Christ Follower

Have you noticed how many of your friends on Facebook have started calling themselves "Followers of Christ" instead of "Christians?" If not, trust me, it's a bunch. And it's not just happening on the social networking sites. Christian leaders like Rick Warren, Lee Strobel, Erwin McManus and host of others have also shaken off the "Christian" moniker in favor of "Christ Follower."

But what does that mean and why the switch? A friend of mine is a missionary and says under no circumstance would he ever describe himself as a Christian while on foreign soil. He says in many countries "Christian" is synonymous with America or Bush or Republican or even (in their eyes) terrorism. Describing himself as a "Follower of Jesus" at least gives him a fighting chance to share the gospel.

Here in this country, though, discarding "Christians" for "Followers of Christ" probably has less to do with persecution than it does with a genuine desire to distinguish oneself from the stereotype of the self-righteous, suit-wearing, King James thumping lump of clay taking up space in the Sunday morning pew. Plus, it's cooler to be a Follower of Christ. (http://www.thinkchristian.net/?p=960)

Now, this is not the first time we've felt the need to change our name. Remember the Jesus movement back in the 70s or the trend back in the 80s and 90s when churches did away with Baptist and Methodist in favor of "Community" church?

A little rebranding now and again is not such a bad thing. Of course the only people who really care about such semantic differences are church folk. People outside the walls don't think twice about what we call ourselves but they do want to know if Jesus is real. And that takes action not words. Doing away with a suit in favor of jeans and listening to U2 instead of singing hymns won't get you any closer to the abundant life. If you're really serious about calling yourself a Follower of Christ you might want to read up on exactly where Jesus is going.

What does it take to be a Follower of Christ? For starters, you must share his burden. The Bible says Jesus looked at those of his generation as "sheep without a shepherd." (Mk. 6:34) His mission was to "seek and to save that which was lost" (Lk. 19:10) and this is how he lived his life. He was constantly on the lookout to see how he could minister to others. He gave sight to the blind, food to the hungry, and hope to the hopeless. He didn't worry about his safety or his comfort. He trusted the Father for his daily bread and hit the road.

Jesus was also driven. His burden for others propelled him to go places most religious folk would never dream of. He socialized with lepers and hypocrites, prostitutes and outcasts. (Jn. 4:7-42) For his trouble the religious crowd called him a "gluttonous man and a drunkard" (Mt. 11:19). Jesus proved time and again if you wanted to follow him you had to go to some pretty uncomfortable places but that's exactly why he gave us his power and authority and said, "Go ye therefore." (Mt. 28:20)

Finally, a follower of Christ is obedient. When Jesus said, "If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me" (Lk. 9:23) he meant it as a warning. Following Christ is dangerous. It's messy. It's dirty. And it demands a tremendous amount of humility and courage to say, "Not my will but Thine be done." (Lk. 22:42) Are you prepared to pack up your belongings and 'go ye therefore' like Abraham? Are you ready to put your life on the line like Stephen? Would you sacrifice your status like Paul?

When Jesus said, "It's hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven" (Mt. 19:23) he was warning us that following Christ is a lot harder than you might think. Are you burdened for the lost? Are you driven to do whatever it takes to reach them? Will you be obedient even to the point of death? (Phil. 2:8) If not, you can call yourself whatever you want...but you're not a follower.

Matt Mosler is the author of Way Off Base. Contact him at matt@beautifulfeetministry.com

Trail Dust

Wow! I didn't realize, until last week, that so many people had so many stories about snakes.

I know it's been a busy week but if you'll recall, last week I wrote about my trip up, down and around Pinnacle Mountain here in Little Rock and how my brisk pace was interrupted by the report of a snake on the trail ahead. I was hoping to get across the point that we can't let our fear of what we think might happen get in the way of accomplishing what God has called us to do. But I may have gotten carried away with my story. As a result I now have a catalogue of terrific yet terrifying snake stories!

