How to Strengthen Your Faith

I had a basketball coach my senior year in high school who was really quite good. He struck a superb balance between discipline and genuine concern for our lives away from the court. But one thing was certain in his system of coaching: practice was not optional. And each practice always contained multiple repetitions of the "basics," or fundamentals, of basketball. We repeatedly worked on defending, passing, dribbling, and shooting (in that order). These disciplines, though often "boring" and unglamorous, proved very beneficial at game time. Developing such second nature fundamentals typically resulted in victory over a less-disciplined team.

Faith is fundamental to a life pleasing to God. The Bible tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6). Since this is true, it might behoove us to understand what faith is and how we can exercise it to its maximum potential in our lives.

Some common definitions of faith include:

1. Confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing.
2. Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence.
3. Loyalty to a person or thing; allegiance.

Faith is also closely linked to belief, which can be defined as the mental act, condition, or habit of placing trust or confidence in another. So, we see that faith is a complex combination of belief in the truth, especially that which is unseen, and disciplined loyalty to the one being trusted. Faith, therefore, is intangible in the sense that it does not have a means to measure it - at least we human beings cannot measure it. Faith is intensely personal, but in God's kingdom it can also be expressed corporately.

The difficulty most Christians (or anyone for that matter) have when it comes to faith is understanding how to strengthen it. How do you take something that cannot be measured and is reliant on belief and "strengthen" it? It's a tough question, but one worth examination. In order to answer this question intelligently, one must first understand that the "strength" of faith is dependent on the strength of its object. In other words, faith is only "strong" if the one being believed in is strong. Therefore, as Christians, our faith only "strengthens" as we surrender more fully to God's control. "He must increase, I must decrease."

Jesus made this principle clear when He responded to his disciples desperate pleas for increased faith by stating, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you." None of the disciples could be strong enough to achieve such a feat, especially by only using their words. But through faith the size of a tiny mustard seed they could accomplish such an impossible task, because of the strength of the One in whom they expressed their faith was able to do it. This "less is more" principle is precisely the route to strengthening faith. Why? Because less of us means more of God living through us - and that is strength!

So, what does my high school coach have to do with strengthening faith? His relentless emphasis on the basics is a reminder to me that faith is a "basic" to a life pleasing to God. If I get distracted by believing that anything other than a life lived by faith can please God, I slowly (and sometimes not so slowly) drift toward self-reliant thinking. Such self-reliance is not only displeasing to God, but it also always leads to poor choices and various degrees of heartache and dissatisfaction. A life lived by faith in God, however, leads to righteousness, peace, and joy.

Let us work to get our focus off our "abilities" (which really aren't impressive to a holy God anyway), and instead "fix our eyes on Jesus." With faith the size of a mustard seed we might just uproot some longstanding trees of pride, lust, envy, and more.

Uprooting...by faith,

jonathan

Is Confession All that Matters in Recovery?

Is confession all that matters in recovery? If we continue to admit our faults and failures, is that enough to live a life of ongoing purity, or is there more to the equation of freedom than simply admitting time and again that we are broken and imperfect? I propose that confession is only half of the equation when it comes to living each day in sexual purity.

Confession is certainly necessary for recovery to begin, and even to move forward. To confess is to agree with truth. We confess that we are not perfect (true). We confess that we have a problem with lust - or whatever the particular struggle may be (true). We confess that we need help and cannot overcome our faults and failures alone (true). We confess each time our thoughts or actions do not match up with what God has said is good or right, and in so doing we agree with truth. Confession is an honest assessment and expression of reality. But confession alone does not change behavior. No, confession invites the forgiveness and cleansing of God onto our broken lives, but it is repentance that ultimately changes the course of our lives over the long haul.

I used to think that if I just got really good at confessing my faults and failures as quickly as possible to when they occurred that I would become a different man. Unfortunately, all I learned from such a venture was how desperately wicked my sinful nature was and how often I must confess. Nothing seemed to change, at least not in significant, lasting ways. I just confessed and confessed and confessed. Mostly, I just confessed the same failures over and over again. This didn't seem like progress (I'm not the brightest kid in the class, but I can deduce that repeating the same failures does not equal positive growth). Each confession did bring about a cleansing, a sort of "start-over-point" as promised by God (1 John 1:9), but this didn't seem to do much for gaining traction in overcoming these vice-like sins.

