Lay Down What’s Done, Part 1

Posted on July 21, 2011 by Carl Simmons

Getting this one out to you a little early, as we’re leaving sun-up tomorrow morning to visit our daughter and son-in-law. Which, in a way, connects with this latest entry….

Our first several Friday entries have been about you receiving forgiveness; this next bunch are about you extending it—to others, and maybe to yourself as well.

Let’s pick up where we left off last week. Only this time, rather than dwelling on the things that have caused us deep shame—and for today at least, the need to forgive others in those areas—let’s go broad instead of deep. Let’s explore the width and breadth of all those “little” things from our past that nonetheless work together to hold us back from believing God’s best for us.

And the fact is, the person least immune to all this is me. As I warned all of us in the introduction, by addressing these issues and “laying them out” before you, I’m also taking a buzzsaw to the undergrowth in my own life. And as I finished the previous devotion (Week 1, Day 5), I got hit by my own accusations—not by shame per se, but by all the negative things in my past that I nevertheless allow to define me.

To be sure, some of my counter-reactions to those negative things have had some very positive results. You’re reading one of them right now. For that matter, there’s a six-book bible-study series with my name on it out there that was very much a counter-reaction to a few different yet decidedly negative circumstances in my life at the time (“I’ll show you what discipleship looks like!”). And as I reflect upon it, it was my counter-reaction to my childhood that gave me the determination to ensure that my marriage and the way our children were raised would be different. And they were.

And yet, there’s a piece of me—bigger than I probably realize even now—that still spends an inordinate amount of time identifying myself against those negative things in the past that I’m not. Looking at that in other people’s lives—and I think this is even truer with those trapped by shame—I observe what I like to call a “spiritual Stockholm Syndrome.” That is, the penchant to identify ourselves with—and excuse, yet not truly forgive—those who have hurt us deeply.

I, too, am often just as trapped by it.

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Books Can Be “Well Done,” Too

Posted on July 21, 2011 by Carl Simmons

And no, I’m not talking about “well done books” in the burning sense…. but rather “well done” in the “parable of the stewards” sense of Matthew 25, because that’s where this book takes its cue from.

Dwayne Moore. Heaven’s Praise: Hearing God Say “Well Done.” Softcover, 176p., $14.99. Group Publishing.

Full disclosure alert: I was editor for this book and wrote the small-group sessions, and was editor for the youth version of Dwayne’s first book which also just released last month. That said, there’s a reason that I and my marketing manager (or was I her editor? Hi Amy!) went to the leadership team and pushed for both books until we finally got our way. Now it’s your turn to find out why.

Let’s face it, this whole “God rewards us in the next life for what we do in this one” thing is a tricky subject. It sounds egotistical. Self-serving. Kind of arrogant, actually. And really, on the other end of that, is there really any way that anything I do is good enough for God to call “well done”?

And yet, it’s a thoroughly biblical principle, and as Dwayne points out, a very logical one: When you love another person, you want that person to be happy. And you want to know you’ve made him or her happy. You want to see and experience their joy, because you love them. Very little in this life beats that feeling. How much more so then with God, the creator of all persons and things, who loves and desires to take joy in us?

As a noted worship leader and teacher, Dwayne knows a little bit about taking joy in Jesus, and he shares that knowledge with us—again, in a way that’s thoroughly biblical as well as often quite personal. Dwayne walks us through the elements of a life well-lived, and shows us not only that such a life is possible but one that God calls every one of us to.

This 6-week study contains five daily devotionals and a small-group session for each week; therefore, it works for individuals as well as with churches or small groups.  (Brilliant editorial decision, that. :)) Each devotional includes opportunities to stop and reflect, as well as opportunities to do something tangible with what you’re learning, including “My Daily Response” and “My Daily Meditation” at the end of each day.

And there’s a few places in this book that will just plain get to you. A couple I won’t fully give away: Dwayne’s struggles during the beginning of his own calling from God in his teen years; and the story of 9-year-old Tucker Beam, who fought cancer on three separate occasions, and how he and his parents dealt with it all (I know people who were crying over this one before it even went to press).