I realize now, after re-reading last week's devotion that I inadvertently left out a very important detail about my journey around the mountain. In broadcasting parlance, "I buried the lead." That's because the detail I left out is one that makes all the difference in how many of us deal with the fear in our lives. I refer to it now as the tale of two hikers.

See, the first hiker I encountered was seated atop a rock warning me about the danger ahead. Now, I don't know if he encountered the snake himself and jumped on the rock in fear or if he heard someone else talking about the snake and climbed atop the rock for protection. In either case his warning that there was a snake on the trail "somewhere" up ahead did nothing but force me to imagine that every twig, root or falling branch would surely lead to my demise.

He planted a seed of fear in my heart that apparently found some pretty good soil. It didn't take long for that seed to grow and blossom and choke out any semblance of faith that I was walking in the protection of the Lord. I seriously wondered how I was going to make it back to my truck…until I encountered hiker number two.

This guy was cruising down the trail, headed right for me, at breakneck speed. He didn't have a care or worry in the world. There was no fear in his heart, only the desire to get where he was going. He wouldn't have stopped but I asked him if he ran across any snakes. He looked at me like I had food in my teeth, assured me the trail was clear and went on his way with confidence…as did I.

One minute I was paralyzed with fear, the next I was hoofing it down the trail. What made the difference? I chose to listen to someone who had walked the trail before me.

Fear is a real problem these days. And there is no shortage of people who feel it is their duty to drag you down to their level by feeding your fears. Misery loves company, you know.

That's why we must be extremely diligent to seek out those who have walked the trail before us, who know that while it might get rocky here and there, there is green grass at the end of journey. Now these folks aren't as easy to find as you might think. Don't be fooled by the color of their hair or their preferred parking space at work. And just because they're life-long members of your church doesn't mean they are calling upon the Lord with a pure heart (2 Tim. 2:22) or pursuing the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:14).

Look for people with spiritual battle scars, people who have fought the fight and run the race, stepped out in faith and have the failures to prove it. Seek out those who don't play it safe. Those like the apostle Paul who had been beaten, shipwrecked, imprisoned and left for dead (2 Cor. 11:23-33), Job who lost everything he had, or Peter, who nearly drowned trying to follow Christ (Matt. 14:30).

If you truly desire the embark on the journey God has chosen for you be careful not to listen too closely to those sitting on top of the rocks. Listen to, learn from and be encouraged by those covered in trail dust.

Matt Mosler is the author of Way Off Base.

Fear

Nothing will change the course of your life as fast as fear. I found this out the other day while on a hike around Little Rock's Pinnacle Mountain.

Now, Pinnacle isn't a mountain in the strictest sense of the word. It's more like a very tall hill. From a distance it looks like a mini-volcano. In any case, here in Arkansas, we call it a mountain and hiking it makes an excellent training tool for our annual elk hunting trip to Colorado.

Each year our outdoor ministry, CrossHeirs, hosts a week-long elk hunt on Burnt Mountain in Colorado. It actually is a mountain. And it's a mountain that will literally bring you to your knees unless you take the time beforehand to get in better shape. I know, nothing can help you deal with the lack of oxygen at 10,000 feet but getting your legs, back and butt in climbing shape will certainly help…which brings me back to Pinnacle.

It's about a mile from the base to the top of Pinnacle but it's a very steep, rocky, climb if you approach it from the east side. Beats the heck out of a stair climber plus the scenery's better. The best workout comes when you climb as fast as you can up one side, carefully scale down the other side then jog the two miles around half of the base which brings you back to your truck. While Colorado may have the altitude Arkansas brings the heat and by the time you're done you'll be wrung out...but in much better shape.

I try to get up, over and around Pinnacle in an hour and to do that I have to be moving pretty quickly and I was the other day until I ran across another hiker. He was sitting high on a rock just off of the trail as I was sprinting by and he hollered, "Watch out for the copperhead" which immediately brought me to a halt

"The Copperhead?"

