Let’s Cut to the Chase: Are You Really a Follower of Christ? (Part One)

Jesus calls Levi. From book: The Life of Jesus of Nazareth. Eighty Pictures. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mick Turner

A few months back I read a very informative book entitled, “Not a Fan,” written by Kyle Idleman. The book got me to thinking and prayerfully reflecting on the problematic situation the contemporary church finds itself in and this essay is mostly a synopsis of that experience.

Idleman stresses the difference between what he calls a “fan” of Jesus and a “follower” of Jesus. The former may believe but does not follow. The latter believes and follows.

Many have made a decision to believe in Jesus without making a commitment to follow Jesus. The gospel allows for no such distinction. Biblical belief is more than mental assent or verbal acknowledgment. Many fans have repeated a prayer or raised their hand or walked forward at the end of a sermon and made a decision to believe, but there was never a commitment to follow. Jesus never offered such an option. He is looking for more than words of belief; he is looking to see how those words are lived out in your life. When we decide to believe Jesus without making a commitment to follow him, we become noting more than fans.

These works penned by Idleman cut straight to the chase if you think about it. Personally, I think that many of the problems in the church today, and certainly much of the negative image Christianity has in our culture, can be traced back to this very dichotomy – the split between those who believe in Jesus and those who actually follow his teachings. Far too many of us are fans but not followers. It really is that simple.

Jesus told us that it is wise to count the costs before setting out on the journey with him. This was indeed very wise counsel. Unfortunately, the church has done a very poor job in educating its new “believers” on what they are signing up for when they become a true Christian. They are rarely told they are enrolling in a way of life in which they will be called upon to deny themselves on a consistent basis and to more often than not, swim upstream against the tide of postmodern culture. Even more rarely are they told anything about the business of dying to self on a daily basis and flat out having to choose to not do what their flesh is screaming for them to do and their own mind may well be telling them it is permissible to do.

Instead, potential new Christians are told that all they have to do is “accept Christ as their personal savior” and/or “make a decision for Christ.” All they have to do is say the sinner’s prayer and their heavenly ticket is punched. Never mind the nasty stuff Jesus says in Matthew 7: 21-27. After all, he did say his yoke was easy. And compared to the religious legalism the Pharisees were placing on the people of his day, Jesus’ teachings were indeed a light yoke. Unfortunately, far too many Christian teachers have taken this teaching to mean that the Christian path is easy. As a result, far too many “believers” are content with a shallow, feel-good faith that risks nothing and contributes nothing to the advancement of Christ’s kingdom.

My friends, this is not what the Master had in mind.

Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. (Matthew 7: 13-14 ESV)

David Platt, in his excellent book Follow Me, sums up Jesus’ point and the crisis in today’s pews when he says:

In other words, there is a broad religious road that is inviting and inclusive. This nice, comfortable, ever-so-crowded path is attractive and accommodating. The only thing that’s required of you is a one-time decision for Christ, and you don’t have to worry about his commands, his standards, or his glory after making that decision. You now have a ticket to heaven, and your sin, whether manifested in self-righteousness or self-indulgence, will be tolerated along the way.

I doubt many Christians would care to admit that Platt’s words are an accurate description of their commitment to Jesus and their walk of faith, yet my fear is that in far too many cases it is exactly that – a description of the true shallowness of where they stand spiritually. And as I said earlier, as Christians, we are not called to this wide gate and easy road. Platt continues:

But this is not the way of Jesus. He beckons us down a hard road, and the word Jesus uses for “hard” is associated in other parts of the Bible with pain, pressure, tribulation, and persecution. The way of Jesus is hard to follow, and hated by many.

