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Getting Over YourselfWhen it comes to spirituality, who is it all about?

Our culture’s answer: YOU. What YOU like. What makes YOU comfortable. What fits in with YOUR lifestyle. What YOU have time for. What affirms how YOU are living YOUR life. What agrees with what YOU think is good or bad. What gives YOU a warm and fuzzy feeling.

In other words, YOU are God. You decide what spirituality is all about. And if you believe in a creator, YOU decree who he or she is and how he or she is going to assist YOU.

In this scenario, God is your servant, the one who gratefully helps YOU achieve all YOUR ambitions and YOUR wishes to be happy and fulfilled.

At this point, I hope you’re getting a little queasy. Because here is the truth:

“It’s not about you,” are the first words in the first chapter of Rick Warren’s 2002 bestseller, The Purpose Driven Life.

“The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind or even your happiness. It’s far greater than your family, your career, or even your wildest dreams and ambitions.

“If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by his purpose and for his purpose.”

Looking for evidence? Consider these words from one of the earliest followers of Jesus of Nazareth (who many people believe is the Son of God): Everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible … everything got started in Him [God] and finds its purpose in Him.

If this makes any sense, then you’ll have to admit that:

  • You are NOT God.
  • You don’t really have the powers that our culture insists you do.
  • REAL spirituality is about discovering your place in God’s world.

So how do you discover your place in His world? Start by establishing a relationship with Him. And yes, that IS possible, through Jesus.

Indeed, in one of the original-source biographies of Jesus’ physical life on earth, He declares “I came to give life—life that is full and good”.

In a real, growing relationship with Jesus, you will realize that your abilities, your strengths and weaknesses, your passions can and will be used for a much greater good. For the good of all humanity, in this life and in the life to come.

I’m evidence of that. After 26 years in print journalism, I now use my writing skills to tell people about Jesus, how believing in Him and following Him translates into strength, purpose, energy, resolve and a capacity to do more, love more, care more than any of us can do on our own.

This writing is more valuable than anything I ever did in newspapers. It’s the most important writing I’ll ever do.

Does the relationship I’m writing about sound interesting? Yes or no, post your thoughts below and let’s have a conversation.

THE SIN EATER

Sin Eater 11.15While on a plane flight, I watched an episode of the American TV crime drama “The Blacklist”, staring the brilliant James Spader.

Besides enjoying the taut suspense, I was intrigued by an apparent power that Spader’s character had: he could suppress the terrible memories of people he wanted to protect.

“I’m a sin eater,” he tells co-star Megan Boone, who portrays a deeply troubled FBI profiler, in a 2015 episode. “I absorb the misdeeds of others, darkening my soul to keep theirs pure. That is what I’m capable of.”

How’s that for an amazing ability? Imagine if a real person could do such a thing? It certainly didn’t make Spader’s character, FBI fugitive Raymond Reddington, a happy person. So would a real life person use such a power?

Well, prepare yourself for a little controversy because a real person DOES have that power and uses it all the time.

His name? Jesus of Nazareth, who many people believe is the son of God.

Stick with me while I explain.

More than 2,000 years ago, Jesus was physically on this earth, walking around Israel with a band of rag-tag followers and telling anyone who would listen that God was not a far-off, angry entity.

He was (and is) in the hearts and minds of anyone who would welcome Him, passionately loving that person and offering them an eternal place in Heaven.

The problem? This perfect God could not, and cannot, stand the “sin” that you and I commit. That means the wrong things we do every day and the right things we fail to do every day. That means turning our backs on God and living like He doesn’t exist.

God sent Jesus to fix that through an extraordinary process: Jesus, who was (and is) as perfect as His Father, became our sin eater, absorbing our misdeeds and taking the punishment for them by dying on a Roman cross.

Anyone who believes in Jesus and follows Him has their sins absorbed and their soul made pure through his sacrificial death and resurrection three days later.

