In the World but Not Of It #3

If you haven’t read part one and part two yet, you should probably do that before this one.

We are talking about transformation and radical life changes. October 14, 1973 began mine. I didn’t want to hold on to anything that displeased the Lord or which might trip me up. I want to say that life was not perfect and still isn’t. Sin is a battle every day. Win some and lose some. Get up, brush yourself off and go on. I have probably done worse things since I became a Christian than before.

It’s a battle today! Marriage and family are tough stuff. No wonder so many people avoid them. Before I got married I thought I was close to perfection. Reality came quick though and I found out I had a lot of scum in my life. Kids brought out even more. As one author has said, “maybe marriage and children are to help make you holy and not happy.” I’m hoping I can have both.

I wonder sometimes what would have happened if the mentors I had in those early years would have taken a modern approach with me. It seems today, we do everything we can to avoid being different. We are told we need to be able to engage the culture if we are going to make a difference. We need to see the same movies and TV shows and listen to the same music so we have something to converse about at the water cooler. We are so worried that if we seem different it will scare people away. Now I do think we need to understand people and the lives they lead but there are ways to do that other than sitting in the same mud.

Here is some Scripture that is relevant: 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

“Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate," says the Lord. "And do not touch what is unclean; and I will welcome you. "And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me," says the Lord Almighty.”

We are told that people don’t “come” to the Lord anymore but it’s all a slow journey. There may be some truth in that but I think the result of some of that thinking is that we are afraid to call them to discipleship. We stand back while they have a yearning for God and are discontent with their life. We watch them on the journey, then all of a sudden the baggage they are traveling with, the temptations they face and the discouragement they encounter pulls them back into the mud.

How about this: Ephesians 4:22-24

“that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in [the likeness of] God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”

I know this isn’t true in every case but it sure seems that the church today seems content to tolerate a lot of “worldly” living that years ago we would have called people out of and they would have gladly left. According to statistics, around 24 percent of abortions are committed by born again Christians. Our divorce rate is about the same, maybe a little higher. Our young and not so young singles are having sex outside of marriage at close to the same rate. We are reluctant to speak on these things because we don’t want to offend. So the discipleship of the world takes over. The world speaks into the vacuum. It says, “these things don’t really matter. Go ahead and be “saved” but you don’t have to drop all these things and change behaviors, at least not so quick.”

Here are three Scriptures I want to consider. James 4:4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. So, just what does that mean? Are we a little too cozy?

Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. We need to raise Scripture as the standard. We need to speak to specific issues even if it makes us or others uncomfortable. If we don’t, the world will.

Romans 12:1-2 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. The Phillips version says, don’t let the world around you squeeze you into it’s own mould. The things of the mind and of the body need to be transformed. This is a daily job. The world doesn’t let up in trying to make us like itself.

It has been said that people rise to a challenge. Let’s not be afraid to set the bar high. We may be surprised at all the people who line up to give it a try.

Philip

In the World but Not Of It #2

If you haven’t read part one, you should probably do that before this one. Click here.

So, October 14, 1973 changed everything. Jesus began changing me and a lot was happening quick. I was going to a church called Redeemer Temple. It was a Charismatic church but not of the flaky type. The pastors were very solid doctrinally and came from varied backgrounds. The church experienced massive growth because of two things. One was the Charismatic Renewal and the other was the revival going on called the Jesus Movement. The charismatic renewal brought in many people from mainline denominations. The Jesus Movement brought in the hippies, druggies, etc. Everybody loved Jesus and got along fine. The discipleship was excellent. For many years, I took notes on the sermons and I still consult those notebooks today. I am so thankful that there was a feast of meat with every sermon and I was learning what it meant to be a Christian.

Zeal marked our lives. The lack of wisdom and knowledge sometimes made that zeal a pain for others but we were hot and moldable in the hands of God. Much better than lukewarm.

My old friends disappeared and that was good. I needed time to grow. The time would come later when they would be able to see what Jesus did with my life. I know the danger when there isn’t a separation. Even with the power of God, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life go a long way in tearing a young Christian down.

