There, I Fixed It
I received an email this week from a close friend. He sends me very funny stuff from time to time — and this email was no exception to the rule. His email originated at thereifixedit.com It is so funny the shortcuts people will take to avoid doing something the correct way. If you go and take a look at the web-site, you will agree. Rather than fix the problem, we “Jimmy Rig” it to get it to work.
Upon reflection of Pastor Naeem’s messages lately, I have been convicted of some short-cuts in my life. Nothing devastating — but most are not. The word says to work out your salvation with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12). I know me well enough to know — I despise guilt-based motivation. But there is something about this verse that seems to indicate a level of respect to your new position in Christ that cannot be avoided. It also makes it clear there is some work involved where short-cuts are not an option. I think that is something worth processing. I have begun asking the tough questions in my life. Where do I compromise? Where do I take short-cuts? What are those areas in my life I need to address, but seem to avoid like the plague? It is easy to address the fixes in others, but what do we do when we are forced to look in the mirror first? Are we as quick to humbly address our own issues as we address others’?
I know these are tough questions. God wants us to humbly come to Him. Avoid comparing yourself to other’s spirituality and concentrate on Him. Comparing yourself to God can be a humbling experience — to say the least. He wants us to compare ourselves to Him, not so we will feel defeated knowing we will never measure up — He wants us there so we will see the deeper need, “Him and His life” at work in and through us. He is our life! Without Him, there is nothing. This should never be something we take for granted. That is the Fear and Trembling part of our Salvation. There was an enormous price paid for that salvation.
You cannot fix it. You cannot Jimmy rig it. Only Christ and Christ alone can make things right. My challenge for me is to lean more and more everyday on Him and Who He is. That is my challenge to you. Lean on His understanding, His life, His example, . . . Without Him nothing is fixable — with Him all things “are” fixed.
There are no short-cuts to your salvation and relationship with Christ. You are either all in or . . . If you get caught up in the short-cut lie, you are greatly deceived. Always remember His motivation is Love.
Knowledge of Good and Evil
After a long conversation with a close friend, there was one statement he made that I cannot seem to shake. He is a wonderful brother in the Lord and I starve for the level of challenge he brings to any spiritual discussion. His statement was as follows (paraphrase).
God never intended for us to know good and evil. He knew it was too large a burden for us to carry. That is what we got from the eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
God knew the moment Adam and Eve tasted of “that” fruit; they would be eternally distracted from His grace and loving relationship. We as believers get so bogged down in the right and wrong (Good and Evil) we missed the unconditional love of our creator – it is used of the enemy to distract us from constructive interaction. We all get entangled in the right/ wrong, moral/immoral, . . . arguments and we become more concerned with those than simple relationship. Before the fall of Adam and Eve, they had no knowledge of good and evil. All they knew was the love of a relationship with the Father. They walked together in the garden. They lived a perfect, “ignorant” existence in total dependence on God and interdependence on one another. Do not think that I am saying we can ignore this knowledge – it is now impossible, for we have all eaten of the fruit. Pandora’s Box has been opened and we cannot close it back. We have this knowledge, so we are admonished to make heads or tails of the truth. What I do feel is important, is that we do not become so entangled that we miss the love, grace, and compassion of the Father. He knows the burden we carry with this knowledge. That is the reason He sent His Son to eliminate this burden – at least spiritually. It is now part of our makeup, because of this knowledge, to attempt to live in the letter of the law. Unfortunately for us, it is hard to live by the Spirit. Living under the law, we will always fail – because God did not create us to handle this burden. Living by the law will leave us guilt ridden and shamed. The harder we try to live by the letter of the law, the more defeated we become. To quote a famous movie line, “you [we] can’t handle the Truth!” Truth is the only law that ever really changed anything or anybody was the law of love and Grace. Jesus said He did not come to abolish the law – but to fulfill it. Put another way – to restore it, to bring us back to its original intent and meaning. Paul says to the believers in Romans 7:6, “But the law no longer rules over us. We are like dead people, and it cannot have any power over us. Now we can serve God in a new way by obeying his Spirit, and not in the old way by obeying the written Law.” Jesus gave us a new command in John 13:34, “A new command I give you, Love one another as I have loved you.” It is the love and grace of God that leads us to repentance – not laws. If that sounds foreign to you, it is because you are still working out your salvation through the law and not a relationship of love and Grace with the Father. Think about it.