The key to gaining ground against the ever-chasing pull of lust is found in the practice of repentance. Repentance is the process of turning away from anything opposed to truth. Repentance provides the balance to confession. We confess to agree with truth, then we repent to turn away from the opposing thought, belief, or action that prompted the confession. Through repentance we train our minds and hearts to focus on that which leads to life and freedom: truth (John 8:32). And as we continually turn toward truth we experience the power of God unleashed on the false thoughts, beliefs, and actions that seek to pull us again into darkness, shame, and despair.

One of the biggest challenges to repentance is pride. We truly believe we know what is best for our lives, even if it may be killing us. We think we can reason our way out of the lustful trap we are caught in, rather than surrendering ourselves, through repentance, to the truth of God's Word and His ways. Pride is an ugly beast, but so often goes unrecognized as we wiggle and squirm out of the loving invitation of repentance and new way of life. But to become a new person, a free, pure child of God, we must die to our pride and invite, even embrace, the path of repentance.

Does confession matter in recovery? Absolutely! But without repentance, confession only serves to perpetually wash over the same stain again and again without ever effectively seeking to remove it. Repentance, therefore, compliments confession by guiding us toward the proper focus and perspective once we receive the refreshing cleansing brought about by humble, honest confession. May you allow your times of confession to remind you to take the additional step toward long-term freedom by also repenting. This is the path to true freedom...

Confessing and repenting,

jonathan

Does Behavior Matter?

In my previous post I made the assertion that God pours out His blessings on our lives not because of anything we deserve or do to earn such kindnesses. He blesses us out of the abundance of His grace, not based on any "right" behavior on our part. But does this truth mean that our actions don't matter? Because God is kind to us regardless of right actions, does this therefore mean that our actions have no meaning or value? Absolutely not!

Behavior matters, but not in the way you might be trained to think. Our behavior does not change God's love for us - ever. His love is constant. He does not love us more if we do "mighty things" in his name, nor does he love us less if we act deplorably. But our behaviors do matter when it comes to enjoying abundant life, experiencing daily peace, and reaping eternal reward.

Jesus said, "...I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10) Jesus came to give us life, abundant life. Jesus wanted to offer us something we didn't have apart from him. And by his sacrifice he offered us not only reconciliation with God through the forgiveness of our sin, but also the overflowing riches of a full life. But reconciliation and abundant life are achieved differently. Reconciliation occurs the moment a person believes in Jesus Christ as their Savior, the one who bore the sins of the world to appease the righteous, holy God. When a person believes in Jesus they are immediately and permanently reconciled to God. Nothing must be offered by the person to receive this position before God - simple belief is all it takes. Full, or abundant, life, however, requires a bit more.

Jesus saves us to change us. Jesus did not come to save sinners simply for a trophy to present to God as a reconciled human being (as incredible as this is!). No, he envisioned far more for his children. Therefore, once a person is saved (reconciled) he begins the process of transformation into a new person. In essence, the Christian life is a process of growing out what God planted in you at salvation. And this "growing out" requires changes. These changes have no bearing on the position you have as a reconciled child of God, but they do have profound influence on whether or not you will enjoy a truly abundant life. You cannot enjoy abundance as God defines it while harboring sin or living in pride. Therefore, to enjoy abundant life, behaviors must begin to match the characteristics of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control that God has placed in you through His Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22). This growing out begins to reap abundant life.

Peace, in God's system, only comes through death. Even reconciliation, or peace, with God did not come without the death of Jesus Christ. The same is true in the transformation to being more Christlike. The experience of peace in life only comes when you choose to sacrifice your pride, envy, lust, even your very life for Christ. By dying to self you gain peace. This peace is not the same as comfort. Dying is not comfortable. Peace is harmony with God. You can be a child of God (reconciled), but not be living in harmony with God (i.e. living in habitual sin). Therefore, to be at peace is to line up your life in every way with what God desires. This includes behavior. Because, even though God's grace is offered regardless of behavior, our peace is dependent on walking in harmony with our Savior.

