What's Good?

“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it” (Gen. 3:6, NIV).

I have probably read Genesis 3:6 dozens of times. When I read it recently, though, I was stopped dead in my tracks. How could Eve’s perception be so misguided? Adam and Eve had been given full reign of the garden. They could basically do whatever they wanted. They were simply given one area of boundary. God said, “‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die” (Gen. 15:16-17). It’s so simple . . . yet, Eve couldn’t help but see the fruit as being good, pleasing, and desirable. She believed a lie, and she justified her decision by mentally wrapping the fruit with pretty paper. God said not to eat, but it was seen as being good, pleasing, and desirable. 

Now, because of the account recorded in Genesis, mankind has a sinful nature. This means that we are going to fall into the same trap that Adam and Eve fell into. We are going to see things in the world that are going to make sense to us as being good, pleasing, and desirable, but in reality, those things may be the very sinful things that will harm us most. If only Adam and Eve had trusted in their God. We look at Adam and Eve, now that we know the outcome of their decision, and we want to do everything in our power to stop them and make them aware of the magnitude of the mistake they were going to make. While there are many things to learn from this account in the garden, I find that we must notice that not everything that seems good, pleasing, and desirable really is. Instead, we should have faith in our Creator and in His definitions of things.

When Jesus died on the cross He showed the depth of His love for us. We can now know that Adam and Eve were failing to see that God really desired for both of them to flourish by trusting Him. Similarly, when Jesus shows the way to live a Godly life, He wants us to flourish. He certainly showed that He cares for us by dying for our sins! The beginning of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, however, makes it clear that because of our sinful nature, God’s ways will seem counterintuitive . . . they simply may not make sense to us. However, when we love Jesus, for who He is and what He did for us on the cross, we can desire to see things in their correct light. We can then, and only then, finally, see the things that are truly good, pleasing, and desirable

About the Numbers

About the Numbers

I recently heard a pastor say something that I have heard numerous others say before. The statement in and of itself is rooted in what I truly believe to be great intentions and desires, but it carries with it a potential for disaster. The statement was made in reference to the kind of ministry in which this pastor was aiming to establish with the number of people who would attend. The statement was, “I’m not a numbers guy.”

While some may deem me extreme and irrational, maybe even a bit unfair, to have become taken aback by the seemingly small nature of this statement, especially with its proclamation being rooted in good intentions - the danger of such a statement, nevertheless, stands supreme in my estimation. As is the case with other well-intended statements, one must be cautious that one’s good intentions do not turn to biblically unjust justifications. 

For the sake of running the risk of seeming to be operating out of ignorance, I will quickly identify what I truly believe the pastor meant by saying that he was not a “numbers guy”. This statement here, even as it has traditionally been used in modern times aside from those who hold to a remnant theology (belief that God wants small numbers of dedicated followers), was meant to mean that this pastor is not into just filling a room for the sake of filling a room. What was meant was that this pastor was not going to sacrifice biblical depth and truth for palpable gimmicks even if this resulted in “numbers”. While others in the “ministry” may be gaining masses by pushing false theologies – such as the prosperity gospel – this pastor would not. He was not a “numbers guy”. This is what he meant, and I applaud him for this. However, caution must be heeded.

Throughout the Scriptures, God has certainly been a numbers guy. Promises of descendants as numerous as the stars (Ge 6:24), mass exodus’, language describing His saving work as being available for all in the world (Jn 3:16), specific quantified details being stated for mass feedings (Mt 14:13-21, 15:32-38; Mk 6:32-44, 8:1-10; Lk 9:10-17; Jn 6:1-13), intentional numerical descriptions of those turning to Christ in the days of the early church (Ac 2:41, 47, 4:4, 6:7)…God appears to be a “numbers guy”. And these examples are to just name a few! The Scriptures do specifically state that God desires all to be saved (1 Ti 2:4). Thus, numbers are of the utmost importance to God, and as such, they should be just as important to those within the Church.

My greatest fear with the statement, “I’m not a numbers guy,” is that a person can begin to settle. There are two possibilities in the realm of settling to which I am referring – and this takes place within a person’s individual responsibility or role in carrying out the Great Commission. The first is positive in a person’s day in and day out work with the utmost fervency and dedication to the expansion of the kingdom of God. In this first example, a person does not let mere numbers discredit the work that is being done for God and His kingdom. Perhaps there is not a large number of attendees in the ministry, and perhaps an unbeliever has not given his life to Christ in a while, but in this first example, the person has worked tirelessly and is in the midst of a season where growth is not occurring. This is in itself not a bad thing if the person has indeed passionately worked and strived for the expansion and continues to passionately work and strive for the expansion of the kingdom. In this example, a person has settled not in the amount of effort exuded but with the season in which he or she is operating.

