Judge Not

     Over the past week, I have heard the phrase, "Judge not that you be not judged" leveled at Christians for not acquiescing to a pro-homosexuality agenda and lifestyle. In short, the verse-quoting was an attempt to tell Christians (who some have irrationally blamed for creating the atmosphere that led to the horrific Orlando massacre) that we should not be verbalizing disapproval of their life-style. Before we Christians swallow this confused interpretation, it would be wise to consider what Matthew 7:1-4, in context, actually says and does not say.

     Before launching into a brief Bible lesson, let me relate something I heard over twenty years ago. A prominent speaker made the observation that the upcoming generation would embrace whole-heartedly this very verse, "Judge not lest you be judged." He explained that a world-view was emerging which asserted that no absolutes existed with respect to truth. When this assertion is embraced, its corollary is that no one can or should form value judgments which are universally true. The result of embracing this perspective is relativism. Relativism declares that there are no absolutes which in its nonsensical way of thinking is the only absolute. So, whenever a person takes a Biblical stand, it should be no surprise that we have this verse brought up. Now, before someone swallows this interpretation and its corresponding mind-set, it would be wise to consider what Jesus actually said and meant in context. From my understanding, these verses are some of the most frequently quoted, yet misunderstood and abused verses in the Bible. So, what does this passage really mean?

     First, if you will read the Sermon on the Mount in total (Matthew 5-7), you will discover that it is full of judgments with respect to absolutes. Jesus made judgments and declared that some things were factual, and we need both to consider and to embrace what He said. For example, Jesus resoundingly criticizes the scribes and Pharisees in 5:20 for holding to an external "appearance" of righteousness while not living righteously. Jesus said that was unacceptable.

     Second, the imperative of the verse (7:1) "judge not" has the plural "you" as the understood subject. His point is that we are not to form our own judgments with respect to right and wrong, good and bad, wisdom and foolishness. Rather, we are to submit to our Creator, the God of this universe, to communicate those things. That is one reason why He gave us His Scriptures. The point is that our human judgments are faulty, and that whenever we make up our own rules apart from God, we are inevitably in trouble.

     Third, Jesus did point out that if we judge with a faulty judgment ("I will make up my own rules and my own standards. I do not care what either God or His Bible says."), we can expect to find ourselves under the judgment of God. In fact, He warns us that if we judge by our own standards, we can expect to be judged by those very standards. Now this context points out that He is dealing particularly with those who profess a certain standard, but in actuality refuse to live by those very standards. Jesus had no patience with hypocrisy.

    Fourth, Jesus gets to the concluding point noting that people tend to judge others while excusing themselves. Human nature tends to overlook and even justify its own faults. At the same time human nature magnifies the perceived faults of those it criticizes. Jesus concludes that we should deal with our own issues first before attempting to address the issues of others. He did not say that it was inappropriate to address the issues of others. Much less did He say there are no standards of morality.

     Everyone has a right to their opinion even if it is wrong. The attempt to silence the affirmation of a Biblical standard of morality by intimidating those who embrace it is wrong, but it works. Burke was right, "The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to say nothing."

Intake of the Word, Part 2

   

Last week I shared the reading plan that I use in order to get a steady intake of the Word. I wrote that I plan to read through the New Testament once a month. For any who might wonder about including the Old Testament in your reading plan, permit me to share the rest of the story. As anyone can tell, the Old Testament is almost four times longer than the New. So, for me, I try to read through the Old Testament once a year. The question is how do I do it? At first glance, it seems like a daunting task. Many who start reading through the Old Testament get bogged down as they try to get through Leviticus so be forewarned. Push through it even if you do not grasp as much as you did in Genesis and Exodus.

