A Student of Your Spouse

Pastor Mark Driscoll recently challenged me in his self-proclaimed "most practical sermon he has ever preached." It really began me thinking about how much time I spend in pursuit of various studies & how little time I spend studying my wife (her likes/dislikes, dreams, passions, pleasures, schedule, etc.). As you well know, these types of things often change over time. So...I took a break from work the other day & shot her an email including some questions. I want to always stay up to date with her interests & also what God has been teaching her. I want to be her #1 student. These are some of the questions I asked:

• What have been some of your favorite date memories? Where? What? Why?
• If you could vacation anywhere this next year, where would you want to go? When?
• Are there people you would like to go visit or spend time with for a few days?
• How often a month do you need a day to just go shopping/eat out/etc. where I can either keep the kid(s) or get childcare?
• If you could plan 2-3 days to be with some girls & go on a trip, who would they be? Where to go? When?
• If you were to designate a place in our home that would be our "connection" place (a place to sit together, read, pray, talk, no TV, no internet, etc.), where would it be? What would you want it to look like?
• If you could change one thing about our home to make it feel more like a place of rest/Sabbath for you, what would it be?

Still studying!

A Hurried Existence, Part 5

"...they'd been moving much too fast & it was time to stop & let their souls catch up with their bodies" (McDonald).

Does this sound like you? Is your private world in disarray? I've often thought, "I am living at such a pace that I cannot even distinguish what I really enjoy from that which just seems necessary for achievement or expansion." Until recently I didn't realize how much I was "gaining the whole world but forfeiting my soul." John Wesley said, "Every man is a fool who gets rich on earth but not in heaven." In order for our souls to be fit, they must be nurtured, namely by the Lord himself.

I would like to offer 3 spiritual disciplines helpful in making Sabbath real in the midst of life: (Willard, The Great Omission)

1. Solitude: time alone, out of contact with others, indoor or outdoor, doing no work; "you don't have to Do to Be."
2. Silence: quietness, freedom from sounds except natural ones; also means not talking.
3. Fasting: abstinence from our ordinary food to some significant degree & for some significant length of time.
   

If you are going to incorporate Sabbath principles into your life, you will have to be counter-cultural, even counter to most evangelical church cultures. Sabbath rest is a gift of grace that few of us ever accept. Realize there is nothing you can do to earn God's love & there is no labor you can work that can produce eternal good unless the Holy Spirit causes growth. Maybe a few months from now you will be in a routine of weekly rest & be able to say that your soul has finally caught up with your body. You will be renewed & you will trust the Lord in a new way. You may conclude that so much energy was spent in hurry & stress, worry & fear, when the Sabbath was there all along, waiting to be received. Be blessed for His glory!

"God be gracious to us & bless us, & cause His face to shine upon us--
Selah.
That Your way may be know on the earth, your salvation among all nations.
Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You.
Let the nations be glad & sing for joy; For You will judge the peoples with uprightness & guide the nations on the earth.
Selah.
Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You.
The earth has yielded its produce; God, our God, blesses us.
God blesses us,
That all the ends of the earth may fear Him." Psalm 67

For those of you who would like to explore the topic of Sabbath further, I would like to offer a list of resources that may be useful:

• The Sabbath, Abraham Heschel
• Sabbath Keeping, Lynne M. Baab
• Mudhouse Sabbath, Laura Winner
• Sabbath, Wayne Muller
• Receiving the Day, Dorothy Bass
• Keeping the Sabbath Wholly, Marva Dawn
• The Sabbath: Entering God's Rest, Barry Rubin & Steffi Rubin

A Hurried Existence, Part 4

Bill Hybels, Pastor of Willow Creek, stated in the early '90s, "The pace at which I've been doing the work of God is destroying God's work in me."

For you, this may be a series of tidbits on Sabbath; I hope it is more than that. For me, it is a testimony of God restoring His work in me.

A few nights ago Joy & I were lying in bed reading a book together. We try to make this a habit; right now we are reading an incredible book, "The 3 Big Questions for a Frantic Family" by Patrick Lencioni (For those of you who have read my book, you realize his impact on my life). At some point between reading & discussing, I began to get quite emotional. I came to the realization that God was restoring me from years of allowing my "serving God" replacing my "knowing God." For years I kept rationalizing to myself that this was only a really busy season & that it would soon slack off. Numerous times I would approach my pastor & say, "I think I need to back off from this activity, I am becoming very unhealthy." A common reply among pastors, "I'm afraid that this is just the nature of the beast (ministry)." After hearing this countless times I concluded, "Well, if that is the case, then I would rather be a lay person who loves God than a pastor who is bitter." I remember saying to Joy, "I dread to think, if we had children, the impression of God they would have because of my life; it is not worth it. I choose Jesus over my ministry." And so I did.