To be continued…

(C) L.D. Turner 2013/All Rights Reserved

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Called and Set Apart (Part Two)

Stained glass window of the sacred Heart of Jesus Christ in the former Mosque (Cathedral) of Cordoba, Spain (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mick Turner

(continued from Part One)

Platt, however, doesn’t pretend to have all the answers. Yet in his view, and my experience has borne this truth out repeatedly, there is much to be gained by following Jesus with radical, risk-taking obedience. I find the following words by Platt to be enlightening, challenging, and convicting:

 I don’t assume to have all the answers, and I don’t claim to understand everything that following Jesus entails. But in a day when the basics of becoming and being a Christian are so maligned by the culture and misunderstood in the church, I do know that there is more to Jesus than the routine religion we are tempted to settle for at every turn. And I am convinced that when we take a serious look at what Jesus really meant when he said, “Follow me,” we will discover that there is far more pleasure to be experienced in him, indescribably greater power to be realized with him, and a much higher purpose to be accomplished for him than anything this world has to offer. And the result, we will all – every single Christian – eagerly, willingly, and gladly lose our lives to know and proclaim Christ, for this is simply what it means to follow him.

Boiled right down to its essence, there you have it – the very meat of the Christian path. To follow Christ is to be obedient to his teachings, and obedience begins and ends in the act of dying to self on a daily basis. The standards laid down by Jesus are so contrary to the principles accepted as the gold standard by our culture that following Christ inherently involves dying to our own wishes time and time again, especially those desires inculcated through cultural saturation.

On a very practical level, walking this path of dying to self involves the myriad choices and decisions we make as we go about our daily rounds. In order to live as Jesus calls us to live, there will be countless times we will be faced with the necessity of doing something we don’t want to do or abstaining from doing something we want to do. In these situations we clearly know the correct course of action and what constitutes an incorrect course. Friends, this isn’t rocket science and bottom line, it is not nearly as complicated as we tend to make it. Being obedient to Jesus is simply knowing how he would want you to respond in a given situation and choosing to respond in that manner. The key word here is choosing. We make the choice, the decision and we have the Holy Spirit indwelling us to help us see clearly the right direction to go.

Granted, many life situations are not black and white, but filled with gray areas. It is precisely in these areas where the enemy will send in his foot soldiers with orders to convince you to act in ways contrary to the Master’s wishes. It is here you have to be extra vigilant, prayerful, and discerning. Yet even in these gray areas you can always make the right decision as the Holy Spirit will always give you direction.

As stated at the outset, concepts like “holiness” and “sanctification” are not popular themes for discussion, even among what an old friend of mine calls “churchified folk.” Even brief mention of topics like these can cause a spirited conversation to quickly flounder into little more than a series of coughs, sputters, and throat-clearings, backed by a cacophony of shuffling feet. Any insistence on remaining on the topic can clear a room faster than a stray Doberman foaming at the mouth.

Yet we must not only talk about these themes of holiness and the like because Christ’s call to follow him is a call to obedience. And if you are serious about being obedient to Christ you can count on one thing for certain: you are going to be quite a bit different from the herd. You will, indeed, be set apart and that is not only to be expected, for the true Christian it should be welcomed. When we live according to Jesus’ standards we will be in opposition to many of the culture’s standards. The most detailed and accurate picture of this conflict, and our reasons for avoiding it, are penned by the great scholar Houston Smith:

…we have heard Jesus’ teachings so often that their edges have been worn smooth, dulling their glaring subversiveness. If we could recover their original impact, we too would be startled. Their beauty would not paper over the fact that they are “hard sayings,” presenting a scheme of values so counter to the usual as to shake us like the seismic collision of tectonic plates…We are told that we are not to resist evil but to turn the other cheek. The world assumes that evil must be resisted by every means available. We are told to love our enemies and bless those who curse us. The world assumes that friends are to be loved and enemies hated. We are told that the sun rises on the just and the unjust alike. The world considers this to be indiscriminating; it would like to see dark clouds withholding sunshine from evil people. We are told that outcasts and harlots enter the kingdom of God before many who are perfunctorily righteous. Unfair, we protest; respectable people should head the procession. We are told that the gate to salvation is narrow. The world would prefer it to be wide. We are told to be as carefree as birds and flowers. The world counsels prudence. We are told that it is more difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom than for a camel to pass through a needle’s eye. The world honors wealth. We are told that the happy people are those who are meek, who weep, who are merciful and pure in heart. The world assumes that it is the rich, the powerful, and the wellborn who should be happy. In all, a wind of freedom blows through these teachings that frightens the world and makes us want to deflect their effect by postponement – not yet, not yet! H.G. Wells was evidently right: either there was something mad about this man, or our hearts are still too small for his message.

