Leslie A

God isn’t surprised.

2 Comments / May 23, 2011 October 12, 2014

The other night our family was on the back porch on a lovely evening. We were talking about something. I can’t even remember what it was. But our whole family was surprised about a decision someone had made or something someone had said when out of the darkness we heard a small voice say, “God isn’t surprised.” Some of the wisest statements come from 12 year olds sometimes.

God isn’t surprised. So simple and yet so profound. God knows everything you and I will think–do–speak–accomplish–or not accomplish while we live on this earth. He knows when we will leave this earth. He knows absolutely everything about us and about everyone else. So nothing surprises Him.

The cancer is not a surprise. The car accident is not a surprise. The betrayal of a friend is not a surprise. The lost job is not a surprise. The tornado, the tsunami, and the flood–none of these surprise God.

I know we all “know” this. But have you ever thought about what this means? It means that God is in control. God is Sovereign. And if we believe what the Bible says–that God loves us–then we can rest in His will for our lives. It will not always be pleasant. It will not always be easy. But we can trust Him. We have to trust Him. What else is there? What else is there for us to grab hold of?

We have a choice to make every day. We can respond to the trials of life, be them great or small, by trusting our Heavenly Father or we can grow bitter and angry. It is a choice. God will not force you into His will.

I would like to leave you with something that was written by Octavius Winslow from a book entitled Soul Heights and Soul Depths (1841)–

The royal path to glory is a divine mosaic paved with stones of diverse lines. Today, it is a depth almost soundless; tomorrow a height almost scaleless. Now, a shadow drapes the picture, somber and rayless; then, a light illumines the camera, brilliant and gladsome. Here, the “song” is of mercy, sweet and entrancing; there, it is of judgment, sad and mournful. “When men are cast down, then you shall say There is lifting up.” But, a divine Hand, veiled and invisible to all but faith’s eye, shapes and directs the whole; and, assured of this, the believing soul is trustful and calm. “He led them about, He instructed them,” was the history of the Church in the wilderness; and each stage was a school, each condition a blessing, each event a lesson learned, and a new beatitude experienced, –learned and experienced as no other. Variety, rich and endless, is stamped upon all God’s works and operations; not less is this seen in the circuitous path by which He is leading His people home to Himself. It is this ever-dissolving, ever shifting scenery of the Christian’s life that unfold new views of God’s character, and brings him into a closer acquaintance with His own.

The Story Behind JellyTelly

Leave a Comment / May 19, 2011 December 6, 2020

Disclaimer: Since this was written in 2011, I have been very dismayed to see Mr. Vischer go a very heretical direction. While this is still an interesting testimony that we can learn from, I recommend that you take it at face value and do not follow this man who has proven himself to be very confused at best or a false teacher at worst. December 6, 2020.

I had the wonderful privilege of listening to the testimony of Phil Vischer the other day (the link is below if you are interested in listening). Phil Vischer created Veggie Tales in the 90s. My kids grew up on Veggie Tales and I had always wondered what, amongst the rumors I had heard, exactly had happened. The podcast will give you that story. But he also shared the reason why he named his new venture “JellyTelly”. And that is what I would like to share with you.

You see, he was a man with a mission when he created Veggie Tales. He had a dream. And he fully expected God to come alongside him and support that dream. His dream was to accomplish great things for God using animated films. Of course, God would bless it! Why wouldn’t He?

But Mr. Vischer learned a great lesson. Just because you dream something wonderful to do for God, doesn’t mean it is His will. He talks about how dreams have become idols in this culture. “Dream your dreams” and “any dream is possible” are the mantras of the day. It is okay to have dreams. But not if the dream itself becomes more important to you than God.

And, so, after the Veggie Tales dream turned into a nightmare and then proceeded to die, he had a decision to make. He is incredibly gifted (I am saying that…he did not say it!) and wanted to continue using his gifts for the Lord. And, so, he ventured back into the world of animated video. Slowly and on a much smaller scale. And he started JellyTelly.

He named JellyTelly after jellyfish. And this is the heart of what I want to share today. Because his reason for doing that challenged me. I thought it might challenge you, as well.

