What Makes Islam So Great?

President Obama: What's your opinion about jihad?

"The phrase 'jihad' has a lot of meanings within Islam, and is subject to a lot of different interpretations. But I will say that, first, Islam is one of the world's great religions. And more than a billion people who practice Islam - the overwhelming majority - view their obligations to their religion as ones that reaffirm peace and justice and fairness and tolerance. I think all of us recognize that this great religion, in the hands of a few extremists,  has been distorted to justify violence towards innocent people that is never justified."

What's so great about Islam? What does Islam teach?

Let me tell you what Christianity teaches: Christ died for us. Know what radical Christianity looks like? What a fanatical Christian does?

He turns the other cheek when someone slaps him. He loves the unlovable, and forgives all of his enemies, because he knows how much he's forgiven.

He's patient and kind. He does not seek his own well-being over others, and keeps no record of wrongs. He pours his life out daily for those around him - especially for the most unlovable - because Christ first loved us and gave His life for us.

Do all "Christians" act this way? Hardly. But THAT'S what radical Christianity looks like.

What does "radical" Islam look like? If Mohammed is my hero, should I emulate him? If he's my example, should I strive to live like he did? What words of Islam inspire, build up, and edify? What does Islam offer that makes this religion so great?

Do so-called Christians do dumb things? Certainly. Even hateful things? Surely.

So what makes Christianity so great?

Jesus died for me.

Without that, I have no hope, though I have all the riches in the world. With that, I have everything I need.

Christ died for me - purchasing my forgiveness, a clean conscience, and right standing with God that no amount of "goodness" (bribery) can purchase.

Christ died as me - releasing me from my futile self-effort and a life of self-gratification that leads down a road to nowhere but pity and sorrow.

Christ lives in me - providing the daily enabling power that helps me live a life that pleases God.

Christ lives through me - loving others and producing joy, love, and peace in my own life through genuine, heartfelt service (instead of service out of selfish ambition or false humility).

That's what makes Christianity so great.

So I ask, with all sincerity: what makes Islam so great? Show me. I see the fruit of Islam - what's actually taught in mosques across this world - when a 19 year old kid places a backpack on the ground next to an 8 year old boy and watches him die.

When Jesus was on the cross, being mocked, spat upon, hanging naked, bleeding, struggling for breath, taking the wrath of God that you and I deserve upon Himself - having done nothing on this earth worthy of a criminal's humiliating death - he cried out: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they're doing."

He died for me.

That's what makes Christianity great.

What makes Islam so great?

School Shootings and Old Wineskins

This morning, another tragic school shooting - this time in Newtown, Connecticut - took the lives of 27 people. At an elementary school, a man with two guns opened fire. 18 children are among the victims.

Recently, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher killed his girlfriend and himself. A man opened fire inside a movie theater in Colorado.

The outcry is as painful as it is predictable.

"More gun control."

"More mental health."

One Tweet said: "There can be no debate now."

But there is a solution to all of this. It's not gun control. It's not more mental health. It's the solution nobody wants to hear about. It's the solution nobody's talking about - even among "Christian" circles.

The solution? New hearts.

Jesus put it this way:

“No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old one; otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece that was taken out of the new does not match the old.  

And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined.  

But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved. 

And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better.’” 

Luke 5:36-39

All the gun control and mental health in the world won't change what's inside a man's heart. Unless we become a nation of changed hearts, we will continue to see school shootings.

You must be born again.

When you are, God gives you a new heart, with new desires. The evil you once loved, you now despise. The righteousness you once ran from, you now run toward. Because that's what you crave.

When that happens, you influence the people around you with the good news, that this new heart is available to anyone who humbles himself, quits pretending he can find the answers on his own, and calls upon the name of the Lord.

When you do, they get new hearts, too.

Until then, we will continue to drink up iniquity like water.

And we'll continue to see school shootings.

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What Kind of Trophy are You?

Every person who is born again recognizes that we are saved by grace, through faith. It's the gift of God - not of works - so that none of us can boast that we got what we "deserved."

But why? Why did God save you and me?

Because you're His trophy.

Don't believe me? Take a look at what the bible says on the matter.

