Do You Want to Be a Better Christian?

John 15:4-5 (Jesus speaking) – “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

“Better Christian.” Likely, you have either said this phrase yourself or heard it many times from others. Today I was half listening to the radio when I heard the phrase, and it sent me into introspective thought.

There are many good follow-up questions, such as how do you become a better Christian? Or what does a better Christian life look like? But for now, I will focus more on the motivation and mindset of the desire to be a better Christian and suggest that when we consider relationships of any kind, with man or with God, we might start replacing the word “better” with “closer.” What if instead of becoming a better husband or wife, a better friend, a better mother or father, we pursued being closer to our spouse, a closer friend, or closer to our children or other family members? What if instead of becoming a better Christian, we pursued simply being closer to our Lord and knowing His character? What if instead of seeking to love better, we sought to love closer, more intimately? I believe this reset in perspective and pursuit will make all the difference in the world.

When we resolve ourselves to be better at something, the truth is that the focus lies squarely on ourselves. We may want to be better for someone else’s benefit, but at the core of our action is a focus on ourselves. Furthermore, in order to feel progress or success, we will have to be analytical and judge whether or not we are better. This leads to a lot of self-focus. However, if instead we refine that desire and replace it with the desire to be closer in any relationship, we will find our focus squarely on the other person. To be closer to someone is to know them better, to perceive their heart, to share what matters to them. As we do this, our eyes, desires, and actions will turn outward. This is true of human relationships, just as it is true of our relationship with our Father, Creator, and Savior God.

The root of the desire “to be a better Christian” can actually be very good. To desire to be a better Christian is often derived from a conviction of incompletion or separation from God. It is a recognition and admission that we need to be changed. It is a desire to live out our lives as Christ, yet a realization that we currently are not doing that well. These are sound convictions that the Holy Spirit works in and through. The twist comes when we begin to focus on ourselves and our shortcomings, desiring to be better, when in reality our truest and deepest desire is simply to be closer. Closer to our holy God, loving Savior, and trustworthy Counselor.

After all, what is the outcome of a life lived in the pursuit of being a better Christian? Or a better anything? I will affirm that learning discipline, especially in spiritual things, is quite good and right; but it is the underlying mindset and approach that I am seeking to divide joints and marrow, truth and error, with the scalpel of the Word (Heb 4:12). Take for instance the desire to be a better husband. This may be lived out in any of a number of tangible ways. Perhaps a man desires to be a better husband and begins to buy his wife flowers on a regular basis. Perhaps he gives other gifts, acts of service, gives his time, offers words of love, or seeks to embrace more often. Whatever he does, as he sets out to be a better husband, he will likely succeed…at least for a little while. But if the desire to be a “better husband” does not meet up with a desire to be a closer husband, closer to his wife, then these languages of love will soon grow dull and meaningless. Months later, dozens of bouquets given without thoughtfulness, acts of service done begrudgingly, time spent with other things preoccupying the mind, repetitive words spoken, embraces given as the new “more” routine…if none of these things are of the heart, they are meaningless. What good are any of these actions that represent our perception of a “better husband” without growing nearer in relationship with your spouse? The true reality is that if we start with the desire to grow closer, we will find ourselves being better. If we grow closer with loved ones, spouses, friends, family, even co-workers, bosses and subordinates, or the man on the street…if we seek to grow closer to the individual, as we do grow closer, we begin to care for them better. And just as this is true in human relationships, it is true in our relationship with God.