Have you ever seen a jellyfish on land? It looks like a drowned plastic bag that somebody forgot to throw away. It cannot move, it cannot do anything if it is cast up on shore. It just lays there dejectedly…hopelessly.

But if it is in the water…if you could see it in the sea…it is a thing of absolute beauty! It flows with the current and the ebb and flow of the current causes its tentacles to wave about in the water. It is where it should be. The current directs it to food. The current determines if it will live or die. It can only move slightly up…and slightly down. That is the only movement a jellyfish has.

If Jesus is our Lord and Savior, we are like that jellyfish. We can choose to be like that flat, discarded plastic bag on the shore when we choose to disobey God’s Word and ignore His wisdom…when we choose to rebel against His will…when we tell God that we know best and “this is what I’m doing, God, and I expect you to bless it”.

BUT…when we, instead, submit our gifts and talents to the Lord and His will…when we rely on His wisdom and obey His commandments…when we rely on Him to meet our needs and to give us our dreams..then we become like that beautiful jellyfish floating in the water. Reliant upon the Lord for our needs and our desires. Knowing that He will take care of us better than we could ever take care of ourselves. He will provide in ways you never dreamed possible. But only if you get back in the water. If you are stuck on the seashore, stubbornly telling God what your plans are…you will miss out on so much. Let’s make sure we are in the current of God’s will.

Here is the link, if you would like to listen yourself to his wonderful testimony–

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/Radio.aspx?ID={D70BEA02-B56B-423D-A1BB-75A61996D0C0}

Weighing ourselves on the carpet

Leave a Comment / May 16, 2011 May 16, 2011

The other day, in the midst of cleaning the bathroom, the scales had left its normal home and instead found itself on the bedroom carpet. When my daughter stepped on the scales, she weighed a mere 64 pounds. That number was considerably lower than reality. And it got me thinking…

You see, in our day to day conversations, we love when people agree with us…compliment us…sing our praises. But some of us are always weighing ourselves “on the carpet”. We only listen to the good things. We only want to hear the positive.

When someone comes to us with a criticism…or they disagree with us…we tend to do two things. First, we may rationalize in our heads why the “mean, unloving” person could not possibly be right in their estimation or conclusion. And then, oftentimes, we put our feet firmly on our comfortable “carpet” and ask those we know who will agree with us what their opinion is about the criticism or statement.

I am not referring to biblical issues here. I am referring to…

*When your husband tells you that the dress you are wearing isn’t the most complementary to your figure. Instead of getting mad and turning to your friends (who often do not tell you the truth, anyway), be thankful your husband is willing to tell you the truth.

*When your wife tells you that you never listen to her. Instead of finding your buddies and talking about how “needy” your wives are, take her out to dinner and really listen to her.

*When your kids tell you that you have been grumpy lately. Instead of getting defensive and spouting a list of excuses, try examining your words, actions, and reactions…one by one…so that you can see how they might be reaching this conclusion.

*When your friend tells you that your child was caught smoking, or at the R-rated movie you told him was not allowed, or that he cheated on a test. Instead of turning away from your friend and defending your child, ask the hard questions and deal with the reality of where your child may be spiritually.

*When your pastor convicts and challenges you from the pulpit. Instead of looking around at others who “should be listening”, look at yourself.

You see, so many of us want to just weigh ourselves on the carpet. We only want to surround ourselves with people who will tell us the things we want to hear. But be careful. Because you will harm yourself and your family if you aren’t willing to listen to the truth. And let’s face it…we all have areas in which we need to grow. We all have areas in which we are not pleasing our heavenly father. And if we don’t have anyone in our lives that will help us see what areas still need work, then our growth will be seriously stunted.

Sure it hurts when people tells us a painful truth about ourselves. It hurts a lot. But, in the long run, if we can receive someone’s godly counsel with humility and grace, we will be thankful to the person who stuck out their neck to tell us that painful truth. And we will realize something. That person really cares about us. They cared enough to tell us the truth. Don’t get angry. Be grateful!

And, listen…if the person talking to you is not right in what they are saying…then…SO WHAT? Let it roll. Examine yourself, just to make sure. Then talk with someone who will be honest with you, so you can be doubly sure…and then…let it roll right off of your back. Accept the criticism with humility, recognize it as false, and then move on. Don’t sit in bitterness and resentment. It is not worth it!

