Don’t Be Afraid to Fly

Posted on March 22, 2009 by russellmckinney

The true story is told of a Midwestern farmer who found a young eaglet. The bird’s wing was injured to the point that flying was impossible. The farmer carefully picked up the eaglet and took it back to his farm. Not knowing exactly what to do with it, he put it in the pen with his chickens. It wasn’t long afterward that the farmer noticed something odd: the eaglet had begun to mimic the chickens. It pecked for food, drank from the waterer, and scratched around in the ground for worms.

Over the course of the next several weeks, the eaglet’s wing healed, but the bird made no attempt to fly out of the pen. It just continued to act like a chicken. The farmer actually began to feel sorry for it. The bird’s beautiful feathers were becoming dusty and its sharp beak was becoming discolored from all the pecking on the ground.

One day a young man happened to pay a visit to the farm. As he passed by the chicken pen, he saw the eaglet scratching around in the dirt like the chickens. When he asked the farmer about the bird, the farmer told him the story. The young man said, “It was nice of you to bring him home and take care of him, but now that his wing is healed surely you will let him go.” The farmer responded, “He can leave anytime he wants to, but I’m afraid he’s forgotten how to fly.”

Upon hearing that, the young man became determined to help the eaglet. With the farmer tagging along, he took the bird out to the area where the farmer had found it. Then he placed the eaglet on his arm and yelled, “Go, boy, go!” The eaglet, however, didn’t budge. It just sat there looking confused.

Then suddenly, from high in the sky, a mighty shriek was heard. It was the shriek of a mother eagle flying overhead. When the eaglet heard this shriek and saw the mother eagle, it gingerly tested its injured wing and then cautiously launched off from the young man’s arm. At first it circled slowly overhead as if gathering its confidence. Then it shot up into the sky to join the mother eagle. As the young man watched the eaglet soar away, he said to the farmer, “Now that’s what he was meant to do.”

Christian, I’ve got a question for you: Are you doing what you are meant to do for Christ? In Romans 12:3-8, 1 Corinthians 12:1-31, and Ephesians 4:7-16, the Bible teaches that God has imparted at least one spiritual gift to each Christian. Many Christians have been given more than one, but every Christian has been given at least one.

A spiritual gift is not the same thing as a natural talent. It is an ability or skill the Christian did not have before the moment of salvation. At the moment of salvation, when God the Holy Spirit came to dwell inside the Christian’s body and create the born-again experience, the Holy Spirit brought the gift or gifts to the Christian.

Just as we are born physically with natural talents, Christians are born again spiritually with at least one spiritual gift. And every spiritual gift is to be used in service to Christ. It is the Christian’s unique way of doing something for the Savior.

This is where I come back to the story of the eaglet that acted like a chicken. Perhaps you, Christian, need to learn from that eaglet. Tell me, are you content to live somebody else’s life? Is it enough for you to mimic another Christian’s spiritual gift? Are you afraid to take off and fly the way that God has gifted you to fly?

Listen, sometimes you’ve just got to launch out in faith and go for it. I know it’s scary, but you need to do it. Don’t worry, if what you are doing is really of God, you won’t come crashing to the ground. Instead, you’ll spread your wings as you never have before and reach heights of service you never thought you could reach. But you’ve got to try. Remember, there is always room for another eagle in the sky of God’s service.

Posted in Courage, Faith, God's Will, God's Work, Individuality, Ministry, Service, Spiritual Gifts, Talents | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Ups & Downs of Life

Posted on March 20, 2009 by russellmckinney

For five springs, I served as an assistant coach on our middle school’s 7th-8th grade baseball teams. It was my oldest son, Ryan, who first got me involved with the gig. When he was a 6th grader, he volunteered to be one of the team’s managers until he could play the next year. From there it was just a hop, skip, and a jump to me becoming an assistant coach not only during Ryan’s 6th-8th grade years but also for the teams my youngest son, Royce, played on during his 7th and 8th grade years.

There were two games, played on consecutive days, that fascinated me during my first season as assistant coach. We lost the first game 11-2 and set baseball back at least a century with our poor play. But then the very next day we won the second game 10-0. In that game, we hit well, fielded well, and pitched well. It was hard to believe that the same team could play such vastly different games. That was my introduction to the reality that middle school baseball teams provide plenty of ups and downs.

