Grateful Or Grumpy?

6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him — Colossians 2:6 (NASB95)

      Adults who frequently feel grateful have more energy, more optimism, more social connections and more happiness than those who do not, according to studies conducted over the past decade. They're also less likely to be depressed, envious, greedy, or alcoholics. They earn more money, sleep more soundly, exercise more regularly, and have greater resistance to viral infections.
      Now, researchers are finding that gratitude brings similar benefits in children and adolescents. [Studies also show that] kids who feel and act grateful tend to be less materialistic, get better grades, set higher goals, complain of fewer headaches and stomach aches, and feel more satisfied with their friends, families, and schools than those who don't.
– Melinda Beck, "Thank You. No, Thank You," The Wall Street Journal (11-23-10)

Sometimes, I just love the studies that scientific and academic types produce. Some of them are funny. Some ridiculous. Now and then, one just makes perfect sense. The study referenced in the article from The Wall Street Journal falls into that category.

Doesn’t it just make good sense? Doesn’t it fit with your observations of people? It does mine. It’s clear to me that grateful people are happy people. The folks who can’t seem to manage even the slightest bit of gratitude are the most unhappy. They gripe and grumble, fuss and complain, and are almost impossible to satisfy. They go through life experiencing a lot of self-produced pain because nothing is right (at least to them).

Watch the negative, fault-finding, critical, verbal abusers. Gratitude is seldom one of their strong points. Some people seem to enjoy sitting around taking pot-shots at others. They can tell everybody else what they ought to do, how they ought to do it, and can list a quick hundred reasons whatever they’re looking at isn’t good, won’t work, or could be better. They almost never have solutions, improvements, or positive contributions. Largely, it’s because they aren’t grateful for much. Look around. Really. Take a look. You have so much for which to be grateful. You’ve got people and things, maybe a pet, money in the bank (even if it’s a little), sunshine and stars. Best of all, you’ve got a Savior who loves you and died for you, who will save you from your sins and give you eternal life. What about it? Thankful yet?

My House And Your House

46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. — Acts 2:46–47 (NASB95)

Long before the church had pulpits and baptisteries, she had kitchens and dinner tables. Even a casual reading of the New Testament unveils the house as the primary tool of the church. The primary gathering place of the church was the home. – Max Lucado, Outlive Your Life (Nelson, 2010), p. 55

I’m not opposed to church buildings. Let me say that up front. I think there is an advantage in having a place where the whole church can meet together, where we can invite people from the community to various events, where we have facilities to use for all kinds of things that bring us together, whether it is to educate, to celebrate, or just have some fun.

I also think that it’s a shame that we don’t understand the power of our houses. The modern church is fairly good at putting on big events (I’m speaking in relative terms here because the total number of people may not be huge). We’re not so good at the small, intimate events. We need to learn how to do those, too.

The early church met in homes by necessity. The church building hadn’t been invented. They did have the temple where large crowds gathered, but individual houses played a huge role. This is where church life thrived.

Small group ministry has been around for a long time. Many churches have discovered how to use small groups of about ten or so people to grow strong and healthy. There is something about sitting around someone’s living room or den, sharing a cup of coffee or soft drink, and talking about spiritual things.

Fellowship deepens. We learn what makes each other tick, and what people need. We naturally get to share with others as God has blessed us with individual gifts. Being part of the body of Christ becomes real, not just theory. We learn how to help each other, pray for each other, and how to follow Jesus together. When is the last time you opened up your house and hosted a group of Christians to share your common faith together? Maybe it’s time.

Wanting To Believe

 1 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God. . . .” —   Psalm 14:1 (NASB95)

Thomas Nagel, an atheist who authored a popular introduction to philosophy titled What Does It All Mean? wrote: "I want atheism to be true … It isn't just that I don't believe in God, and, naturally, hope that I'm right about my belief. It's that I hope there is no God! I don't want there to be a God; I don't want the universe to be like that."  –  Jim Spiegel, "Unreasonable Doubt," Christianity Today (2-10-11)

I will not for a moment ascribe to every unbeliever the sentiments of Thomas Nagel.  That would be both unfair, and simply erroneous.  But I do think that there is something in his statement that resonates deeply with both believers and unbelievers.  It has everything to do with what we want to be true.