"Yeah, he was coiled up right in the middle of the trail about 50 or 60 yards up, right around that tree there.

I forgot all about the time, Colorado, getting in shape, my first name, even what I wanted for lunch. The only thing I could think about was that snake and when you're afraid everything in the woods looks like a snake. My pace ground to a halt as I gingerly scanned the trail ahead, dissecting every root to see if it was moving and wondering how I was ever going to make it back to my truck.

Right about then I saw another hiker running toward me from the other direction. He had those little ear buds in listening to music so he couldn't hear me warn him about the monster reptile he was about to encounter. But he never saw a thing. He just cruised right on down the trail without a care in the world. When he approached I asked him if he'd seen any snakes. He looked at me kind of strangely and said, "No, dude, nothing out there" as he passed me by.

It took a few steps but I gradually picked up my pace and as I did I began to reflect on just how quickly fear can paralyze the plans God has for us. The movie, Facing the Giants said "Fear Not" was used in the Bible 365 times. That's one-a-day! But a quick scan on Biblica.com only showed around 100 and BibleGateway.com listed 143 but some of those weren't the exact phrase. Now, I don't mean to quibble. It's just the reporter in me. Still, repeating any phrase over and over whether it's 365 or 100 should tell us something about just how important God thinks overcoming our fear is.

Fear is the polar opposite of faith. Once I heard the word "snake" I was more fearful I would get bit than I was faithful that God would protect me. While this might seem an extreme example I let fear win the battle over faith in far too many areas of my life when instead I should, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let (my) requests be made known to God." (Phil. 4:6)

By the way, I never did see that snake.

Matt Mosler is the author of Way Off Base. Buy it today at www.beautifulfeetministry.com

RSVP

I had a great lunch the other day with a friend who thinks God is asking her to let go of the safety and security of home base and step into a life of ministry.  She knows she has the gifts.  She knows she has the passion.  She knows there’s a terrific need.  She’s just not so sure that little voice she’s hearing is really God.

So, how do you know? Well, Jesus says in John 10:27, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them and they follow me.” How can sheep, some of the dumbest critters on the planet, learn and discern their shepherd’s voice?  Simple, they hang around the guy 24-7.  They’re together day and night, rain or shine, through good times and bad.  Your shepherd never ceases to call your name.  If you want to follow him, perhaps it’s time for you to RSVP.

R-Read the Word The Bible is not just a guidebook filled with quaint philosophies. That word is“living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit!” (Heb. 4:12)  In other words, that book is alive.  It is relevant.  It is inspired.  And God will always back up those feelings and emotions you experience with his Word.   A few years back I felt God was urging me to take a new job but I wasn’t sure it was the right move.  So I went to his word.  Unfortunately at the time I happened to be reading through Chronicles.  Now, how on earth would God ever get through to me while I was reading, “And Ner became the father of Kish, and Kish became the father of Saul…” ( I Chron. 8:33) But you know something?  He did!  Jesus said,“These words are faithful and true” (Rev. 22:6) so if you want to get to the truth behind your emotions seek him out in his word!

S- Seek Wisdom The Bible says, “Without consultation, plans are frustrated, But with many counselors they succeed.” (Prov. 15:22)  Since followers of Christ today are "strangers and aliens" (Eph. 2:19) to the rest of the world we need the help and support of our brothers and sisters in Christ.  We live according to a different standard.  And living by that standard in this world demands that we surround ourselves with likeminded pursuers of the cross who know our job is to, “stimulate ONE ANOTHER to love and good deeds… and encouraging ONE ANOTHER…all the more as you see the day drawing near.”  (Heb. 10:19-25)

V- Voice Your Concern If the only time you bow your head is to ask God to bless your food then you’re robbing yourself of some really great quality time with the shepherd.  The Bible says in 2 Chron. 16:9 that, “The eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He might strongly support those whose heart is completely His.” And how about this one, “You will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him will all your heart and soul.”(Deut. 4:29) God wants to hear from you.  He wants to know your cares and concerns.  So “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Phil. 4:6)