God loves to give gifts. It is in his nature to give. And because he is thoroughly good in every way, he delights in giving good gifts. God will reward his children someday. Some of his kids will receive many more rewards than others. Call this unfair, but it's the way things are. And the way you act, or behave, in this life does affect the rewards you receive in the next. All who are saved will receive the reward of eternal life, but there are many other rewards for faithfulness, integrity, evangelism, and more. These "other" rewards are largely based on stewardship of time, money, and resources (i.e. behavior!). Your behavior matters when it comes to eternal rewards.

The bottom line is that behavior does matter in being a person of purity, but it matters for us, not whether God will continue to love us or "keep us saved." As you work through the process of improving behavior, keep in mind that you are doing so to become more like Christ, never to try and get Christ to like you. He loves you, He saved you, and one day He will reward you. I pray your mansion is enormous!

Behaving,

jonathan

Why Does God Bless Us?

The longer I live and the closer I move toward God the more I realize that I am not that good of a son. I do not always tell the truth, live by faith, or hold my tongue when I am angry (just to name a few of my faults). My sin nature sometimes gets the best of me when I am tired or let my guard down. I then agree with the apostle Paul in his climactic plea, "Who will rescue me from this prison of death?" And, yet, somehow God continues to pour out blessing upon blessing on my life. Why?

Sometimes I wonder if God has mistakenly addressed blessings meant for someone else to arrive at my doorstep. It is as if He left out one number or added one and these gracious, merciful blessings land in my life, while some poor saint down the spiritual street is left befuddled by receiving a neatly wrapped package of sackcloth and ashes. (So goes my overactive imagination.) But I do wonder why God continues to bless me when I am at best a crippled son.

Thankfully, God has answered this question of inequity in my life. The answer is both comforting and humbling. You see, God blesses me because I am His. His blessings are based on His merit, His grace, and His mercy. He blesses because He sees Himself in me-even when I can't.

How often do you look back over your day and measure it by what you did or did not do right? Your measuring stick for chalking the day up as "good" or "bad" is whether you performed some standard of acceptable behavior (acceptable in your eyes, anyway). This is human nature to measure "success" in this way. But this isn't the standard by which God measures His children. God measures the days of His children on two levels: faith and obedience.

The Bible says that "the righteous shall live by faith." In other words, those who are declared righteous before God are not declared so by their works, but rather by faith-faith in Jesus Christ alone. There are two "types" of faith: saving faith and sanctifying faith. Saving faith is the simple child-like belief in the finished work of Jesus on the cross. This faith only requires that we look to Jesus alone as our Savior from sin and death. Sanctifying faith is the faith that grows over a lifetime of learning to surrender our will for that of God's will. This faith, though it is vital to reaping peace and satisfaction, never nullifies saving grace. Once saved, always saved. Therefore, when we assess our day through the prism of faith we need not grieve too severely for the moments in which we did not fully surrender to God's desires, because we are, in fact, eternally sealed as His child forever. We assess any mistakes, ask forgiveness (which God promises to grant), and move forward. Grace really is amazing!

Obedience is scary to some Christians. But mainly this is due to those who preach obedience from a legalistic perspective. But Christ came to set us free from the bondage to sin that came through the law. So, obedience as a follower of Christ is an invitation to agree with the truth, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, surrender to God's direction. Obedience also requires faith, thus we are again challenged to look beyond what we can "do" and embrace what we believe.

So, I ask again, Why does God bless us? Because His grace has been poured out on us through Jesus Christ. It is a sort of "residual" benefit of our saving faith in Christ. By virtue of simply being God's child we are within the realm of the merciful prerogative of the Almighty. He chooses to bless whomever He wishes in whatever manner and time He so chooses. God's choice to bless us is not dependent on us behaving in any particular fashion.

I cannot speak for you, but I take great comfort in the fact that God does not rely on me having it all together in order to bless my life. After all, if He waited on me I might never receive a blessing...