Forrest Gump’s mother, played by Sally Field, is famous for saying, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you are going to get.” Well, with all due respect to Sally Field, I might say that life is like a 7th-8th grade baseball team. Some days everything goes your way in that you hit what you swing at, catch what comes at you, and throw strike after strike. Other days, however, you look completely overmatched by striking out, making errors, and falling way behind in the score.

In Philippians 4:11-12, the apostle Paul instructs the Christian on how to handle life’s ups and downs. He says:

…I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. (N.K.J.V.)

Those words “whatever state” cover anything and everything that life can throw at you. Did you win 10-0? Be content. Did you lose 11-2? Be content. (You don’t have to be happy about losing, but you should be content with what a sovereign God has allowed to come your way.)

I’ve always thought the key word in Philippians 4:11 is “learned.” Paul says, “…for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.” The point is, living with such contentment doesn’t come naturally to us. Even the great apostle had to learn how to do it, and the same can be said of us.

But what are we trying to learn? The lesson is two-fold. First, we should learn that when we are riding one of life’s ups, we mustn’t get greedy and demand more. For example, winning by a score of 10-0 shouldn’t cause us to want to win by 15-0 or 20-0. Second, we should learn that when we are riding one of life’s downs, we mustn’t get mad at God and start railing against Him. Losing 11-2 isn’t fun, but at least God gave us the health and the opportunity to be able to run onto the field and play the game. The truth is, blessings are all around us if we will just acknowledge them.

Do you know what our head coach said to me after we had won that second game 10-0? He said, “When you win, don’t get too high. And when you lose, don’t get too low.” That was good advice then for baseball, and it’s good advice now for life.

I don’t know what “state” you are in today, but strive to be content in it. If you are being abased, don’t let yourself get too low. Understand that God is still on the throne and He isn’t finished with you yet. On the other hand, if you are abounding, don’t let yourself get too high. Remember that nothing will bring you down quicker than pride (Proverbs 16:18).

You say, “I just don’t think I can ever learn such contentment. It’s beyond my ability.” Okay, fine, I believe you. But let me share with you the thought that is found right on the heels of our Philippians 4:11-12 passage. In the very next verse, Philippians 4:13, Paul says confidently:

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (N.K.J.V.)

Does that mean, Christian, that Jesus will give you the strength it takes to learn to be content in regards to life’s highs? Yes, it does. And does it mean that He will do the same for you in regards to life’s lows? Yes, it does. You see, the contented balance that you need is found in Jesus. He is the One who taught it to Paul, and He will teach it to you too if you will let Him.

Posted in Adversity, Attitude, Balance, Complaining, Contentment, Desires, Disappointment, Gambling, God's Provision, God's Sovereignty, Humility, Personal, Thankfulness, Trusting In God, Worry | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fleas

Posted on March 18, 2009 by russellmckinney

Corrie ten Boom was a Jewish Christian who lived in Germany during World War II. She and her older sister, Betsy, were rounded up by the Nazis and taken by train to one of the worst concentration camps in existence. Upon their arrival there, the sisters were tattooed with a number and placed into a cabin barrack for women. The barrack was so overcrowded the sisters had to sleep on the floor. To make matters worse, their particular barrack was infested with so many fleas that, day after day, the women had to endure flea bites.

Early on in their imprisonment, the sisters decided to study their Bibles together and invite all the other women to join them. Most of the women showed no interest, but a few did. So, each morning, the sisters would lead in a time of Bible study and prayer. They did this despite their constant fear that the guards could burst in at any time, confiscate their Bibles, and punish those who took part in the group.

One morning, after the girls had been imprisoned for years, they read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18:

Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (K.J.V.)

Betsy was eager to obey the passage, but Corrie just couldn’t bring herself to give thanks for the fleas. Weren’t years of imprisonment bad enough? Wasn’t having to sleep on the floor bad enough? Why did their barrack, of all the barracks, have to be infested with fleas? If God was allowing the sisters to go through this time of unjust persecution, the least He could do was take away the fleas. In the end, though, Betsy made Corrie thank God for the fleas. Older sisters have a tendency to get their way.