P- Put It Into Practice The more time you spend with the Shepherd the clearer his voice will become.  But while you may be convinced that voice if from God you will never know for sure until you let go and follow him in faith.  As James says, “Faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.” (2:17)

The life you were created to live is being held in trust right there in the palm of His hand.  But in order to grab hold of that life, the life you’ve always wanted, you have to be willing to lose yours. (Mt. 10:39)  No one gets the abundant life, no one gets to that river of living water, and no one gets to those green pastures on their own terms.  In order to become the person God created you to be you have to let go…and follow Him.

Matt Mosler is the author of Way Off Base.

First Hand

Hey I never get tired of revelation.  I don’t mean the book I mean that moment when you read something and God’s Holy Spirit reveals to you something brand new.  (Jn. 16:13)  It happened again this afternoon.

See, I’ve read the story of the disciples walking on the water probably a couple hundred times now. But this afternoon something just about jumped off the pages for me.  It was at the end of the story after Jesus and Peter climb back into the boat after their little dance on the white caps.  The Bible says,“And when they got back into the boat the wind stopped.  And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, ‘You are certainly God’s Son!’” (Mt. 14:33)

Really?  They’re just now getting that?  I mean, these guys have been following Jesus around for months now.  Didn’t they believe when they were first called?  No.  At least scripture doesn’t record that. (Matt 4:18, 9:9)

Didn’t they believe after they heard him teach or preach or heal or cast out a demon?  No.  What about when Jesus walked into a house and healed Peter’s own mother-in-law?  What about then?  No. (Mt. 8:14)

From what I can tell the disciples thought Jesus was pretty cool, amazing even.  I mean, the guy could turn water into wine.  (Jn. 2) He could captivate an audience.  (Mt. 5-7) He could heal lepers (Mt. 8:3), He could cast out demons (8:32), He could make the lame walk (Mt. 9:6), the blind see (Jn. 9), and the dead rise (Lk. 8:43). And the disciples witnessed it all. And still they didn’t really believe he was God’s son?  Apparently, not.

According to the Bible, the first time the disciples actually admitted that Jesus was the son of God, the Messiah, the chosen one, the Christ himself was when he personally came to them in a storm.

You know, it’s easy to say you believe God will feed the hungry, provide for the needy, be a friend to the friendless and the healer of broken bodies.  But can you really believe it until you’re the one starving, broke, slandered or riddled with cancer?

I asked Jesus into my heart when I was eight years old and through the years I have felt His presence and benefitted from His grace but I’m not sure I really believed he was who he said he was and that his word was true until I was in my mid-30s, in the midst of a severe storm and my faith was severely tested.  It was there in the darkness; humbled, on my knees and powerless that the person and the power of Christ became real to me.

I know it’s a scary place to be and most ‘believers’ want nothing more than to sing and praise and rejoice in His blessings.  But until we are willing to step away from our self-sufficiency, our pride and our wealth and in faith give God a chance to be God we will continue to settle for a cheap imitation of the life God created us to live.

Oh, there’s another element to this story I’d never really seen before.  Not only were the disciples in the midst of the storm but they were there for quite some time.  It was just after dinner when Jesus put the disciples into the boat and he didn’t come for them until the fourth watch of the night which was somewhere between 3 and 6:00 in the morning.  That means they were struggling in the midst of that storm for at least 8 to 10 hours.  That’s a long time to pray for deliverance.

The point is, the disciples saw Jesus do amazing things for others.  But it wasn’t until they were in the midst of the storm, themselves, fearing for their very lives, that they truly believed.

What about you?  You believe in God but do you truly believe God?  Do you believe he will provide your needs, heal your body, and deliver you from the storm?  Or are they just verses on a page?  Why don’t you follow your heart, today, step out of your boat and see for yourself?