Someone asked the proverbial question, "How do you eat an elephant?" The classic response is,"One bite at a time." How do you read through the Old Testament? One page at a time. I have broken the Old Testament into monthly assignments. Daily readings can be from two to four pages. Here is how you can break what appears to be a monumental task into smaller manageable units:

January: read Genesis and Exodus

February: read Leviticus through Deuteronomy

March: read Joshua through 1 Samuel

April: read 2 Samuel through 1 Kings

May: read 2 Kings through 2 Chronicles

June: read Ezra through Job

July: read Psalms

August: read Proverbs through Song of Solomon

September: read Isaiah

October: read Jeremiah

November: read Lamentations through Daniel

December: read Hosea through Malachi

This is a simple plan that will work if you will simply implement it. The key is consistency. I challenge you to get into God's Word and read it and study it for your self. Whenever I read the Scriptures, I always ask three guiding questions: What does it say? What does it mean? And, what am I going to do about it? I challenge you to get into the Word and let it shape you into being Christ-like!

Intake of the Word

One of the most important Spiritual Disciplines is to maintain a steady intake of the Word of God. Many believers have intentions to read their Bible but do not have a plan. As a result, they are hit and miss with more misses than hits.

Last year, as I was planning my disciplines for the coming year, My wife and I had the good fortune of spending a weekend with Steve and Donna Gaines in Memphis. That Sunday, Bellevue Baptist Church distributed an outline of how a person might read through the New Testament in a month. I have incorporated that discipline in my own schedule. Should you get more than three days behind due to unforeseen circumstances, I encourage you to skip those passages and simply pick up on the day's assigned reading. I know of people who get behind and just give up. Don't let that happen to you. Each number corresponds with the day of the month. Here is the outline that I use each day:

1.    Matthew 1-8

2.    Matthew 9-15

3.    Matthew 16-23

4.    Matthew 24-28

5.    Mark 1-7

6.    Mark 8-13

7.    Mark 14- Luke 2

8.    Luke 3-8

9.    Luke 9-13

10.  Luke 14-21

11.  Luke 22- John 2

12.  John 3-8

13.  John 9-15

14.  John 16- Acts 1

15.  Acts 2-8

16.  Acts 9-15

17.  Acts 16-21

18.  Acts 22- Romans 1

19.  Romans 2-10

20.  Romans 11- 1 Corinthians 6

21. 1 Corinthians 7-15

22.  1 Corinthians 16- 2 Corinthians 12

23.  2 Corinthians 13- Ephesians 4

24.  Ephesians 5- Colossians 4

25.  1 Thessalonians 1- 1 Timothy 6

26.  2 Timothy 1- Hebrews 6

27.  Hebrews 7- James 2

28.  James 3- 1 John 1

29. 1 John 2- Revelation 4

30.  Revelation 5-22

 

If you will accept the challenge to read a significant portion of the New Testament on a daily basis, it will strengthen your walk with the Lord. Here is a plan that will work if you will make it a priority. My habit is not to read anything else including looking at my iPhone or iPad until after I have spent time in the Word. Remember, we do what we plan, prioritize, and practice. There is a reward for those who put the Lord first.

3 Things To Do When Circumstances Get Tough

From the moment I surrendered to the ministry as a college junior, the only thing I ever wanted to do was serve the Lord. Coming to grips with my "giftedness," I learned experientially that I was best suited for the pastorate. Nevertheless, this journey has taken me into some directions that I had not pursued or even considered. I have been a seminary professor, interim pastor, and Academic Dean of a seminary. I have also spent considerable time as a writer with four books and numerous articles. 

When I look back on the paths that Fern and I have taken, it might be easy to point fingers and blame circumstances, certain antagonists, or even the devil for some of the events we have had to endure. Yet, when the dust settles, I have to conclude that all things have been permitted by God, and ultimately our lives are in His hands. And instead of complaining wisdom dictates that we be thankful because only God knows what He is doing. Some of the things that I might want to complain about the loudest, may be the very tool He is using to prepare us for the greatest part of our journey.

When I look at Moses, I see a man who easily could have gotten bitter over the circumstances he endured. Forty years as a shepherd in the wilderness was certainly a contrast to where he spent the first four decades of his life. Yet, what seemed like a wasted existence turned out to be preparation for his greatest work. The same can be said of Joseph. The worst of circumstances proved to be the setting of an incredible feat of preserving life. Did Joseph not tell his brothers that "what men meant for evil, God meant for good?"

So where does that leave us and what markers can we put down? 