About three months later, the sisters were at last released from their imprisonment, and a short time afterward they found a journal that had been written by one of their German guards. In one entry, the girls learned why the guards had never interrupted their morning times of Bible study and prayer. Concerning that cabin, the guard had written, “We don’t ever want to go in that cabin because it is so full of fleas.”

I don’t have a flea problem at my house. As a matter of fact, I can’t even remember the last time I was bitten by a flea. I do, however, have some other “fleas” for which I am hard pressed to be thankful. I didn’t ask for them. I didn’t see them coming. I don’t even think I deserve them. But I’ve got ’em. Even more than me having them, the Bible says that I’m to give thanks for them. Trust me, that isn’t easy.

In order for me to be obey this command, what I have to do is see my problems as somehow being a part of God’s grand plan for my life. Since He doesn’t make mistakes, and since He knows how to use anything and everything in His work of conforming me to the image of Christ, He must be using my “fleas” to help accomplish that goal. As Romans 8:28-29 says:

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. (N.K.J.V.)

Obviously, “all things” aren’t good in and of themselves, are they? But God can use “all things,” even our problems, for good. As those two faithful sisters discovered, He can even use literal fleas.

Please try to keep this in mind the next time you find yourself griping and grumbling about a problem. You can’t see the big picture, but God can. He loves you, and that problem of yours might well be the chariot He is using to help you rather than hurt you. Learn to pray words such as these:

“Father, I don’t enjoy this problem, but I thank You for it. I do this in the faith that You are going to use the problem to somehow bring about good in my life.”

Such praying will help you understand your problem in a whole different light, a light that produces trust in God rather than bitterness toward Him. That, in turn, will help you persevere when you feel like quitting.  Even more, it will help you actually live victoriously in the midst of your “fleas.”

Posted in Adversity, Complaining, Contentment, Disappointment, Faith, Faithfulness, God's Omnipotence, God's Foreknowledge, God's Omniscience, God's Provision, God's Sovereignty, Patience, Persecution, Perseverance, Prayer, Problems, Suffering, Thankfulness, Trials, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Two Things I Know About Barack Obama

Posted on March 16, 2009 by russellmckinney

As is the case with any president, Barack Obama produces wildly differing opinions among the masses. I don’t want to get into all that. I just want to share with you two things that I know about the man.

First, I know that God has either caused or at the very least allowed him to be the President of the United States. Consider the following Bible verses (all from the N.K.J.V.):

“…He removes kings and raises up kings…” (Daniel 2:21)

“…the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.” (Daniel 4:32)

“…He puts down one, and exalts another.” (Psalm 75:7)

“For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.” (Romans 13:1)

When I say God has caused or allowed Barack Obama to be President, that doesn’t automatically mean that Obama is a Christian (any more than it automatically meant that George W. Bush is a Christian). What it does mean is that God, in His divine plan and purposes, whatever they may be, either brought Obama to the forefront or at least allowed him to be brought to the forefront of a very crowded field of Presidential hopefuls (some Democrats and some Republicans).

To use the language Daniel, Asaph, and Paul used in their writings, God raised Obama up, gave him the American kingdom to lead, exalted him, and appointed him. This in no way makes Obama a modern-day King David, a man “after God’s own heart.” It doesn’t make his decisions pleasing to God or his vision for America a God-approved one, either. It simply makes him the man that God has either caused or at least allowed the privilege, for whatever reason or reasons, of being our current President.

Second, I know that God wants each Christian in this country to pray for Barack Obama. In 1 Timothy 2:1-2, the apostle Paul writes:

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. (N.K.J.V.)

You say, “I didn’t vote for Obama.” Okay, but God still wants you to pray for him. You say, “I don’t agree with his stances on the issues.” Okay, but God still wants you to pray for him. You say, “I truly believe he is going to ruin this nation.” Okay, but God still wants you to pray for him. Remember that Paul and Timothy lived under the wicked Roman government and its political leader, the pagan, pompous Caesar. Despite this, Paul exhorted Christians to pray for kings and all who are in authority.