I promise you, He’s up to the challenge.

Interview with the Christian

Anne Rice has had enough.  In a recent post on her Facebook Fan Page (confirmed by her publisher as authentic) she wrote;

For those who care, and I understand if you don't: Today I quit being a Christian. I'm out. I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being "Christian" or to being part of Christianity. It's simply impossible for me to "belong" to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group. For ten years, I've tried. I've failed. I'm an outsider. My conscience will allow nothing else.

So, what happened?  I mean it wasn’t that long ago that the author of the Interview with a Vampire series became a Christian.  Just a couple of years ago Rice told USA TODAY, “I do get people saying, "How can you be such a fool to believe in God?" I sense many are young Goth kids who feel abandoned. I just say, look, you're looking for the same things that I was, transcendence and redemption. I found what my characters were looking for.” (USA Today 3/6/2008 Life Section)

Now, I don’t know who said what to whom or why but apparently much of Ms. Rice’s shift in direction has to do with the pressure she’s received from ‘Christians’ regarding her son, Christopher Rice, who is gay.  She continues on her FB page;

“I refuse to be anti-gay. I refuse to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control. I refuse to be anti-Democrat. I refuse to be anti-secular humanism. I refuse to be anti-science. I refuse to be anti-life. In the name of Christ, I quit Christianity and being Christian. Amen.”

While there may be some who would be quick to say, “Good riddance Anne Rice.  I didn’t like your books anyway and you seem like a nut job.” I would caution you instead to consider what she’s saying because this same sort of thing happens to people of lesser note every day.  And you may have been one of the perpetrators.

See, while I, too, love Jesus I’m not wild about some of his followers at time either.  Too often I see far too much judging and not nearly enough grace. While I may not agree with Anne Rice’s views about homosexuality, feminism, birth control, secular humanism, science or politics it’s not my job to change her mind.  If I were her friend or confidante I would try to mentor, disciple and instruct her as to what the Bible teaches but I’ll leave it up to the Holy Spirit to change her mind.  I don’t want that responsibility. Plus I trust his wisdom and insight a lot more than I do my own.

The apostle Paul begins his second chapter to the Philippians by explaining the finer points of humility. He writes, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves.” He then talks about the humility of Christ and how it resulted in God exalting Jesus’ name far above all names.  This all leads Paul to then implore his readers to, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”

See, it’s not our job to determine what is or what is not God’s plan for Anne Rice.  That’s between God and Anne.  Our job is just to love, fellowship, show affection and compassion and be encouraging (1-2).  We need to allow our brothers and sisters a little space to work out their own salvation not beat them up because they’re taking their own sweet time coming around to our way of thinking.  Trust the Holy Spirit to do his thing and he will “exalt them at the proper time.” (I Pet. 5:6)

Paul concludes by telling the body of Christ, “Do all things without grumbling or disputing.”(14) This is supposed to serve as a testimony to all those other people watching to see if we really practice what we preach.  This seems to be where Anne Rice reached her limit.  Can you blame her?

Matt Mosler is the author of Way Off Base.

Off the Wall

As far back as I can remember I have used a New American Standard version of the Bible.  Well, there was that paperback “Good News for Modern Man” Bible from back in the ‘70s.  Remember that one?  It was illustrated with newspaper headlines.  We thought it was cool that it was written in “Today’s English Version.”

Now, I’m not trying to promote one version of the bible over another.  I don’t want to get anywhere near that argument.  I’m just saying that all the verses in my head are memorized in the NASB.  So when someone pointed out to me a particular verse in the King James I thought they were kidding, but there it was.  I Samuel 25:22, “So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.”

I’m not making this up.  It really says, “pisseth,” and it means just exactly what you think it means.  I guess the genteel scholars who put together the more modern versions thought the phrase a bit crude which is why it was later cleaned up to read “one male” (NIV), “one man”(NLT), “one man-child” (ASV), and “one male of any who belong to him” by the NASB.