1. Before blaming God for bad circumstances, consider that this might be preparation for your greatest work. 

2. Look for God's leading in the midst of those circumstances. 

3. Realize that God is not through with you on this earth until you step into eternity.

One of the great Christian leaders in American history was Jonathan Edwards. After 24 years as Senior Pastor of the Congregational Church at Northampton, he was fired. What happened next was intriguing. He accepted a position at Stockbridge, an insignificant position by comparison to his former work. Yet, what appeared to be a great misfortune and injustice proved to be one of the greatest blessings to subsequent generations. It was at Stockbridge that Edwards penned some of his greatest works. If he had not had circumstances unfold as they did, we might never have captured some of the great insights from this great man of God.

Let me encourage you to let God be God in your life. If He cares enough about us to give us His Son, Jesus, certainly He cares enough about you to be in ultimate control of your life. So, I challenge you to trust Him when you are tempted to doubt, complain, or point fingers of blame. Fix your eyes on Jesus and trust that He still has work for you to accomplish.

How Successful Pastors Think

Last week, I took a first look at the habits of successful pastors. I cannot overemphasize the truth that the issue is not what they know or intend to do, but what they actually get done. Today I want to unpack how a successful pastor thinks. 

1. Successful pastors have an intentional walk with God. They have a disciplined intake of Scripture which is balanced and consistent. They get into the Word so the Word gets into them. Coupled with a disciplined intake of the Word is a consistent life of prayer. Jesus gave us a pattern for prayer in the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6 and 7. Paul taught us much about the importance of prayer as the alternative to worry. Be assured. God knows our needs, but often He waits for us to ask for His intervention. If something is big enough to worry about, it is big enough to pray about. If you have a need, take it to the Lord in prayer.

2. Successful pastors communicate on a variety of levels. Of course, their principal responsibility is to communicate the Word of God on a weekly if not daily basis. To do this effectively takes time, discipline, effort, and training. There is a price to pay to be effective in the pulpit. Aside from this, pastors need to communicate with staff, leadership, his congregation, and whenever possible to a larger audience. Successful pastors make use of social media and see themselves as agents of God's grace to a hurting world. If you study the Pastoral Epistles, you will find over 50 references to communicating in one form or another. Communicate!

3. Successful pastors evaluate everything in light of their concern for the church. No matter what the situation, every activity, every choice, every response, every decision, every allocation of time and money should be made in light of how it will affect their church and its witness. Before you do or say something you might regret, ask yourself "how will this affect my church's witness? Will this strengthen or weaken my church's influence for the cause of Christ?"

4. Successful pastors solve problems. Problem solving is looking at something in the past that either went wrong, did not work, or fell short of expectations. Then it asks, "what needs to be done to fix this situation?" Lay out the options, pray for discernment, and choose the best solution in light of the available resources. Successful pastors have learned to solve problems. Problem solving is oriented toward the past. It is looking back.

5. Successful pastors make decisions. This activity is present-tense in its orientation. It is looking at present resources of time, energy, and finances. Then, when options are seen clearly, it decides. Procrastination is often the enemy of effective decision making. Here is where deadlines are helpful. There is a time to gather information and there is a time to decide. Successful pastors and effective leaders know how to make decisions and then move ahead.

6. Successful pastors plan. Planning is oriented toward the future. Whether planning what to do tomorrow, next week, or next year, planning is essential if anything is ever to be accomplished. Successful pastors plan on a variety of levels. They plan their personal lives, they plan their work, they lead planning on behalf of their church and its ministries. Successful pastors and successful ministries, and successful churches are always asking, "God, what do you want us to do?" "What can we do that will make a difference for eternity?" "What can we do that will minister to hurting people?" "What can we do that will build up and equip believers for effective service?" Successful pastors are always looking down the road.

7. Successful pastors are life-long learners. Those who quit learning quit leading. It is as simples as that. Every successful pastor I know is a reader and a learner. So, what are you reading? And what are you learning? Who from the past and present is influencing you today? What 10 books have been most influential in your life and ministry? What magazines, journals, blogs, podcasts, and twitter feeds do you keep up with? Who is influencing you?

