Unraveling the Lies

In a society where, from the Christian perspective, the world seems to be spinning out of control, it is becoming more difficult to tell truth from lies. It's not that the lies are becoming too close to the truth. It's that the lies are trying to portray the truth as a lie – and they're getting really good at making us question what is actually right.

Even the church isn't immune. Progressive Christianity, the influence of liberalism, health and wealth preaching, focusing on creating a feel good worship experience – all of these things are thanks to the infiltration of lies into Christianity.

Here's an example from my own life. Like so many other people, I suffer from anxiety. It's not surprising. It's one of the things Jesus specifically hits on in the Sermon on the Mount, so I know I'm not the only one out there.

I want an AR-15. Where you and I stand on the gun debate is a conversation for another day. Something inside me has stirred the idea and desire to be prepared to protect my family from both the day to day concerns as well as in the event that something catastrophic happens and I need to protect them while the city/county/state/nation can stabilize and respond.

Saving the money to purchase this gun and to have a reasonable store of ammo to train and defend with has consumed me of late. I'm reading gun reviews, preparation articles, training tips, and anything I can get my eyes on to better understand what I'm getting into.

Making matters worse is the current political climate. It's stressful enough to consider if we're really heading toward socialism, if smaller government can ease tension, and whether or not there really is a separation of powers for checks and balances. Not to mention the news media doesn't make things any better with their coverage.

The point is, my mind gets consumed wanting to be fully informed and anxiety sets it over these things that I really can't control. Heck, maybe that is what's really lying at the heart of my desire to be prepared – simply wanting to be in control of more situations.

As I think through this, I'm taken back to what Jesus preaches about worry. Of course He tells us not to, but easier said than done, right? On the surface, yes. If we dig deeper though, there is truth to be found that's actually helpful.

The first thing we need to do is ask whether or not we trust that what Jesus taught us is true. I believe the Bible is true in its entirety, so that question is already answered. If it's there, it's true.

If what I read in Scripture it true, then the voices I'm hearing that are contrary must be telling me a lie, even if it's only partially false. This is where you need to consider with an open mind, open heart, and open Bible. Turn off all the distractions – they will kill your ability to really think through the issue. Bring in a like-minded believer to help talk and muddle through the muck.

Every sin I've committed or considered boils down to either pride or fear. Anxiety is an easy one – it preys on your fear. I'm afraid that politicians will take away or limit my ability to defend my family with the use of a gun. I'm afraid that without a gun, a home invader, car jacker, rapist, or looters during a period of unrest will try to commit heinous crimes against my family. I'm afraid of not having enough to live the kind of lifestyle that I'm comfortable with. That's only the beginning.

There's some pride there as well. There's confidence in knowing I'm prepared. I know my son thinks it's pretty cool that Dad has the tools and the knowledge to take care of his family in the event something bad happens. It's easy to look around with my chest puffed out and think of myself as the alpha male among the lion pack.

With fear, I'm taking what God has promised to do for me – sustain me, fulfill me, provide for my eternity, protect me – and saying that I don't trust Him to fill His end of the bargain. Pretty bold statement about someone who became human to live perfectly and die to cover my sin.

The pride says “I can do it better than God”. Pretty bold statement for someone who has an incalculable debt to be repaid and doesn't have a prayer of doing it on his own.

Discovering the pride or fear that sin is relying on to live in us allows us to see the lie and how it is being used to pull us away from God.

Think of it this way – a smartly dressed gentleman knocks on the door and asks if he can talk to you about life insurance. You've been thinking you need some, so you invite him in to talk with you and your spouse.

A week later your house is robbed and your most valuable possessions taken. The only fingerprints the officers find are the salesman's, but they're in places you never allowed him to go. When there was a life insurance salesman sitting at your table, there was no problem. If you would have seen him for the thief he was, you never would have let him in.

It's the same with sin. When we can recognize it for what it is, we're a lot less likely to let it in the door. If we already have, we can kick it right to the curb.

Is it wrong to own a gun, be prepared, hope for a spouse, prepare for retirement, buy a home, or participate in triathlons? Of course not. The problem comes in when those good things that God has been gracious enough to allow us to enjoy consume us to the point that we are really worshiping them or their pursuit instead of God Himself.

The response when we catch ourselves believing the lie or hear something that doesn't sit quite so well with us is to put it up against the truth of God's word and break it down to pride or fear. Once we can see the lie for what it is, the easier it will be to take God at His word and trust Him to help us overcome it.  

What Jesus and Hypothermia Have in Common

Yesterday, I set out for a bike ride. The moment I stepped outside, I went right back in to change into a cold weather base layer. It's the kit I've ridden in when temps have been as low as 45 and I've run a half marathon in a sleeveless kit at 40 degrees. So when the mercury read 55, I didn't really think too much about it – I just layered up for comfort and took off.