I have made frequent use of Smith’s words over the years, primarily because he is right on the mark with his assessment of the juxtaposition of our world’s values and the guidelines for living set down by Jesus. For many of us, our hearts are, indeed, too small for his message. I know that for many years mine was and yes, there are still areas where I struggle.

Yet struggle I must because the Master has asked for nothing less than full-on commitment. And that personal decision is the hinge upon which the entire door of the Christian walk of faith swings. I am not talking about the “decision to accept Christ as your personal savior.” No, I am talking about a more gutsy decision – one where you consecrate yourself to wholehearted obedience, to walking the walk with unwavering integrity and giving your all to God.

Christ tells us it is wise to count the cost of becoming one of his disciples. Jesus comes into your life not only as a savior, but also as a trouble-maker. Count on it my friend, if you are a serious follower, a true disciple, Jesus Christ will upset your apple cart. You cannot bask in the status quo and follow the Master – you are called to a much higher standard. You are called to holiness – you are called to being set apart.

Think about it.

© L.D. Turner 2013/All Rights Reserved

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Called and Set Apart (Part One)

Icon depicting the First Council of Nicaea. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mick Turner

If you are a Christian, chances are you might feel a little uncomfortable with the concept of “holiness.” Depending on your denominational background, the issue of holiness may conjure up images of harsh, rigid, puritanical believers who condemn just about any behavior that might bring about an iota of pleasure. For many, the idea of holiness bring to mind images of Puritans dressed in black garb and sporting a countenance that gives the impression that they were baptized in pickle brine as opposed to water. Years ago, someone once described holiness theology as based on the fear that somewhere, someone might be having a little fun. The result of this misplaced zeal was the evolution of a harsh, somber, legalistic brand of Christianity that was the antithesis of what Jesus had in mind.

At the other end of the spectrum, many of the traditional “Mainline” denominations, rather than drifting into the morass of legalism described in the preceding paragraph, became enamored with the process of synthesizing Christian teachings with the latest psychological fad. This blend of religion and psychology offered great promise, especially in the realm of spiritual formation and in many cases, it delivered on these promises. There was, however, a price to be paid. Increasingly, those churches following this line of endeavor saw issues like sin, repentance, and morality as outdated teachings. Over a relatively short period of time, it became a rarity to hear a sermon preached on holiness or related theological relics.

Yet as Christians we are obliged to take the issue of holiness seriously. Throughout scripture it is clear that we are called to live holy lives, based on the reality that our Creator is holy. The term “holy” has traditionally been defined as “pure – set apart.” As we shall see, if we are decidedly obedient to the Master, we will indeed be set apart from the value system of this world.

Research by several groups, including the Barna group and Gallup, reveal that those who identify themselves as Christians, including Evangelical “Born Again” Christians, hold values and views that are not much different than the culture at large. In many ways, this is not surprising when one considers the general “morality drift” that has held sway over the past half-century. The church has been impacted just as much as the so-called “secular world.”

These facts should be a slap in the face to the church, a wakeup call of the first degree. We are called to be “holy,” which means “set apart.” Obedience to biblical teachings should produce a Christian community that is easily recognized as somewhat different than the culture at large. The fact that we are not all that different from the non-Christian culture around us should be a major cause for alarm and much self-reflection on the part of the church. Instead, it has largely gone unnoticed. One can assume, given this state of affairs, that Christians are either not serious about their faith or they, to put it bluntly, are not Christians at all. David Platt, in his recent book Follow Me, pulls no punches when he assesses this phenomenon:

…….I feel like I’m on pretty safe ground in assuming that once people truly come face-to-face with Jesus, the God of the universe in the flesh, and Jesus reaches down into the depths of their hearts, saves their souls from the clutches of sin, and transforms their lives to follow him, they are going to look different. Very different. People who claim to be Christians while their lives look no different from the rest of the world are clearly not Christians.