This means when this life is finished and His followers appear before God, the wrong things they’ve done and the right things they’ve failed to do are wiped out. Jesus followers are as pure in God’s eyes as Jesus Himself.

This strikes me as a pretty good deal. That’s why, after much consideration, after reading many books and after debating with some brave Jesus followers, I decided to accept that deal.

So Jesus lives in my heart and mind. The more I listen to His leading, the better my life is.

This same deal is available to you, no matter what you’ve done (or not done), no matter how dark (or light) your soul may be.

Interested? Yes or no, post your thoughts below and let’s have a conversation.

WHAT ABOUT MONEY?

What About Money? Usually, when I encounter graphics on internet atheism communities, they’re created by people who know the Bible as well (if not better) than many Jesus followers.

Sadly, whoever is responsible for this one is an exception.

The actual quote, from a section of the Bible called ‘1 Timothy’, goes like this: “For the love of money is the root of all evil.”

Now I’m not surprised that this truth was misstated. Many of us have heard it put exactly how it is in the graphic. But I’m sure you can see the significant difference.

Money never has been and never will be the root of all evil. Jesus of Nazareth, who many people believe is the Son of God, never said it was.

But He did state this, in an original-source biography of of His physical life on earth: “You cannot serve two masters at the same time. You will hate one and love the other, or you will be loyal to one and not care about the other. You cannot serve God and money at the same time.”

Whether or not you care about Jesus, His point is absolutely worth considering. Do you ‘serve’ money? When all is said and done, is it the driving force in your life? Is it the driving force in mine? It’s a good question for us to consider frequently because the more you love money:

  • The more you’ll do to get as much of it as possible.
  • The more you’ll sacrifice in your family and personal life.
  • The more you’ll turn a blind eye to the wrong things you do (and the right things you fail to do).
  • The more you’ll listen to people who are similarly driven to get more.

Think about all these things.

The accurate Bible quote about money that I mentioned above kinda negates the question posed in this graphic. But I’ll tackle it just the same.

Churches ask for money because it’s mandated in ancient documents. One of the four accounts of Jesus’ physical life on earth (may people believe He is still here, in spirit), notes this scene:

“Jesus looked up and saw some rich people putting their gifts to God into the Temple collection box. Then he saw a poor widow put two small copper coins into the box. He said [to his followers], ‘This poor widow gave only two small coins. But the truth is, she gave more than all those rich people. They have plenty, and they gave only what they did not need. This woman is very poor, but she gave all she had to live on’.”

Note two things about this excerpt:
1.  Jesus has nothing negative to say about giving to a “religious” institution.
2.  He makes a very clear point about what giving really means.

Beyond churches needing money to keep the lights on and (in Canada, where I live) the winter snow out of the parking lot, churches ask for money to do good.

For example, the church I attend has a million-dollar annual budget to support more than 20 non-profit organizations. These organizations supply food to the hungry, help troubled teens, provide emergency disaster relief, support churches in the developing world and much more.

Most churches that are truly committed to following Jesus are just like mine. God loves everyone — including the atheist who created the graphic that inspired this blog — so churches and the people who attend should show the same love.

Do we fall short on this? Absolutely. But please remember: churches are not museums for saints; they’re hospitals for sinners.

As far as I can see, every person on this planet is a long way from perfect. But by following Jesus and allowing Him to work in your life, you can come closer to sainthood. Interested? Yes or no, post your thoughts below and let’s have a conversation.

When I first saw this graphic, generously shared on an atheist internet community, my first reaction was “Hmm…wonder where I could buy a great shirt like this?”

I’m a person of faith who knows the world needs a cure for “religion”. You know, all that stuff that says you can torture, rape and kill ‘unbelievers’. (Or worse still, people who leave my “religion” for another “religion”.)