8. Successful pastors develop others. In Ephesians 4, Paul writes about the responsibility of pastors to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. It is incredibly important to equip and teach by example. If the one who is leading and teaching is not doing, or has not done, the work of ministry, how can they teach others? Pastor, how are you developing yourself, your staff, and your leadership? What are you doing to develop new leaders and ministers? What opportunities are you providing for potential leaders and ministers? What are you modeling for the purpose of developing others?

Next week I will wrap up this series of posts with a checklist of the successful pastor's perspective. What comes to mind when you think of a successful pastor? 

4 Characteristics of a Great Dad

mattsledge / Flickr

Scripture is replete with good and bad examples of of fathers. In Judges, both Eli and Samuel were dedicated priests but defective parents. In contrast, we do find some outstanding examples of what a good father is like. Consider Zebedee whose two sons, James and John, became disciples and Apostles. What did he do that proved so constructive to his children? Consider these four characteristics.

First, he influenced his sons by his presence. Matthews' Gospel tells us that they worked together. Every child needs time with his or her father. We only influence people when we spend time with them. The idea that quality time is a legitimate substitute for quantity time is a myth. So, for you fathers, are you spending time with your kids? Remember, you only have a limited season to influence your kids, then the opportunity is gone.

Second, he imparted his values. He taught them how to work and how to work together. He taught them how to solve problems, plan, and make decisions. He showed them how to put God first in everything. 

Third, he was involved in his sons' lives. By this, I mean more than just being present. He was so involved that his sons were known as "the sons of Zebedee." Also they were called "the sons of thunder" which for better or worse demonstrated his influence because of his involvement. In the words of Cat Stevens, "I want to be like you dad, I want to be just like you." My attitude was always if my kids turn out bad, it was because they spent too much time with me and not from a lack of time.

Finally, he taught his children to be independent. Our goal should be to lead each child from total dependence upon us to a total dependence upon the Lord. As we help them on the pathway to independence from us, we need to give them two things: roots and wings. "Roots" represent security, identity, and the sense that they belong. They are loved unconditionally. "Wings" say you can spread your wings and fly! You can become whatever God wants you to become. We will be there to help you, encourage you, and facilitate your pressing on to maturity.

What lessons have you learned about parenting from your parents or by being a parent yourself? 

6 Reminders about Time from the Last Rose of Summer

The Last Rose of Summer

King Solomon attempted to put life in perspective when he wrote, "There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Moses prayed,  "So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom" (Psalm 90:12). And Jesus, commenting on His earthly days (and ours as well), advised, "We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work" (John 9:4).

Earlier today, I shot a photo of the last rose growing in our flower garden. Over the spring, into the summer, and now with the fall under way this flower finally makes its magnificent entrance onto planet earth. It will be here momentarily then just as quickly as it appeared, it will fade away. Meteorologists are telling us that early this week in Kansas City, we will have the season's first visit of Arctic air and the temperature will dip into the low 20s. Goodbye rose!

Between Scripture and the garden, I find some life-lessons that I want to be mindful of. 

1. Each of us lives in the present. Cherish the time God gives. It will not last. It will move hastily on. We cannot slow time down. We all live in the present.

2. As we live in the present, we also live in community. Even there, each of us is in a different stage of life. I glance over to watch my grandson and see his mother (my daughter) walk across the room. It seems like yesterday that she was the grandchild and I was the parent. We are together but find ourselves at a different stage of life. And time races on.

3. Life passes all too quickly. I recently saw a portrait of Philadelphia from the late 1800s in "Historic Pics" on Twitter. What stood out for me was that everyone in the photo (which captures a moment in time) is now deceased. Life was here and now it is gone.

4. We should do all we can to display the reality and goodness of God while we have opportunity. We never know when the present opportunity is the last we will have. Even the last rose of summer (or fall), declared God's glory even for only a moment...and then it is gone.

5. In the end, life is over. I have said many times, there is nothing so sure as death and nothing so unsure as the time. All of us have a date with death from this life when we will step into eternity.

6. If we really embrace the reality of the brevity of life and the infinity of eternity, would we not choose to live differently? Does Hebrews not teach us, "it is appointed unto man to die and after that the judgment?" And if we will be judged, should we not live our lives in light of that inevitable appointment? 

Even as the last rose fades, I am reminded that we will too. So, like the rose, let's live our moment in the sun to display the beauty God intended.