And please notice the reason Paul gives for urging Christians to pray for their governmental leaders. He says, “…that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.” Isn’t that interesting? Every Christian ought to appreciate the fact that he or she lives in America, a country where Christians are free to worship God in the manner in which the Bible instructs us. If America falls to a foreign country, or if her government begins a campaign to stamp out Christianity, Christians certainly won’t be able to live quiet and peaceable lives. Therefore, we should pray for our President, whoever he may be, that he will do his part to ensure that American Christians remain free to worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24).

I realize, of course, that politics is a highly emotional issue with many people and that Christians aren’t exempt from this emotion. But there really is a Bible way of relating to the office of President of the United States. While we are citizens of another country and kingdom (Philippians 3:20, Ephesians 2:19), we live our earthly lives here in the United States. This means that we have a God-given responsibility to pray for this nation’s top leader. This responsibility goes far beyond the confines of the Democratic and Republican parties. It isn’t a “Constitution thing.” It is a “Bible thing,” and the sooner we Christians learn that the better off we will be as not only God’s people but also American citizens.

Posted in Government, Politics, Prayer | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

God’s Provision

Posted on March 14, 2009 by russellmckinney

I’ve never been a wealthy man, but there have been times when I was financially better off than usual. One such time was when I served as the pastor of a certain church. That church paid me a larger salary than I had ever made up until that point.

During those days, God also opened the door for Tonya and I to sell the house we had lived in for about ten years. It was a nice house, but we had decided we wanted something different. Ideally, we hoped to scale down to a smaller house and have a smaller mortgage payment.

So, after the sale was complete, we rented another house on a monthly basis and excitedly began looking around for our next home. Our excitement soon waned, however, when we couldn’t find what we wanted. The houses that would have allowed us to scale down were all too overpriced, too in need of repair, too poor in location, or too something.

The only house we liked was one that would be a step up for us. It was a beautiful house in an older, well-established neighborhood, a place perfect for raising our two young boys. But the problem was, our mortgage payment on the house would be even more than our previous one had been.

Finally, after weeks of waiting, looking, praying, and asking God to show us His will, we knew that He wanted us to buy the expensive house. Even though we remained apprehensive about the mortgage, God assured us that He would take care of us. And why wouldn’t we trust Him? After all, He already had me in a church where I was making a good salary to go along with Tonya’s teacher’s salary.

Well, things progressed along as expected for almost two years, but then God got weird on me by instructing me to resign as the pastor of that church, step out in faith, and start a new church. The idea of starting a new church was very appealing, but it was also frightening. Not the least of my concerns was, how will we make our mortgage payments if I take such a major cut in salary?

In the end, however, I submitted to God’s will and started the new church. I didn’t know where we would get the money to cover our bills, but I knew that God was able. I had preached so many sermons about God’s provision, and now it was time for me to put that preaching to the test in my own life.

It was during those days that God used nature to give me two object lessons. The first one was a squirrel. One afternoon as I was watching the little thing search for nuts in my yard, God spoke to me and said, “If I can make sure that squirrel has nuts for the winter, I can make sure that your bills get paid.”

The second object lesson came a few days later. I was sitting at my desk in my study when a small bird landed in the bush just outside my window. As I watched that bird for a moment, God said to me, “Just as I take care of that bird, I will take care of you.”

As God spoke to me about those two creatures, I was reminded that Jesus loved to use nature as a means of illustrating His teachings. Furthermore, I understood that those promises to me concerning those two creatures lined up perfectly with similar teachings He had given some 2,000 years earlier about the birds of the air and the lilies of the field (Matthew 6:25-34). Obviously, Jesus has been a nature lover for a long time.

And so, how did things turn out for me and my little family? All told, I spent eight-and-a-half years serving as the pastor of that new church, and we never once failed to make a payment or pay a bill. Even more than that, we were able to afford “extras” such as vacations, nice Christmas gifts, baseball camps, etc.

Were we able to do all that because my salary at the new church ended up being more than expected? No, that salary never did amount to much. So, how did we do it? I would have to write an entire book to explain it, but we watched in amazement as time and time again God met the need.