Back to the other night in bed, I turned to Joy & said, "I am so thankful that God is restoring His work in me; I need Him so desperately. I hope you can see the difference--my life is changing." My eyes teared up as she responded, "I am finally beginning to see again the man of God that I fell in love with."

You may conclude from this post, what does this have to do with Sabbath? Well...everything. Sabbath means to stop. For me, it also means "to be connected." If you are living a 'hurried existence,' maybe you simply need to stop. Stop & be connected...with God...with your spouse...with friends....with children...stop.

Until tomorrow, I leave you with this:
"We feel honestly the pull of man obligations & try to fulfill them all. And we are unhappy, uneasy, strained, oppressed, & fearful we shall be shallow...We have hints that there is a way of life vastly richer & deeper than all this hurried existence, a life of unhurried serenity & peace & power. If only we could slip over into that Center!...We have seen & known some people who have found this deep Center of living, where the fretful calls of life are integrated, where No as well as Yes can be said with confidence." --Thomas Kelly

Grace & peace.

A Hurried Existence, Part 3

A hurried life is quite empty; beware!

"We do not rest because our work is done; we rest because God commanded it & created us to have a need for it."

We need rest.
And, this is difficult for someone as driven for accomplishment as myself. When is the last time you heard someone say, "You look so rested & renewed."? In my life this statement is rare. I suppose I have only heard it a few times during my ministry & it has only been when I was able to get away to attend a retreat or time of renewal. And, during that time I spent a significant amount of time resting & receiving ministry from the Lord.

One author stated, "God gave His work meaning & acknowledged its completion. In doing so, He taught us that there is a necessary exercise of appreciation & dedication for our routines." In essence, the Sabbath is to 'close the loop' on our work; it is the completion of the cycle.

May I offer 3 meanings of Sabbath Rest: (please forgive my inability to acknowledge the source, I failed to take complete notes).

1. The rest God instituted was meant...to interpret our work, to press meaning into it, to make sure we know to whom it is properly dedicated." It causes us to ask questions such as: What does my work mean? For whom did I do this work? How well was the work done? Why did I do this? What results did I expect & what did I receive?
2. True rest is happening when we pause regularly amidst daily routines to sort out the truths & commitments by which we are living.
3. When we rest in the biblical sense, we affirm our intentions to pursue a Christ-centered tomorrow. We ponder where we are headed in the coming week, month, or year. We define our intentions & make our dedications."

Selah.

A Hurried Existence, Part 2

"Remember the sabbath day, & keep it holy. Six days you shall labor & do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work...for in six days the Lord made heaven & earth, the sea, & all that is in them, but rested the seventh day." Exodus 20:8-11 (see also Exodus 31:13).

Routines are to stop.
Labor is to cease.
A day set aside in obedience to God.

What does it mean to Sabbath? Well, in the simplest form it means "stop." Personally, the sabbath has served as a metaphor for salvation. When we rest, we are reminded that God is in control of our labor, our planting, our fruit, etc. It is a reminder that nothing we do will earn God's love--we are loved apart from what we do. As Muller said, "If we refuse rest until we are finished, we will never rest until we dies. Sabbath dissolves the artificial urgency of our days, because it liberates us form the need to be finished."

As one said, "A restless work style produces a restless person."

Before I continue, I ask that you consider your posture before God. Are you constantly striving, trying to "make something happen?" Are you lazy during the 6 days that you feel the need to work a 7th? Do you need to set aside time for the Lord, to "be still & know that I am the Lord?" Only you know these answers, be honest.

Until tomorrow.

God rested.

A Hurried Existence, Part 1

For years, I didn't know I was allowed to rest.

"Our culture invariably supposes that action & accomplishment are better than rest, that doing something--anything--is better than doing nothing" said Wayne Muller.

When I entered my doctoral studies at Regent University we were tested for burnout. Guess what? I tested "burnt." From years in ministry I had developed 'compassion fatigue.' Or as Mark Driscoll experienced, 'death by ministry.'

If I were to confess addiction, I suppose my substance of choice is that of achievement, recognition, accomplishment, & action. I know it is a highly acceptable addiction in most communities, yet acceptance does not mean virtue. Something can be extremely popular & be dead wrong.