Modern scholars cleaned up 2 Chron. 10:10 as well but I’ll let you look that one up for yourself.

Now being a guy myself I can appreciate how the word “man” became interchangeable with“one who pisseth against the wall.”Any guy who’s spent time in God’s great outdoors, especially in the snow, knows how wonderful it is to be a man.  But the scholars I read said the phrase didn’t just apply to grownups or soldiers but to any and every male in the family.

While most of us today might find the concept wholly inappropriate we mustn’t forget that back in David’s day they didn’t have indoor plumbing.  Still, I guess the thought of such a thing was so repulsive that modern day scholars apparently felt the need not to translate but to interpret the text.  Perhaps they were worried that if we read it as it was written too many of us would forego the facilities to write on someone’s wall.  But I think it’s important to remember that despite what you see on TV or portrayed in the movies or read in books and magazines men really aren’t that stupid…but they are different.

I’m not saying that men don’t occasionally need cleaning up but God made men they way they are for a reason and it’s not just to kill bugs or open stuck jelly jars.  Still, for some reason, even those in our popular church culture feel the need to apologize for our men.  Let me give you a good example:  My wife pointed out recently the differences between a Mother’s Day service at most churches and a Father’s Day service.  On Mom’s day she gets a flower and we celebrate the hard-working, tireless, loving, giving, Proverbs 31 woman.  Indeed she is great and worthy of praise.  But what do we hear on Father’s day?  Usually it’s about all the things we dad’s could be doing to be a better Father.

I know dads aren’t perfect but we’re not always wrong, either.  For example if we’re going camping and my son, after repeated reminders, still forgets his sleeping bag Dad says, too bad.  Sleep in the cold.  He won’t forget it next time.  Mom, however, will drive 100 miles to the nearest Wal-Mart so her little boy won’t get sick.  Mom is taking care of her baby.  Dad knows what it takes to be a responsible man.  Neither is right.  Neither is wrong.   Unless you ask Child Protective Services.

Now, let me be very, very clear.  I am NOT advocating that your men and boys go out right now and stain someone’s fence.  That’s not acceptable.  But men need to have the freedom to be different.  They need to know it’s OK to follow their hearts.  They need to be encouraged to take chances.  They need to be inspired to lead.  They need to have the freedom…to be men.  Just stay away from the wall.

Matt Mosler is the author of Way Off Base.

The Chicken & The Egg

I love science.  I really do.  But I think now and then that God gets a good chuckle out of scientists, don’t you?  Consider this recent story I read on my newscast:

“British scientists claim to have finally come up with the definitive answer to the age old question, ‘Which came first, the chicken or the egg?’  According to researchers at Sheffield and Warwick Universities the answer is…the chicken!   Their proof?  Well, apparently there is a certain protein in the shell of the egg that can only be produced inside a chicken’s ovaries.   Now that that question’s been answered, scientists say they will now begin working to determine why the chicken crossed the road.” (That last sentence wasn’t part of the study.)

That’s nice to know, isn’t it?  But I wonder how in the world they got funding for this project.  I mean, with all the issues scientists could be devoting themselves to is this really the best use of their resources?  Plus, didn’t Moses answer that question about 3500 years ago when he wrote,“And God created…every winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it was good.” (Gen. 1:21) I know they don’t fly but I would still consider the chicken a winged bird, wouldn’t you?

Still, I do love science.  Yeah, I know that many scientists have devoted their lives to disproving the existence of God but they’re not good scientists.  They may be smart but the scientific method says you don’t draw a conclusion until after all the evidence is in.  And as scientists continue to pursue the truth the evidence is mounting for the existence of a creator.  Just ask Dr. Antony Flew.