You’ve noticed God’s incredible imagination and creativity in the natural world, haven’t you? Well, trust me when I say that you can apply that same imagination and creativity to the financial realm as well. I’m telling you, He just never runs out of new and interesting ways to get the bills paid for those who will put their complete trust in Him and let Him work.

Before I go, though, I do need to share with you a couple of important truths on this whole topic. Truth #1: Never try to make God cover the bill for something that isn’t His will. You see, Tonya and I made it because that house and that church were God’s will. As I once heard a preacher say, “When it’s God’s will, it’s God’s bill.” I guess the flip side of that is, “When it’s your will, it’s your bill.”

Truth #2: Be warned that there will be times when God bleeds the situation right down to the last possible moment before He meets your need. Think about Moses and the Israelites standing on the shore of the Red Sea. It wasn’t until Pharaoh’s army was right on top of them that God parted the waters. As I once heard another guy say, “God is never late, but He does miss numerous opportunities to be early!”

Through it all, though, those opening words of the famous 23rd Psalm still ring out loud and clear: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Those words mean that when you play the role of sheep and let the Lord play the role of shepherd, you will have everything you need. That includes the money you need to pay your bills.

Even now, despite the fact that Tonya and I are past that rough financial stretch of our lives, I watch the squirrels and the birds around our house and am reminded of God’s provision. And, yes, it’s the same house we once wondered if we could afford. Even more importantly, it’s the same God who is still meeting our needs. So, in light of all this, let me encourage you to get in God’s will today and trust Him to meet your needs. Just as He provides for the squirrels and birds, He will provide for you. He doesn’t promise to meet all your greeds, but He really does promise to meet all your needs.

Posted in Adversity, Encouragement, Faith, God's Guidance, God's Provision, God's Will, Money, Needs, Personal, Problems, Trials, Trusting In God, Worry | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Crossroad in Life

Posted on March 11, 2009 by russellmckinney

The word “crossroad” probably brings up a certain mental image with you. I myself envision a dirt road out in the middle of nowhere that comes to a four-way intersection with three other dirt roads. The person who comes to such a place must make a decision. He can go straight, right, or left. For that matter, he can even turn around and go back from where he came. But make no mistake, he’s got to make some kind of move.

Actually, however, there are times when we come to a different kind of crossroad. I’m talking now about a crossroad in life. One fellow who came to such a place was Lot, the nephew of Abraham (who was then known as Abram). The story is found in Genesis chapter 13.

Abraham and Lot lived alongside each other in the land of Canaan. Each of them was very wealthy. In particular, they both had large flocks and herds. This became a problem when their region could no longer support the combination of their flocks and herds. Strife arose between the herdsmen of the two men, and it became obvious that something had to be done.

That’s when Abraham cordially, and with the love of an uncle, asked Lot to separate from him. He said, “Please, let’s put a stop to this fighting over grazing and watering territory. It’s a big land. If you take the left, I will take the right, and if you take the right, I will take the left.” It was a simple and godly solution to the situation.

Ah, but here’s where Lot made two mistakes. Mistake #1: He didn’t humbly and graciously pass the choice back to Abraham. You see, not only Abraham was the elder, he was the one to whom God had prophetically given all of Canaan. Truth be told, if it wasn’t for Abraham, Lot wouldn’t have even been in Canaan. Mistake #2: Lot made his choice based solely upon what looked good to him at the time. He cast his eyes upon the plain of Jordan, which was well watered like a beautiful garden, and said, “I’ll take that part of the land.” He didn’t pray about that decision. He didn’t seek God’s will about it. He just latched himself onto something that was appealing to his eyes.

That old saying “all that glitters is not gold” hadn’t been invented yet, but it would have helped Lot to hear it. Sure, that vast plain of Jordan was lush, fertile, abundant, and desirable in appearance. That was its bait. Its hook was that it was dotted with vile, wicked cities. You’ve heard of Sodom and Gomorrah, haven’t you? Those twin cities were located squarely in the heart of that region.