For the next few days/weeks/whatever, I am going to dedicate some blog space to principles of Sabbath keeping & rest. As one person said, "KEEP THE SABBATH" is the only commandment people brag about breaking. Personally, I do not want to be disobedient in this area. So...I am going to be sharing some failures & successes in this area & suggest readings for further study.

If you are a person in ministry (or just addicted to control), I beg you & offer a loving rebuke if you are ignoring this principle. You & I must realize that God will do more with 6 than 7 (days). You will be a drastically more compassionate & loving person if you would accept God's gift of Sabbath. Lynne Baab said, "Without time to stop, we cannot notice God's hand in our lives, practice thankfulness, step outside our culture's values or explore our deepest longings."

Accept the grace of rest.

Advent Conspiracy

I'm hoping that this Christmas is going to be different; I suppose the change must begin with me.

What kind of love is this?

Photo by Mark Hemmings at the Budapest Museum of Fine Arts: “THE PRODIGAL SON” - by Constantin Meunier.

This morning marks the most powerful time we've had yet in our men's small group; I can't help but share. Through the help of dear friends, God is doing in my life what I have only dreamed of. I feel hopeful that regardless of circumstance, we will each spur one another along in faith. I can be myself & that is okay.

Today we all teared-up as we spoke of the defenses we build against others; in essence, we shared of our inability to trust. It is not that we don't desire to trust God or others, it is just that we have & have been hurt. Because of this, we often do not know how to accept the perfect love of God--a love without conditions. We sometimes believe the lie that God is just like everybody else...He will let us down.

I was reminded of a verse foreshadowing Christ's ministry. Of Him is said, "A bruised reed He will not break & a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish" (Isaiah 42:3). Though you may feel bruised, He will not break you & extinguish your dim spirit. Rather, He will minister & cultivate your heart. You can trust Him; Jesus reveals the heart of the Father.

I was reminded of His love through the story of Dox Quixote, The Man from La Mancha. If you remember, Quixote would always speak words of love, kindness, & beauty over his beloved; her name was Aldonza. He called her Dulcinea, "sweetness." Because of her lifestyle (a life of blatant promiscuity--a whore), Aldonza would refuse his comments & lash out in frustration at him. In the climax of the story she says, "Tenderness I cannot bear." She was so accustomed to being used, mistreated, & taken advantage of that she couldn't accept his love. Yet, his kindness would eventually overcome her & tear down her defenses; love won. Eventually, Aldonza begins to believe the man from La Mancha. She says to him, "My name is no longer Aldonza, I am now Dulcinea."

The Father rejoices over the humble. He is forever patient in our brokenness as we say, "tenderness I cannot bear." Yet, He speaks over you a new name--a name you will grow into as you come to trust His goodness. He is the Father of the prodigal & is near to the broken-hearted.

-Prodigal Me

Humility...

I am in the middle of a book by Wayne A. Mack, Humility....The Forgotten Virtue. Nothing challenges me much more than when I am confronted with my lack of humility. I am such a prideful man and in constant need of embracing humility through the preaching of the gospel to myself. The gospel always reminds me of my desperate need of Christ in my daily struggle with self-sufficiency. May I also suggest another book on this subject that God used to confront me with my pride and how pervasive it is in my life, Humility...True Greatness, by C.J. Mahaney.

Yesterday, I came across an excellent portion in Mack's book of some ways that humility manifest itself in our attitudes and actions.

True humility manifests itself before God....

• by the free and sincere confession of one's insignificance and sinfulness
• by a complete lack of trust in one's own heart and complete dependence on God for all things
• by totally renouncing any glory coming from our own good and by giving all glory to God for all things
• by respecting, receiving, and responding to the Word of God
• by completely submitting to God's own will even if His will is difficult
• by submitting oneself to the Providences of God without complaint
• by delighting in the worship and praise of God
• by continually seeking God in prayer
• by considering it a privilege to serve Christ in any capacity...a privilege we are not worthy of or deserving
• by being willing to acknowledge God's infinite wisdom and knowledge

All of these are so challenging and applicable to my life, but the one that stops me in my tracks is...by submitting oneself to the Providences of God without complaint. I am one that not only complains but lives as if I am entitled that things should go well for me. Maybe it would help me in those times to ask this question...You're not going to hell are you?? When I answer no to that question it should remind me that anything above hell is an incredible act of the grace and mercy of God. It should remind me of the gospel. Then I can read, believe, and apply Philippians 4: 6-8 with confidence.