Platt is on safe ground, indeed. As mentioned earlier, study after study reveals that the attitudes and behaviors of those describing themselves as born-again Christians are not all that different from the population at large. If we are to take the words of Jesus seriously, especially his message at the end of Matthew 7 about how everyone who calls him Lord will not be saved or his words a little earlier in the same chapter about the “narrow gate,” then it should be easy to see that something is seriously amiss within the ranks of the Body of Christ. At every turn it appears that Christians today have settled for far less than what Jesus had in mind when he talked about “life more abundantly” (see John 10:10).

to be continued….

(c) L.D. Turner 2013/ All Rights Reserved

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Wise Words for Today

First page of the Gospel of Mark, by Sargis Pitsak, a Medieval Armenian scribe and miniaturist (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I don’t assume to have all the answers, and I don’t claim to understand everything that following Jesus entails. But in a day when the basics of becoming and being a Christian are so maligned by the culture and misunderstood in the church, I do know that there is more to Jesus than the routine religion we are tempted to settle for at every turn. And I am convinced that when we take a serious look at what Jesus really meant when he said, “Follow me,” we will discover that there is far more pleasure to be experienced in him, indescribably greater power to be realized with him, and a much higher purpose to be accomplished for him than anything this world has to offer. And the result, we will all – every single Christian – eagerly, willingly, and gladly lose our lives to know and proclaim Christ, for this is simply what it means to follow him. 

David Platt

(from Follow Me)

Live Your Potential and Walk in Your Calling

The life of Jesus of Nazareth plate 47. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mick Turner

(originally published in 2008, this article is as pertinent now as it was then. It is moved forward from the archives after numerous requests).

It is vital that every person understand that we are responsible for developing the potential stored within us. We must deepen our contact with our divine potential, which I (and our Quaker friends) call our “Inner Light,” and do all that we can to nurture, feed, and actualize our true, God-given potential. Further, we must recognize that as we move forward in developing our optimal potential, we can never afford to stop. In essence, when we travel the Christian journey, we are either moving forward or backward. There is truly no place to stand on the spiritual path.

Spiritual growth is a complex subject and we could waste much time and space exploring the more arcane aspects of personal unfolding. However, I choose instead to try to keep things as simple as feasible, especially in the context of a short article. With that in mind, let’s take a look at a topic that seems to cause many sincere Christians to go off the tracks and race down many enticing but unproductive rabbit holes. I am talking here about the subject of “purpose.” The issue of purpose is intimately connected with potential and it is often difficult to talk about one without delving into the other.

Many of us are so obsessed with “finding our purpose” that we ignore more important aspects of the spiritual journey. Granted, the universe seems to be arranged in such a way that each of us came to this planet with a unique mission. In spite of this, however, all of us share components of a more generalized, universal purpose. In my own journey, I have come to define a central aspect of this universal purpose as follows:

“I must become the optimal version of myself for the glory of God and the sake of others.”

“Well, I can’t argue with that,” you might say. “But how do I pull it off?”

Good question. Space does not permit a detailed explanation of the complete methodology of becoming the best version of yourself and, besides, I believe that each of us must find our own personal way of unfolding our divine nature. Still, I think we can look at two practical things we can do: define and visualize.

Begin by spending time developing a definition of the best version of yourself. What qualities will your highest self possess? What kind of activities will be a central part of your life and your spiritual development? How will you earn your living? And most significantly, how will you be of service to others? Pray for wisdom, personal insight, and spiritual discernment as you begin this process and continue to pray regarding your purpose on a consistent basis. In addition to prayer, think of successful people who possess the positive traits that you want to develop and that will be essential to realizing your purpose. Study their lives and see what motivated their success.