Have you ever stopped to think about the magnitude of the verses before the famous "grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone" verses?

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,  

even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),  

and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 

Eph 2:4-6, NKJV

Why did God do all of this for us?

that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 

Eph 2:7

God is going to display His grace for all of eternity in what He has done to save you and me.

Think about that.

In Job's day, Satan had a conversation with God. God said, "Have you considered my servant Job?"

The whole book displays how Job became God's demonstration of grace. Job was God's display upon the mantle for all the world to see.

Through Job's circumstances, God revealed His character: His holiness, His power, His grace, His generosity...

Job was a trophy of God's grace.

Know who else was a trophy of God's grace? Samson. God used Samson in mighty ways. Samson was a "hero," but he was hardly heroic.

Despite himself, Samson was a trophy of God's grace.

Know who else was God's trophy?

Judas.

Judas was a trophy of God's justice and righteousness. Judas got what he deserved. Frankly, he got what we all deserve. Because we're all guilty of "selling out" - setting Jesus aside for money, or career, our our own selfish desires.

You're going to be God's trophy for all of eternity. The most devout Christian, the most hard-hearted atheist, and every other human being that has ever lived will be God's trophy.

The question is: what kind of trophy will you be? Will you be a trophy of God's justice and righteous judgment?

Or, in the coming ages, will God use you to show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward you?

Better yet, will you allow God to use you to show the world today the exceeding riches of His grace - through the kindness He shows you today?

But how do you do that?

"In Christ."

Every spiritual blessing is "in Christ." Everything you need is "in Christ." Think you understand what that means?

I challenge you today, while it's fresh in your mind, to set aside some time. Pray about and think through what it truly means to be "in Christ."

Not sure? Need help? Read through Ephesians 1-3. Slowly. Camp out there for a while. Let God show you what it truly means to be "in Christ."
You'll know you've hit the sweet spot when all you can say is, "WOW."

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Reading the Bible in a Year? Count Me Out

(In case you're wondering, I have not forgotten the promise I made in the previous post. I'm preparing my case. Besides, I'd like to get some more answers from you first.)

After the lights come off the tree and the last gift is unwrapped, most of you will turn to thinking about what you want to accomplish in the New Year. Like many, I use this time to look back at how the year has gone, what went right, and what I wish I had done differently. I resolve to make the upcoming year better by thinking about what's most important.

In fact, this blog was born from one of those heavy thinking sessions. (No, I didn't keep those resolutions.)

People often decide that January presents a perfect time to "get serious" about reading the bible. "This is the year I'm going to do it," Christians say as they gleefully start in Genesis 1. By the end of February, the genealogies have taken their toll and the laws have done what only law can do. They've brought death to your mighty ambition to read the bible in a year.

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I'm told to put on the full armor of God, right? That includes the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. I imagine myself picking up my sword and charging into battle. But the only sword I have is a tiny plastic knife.

How mighty will I be in battle? When the storms come, will I be prepared? When trials come, will I be able to stand my ground and not compromise?

Not with that kind of "sword."

So I can follow the crowd, get all excited, and gloss my eyes over the pages. What's today? Genesis 1-3. Great! Let's do it. Check off the boxes. I'm all set. See you tomorrow, Jesus!

I was thinking today about how I wish my life had more fruit to show for it. I wish I was stronger in my faith. I wish I could stand my ground, serve with compassion, and lead my family with conviction.

So I decided I'd get serious about reading the bible.

I came to this:

1 Blessed is the man
   Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
   Nor stands in the path of sinners,
   Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
    And in His law he meditates day and night. 

3 He shall be like a tree
    Planted by the rivers of water,
    That brings forth its fruit in its season,
    Whose leaf also shall not wither;
    And whatever he does shall prosper. 

4 The ungodly are not so,
   But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. 

5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
   Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 

6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
   But the way of the ungodly shall perish. 

Psalm 1, NKJV

How do I become the person God wants me to be? Meditation. Really thinking about what God has to say. Taking time to slowly, carefully consider the words instead of stuffing my face full of "bible."