And finally, enjoy this Spurgeon quote that says it so well...as only he could say it.

O! strange mystery, that thou, who has borrowed everything, should exalt thyself; that thou, who hast nothing of thine own, but hast still to draw upon grace, shouldst be proud; a poor dependent pensioner upon the bounty of thy Savior, and yet be proud; one who hath a life which can only live by fresh streams of life from Jesus, and yet proud!

May these words and this truth create within us all the realization of how desperate we are for Christ and Him crucified.

Remaining desperate...

Free eBook of my book

I am giving away my book in eBook form for free; I can't help it, I love giving stuff away. I am set to receive my first hard copies in a matter of days but I didn't want to wait to pass it on to you.

A little more info about the book:
Currently I am in the final stage of publishing a leadership/business book that I have written to use in numerous organizations in the U.S. The name of it is A Remarkable Practice: Developing Leaders Personally & Professionally. So far, I have been able to present the books content at the University of Indiana, a private practice in Phoenix, AZ, & am going next month to Louisville, KY. For the last 16 weeks I have been training a network of 16 optometric practices in leadership using the book; it has been really fun.

A brief description of the book:
A Remarkable Practice uses a music analogy to help communicate business & leadership principles. The first five chapters deal with the characteristics of remarkable organizations, they include: teamwork (musicians), purpose (melody), communication (harmony), systems (rhythm), and customer service (audience). Chapter six is slightly different as it introduces an Action Plan to help stimulate personal leadership ability. It then examines six key relationships for leadership development & suggestions on how to improve these relationships. It is intended for those who want to better understand the aspects that make up a healthy organization. It is also targeted at those of us who have a sincere desire to become better leaders. It will benefit those in leadership in any organization, small business, home, church, & etc.

So...with that said, it would be my pleasure for you to go to www.aremarkablepractice.com & fill out the contact form. Be sure to check the box "free eBook." As soon as you submit the form an automated email will be sent to you with the book in .pdf form. Very simple.

It is such an easy read--many could read it in a short sitting. I hope you find it beneficial. Please feel free to get the word out & send people to the website so that they can get the free eBook. Thanks so much!

Fall in TN

I really love Fall; it is one of the most beautiful times of the year, especially in East TN. The other morning I took advantage of the early morning & went out for a sunrise photo shoot. I thought I would share with you my favorite two pics. Enjoy & feel free to share.

Logos Bible Software: If you love the Bible, if you have a Mac!

Let's just say that it is an exciting day for me or really for anyone who loves the Bible & has a Mac. One of the only downsides I have experienced in the last 5-6 years using the Mac was not having the Logos Bible Software that was native to Mac users. Lets just say that there were times where I almost bought an inexpensive PC strictly to use for this program. This is no longer a problem. 

By no means do I want to sound like a salesman; I just know that this is going to make a big difference in the way I approach biblical study. If you have a desire for some of the most reputable & robust Bible software available at your fingertips & you have never heard of Logos Bible Software, you should check it out at www.macbiblesoftware.com or www.logos.com. 

When I was in seminary, I used to envy the guys who had this program because it put so many resources immediately into their arsenal. I was hauling around 80 lbs. of books in my backpack & they had it all on their computer. I'm not bitter! (or am I?).

There are 5 different versions ranging from $194.96-$1034.96 (retail). Most students will not need anything over the Scholar's Library unless you are really into Ancient texts beyond Greek, Hebrew, & Aramaic as well as ancient texts in translation such as Philo & Josephus. But, who am I to judge? If you are really eager to read the Codex Sinaiticus for yourself, I wish you God-speed. 

If you are wondering, I am going to purchase the Scholar's Library ($472.46); this should suffice for my needs. As funds arise, I will consider adding on other libraries & downloads. Plus, I am going to recommend this to all of my friends in ministry & laymen who have a hunger to see God's word enriched. And to those who are still in seminary, be sure to take advantage of your special savings as a student. From what I remember, the savings are quite substantial.

Be sure to check it out when you have a minute. Stay hungry, stay foolish!

The Prosperity Gospel

I hope the title Prosperity Gospel intrigues you, yet the content of this post may be slightly different than you thought. 