And somehow, the following passage from Week 1, Day 1 just got to me more personally, and encapsulates what this book is all about:

“Was there someone in your life who poured time, energy and resources into helping you accomplish a dream?… The crowd is on edge as you step up to the plate to bat or raise your bow to play. This is the moment you’ve dreamed of. And you don’t disappoint. You play your heart out. Your beautiful notes soar all over the music hall. Or your hit goes flying over the outfield fence. The crowd goes wild. Everyone’s on their feet, clapping and shouting.

“But… you’re not thinking about all those other people out there cheering for you. Your eyes scans the crowd for your mom or dad or friend who made all this possible, the one who sacrificed so much so you could have this moment. When your eyes meet, and you see the pure joy and pride on that person’s face, no one else’s applause and no one else’s approval even matters.

“That’s how it is with God’s praise of you and me. Nothing will bring more pleasure to us—or to him.”

Spend some time exploring Heaven’s Praise, and let your mind and heart be opened by how God wants each of us to “finish well.”

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Who’s the most important person in your life?

Posted on July 20, 2011 by Carl Simmons

Who’d you come up with? And don’t spiritualize/cop out on this question and say “Jeee-sus.” I’m talking about the most important person on this earth to you.

Now, why is he or she the most important person to you? And “because he or she’s my ________” isn’t an acceptable answer. Why is that person  important to you?

As best as you can remember, when did you realize that something had changed in your relationship? Was it a dramatic change or did it happen more gradually?

For the next few months’ worth of Wednesdays, we’re exploring how a living relationship with Jesus affects every part of our lives. We’re going to start with the most important human relationship in our lives right now. For many of us, that’s our spouses, and that’s where the principle focus will lie today.

For others of us, though, that’s not the case. No matter what your current situation is, the bigger question remains: How do you show the love of Christ to the most important person or people in your life?

As we learn to share our lives in Jesus with those people, we begin to understand how to share it with others as well—and our most important relationships become deeper and more intimate as a result. Loving those closest to us the way Jesus loves them is something we all need to learn more about. Read, then reflect:

“Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, because the husband is the head of the wife as also Christ is the head of the church – he himself being the savior of the body. But as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her to sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of the water by the word, so that he  may present the church to himself as glorious – not having a stain or wrinkle, or any such blemish, but holy and blameless.  In the same way  husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one has ever hated his own body  but he feeds it and takes care of it, just as Christ also does the church, for we are members of his body.  For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become  one flesh. This mystery is great – but I am actually  speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless,  each one of you must also love his own wife as he loves himself,  and the wife must  respect  her husband” (Ephesians 5:22-33, NET).

This passage tends to elicit some strong reactions, so let’s not ignore them as we break this passage down further. And to be clear, these questions are for both sexes:

• What’s your reaction to the word “submit”? What personal experiences—positive or negative—does it bring to mind?
• Think about a time you submitted to your spouse (or again, another important person in your life). Why did you choose to do it? How did it affect your relationship?
• What’s the connection between submitting to someone and loving someone? How are they different? How does submitting show the other person how important he or she is to you?

If that important person in your life is available right now—or you’re able to remember this entry long enough afterward to attempt this—I’d like you to try a little experiment in submitting. I’ve seen this do some powerful work in a small-group context, but there’s no reason it wouldn’t work in the privacy of your own home/coffee shop/workplace/etc. …

Sit down with that person. Let the younger of you two take three minutes to share something you’re currently struggling with outside of your relationship. It might be a work situation, a problem with a family member or neighbor, or something you’ve really been wrestling with God over. Tell your partner what you really think about the situation, and if possible, how he or she could help. Be sure not to direct any criticism or blame as you describe your situation.

Those of you listening: Do nothing but listen. Don’t suggest. Don’t commiserate. Don’t get defensive. Don’t do anything but listen.