What if, In 2013, I became the man in this Psalm? What if, by God's grace and with His help, I began to truly delight in His Word? To think carefully and deeply about what God has to say, "day and night?"  When I'm writing to you at this time next year, how much richer would these posts be? How much deeper would I know Christ? What would that fruit look like in my life? How refreshing would that be?

What if these 6 short verses are the only Scripture that I applied next year? Some of you will read the bible through next year. Some of you more than once. I applaud you. If I only get through one book, or five, and truly become one who delights and meditates on God's Word, I'll take that "plan" over any one-year plan in a heartbeat.

If you're ready to get serious about God's Word, and be transformed by the renewing of your mind, you've got the right idea. Whatever "plan" you choose, though, keep the goal in mind. Why do you come to the Word? To get your to-do list? To learn some cool prophecy? To find verses that support your side of the argument?

My heart says of you, "Seek His face!"
Your face, Lord, I will seek
Psalm 27:8, NIV

Make that your goal. Come to Scripture to seek His face. Everything else will fall into place. Lord, show me your glory. That's all I want and all I need.

Need some help? There are a million ways you can meditate on Scripture. One way I've found extremely helpful is the one Janet Pope presents in "His Word in My Heart." If you've been struggling in your Christian walk, I invite you to check it out and give it a try.

Most of all, pray. Delight in God's Word is a gift from God - not something you conjure up through effort. Pray that God will help you delight in His Word, and He'll answer that prayer. I guarantee it.

Let's be like trees planted by rivers of water this year, that bring forth fruit in its season. When the trials come, we won't wither. Whatever we do shall prosper. We have God's Word on it.

You with me?

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A One Word Summary of the Bible

If you had to summarize the bible, in a single word, could you do it? What's the one word that encompasses virtually everything the bible has to tell us about who God is, about who we are, and what He expects from us?

From creation until the final, triumphant end, what's the point of all this? What's the one word that makes everything you see in the bible make sense? The one word that will make you love God more, understand truth in a powerful, practical way, and take your Christian walk to the next level?

I believe I've found the perfect summary of the bible, in a single word. The one word that encompasses as many doctrines, characteristics of God's nature, and directives for our lives as possible.

Want to know what that word is?

You'll have to wait to find out.

What do you think that word is? Let me know in the comments.

Is Prophecy Your Idol?

Today, the warning sirens of impending attack blare through Tel Aviv for the first time since the Gulf War of the 1990's. The Israeli Defense Force warns:

Right on cue, the prophecy buffs come out to proclaim how every news story fits into the pages of obscure, hard to understand prophetic books. "Is this setting the stage for Ezekiel 38? This is clearly the attack that Amos was talking about..."

I love finding people who have passion for the Word of God. When I'm around folks that study the depths of the bible to find the gems God has provided for His children, I get hungry for more.

But every time war breaks out in the Middle East, I fear prophecy "experts" drag the bible through the mud with their "guesses" about what it all means.

Why did God give us prophecy? Because He wants us to watch the news and play "name that verse?"

Prophecy Authenticates God's Message

Only the God who is outside of time, in control of all things, can write the future with 100% accuracy. God has never made a prediction that hasn't come true.

When you show people the details of the life of Jesus, or the nation of Israel - written sometimes hundreds of years before they actually occurred - you show that God's Word can be trusted.

Then, when you present the Gospel, your message can't be easily dismissed. The scoffer can no longer say - with intellectual honesty, at least - that the book you claim as your authority cannot be trusted.

So, what's wrong with seeking to frame current events into particular verses of the bible?

As present events unfold, prophecy "experts" are making predictions about how it will all play out. When those predictions don't come true exactly as the "experts" predicted, it gives someone a reason to doubt the credibility of God's Word.

Yes, things will occur exactly as God says they will. Does that mean you understand how it all plays out, and how current events fit into that puzzle? What if you're wrong?

How do you use prophecy, then? Evangelist Tony Miano provides a great example in the clip below:

In this clip, Tony asks, "Do you believe the Word of God is true?" After discussing their skepticism, Tony asks them some basic questions about the bible (to show these guys how little they know). He asks questions like:

What's the first book of the bible?
There's a story of a global flood in the bible. A man allegedly built an ark. Who was that?
What are the 2 main divisions (sections) in the bible?
Who's the main character in the 4 Gospels?