My wife & I have always been really blessed, even with material possessions (many of which were gifts by gracious people). There is no getting around it...we have a nice home, nice vehicles (if you consider an '89 Grand Wagoneer nice--I do!), nice furniture & things (my favorites are the pictures in our home), nice clothes, etc. For years we have almost felt guilty for having such nice things. Yet, I have come to a few conclusions: 

• God blesses us so that we may be a blessing to others. "Let love be without hypocrisy...give preference to one another in honor....contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality" (Romans 12:9-13). 
• It is a never ending battle to want & desire more stuff, the discipline of contentment is to be pleased with what you have. I recently heard a man from India who stated (my paraphrase), "I wish your missionaries from America would quit bringing over more stuff, thinking that what we need are more things. It is much different over here, our happiness is not based upon having more things." 
• I disagree with most of the "health & wealth gospel." As Paul David Tripp stated, "Those prayers for prosperity have one fatal flaw in them. They are prayers for prosperity for the purpose of the delight of the person praying the prayer" (55).
• We should be praying for prosperity so that God's kingdom purposes may be advanced on earth: 

"Give wisdom to a man who is living for God's kingdom & he'll use that wisdom to advance God's kingdom. Give money to a man who loves God's kingdom & he'll look for ways to invest that money in kingdom causes. Give a house to a person who seeks God's kingdom and his house will be a place of hospitality, love, and ministry" (Tripp, 56).  

• Use your prosperity for God's glory; if you have been saved, you are different now. Be blessed not for the sake of your kingdom, but the furtherance of His. Tripp said, "When God prospers people who are living for him, they use that blessing to serve him all the more, and for this he gets glory and in this he finds great delight" (56). 
• I should take inventory of what I really need & then get rid of the rest by giving it to people who need it. 
• Remind myself that all things are from God so that I do not hold too tightly to any of my possessions. God may very well want to use me as an instrument to bless others. In fact, I know this is true.

So there you have it...just a few thoughts that I hope would be beneficial for your consideration. Have a great day!

Stay hungry, seek to learn & grow!

Spiritual Leadership in My Home

My confession is simple: I have often misunderstood what it means to be the spiritual leader in my home.

Explanation: In theory, I understand what it means to be the spiritual leader of my home; in practice, it is not so easy. It reminds me of what Dallas Willard said, "very little of the Christian life works in theory, but rather only in practice; it must be tried by faith."

This morning our men's group met for our time of community & accountability. Our curriculum generally begins by talking about what stood out to us in the relevant chapter of "Whiter than Snow" by Paul David Tripp (aka P-Diddy Tripp). Somehow we landed on the topic of leadership & I was deeply confronted with something that is true in my life. A dear spiritual friend, Mike, said (my paraphrase), "I thought I was a good leader in the home by keeping peace by way of not dealing with conflict, instead of realizing that through the pain of confrontation, we are able to confront sin (& lies, etc.) & grow." In many ways, he described my "default" leadership.

To be at "default" is to do what is natural, or when nobody is looking, or when you are within the comfort of home without the pressure to perform. I realized that my "default" is often to ignore problems hoping that time will solve the issue. I know that it seems dumb to think that [problems + time - confrontation = spiritual leadership]. I know this in theory, but practice is different. What I really need to do when there is unrest, unforgiveness, tension, discipline, etc. that needs resolved is to confront the issue & take appropriate action. This is a much better way to lead...much better, but harder. Also, what I have realized is that my wife respects me more for this. In reality, she needs & desires me to tackle tough issues & confront sin & problems--it is me that isn't too keen on the idea. What is completely ironic is that I recently authored a book on leadership & the first section deals largely with the need for confrontation in team health. You would think I could heed my own advice.

Truth is, I know I am not alone. I am aware that you deal with this as well. But, I am hopeful of the growth that is becoming evident in my life.

Consider this resource from my former pastor, Sam Shaw, on 25 Ways to Be the Spiritual Leader in Your Home:


