Life under the Son

"Of course, we do not use the word cool to describe true greatness. It is a small word. That's the point. It's cheap. And it's what millions of young people live for" (John Piper, Don't Waste Your Life).

The writer of Ecclesiastes speaks of "life under the sun"--that is, a world without God. Now whether or not this book has come to us from the hand of king Solomon -- a man blessed with extraordinary wisdom -- or some other prudent character, is not really that important. The indisputable fact remains that the author has demonstrated, in frightfully clear terms, the end result of life without God: meaninglessness.

There's a lot one could say about this. We could examine the relevancy of the the author's experiences to our current lifestyles. We could launch into a chilling description of the sinner's true state of godlessness. We could beg and plead with our fellow Christians to throw off their preocuppation with self and live a life worthy of their calling, to recoil from living a life under the sun without life in the Son.

But what good would it do? Honestly, assuming my experiences are at least relatively close to the norm, how far can such discussion go? Passion fades. Resolve deteriorates. Vision clouds.
When we allow our pleasure to supercede our purpose, how can anything truly great, noble, or good move us?

When we allow our perspective to morph into a Christ-less, self-centered vision, joy cannot last. Without the life of Christ in the soul of man, our world is reduced to a land of missed opportunities and unfulfilled potential; a land of incompletion and imperfection; a land of agravating almosts and disappointing endings. If disappointment is slow in coming, we need only wait a little longer. It's coming. Only the infinite God can fully satisfy.

There's so much more to say. But the writer of ecclesiastes gives a good summary of the correct response to such a potentially meaningless lifestyle: fear God, and keep his commands; remember your creator in the days of your youth.
Such a life cannot be invoked by passionate pleading or clever rhetoric. Only the life of Christ in the soul can produce a life in Christ. And for that, you must go to the cross.

A Return

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
~John 14:27

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
~John 16:33


"But I am so weak!" Granted. But turn your eyes upward. Do you not find yourself simultaneaously bending your gaze inward through the lens of scripture and finding there a precious savior, mighty and able--yes, willing--to save? Are you not accustomed to communing with the master rebuilder who has made his home in your heart? Have you not found faithful thus far he who has promised to work a change in you?

Is your answer to all these questions 'no'? Jordan, you are blind! You have been lifted from the foaming waters, and still you thrash and fight and fear and tremble, like one doomed to destruction! Oh, tune your ear to the voice of Christ! He has spoken salvation; he is speaking peace.


Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.
~2 Thessalonians 3:16

I Do Believe

I may be wrong, but my behavior seems ridiculously illogical. Consider if you will my predicament:

#1. I want to be happy. Beneath sundry motives and emotions sits this fundamental desire. I long for joy and contentment.

#2. I know where to find what I’m looking for. I know where true happiness lies. David knew also: “You have made known to me the path of life, you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (Psalm 16:11).
I believe with all my heart that ultimate satisfaction awaits me in God’s presence; that communion with Him constitutes joy in its purest form. I am wholly convinced that—my purpose being to glorify and enjoy God—no other occupation can possibly produce more intense contentment.

#3. Here is my problem: I cannot bring myself to strive after that which I most desire. I know what I want and I know how to get it – but I can’t. I find myself attracted to so many inferior comforts, motivated by so many illegitimate desires, and allured by so many trivial experiences.

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do” (Rom 7:15).

It’s not just active sin that keeps me from my father’s presence. It’s a kind of lethargy. I know that, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us…” (2 Peter 1:3), but I move so slowly towards fuller knowledge of Christ. Here I have His words, His self revelation; here I have His faithful servants around me, constantly testifying to the power and wonder of his love. What a wretched man I am! What a stupid creature I must be! How intense the shadows of my unregenerate heart must have been that they linger still despite this radiant light of Christ and His gospel. And how great must be the love of this God, who bears with such wondrous patience the prayerlessness and lovelessness of His own children, who look up to the cross—the ultimate sacrifice, the symbol of the most intense sorrow ever experienced: the severing of the infinite bond of love between the Father and Son—and respond with such inappropriate apathy, which renders the divine gift a mere accessory to life.
So there’s something wrong with my heart still. But the situation is not desperate; the God who loved me enough to endure hell on my behalf, well aware of the depravity of my soul and the completely inappropriate response I would offer, loves me enough to bear my weakness with patience and gently bring me nearer and nearer to His presence. “Praise be to God, through Christ Jesus our Lord!”
And so my lack of love serves to highlight his unconditional faithfulness all the more, and calls for even more praise—indeed it compels me once again to “make every effort to add to [my] faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly-kindness; and to brotherly-kindness, love.” For my Lord promises, “if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the kingdom of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:5-11). "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you" (Matt. 7:7).