Blessed beyond belief,

jonathan

Hope for the Broken Marriage

I suppose for sake of clarity I should define "broken marriage" before going any further in this article. A broken marriage (in the context I am writing) is one damaged by sexually inappropriate conduct. Such inappropriate conduct might include pornography, adultery, or masturbation - all rooted in lust. Sexual lust acts like an ax to the root of any healthy marriage. It swings ruthlessly and consistently until it weakens the foundation of marriage through lies, secrecy, and fear. Ultimately, a broken marriage is the result.

There are a growing number of broken marriages in the United States today. Men, and a rapidly increasing number of women, are falling prey to the schemes of pornographers and a culture saturated in sexual gratification at the expense of moral integrity. As the lies of lust are consumed by married persons it becomes necessary for spouses to lie in order to keep their sexual sin a secret. The longer they lie to one another the farther they drift apart emotionally. The farther apart they drift the wider the crevice of brokenness expands. Given enough time, the chasm between them seems an insurmountable obstacle. Thus, many couples who eventually wake up to the reality of their broken marriage feel they have fallen too far apart for any reasonable expectation of real healing and reconciliation.

As more and more broken couples reach out for help, too many are not finding what they really need to rebuild their relationship. Why? No one seems to be offering them the foundational element of long-term healing: hope. A host of well-intentioned counselors and pastors see a hurting, broken couple sitting on the couch in their office and immediately begin strategizing the best techniques to remedy the numerous problems of communication, finances, or sex they might be facing. What is wrong with this approach? Without casting a vision of hope, the counselor or pastor is simply offering a band aid as the solution for the gaping wound in the broken marriage. Broken marriages need hope for long-term healing and restoration.

There are many challenges to assisting spouses in a broken marriage to embrace hope. First, trust is always damaged in a broken marriage, and as such each spouse is reluctant to move toward one another for fear of being wounded even more deeply. Second, most couples suffering a broken marriage have little, if any, ability to communicate well with one another. They have each learned to place their own interests first, thus making communication a tool to manipulate their spouse to achieve their self-centered agenda. Finally, the sheer distance created between spouses through lying, hiding, and self-centeredness makes it difficult for the couple to imagine closeness as God designed it. These are the most common barriers to couples embracing hope.

Does it seem like the deck is stacked against the couple in a broken marriage? Only if you believe God is incapable of dealing them a new hand. And this is where hope must be reborn (or birthed for the first time) for those suffering the broken marriage. A couple must believe that God is able to heal, willing to restore, and desirous to make all things new. Spouses in a broken marriage must embrace the truth, individually and as a couple, that God can bring beauty from ashes and breathe life into their ashen relationship. Hope, true hope, is born in the one who begins to expect God to fulfill His promises even when it appears the situation is beyond repair. Hope sees beyond circumstance and anchors itself on the certainty of God's Word.

So, how does a couple suffering from a broken marriage actually embrace this kind of hope? Surprisingly, this type of hope is gained through brokenness. That’s right. The couple who wakes up one day and realizes the extent to which their marriage has been broken is closer to hope than they might realize. It isn’t that healthier marriages cannot also experience hope for improving their relationship, but rather that those who have fallen to the depths of despair can see the stark contrast of hope more clearly against the backdrop of their broken lives. But such a realization and appropriation of hope cannot come without outside intervention and guidance.

Most couples can experience brokenness without any help from anybody else. In fact, it comes naturally to those who allow sexual sin to infiltrate their union. But hope, healing, and a rebuilt marriage must involve external influence. Of course, there must be the touch of God if true and lasting healing is to occur. But there must also be the instruction and guidance of wise counselors and friends to help a broken marriage be rebuilt. Without such influence the probability of the couple drifting back to old patterns of deception and self-centeredness is virtually certain.

In choosing those to counsel the broken couple, the determining factor is truth. Invite truth-tellers in; reject falsehood. How can such a broken couple determine what is the truth and what isn’t? Through the benchmark of truth, God’s Word. God never lies. Never. If particular counsel does not match up with God’s Word, it is not good for the healing of the broken marriage. And such false instruction does more to damage hope than to encourage it. Truth, though it may require painful self-examination, will always lead to the path of freedom. And freedom (from deception, bitterness, fear, and self-centeredness) is exactly what the broken marriage needs in order to rebuild to a healthy, whole, “oneness” union.

