Sin is Crouching at the Door

OK!  There are no super Christians.  There are only jacked-up sinners full of wickedness and selfishness, some of whom have been changed and redeemed by a glorious Jesus.  Anything good comes from God, and sin is our natural way.  I say that because pressing into that glorious Jesus is the solution to going to war with this sin that 'so easily entangles us.'  And, a slide can be subtle.

If I had been scheduled to preach last Sunday, I would have needed to decline because I was in midst of the equivelent of a small self-absorbed child that has just been denied Twizzlers in the check out aisle at Wal-Mart.  Spiritually, I was on the floor throwing a fit of self-absorption -- NOT pressing into the Gospel, NOT realizing the grace and Spirit that had been gifted me made this thing called not about me.  Sin can be defined as me forgetting that I am dead.  Well, like most of us, our worst sin happens in private in our minds, and so I did not blow anybody up or act a fool except in my own mind and somewhat with Kelley.  Basically, I spent three days alone and while I was not alone (thank goodness that Christ never leaves me or forsakes me regardless of what an idiot I am), and I should have taken advantage and just spent time with the sufficient Christ. Instead, Satan got a little foothold on a pity party and my remnant selfish heart chimed right in.  The result was a depressed state of funk.  There was no porn fest (have no temptation with that stuff). no inappropriate interaction with the opposite sex, no drunkenness. But, I ended up not being worth anything to the Kingdom until I confessed all this sin, repaired damage with Kelley, and pressed into the Gospel on which I stand and live.  Grace is a great thing, but sin crouches at the door for all of us, so let's press in close to that which we know.

Life Lessons #3

What stirs your affections for Christ?

What robs your affections for Christ?

I have never really had a lot of hobbies.  I dabbled with the old cars a little bit just to have something to with my dad when he was alive.  I have thought about doing that again with Justin, but there is just no desire there except to spend some time with him.  I played a little golf, but never like everyday.  My idolatry extended to my career success and my personal glory, but hobbies were never a big deal.  Competition can be an idol because I DEPLORE LOSING - in the past, did most anything, short of serious cheating, to avoid losing.

The only hobby I fool with at all anymore is fantasy baseball.  I know. I know.  Sounds stupid, but I have always loved baseball statistics.  When I was five years old, I knew the batting averages of all of the Cardinals, and honestly a lot of all of baseball.  So, when the world of fantasy baseball started where all of the competition is based on player stats, I really enjoyed it - really fun. Yeah, I know, NERD!  But, this is one of those morally neutral items that does not appear to have any inherent sin traits.  I mean if I go out on the street and buy heroin and shoot up, that is clearly not morally neutral.  If I cheat on my wife, that is not morally neutral.

I had never competed and won a fantasy baseball league where the players were really serious.  But last summer, I found myself with a good team and a chance to win.  Suddenly, I found myself not just enjoying the hobby, but obsessing over balls and strikes of games that did not even involve the Cardinals.  This was now not morally neutral.  Robbed affection for Jesus.  I wasn't getting high or lusting, but I was lusting, wanted to WIN.  And, I won the league.  I don't know if that was good or bad.  God did not care if I won or lost, so He obviously did not supernaturally move some pitches around so I could have success.  But, he did care how if it got between me and Him, and how I reacted to the win.

Hobbies can actually stir your affections for Christ.  They can rob also.

Life Lessons #2

As I contemplated the meaning of Independence Day yesterday, I thought of one of the great honors of my life.  My dad, Lester Gray, was a WW2 hero.  He sat in tail of a B-17 taking flak for 37 missions.  I don't mean the kind of flak a pastor takes if he preaches too long and the Baptists beat us to the buffet.  I mean rip you to shreds kind.  He saw a lot of tail gunners, not carried out of the plane, but flushed out of the plane by a giant waterhose upon their return.  One of them was his commanding officer who bumped Dad off a mission. I guess I am a little lucky to be here.

So, in 2004, our entire family, plus the famous Cole Allison, traveled to Washington DC with Lester for the dedication of the lifetime-awaited WW2 Memorial.  Dad actually fought a little with senator Bob Dole to get 20-some tickets when each person was only supposed to have 2.  Man, that dude could negotiate the price on a car and get things done - Ferris Buehler way before time.  At the ceremony, there were lots of wheelchairs and walkers, but thousands of WW2 vets made it in for what was a beautiful day and a magnificent celebration.  I don't think I have ever been such a proud American.

I have always been a proud American -- never flinching at saying that I would fight and die to fight tyranny in any form.  Isn't that really what the patriots did in the 1770's to bring about the signing of that great Declaration?  I even cry when some weed-head like Michael Phelps has the Star Spangled Banner playing over his gold medal ceremony.  I get excited when the US even scores a goal in World Cup soccer even though I have never seen a soccer match in person. I want kids to know the Pledge of Allegiance, and I don't want the flag touching the ground, let alone burned.  I love this nation!

That being said, I am a citizen of two Kingdoms.  America is a neat thing, but that citizenship will never take precedence over being in the Kingdom of Light.  Let me put that in perspective for you. I was asked the other day why we did not have an American flag on stage at The Bridge. Let me answer that this way -- I am very proud that the church we planted in on American soil.  This affords us great opportunity.  But, if we were to put up flags inside the church, they would be from every nation on earth because God does not see an American superior in any way and so in Kingdom work, we cannot either.  We must be just as vigilant about bringing all nations, races, and peoples to the throne of the most High God as we go about Kingdom of Light business.  The Gospel does not cry at medal ceremonies. It penetrates hearts and never sees the color of skin on its way in.

Last thought -- I hear people say that they feel so lucky as Americans to be free to worship.  I have news - the worship of the Lord Jesus Christ cannot be suppressed, even by tyrannical nations such as North Korea or China.  Lovers of God will express their love for God no matter if it is under a light bulb in secret in the state of Orissa in India where persecution is at an all-time high. Can't stop the worship of God, and after worshiping with them, I think they appreciate God more than the average American church-goer.  Much more than freedom to worship, what we Christians have been given by these great patriots of the past are the freedom AND the resources to go on mission and carry out the GREAT COMMISSION.  This is the great American blind-spot.  When General Washington gave orders to cross the Delaware into Trenton on that frosty winter day, they did not have many resources, but they had courage, perseverance, and belief in their cause. Christians should set down their I-Pads and contemplate the orders of the glorious Lord Jesus, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20 ESV)
For the American, there has been a lot of blood spilled to make this possible, both Holy and honorable blood.