Ditching the Guilt

Sometimes I ask people, “How do you view God?” There is usually a pause, an uncomfortable look of consideration, and then an answer that seems to be very common: “Someone who is disappointed with me—even angry at me.” It’s sad, but that description makes sense when you consider how many people feel guilty because they're trying to please an angry God.

Jesus strongly criticized those who piled on the guilt.

In fact, he had strong words for those who established and enforced guilt-inducing rules and regulations. He called them some very unflattering names: Vipers. Snakes. Hypocrites. Blind guides. Whitewashed tombs. 

Yikes! Imagining Jesus using those words evokes an image very different from that of the smiling Jesus carrying a lamb on his shoulders. But that’s exactly what he called the Pharisees and teachers of the law who made it so hard for people to come to God.

Unfortunately many churches use guilt to manipulate people into giving and serving. Get the right Bible, pray one hour every morning, do your QT with the latest church resource, fast twice a week, throw away your CDs, talk to three people a week about Jesus, homeschool your children, and vote Republican. It says it in Mark 38 somewhere, right? It also says, “Thou shalt jump through hoops for Me or burn in Hell.” (Sorry, i am being sarcastic). Do it or you will feel guilty.

There’s nothing wrong with praying, fasting, sharing your faith, or homeschooling. What this comes down to is the danger of a guilt - driven church life that is only religion.  Real life isn't how much we can do, but who we get to be. If I held a gun to your head and told you to read the Bible, you can act the part but it probably won’t do anything. The tools of fear, shame, and blame will only create restrained slaves. We are freed by God  from the shackle of guilt; so too we are free from false reputations of righteousness.

God loves and accepts you unconditionally. Period. Ditch the guilt.

Dare To Be Different

I have noticed a lot of people are fired up on both sides of the political spectrum as we head towards the November elections. I see people tearing down each other’s candidates and unfortunately, the people supporting them. In the midst of this ugliness I want to encourage you to be different, become a people-builder.

The key to building up people is kindness -- giving them what they need and not what they deserve.  

When you consider the way Jesus built up people, He did three things: challenged, encouraged, and spoke honestly.
Jesus challenged people to be all God made them to be. God doesn’t want you to waste your life!

Challenge your family and friends to live beyond themselves and to discover their strengths and abilities. God has given each of us some special abilities, and he wants us to use them to help each other. We’re to pass on to others God's many kinds of blessings.

You can play a critical role in this way by helping the ones you love to discover their strengths and abilities, and then challenging them to use them. By the way, a critical attitude is not a gift!

Help someone understand how special their gifts are – that we will all miss out on a blessing if they don’t use the gifts given them. It’s like a singer who never sings; we miss out on the blessing that would come from hearing the voice. We are meant to be a blessing to others.

We should consider the good of our neighbor and build up his character. Romans 15:2

Instead of tearing down someone today, consider how you can build them up.

Don't Condemn Culture

I decided over thirty years ago I wanted to have a ministry like Jesus. Which means, I don’t spend any of my time condemning culture.  Why?  Because Jesus didn’t.  He said “I didn’t come to condemn the world; I came to save it.”

Many Christians spend a lot of their time condemning the world, saying how badly society sucks, then looking for a political solution to figure out how to get rid of the suckiness.  Neither of those work.  Spending all your time condemning society won’t change it, and looking for a political answer to solve the problem of society won’t change it either.  

God so loved the world he didn’t send a politician.  Why?  Because you can’t change people’s hearts by laws.  No law will turn a bigot into somebody who will love all the races.  Only God can get rid of racism in the heart.  Only God can get rid of selfishness in the heart.  No law is going to turn people who are selfish into unselfish people.  Jesus said, “I didn’t come to condemn the world.  I came to save it.”  So no matter what I’ve done, God wants me.  
 
Remember the story of the prodigal son, the kid who tells his father, “dad give me my half of the inheritance” and he splits and goes to sunset strip in Jerusalem and spends all his money on wine, women, and song – mostly women?  He ends up feeding pigs in a pigsty.  He finally realizes this doesn’t work so he goes home to his dad with a humble attitude, smelling of the pigsty.  The father runs out to greet his younger son.  He grabs him in a big bear hug, My son has come home!  Let’s have a party.  