Why don’t you move your scales today?

Proverbs 13:1

“It makes sense, if you don’t think about it”

1 Comment / May 12, 2011 May 12, 2011

I heard this in a movie once. It made me laugh. But it also made me wonder. How many of us live life like that? Just having the perspective that was handed down to us by our grandparents and parents. Never stopping to think if that perspective is in line with God’s perspective.

When my husband was just out of college, he got a job in a machine shop over the winters. Working there was a guy who had a real chip on his shoulder about the owners. They were thoughtless, careless people who didn’t give a rip about him. Any new plan they put into place was viewed with suspicion. Everything new was bad. And, yet, we knew, that wasn’t the case. This man had grown up thinking the boss was always bad. Perhaps his dad or his grandfather really did have an evil boss who took advantage of his employees. Who knows?

Ironically enough, this man’s son came to work for us. And guess what? He, too, came with the same large chip on his shoulder. I will never forget the time we tried to put a matching and fully voluntary IRA in place as a benefit for our employees. He thought that somehow we were trying to take advantage of him and take something from him. He refused to participate for years, because of his fear that we were out to get him.

He never stopped to truly think about it. To truly understand that there was no possible way the company could be taking advantage of him by giving him a matching IRA. In his mind, he could not comprehend that owners would ever want to do something nice for their employees.

We can judge these guys I have talked about, but you know what? We do it, too, don’t we? We have assumptions and perspectives that we never stop to think about. We go along in our lives daily and just assume them. As I already said, some of them come from our heritage. But some of them we have made up along the way.

Perhaps someone said something in an irritating or angry way a time or two and you made an assumption about them that will never leave you. Even if that person is aware of that sin and is working on it, people like you and I do not make it very easy on them. We continue to hold it over them, remembering one or two (or a thousand) moments when they have hurt us.

But I am not really sure that we are to live like this. Wouldn’t it be better, for peace and unity, to examine our perspectives from time to time and figure out if they are truly a godly perspective or just something that was handed down to us or perhaps developed from our past experiences?

And perhaps-if we really stop and think- we may even realize that the Christian brother or sister that isn’t quite like us is a really nice person. Or perhaps we might realize that our supervisor is filled with anxiety over some issues outside the office or that our professor has a child in the hospital.

Of course, sometimes, we will reach the conclusion–the boss is really out to get me. That Christian sister or brother really doesn’t like me. That salesman really likes himself. But that does not mean all bosses are out to get me. Or that all churches are filled with hate and dislike. Or that all salesmen really like themselves. We cannot make assumptions like that.

Let’s live our lives, instead, by the motto “it makes sense, if you DO think about it.”

Pass the Salt, Please

Leave a Comment / May 9, 2011 September 9, 2014

Salt has gotten a bad rap in the last few years. High levels of it are thought to cause high blood pressure. Have you ever tried to eat any vegetables or soup without salt? I never realized the importance of salt until my mother started cooking without it. Needless to say, we keep the salt shaker close by when we go there for dinner. Salt is necessary to make food taste its best. Salt is also a necessary nutrient our body needs. But salt needs to be shaken on carefully. Because if you use too much the food becomes inedible.

In Matthew 5:13, Jesus tells believers that we are the “salt of the earth”. If we think about this in light of the salt shaker on our table, we can draw a few useful conclusions–

1) The salt is useless if it is in the salt shaker. In other words, if our only circle is made up of Church, Christian Schools, and spending time with our Christian co-workers, we are hanging out in our own personal salt shaker. Don’t get me wrong, my own kids are in Christian school and I know what a blessing church friends and Christian co-workers can be. But are you spending any time getting to know unbelievers? Are you getting opportunities to share the gospel? Do you have some contact with people who do not know the Lord? We cannot reach a lost and dying world, if we have sequestered ourselves in the salt shaker.

2) The salt needs to be shaken on in a small, measured amount. We need to season our speech with comments that lead the discussion towards God. We need to carefully discern the other person’s interest in the things of the Lord, and not come on full blast with heavy doctrinal issues that will make no sense to an unbeliever. We need to take the opportunities God gives us instead of trying to create our own opportunities.