I’m not saying that truth depends on what we want.  Truth is truth regardless what we might want.  If God exists, He exists outside our desire either way.  Wanting it to be so, one way or the other, doesn’t make it so.  But believing that something is true has a lot to do with whether we want it to be true or not.

There are many passages in the Bible that tell us that we should, even must, believe in God or believe in Jesus.  There is a lot of evidence presented to persuade us that there are things about God and His Son that we should believe.  But believing is always a choice.  I don’t think we talk enough about this aspect of faith.  To believe in Jesus is a choice we make, a conscious decision to accept as true what the Bible teaches about God’s Son.

A strong component of such a decision relates to our wanting the evidence to be true.  There are some who have been so persuaded, so compelled by the evidence that they would say they believed even when they didn’t want to do so.  I would not dare conclude such people are dishonest.  I do think that they might not realize that what compelling evidence does is not simply force us into a spot where we can’t choose any other option, but it creates in us the desire for the very things about which we have been convinced.

I want there to be God.  I want Jesus, the Son of God, to have lived, died and risen again.  I want the sacrifice for sin to be real, for salvation to be real, for eternal life to be true.  And so I believe.  I make no excuses.  I want these things.  I believe them.  That’s my choice.

Redeemer

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. 15 These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.   —  Titus 2:11–15 (NASB95)

     Above the entryway to [Auschwitz] were the words, Arbeit macht frei. The same thing stood above the camp at Dachau. It means, "work makes free"—work will liberate you and give you freedom.
     It was a lie—a false hope. The Nazis made the people believe hard work would equal liberation, but the promised "liberation" was horrifying suffering and even death.
     Arbeit macht frei. One reason that phrase haunts me is because it is the spiritual lie of this age. It is a satanic lie. It's a religious lie. It is a false hope—an impossible dream for many people in the world. They believe their good works will be great enough to outweigh their bad works, allowing them to stand before God in eternity and say, "You owe me the right to enter into your heaven” . . .
     It is the hope of every false religion—arbeit macht frei.
     But it's the love of God that liberates. It's the blood of Jesus Christ that liberates. He died in my place, and I am free.  –  From Johnny V. Miller's sermon, "The Great Rescue," PreachingToday.com (4-14-07)

We really need to get this down.  Saved people are redeemed people.  To be redeemed means we have a redeemer, and that redeemer is Jesus Christ.  We don’t save ourselves or anybody else.  It’s frustrating to keep battling this idea, even within the church (the body of saved, redeemed people).  Tell people they aren’t saved by their good works, but by the blood of Jesus and some of them look at you with this blank stare as if they can’t quite grasp what you’re saying.

“But we have to do something. . . .”  That’s often the response, in one form or another.  Yes, we must respond in faith.  But nothing in your faith earns, deserves, or accomplishes salvation.  If you’re a sinner, you need a redeemer.  That’s Jesus.  Get that one right.  There is nothing more important.  Don’t fumble that one.  Jesus saves and redeems.  Hallelujah!

Heart Models

. . . I have said before that you are in our hearts to die together and to live together. — 2 Corinthians 7:3 (NASB95)

Jane Leavy recounts comments from (Mickey) Mantle's last press conference on July 11, 1995. Mantle had been an alcoholic.
"God gave me a great body and an ability to play baseball," he said. "God gave me everything, and I just … pffft!" What would be remembered most was the anguished plea to children: "I'd like to say to the kids out there, if you're looking for a role model, this is a role model. Don't be like me."
A reporter asked Mantle if he had signed a donor card. "Everything I've got is worn out," he said. "Although I've heard people say they'd like to have my heart … it's never been used."
– Jane Leavy, The Last Boy(HarperCollins, 2010), p. 374

Our church has been hit hard this week by two deaths. One, a young man in the prime of life, died in a diving accident. The other, an old man long in years and life, finally gave in to the ravages of aging. The first, nobody was ready for. It was a total shock to learn that Larry had died. The second, everybody was ready for, especially Russ, himself.

You would not necessarily think the two had all that much in common. I think you would be wrong. Allow me one huge commonality. Heart!