25 Ways to Be a Spiritual Leader in Your Home

A spiritual leader includes his wife in envisioning the future.
A spiritual leader accepts spiritual responsibility for the family.
A spiritual leader is willing to say, “I’m sorry “ and “forgive me” to his family.
A spiritual leader discusses household responsibilities with his wife and makes sure they are evenly distributed.
A spiritual leader seeks the consultation of his wife on all major financial responsibilities.
A spiritual leader follows through with commitments he has made to his wife.
A spiritual leader anticipates the different seasons his marriage will pass through.
A spiritual leader anticipates the different stages his children will pass through.
A spiritual leader frequently tells his wife what he likes about her.
A spiritual leader provides financially for his family’s basic living expenses.
A spiritual leader deals with distractions so he can talk with his wife and family.
A spiritual leader prays with his wife on a regular basis.
A spiritual leader initiates meaningful family traditions.
A spiritual leader initiates fun outings for the family on a regular basis.
A spiritual leader takes time to give his children practical instruction about life, which, in turn, gives them confidence with their peers.
A spiritual leader manages the schedule of the home and anticipates any pressure points.
A spiritual leader keeps his family financially sound and out of harmful debt.
A spiritual leader makes sure he and his wife have drawn up a will and arranged a well-conceived plan for their children in case of death.
A spiritual leader lets his wife and children into the interior of his life.
A spiritual leader honors his wife in public.
A spiritual leader explains sex to his children in a way that gives them a wholesome perspective.
A spiritual leader encourages his wife to grow as an individual.
A spiritual leader takes the lead in establishing with his wife sound, biblically supported family values.
A spiritual leader joins a small group of men who are dedicated to improving their skills as a man, husband and father.
A spiritual leader provides time for his wife to pursue her own personal interest.

Stay hungry, stay foolish!

New Book Idea

I would like ask for your help in a book idea that I have been considering. For about the past year, it has been on my mind to study & write a book about the life of Jacob (name later changed to Israel), son of Isaac (refer to Genesis 25 +). There are a number of different ideas that I have in mind as for an outline; my focus so far has been studying the events of his life in Scripture & the personal application that could be drawn from his life. Also, I am trying to get to the root of the original Hebrew (& Greek LXX) Language. All of this to say, that if/when you run across different resources (sermons, books, articles, etc.) that are relevant to Jacob & his life, please forward them to me. Or, if you have personal insight through Bible study about Jacob & wouldn't mind sharing it, please do so. I value your insight & know that I could learn a great deal more with your help. 

Thanks so much!

Two Debtors: A Parable

A religious leader asked him over for a meal. He went to the house & sat down at the dinner table. Having learned that Jesus was a guest in the religious leader's home, a prostitute from the city came with a bottle of very expensive perfume & stood at his feet, weeping, her tears falling on his feet. She let down her hair, dried his feet, kissed them, & put perfume on them. The religious leader saw this & said to himself, "If Jesus were really the prophet I thought he was, he would know this woman who is falling all over him is a whore."

The Parable:

Two men were in debt to the bank. One owed $20,000, the other $2,000. Neither of them could pay up, & so the head of the bank had mercy & cancelled both debts. Which of the two would be more grateful? 

Yes, the one who was forgiven the largest amount. He who was forgiven the largest amount is the most grateful. Yet if the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal. 

Personal Application: 

"If we could see how much You're worth, You're power, You're might, You're endless love, then surely we would never cease to praise You." 

I believe one of the greatest challenges church leaders face is to help people realize the depth of their sin. Otherwise, we have a community of people who, like Simon the Pharisee (Luke 7:36-50), do not realize the expanse of God's active mercy, grace, & forgiveness. They, in essence, have fallen for the temptation to "look good without being good" (Brennan Manning). Hoping that "mere time cancels sin. But mere time does nothing either to the fact or the guilt of sin" (C.S. Lewis). One must realize that in order for atonement to be efficient in one's life they must sense it's necessity (Lord Byron). Otherwise, the Pharisee within is all too willing to make himself known in our lives arguing, "compared to _________, you are a really incredible person; what matters most is to be respected." 

Yet, the Bible teaches that God is "opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6). To our detriment, we have churches full of prideful, self-sufficient & self-righteous individuals (I include myself in this description). We have either forgotten the depths of sin that we were saved from, have become too accustomed (& numb) to the religious activities of our churches, or we haven't been saved at all. I believe this is manifested in the lack of compassion & love for God that is seen in my life & my church. As John M. Shanahan stated, "Personal sin reflected upon breeds compassion." Sometimes I read the gospels & realize that I resemble those Jesus confronted rather than Christ Himself. Because, "other men's sins are before our eyes; our own are behind our backs" (Seneca). 

I encourage you to spend sometime before God today. "Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts..." (Hebrews 3:15). May God reveal to us the depths of our sin so that we may realize the great expanse of His love. While we were opposed to God, enemies of the cross, He gave His life a ransom so that we may be reconciled to God. Our atonement is Christ himself. 

May God have mercy on us for we are sinners & we don't even realize it.