Why is hope so important in this process of healing the broken marriage? Because without hope it is easy to become discouraged. Healing a broken marriage is not easy. It takes time, sacrifice, endurance, and hard work. For couples who have become used to traveling the path of least resistance it would be easy to bail out of such a difficult journey if hope, true hope, was not firmly embraced. When the road gets bumpy it is hope that reminds the couple that their efforts will not be in vain. It is hope that reminds them that God is good, patient, and loving even when it appears not to be true. And it is hope that encourages the couple that what they are working toward will be more beautiful than anything they had in the past. This is the importance of hope for the broken marriage.

God promises a good return for those who invest in seeking hope. Amazingly, the Bible even tells us that we can “rejoice in our sufferings.” Why? Because “suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” (Rom. 5:3-5) The benefit to pressing through the suffering of a broken marriage and pursuing hope to rebuild is that the love of God will increasingly abound. True love, true intimacy, and true joy can be experienced even by those whose marriages have been broken by sexual lust and unfaithfulness.

If you are living in a broken marriage, begin today to ask God to lead you and your spouse to hope. Keep a watchful eye for wise counselors and friends who can help you persevere, build character, and invest in hope. The small steps you take today toward a new attitude of hope will produce long-term benefits that far outweigh the current momentary sacrifice. And even if circumstances do not progress in the manner or timeframe you expect, you can know that the hope you gain in Christ is not in vain because movement toward God is always movement in the right direction.

“May the God of all hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
(Rom. 15:13)

The ICE-olation Age...

I have noticed a powerful trend over the past 20 years or so that seems to be slowly destroying the social stability of our nation. And it isn't sexual decadence, political bickering, or global warming. The trend is that of social isolation.

In just the past two generations we have seen the explosion of computer technology and communication devices. Our televisions are more advanced than ever and the wealth of information at our fingertips (or earphones) is unprecedented. We have more access to more "stuff" than ever before in history. Yet, collectively, our lives are less fulfilled than ever.

A recent report in USA Today stated that 25% of Americans say they do not have any one person in whom they can confide. This figure is up from 10% in the 1980's. This means that in roughly 20 years we have charged forward with remarkable breakthroughs in technology and wealth while millions of Americans drifted away from any one individual in whom they could place their confidence. Am I the only one alarmed at such tragedy?

We are experiencing in our culture today a different form of the Ice Age (this one actually being real!). Not a time when continents are covered with thick layers of ice preventing all life from living upon them. No, this Ice Age is one in which people are drawn to the cold, lifeless forms of iPods, laptops, and HD television sets. These facades of real connection entice people away from authentic relationships. You remember, the old fashioned kind where a person looked another person in the eye and spoke from their mouth. That's right, the human relationship, which presently is losing against its competition - technology.

I am not quick to throw the baby out with the bath water and condemn all advancements in technology. I think it is wonderful the new ways in which we can gather information and share it with ease and convenience (this website being such a means). But we are teetering on the edge of social extinction if we allow it to replace the human, flesh-and-bone, connection that is so vital to deep, intimate relationships. Something is lost when attempting to develop such intimacy using a telephone or chat room.

Technology often allows us to mask our true selves. We hide the real us behind a phone line or computer screen. We watch countless depictions of phoniness through television and incorrectly interpret it as the means to connection in our own friendships. We begin to "play a role" rather than examine ourselves and dive into friendships "as is." As we build the facade we drift farther and farther away from friends, family, and community. And the longer we drift the colder, and lonelier, our lives become. We are added to the growing number of those with no one to turn to.

So, let's break through the ice today! Put down the iPod. Log off the computer. Turn off the TV. Spend some time finding out what color eyes your kids have (could you tell me without looking?). Knock on a neighbor's door and invite them over for coffee and conversation. Do things that "warm up" the cold, ICE-olated life you have been living.

Declare winter over and leave a legacy of warmth for your children...

Enjoying warm friends,

jonathan