A few years back I wrote about how Dr. Flew, a legendary British philosopher and atheist who had been a champion for unbelievers for decades, suddenly reversed his course.   The year was 2004 when after years of bitterly deriding creationists Flew announced to the world that he “had to go where the evidence leads” and stated, "It has become inordinately difficult even to begin to think about constructing a naturalistic theory of the evolution of that first reproducing organism." (Philosophy Now Magazine, August-September 2004) All that bloviating is just scientist speak for, “There had to be a creator.”

Now I know there are all sorts of arguments that can be made on both sides of this faith/science/creation/evolution battle and I’m not nearly smart enough to even engage in many of the debates but I don’t lose sleep over it.  Because the fact of the matter is Christians have nothing to fear from science.  The Bible is perfectly clear when it says, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.”(Rom. 1:20)

Which means while tomorrow there may be headlines splashed from one side of the globe to the other about the discovery of the latest missing link or how bacterial life was discovered on another planet or that aliens brought life to this one but fear not.  The truth will get out and the science will prove it.  Science followed to its logical conclusion will always confirm the existence of God because God did indeed create the heavens and the earth. (Gen. 1:1) I’m not saying Science is Faith and Faith is Science but they can coexist rather nicely.  For more on this subject I encourage you to read a book written by someone much smarter than I.  In fact it’s called, Can a Smart Person Believe in God, by Michael Guillen.

So what’s the big deal about knowing the chicken came before the egg?  Simple, it’s just one more tiny drop in a sea of evidence that God is real.  He’s as real as the rings of Saturn, as real as a strand of DNA, as real as a new born baby.  And if God is real then maybe Jesus is real.  And if Jesus is real then maybe there is a purpose and a plan to my life.  That’s something worth investigating.

By the way, you do know why the chicken crossed the road, right?  To prove to the armadillo it could be done.

Matt Mosler is the author of Way Off Base.  Find out more atwww.beautifulfeetministry.com

Say It Ain’t So, Mel

I don’t know Mel Gibson. Never met him. I like his movies though. In fact, I think Braveheart may be my favorite movie of all time. But I don’t like what Mel Gibson has become. And I’m not just referring to this latest rant which has all the gossip magazines atwitter like sharks that smell blood in the water. To me, the roots of Mr. Gibson’s well chronicled fall from grace extend all the way back to 2004. See, before that Mel Gibson was, to put it mildly, “The Man.”

Back in 1985 he was People Magazine’s original “Sexiest Man Alive.” He starred in, produced, and directed numerous blockbusters like The Patriot, Maverick and the Lethal Weapon franchise. He even won two Academy awards for his role in the aforementioned Braveheart, which was named the best picture in 1995. In short, he was one of the most likable and most bankable stars in Hollywood...until 2004.

So what happened in 2004? Well, that was the year Mel Gibson felt he had enough good will and popularity in the bank that he could make the movie he always wanted to make. He knew he would face criticism. He knew he would be attacked. But I don’t think even Mel Gibson understood the firestorm that would surround the creation, production and release of The Passion of The Christ.

Among other harsh criticisms of the movie Jami Bernard of The New York Daily News said,“Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ is the most virulently anti-Semitic movie made since the German propaganda films of World War II. It is sickening.” But while the furor rose in some quarters in others the movie began to have a much different effect. Some churches were renting out entire theaters and handing out free tickets and even today the film is being used on the mission field to illustrate how God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son to pay the penalty for their sins (Jn. 3:16). To date The Passion of the Christ is the 7th highest grossing movie of all time. Who knows how many lives have been impacted because of its release.

Well, we know of at least one life that’s been changed. Just two years after the release of the film Mel Gibson was arrested for drunk driving and was recorded during the arrest unleashing a blistering barrage of anti-Semitic rants. Three years later his wife of nearly 29 years and mother to his seven children announced they were divorcing amidst rumors of infidelity. Later that year those rumors were confirmed first with pictures then with the birth of his eighth child by a Russian model named Oksana Gregoriava. And now this latest incident.