The second possibility is negative and is the main fear that has prompted this article. In this example, a person may be in a season of non-growth, and in response, a person may settle with focusing his or her efforts on the maturation of those who are already within at the expense of reaching those without. If this person is not a “numbers guy” then it may be all too easy to settle when there is not numerical growth into the kingdom. Possibility the biggest caution in this is also that a person may be so content with the lack of numbers that he or she may never even get to experience whether they are truly operating within a possible season of growth or not. To reach this point is to fail in his or her commissioning as Christ followers.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matt. NIV, 28:19-20).

Jesus’ Great Commission is a proclamation to believers today as much as it was to those of the very first Christians. The commission is to the maturation of believers as well as to the reaching of the unbeliever. Let us not have a mindset of not being “numbers guys”. Let us not run the risk of settling our efforts, passions and resources on anything other than fully to what God has called us. Let us, however, desire to see the masses come to a love of Christ. Let us become consumed with the potential of droves and droves of people coming to rest in Jesus. Let us be about the numbers. Let us follow God’s example and let us yearn and work for the ever expansion of the greatest kingdom…the kingdom of God. 

Silence For Once

Sometimes I like to sit in silence. I talk a lot. God finally gets a chance to speak to me when I sit down and be quiet. He speaks to me in ways that are really hard to describe. When I sit in silence, I completely open myself up. Usually my quiet time starts with rapid fires of thoughts, concerns, worries, fears, doubts, desires, agendas, obligations, and whatever else that can force its murky way into my mind. 

Eventually, it stops though.

And it's in that moment, when my mind is clear, and I'm completely open, that God speaks his loudest. 

When he speaks, I immediately feel a deep feeling of calm. It's the kind of calm that warmly surrounds my whole body and comforts my soul. It's really hard to put into words. Then, I feel an overwhelming sense of what I can only describe as God's goodness. 

Once I've recognized that God is with me, like he always is but I always seem to forget, I start to see things differently. Everything in the world just becomes okay. All of my worries go away, and God becomes enough. For once, God becomes enough. 

I start to notice things, "ordinary" things, the way God intended for me to notice them. I start to notice things as beautiful. Ridiculous things like ants, or clouds, or the cool breeze, or a tomato plant, or a wind-chime, or the cafeteria worker who always performs her job with a smile on her face. For a second, I notice everything in the world that is good, and I see it linked directly to the one who made things good. 

And after I sit in his presence for a while...after I bask in the sacred unity between my creator and I, his creation...all I can seem to do is raise my hands. And in the feeblest of attempts to respond, and a lot of the time the only way I can respond, with tear-filled eyes, I manage to muster the words, thank you. Thank you. 

Amazing Grace

"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound..."

I don't need my ears to hear your favor. That's why it's so amazing. That's why you're so amazing. My heart will continue to hear the sound that only you can produce. It's that life saving sound. I knew it was you who sang it.

"...that saved a wretch like me."

I continually prove how unworthy I am of your love, of your forgiveness, and yet I continue to receive both. It's incredible. I don't understand it, but I will continue to thank you for it.

"I once was lost, but now I'm found..."

I was breathing, but I wasn't alive. I was stumbling around as someone other than who I was always meant to be. I am defined by the relationship I have with you. In you, I am found.

"...was blind but now I see."

I saw my life as my own, but it is yours. Once I came to know that, I truly began to live. I surrender my body. It is yours. I surrender my mind. It is yours. I surrender my desires. They are yours. It sounds weird to say those things, but you've sorted this all out. It was all foggy. It was all strange...but I was blind. Now I see.

Living Love

When I get down to the core of who I want to be, I want to personify love. I want people to know, without a shadow of a doubt, that I truly love God, and that I truly love people. 

I used to have a distorted view of what love really is. I'm young, but when I was younger, love was easy. Love was common. Love was just something you said. Love could change. Love might not last. Love was just like any other emotion. 

Now that I'm older, I'm beginning to understand what love is. With that new understanding comes a new way that I approach God and those around me.

Sometimes I feel a certain way but can't express it. I sometimes read the Scriptures, and I think to myself, “That is exactly how I feel.” Or I think, “That is exactly what I want to say.” Sometimes it's like the words I read are my own words. Or even more commonly, the words I read are exactly what I need to hear. 

This verse continues to change me every time I read it. It is a common passage, 1 Corinthians 13. I read these words as if they are my own, because they are my own. I hope you will read them in the same way. It is my prayer that we can all internalize this message, and it is my prayer that these will be your words too.  

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a noisy gong or a clanging symbol. 

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 

If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. 

Love never gives up. 

Love cares more for others than for self. 

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 

Love is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

Love never fails. 

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.

When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. And now these three remain...

Faith, hope, and love. 

But the greatest of these...is love.”