Turn to the pages of Scripture and through prayerful study and reflection, examine the lives of those characters you hold in high esteem. And above all, look to the life of Jesus, our ultimate guide. Ask yourself, “How did Jesus go about demonstrating the optimal version of himself?” Keep in mind, Jesus was fully human. He was not some strange, ethereal being who was on spiritual auto-pilot. Jesus had to make choices, just as you do.

After spending a couple of weeks on the above exercises, take out a notebook or sit at your keyboard and write out a vision of yourself – a positive, spiritual vision of yourself as your optimal self. Make a list of the character assets you possess. Spend time in prayer discussing these traits with God and asking for the assistance of the Holy Spirit in making them a reality in your life. Finally, write a specific definition of the best version of yourself and how you will serve the world.

Once you have a workable definition, set aside a special time each day and see this best version of yourself in your mind’s eye. See yourself manifesting the qualities described in your definition, engaging in the activities you listed, and serving in your best capacity. This exercise of your imagination is a key component of making the best version of yourself a reality.

From the outset, you must learn to consistently see the best version of yourself and your life unfolding in your inner vision. The power of the mind’s eye is uncanny. It is through our capacity of thought and inner visualization that we are capable of taking something out of the realm of the unseen and making it a reality in the realm of the seen. This requires faith: faith in yourself and your abilities; and faith in the principles of optimal cognition. If you have a problem, see it resolved; if your have a business, see it succeeding; if you have a dream, see it unfolding according to your desire.

Let this positive image become a part of yourself, sinking down into the subconscious mind and your inner spirit, the central core of yourself.

A fundamental principle of human nature is that whatever you keep before your mind’s eye will affect you, either for good or for bad. If you consistently focus on negativity and dwell on your problems, your mindset will become darker and your problems will worsen. If you focus on limitation, lack, failure, and defeat, this is the kind of life you are going to create. Instead, try focusing your mental energy on success, victory, health, abundance, peace, joy, and happiness. Our innermost spirit, which is one with the Divine Source, has as its purpose the unfolding of your greatest good. Don’t lose sight of that truth. In order to create the kind of life you want, you have to get your thoughts and your inner vision in alignment with the power and purpose of your innermost spirit, your “Inner Light.”

This visualization process is not a fantasy or an escape from reality. It is, instead, based on centuries of practical application and positive results. When life presents you with problems, many times there is nothing you can do about it. However, you can have complete control over your response to any problem life sends your way. You can have greater peace of mind if you just choose to have the right kind of thoughts. Focus your entire being on finding solutions, rather than wallowing in the problems at hand. Work diligently to find the Inner Light, and when you do, continue to take proactive measures to deepen and maintain your contact with this sacred aspect of your being.

The greatest tragedy in life is not death, but a life that never realized its full potential. You must decide today not to rob the world of the rich, valuable, potent, untapped resources locked away within you. It has been said that the wealthiest place on earth is not in bank vaults, Fort Knox, or underneath Bill Gates mattress. No, the wealthiest place on earth is the cemetery.

Beneath the gravestones lie so many dreams that went unfulfilled; so much potential that was never realized; so much purpose that was never discovered and manifested. I am reminded of the poignant verses of Tagore in the Gitangali:

The song that I came to sing remains 

unsung to this day.
I have spent my days in stringing and in
unstringing my instrument.

Be persistent and keep at it in a disciplined, optimistic manner. Before you know it, you will hear your song ringing up from your inner spirit. From that point forward your life will be more positive and meaningful. And when the day comes when you leave this world, you will leave a valuable contribution to those who follow you. Whether great or small, you will leave a positive legacy.  And for certain, you won’t be making a deposit in the Bank of Dead Dreams.

© L.D. Turner 2008/2012/All Rights Reserved

 

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The Significance of Obedience

The front side (recto) of Papyrus 1, a New Testament manuscript of the Gospel of Matthew. Most likely originated in Egypt. Also part of the Oxyrhynchus Papyri (P. oxy. 2) Currently housed in: (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mick Turner

It has taken me a long time to get this basic Christian teaching past my overly active, comfort seeking, rationalizing mind: obedience lies at the very core of the Christian walk of faith. It should be easy enough to see this fundamental reality but the fact is, no matter how many pious platitudes we may utter or how much lip service we may give to the importance of obedience, the church has a major blind spot when it comes to actually following the teachings of the Master.