After three minutes, switch roles. And again, as your partner shares, be quiet and don’t interrupt. If nothing else, this is a good opportunity to talk about something you’ve been wrestling with—and to practice your listening skills! Afterward, reflect together:

• Which was easier for you: talking or listening? Why?
• How do you feel honored when you know someone’s really listening to you?
• What are some other ways can you can submit to and honor the person across from you?

Communication foster intimacy, and as Bill Hybels says, “For a marriage relationship to flourish, there must be intimacy. It takes an enormous amount of courage to say to your spouse, ‘This is me. I’m not proud of it—in fact, I’m a little embarrassed by it—but this is who I am.’ ”

So either on your own, or together, reflect on these questions. Again, substitute “most important person” for “spouse” as needed:

• Within the past month, was there a time you let your day get so full that you barely had time for your spouse?
• Have you recently ignored your spouse—even for a minute—because of something you were watching on television, a computer screen, cell phone, or iPhone?
• Within the past year, have you let work get in the way of a time the two of you had planned to be together?
• Within the past six months, have you let a dispute over children, friends, or activities come between you?
• Have you ever let a hobby or other interest consume so much of your time that your spouse felt neglected?
• Let’s look at the positive side now: What’s one way your spouse has shown that you take priority in his or her life? How has that helped you  “return the favor”?
• What’s your biggest challenge in giving priority to your spouse? What’s one practical change you could make to overcome that?

Be sure to put your answer to that last question into practice. And may God bless each you as you take your relationships to the next level.

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Pay It Forward: discipleship version

Posted on July 18, 2011 by Carl Simmons

If you’ve never seen the movie Pay It Forward, you’ve probably at least heard the concept, although you may or may not have been given the full picture. Usually it’s portrayed as: One person does a good, unselfish deed for someone else, who “pays it forward” to another person, and so on (and often with the implication that it will come back to us at some point). Which in itself certainly isn’t a bad thing.

But let’s come back to the movie illustration of it, portrayed on the right, which today we might call  “generosity gone viral.” It still starts with one person, who serves three other people, who then reach out to three more, and so on. Which becomes a huge impact in a hurry. And the one person at the top of the chart already has his or her reward—that person is watching this goodness, cooperation, a willingness to serve, faith that others would see it through, spread. Who wouldn’t want to see that?

Assuming you feel the same, here’s the next question: How could we apply this idea to the people we’re already invested in? Think about it. If you poured out your life in Jesus into —and I mean poured out into, not just “checked in regularly with” or “was accountable to”—just three other people each year, and each of them did the same thing… you can see the possibilities. And sure, some of the people you invest in won’t do this; but others will go far beyond this as God leads them. So let’s stay focused on the possibilities and dream a little today.

If we’ve really take Jesus’ words to heart and applied them, it’s likely we’ve already found ourselves in deeper, more meaningful relationships. It’s also likely that God has stirred up something else within us—a desire to grow even more people into the love of Jesus. That might mean expanding our circle of influence, maybe even taking more of a leadership role—because if God’s put something on your heart, he wants you to do something about it.

As you step into the mission God’s called you to, you may be surprised to discover who else God has been calling—but was waiting for you to step out and step up. And if we’re willing to make that investment in others, and help them see how they can impact others in the way God’s called them to, there’s no telling how big an impact our little contribution could make. And even if you never see the results, that’s OK. God sees it. And so does every person your life has touched, either directly or indirectly.

Let’s look at two passages—one at the very beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry and one near the end—both ultimately speaking to all of us:

“’The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim releaseto the captives
and the regaining of sight  to the blind,
to set free those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year  of the Lord’s favor.’

“Then  he rolled up  the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then  he began to tell them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled even as you heard it being read’” (Luke 4:18-20, NET).

“Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him,  ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you? When  did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the king will answer them,  ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.’ (Matt. 25:34-40, NET).

What connections do you see between Jesus’ mission and ours? What differences? And, why do you think Jesus puts so much value on the people we tend not to value?