It seemed that there was something going on almost every night. Church, Bible studies, and a Christian coffee house on east Colfax. We had a lot of fun but almost everything was Jesus/Bible centered. If we got together to hang out, inevitably it would turn into a Bible study. We were hungry for the Word of God.

Life changes were quick. The old music was gone, replaced with Jesus Music. The drugs and alcohol were gone; we were high on life. We had new friends and habits. We wanted to tell the world and change the world.

Here is something I can say about all that. The changes were not just because of someone telling me what I needed to do although, especially later, good teaching came on those things. I knew I needed to be different; inside I knew it. The old was passing away and all things were becoming new. I sold my old music albums and bought Bibles and Christian books. I carried around a briefcase in my car trunk full of those books. At a moments notice we could break them out for research and study.

Even my driving changed; I knew God wanted me to obey the laws. Speeding was out. Life was under the microscope. I had various stolen things that were traded to me for drugs. I knew where most of them came from and I took them back and told the owners why. I went back to my high school and met with some of the teachers. After one meeting, a teacher said, “Phil, your face is glowing.” I hung out on east Colfax and asked anyone who would listen, “Have you heard the good news?” What groovy times!

To be continued… Click here for part 3.

Philip

In the World but Not Of It #1

I came to Jesus on October 14, 1973. It was in the middle of the Jesus Movement. I didn’t plan to, but the time was right and the rest is HIStory.

My life at the time of my conversion was dedicated to getting high. Marijuana primarily but anything would do. I was selling at the time so I had plenty of whatever I wanted. While not making huge amounts of money, I had enough to keep me happy.

I had graduated from high school the previous spring. It was a completely wasted summer and come fall, my dad decided I needed a job. I started looking for the least intrusive one I could find. I ended up at a carnation greenhouse. Spent the day tending and cutting flowers. Man, that place smelled good in the morning!

After a month or so at the greenhouse, I met a girl who was a backslidden Christian. She messed around with the world and it got a hold of her. I sold her some pot and we talked a bit at work. Then came the day; it was a Sunday afternoon. I’m not sure why, but we were talking on the phone. I think we were supposed to make another deal. She had quit working at the greenhouse. After a short chat she told me that she had been talking to some of her old friends. Then she announced it to me, “You can’t do drugs and know Jesus.” I heard it then and I remember it now. If I think of those words, I am transported back to that moment in time.

It shouldn’t have mattered. I was raised Roman Catholic and went to parochial school in grade school and high school. My dad spent a fortune on that education, which I squandered, and in my junior year of high school, I was given an option to leave or be thrown out. I ended up at a public school and coasted downhill for the next two years. I graduated with a B average even though I missed at least one day a week and can hardly remember a day there.

Anyway, I was a good Catholic. I knew the rules and played by the rules. I tried to stay away from serious sin, went to confession regularly, and went to Mass every Sunday. I didn’t want to go to hell and thought I had it figured out. Of course, drugs were fine and you could pretty much justify most other things as long as confession was kept up. If you were not raised Catholic then I’m sure I just lost you but that’s how many play the game.

So here is this good Catholic kid on a Sunday afternoon. Stoned, happy, talking to a girl that he wouldn’t mind getting to know better. But those words! I think she was speaking of herself, somewhat apologetic, but she might as well have been a prophet of God. “You can’t do drugs and know Jesus.” We finished our conversation and I can’t remember what happened the rest of the afternoon. Then came about 7pm that night, He must have been in my room. He was in my head. I didn’t know exactly what it meant but I decided I wanted to follow Him. All of a sudden, the good catholic kid was lost. I knew what she said was true and I wanted to follow Him. Somehow, I realized I had not been.

I grabbed a New Testament from the bookshelf and started reading (in Revelation.) The next morning at work, I wanted to tell people that I was a Christian. Something happened inside!

That evening I talked to the girl, Penny, and told her what happened. She invited me to church and on Wednesday night, I went with her and her mom. A week and a half later, I was baptized. Within a couple of weeks, Penny quit coming. She just couldn’t let go of the worldly things. She hasn’t had a good life since.

I kept going to church with her mom and after awhile started driving myself. It was a completely different life now. Everything was changing.

To be continued… Click here for part 2.

Philip