Am I overstating it? Then let’s examine the “religious” part of just one faith, Christianity. You may have experienced it:

  • People who appear to have it all together sitting in cold-hearted judgement of others.
  • People who sniff their disapproval of those with tattoos or nose rings.
  • People who claim they welcome others to their churches — as long as those people fit in, ’cause hey, we’re certainly NOT going to change for YOU.
  • People who seem to spend more time angrily opposing things than lovingly offering an alternative.

All this is how I see “religion”.

Is there a cure? Absolutely, but it’s controversial. It’s Jesus of Nazareth, who many people believe is God’s divine Son.

Still with me, but wondering what the heck I’m writing about? Good.

During His physical time on earth, Jesus had little use for the rituals of “religion” and the self-righteous, soulless lives it so often produces.

In  one of the four original-source biographies of Jesus’ life, He says this to people like you and me: “Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it.”

In his book The End of Religion, Canadian pastor Bruxy Cavey writes “Notice how Jesus is not pointing toward a different and better religion, but instead He invites us to Himself as an alternative to the weary way of religion.”

Exactly. That’s the thing you might not know: being a Jesus follower isn’t about a religion. It’s about a person and how you and I can have a relationship with Him that starts in this life and stretches into eternity.

That means no guilt-induced rituals that create nothing but spiritual fatigue. It also means thoughtfully, consciously turning away from the elitism of “us versus them” and the smugness of judgmentalism.

When people honestly, humbly come to Jesus, they come knowing they are every bit as imperfect as the people they are tempted to judge. They come with the realization that it’s them who must change.

That was the case for me when I decided to believe in and follow Jesus at age 42. And it’s made me a better person.

Do you want to be a better person without the shackles of religion? Then check out Jesus, because He tells everyone who will listen that “anyone who drinks the water I give will never be thirsty again. The water I give people will be like a spring flowing inside them. It will bring them eternal life.”

Sound interesting? Yes or no, post your thoughts below and let’s have a conversation.

ImpressingYourselfWhen I encountered this graphic, posted on Facebook by a cousin, the rusty cogs in my mind started to creak.

Will people judge me (and you?) Absolutely. Like it or not, ALL of us judge — each other, what we watch on TV or the Internet, what we hear on the radio, what we read in tweets, Facebook posts or text messages.

We judge (often without realizing it) words, appearances, clothing, hairstyles, actions, possessions — you name it. There pretty much isn’t anything we don’t judge (or assess, if you prefer that term).

There’s something I found that addresses this tendency and provides wise words that can serve anyone well.

Don’t condemn others, and God won’t condemn you. God will be as hard on you as you are on others! He will treat you exactly as you treat them.” (From one of the original-source biographies of Jesus of Nazareth, who many people believe is the Son of God).

Most of us have heard the first part (another translation phrases it like this: judge not, lest you be judged), but the second part is just as important. Since all us judge, the key is HOW do we judge? Is it with wisdom, maturity and compassion?

As a Jesus follower, I know that’s how I want God to judge me when this life is finished. So I should be asking His help to make me the right kind of judge.

What about the rest of the graphic? Does it really make sense to live your life to impress yourself? What does that really mean?

For some people, it might mean impressing yourself with a big house, vehicles that make your neighbours drool with envy and at least one ridiculously large flat-screen TV.

Other people might look in the mirror and be impressed with what they see if they have a trophy wife (or husband) glued to their arm like eye candy.

What about careers and professional achievement? Does the title “chief executive officer”, “chairman of the board” or “PhD” on a business card impress you?

One of the reasons I follow Jesus is because I know that the Creator of time, space and the universe is so NOT impressed by the things that our culture considers impressive.

Another ancient prophet points out this life-changing truth: “People judge others by what they look like, but I [God] judge people by what is in their hearts.”

What’s in my heart? Like most other people, I can be petty, jealous, resentful, lazy and self-centred. That’s why I believe in, and follow, Jesus.