Have you ever tried to please someone without knowing them well? It can be very difficult. Have you ever tried to please God (be a better Christian) without knowing Him well? It can be very difficult. “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Heb 11:6). I will submit that without knowing God, it is impossible to have faith. For who has faith in something of which they know nothing about? Can I have faith that the sun will rise if I have no knowledge that it exists and no one has ever told me? Can I have faith that a light bulb will turn on if I’ve never known that it exists? Can I have faith that a seed will grow into a plant if I’ve never seen a plant or a seed, nor have I ever heard of such a thing? Ah, but upon hearing, I can begin to wonder. The power of revealing the truth of Christ to someone who does not know anything about Him! But to truly know our God, is to have faith. And to have faith, is to please our God. To please our God is, so to speak, to be a better Christian. Therefore, if our aim is to be better, our means is to know Him, to be closer to Him. And as we make that our aim and desire, our pursuit is no longer to be better afterall; yet, that is exactly what we become. When we grow closer to God, being “better” simply flows from the relationship. We must let go in order to apprehend. We must step back, to be brought forward. We must surrender in order to be set free. This is the way of our Lord, and how gracious is He to grant us the abundant blessing of knowing Him more closely.

If we set out to be better Christians, there exists a danger of our lives soon becoming all about works and less about faith. If our focus in on ourselves, we begin to strive to earn sanctification and even salvation through works. We did not start there…we were saved by grace and fully aware of it. We then desired to be changed and in our fleshly foolishness, sought to be better in order to get closer. But we have it backwards when we approach the Lord that way, for we can only be “better” by being closer, and being closer to our Lord is a far richer experience than any self-realization of being a “better Christian.”

Zech 13:9 - This third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, 'They are my people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.'"

Job 23:10 - But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

Oh to be refined in the refiner’s fire! For the dross to be burned away! To come forth as pure gold! Let us willingly come before our Refiner, and let our desires to be better Christians melt away, "setting our eyes upon Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb 12:2). May we discard our pursuits of being better, and embrace the pursuit of being closer. May we do this in our marriages, our friendships, our families, our work environments, in everywhere we go. And may we do it unswervingly in an abiding relationship with our Father, Creator, Savior, Defender, Counselor God. Amen.

The Blessing of Obedience…And Its Opposite

The opposite of obedience is…disobedience. And when we’re talking about obedience to God, the opposite of obedience is…sin.

This may sound elementary, but when applied to some of the commands we receive from our Lord through scripture and we place on our lips what our behavior actually is, it can become convicting.

I am in a place in life where I am seeking God’s wisdom with all that I am. Oh that we would all be so blessed to seek Him and His wisdom so earnestly every day of our lives! We could, but we are fickle people. In my search for true wisdom, I am scanning the scriptures and of course cannot neglect Proverbs, some of the most densely packed wisdom in the entire Bible and entire earth. Furthermore, a friend recently suggested Psalm 119, so I began to read it, reaching all of 2 verses in before something spoke to me:

Psalm 119:2 – “Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.”

What I am about to convey to you is very basic, utterly simple, and yet I find that the simplest truths of God are the most splendidly rich. We often complicate our faith and our view of God when we attempt to view Him through the lens of projected humanity, but the simplest view of God and His truths, stripped away of everything but Himself and His Word, are beautifully life giving. This is part of the reason Jesus says, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children” (Matt 11:25). Let us come before the Word of God as children…simple, believing, with a limitless God…growing in faith, such that the Holy Spirit within us “searches the deep things of God” (1 Cor 2:10), and we move from breastmilk to solid food (1 Cor 3:1,2…)…yet always in the simple faith of a child before our Father God.

Let me relay to you how I have often received scriptural truths such as Psalm 119:2 for most of my life: If I keep God’s commands, then He will bless me. Or more pointedly, if I keep God’s commands, He will then bless me in what I do next. This may be true, but the center of the attitude and motivation is in need of serious revision. First of all, it is a very selfish attitude, in that I am only seeking the Lord for what He can do for me…the difference in seeking His hands only, versus seeking His face, His character, who He is for who He is. Secondly, it neglects the pure, simple power intended to be conveyed in the verse that is twofold:

1. The obedience to the commands is the blessing in this life.

2. The obedience to the commands brings us near Him, which is the superlative blessing. The opposite, which can only be called disobedience (sin), must then bring us far from Him, which must therefore be a curse, the opposite of blessing. So obedience is The supreme blessing and disobedience is The supreme curse.