3) We need to season the world, not be like it. It says in Matthew 5:13 but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. While I think it is good to have contact with the world and be friends with unbelievers, be very careful, lest you lose your saltiness. If you are becoming like your unbelieving friends in your thoughts and actions, you may have lost your saltiness. If you never feel uncomfortable or never speak up against something they want you to do, you may have lost your saltiness. If you join them in their bad language, coarse joking, and partying, you probably have lost your saltiness. And if you have lost your saltiness, you have become an ineffective witness for Christ, no matter how much time you spend with unbelievers.

4) Salt is a necessary nutrient for our bodies. You cannot eliminate all your sodium intake or you would see very negative consequences. Christians are on this earth for a reason–we should provide light and joy and life to those around us. We should bring a presence of unconditional love, boundless joy, and peace to relationships and situations. If we are criticized or disliked, it should be because of our stand for Christ*–not because we are a hypocrite or talking only of ourselves or causing strife or gossiping about a friend, etc.

May we represent Christ in such a way that we are sprinkled out on the world with grace, with love, with joy, with peace. Always in moderation and with wisdom. May we stand for truth, so that we still provide flavor instead of caving in and becoming flavorless and worth only to be trampled upon the ground. What kind of salt are you?

*2 Corinthians 2:14-15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. ¹⁶ To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?

Not all Muslims are Terrorists

Leave a Comment / May 5, 2011 May 5, 2011

So, imagine with me, if you will…It is September, 2000, and you are a man who wants better opportunities for his family. You were born in an Islamic country that provides few opportunities. And, so, with excitement you decide to pack up your family and move to America–the land of opportunity! Things go pretty well for a year…until that fateful day. September 11, 2001. Suddenly, you and your family become the “enemy”. You love your new country and you despise what happened. And, yet, somehow you are labeled and branded.

The same thing happened in this country in World War II with the Germans and the Japanese who lived here. Suddenly, innocent people who had moved here years ago and had proven themselves wonderful neighbors and friends were viewed with suspicion and fear.

The purpose of this blog is not to discuss immigration law and it is not to discuss the Muslim religion. What I want to think about for a moment is the individual Muslim.

The individual who is hopelessly following a man-made religion that their fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers followed before them. They are trying to please a god that cannot be pleased and working frantically to get to heaven through their good deeds. But most of these lost souls are not our enemies. They are just people trying to work their way to heaven, just like many other people in your neighborhood.

If we are to go to all ends of the earth to tell the world about Jesus (Matthew 28:19-20), then we need to approach all races and people groups with love and the good news of Jesus Christ…not with hate and fear. Imagine how often Satan has used hate and fear among Christians to shut them up through the centuries! But perfect love casts out fear. (I John 4:18).

My fellow believers in Christ, we cannot afford to allow hate and fear to grow in our hearts. If God provides an opportunity for you to share the good news with someone, do so with love and boldness…no matter their religion or race. And let us remember that NOTHING good comes from hate and fear.

On Election and Education

Leave a Comment / May 2, 2011 May 2, 2011

Okay…so the two things have very little in common. Except for one thing. They are huge topics of debate in Christian circles. Are we elected or does man choose God? Should you public school, homeschool, or Christian school your kids? Of course, there are many other topics and many other sides to arguments…too many to recount here.

While I believe healthy debate is a good thing and is instrumental in helping us to grow and think, we need to be careful lest we make our side of an argument the all important thing, while not caring that we make the other person feel like an idiot.

Now, of course, we have biblical principles upon which to stand. The election of the saints is clear in the Bible (Ephesians 1). It cannot be denied. But if you search there are also some Bible verses that would imply that man has a choice (Proverbs 1:24). I am unapologetically a Calvinist. But the point of this is: Why do we think we have to understand how it works? Only God knows. Why do we– in our finite human minds– think we have to get this? Perhaps we should just submit ourselves to the fact that we can’t understand how the two work together?

And schooling…why do we have to preach that one is better than the other? Yes, I have a pretty strong opinion on what I think is best for my family. But maybe…due to circumstances unknown to you and me…a different option is better for another family. Maybe for them, the opposite of what you are doing is the best choice for them. Why does this choice have to be such a source of division among believers?