Not surprisingly, Lot, being the spiritually and morally weak person that he was, soon came under the tempting influence of Sodom. He began by setting up his camp and staking down his tents near Sodom. Later, he moved out of his tents and formally settled down in Sodom (Genesis 14:12). Finally, once he was settled there, he rose to a place of prominence and political prestige in the city. How do we know he rose to such a place? We know it because Genesis 19:1 speaks of him “sitting in the gate” of Sodom. Since ancient cities conducted their business at their gates, it was quite an earthly honor to hold what we might call a political seat at Sodom’s gate.

You say, “Okay, so, where’s the downside? It sounds like Lot did well for himself.” Oh, there was plenty of downside, enough to actually cancel out any upside that Lot’s choice brought him. First, Lot was living in Sodom when an enemy army came into town, looted it (Genesis 14:1-11), and carried off Lot with them as a prisoner of war (Genesis 14:12). That required Abraham to take 318 of his trained men and go and rescue him (Genesis 14: 13-16). Second, Lot was still living in Sodom when God sent two angels to utterly destroy the city by way of fire and brimstone. Lot lost all of his possessions as well as most of his family in that destruction (Genesis 19:1-26). Third, with Sodom now a charred wasteland, Lot and his two surviving daughters ended up living in a cave in the mountains above the city of Zoar (Genesis 19:30). It was there that his life hit absolute rock bottom as he, on two consecutive nights, got drunk and had sexual relations with each of his daughters (Genesis 19:31-35). The products of those incestuous relationships were two sons who grew up to father the Moabites and Ammonites, two races who caused the people of Israel many problems (Genesis 19:36-38).

Do you see how Lot’s wrong choice at life’s crossroad eventually brought catastrophe to his life? By failing to understand the dark vein that ran through what looked desirable to his eyes, he stupidly made the wrong choice at the crossroad and in so doing sent his life and the life of his family into a downward spiral. Beware, my friend, that you don’t make that same mistake. Even being a Christian isn’t enough to shield you from the results of going down the wrong road. Lot, after all, was a saved person in the sense of being an Old Testament believer (Second Peter 2:4-8). That’s why I implore you to pray serious prayers over your decisions and always seek God’s will rather than your own. He really does know the best path for you, and He will gladly share that knowledge with you if you will just slow down and ask Him.

Posted in Backsliding, Business, Change, Choices, Decisions, Discernment, Dying To Self, God's Will, Leadership, Obedience, Submission, Temptation, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Learning From Rhododendrons

Posted on March 7, 2009 by russellmckinney

When the calendar page rolls over to April and the weather turns noticeably warmer, my thoughts drift toward yardwork. Trust me when I say that I don’t eagerly embrace that drift. The way I see it, I’m an apartment or condo guy who just happens to live in a brick house that features a sizable yard. Unfortunately for me, that yard must be maintained and I don’t have a professional gardener on staff. My gardener looks back at me when I shave.

I really don’t mind dragging out the lawnmower and mowing the grass. It’s a little more work to fire up the weed eater and do the detail trimming, but even that isn’t unbearable. What I truly loathe, though, is dealing with my rhododendrons. Oh, sure, I know how beautiful they are when they are in full bloom. The problem is, I also know how finicky they are. On the one hand, if they don’t get enough water, they turn dry and brittle. On the other hand, if they get too much water, they develop spots on the leaves.

The problem of proper hydration is minor, however, compared to the damage that gets done when a dog or some other animal gets into a rhododendron and breaks some of that plant’s branches. Those broken branches have to be cut out, and that leaves a big hole in the overall look of the plant. (Ask me how I know that). You get the same problem when a little boy, in the heat of a front-yard football game, crashes into a plant. (Ask me how I know that, too).

I guess we can say that rhododendrons are like Christians. When they are ideally full, healthy, and in perfect bloom, nothing is more pleasing to the eye. They brighten up their surroundings and make the world a better place to be. But when sin gets into a Christian’s branches and breaks off some of them, a noticeable hole is created in that Christian’s life. No matter how nice the other parts of the life may look, our attention will always be drawn to the hole.