By following Jesus, I give Him permission to come into my life and begin a transformation — making me more like Him and less like the world. So I’m slowly becoming LESS petty, jealous, resentful, lazy and self-centred.

And because I follow Jesus, when my life on this earth is done and I go to meet God, He won’t see my faults. He’ll only see His Son’s perfection. And I’ll be welcome into Heaven to spend eternity with Jesus.

Does this sound attractive? Yes or no, post your thoughts below and let’s have a conversation.

SAYING YES

Saying YES Jesus prayWell, how’s THAT for a challenging graphic?

And, as if the words aren’t tough enough, the person who posted the graphic in an internet atheism community added this note: “Remember: God LOVES them, just not enough to help. It’s really OUR fault…”

Stay with me while I unpack all this and, if I do a decent job, point you in an entirely different direction.

1.  Jesus of Nazareth (who many people believe is the Son of God) didn’t say “no”. He turned to his followers and told us He wants to work through US to say YES.

That’s why there are organizations like Samaritan’s Purse, World Vision, Compassion, International Justice Mission, Food For The Hungry, Christian Medical & Dental Associations and many more.

These organizations provide emergency food, water and shelter after disasters; medical/dental care in desperately poor developing nations; agriculture training for impoverished farmers; basic literacy and vocational education for women.

Some Jesus-following organizations rescue people from slavery and sex trafficking, others put their staff at risk fighting life-threatening diseases like Ebola.

The work of these aid organizations is ongoing and never-ending. In other words, it’s Jesus saying YES, again and again and again.

2.  After reading #1, does it really sound like God loves them, just not enough to help? Really?

3.  The atheist commenter is right: In many, many ways, it’s really OUR fault.

  • WE support economic systems that keep rich nations rich and and poor nations poor.
  • In developed nations like Canada, where I live, WE come up with justifications for greed like “let’s help our poor before we help the poor elsewhere”. Then we DON’T help because “I pay taxes for government social programs to help them.”
    Not only is that ridiculous and stone-hearted, it also ignores the FACT that being poor in countries like Canada, the United States, Britain, France, Sweden, Australia, etc. is NOTHING like being poor in Haiti, Senegal, Somalia, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, etc. There’s simply no comparison and no explanation should be necessary.
  • It’s really OUR fault (I’m referring to humanity in general, as opposed to God’s fault) because so many of the politicians, business leaders, bureaucrats and army leaders in struggling countries are horribly corrupt. They simply don’t care if their people are starving.

4.  So after reading all this, maybe you’re thinking “why doesn’t God just fix all this?” Sometimes, I think that too. Then I remember the precious gift of freewill. God gave it to us and human history has proven that He rarely interferes with that gift. No matter how badly we misuse it. Part of the reason for that gift is God wants to have a relationship, through His Son, with free-thinking people like me, YOU and every other human.

I decided to say YES to that relationship because it’s made my life better now and, when this life is finished, it’ll give me eternity with Him in Heaven.

What do YOU say to that relationship offer? Accept or reject, post your thoughts below and let’s have a conversation.

religiousWhat if I told you that I’m a serious man of faith who thoroughly, enthusiastically AGREES with this graphic?

Posted on an Internet atheism community, the message is probably aimed at followers of Jesus of Nazareth (who many people believe is the Son of God).

That said, I certainly don’t take any offence. Being “religious” no more makes a person “good” than going into MacDonald’s makes one a Big Mac.

In fact, I’ll go further and write that being “religious” is far more likely to make a person arrogant, petty, self-righteous and overwhelmingly judgmental.

Such characteristics should not be found in a devoted follower of Jesus. Indeed, one of his earliest followers wrote this:

“But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity.

“We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.”

Compassion? A conviction that all of God’s creations (no matter how warped or broken they might be) are special? There’s precious little room for that in a person who’s busy being self-righteous and judgmental.

Let me be clear: Jesus followers are a long, long way from anything approaching “perfect”. There are still moments when I find myself spending more time opposing people and positions than supporting their right to free speech.

