Category Archives: Random Thoughts

Christian Fashion

Have you ever noticed that when those award shows are on television, people are very interested in “who” they are wearing? Clothing has a lot to say about what kind of person you are. Clothes carry a price tag which says how wealthy you are or how wealthy you are not. Clothes have a style that gives voice to your personality. Certain clothes are worn to show the work you’re involved in like that of a nurse or an athlete. Clothes can also carry a sense of pride like that of a fire fighter, police officer, or military personnel. If we really think about it, clothes puts us into a community to which we want to belong. Clothes give us identity and we identify certain clothing with certain types of people. Many people will spend lots of time and resources building the identity they desire to have.

Clothing is also a commonly used illustration in the New Testament about our spiritual identity. Paul writes to the church in Colossae about this concept of “putting off” our old sinful identity and “putting on” our new redeemed identity (Colossians 3). Putting on means “to be clothed in, to dress ourselves with, to wear.” Paul says in Romans that we must “put on,” or clothe ourselves with, Jesus Christ and “put off,” or lay aside, our deeds of darkness (Romans 13:12-14). This is not a description of how to get salvation, but how to live out that salvation.

The tendency for us as Christians is to continue dressing ourselves as though we haven’t accepted Jesus as the Savior of our sins and the Master of our lives. The attitudes that we wear on our face and the actions we involve ourselves in, they are our clothing. So we have to ask ourselves: what are our attitudes and actions saying about us to those who are watching? It’s why Paul encourages us to “clothe” ourselves with compassion, kindness, goodness, generosity, mercy, gentleness, love and patience (Colossians 3:12). These things are fruits or evidences of a life filled with the Holy Spirit. I heard someone once say “if you’re happy and you know it, tell your face.”

One of the problems is that we often don’t think much about what we are wearing spirituality. James likens it to wearing dirty and soiled clothing in James 1:21. Many of us would be embarrassed to be caught wearing filthy clothes day after day, yet why do we do this day after day spiritually? We need to spend some considerable time and resources on wearing this identity of being with Jesus. The challenge for us as we leave the house tomorrow and walk down the red carpet of life, would be to ask ourselves: “Who are we wearing?”

Does He Like Me? Circle ‘Yes’ or ‘No’

For about a year now I’ve really hung onto and preached, when I can, this statement:

“Always believing that God is doing something in you, through you, with you, and for you.”

I really believe that we can get down about life when we stop believing in these truths.   Remember getting notes from a friend of that cute boy or girl that simply said “______ likes you. Do you like him/her? Circle ‘Yes’ or ‘No’”? Like early teenagers, we get excited when we find out that someone likes us. But when it comes to our relationship with God, we have lost the wonder of that note, or don’t really know how to answer it anymore. It’s something that I have to tell myself over and over as well. Since my wife and I left my previous church employment, church family, and place to live, we can get down and “lost in the fog” since we have yet to see God’s “next” destination for my employment. God has still shown us much ministry though.

We visit with people who get lost and can’t see what God is up to in their lives. We visit with people who believe God just doesn’t seem to be interested in their hurt. We visit with people, like ourselves, that often lead others with a limp. If I can confess, there are times that I’ve stop believing God is doing something in me, through me, with me, and especially for me.

To get over this dangerous road or rut creation, I’ve clung to God and His Word. I cling to the truth of God’s statements, to the truth’s of His love note. I cling to words like hope, living hope, love, and joy. I cling to descriptions of His plan and salvation. I cling to the reality that little on this earth matters in the scope of knowing Him and knowing the exceeding great power of God that raised Jesus from the dead. I cling to the promises that He will abide in me and love me, that He will never forsake me, that He who began a good work in me will complete it, and that it is He who provides a hope which does not disappoint. I cling to the reality that there are many others who need such encouragement.

I wanted to pass on these two messages that I recently watched because I know there are countless others who need a little nudge in believing God is up to something good in their lives. Make sure you watch both messages by pastor Steven Furtick.

http://www.lifechurch.tv/watch/found-favor/1

I Have Your Answer

Reading the Bible, hearing a message at church, or having spiritual conversations with friends ultimately end with an answer. The answer is whether or not you believe it enough to do something about it. And in reality, whatever you do minutes, days, or months after those moments is your answer. You could choose to do nothing. And nothing is an answer.

There’s a story of Jesus telling certain people that they weren’t there when He needed them. Confused, they asked when that happened. He responded by saying that it happened when they failed to meet the needs of the poor around them or failed to visit those in prison. For when they failed in helping those who needed them, they had actually failed to be there for Jesus.

The writer of James in the New Testament tells us that our true faith is evident when we respond appropriately to God’s Word and message. We can’t just listen. We must also do. For example, if someone comes to our door looking for help, but we tell them we will pray for them and send them on their way without attending to their need (when we actually have the resources to do so), we have answered incorrectly. To say we have faith in God, but lack in responses to show it, then we are spiritually deceived. James says that even the demons are convinced of God and tremble.

God’s message is always awaiting our answer. We aren’t going to get condemned for our incorrect answers. This isn’t about doing good things in order to gain salvation. This is merely about putting your money where your mouth is. This is walking the talk. This is reflecting the One we say we believe in.

As you enter and leave your time of Bible reading, or hearing a message at church, or having a spiritual conversation with a friend, be ready and eager to listen to what God is saying and asking of you. He’ll be looking for our answer, our response. He’s not eager to smash us if we mess up. He’s eager to rejoice in our desire to respond with evidence of our love and belief in Him.