To receive a command from the Lord, either in prayer or through the Word, is Him breathing His blessing upon you, and we must obey to receive it. The simple, powerful truth is that God gives commands for our benefit. His commands lead us to Him and lead us to walk in perfection. His commands protect us. Life outside His commands is full of pain through separation from God in our deepest core, ending with eternal separation and suffering in Hell. Life within obedience to His commands is true, abundant life, now and forever.

Consider a father and his child in their living room with a memorizing fire dancing in the fireplace. This is a peaceful and tranquil scene, marked by love and joy shared between family members. The son, enamored with the leaping flames, moves toward the fireplace, perhaps understanding something about the nature of fire, perhaps not. The watchful father knows what is in the boy’s heart and mind. Afterall, he was once a boy, too. Before the son gets too close, the father gives a sharp, yet gentle command: “Do not put your hand in the fire, nor place your hand anywhere near it.” The boy, stops, hesitates, considering the command. But he questions it in his heart…and the fire is so alluring and wonderful from his perspective. Soon the boy reaches his hand close to the flame, only to shriek in pain as the peach fuzz on his fingers is singed and one fingertip is slightly blackened by the intense heat from the tip of the flame. As the boy cries in pain, halfway running from the fire, halfway running to his father, the father moves swiftly to his side and brings the boy and his hand close to his face. The boy is crying, a little confused, a little ashamed, and very much in pain. Others in the room are crying, “How did you let this happen? Why didn’t you stop him? Is he going to be ok?” The father just absorbs the criticism and quickly administers first aid with a soothing ointment and neatly dressed bandage. The boy is feeling better already, though he will need a little more time to heal fully. The father bends down on his knees, getting eye to eye with his beloved son, their noses only inches apart. He has his son’s attention and speaks directly, firmly, and gently, saying, “My son, please listen to your father. I know you will not always understand my commands, but if you trust me and obey, you will not get burned.” The son begins to cry and sinks into his father’s arms. The father is swept away in the moment, as well, a single tear beginning to form in his eye.

I can think of few analogies more directly applicable to our lives as children of the living God, our Father. He loves us more tenderly than this father, with more wisdom and insight. We are just as or more rebellious than this boy, many times putting our hands in fires because our Father has told us not to. Yet even for us, the worst of sinners, we have the same loving Father. A Father who will lead, a Father who will teach, a Father who will face ridicule on our behalf, a Father who will rescue, a Father who will mend and heal, a Father who will look us straight into the eyes of our souls, and a Father who will embrace us when we turn back to Him. He has never left the room and we have never left His sight. Let us bring our burns and wounds before Him, seek His face, and embrace His commands. They are the source of life, abundant now and forever, because of the nearness in which it brings us to Him.

As I mentioned, I have been in a place of seeking nothing but the pure wisdom of God. Proverbs 9:10 instructs: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

“The fear of the Lord” will cause me to obey His commands. Obeying His commands is the superlative blessing in life, now and eternally. And in obeying His commands in fear of the Lord, is the truest of true wisdom. Therefore, my quest for wisdom, as well as yours, must go far beyond seeking a magical revelation in scripture or any other form, Godly or otherwise. Our quest for wisdom must begin with the fear of God, followed by willing obedience to His commands. If we will set ourselves apart to seek His commands, to cherish His commands, to recognize that they are not limiting, but rather life giving. If we will set ourselves apart to hear in sincerity and obey, we shall have the greatest blessing of all, eternal infinite nearness to our perfect, loving God, and wisdom simply naturally flowing into and out of us.

So what are God’s commands? To illustrate the question better, what are God’s helpful instructions? What are God’s loving and knowing warnings? What are God’s blessings for you and me? For today, let’s start with the Ten Commandments, read them in sincerity, and seek to apply them first to our lives:

Exodus 20:3-17 (comments added in italics)–

1. “You shall have no other gods before me.” (This includes the acknowledgement of any god esteemed to be greater than man or in any way a god, except for Jesus Christ, who is one with God the Father and the Holy Spirit.)

2. “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.”

3. “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.”

4. “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

5. “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.”