So I encourage you, fellow believer—if you believe his promises, don’t just rest in them. Act on them. Seek Him.

certain things don't mix

“What, reader, is the habitual and supreme bent of your mind? Is it that which is spiritual, or that which is carnal?...You have your mind either set upon the things of the flesh, or upon the things of the Spirit.” – Octavius Winslow

I have gotten to know many Christian youth during my three years of college, at three different Christian schools, and many of the thousands of conversations I have had and many of the observations I have made, raise various questions in my mind about how we Christian youth are living our lives.

During my second year at school there was one piece of a conversation that has stayed in the back of my mind. I was just relaxing with a bunch of friends talking about random things, when one guy said something that caught my attention. He was someone who sang and played the guitar for a lot of the worship times during school events; he did the same for his church, and he professed his Christianity. So when he mentioned that his favorite movie was Wedding Crashers, I was slightly surprised (although I’m not really surprised to hear that type of thing coming from Christians, which is sad).

Now I had never seen this movie (still haven’t and never will), but from what I had heard it was nothing but trash. Since that time I have looked the movie up online and have found that it received its R rating for: Sexuality, Nudity, Sexual and Crude Humor, and Language. So here was a young Christian man announcing that he “loved” this junk, not only in the presence of females but in the presence of nonbelievers. Then, what was even worse, is that other Christian guys there agreed enthusiastically with him!

How is that movie edifying? How does it not pollute your mind? What type of witness are we being? “Well my favorite book to read is the Holy Scriptures and my favorite thing to watch is Wedding Crashers.” Oh yeah, now I see what a powerful example that is; can’t believe I missed it the first time.

I also have a good amount of friends from both highschool and college who put the artist Eminem as one of their favorites. Here’s a guy who has profanity and the F word all throughout his songs, yet these young Christian men hold him up us one of their favorite. I don’t care how great the guy is, or that he is a genius in the area of rap, the guy is singing filth into your ear. There are, of course, more extreme examples; I’m sure there are Christians out there who say Marylin Manson is their favorite.

Not only is that a horrible witness, but it is nothing but hurtful to your personal walk. We are called to live lives that are pure, holy, and pleasing to God. For some bizarre reason I do not see God being too pleased with you claiming Wedding Crashers or Eminem as your favorites. It’s when I hear things like this that I question how serious the Christian youth of today are about their faith.

I do not want anyone to think that I’m sitting up here on my high horse pointing fingers at them and judging. I am extremely far from being a perfect Christian example. I have enjoyed watching movies that I regretted having seen afterwards. This has been an exhortation to me just as much as to my brothers and sisters in Christ. I, however, can not say it better than Octavius Winslow.

“Be exhorted to walk in the Spirit. Be not satisfied with having the question decided in your favor, or with just barely knowing that you have crossed the line that separates the regenerate from the unregenerate, death from life. Remain not where you are; go forward. Be not content with a low standard. Compare not your church with other churches, nor yourself with other Christians; nor measure yourself by yourself. Rather, fix your eye upon Christ; copy His example, imbibe His mind, and place yourself under the government of His Spirit. Strive to go forward!”

This post is in no way limited to media: what we watch or listen to. I hope we all take the exhortation here and apply it to every aspect of our lives. Claiming Christ in name is not enough, you must also claim Him in your actions, in the fruit that you bear. As a Christian you are taking up life with the highest standard, the standard of Christ. We are called to live as Christ did; a perfect life. While this is impossible, it is still the goal, and one we are to strive for.