Why do we argue and debate on the things that we can’t understand (i.e. election)? Or the things that do not have a biblical principle to support them (i.e. education)?

I know I am putting myself out on a limb because so many people have such strong feelings about these two topics. And, again, I am not saying that there is no place for argument and debate…because there IS. But not at the cost of broken relationships and hurt feelings. Is it more important that we prove we are right than that we edify one another in the body of Christ? Perhaps a statement given with dignity and love would actually cause a person to think much more about the other side than a heated statement that implies the other person is unintelligent for even holding their viewpoint.

And, lest I be misunderstood (if you know me, you already know this)…I do believe it is of utmost importance to develop biblical opinions about things…and to encourage believers to adhere to biblical principles. But when it comes to the stuff we can’t quite understand or state with unequivocal certainty…well, perhaps we need to state our opinion with love and then walk away.

Idol Building

Leave a Comment / April 28, 2011 April 28, 2011

The other day I read the following verses in Isaiah 46. As I read them, I found myself wondering how Isaiah might have worded them in modern day America–

Here is how it is written in Isaiah 46:5-7:

⁵ “ To whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal
      And compare Me, that we should be alike?
       ⁶ They lavish gold out of the bag,
      And weigh silver on the scales;

They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god;
      They prostrate themselves, yes, they worship.
       ⁷ They bear it on the shoulder, they carry it
      And set it in its place, and it stands;
      From its place it shall not move.
      Though one cries out to it, yet it cannot answer
      Nor save him out of his trouble.

Here is Leslie’s Modern American Translation–

“ To whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal
      And compare Me, that we should be alike?
       They lavish gold to buy tickets for athletic events,
      And they spend oodles of time watching screens;

They hire a trainer, and he makes the care of his body a god;
      They miss church for their children’s sporting events, yes, they worship.
       ⁷ They dwell on these things
      And set it in its place, and it stands;
      From its place it shall not move.
      Though one cries out to it, yet it cannot answer
      Nor save him out of his trouble.

Of course, I am not saying it is wrong to watch sporting events, TV, or our children on an occasional Sunday morning. I am not saying it is a bad thing to take care of your body. I am, however, concerned about the priority these things take in many of our lives. They often start taking first place in our hearts. Sometimes I think I am caught up in these things unawares…and, all of a sudden, I realize they have eaten up a ton of time. And, yet, while these things are okay, and even good, in moderation, when we invest too much time in them, these things often become an idol for us.

When trouble comes, we cannot save ourselves with our TV, our sports, or our perfectly sculpted body. God is our help in time of trouble. He is our rock. He is our shelter. May we invest our lives in Him, so that we already know Him when trouble comes. May the other things that we do in life take second place to the God that loves us.

Communicating Like Jesus

Leave a Comment / April 25, 2011 April 25, 2011

Communication is a big deal. How we communicate can lock hearts or open hearts. It can make us look like a jerk or make us look like an empathetic listener. It can show that we care only for our own selfish agenda or it can show that we care about others.

Communicating is done through many ways, isn’t it? Of course, talking is what comes to mind first but just because someone doesn’t talk a lot , does not mean they are not communicating. Folded arms and a big sigh speak very clearly to the person one is “talking” to. Ignoring someone says “I don’t care”. Rolled eyes say “You are weird” or “not this again”.

If our desire, as a Christian, is to be like Jesus, then it should follow that our communication should be like His, as well. But what exactly does that mean? Jesus gives us a wonderful example of communicating in the Bible. While we do not know His body language, we do know that He was perfect. That would lead me to believe there wasn’t a lot of disgusted sighs or rolled eyes or huffy walking away. But what do we know about how Jesus communicated?

1. Jesus was kind.

In Matthew 9 we read of a woman who had been bleeding continuously for twelve years. She had faith that even if she touched the garment of Jesus she would be healed, so she jostled her way up through the crowd to do this. When Jesus turned around to greet her, he said “Be of Good Cheer, your faith has made you well.” He treated her kindly. He didn’t say, “Don’t touch me! Leave me alone!” I don’t know about you, but it is tempting for me to react in anger or sarcasm if someone is invading my personal space (young children are really good at doing this) or infringing upon my time. But Jesus shows us clearly that we are to think of others and not of ourselves.