Scar of Addiction
Scars of Addiction
Many of us have already learned – healing from addictive behavior can take lots of time and hard work. In the past I did not understand why God does not heal us in an instant. To be free would be a great feeling – I would think? Maybe, in my experience I have grown to appreciate the lack of instant healing. If I had been healed instantly, and would have been given instant freedom, I believe my first stop or tendency would have been straight back into the bondage of addiction. I have come to believe God is after something much deeper in me than just freedom from my addiction. There is a primary contributor to my future work for Him that is being molded and sharpened as a result of my experience. This addiction or “Thorn in my flesh,” if you will, only serves to keep me in check and humbled. Do not hear me saying, I want to keep this Thorn. Thorns can be painful.
When I was about ten, I was crawling around in the rafters of my grandfather’s “car-shed.” I heard the screen door open and became concerned I would get caught. In my attempt to escape punishment – for I knew the rules – I scrambled to get to my makeshift ladder. As I climbed down the ladder, I drove a large splinter deep into my right-hand, ring finger. I was in deep pain, but could not tell anyone. I knew they would want to know how it happened. You can quickly deduce the results of that brilliant decision. Because I figured I could take care of the splinter myself, I kept quiet. After a few days the pain became unbearable. I went to my mom and spilled. She was not the least bit concerned about how I had acquired the splinter; she was much more concerned about ridding me of the splinter. The pain I was experiencing was affecting every aspect of my being. To this day, I have a small scar between my first and second knuckle on the underside of my right-hand, ring finger. As I have thought back to that experience, there are a few life lessons we can all learn.
If you do not face your addiction, it will affect every aspect of your being. Just like my mom, God is more interested in helping you get rid of the problem than beating you up for the choices that got you there. That is not to say what got you there is not important, but just Not His primary concern. If we continue to ignore reality, the discomfort will become who we are. The addiction will literally become your identity. Do not allow the enemy to steal your identity to addiction.
I encourage you to seek help. Do not allow anything to have that much power in your life. God wants to free you from this prison of guilt and shame. He wants to heal the broken hearted and set the captives free. (1) First pray and ask for the courage to bring your issue into the light. (2) Find someone you can be honest, who is more concerned with restoration than exposure. (3) Share how these addictive choices have affected your life. (4) Go with that person to a place that specializes in your form of addiction. (Note) Stop at nothing to get the answers you need. Just so you know – there will always be a scar. I have one on my finger and in my heart. The scar does not bring back memories of all the bad parts of my experience – it serves as a gentle reminder of what is now a fond memory of the unconditional love and Grace of the Father.
Pastor Keith Devine
Contentment
Contentment
Contentment is not a Physical Location or a Circumstance, it is a State of Mind, a Conscious Act of Our Will . . .
In these tumultuous times we find ourselves, there is much talk about personal security. I speak with someone almost daily who is struggling in some way financially. My own family has not escaped the issue of unpredictable economics. It was during my private study time this week that God began to remind me of what true contentment looks like.