You might know people who literally are poor, imprisoned, blind, or oppressed, and you might feel a burden to reach out to them. Maybe you don’t know these kinds of people personally, but you still feel a burden. Or maybe the people you’re thinking about aren’t literally suffering like this, but it’s obvious that they’re spiritually hurting.  And they need Jesus just as much, if not more, right now. So consider this:

• Whatever your definition is: Who are the poor/imprisoned/blind/oppressed in your life?
• How have you seen yourself as poor, imprisoned, blind, oppressed (or still do)?
• How has God been preparing you—investing in you, maybe through those things you just thought of in that last question—to “proclaim… the Lord’s favor” to others?

It’s important to discover the answers God wants you to have. Not the “right” answer. Not the answer that will make you feel less guilty. Not even “What should I do?” But the answer to this: What has God put on your heart, and what does He want you to do about it? And if that answer’s not clear, the ability to wait on God and enjoy His presence while you wait.

Go ahead and keep reading from Matthew 25, this time from verses 14-29, often known as “The Parable of the Talents.” And think about this:

• How have you already seen God turn the “small amount” he’s trusted you with into something bigger?
• Why should we welcome “many more responsibilities” as God gives them to us?
• In what ways do you still take what God’s given you and “[dig] a hole in the ground” to hide it?
• How might God want you to “dig out” and invest, so you can “celebrate together”? And what will that investment cost you?

Also, begin thinking about this : Who can come alongside and help you—either in a hands-on way, to help you think it through, to encourage you, to tell you how they walked through it, whatever? Who can pour into your life, as you’re learning to become that person to others?

Paul David Tripp, in his book Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands, reminds us: “Remember, it is impossible to celebrate God’s work of transformation without confessing your need for more. No one is more ready to communicate God’s grace than someone who has faced his own desperate need for it.”

Let’s take all this to heart and move forward, together.

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Lay Down Your Shame

Posted on July 15, 2011 by Carl Simmons

“Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” (Luke 5:8, NIV).

One of the very first things Peter says to Jesus captures a huge issue for a lot of us. After a night of fishing and catching nothing, Jesus blesses Peter, James and John with more fish than they can handle—and yet, all Peter can see is how short he’s fallen of God’s perfection.

Which, in itself, isn’t a bad thing. It’s not unusual for us, too, to react this way when we first truly encounter Jesus, and we always need to remember the truth in Peter’s words. But Jesus didn’t come just so He could “go away.” He calls us to lay down a life consumed by shame at who we are or what we’ve done.

The things we’ve done—and the evils done to us—are done. By continuing to base our identity in those things instead of allowing them to die, we will never approach God—or more to the point, let Him in, because God is already approaching us. We can’t undo what happened, but we can undo the hold of those things upon us. We can own our sin without it owning us. Jesus’ response to Peter, James and John confirms this: “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people” (Luke 5:10). Jesus calls each of us to lay down our shame, and follow Him forward instead.

But because of our willingness to identify ourselves by our worst moments, we’ll do just about anything to fill the hole that the Spirit should be occupying. We believe we need to be successful, popular, powerful, constantly entertained or occupied, because what we are and what we have isn’t good enough. That’s where the power of temptation lies—in the idea that who God created us to be, and what He’s created us for, isn’t good enough. That God got it—and us—wrong.

This brings us full-circle to letting go of this old, false self and embracing who were truly meant to be in Jesus; that’s what this laying-down process is all about. We are called to acknowledge our guilt and move on, not take up permanent residence in our shame or our hurts.

In a (hopefully not blasphemous) sense, Jesus has carried and shared in our guilt all the way back to the Garden of Eden. Like the first Adam, he looked on instead of stopping those events from occurring. The Fall could have been prevented. But it wasn’t. But let’s not forget another incident, in another garden several thousand years later, which Jesus also could have stopped from happening. But He didn’t. Jesus stopped in Gethsemane, and saw through at Calvary, what began in Eden.