The ride was only 15 miles and, granted, I was pushing hard into a solid headwind for the first half of the ride. Perhaps it was the combination of temperature, wind, and speed along with a high breathing rate that kept that cold air refreshing in my lungs, but something wasn't right when I stepped out of the shower. Despite the heat being on, I was suddenly freezing.

Putting on warm clothes and heading to the kitchen to make some hot tea, I realized as I couldn't stop shivering and that I had somehow managed to exercise my way into hypothermia. Who knew that first aid training would lead to self-diagnosis?

My Bride got home soon after and before long, I was wrapped in 3 blankets, had a heating pad over my chest, and a hot water bottle behind my head. Even with all that, I just couldn't get my body warmed back up. She prayed and rubbed my feet to comfort me.

Every time I picked up my mug of tea, it seemed too hot to drink, so I set it back down to give it another couple of minutes. By this point, I was in tears because of how much I hurt from the shivering that caused so many muscles to fire so many times and from the frustration of not warming up.

Finally, I picked up the mug again, tossed aside my fear of a burned mouth, and started sipping it. Despite how overly hot it felt in my hands, it was the perfect temperature. A low body temperature messes with your ability to judge heat the way you normally do. By the time I finished it a few minutes later, my body was finally able to stop shivering and returned to a normal temperature. My wife graciously rubbed out all of my extremely tense and sore muscles as my body recovered.

The whole situation reminded me about how often this occurs in life as well. When my body refused to warm up, it wasn't because of an exterior lack of heat – it was the interior. Only by drinking that tea did the heat get where it needed to in order to make a difference. So often, we cover ourselves with what the world has to offer in an effort to feel better. What we really need is a change on the inside.

Many of us have been on the fringe of letting Jesus really take over. We've embraced the Christian lifestyle, but haven't allowed Him to fully come in. It's scary. There are so many things we love and we're afraid it will hurt too much to let Him in and lose them. It might be sexual or substance addiction, activities that take priority over faith and family, or any number of other things we misplace our hope in. We really want to be taken over, but we're afraid of the pain.

When you finally do let go, knowing nothing else is going to offer the cure you need, you'll find Jesus' temperature is perfect even though it seems like it's going to burn. Our ability to judge the benefits of what Christ offers has been skewed by our broken selves and the lies of this broken world.

I can't promise a completely pain-free experience. Some of the sin we allow ourselves to get caught up in results in fractured relationships and other consequences when they come to light. The truth really does set you free from it though. If you want to know what it's like to let Jesus come in and love you, take a look at what love is in I Corinthians 13.

Jesus doesn't leave us longing for the things we left behind, He satisfies us more completely than you can possibly imagine. Take the leap, trust that God really does love you and that He really does want you to be fully satisfied in Him. That or you can put on another blanket and keep shivering, but the choice is yours alone to make.  

Facebook Made Me Change My Name

For nearly three years now, my Facebook handle has been Saved by Grace. Earlier this week, however, I received a notification that I would have to provide documentation if this was my real name or I would have to change it.

I was pretty irritated by this development. I had chosen the name intentionally for two reasons. First, I left a life behind me that I am not proud of along with a group of people that I had hurt deeply. Changing my name gave me the opportunity to engage with those that saw the change in my life and recognized God's grace at work while avoiding uncomfortable or superficial relationships with others.

Second, it allowed me to hit the reset button on social media the way I had the opportunity to the same thing in life when God offered me a second chance. Saved by Grace was a name with real meaning – it defined who I am and what I am about. No more being ashamed of the God I love, nor of the grace and mercy I so desperately need. No more putting on a mask to make others see what I want them to believe is going on in my life.

I traded my authentic name with the mask of success for a pen name with meaning and authenticity.

Was I hiding from my past by working under a different name?

Yeah, to an extent I was. I don't want certain people to find me and I fear the harassment others may wish to subject me to. But my chosen name was also a reminder of who I am now – and of the message I know so many other people need to hear.

So now I face the murky waters of social media in a way I didn't choose. My former life is a part of that once more. At the same time, I'm still Saved by Grace. The great reminder here is that in life, we don't have the luxury of hitting the reset button – at least not completely. The consequences of our past actions have lifelong effects. The wounds heal and the scars slowly fade, but they never completely go away this side of heaven.

Despite all that, I am forgiven and redeemed by my Savior who sees only His bride and He has pursued beyond what I ever deserved. For some reason, He thinks I'm worthy in spite of my scars. But then again, once you really get to know Him, you'll begin to understand just how beautiful His scars are as well.