But that’s okay. Like it or not, all Jesus followers are a work in progress. If we’re serious about this journey with the Son of God, we strive to:

  • Regularly attend church (a hospital for sinners, NOT a museum of saints)
  • Read the original source documents about Jesus’s life on earth (which gives us insights on who God is, why He sent His Son and how we can live our lives like Jesus)
  • Give to charity, because as Jesus tells anyone willing to listen, “Give to others, and you will receive. You will be given much. It will be poured into your hands—more than you can hold … The way you give to others is the way God will give to you.”
  • Practise humility and humbleness, because Jesus tells His followers, “For those who make themselves great will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be made great.”
  • Tell others about how following Jesus has changed our lives for the better and can do the same for them. Why? Because He clearly instructs his followers to “go everywhere in the world. Tell the Good News (about God and eternal life in Heaven) to everyone.”

That’s why I’m writing this essay for YOU to read. I want you to experience the same positive life change as me. I want you to know, like I know, that God loves YOU passionately and offers YOU the gift of His Son.

Interested? Yes or no, post your thoughts below and let’s have a conversation.

Christianity asking questionsWhen I found this graphic (kindly supplied by an Internet atheist community), my first thought was “All the answers? Wouldn’t that be nice!”

I can’t write about other faiths, but I can write about mine. As a follower of Jesus of Nazareth — who many people believe is God’s divine Son — I have all kinds of questions for which I’ve never found the answers. And likely never will.

Questions about the Bible. Questions about why Jesus did — and did not — do certain things. Questions about why this world is the way it is and why things never seem to really change.

I suspect most other Jesus followers have questions similar to mine. So right from the get-go, following Jesus is not among the faiths — I have no interest in ‘religion’ and here’s why: http://bit.ly/ReligionSlavery — that are targeted in this graphic.

In fact, there are examples of people asking challenging, emotional questions right in the Bible:

From a section called ‘Psalms’ – My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?

While He hung on a Roman cross, convicted of trumped-up charges, Jesus cried out a similar question – My God, my God, why have You left me alone?

Also from Psalms – Lord, how long until You heal me? Lord, why do You stay so far away? Why do You hide from people in times of trouble? How long will You forget me, Lord? Will You forget me forever?

These are just a few examples of people in the Bible who felt no restrictions on asking tough questions. In fact, if the Son of God could ask such a difficult question, why can’t the rest of humanity?

This freedom is just one reason why, in my 40s, I decided to follow Jesus. Now maybe you’re thinking “Ya, but you didn’t get your questions answered. So where’s the upside to your argument?”

The upside is my unanswered questions are a powerful, and very necessary, reminder that God is God. And I am NOT. An ancient prophet stated it very clearly: The Lord says, “My thoughts are not like yours. Your ways are not like mine. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts.”

Another upside? A wise pastor friend told me that, when this life is done, all my questions likely won’t matter anymore. I’ll be in Heaven for all eternity with Jesus. Questions? What questions?

What do you think? Post your thoughts below and let’s have a conversation.

Aug. 2015I guess there are some atheists out there who believe that people of faith are just gritting their teeth and tolerating this nauseating existence before going on to unending glory in the life to come.

But from my perspective as a follower of Jesus of Nazareth (who many people believe is God’s divine Son), atheists and Jesus followers have “life before death” as a common belief.

Let me make this as clear as possible: while life after death is of supreme importance, life BEFORE death is just as significant.

How can I write that? Consider these words of Jesus, recorded in one of the primary source documents about His life: “I came to give life—life that is full and good.”

He’s not talking about life after death; He’s talking about life RIGHT NOW.

So what does that mean?

1.  Life becomes full and good because you’ve join a worldwide movement of believers. So you don’t have to make a go of it solo. You can attend a church, read about Jesus, regularly pray with (and for) others and support each other through good times and bad.

