Faith & God

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False Witnesses

I was reading my Bible this morning when I came across these verses (Matthew 26:59-60):

The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward.

When I’ve read this before, I’ve always dwelt on Jesus’ sinless nature, and how there wasn’t any real evidence so they had to invent something deserving of the death penalty. This morning, what caught my eye were the false witnesses.

I wondered… who were these witnesses? Did the Sanhedrin go looking for people to lie on their behalf? What would cause a person to testify falsely? Was there money involved? And in this case, they weren’t just lying. They were lying about God! We, of course, would never do such a thing!

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Review: Jesus Calling

Feeling frazzled? Need a quick break? Having a hard time getting your mind off your “to-do” list and onto God? Or, could you just use a big hug right about now?

A while ago, I mentioned that some wonderful friends had gotten together and bought me a copy of Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young (published by Thomas Nelson). As the subtitle explains, it’s a year-long devotional centered on “Enjoying peace in His presence.” Ten minutes with this book (and maybe a cup of tea) will help you calm down, refocus, and remember that God is with you always.

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What’s Your Dream?

I was running errands around town, radio blaring, when the Doobie Brothers were interrupted by ad for an insurance company. My favorite station runs this ad a lot; you too may have heard it. It starts with an announcer asking, “What is your dream?” and then you hear different voices answering the question. The answers vary… keeping a roof over his family’s heads, learning to play her dad’s guitar, driving coast-to-coast…. Finally, the announcer promises that whatever our dream is, they can insure it.

I’ve heard this ad dozens of times, and it has always sort of bothered me, in a nagging, not-quite-right sort of way—sort of like noticing a picture frame that isn’t quite level. However, I never put my finger on it until a few days ago, when I had that “aha!” moment. Maybe it was the Holy Spirit prodding me.

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Steps to Success: Godliness

(Yet another installment in my study on 2 Peter 1:3, 5-8.)

Am I godly? Are you?

I’d always assumed that godliness meant “being like God,” so I was quite surprised to discover that isn’t the case. I don’t often take the time to dig in on a word or phrase, but in this case, I’m glad I did. Understanding the Greek was essential to understanding what Paul says.

Godliness is translated from the Greek word eusebia (εὐσέβεια). It is derived from a root word (εὐσεβής) meaning “pious” or “reverent.” It relates to doing that which pleases God, based on one’s heart attitude.

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When You Can’t Pray

I was totally overwhelmed. Mind going around and around on an endless track of useless thoughts: Now what? What if? How? I hardly slept. I could barely eat. I couldn’t focus on anything, much less God. No way I could pray.

Yet, I had never needed to pray more.

Have you ever felt this way? You’re in the deepest pit, and God is your only salvation. You know you need to pray. But you just can’t. And that makes you feel even worse. Like you’re a failure.

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Good Deeds: Construction

When our daughter was in the eighth grade, she joined a short-term mission team from her youth group. Working with a ministry dedicated to this type of ministry, the teens built a house for a Mexican family who until then had been living in a cardboard hut.

It was a great experience for her, and a great blessing for the newly-housed family.

Construction projects are very popular among  short-term mission teams. You don’t need to learn another language, you can use skills you already have, the project can fit into a short time frame, and you are providing tangible results for appreciative locals. With all the hugs and smiles, you certainly return home feeling as if you have accomplished something worthwhile. Our friends and family have roofed churches, built medical dispensaries, constructed playgrounds, and painted sanctuaries.

But is it always appropriate to travel to another country to build something? Is that the best way to bless the people and encourage the church there? Or is it sometimes just a way to check off “good deed” on our spiritual to-do lists?

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Lucky

A couple of years ago I wrote a post about creating memorials to God’s faithfulness. I then told a story about our trip to Costa Rica, and how God showed up in incredible ways. Here is another story, about what happened when it was time for Pete to fly home from the 1995 conference in Korea that I mentioned a bit ago:

Pete had been gone for six long weeks, and the kids and I were eagerly anticipating his homecoming. I’d had a dream that he missed his flight, and I was so agitated that I emailed him and urged him to allow extra time for the airport. As a result, he left the hotel two hours earlier than normal.

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(not) God

It’s amazing what you can find online. CNN picked up this story that first appeared on thesmokinggun.com:

Why would anyone tattoo “God” on their forehead? I can only assume that she considered it a label. She thinks she is God. That’s a pretty common New Age belief—see this post at SpiritLibrary for just one example.

As doctrinally correct Christians, we would recoil at proclaiming ourselves God. Or even god. We know better, right?

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What’s Your (Prayer) Style?

In honor of the National Day of Prayer, which happens this Thursday, I’m devoting today’s post to prayer. In my many years as a Christian I’ve noticed that, just as we worship according to widely different traditions, we pray in different ways, too. Here are a few styles you’ll probably recognize from your own experiences.

The Shouter
Heads are bowed, the room is quiet, our thoughts are focused on God… and someone leads off with a 150 decibel “O GOD!” Or perhaps it’s a pastor in front of the congregation, praying in his or her “preaching” voice. Do they think God is hard of hearing? Or are they concerned with keeping everyone else awake?

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“Do This In Remembrance of Me”

Communion. It’s one of the few rites that Christians around the world share… remembering the death of Jesus for our sins.

I still remember my very first communion. I was 18, a college freshman, and I’d been a believer for less than three weeks. Every quarter, our campus Christian fellowship gathered the Friday evening before finals week to share bread and wine together. As ignorant as I was, I understood that this was an important occasion, a time for introspection, repentance, and gratitude.

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