The cross removes our guilt. All of it, if we’ll let it. However, it leaves responsibility. Jesus says to us, just as he did the woman caught in adultery, “I do not condemn you either. Go, and from now on do not sin any more” (John 8:11, NET). And, to “take up the cross, and follow me” (Mark 10:21, KJV).

But it’s not all work and struggle. Let’s circle back to Peter, because God uses him to give us a great “before and after” picture. Three years later, mere days after Jesus’ resurrection and appearance to the disciples—and for that matter, mere days after Peter’s repeated denial of Jesus—we see almost the exact same scene as the one in Luke 5, this time in John chapter 21. Peter, James and John go fishing again; this time they’ve got Thomas, Nathanael and two other disciples with them (and after all the bickering throughout the gospels, it’s nice to see them finally starting to work together). And again, they have another bad night of fishing.

This time Jesus shows up on the shore—close enough to yell, but far enough that they can’t yet tell it’s Him. He tells them to cast out their nets, and again, the nets can’t hold all the fish they catch. Peter’s been here before; he realizes it’s Jesus.

But what’s Peter’s reaction this time? He throws himself into the sea and swims as fast as he can toward shore. He doesn’t wait for the boat to dock, or freak because the guy he’d betrayed only days earlier is maybe 100 yards away, back from the dead and knows how to walk on water. This time, Peter’s going as fast as he can to Jesus.

Clearly Peter’s still an impetuous kind of guy, and “a sinful man!”, but equally clearly he’s learned something about his relationship to Jesus. Peter, quite literally, is shame-less.

And now it’s our turn. Whatever has happened in our past is an opportunity for Jesus to transform it, and us, if we’ll let Him. “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matt. 5:3). You are in fact already blessed because none of us deserve grace, and no matter who you are or where you stand with Jesus at this moment, His grace is offered to every one of us anyway, right now. And therefore, the challenge now becomes to receive and rejoice in that grace. The past is gone. Let it stay gone. And we’ll look more into that next week.

Lay It Down Today

What issues from your past came to mind as you read today? Get a piece of paper and write them down. Then bury your past—literally.

First, take some time to pray, giving over to God whatever you’ve written down, and asking the Spirit’s help in empowering you to keep letting those things go. Then, take your paper and bury it (or tear it up). Thank God for your past—because it’s made you who are today, and in brand-new ways you’re now willing to let Him reveal—but let whatever shame that remains in your past die, so you future can live.

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Following Jesus Where You Already Are

Posted on July 13, 2011 by Carl Simmons

Find yourself a  “Help Wanted” section in your newspaper (or if you like, visit an online job site). Take a minute to to look through the listings. What are some of the more interesting jobs advertised? Which ones do you have at least some of the qualifications for? For that matter, what’s the most interesting or unique job you’ve ever had?

Fact is, we also have a “job description” as Christians. We come from different walks of life and play a variety of roles, but there’s a certain character Jesus wants to develop in each of us—one that shows the rest of the world what a living relationship with Jesus actually looks like.

Jesus has already changed our lives, and He wants us to become even more like him. He wants to start in the places we already occupy: our homes, our workplaces, our relationships. But before we can talk about where we’re headed, we need to understand where we already are. So right now, think about some of the roles you play in life—in your family, at work, and with your friends.

Now: How can some of these roles sometimes feel like just roles—something you’re just acting out—instead of something that reflects who you really are?

Let’s look at a different kind of job description:

“An elder must be blameless, the husband of one wife, with faithful children who cannot be charged with dissipation or rebellion. For the overseer  must be blameless as one entrusted with God’s work,  not arrogant, not prone to anger, not a drunkard, not violent, not greedy for gain. Instead he must be hospitable, devoted to what is good, sensible, upright, devout, and self-controlled. He must hold firmly to the faithful message as it has been taught,  so that he will be able to give exhortation in such healthy teaching and correct those who speak against it” (Titus 1:6-9, NET).