I was reading about Paul’s hardships found in the 6th chapter of 2 Corinthians. I began to hear in my own heart some of the complaints I have made to God in my recent history. When I realized I was spiraling into self-pity, I stopped and accessed my deeper issues. What is it that God is really after? Why doesn’t he rescue us from our circumstances? What is he really trying to change in me? This line of questioning led me to Philippians 4:13. This is one of the more misused scriptures in the Church. We have somehow attained the idea that because of this verse, we are super-human able to jump tall buildings with a single bound. In reality, this verse is not there to get us out of our circumstances; it is there to help us through them. For some reason, God does not always rescue us from our situation. He is much more concerned about our spiritual and emotional growth – “in” and “through” the circumstances. Contentment is what He is after. Not contentment in this world, but contentment in Him and who He is. Contentment is not a physical location or a circumstance; it is a state of mind. It is an active and an offensive act of our will. It is a choice, a decision, a resolution of the mind. Paul was not defined by his circumstances, who Paul was, was defined long before the circumstances occurred. It is not my circumstances that define who I am; it is who I am that decides how I will handle my circumstances.
Early in my ministry experience I was asked to go visit an older lady in the hospital. She was to be told the morning I was going to visit her she had just a short time to live. When I reached the hospital, I was a nervous wreck. This was all new to me, and I had no idea how to comfort someone who was in this heavy of circumstances. I walked into to her room to find her sitting up in bed reading her Bible with a smile from ear to ear. My very first thought was I had arrived too early and she had not been given the news. I asked how she was doing which lead into a plethora of questions from her to me about my life and short ministry experience. I was so encouraged by her words of affirmation and sincere desire to make me feel comfortable. In the back of my mind, it was slowly being confirmed that she had not spoken with the doctor. I began to process the idea that maybe I was supposed to give her the devastating news. I was young and thought I knew what I was doing – Yea Right! After a long conversation about me – I asked if the doctor had been in to see her that day. She responded immediately with a string of statements that would forever change my life. “Yes the doctor had just left the room when you came in.” She went on, “He informed me that I had a few short months to live.” Then she asked something I will never forget, “I wonder how God is going to use this?” I was so amazed with the question; I did not know how to respond. I thought about it on my way home. My answer to her question was simple, “He already has used it – in me.” This woman had learned the real meaning of Paul’s words in Philippians chapter 4, verse 13. Her focus was not on God taking her out of her circumstances, she was only interested in His will “Through” her circumstances. That is “contentment in all things.”
Even Paul had to face much pain and uncertainty to become the man that he was. My challenge in my life is that I am the person I should be in Christ, before uncontrollable circumstances arise. Contentment is not found in a house, a car, a . . ., nor is it found in just the right circumstances – it is found in the deepest recesses of our being where who we are comes in contact with Christ in us. Not our will – but His in us.
Pastor Keith Devine
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Philippians 4:13
The Real Deal
I wish I could take credit for these words, but I cannot. This has challenged me to the core. I trust it will you as well. Take a look. Special thanks to Carly Spencer for bringing this to my attention and certainly, Mr. Chan for his insight and communication skills. Pastor Keith
Are You a Good Christ?
I think it’s time we stop asking ourselves the question: “Am I a good Christian?” We live in a time when the term “Christian” has been so diluted that millions of immoral but nice people genuinely consider themselves “good Christians.” We have reduced the idea of a good Christian to someone who believes in Jesus, loves his or her family, and attends church regularly. Others will label you a good Christian even though your life has no semblance to the way Christ spent His days on earth. Perhaps we should start asking the question: “Am I a good Christ?” In other words, do I look anything like Jesus? This question never even entered my mind until a friend of mine made a passing comment to me one day.
Dan is a long time friend of mine. In fact, he’s the pastor who performed my wedding. He was talking to me about a pastor named Von. Von has been working with youth in the San Diego area for decades. Many of his students have gone on to become amazing missionaries and powerful servants of God. Dan described a trip to Tijuana, Mexico with Pastor Von. (Von has been ministering to the poor in the dumps of Tijuana for years). Dan didn’t speak of the awful living conditions of those who made their homes amidst the rubbish. What impacted Dan the most was the relationship he saw between Von and the people of this community. He spoke of the compassion, sacrifice, and love that he witnessed in Von’s words and actions as he held these malnourished and un-bathed children. Then he made the statement that sent me reeling:
“The day I spent with Von was the closest thing I’ve ever experienced to walking with Jesus.”