It’s similar to what happened to David in the days of the Old Testament. Even as he lived his life for God, right in the middle of it he had his adulterous affair with Bathsheba and subsequently orchestrated the murder of her husband, Uriah. To David’s credit, he did eventually confess his sins and repent of them. That didn’t mean, though, that he got out from under their earthly stigma. The Bible bears this out in 1 Kings 15:5 by saying:

David did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, and had not turned aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. (N.K.J.V., emphasis mine)

Please understand that I’m not trying to be mean or unforgiving. I know full well that God can take a life’s broken eggs and make great omelets. He’s done that in my life. I’m simply pointing out the obvious fact that sin damages a person’s life in a very real way. Some of that damage can be minor, but some of it can be catastrophic.

The good news is that forgiveness of all sin is available in Jesus. The bad news is that Jesus won’t bring crop failure to bad seeds you have sown. He’ll help you face up to those tough harvests, and He’ll even bring great good out of them, but the unpleasant crops will nevertheless have to be harvested.

That’s why it’s so much better if you don’t sow the seeds of sin in the first place. Instead, do your best to keep your life looking like a perfectly shaped, beautiful rhododendron. You do that by embracing Jesus as your personal Savior, submitting your life fully to Him, and resisting the temptation to run off to some Bathsheba of sin that looks good to you. Remember, you’ll never be able to bloom to your fullest if you’ve got a sin-shaped hole somewhere in your plant.

Posted in Backsliding, Confession, Conviction, Faithfulness, God's Will, Personal, Rebellion, Repentance, Sanctification, Sin, Sowing and Reaping, Temptation | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Reunions

Posted on March 6, 2009 by russellmckinney

When I was elected President of my high school’s senior class in 1984, I thought it was an honor. What I didn’t realize was the title carried with it the lifetime task of organizing a class reunion every ten years or so. Now that I know that, I secretly suspect that all those people who voted for me in 1984 understood about such reunions and voted me in as punishment for the wrongs I had perpetrated against them. But then again, surely, I wasn’t that bad!

As part of working on these reunions over the years, I’ve noticed something interesting. Some of my classmates who didn’t excel at all in high school have gone on to live accomplished, productive lives. They have solid marriages, great kids, good-paying jobs, and beautiful homes. In short, it’s obvious that these people didn’t just get older. They got better as well.    

Spiritually speaking, I wish this same thing could be said of every Christian. The ranks of Christianity are filled with far too many people who believed in Christ as Savior when they were young, went all out for Him for a while, but then crashed and burned somewhere along the way. They used to faithfully attend church, but now they stay home. They used to study the Bible, but now they spend their free time staring at a computer screen, a smart phone, or a television. They used to pray fervent prayers, but now their prayers are paltry and scarce. They used to witness, but now they rarely speak of Jesus. They’re not becoming better Christians, just older ones.

I wonder, Christian, what reunion are you up to with Christ? Has it been five years since your salvation experience? Has it been seven, ten, sixteen, twenty, or twenty-five? Has it been more? Well, whatever reunion you are on, does it find you better than your last reunion? Are you growing? Are you learning? Are you maturing? Are you a deeper Christian this year than you were last year? If not, you need to take a hard look in the mirror and figure out what happened. Don’t be like the old artist who stood staring at a painting he had done when he was young. A friend said to him, “With all the experience you’ve gained over the years, I suppose that you now feel a degree of shame over this early piece.” The artist replied, “Yes, I do feel shame, but it is the shame of having never fulfilled the promise I showed with that piece.”

Christian, I don’t know what promise you once showed in your walk with Christ, and I don’t know where you are in that walk right now. What I do know is that reunions keep rolling around and each one brings with it a fresh chance to show improvement. If you didn’t impress at your spiritual two-year reunion, you can start doing the things necessary to dazzle at your three-year one. If you’ve already bombed out on your thirteenth, you can change your ways and set your sights on your fourteenth. You get the idea. If you are alive and kicking, you have the opportunity to better your walk with Christ. So, get to work at becoming more like Him. Remember that discipleship is a marathon rather than a sprint, and there is still time for you to join the race.