The point was not to embarrass these men, but to prepare their hearts by showing them they really didn't know what was in the bible.

Then, Tony opens the bible, and says, "I want you to tell me who this is about."

He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 

Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted. 

But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed. 

Isaiah 53:3-5 (NKJV) 

Who's that? Of course, it's Jesus. Tony goes on to explain why God gave us prophecy:

"We all have fingerprints. Each of us has fingerprints that are unique. The Word of God has a fingerprint that makes it distinct from every other religious text on the Earth, and it's prophecy. 

"What I just read to you, which you both identified as talking about Jesus, was written more than 700 years before He was born. What do you think about that?"

In a matter of less than 2 minutes, prophecy had done its job. These guys thought differently about the credibility of the bible.

Now, Tony could say, "Let me show you some other cool prophecies. Have you seen what's going on in the news about Israel? Well, that's talked about in these verses, which say this is going to happen next."

Imagine what would happen if those guys go home and watch the news unfold differently. Would they take the bible seriously?

Instead, recognizing that prophecy had completed its job, Tony used prophecy rightly - to springboard to preaching the Gospel.

Prophecy is the car that drives you to your destination - the Gospel. If you spend your life admiring the car, learning everything about every piston and engine spec and spark plug, you'll never truly experience the abundant life God has waiting for you.

Is it wrong to spend countless hours studying prophecy? It depends. Does prophecy lead you to the news, to work on fitting every current event into your "prophecy puzzle?" Or does prophecy strengthen your faith in God's Word and drive you at warp speed toward Jesus?

More importantly, biblical prophecy warns that dark days are ahead. Where do you find your comfort - in prophecy, or in the God who holds all things together?

Your turn: what verses or parts of the bible strengthen your faith the most? Let me know in the comments below.

If You're Trying To "Die to Self," You're Doing It Wrong

Feeling worn out, spiritually? The past few days, I've been worn out. The storms of life have beaten at my door, and I've almost crumbled in a heap of ruins. I'm no spiritual expert. I'm just a guy who's got struggles - just like you.

The more I study and meditate on the Gospel, the more I realize how little I understand it. It's no wonder that my life is so hard sometimes.

The Christian life isn't supposed to be "hard." Sure, we have our rough times that make us rely on God more, grow our perseverance, and equip us to minister to others. God is making us more like Jesus, which isn't always a comfortable, smooth ride.

Despite what prosperity preachers in huge stadiums tell us, life isn't always rosy.

But hard? Didn't Jesus say something about His yoke being easy, and His burden being light? He offered the weary what they needed most - rest. But rest from what?

Self-effort.

Did you know that the bible never says you should die to yourself?

What happened on the cross? Jesus died for you there, in your place. Right?

Something else happened on that cross. If you miss this, your walk will be a wearisome struggle until the day you leave this world.

What else happened? You died on that cross, too.  All of your sin, religion, pride, and self-effort died on that cross. That's God's perspective, at least.

Is it yours?

Are you constantly trying to "kill the old man," or "die to self," or some other Christian-ese that keeps wearing you out spiritually?

I challenge you to go through the bible and circle all the times Jesus asks you to try harder. You won't find one. If you do, put it in the comments box below. I'd love to see it.

Anything that requires self-effort is against the grain of the Gospel message. You know the Gospel. Every religion in the world says, "do." Follow these rules, take these steps, and you're all set. The Gospel says "done." On the cross, Jesus put it this way: "It is finished."

That's the good news: God has left only one thing for you to do. Believe in what He has already done for you. That's it. That's the entire Christian life.

You do need to "reckon" or "count" yourself dead. That's not the same as "dying to self." That's recognizing what has already taken place. You died already.

Then, read your bible. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind in the Word. Don't come looking for God's to-do list for your life. Come to know Jesus more. When you see Him, you'll be like Him, and you'll fall more in love with Him.

The Christian life is never a life of self-effort. Jesus is our Sabbath rest. Rest in what Christ has already done for you. When you do, God will work through you. Good fruit will flow from your heart and your life - automatically.