Dan explained that the whole experience was so eerie because he kept thinking to himself: “If Jesus were still walking on earth in the flesh, this is what it would feel like to walk alongside of Him!” After that discussion, I kept wondering if anyone had ever said that about me-”The day I spent with Francis was the closest thing I’ve ever experienced to walking with Jesus.” The answer was an obvious “no.” Would any honest person say that about you?
What bothered me was not that I hadn’t “arrived,” but that I wasn’t even heading in the right direction. I hadn’t made it my goal to resemble Christ. I wasn’t striving to become the kind of person who could be mistaken for Jesus Christ. Isn’t it ironic that a man can be known as a successful pastor, speaker, and CHRISTian even if his life doesn’t resemble Christ’s?
1 John 2:6 “Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”
When John made that statement, he wasn’t speaking about how to be a church leader or even how to be a “good” Christian. He merely stated that anyone who calls himself Christian must live like Jesus did. So how did Jesus live? You could make a list of character traits to compare yourself to, but it would be far more beneficial to simply read through one of the Gospels. After you get a bird’s-eye view of the life of Christ, do the same with your own. Are you comfortable with the similarities and differences?
It’s easy to get caught up in the pursuit of “success” as American church-goers define it. The thought of being well-known and respected is alluring. There have been times when I’ve been caught up in the fun of popularity. I’ve even mistaken it for success. Biblically, however, success is when our lives parallel Christ’s. Truth is, there are many good Christs that you’ll never read about in a magazine. They are walking as Jesus walked, but they are too focused and humble to pursue their own recognition.
May we make it our goal to someday have someone say of us: “The day/hour/15 minutes I spent with ______ was the closest thing I’ve ever experienced to walking with Jesus.”
As Christians in America, we often complain about how antagonistic people are toward Christ. Personally, I’m not sure that Americans are really rejecting Christ. Maybe they just haven’t seen Him.
Try to be COMPLETELY honest with yourself right now. Is the following true of you?
You passionately love Jesus, but you don’t really want to be like Him. You admire His humility, but you don’t want to be THAT humble. You think it’s beautiful that He washed the feet of the disciples, but that’s not exactly the direction your life is headed. You’re thankful He was spit upon and abused, but you would never let that happen to you. You praise Him for loving you enough to suffer during His whole time on earth, but you’re going to do everything within your power to make sure you enjoy your time down here.
In short: You think He’s a great Savior, but not a great role model.
The American church has abandoned the most simple and obvious truth of what it means to follow Jesus: You actually follow His pattern of life. I pray for those who read this article- that we don’t become cynical or negative toward the church. Instead, let’s make a personal decision to stop talking so much and begin living like Jesus. Then we can say as the apostle Paul, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). My guess is that you’ve never had someone say that to you, and you’ve never said it to anyone else. Why Not?
Till Death Do Us Part
Have you ever wondered why marriage is only, “Till death do us part”? Well, I have. I love my wife and enjoy her company, however; according to God’s word, there is no giving or taking of marriage in Heaven. This led me to see the marriage union as temporary (Till Death Do Us Part), which served to only deepen the questions. Why would marriage be temporary?
I was privileged to attend a “Weekend to Remember” conference a couple weeks ago. Wow, what an exciting, rewarding, yet challenging time for my wife and I. The conference served to highlight some key areas in our relationship God wanted us to work through. Yes, most of the issues were obvious to my wife, where I was oblivious. I tend to be very single-minded, where my wife is a multi-tasker.
The conference seemed to end and hinge on this amazing truth: marriage is a temporary (Until death do us part) union, which serves two primary purposes. To model the relationship between Christ and His bride, the body of Christ, and to better fulfill the Great Commission given by Jesus Himself.