OK, truthfully: Who thought: “What does this have to do with me? This passage is about leaders”? But think about it: Are there any qualities here that aren’t relevant—in fact, expected—of every follower of Jesus?

Some of the qualities listed in this passage may come easily to us. About others we can honestly say, “God has dealt with me in this area, and I’m doing better.” Still others might be a continuing struggle. But it’s important to come to terms with where we are right now—even if it’s not where we’d like to be—and how God wants to inject his grace into our situation, whatever it is.

Here’s the good news: The fact that you’re actually taking the time to read this, presumably because you desire to learn more about God, proves that God is already helping you become the kind of people God wants you to be. And God’s not going to give up, even if we sometimes give up on ourselves. In fact, He’s already done more with us than we’ve realized—but we need to realize if we want to live it out more deeply.

“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matt. 5:13-16).

Look again at the passage above. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer points out in The Cost of Discipleship, “ ‘Ye are the salt.’ Jesus does not say: ‘You must be the salt.’ ” So think about it:

• In what ways do we sometimes seem bland or unappealing (or worse) to others, rather than people who are already “salted” by Jesus?
• Who’s the “saltiest” Christian you know? How do you see that person’s life affecting those around him or her? What would you most like to emulate in him or her?
• What parts of your life need to be salted more by the life you have in Jesus? What would help you become more “seasoned”?

Let’s defy the ways Christians get caricatured. Instead, let’s start living up to our job description.

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Remaining As You Go

Posted on July 11, 2011 by Carl Simmons

a little South Jersey spin for y'allThink about the last time you went crazy with an ice-cream sundae—or pizza, or for you more diet-conscious types let’s make it a salad. Why did you pick the toppings you did? How would other toppings have affected it differently? Literally savor the moment before going on.

Now: What’s going on in your life right now that you wish wasn’t so difficult or complex—where you wish there were a few less “toppings” piled on?

We’ve spent a lot of time here exploring how Jesus can use us to pour our lives into others around us, and help them move deeper into what God’s calling them to. But as we do, it becomes even more important for us to stay connected to Jesus. Even when things go well, our commitments can be demanding and even draining—physically, mentally, emotionally, and certainly spiritually.

Robert Gelinas, in the much-vaunted-here Finding the Groove, put it this way: “[W]e strive for bare minimums instead of what is truly possible, namely, unending, unbroken communion with Jesus. We were designed to live with God for all time, for God is with us all the time. But when time has us, grace is suffocated.”

And we have even better sources to draw from. Let’s revisit one from last week:

“I am the true vine  and my Father is the gardener. He takes away  every branch that does not bear  fruit in me. He  prunes  every branch that bears fruit so that it will bear more fruit. You are clean already because of the word that I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you.  Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains  in  the vine, so neither can you unless you remain  in me.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains  in me – and I in him – bears  much fruit,  because apart from me you can accomplish  nothing.  If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out like a branch, and dries up; and such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and are burned up. If you remain in me and my words remain  in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you.  My Father is honored  by this, that  you bear much fruit and show that you are my disciples” (John 15:1-8, NET).

Let’s take this idea of remaining and see how it applied to Jesus’ disciples even 2,000 years earlier. We’ve probably marveled at Jesus’ followers, and often not in a good way. How could they have missed so much when Jesus was right there in front of them? But if we’re honest and believe what Jesus tells us, we’re guilty of the exact same things. So let’s move past our own “dullness of heart” and look at both sides more clearly:

• What steps to growth, as it were, do you see in this passage?
• What things—even good things—can pull us away from Jesus?
• At what point do you usually realize you’ve stopped “remaining”? Why then? • When has Jesus prepared you to see him more clearly, even if you didn’t know at the time?
• How did staying connected to Jesus—even if you didn’t feel connected—help you get through that time?