I don’t know about you, but when I first became seriously aware of what obedience to Christ really entailed, I wanted to run for the nearest exit. It wasn’t so much that I saw the requirements as too restrictive. Instead, my desire to head for the hills flowed out of my honest self-assessment, which screamed: Ain’t no way I can pull this off.

And it was precisely at this juncture that I needed a solid, gifted mentor in Christ  who, exuding wisdom, confidence, and agape love, would have informed me that this was the most amazing aspect of the whole gospel package: I didn’t have to pull it off. Christ was going to place a new spirit in me, and, in fact, he was going to take up residence in me and in so doing, he was going to empower me to live as he wanted me to live.

Unfortunately, no such mentor appeared. Instead, I was left with an incomplete understanding of the gospel message and how it applied to my life. Yes, I understood who Jesus was, at least marginally, and I understood that through his death on the cross my sins were forgiven. I had no inkling, however, of how Christ and the Holy Spirit were going to help transform me into new order of being.

Over the years I have come to see that the spiritual quagmire that I found myself in was not unusual. In fact, it seems to be the norm. The church has been woefully inadequate in preaching and teaching the full gospel message. Further, there appears to be a marked shortage of teaching on the role obedience plays in bringing about the godly lifestyle described in scripture. In an attempt to make the Christian life appealing to contemporary Americans, many church leaders, pastors, and teachers (far too many) have jettisoned the message of obedience in favor of a gospel of comfort, convenience, and cash flow. The result has been the creation of a Christian faith that is a superficial replica of what the Master intended.

For countless people who identify themselves as Christians, Christ is seen as their Savior but certainly not as Lord. As stated, this shallow sort of Christianity is not what Jesus intends when he issues the call, “Follow me.” Time and time again, scripture reveals that much of our inheritance as Christians hinges upon our obedience to the teachings laid down to us by the Master. Unfortunately, the whole “grace vs. works” issue has clouded this reality to the point that the vast majority of Protestant believers have little understanding of the necessity of obedience in the Christian walk of faith. If you have any confusion on this issue, I suggest you prayerfully and with reflection spend time with the closing section of the Sermon on the Mount, specifically Matthew 7:21-27.

In his latest book, Follow Me, David Platt takes up the practical implications of what it means to walk the Christian path as a disciple, as opposed to a cultural or non-committed “believer.” Platt makes the point, and I have long said the same thing, that “making a decision” for Christ, or “taking Jesus as your personal savior,” or “inviting Jesus into your heart,” are all woefully inadequate in becoming a true follower of Christ. Only one thing will guarantee that you are indeed an authentic Christian: obedience.

Christ repeats this time and time again, along with his call to repentance and his teachings on the necessity of “taking up one’s cross,” which basically means to die to self. It is apparent, however, that we as a church have found all manner of clever strategies for watering down these teachings or worse, ignoring them completely. Platt laments:

With good intentions and sincere desires to reach as many people as possible for Jesus, we have subtly and deceptively minimized the magnitude of what it means to follow him. We’ve replaced challenging words from Christ with trite phrases in the church. We’ve taken the lifeblood out of Christianity and put Kool-Aid in its place so that it tastes better to the crowds, and the consequences are catastrophic. Multitudes of men and women at this moment think that they are saved from their sins when they are not. Scores of people around the world culturally think that they are Christians when biblically they are not.

Earlier in the book, Platt describes how “belief,” although important and even essential, is far from the whole enchilada when it comes to treading the Christian path. The church has perpetrated a glaring disservice to “converts” by stressing the need for belief without a concomitant commitment to obedience to Christ. After all, scripture openly tells us that even the demons believe (James 2:19). Platt goes on to say:

Clearly, people who claim to believe in Jesus are not assured of eternity in heaven. On the contrary, only those who obey Jesus will enter his Kingdom. As soon as I write that, you may perk up and ask, “David, did you just say that works are involved in our salvation?” In response to that question, I want to be clear: that is not what I am saying…….Instead, it’s what Jesus is saying.