6. “You shall not murder.” (Remember that Jesus clarified that “anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgement.” Matt 5:22)

7. “You shall not commit adultery.” (Remember that Jesus clarified that “anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matt 5:28)

8. “You shall not steal.”

9. “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” (This includes any form of dishonesty or deception.)

10. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

As you read these, there is probably one or a few that immediately cause you to start rationalizing or making excuses or questioning. These are likely where we struggle. For me, one of them is taking a day of rest, “keeping the Sabbath holy.” Remember that Jesus instructed that “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” It is not to become our God and religion, but we are to simply obey Him by keeping a day of rest, set aside for Him, holy. This means that if I lay on the couch all day watching football, then at the end of the day, I call it a “day of rest,” referring to the Sabbath, I am in error. The day of rest is spiritual as much or more than it is physical.

I have struggled to maintain a Sabbath day. And what really hit me was that taking a holy day of rest is considered pleasing and obedient in God’s sight. Obedient. Hmm, that means NOT taking a holy day of rest each week is…disobedience. Hmmm, disobedience to God is…sin. Oh my, this is no longer an option! Do I seek wisdom or don’t I? Do I seek God’s blessing or don’t I? Do I seek God Himself at all or don’t I? If I do, I will take a holy day of rest each week.

Take heart when you place your hand in the fire. Turn to your loving God and He will repair you. He then asks that you would obey Him from that point forward. Get right back on the horse, and do your best going forward, walking in His grace, knowing that His commands are not cumbersome, they are His richest blessings, full of abundant life. I pray that you come to know and love this truth and your God who loves you this year. Amen.

Direction – A Motor Boat of Faith

2 Thess 1:11 – “With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.”

Have you ever asked God for direction? Have you ever in all sincerity presented yourself to the Lord, attempting to be fully abandoned to His any desire and command, but without knowing which way to go? It might be due to a specific decision before you or it might be in the midst of directionless wandering, but in either case, you came to a point where you desired direction, you knew God had specific direction for you, but you did not know what it was? So have I.

I find during these times that at the end of it all…the analysis, the prayers, the listening, the crying out, the searching and seeking…at the end of it all, our response is loosely categorized as one of three actions: we choose to go in the way the Lord would not have us go, we choose to go in the way the Lord would have us go, or we make no active choice in “analysis paralysis.” I have two thoughts about this: 1. How do we get ourselves to do more of the second action, choosing to go in the way of the Lord? 2. Believing in The Sovereign God means more than anything in the world, for even when we have not chosen the Lord, in His sovereignty, grace, and power, He continues to work in those circumstances and bring us back to His preferred will from that point forward, whether or not we made a mistake.

Having a personal relationship with a sovereign, grace filled, fully willing and capable Father God and Savior…I mean really personal, as characterized by frequent conversations and a desire for ever greater unity with Him…this is my only hope. Without knowing that His character is to work for our good (1), that His character is to protect us (2), that His character is to be faithful when we are not (3), that His character is perfect and infallible (4), that He cannot deny Himself (3) and therefore sees all, understands all, works through and in all, and has a place in His heart for us…without knowing this God, my God, and standing on the rock of Christ, I have nothing. And so knowing Jesus is everything, and is certainly everything when we desire direction, especially the more uncertain we are.

I will confess my greatest fear and struggle: I often question whether or not I hear the Lord…or if I’ve ever heard the Lord clearly. Am I being deceived? Have I always been deceived and never knew it? Could I be calling desires of the flesh, the wisdom of man, and the cleverness of the Evil One, God’s voice? What an utterly terrible thought! At these times, there is only one standard to compare these questions to and one place for answers: Scripture. If you have ever come to a place where you doubt your ability to hear from the Lord, please here these words of Truth from the Bible:

John 10:27-28 – “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

Rom 12:1-2 – “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Are you one of Jesus’ sheep or not? Yes or no? No answer in between is acceptable or accurate. I don’t care how good of a person you are, are you one of Jesus Christ’s sheep? I don’t care how much you’ve backslidden and are struggling with sin right in this moment, have you given your life to Christ in sincerity and are therefore one of Jesus Christ’s sheep? No? Then you do not hear The Shepherd’s voice and your every fear is true—you are directionless and floating, and only the divine grace of God in His mercy can move you in a direction such that you come to the point of the path that He would desire for you, most notably to enter His Kingdom by calling on the name of Christ. But right now you are outside of that. I’ll ask again, are you one of Jesus Christ’s sheep? Yes? Then no more doubting—no more! You do indeed hear His voice. You are empowered to do so by the Holy Spirit who was promised and does indeed indwell everyone who has confessed Christ as their God and Savior.

Ok, so I do hear Jesus’ voice. Why do I still not know what to do and feel that I do not have the clarity and direction that I know I need?! Well, many times our lives and our faith in God is much like a motor boat sitting in the water. If you know anything about boats, you know that in order to steer the boat, you must actually have a forward velocity. The forward velocity allows the rudder to push off of moving water, such that the bow of the boat cuts one direction or the other. Furthermore, in many boats, the motor itself turns and the propeller provides the lateral force required to turn the boat to one direction or the other; however, if that motor is not engaged, then turning the motor has virtually no effect. How does this apply? In “analysis paralysis,” we have turned off our motors and have no forward velocity. Now, it is good and wise to take some time to get alone with the Lord and turn off the motors and consider a situation. But sometimes we reach a point where nothing will happen unless we start our motor and begin to move. The amazing thing is that as we begin to move forward, perhaps in the right direction or in the exact wrong direction—we don’t know in that moment—if we then let God steer our vessels, we can find ourselves being redirected in the direction that we should go. Now, if we start the motors and refuse to let the boat be redirected, then we are no better off. We must be willing to step out in faith, keeping a sensitive ear to the Lord the entire time.

To bring this home a little more clearly: I often find myself saying to the Lord, in effect, “If you would show me the way and give me specific direction, then I will start this motor and run full blast in your direction. I just need to know in which direction to point the boat.” And many times, that absolutely clear direction, with physical, concrete proof that the Lord is telling me to do this or that, just doesn’t come. What I find instead is that a healthy approach is the following: “Here is what I think you’re telling me. This is the direction I think you want me to go. I don’t know. I’m willing to be redirected, so please continue to direct me, Lord. Here I go.” At this point we must trust that as His sheep, we hear His voice, we must begin to step out in faith, and we must keep our ears open to His guidance all the more. I find that with a step of faith, it is often the slight forward motion that then brings the clarity of direction that is needed. If there is no step of faith, then nothing happens. And even steps of faith that may not be perfectly calibrated to go in the direction of the Lord’s perfect choosing, as we go, we get guided, so long as we are receptive to the guidance.

2 Thess 1:11 – “With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.”

And so, I encourage you: Stop what you’re doing, consider your heart’s desires and compare them with what you know to be the Lord’s desires. Bring before Him your every anxiety and need for direction. Take time to set yourself aside for prayer, the Word, and even fasting. The direction may be clear. But if not, when you feel that you have no way to find clearer direction and you do not know what to do, search to see if there is a way that you sincerely feel might at all possibly be what God desires. Tell Him, test your heart. Then move. Take a first step of faith, allowing the Lord to completely redirect you. He might, He might not. But either way, the boat is moving and able to be steered. And since we have a perfectly sovereign, grace filled, loving, powerful, willing and capable, Father God who sees all, knows all, and works all things together for our good…since this is our God!...we can move forward in confidence, without fear of misstep.

Step out on faith. Start the boat. Choose a direction. Allow the Lord to redirect you AS YOU GO. May the Lord’s wisdom, discernment, love, and grace fill your heart and mind this very day. Amen.

1 – Rom 28:8 – “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
2 – 2 Thess 3:3 – “But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.”
3 – 2 Tim 2:13 – “if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.”
4 – Isaiah 6:3 – “"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."
Matt 5:48 – “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”