win the “Most Obvious Statement of the Year” Award.  It’s obviously not so profound. Bear with me–I do have a point.

What does it mean?  As a young adult, modern society looks at you and lowers its expectations drastically.  After all, with the common perception of college students being what one finds on www.collegecandy.com (for ladies) or www.collegehumor.com (for men), why would anyone expect more?  Popular culture says you’ve got to engage in sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll to fit the stereotype.  Alex and Brett Harris, founders of www.therebelution.com, said in their book, Do Hard Things, that, “In today’s world, the ceiling for our youth is much closer to where the floor ought to be.”  We have become so numb, apathetic, and passive that we’re willing to allow popular culture to tell us how to live.  We allow ourselves to live through college as a four-year extension of high school, accepting little to no responsibility, only this time out from under our parents’ thumb.  Well, I’m proposing something new.

1 Timothy 4:12 says, “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.” This doesn’t exactly fit the images we’re flooded with every day, like “live life while you’re young” and “obey your thirst.”  Let’s take up this challenge. Let’s become examples of Christianity on our campuses. Let’s make people look at us twice.  Let’s change the stereotype. Let’s be the radicals. Let’s do the truly hard things.

I propose we become 412ers, young people taking up the reigns of leadership and igniting the world, changing the way people perceive us.  Start a Bible Study, begin tutoring other students, organize a mission trip, invite people to serve the community with you, start playing in your churches worship team, volunteer at the local homeless group, write a letter to the editor of your local paper, start a book club, listen to someone’s problems, the possibilities are endless! All you have to do is get up and do it. If youth around the nation can do this, we can change the definition of young adult.  Suddenly, it won’t be a bad thing.

Are you a 412er?

“For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7

My Friend Wants an Abortion. What do I say to her?

Your friend has just told you that she is pregnant and is seriously considering abortion. This kind of situation can be very uncomfortable, and it can be difficult to know what to say.

There are a few reactions we may tend toward when confronted with this situation. Some of us, feeling awkward, may want to ignore the conversation. Others may have the opposite reaction and feel obligated to support her in every way, even if that means encouraging her in her decision to have the abortion. Those who feel strongly about the value of life may feel the urge to preach at her, leaving her with the feeling that there’s something wrong with her for even considering it.

In most cases, none of these reactions are advisable. What should you say, then? Well, here are a few suggestions that may help.

Things to keep in mind:
•    Your friend is going through a stressful event in her life—the last thing she needs is to be told how sinful she is for considering abortion.
•    Her world has likely been turned upside-down, and she probably cannot see past her current circumstances to the future consequences of her decision.
•    Even if she herself doesn’t want an abortion, she may be experiencing pressure from every side to have one—from her family, her significant other, her other friends and mentors. Even for someone who is strongly against abortion, this is enormous pressure!
•    Your friend is her own person with free will. No matter what you say or do, you cannot make her do the right thing.
•    Remember that dealing with a situation like this is a process, not a one-time event.

What you can do:
•    Pray—the most important action you can take in this situation is to pray (on your own and with her), not only for her comfort and wisdom, but also for your own discernment so that you can best help and minister to her in this difficult time.
•    Help her realize there is no need to rush her decision. This is a big decision that deserves much time put toward thought, counsel and prayer.
•    Be there for her—this doesn’t mean you have to support her decision to have an abortion, but you can still be there for her, caring for her emotional, and physical needs, etc.
•    Encourage her to acknowledge her beliefs in the value of life, in the value of her baby, in her own self-worth regardless of her circumstances. This will help her keep from making rash, emotional decisions she may later regret.
•    Help her develop a positive view of more desirable options: keeping the baby, or adoption.
•    Answer her questions—if she asks you questions, she may be struggling inside about her decision, truly wanting your opinion. Be gentile about how you handle her questions and be discerning; remember she is probably emotionally drained and doesn’t need another person to pummel her with their opinion.
•    Watch for red herrings—because she is going through a very stressful event in her life, she may be angry. If you detect this, don’t address the red herrings directly, but try to understand the real feelings and questions behind her words; this is where the real ministry will happen.
•    Talk through her greatest fears that contribute to her reasons for having an abortion. Then walk with her to find the right solutions to these fears.
•    Gently encourage her to do the right thing—this may be the hardest part, but aside from prayer, it is perhaps the most crucial. Try not to exasperate her, but until that point, make every effort to discourage the abortion.

The Meaning of Life

An Ageless Search
What is the meaning of life? This is one of the most frequently asked questions by all of humanity since the beginning of time. It is a question naturally asked by people because they have the ability to make choices about life. The question would appear to be difficult to answer and different for every individual depending on their circumstances. It is the ultimate search for truth and purpose in life; the reason we were born, wake up everyday and exist.

The Truth
Although people have struggled for the purpose of their existence throughout history, the answer for the meaning of life is relatively simple and the same for everyone; it is to love God by choosing to have a relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ.

How to Move Forward
Once you understand the meaning of life, the next step is choosing to follow God’s plan for your life.  God made you for a specific purpose; however, before you can fulfill that purpose, you need to establish a relationship with God.

How to Fulfill Your Mission
The challenge to the meaning of life is being faithful to the calling of God and being dedicated to fulfilling the purpose that He created you for by accomplishing your life mission. The Holy Bible addresses these issues clearly to give people answers about how to lead their life in every circumstance, from poor to rich, from health to illness, from strong to weak, and from spiritual to sinful. Everybody has limiting circumstances, but God gives people this ultimate life instruction book called the Bible to help them understand how to make the right choices throughout their changing life. Learn about what God wants for you and submit to His plan for a life of fulfilling significance.

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