Platt goes on to make the clear point that Jesus is not saying that our works are the basis of our salvation. The Master, and later Paul, makes it quite clear that only grace is the basis of our salvation. I think the point Platt is trying to make, and it is the same point I have made on numerous occasions in this blog, is that the church has put so much emphasis and stress on God’s unmerited grace, that our part in the overall Christian walk of faith has been minimized and, in some cases, completely ignored. The result has been a Christianity that is quite frankly, a shallow farce which lacks transformative power. Worse, it has deceived far too many “believers” into thinking they are authentically Christian when, in fact, they are not. Referring to Jesus words at the end of Matthew 7, Platt continues:

…….in our rush to defend grace, we cannot overlook the obvious in what Jesus is saying here (and in many other places as well): only those who are obedient to the words of Christ will enter the Kingdom of Christ. If our lives do not reflect the fruit of following Jesus, then we are foolish to think that we are actually followers of Jesus in the first place.

Rather than following a knee-jerk reaction to those words, spend some time prayerfully reflecting on what Platt just said, asking the Holy Spirit to reveal to you just where you stand in relation to this issue. To what extent are you obedient to the teachings of the Master? Granted, no one is perfect, but how consistent are you in putting your faith, as defined by Jesus, into daily practice? Does your life indeed reflect the fruit of following Jesus?

Only you can answer these questions with any degree of honesty. If you ask the Holy Spirit, he will give you the discernment you need to make an honest, self-assessment. I know when I spent time reflecting on these themes, it was a real eye-opener that resulted in one of those life-changing, epiphany-like moments. And I hope it can become the same for you.

© L.D. Turner 2013/All Rights Reserved

Wise Words for Today

Brian McLaren (Photo credit: stewartcutler)

In a wild world like ours, your character, left untended, will become a stale room, an obnoxious child, a vacant lot filled with thorns, weeds, broken bottles, raggedy grocery bags, and dog droppings. Your deepest channels will silt in, and you will feel yourself shallowing. You’ll become a presence neither you nor others will enjoy, and you and they will spend more and more time and energy trying to be somewhere else.

Well tended, your character will be a fragrant garden, an artist’s home, with walls and halls full of memories and beauty, a party with live music and good jokes and pleasant conversations in every corner. You’ll be good and deep company for others and yourself.

That’s why, through the ages, people have tried to find ways to tend themselves, to do for their souls what exercise does for their bodies and study does for their minds. Through these character exercises they give birth to a person they are proud of becoming, the person they are happy to be, the one who is trying to be born every day – a hero, a best friend, a loving beloved and a beloved lover. 

Brian McLaren

(from Finding Our Way Again: The Return of the Ancient Practices)

Wise Words for Today

English: Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, Bjelovar, Croatia Hrvatski: Kip Presvetog Srca Isusova u crkvi sv. Terezije Avilske u Bjelovaru (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

From beginning to end, we will be called to make courageous decisions even while we find ourselves gripped with fear. There are no exemptions. Any claims that you should be exempt from having to walk this path are rejected. Any attempt to create an elitist category for those who live heroic lives while placing yourself outside of it is unacceptable. If your argument is that you just aren’t cut out for this kind of adventure, you can rest in the comfort that you are absolutely right, which is exactly why Jesus is calling you out. He calls you to begin a quest for honor. Courage is not an issue of birth. It is an expression of the heart. To be courageous is literally to be strong of heart. Both fear and courage are heart conditions. If you are weak of heart, fear not. Everyone who chooses to follow Jesus Christ receives a heart transplant. This new heart comes fully equipped with the spirit and courage of God ready to be pumped right into your timid soul.

 

To follow Jesus is to choose to live in His adventure. How in the world could you ever imagine a life of faith that does not require risk? Faith and risk are inseparable. It should not come as a surprise to us then that a life of faith is a life of courage. ….You cannot walk by faith and live in fear. You cannot walk with God and not face your fears. God calls you to dream great dreams and to have the courage to live them. Great dreams require great courage.