2. Jesus had compassion for others.

In Mark 1, we find the account of the leper. This poor man has been stricken with leprosy, but he comes to kneel before Jesus, crying “If You are willing, You can make me clean“. The following verse is beautiful. In NKJV it says, “Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, I am willing; be cleansed.” Don’t you love that line “moved with compassion”? Jesus truly cared about that man. Can you understand how unloved and cast out lepers were? They were the scum of the earth in the days of Jesus. To associate with them was to put yourself at risk. And, yet, Jesus had compassion on this man. He didn’t just say “be healed” and walk away. He genuinely cared. Makes me wonder if I genuinely care when someone requests something of me? Do I have compassion when I see someone in a difficult situation? And do I give voice and action to that compassion or do I just feel it for a moment and then get on with my life?

3. Jesus wanted to keep His message the priority.

After He had healed the leper in Mark 2, He asked him to keep it quiet. He asked him to say nothing to anyone. It is recorded that the leper did not obey Jesus (I can’t judge that leper too harshly–I have to admit, I would have struggled with that command, too! Can you imagine how exciting it would be to be healed of a disease like that??) But why did Jesus issue that command, anyway? MacArthur notes state that “The ensuing publicity would hinder Jesus’s ability to minister and divert attention from His message.” Jesus could heal people, but that was not His mission for coming to earth. And I think, as believers, we need to remember this, too. We can do wonderful, temporary things for people. Give them food, help them with shelter, give them eye glasses and dental help. But if we do this without sharing the gospel, what eternal good is it? Let’s keep the gospel a priority, in the midst of our good works.

4. Jesus was not prejudiced.

I know that this sounds basic. But, every now and then, I will still hear of a believer in Jesus Christ make a statement that would be inappropriate regarding a specific group of people. I don’t think Jesus would approve. Jesus was not a respecter of persons. Do we have a specific example of this? As a matter of fact, we do. In John 4, Jesus witnesses to the Samaritan woman. She asks Jesus in verse 9, how he, being a Jew, would request water from a Samaritan woman? You see, not only was she a Samaritan, she was also a woman. She had two counts against her. And, yet, Jesus took time to talk with her. Jesus didn’t care about her sex or her race. But he did care about her. If you are ever tempted to avoid someone because of their race or to make a blanket judgment about a group of people, remember this account in the gospel of John.

5. Jesus was honest.

As we continue on in John 4, we read more of Jesus’s conversation with the woman at the well. Jesus confronts the woman’s sin. Of course, he had a bit of an advantage, as He knew all about her sin, before she ever opened her mouth! But, still, He talked with her about it. And then witnesses to her. As we share the gospel, we can not hesitate to lovingly reveal people’s sin. How else can they be saved? Unless a man or woman realize that they are a sinner, there is no need for repentance or for a savior. But…and maybe I am stretching it a bit…could this possibly be carried over into other areas of life? Should we be more honest with each other? I think most of us spend our life not being truthful with those around us. We figure it is just easier to avoid the conflict. And sometimes that is true. But we need to ask God to show us when it worth being truthful. Because, oftentimes, the avoidance tactic ends up growing into a mountain that takes a miracle to move.

6. Jesus did get angry but only with righteous cause.

In John 2, we read of the temple cleansing. When Jesus saw the marketplace the temple had become, He grew angry and took action. Jesus was not angry because of how they treated Him personally, as a human man, but He was angry at the treatment of God and His Holy Place. And while He took forceful action (driving them all out of the temple), there is no indication that He was cruel in His actions. Perhaps we could follow His example? I can’t help but think, in contrast, of the cross. Not only did Jesus not grow angry in their treatment of Him, as they spit on Him and cast lots for His clothing, but He asked the Father to forgive them. Wow. What an example. I don’t know about you, but I find that my anger usually centers on ME and my unsatisfied desires. Sobering thought, isn’t it? I think the other lesson to be learned here is that we have a right to get angry when someone is teaching false doctrine. We are not supposed to tolerate this! Nowhere in scripture do we read that we are to keep peace at the expense of pure doctrine. We are to drive false teachers out of the church…both on a local level and on a larger scale.