Allow me to explain. My wife and I were joined in matrimony for sheer enjoyment and to procreate. However, there is a greater reason that most do not realize. If I am to become the man God has called me to be and she is to become the woman He has called her to be, when we come together, our union must enhance our effectiveness. In other words we, because of our marriage relationship, are better equipped for the plan of God. Where I was effective with following through with the plan God had for me on my own, my marriage allows me to be much more effective. My weaknesses are her strengths, and her weaknesses are my strengths. And in those areas where we both are strong, we both are better for it. All for the purpose of bringing Glory and Honor to God.
Marriage is not just a legal union! it is a spiritual Mission or Purpose. We are a team working toward the same mission or purpose. The more aware we are of that mission or purpose, the more fulfilling our relationship becomes. Marriage is not just about making us happy, while that is critically important; it is more importantly about fulfilling the purposes of God.
If you are already married, ask yourselves these questions: “How is our marriage relationship representing and glorifying God and His purposes?” “Are we working together to fulfill the same purposes or are we going in two different directions?” “Are we so preoccupied with the busyness of life, the kingdom agenda is really on the back burner?” “Are we willing to rearrange life to place God’s purposes first?” If you are seeking to be married, you may want to ask these questions: “How would this person enhance my ability to be more effective for the kingdom of God?” “Is this person on the same page as me spiritually?” “Can I not only live with this person, but can I serve with this person where God desires I serve?”
Pastor Keith
Spiritual Growth
Spiritual Growth Clarified
I have had many experiences God has used to refine me. The refining of silver by the silversmith helps illustrate what the maturing process looks and feels like from our point of view. God desires purity of each of us, but not so we can become pure for purity sake. What He really desires is that we reflect Him in all we say and do. By putting the concentration on the purity – we only become legalistic. However, when we put the concentration on becoming Christ-Like – we become pure. My lack of sin does not make me pure – it is my growing desire to be Christ-Like that makes me pure. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” is a prerequisite to “blessed are the pure in heart.”
The illustration goes like this:
The silversmith is put to the task of making the silver pure. He places the non-liquid lump of hardened, mixed minerals into a special vat. The vat is then heated until it becomes liquid. The hot liquid minerals begin to soften and separate. The unwanted minerals and impurities float to the top. The silversmith slowly and lovingly skims the liquid, taking care not to remove the silver, removes the impurities. The silver is pure, when the silversmith can clearly see His reflection in the liquid – “without wrinkle or blemish.” The silversmith does not see the silver as it is – He sees it for what it can and will become. He knows the process and knows how it will end.
That is what God is doing in each of us. He is placing us in experiences He knows will force us to change. His goal is simple. He desires to lovingly remove the areas that hinder our purity. As He removes the impurities, He sees more and more of Himself in us. God does not want to get rid of “you,” He simply wants to make a reflection of Himself.
While the refining of silver is a beautiful picture, it falls short of the reality of the maturing process. In order for something to become pure, it must have redeeming value. That redeeming value is determined by three things: the value of the materials used to make the product, the manner in which they are placed together, and the creator’s value. Scripture says we were knit together in our mother’s womb. We were made with respect and wonder the Psalmist says (139:13-14). We are created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26). God saw our value, because He defined value itself. God chose to redeem us, because He knew what we could become, if we lived through His value and image.
Your worth is the life of God. Only He could pay the penalty. Only He could redeem our value or worth. We have value because He said we were valuable and then He proved it. If I am to reproduce value in my life and experience, I must see that I am valuable. Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Well, from where I sit, If I do not love myself, my neighbor is in trouble.
The point is – we always had value in the eyes of God or He would have never redeemed us. He declared our value and now He simply wants us to live it. We are called the “apple of His eye.” It is not my behavior that determines who I am; it is who I am that determines my behavior. An apple tree produces apples. A peach tree produces peaches. A fearfully and wonderfully made child of God – produces the things of God.
Seek purity – not for purity sake. Seek purity – because that is your destiny in Christ. He declared you a saint, and now He is refining you so that who you are physically will come in line with who you already are spiritually.
KD