2.  Life becomes full and good because you have a new power that helps you set aside the meaningless, superficial priorities of our culture and focus on what’s truly important.

So you are put on a path to stop worrying about whether you have a new car, the latest smartphone and the biggest flat-screen TV. You stop looking to your mate or your friends to give you happiness because you realize that happiness comes through following Jesus.

3.  Life becomes full and good because you have a pathway to becoming truly generous. It’s no longer about getting a charitable tax break or seeking something in return when you give. It’s about being Jesus’s ambassador in a world most of us are willing to admit isn’t doing very well.

4.  Life become full and good when you realize that the 70-odd years most of us spend on this planet is merely a blip in time compared to the eternity Jesus followers have in Heaven with Jesus.

The blessing of that perspective means we no longer have to put so much stake in every good or bad thing that happens to us in this life. We see the bigger picture and it changes everything.

5.  Life become full and good because you realize that Jesus died to make up for all the wrong things you’ve done and the right things you’ve failed to do. So the burden of guilt and shame is lifted from you; God sees you as He sees His Son: perfect in every way.

(This blog highlights an amazing example of the power of God’s forgiveness: http://wp.me/p2wzRb-6K.)

Now I’m not going to sugar-coat this and claim followers of Jesus float on a cloud of bliss. Jesus tells His followers “In this world you will have troubles. But be brave! I have defeated the world!”

That means the world doesn’t automatically have the final say on your life. If you decide to follower Jesus, then HE has the final say. And that final say is glorious.

What do you think? Post your thoughts below and let’s have a conversation.

Open mindedAccording to Dictionary.com, to be open-minded is to have have or show a mind receptive to new ideas or arguments. It also means being unprejudiced, unbigoted and impartial.

As I pondered these definitions and looked at the message of the graphic above (posted in an internet atheism community), I realized something: being fully, completely open-minded is absolutely impossible.

First of all, consider the person who created this graphic. The arbitrary words make it clear: he or she is close-minded when it comes to Jesus of Nazareth (who many people believe is the Son of God). It’s easy to make this statement because he or she didn’t write “Most open-minded Christians probably won’t (or might not) be a Christian for long”.

The wording in this graph sounds like a fact — which the author certainly cannot prove. And sadly, from my interactions with online atheists, I can tell you that a majority of them are all about proof. Ironically, most of these people are close-minded to anything else.

Secondly, the thing about Christianity is it can’t be proven. And I don’t regard that as a bad thing. In fact, I think the lack of conclusive, scientific proof about Christianity is no accident. If God is about anything, He is about free will. Make Christianity provable and at that moment, free will is gone.

A lack of free will means atheists, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, agnostics and everyone else who doesn’t follow Jesus can’t be who they are — since they’ve all been proven wrong.

God has shown again and again that He’s not interested in goose-stepping robots. He’s interested in an eternal relationship, through Jesus, with free-thinking, overwhelmingly imperfect people who realize they’ll never really get their lives together without Jesus. In other words, people like YOU and me.

I like how famed British writer and thinker G.K. Chesterton wrote about being open-minded: “Merely having an open mind is nothing. The object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid.”

That’s what I did when I decided, at age 41, to follow Jesus. He’s as solid as I (and many millions of others around the world) need Him to be.

Making that decision didn’t mean I suddenly lost respect for those who don’t follow Jesus. In fact, I’m called to love them just as God loves them and offers His Son to them as a gift.

What happens when you accept that gift? If you’re serious about it, your life should begin to change almost immediately. In my case, I effortlessly stopped using offensive language. And that was just the start.

With Jesus in my life, I became more generous. I changed jobs to one that is focused on telling people about Jesus. I married a woman who is also committed to Jesus.

More changes are coming. In fact, those changes won’t end until I’m finished with this life and go to Heaven to spend eternity in God’s presence.

The same can happen to you. Interested? Yes or no, post your thoughts below and let’s have a conversation.