While there are other examples of how Jesus communicates in scripture, that is probably long enough for today. I hope that God’s Word challenges you today. To God be the Glory!

The Implications of the Cross

Leave a Comment / April 21, 2011 April 3, 2015

We lay out the plans for our own lives and say, “Now, Lord, it is nice to serve You and we love You, Lord, and let’s sing a chorus,” but we won’t change our plans in any way. But, let me remind you, the cross of Jesus Christ always changes men’s plans. The cross of Christ is revolutionary, and if we are not ready to let it be revolutionary in us nor let it cost us anything or control us in any way, we are not going to like a church that takes the things of God seriously. People want the benefits of the cross but yet they do not want to bow to the control of the cross. They want to take all the cross can offer but they don’t want to be under the lordship of Jesus.

The above is written by A.W. Tozer. Again, I turn to him for wisdom. This time regarding that most iconic of symbols in Christianity: The Cross. Here are some further thoughts on the Cross and what it means for us as believers–

In every Christian’s heart there is a cross and a throne, and the Christian is on the throne till he puts himself on the cross; if he refuses the cross he remains on the throne. Perhaps this is at the bottom of the backsliding and worldliness among gospel believers today. We want to be saved but we insist that Christ do all the dying. No cross for us, no dethronement, no dying. We remain king within the little kingdom of Mansoul and wear our tinsel crown with all the pride of a Caesar; but we doom ourselves to shadows and weakness and spiritual sterility.

The old cross slew men; the new cross entertains them. The old cross condemned; the new cross amuses. The old cross destroyed confidence in the flesh; the new cross encourages it. The old cross brought tears and blood; the new cross brings laughter. The flesh, smiling and confident, preaches and sings about the cross; before that cross it bows and toward that cross it points with carefully staged histrionics—but upon that cross it will not die, and the reproach of that cross it stubbornly refuses to bear.

The cross stands high above the opinions of men and to that cross all opinions must come at last for judgment.

If we are wise we will do what Jesus did: endure the cross and despise its shame for the joy that is set before us. To do this is to submit the whole pattern of our lives to be destroyed and built again in the power of an endless life. And we shall find that it is more than poetry, more than sweet hymnody and elevated feeling. The cross will cut into our lives where it hurts worst, sparing neither us nor our carefully cultivated reputations. It will defeat us and bring our selfish lives to an end.

In coming to Christ we do not bring our old life up onto a higher plane; we leave it at the cross. The corn of wheat must fall into the ground and die.

The cross that ended the earthly life of Jesus now puts an end to the sinner; and the power that raised Christ from the dead now raises him to a new life along with Christ.

To any who may object to this [the cross] or count it merely a narrow and private view of truth, let me say God has set His hallmark of approval upon this message from Paul’s day to the present. Whether stated in these exact words or not, this has been the content of all preaching that has brought life and power to the world through the centuries.

Willingness to suffer for Jesus’ sake—this is what we have lost from the Christian church. We want our Easter to come without the necessity of a Good Friday. We forget that before the Redeemer could rise and sing among His brethren He must first bow His head and suffer among His brethren! We forget so easily that in the spiritual life there must be the darkness of the night before there can be the radiance of the dawn. Before the life of resurrection can be known, there must be the death that ends the dominion of self. It is a serious but a blessed decision, this willingness to say, “I will follow Him no matter what the cost. I will take the cross no matter how it comes!”

At the heart of the Christian system lies the cross of Christ with its divine paradox. The power of Christianity appears in its antipathy toward, never in its agreement with, the ways of fallen men. The truth of the cross is revealed in its contradictions. The witness of the church is most effective when she declares rather than explains, for the gospel is addressed not to reason but to faith. What can be proved requires no faith to accept. Faith rests upon the character of God, not upon the demonstrations of laboratory or logic. The cross stands in bold opposition to the natural man. Its philosophy runs contrary to the processes of the unregenerate mind, so that Paul could say bluntly that the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness. To try to find a common ground between the message of the cross and man’s fallen reason is to try the impossible, and if persisted in must result in an impaired reason, a meaningless cross and a powerless Christianity.