Posted in Aging, Backsliding, Bible Study, Change, Church Attendance, Commitment, Discipleship, God's Work, New Year, Obedience, Personal, Personal Holiness, Prayer, Repentance, Salvation, Sanctification, Service, Witnessing | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A Good Example of Discipleship

Posted on March 3, 2009 by russellmckinney

Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand upon him, so that he might receive his sight.” (Acts 9:10-12, N.K.J.V.)

In this passage, a man named Ananias is called “a certain disciple.” That title certainly fits him because, to me, he serves as one of the Bible’s best examples of discipleship. What marks him is his obedience to God.

Through a vision, God told Ananias to go to Saul of Tarsus and place his hands upon him. That was like asking a German Jew to go and offer his help to Adolph Hitler. Saul was a man who sought out Christians, persecuted them, arrested them, and even had them put to death. Seek him out and help him? Even the devout Ananias had to question those orders. In the end, though, he did as he was told. That is, after all, what a disciple does. He obeys, even when he doesn’t see the reasoning, logic, sense, or safety of the assignment.

I wonder if you and I would be as obedient as Ananias. For all he knew, he was walking into imprisonment or death. That’s discipleship on display. If discipleship is about learning (and it is), then no class is more important than the one on obedience.

I’m afraid that the obedience of too many Christians is similar to the obedience of the little boy who was admitted to a children’s hospital. His awful behavior quickly gained him a reputation as a terror, and the doctors and nurses all looked upon him with dread. One day a visiting lady, who had been informed of the boy’s rebellious streak, offered him a deal. If the boy behaved himself and obeyed orders for a week, she would give him a dime. (This was back in the days when a dime meant something.) The woman returned at the end of the week and said to him, “I’m not going to ask the nurses if you behaved. You have to tell me yourself. Do you deserve the dime?” The little fellow paused for a moment as he reflected back upon his week and said, “Gimme a penny.”

Tell me, is there some standing order that is right now coming between you and Christ? Has He told you to do something you simply haven’t done? Are you in danger of having to settle for a penny, if even that, rather than a dime? If this is the case, then you need to learn from the story of Ananias. Quit laying out of the class of obedience because you don’t enjoy it. Just do what the Lord has told you to do and trust in His wisdom. Either that or forfeit the title “disciple.”

Posted in Backsliding, Confession, Discipleship, Disobedience, Dying To Self, Faithfulness, Fear, God's Will, Obedience, Rebellion, Repentance, Submission, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Requirements of Discipleship

Posted on February 27, 2009 by russellmckinney

So, you say you have an interest in becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ? Let’s see how much interest you really have. First, in Luke 14:26, Jesus says:

If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. (N.K.J.V.)

Tell me, are you willing to put Jesus Christ above every other person in your life? It’s not that He wants you to literally hate your family members. (There are scores of other Bible passages that teach us to love our families.) The point is that your love for Jesus should be so much greater than your love for your family members that, by comparison, it is almost as if you hate those family members. How are you doing on that?

Second, in Luke 14:27, Jesus says:

And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. (N.K.J.V.)

In those days, a cross was an instrument of death. Now we would say, “And whoever does not extend his arm for the lethal injection and come after Me cannot be My disciple.” Here again, Jesus isn’t speaking of a literal physical death. How could He be when He follows it up by talking about coming after Him? The point is that you must die to self (your own desires, motivations, opinions, agendas, and goals) before you can qualify as a disciple. How are you doing on that?

Third, in Luke 14:33, Jesus says:

So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. (N.K.J.V.)

Again, we must not run off too far with the literalness. Jesus isn’t demanding that you quit your job, sell your house, and give away all your possessions just so you can be His disciple. The point is, just as no other person should come between you and Jesus, no other thing should either. How are you doing on that?

You see, the reason why Jesus has so few true disciples is easy to understand: The requirements are HARD!!! In point of fact, they are so hard that the average person isn’t willing to meet them. But are you? Please think carefully before you answer because business doesn’t get more serious than this. Jesus asks for nothing less than a full-scale, all-out, no-holds-barred devotion from you. He demands to be given priority over everyone and everything in your life. And if you shy away from meeting this standard, then I’m sorry, but you cannot be His disciple.

Posted in Commitment, Discipleship, Dying To Self, Faithfulness, Family, Priorities, Sacrifice, Service, Submission | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment