Conduct and the Gospel

Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. – 1 Peter 2:12

If you ever need inspiration, or a reason to be a "good Christian", look to the first book of Peter. The book begins by giving us a reason for our faith; "a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" (1:3), and ends with instruction, for those following the Lord, to avoid losing faith. I read this chapter about a month ago, and now God has reminded me of the subject.

Conduct is contextual. If you read the definition, it is essentially someone's behavior in a certain situation. However, as Christians, we are to love the Lord in everything that we do, all the time. Therefore if we look at the term "Christian conduct", one's behavior should always reflect Christ. Now, I cannot say that I have always been the most "Christian" that I could have been, but as we often said on the bike trip, "hindsight is 20-20", meaning we could have done something different if only we knew what was ahead. Where my life is today would be completely different if I chose that "20-20" option, as there is always something we could have done better. However Peter is not telling us to avoid making wrong choices in the future, rather to look ahead at the glory that God will be given when we honor Him with our actions. Even those that speak against us will glorify God.

I cannot yet speak for the ministry that my conduct has brought, but what I can speak for is the damage that my misconduct as a Christian has done to the opportunity for ministry. I do have regrets, and I am praying about them, however I want this entry to encourage you to trust that God's commands are for the greater good of the Gospel, as much as they are for your own good.
Be sober-minded; be watchful (5:8). The good that you do in Christ's name will be glorified by God and by those that know you upon the Christ's return.

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In regards to the conflict I have been wrestling with in my previous posts, I am trusting that God will work out the situation for his glory. January is the election at my church for a new Youth Pastor, so I will keep you posted on that. Until then, peace to all of you who are in Christ (5:14).

Desire and Content

Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! To write this again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you. – Philippians 3:1

Originally, I wanted to discuss what I found to be beneficial to my situation with my job, as well as the aspects of the youth group that I felt were not leading me toward that choice. However, after reading an explanation of Philippians 3:1-11, I felt affirmed with what I was understanding to be the God-honoring choice here.

Yes, keeping my job would make it more difficult to fully commit to being a youth leader, however certain circumstances have led me to understand that I also have a place at the company I work for. I have a responsibility to where God has placed me. At this point in my life, I have a desire to find my "next step" and somehow that step seems to keep moving further each time I approach it. Or so I think. Though this desire is to move forward in my life, I feel as though I am taking laps. What this breakdown of Phil. 3 has began to affirm is that I need to allow God to work through me in both areas of my life. Paul's example shows that we must be content in our situation, in order to further the Gospel. We must show humility toward others in order to allow God to work through us.

The Bible is full of descriptive examples of discipline so that we, as Christians, can live a life for the Lord, and not for ourselves. What I have learned is that we should not let our own desires prevent us from following God's will. We cannot let our own impatience limit what God needs to do. Being content in everything, and being humble in moving toward the things you want the most is the only way to allow yourself to be in the presence of the Lord.

Temptation and Victory

No temptation has overtaken you except which is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. – 1 Corinthians 10:13

The title may seem plain, yet there is a lot of meaning behind the word "victory" here. This week's chapter in the book I'm reading breaks down temptation and how to handle it as a Christian. I'm going to open the lesson with the question "what is temptation", with the intention of helping the students understand what temptation is, and eventually understand why we are tempted. The chapter explains to the reader why we can't just be freed from sin and temptation once we are Christians. Using football as an example, the author explains that without the opposing team, there can be no glory in winning. The same goes for Christianity; if we did not have temptation, there would be no need for Christ's death on the cross.

Without temptation, God cannot have the victory.

Currently in my own faith, I feel as though I am avoiding my commitment to the church in order to better serve my occupation. I am faced with the decision of a career move either into the grocery industry, or into the ministry of teens. Though the obvious choice as a Christian would be to serve the Lord in youth ministry, I have never felt called to be the leader there and I find it difficult stepping into a position I am not entirely trusting myself to. How can I teach for Christ when I do not live for Christ? If you've been following this blog, thank you. If you haven't, then I will say that I am not what I believe to be the best example of Christ, nor am I trying to be. Lately however, I have been feeling as though the God-honoring choice here may be to leave my current job in order to best serve the Lord, as we are called. Normally I wouldn't want to explain my personal struggles, though I have found this to be something I wrestle with each week. My goal with this blog is not to tell you what I'm going through, rather to keep an account of the work that God is doing in my life. Therefore, I will close saying that God is showing me the areas in which I am not trusting him. What am I doing this for, and why do I not trust that God will get the victory? Ultimately, I am beginning to realize perhaps I am afraid to trust him and to let go of my own ambitions. I hope that you as a reader stay with me to discover how this plays out. More and more I realize I need to commit to God each day, and each moment, so that I can honor him in all that I do. After all, God is faithful, so why aren't I?

Word and Spirit

No one who abides in him, keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either known him or seen him. – 1 John 3:6 

This verse is intimidating... 

(Today is Sunday) A quote from today's sermon, "you can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving" caught my attention. As I prepare for this week's lesson for our youth group, the quote above is fresh in my mind. Today we are discussing confidence as a matter of our faith in God.

There are three ways to know we have faith; by the way we keep the commands, by our love for one another, and by the confidence we have in the Holy Spirit. Now, the Word of God shows us what we must do to serve God. On the other hand, the Spirit allows us to know what God is doing in our life. Our faith gives us the Word, and the Spirit.

How does this relate to my faith? Well, I read through the chapter we are studying and it closes with a small paragraph explaining why one might still doubt their faith even if they know they have asked God for salvation. The book What Every Christian Ought to Know by Adrian Rogers explains that doubt within a life of faith shows us that we are still allowing sin to linger in our life. Rogers directly says that we "are not obeying the Lord" and we must ask forgiveness.

Reading the Word is only half of a life of faith. Obeying the Spirit is the other half. I have been stuck in a position feeling distant and unsure how to progress in a life of faith. Reading this has shown me that I must go to God with my sins and ask forgiveness so that I may live for him, and him alone.

Commend and Condemn

"Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. – 2 Corinthians 10:17-18

Often at work, I find myself noticing the things that other people are doing wrong, in order to commend myself for things I do "the right way" that I see tasks should be done. Being in a supervisor position, I find it easy to wrestle with this because I should be telling the employees what they do wrong. However, I am not in a position to be uplifting myself, as I have only been doing this job effectively for a few months. 2 Corinthians tells us that we are not approved by our own standards, but by the Lord's.

Even with the beginning of a new lesson series at our Youth Group (I'm still unsure if that is a proper noun), we are finding interest in the evenings to be dwindling. It is hard to keep our eyes fixed on what the Lord wants when we are all frustrated about the low interest and attendance. As an instructor there, I find myself again picking out where others in leadership are wrong, only to prove to myself that I am right. To be psychological, I may be blaming the others for the teen's lack of interest. Yet I find myself having just as much lack of interest in teaching, as they may in learning.

Lately, I have learned a lot about about myself in a leadership position. It's not something I am naturally comfortable with, but objectively, I enjoy leading people. As a leader in my job, and in my faith, the first thing that comes to mind thinking about a good leader is being a good example. The second is communicating clearly. Now, I could talk about these two things in depth, but that will have to wait, I want to stay focused on the subject at hand. In being a good leader, we must be a good example which I feel as though I am failing to do at times. After all, God looks at our hearts and not our actions when he decides whether to commend us in Heaven or to condemn us. So, where am I in all this? I am having a difficult time with finding commitment in my heart, but I pursue the difficult tasks regardless. With a job, I think that deserves commendation, though with the Christian faith, it takes a whole heart to follow Jesus.

We cannot boast of our own actions because of the good we see in ourselves, but we must allow the Lord to show us the good, and the bad, that only he can see. 

Division and Confidence

I have been leading a youth group in a study on the movie "War Room", and we are now coming to a close on this study. The last lesson will be on Sunday. There is a verse that the last lesson refers to in the book of Hebrews, chapter four, that I felt was really powerful to read. Verse 12 starts "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit..." (ESV), showing the reader that God will separate the good from the bad in you and look at both. If you read the rest of 12, and verse 13, this makes more sense.

I have been learning a lot lately that I am failing at being an example of Christ not only to the people I care about but also to the youth group at my church (I care about them too). This verse convicts me by further proving that God will look at both sides of our life as a Christian. It has been on my heart to move forward in life, but recent months have shown me that I am not ready. I am keeping things general here for a reason. My personal struggles are not what I want to discuss, but rather that God has to be the first focus of your life before he can bring you where he wants you. He is the only one who can discern the true condition of our heart, and change us in the areas we need, so why not look toward him to be changed? We cannot make those changes on our own, otherwise there would be no point to the Holy Spirit. That being said, verse 16 of chapter four tells us to approach the throne with confidence. We must accept that we are wrong, and that God is the only one who can change us, in order to be the example that puts Christ first.

I have come to understand that there is division in me, but I have yet to find the confidence in Christ that God needs for me to fully be his servant. I have done a lot of studying since April, which has brought me to this point but, my "faith journey" as some call it, is only just beginning. God wants us to not be divided, to not be "lukewarm" as the Bible (Rev. 3:16 and the "War Room") discusses, so that we may serve him in all that we do. With division, there can be no confidence in Christ.

Compulsion and Compassion

April is the month in which we celebrate Easter, the holiday representing spring and, in the Christian faith, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Now, when we accept Jesus into our lives, we are offered a new start in our life. In that life after acceptance into salvation, we are offered a choice; one to continue to follow our old habits, or one to follow the new path of Christ. In the recent months, I have realized that the more I lean toward God, the more I need him to support me. This analogy just came to mind: imagine that you are a ladder and God is a house. The House does not move, but the ladder can. The further you pull a ladder away from the house you are working on, the harder it is to be in the right place to complete the work. Now, we don't need to work on God, but we do need God to do His work.

In order to do God's work, we must lean on Him to learn where he wants us to work. My theme for the majority of this journal has been my search for God's calling in my life, concluding that God wants me to serve Him and lead others by His example. Someone once told me that in order to lead, you have to serve. As a "teacher" of a youth group and a grocery store supervisor, I have the responsibility of serving the kids I teach and the people I supervise, by showing them the example of Christ. Although we are not perfect, a Godly leader is defined by their character. What you teach must align with how you live.

There have been a few times in my life when I am moved by my own feelings and act out of compulsion. I make irrational decisions and do not always follow the example that I expect those whom I lead to follow. Whether at work or at church, I have realized that in order to lead, I must teach by God's example, which is Christ. My compulsion must be turned into compassion. Though compassion may not be the ultimate word to describe how a Christian should live (that might be "love"), it is relevant to recent situations in which I have been faced with decisions for groups, and for individuals, affecting the result of that situation for more than myself.

Acting on compulsion can lead to a choice made out of anger, or vexation, toward someone, or something. Whereas acting on compassion can lead to a choice made out of love, or concern, for that same someone, or something.

This entry was inspired by 2 Corinthians 9:7. The context refers to giving an offering to church, however the message still stands: you cannot effectively serve God under compulsion. May all the glory be to the Father of compassion, whom I choose to serve.