He doesn’t say to his son, “Son, go and get a bath.  Get shaved.  Put on some clean clothes.  Get rid of that stinking pig smell and then I’ll give you a bear hug.”  No, he says I love you just the way you are.

God loves and accepts you just the way you are.  

Are You Keeping It Real?

Imagine if I walked in the door one evening and my son said: “O, almighty procreator of our family. How wonderful thou art, who sovereignly deposits our allowance to us. Oh, the majesty of thy wonderful self! We beseech thee to come eat dinner with us.” I’d check his temperatures to see if he was sick or on something! I don’t want to hear that. I want him to say, “Hey! Dad's home. I missed you, dad!”

God wants us to be real by being authentic when we speak.

Years ago I copied the prayers of other people. I noticed they used certain words and even a special tone of voice. I imitated all the religious clichés: “Lead, guide, and direct us, O Lord.” “Bless this food to the nourishment of our bodies.” “Bless the gift and the giver.”

In New Testament times, prayers were wordy, meaningless rituals. There was no spontaneity, no genuineness. But Jesus says don’t get caught up in ritual prayer. You don’t have to use fancy language. You can’t impress God with fancy language, and you shouldn’t be trying to impress other people, either.

I love to hear new believers pray; there’s no pious pomposity. They haven’t learned the clichés yet. They just say, “Hi, God. It’s me.” That’s how you make contact with God. You just talk with your heavenly Father about what’s on your mind. Just pray your heart. Reveal yourself.

I’m not saying to be flippant in prayer, just talk with him in a genuine and heartfelt way.

“When you pray, do not use a lot of meaningless words, as the pagans do, who think that their gods will hear them because their prayers are long. Do not be like them. Your Father already knows what you need before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:7-8 TEV).

Do you find yourself being “religious” when you talk to God? Try being as real as you can when you pray, even if you’re angry at God. Be honest.

Old McDonald Had a Farm -- HAD

The picture over on the left reminds me of several good friends of mine who left Tucson, AZ and purchased a farm in the south. They were leaving the desert to become farmers, live off the land and live in Christian Community together. The change did not go very well. They didn’t have a clue what they were doing when it came to farming or living together! They wanted to have a deeper, more spiritual life but because of no understanding on how to do that they failed miserably. They HAD a farm but no longer.

Why do so many of us feel like we just have not grown spiritually very much? Are we just spiritually "thick-headed?" Are we just not "built" to be spiritual? Or have we simply not been taught what it means to be a student of Jesus?

Perhaps the church has placed so much emphasis on making converts that we have neglected to help people grow spiritually. We work hard to help people come to faith--to become a "Christian"-but can you identify any intentional efforts to help people become more like our Teacher?

Perhaps we have emphasized a wrong teaching about faith and its relationship to good deeds. Works has gotten a bad rap, while workless faith has grown more appealing-"cheap grace" as Bonhoeffer once stated.

Don’t get me wrong, i’m not against a change of venue in one’s life but it takes more than that to grow closer to God. I think it takes developing spiritual disciplines. Some of you are saying, oh, oh, I don’t like where this is going! Allow me to explain before you stop reading.

Discipline is defined as "training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior." Discipline is not part of our nature, but it is a natural component of the Christian life. In fact, almost nothing of any significance in our lives is ever accomplished without it. Spiritual disciplines can be described as those behaviors that augment our spiritual growth and enable us to grow to spiritual maturity. Stay with me on this!

My suggestion is to start with a very simple exercise. Go to a specific place where you can be alone and meditate for a period of time. You could also take a Bible or just a tablet or an iPad and record your thoughts, if you want. Relax, get away from the busyness of life for a while. I sit on my back patio in the evening with a nice cigar and pray. Whatever you decide to do, do it on a consistent basis. There are other “spiritual disciplines” of course. Feel free to add your suggestions. 


Spiritual disciplines can provide us with a rewarding life. I hope you’ll consider it.

Was Jesus a Kill-Joy?

Phil discusses a powerful misconception on video, click here if you cannot see the video.