Erwin Raphael McManus

Wise Words for Today

English: Marcus Borg speaking in Mansfield College chapel. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Whatever helps to open our hearts to the reality of the sacred is what we should be engaged in. This awareness leads to an image of the Christian life very different from the one with which I grew up. The Christian life is not about pleasing God the finger-shaker and judge. It is not about believing now and being good now for the sake of heaven later. It is about entering into a relationship in the present that begins to change everything now. Spirituality is about this process: the opening of the heart to God who is already here. . . . . . . . .The fruit of this process is compassion. . . . . . . . .God’s will for us – the goal of the working of the Spirit within us – is to become more compassionate beings. Such was Saint Paul’s point when he spoke of the greatest of the spiritual gifts as love, his more abstract term for what Jesus meant by compassion. If spirituality – a life of relationship with the Spirit of God – does not lead to compassion, then either it is life in relationship to a different spirit or there is a lot of static in the relationship. The absence or presence of compassion is the central test for discerning whether something is “of God.” As the primary gift of the Spirit, compassion is the primary sign of spiritual growth.

Marcus Borg

(from The God We Never Knew)

Foundations of Spiritual Formation: Personal Morality

Morality (Photo credit: dietmut)

Mick Turner 

All major spiritual traditions recognize the importance of ethical living. Unfortunately, in our post-modern culture the notion of morality and ethical conduct often is either downplayed or overlooked entirely. On the spiritual path, to do either is deadly. If one thinks clearly about the issue of personal morality, it can be easily seen that having an internal moral compass is a tremendous help in two important arenas of life: our character and our relations with others.

Spiritual formation is all about becoming the best version of ourselves for the glory of God and the sake of others. A major component of this growth toward wholeness in Christ is the development of what I like to call “Sacred Character.” The cultivation of Sacred Character is an essential part of the process of spiritual formation, although sometimes teachers, trainers, and spiritual directors only mention it as an afterthought. This trend is unfortunate in the sense that we cannot take our personal morality for granted nor can we afford to give it less than our full attention.

Sacred Character begins with our personal conduct flowing from an internalized value system that we view as important. We need to know just what we believe to be right and wrong. Again, this issue is often glossed over in our post-modern world and this is in many ways a tragedy. In today’s world truth is often relative and situational. What is true for one person and one situation is not true for another person and another situation. In the post-modern world, there is no ultimate truth. The result of this trend is a world populated by people who are many times confused, stressed, and uncertain as to how to respond to various situations. In short, these folks have no moral compass.

As Christians, we should not be vulnerable to this sort of ethical confusion. Although the Bible does not give us guidelines on how to respond to every situation we may encounter, scripture does give us sufficient moral direction to prevent uncertainty as to our response. In James A. Michner’s epic novel, Chesapeake, Edward Paxmore, a Quaker ship builder, repeatedly exemplifies the importance of possessing an internal moral compass. Listen as Michner describes Paxmore:

 In his personal life Edward Paxmore had discovered that a man lived best when he maintained some central belief upon which he could hang all action and to which he could refer all difficult moral problems; he was then vertebrate, with a backbone to sustain him, and he had observed that men and women who failed to develop this central belief wandered and made hideously wrong decisions because in time of crisis they had nothing to which they could refer instantaneously. He had found his backbone in obedience to God, in the simplest form possible and with the most direct access.

Don’t you just love the words Michner uses to describe Edward Paxmore? He was vertebrate and had a backbone to sustain him. And where did Edward Paxmore find his backbone? In obedience to God.

Here is the foundational truth to get down in the depth of your being: Your value system, your sense of personal ethics, is the foundation upon which your spiritual journey is constructed. Without a system of personal morality, you are building your house on sand. I firmly believe that personal morality is one of the strengths of the Christian path toward perfection.

© L.D. Turner 2008/2012 All Rights Reserved