Both were men of heart. Both loved people. Both loved the Lord. Both wore their hearts on their sleeves. Both were tender-hearted when it came to people. Larry was always doing something for someone. Russ was a long-sought-after spiritual counselor. Both loved to laugh. Both had unique ways of relating to people. Both loved life. Larry showed that in the sheer zest for life and living. Russ was constantly pointing out something he observed like it was the first time ever seeing it. Both will be greatly missed by a lot of people, and it’s because both men had lots of heart.

Mickey Mantle told kids, “Don’t be like me.” Speaking about his heart, he said, “. . . it’s never been used.” If you’d like a role model for “heart,” let me suggest two for you. A young man named Larry, and an old man named Russ. If you know them, you know what I’m talking about. If you don’t know them, come talk to me. I’ll put you in touch with a boat-load of people who will tell you about them. They will tell you about men with hearts.

Loving People Fervently

Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart   —  1 Peter 1:22 (NASB95)

The main evidence that we are growing in Christ is not exhilarating prayer experiences, but steadily increasing, humble love for other people.  –  Frederica Mathewes-Green, First Fruits of Prayer (Paraclete Press, 2006), p. Xv

How about we all participate in a mass confession?  Loving the brethren isn’t something we really want to do.  After all, some of the brethren aren’t all that lovable.  Some of them are kooks and cranks, and not a few border on being nut cases.

Then there are the mean-spirited brethren, the nosey-and-in-your-business brethren, the forever-complaining brethren, the negative, critical, fussy, never-satisfied brethren.  Throw in a few holier-than-thou and better-than-thou brethren, and pretty much anybody can see why loving the brethren can be a problem.

If everyone was as easy-going as, say, I am then it would be a much easier task.  In fact, I think that’s the main problem.  Too many people aren’t like me, and that’s what makes them hard for me to love.  Have I just betrayed myself and possibly you, too?

I think Jesus had amazing insight into the human heart when he said, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”   I think he knew that most of us love ourselves.  The problem is that we don’t always love the other guy.  But if we could love the other guy, we would need to love him as we love ourselves.

Peter doesn’t help much.  He not only expects us to love our brethren, he evidently expected that we would love with some zip to it.  He said, “. . . fervently love one another from the heart.”  Fervently!  You can’t do something fervently and look bored, or tired, or like you wished you were somewhere else, doing something else.  The very idea of “fervently” just shouts energy and sincerity.  To be honest, if somebody was going to love me, I think I’d like for them to do so fervently.

Ever wonder what would happen to a church where everybody loved everybody fervently?  I’m not sure that will ever happen, but I think it would be terrific.  Wonder how we could get that going?  There must be a way.

What Is Following Jesus Worth?

26 “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. 27 “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28 “For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?  — Luke 14:26–28 (NASB95)

Asian Access (or A2), a Christian missions agency in South Asia, listed a series of questions that church planters must ask new believers who are considering baptism. . .

 *  Are you willing to leave home and lose the blessing of your father?

 *  Are you willing to lose your job?

 *  Are you willing to go to the village and those who persecute you, forgive them, and share the love of Christ with them?

 *  Are you willing to give an offering to the Lord?

 *  Are you willing to be beaten rather than deny your faith?

 *  Are you willing to go to prison?

 *  Are you willing to die for Jesus?

–  South Asian nation struggles to shape itself, Mission Network News (1-17-12)

I have baptized a lot of people over the last 40 years or so.  I’ve used baptisteries, lakes, ponds, bathtubs, cattle tanks, even the Gulf of Mexico.  From each one, I really just wanted to hear that simple confession, “I believe that Jesus is the Son of God.”  It never crossed my mind to ask the questions above, but I can sure understand the need.

In some places in the world, you really need a way to filter out the unbelievers, or provide a way for people to realistically consider what their baptism might mean.  Those questions highlight the cost of following Jesus.

In the U.S., we just don’t see the need.  In fact, we’d probably rather suggest to people that it’s not going to cost much, if anything.  To listen to some, becoming a Christian is just a step toward raking in boat-loads of blessings of one kind or another, including fancy cars and big bank accounts.

In scripture, and evidently some places in today’s world, people actually pause to count the cost.  They know it’s going to cost something - maybe their lives.  I don’t know about you, but this humbles me.  So, what do you think following Jesus is worth?