A big key to remaining is… well, remaining. Not running around “doing stuff for Jesus,” but just remaining in His presence long enough to actually know something about Him and His desires, before doing His work—and long before we go adding any “toppings” to it.  Keith R. Anderson and Randy D. Reese, in Spiritual Mentoring: A Guide for Seeking and Giving Direction, suggest “Certainly the discipline of creating time for reflection is a lifeline for spiritual health. Without times in quiet, thoughtful reflection, our spirituality remains shallow, anemic and misguided.”

How do you connect most easily to Jesus? On the other hand, what spiritual disciplines don’t come easy at all? Either way, how can we bring more Christ-connections into our daily lives, and into our worship time as a church? Here are a few suggestions; try one, or try something else God’s putting on your heart. But try to remain, and may God honor and bless your time with Him:

• Take your own personal “walk to Emmaus.” Take an extended period time to take a walk on your own, pouring out what you’re feeling to Jesus. Put it all out there, so that Jesus has room to deal with your own “dullness of heart” and help you see past your hurts and struggling and instead see him.

• Do you have a regular devotional time with your family? Start one, or change it up. Use your time in God’s Word as a catalyst to see how God’s working in your lives, rather than a task to complete. Make most of your time about sharing what God’s doing or trying to do in your lives.

• Here’s a different approach toward your time together with friends: Instead of focusing on sharing about your own lives or on pushing each other forward (good things, but….), spend some time this week each sharing how you’re seeing God work in the other person. You may very well point out things to one another that you’re “too close” to see for yourselves.

• If you have a small group or ministry team, take a retreat as a group, and get more connected with Jesus and each other. Set aside a chunk of time—you should have at least an hour of pure alone time. After your time alone with God, gather back together and share about what you experienced during your time of sacred solitude. Also discuss how you can make a more regular time of this, both individually and as a group.

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Lay Down Your Sin

Posted on July 8, 2011 by Carl Simmons

That’s right; I said it.

And in the weeks to come we’ll break this down into much smaller pieces. Today, however, is about defining our terms—and our solution. Because no matter where you are in relation to Jesus, “sin” is an ugly word. Just saying the word causes problems, so let’s get on the same page before moving forward.

People define sin any number of ways, even within Christianity, and tend to subject it to their own ideology rather than the other way around. We like to name particular sins and highlight them—especially if they bear no resemblance to ours. Let’s face it: We would much rather confess other people’s sins than confess our own.

For that matter, we often like to draw the line at “well, I thought about it but I didn’t actually do it,” or “but I’m not hurting anyone else.” And sure, it’s better to have not damaged anyone else even as we’re damaging ourselves, even if the damage is “only” on the inside. But look at Jesus’ “but I say to you”s in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:21-48)—or just read the entire sermon in chapters 5-7. It’s pretty clear that Jesus doesn’t draw a line anywhere. All sin is condemned by God.

I would define it this way, then: Sin is the inability to respond to God. In every form. Totally expressed or barely conceived. Period. Any sins we commit are the result of sin we already have within us. I did not become rebellious; I was born rebellious. And that still gives me no excuse.

And at the same time, each of us is a victim of the sin around us. And not just in vague, general ways, but in specific, lousy and sometimes truly horrific ways. Sin is both within us and around us, and it’s that “around us” that we pick up on and adopt as our own—or respond to by taking judgment out of God’s hands and into our own, or by reveling in our victim status because at least it gives us some kind of identity.

That’s why I need Jesus. The good news of Jesus is not about tolerance of sin, or condemnation of sin, or wiping out my own personal enemies. It’s about victory over sin—starting with me. With you. And it’s a victory we have to receive from Jesus, before we can live it out.

So when we talk about laying down your sin, it’s not just, “Hey you—stop doing things God says are wrong.” That’s part of the package, to be sure, but it’s still only a part. It’s also laying down the sin you want to openly express but don’t. It’s laying down the sin that has been expressed upon you, by others—even the sin that hasn’t been expressed but you know is there. It’s saying Jesus died for all of it, and beginning to live as if that were actually true. Otherwise, perhaps we should just stop wasting our time even pretending to follow Jesus.