I don’t know if one thing has to do with the other. Like I said, I don’t know Mel Gibson. But it is hard to ignore the timing of it all, isn’t it? See, Satan loves to attack those on the front lines of the battle (Job 1:9-11). We shouldn’t have any trouble naming the myriad of religious leaders across the country who’ve been embroiled in one type of scandal or another. And if we think about it we can also probably come up with a few right here at home who have stumbled along the journey. True, much of their demise was a fault of their own pride but are they any different that most of the men and women listed in the Bible, including King David who sent one man to his death so that he could marry the guys wife. And he was a “man after God’s own heart?” (I Sam. 13:14)

My point is not that we should go easy on Mel Gibson. Neither should we shy away from the front lines of the spiritual battle to avoid the flaming darts of the enemy. That’s where we belong. That’s where lives are changed. That’s where purpose and meaning begin. That’s also where the battle gets nasty. So as you go about fulfilling your ministry put on His full armor by reading His word, praying without ceasing, and surrounding yourself with Godly men and women who will hold you accountable (Eph. 6:10-20).

Matt Mosler is the author of Way Off Base.

Do What You Do

Hey! Remember me? Yea, I know it’s been a while. I hated to go away but I felt I had to and I hope you’ll give me this opportunity to explain why.

I started writing in this space more than eight years ago. It was more of a release than anything else. It seemed everywhere I looked I saw God’s hand and just wanted to share it with whoever cared to read it. Those reflections have resulted in one book to date, Way Off Base, and a couple of others that will likely be ready in the next couple of years.

But over time the hours I spent in front of this computer shifted from devotion to duty, from response to requirement and from outpouring to obligation. That’s not good. When that happens too much of me gets involved and too much of He gets squeezed out. I needed to hit 700 words. I needed to have it ready by the end of the day Monday. I needed to find a scripture to wrap around my observations. I needed a break.

My writing is not any different than your coaching or your car pooling or your t-shirt wearing or your Facebooking. Whatever you’re doing to put yourself in a position to influence others needs to be done not because you feel you have to but because it’s an overflowing of your wellspring of life. (Prov. 4:23) And when that well runs dry it needs to be filled otherwise all those people you’re trying to influence will end up influencing you. (I Cor. 15:33)

Following after Christ can become such a duty, can’t it? So often we get sucked into this eddy of expectation of what a believer is supposed to act like and look like and sound like that we lose our God-given uniqueness. When we live our lives the way we think we’re supposed to as opposed to how the Spirit of God is leading us we miss all those strange and wonderful and frightening and beautiful twists and turns of what, in the end, turns out to be a pretty abundant life.

Recently I reread the story of Jesus eating at the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus…the second meal (Jn. 12: 1-11). Remember in the first account (Luke 10:38-42) Martha got all bent out of shape because she felt she was doing all of the work while Mary sat there fawning over Jesus and Lazarus, well, who knew what Lazarus was up to. Jesus tells Martha then, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only a few things are necessary, really only one…” (v. 41) What was that ‘one thing?’ To many, including so many today, that one thing would have Martha out of the kitchen where she was so fussy and around Jesus feet where she could worship with hands held high. But that’s not what Jesus meant. Martha was actually pretty good at what she did.

At this second meal Martha is still in the kitchen but she has a totally different demeanor. Mary is still at Jesus’ feet and Lazarus? Well, what about Lazarus? He wasn’t cooking or serving or anointing Jesus’ feet with oil. All he was doing was traveling the country side sharing the good news and getting people saved (John 12:11).

See, we’ve each been given different gifts to be used in different ways. One is no better than another. Now, they may appear so to those caught up in the downward spiral of duty but in God’s eyes the body is “fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies.” (Eph. 4:16) This doesn’t mean Lazarus shouldn’t help in the kitchen or Martha shouldn’t get emotional or Mary shouldn’t serve. What it means is that we should take the time to allow Christ to fill up the wellspring He created within us so that what overflows will not be what we think the world needs but exactly what is necessary for the building up of the body...irrespective of others expectations.

So go on. Do what you do!