“I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside God’s grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!” (Galatians 2:20-21, NET).

Because of the hardness of our hearts, we will never totally be immune from the sin around us—or in us. But we no longer need to be slaves to it or victims of it. Jesus calls us to a different life. Let’s start living it. Today.

Lay It Down Today

If you were here a couple weeks ago, you reflected on your “life passage,” as well as a few questions including, “What’s the one thing that most needs transforming in my life—that God wants me to lay down right now?” Let’s take that further.

Identify someone you can share openly about your “one thing” with, and commit to getting with him or her on a weekly basis. It could be someone in your small group, or a friend you can share with and who cares enough to keep you accountable—someone who won’t let you off the hook but won’t judge you either. If you truly don’t know who to turn to, ask God for guidance right now; then, let Him lead you to someone, even if you don’t know him or her well yet. And may God bless and grow your spiritual friendship as you pursue it together.

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This One’s for the LA-dies…

Posted on July 7, 2011 by Carl Simmons

Since last week’s Other Voice highlighted the exploits of Super(vandy)man, it’s only fair…. And as I couldn’t bring myself to highlighting one and thus slighting the other—and as they’re both friends who are also friends of each other…

Both are passionate women’s-ministry writers I’ve enjoyed working with, and both have product out there you should go fetch as well. So, without further ado, I give you… either first-and-foremost or last-but-not-least, your call….

Sunny Side Up (not scrambled) by Linda Crawford
Linda also has a more intermittent blog I hope she won’t mind my referencing, especially since I love the title: Do It Afraid.

and

Pure Purpose by Susan Lawrence
Be sure to check out Susan’s brand-new book from WestBow Press/Thomas Nelson, Pure Emotion. And if you need a speaker for your women’s conference, now you know where to find her.

So explore. And enjoy. And get ready to Lay It all Down again tomorrow….

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We’re All on Mission

Posted on July 6, 2011 by Carl Simmons

It’s true. And I didn’t unintentionally leave out the “a” above. But don’t take my word for it….

“I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He takes away  every branch that does not bear  fruit in me. He  prunes  every branch that bears  fruit so that it will bear more fruit. You are clean already because of the word that I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains  in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains  in me – and I in him – bears  much fruit,  because apart from me you can accomplish nothing”   (John 15:1-5, NET).

So think about it:

• How have you felt more connected to Jesus—or to other Christians—over the past few months?
• How have you felt God pruning you over the last few months? What’s been the fruit of that process so far?
• What’s one way you need to remain in Jesus, in a way you really haven’t up to now?

So what’s your mission right now? What’s God been showing you recently, and what do you think He wants you to do about it? How does it translate into your personal life? your relationships? your world?

Take some time to write down your thoughts right now, if you can. Better yet, write down a specific commitment—again, if you can. Don’t approach this exercise with the idea that you have to get everything just right. You’re a work in progress, and God knows that—because He’s the one who’s working in you. But capture as best as you can what God has been doing in your life, and what you sense God is leading you to do in response to that.

Now, reflect on this passage, and the questions that follow:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Think of him who endured such opposition against himself by sinners, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and give up” (Hebrews 12:1-3, NET).

• Over the past few months, how have you seen God working through the other people He’s put around you?
• How have you seen some of the things God’s been teaching you about modeled by others? How has it inspired you to keep running the race (or to really start running it)? Be specific.
• How might these people support you, as you take the next steps God’s calling you to take?

If your responses to these questions inspire you to add to what you’ve already written down, go ahead and add it now.

Think once more about the people who came to mind—especially those people you’ve shared your lives, your struggles, and most important, the grace that God has shown each of us through Jesus. Take time now to thank God for those people, how He’s been working inside and through each of them, and His plans for each of them. Ask God to put more people in your path to help keep you on the path—to encourage you, to stick with you when you’re struggling, to help you work through what God’s trying to do in your life.

And ask God help you to be that person for others as well. And may He answer those prayers clearly and quickly.  

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