“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.” – Romans 8:5

A Tale of Two Psalms

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside still waters, He restores my soul . . ." You know the rest. The encouraging and beautiful words of Psalm 23 comprise one of the most widely known, oft-quoted parts of Scripture. People all over, it seems, have memorized it, claimed it as their favorite Bible verse , quoted it in movies, and had it tattooed on themselves. (Nike even featured it in a basketball shoe commercial a few years ago). It seems strange that many of these people--athletes, actors, shoe companies to name a few--are glad to identify themselves with the "inspirational" thoughts of David's song--the Lord will provide rest and comfort, in the face of death there is no fear, etc.--yet cringe at the suggestion that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the absolute truth. Why do so many feel free to pour upon themselves the blessings of the 23rd Psalm (and similar "well-loved" parts of the Bible) yet ultimately consider them the same as many other (secular) "great quotes" or "inspirational literature" and ignore the spiritual reality of the book and God that it comes from.

The irony deepens when one looks at the chapter right before Psalm 23 (Psalm 22 for any math-challenged people out there). If everyone who superficially loved Psalm 23 examined Psalm 22, they would observe some of the clearest Old Testament prophecies pointing to Jesus, specifically the events of the crucifixion.

The opening words "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Psalm 22.1) are spoken by Jesus from the cross (Matthew 27.46, Mark 15.34).

Psalm 22.7-8 say "All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: 'He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.'" The fulfillment of this verse is found in Matthew 27.39-43: "Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads . . . The chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders mocked him . . . 'He trusts in God. Let God rescue him.'"

In verse 16 of the Psalm, King David writes that "a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and feet" fulfilled through the nails of the crucifixion and finally in verse 18 the Psalm states "They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing" as happened to Jesus (Matthew 27.35).

The clarity of the prophecies fulfilled nearly a thousand years later by Christ is both astounding and encouraging. Both psalms are intense and beautiful and both, obviously, are scripture. Yet it is intriguing that Psalm 23 maintains its place as "favorite psalm of all time" (even by those who reject the gospel and have nothing to do with Jesus) a chapter away from another psalm of David that is far less known and loved but that points squarely to Jesus Christ.

Break your mirrors.

“We do not dare classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise” (2 Cor. 10.12).

Sometimes I worry about us. With our conscience as our guide and the mirror as our model, I think perhaps we have come to a dreadful conclusion. Most of us, I would guess, aren’t naïve enough to presume that we’re fine. But I fear that at times we are foolish enough to believe that it is fine that we’re not fine. We rest on God’s promises of forgiveness and patience but close our ears to His exhortations to faith and perseverance. Are we content with our sinful autonomy? Do we refuse to consider our rebellious state? “If you love me, you will do what I command” is often hastily pushed aside in favor of softer, friendlier passages. “If he has made us, if he has redeemed us, if he has preserved us in being, it is but His due that we should be His servants”(Charles Spurgeon. A Good Start. 64). Yet we, God’s very children, continue to say secretly “‘well, I do not want to be a servant.’ You cannot help it my friend; you cannot help it. You must be a servant of somebody. ‘Then I will serve myself,’ says one. Pardon me, brave sir, if I whisper in your ear that if you serve yourself you will serve a fool. The man who is the servant of himself—listen to this sentence—the man who is the servant of himself is the slave of a slave; and I cannot imagine a more degrading position for a man to be in than to be the slave of a slave. You will assuredly serve somebody. You will wear fetters, too, if you serve the master that most men choose” (Spurgeon 67).

These words of Spurgeon are addressed to unbelievers—but are they also true of us? Are we God’s at heart because of Christ yet continuing to live as slaves to ourselves? “Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness” (Rom. 6.16)? “We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer” (Rom 6.1)? Let s stop making ourselves and each other the standard of righteousness. Consider instead the example of Christ and the lives of those spoken of by the writer of Hebrews:

“Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect” (Heb. 11. 35-40).

Something better for us! But look at our lives in comparison. What would Hebrews 11 read were it written of us? Is this world unworthy of us? No? Then let us strive for perfection! Let us seek to submit ourselves daily to the Lordship of Christ. Let us do something to move away from where we are towards the life of faith modeled for us in Scripture.

Hebrews 12:4 says “in your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.”

This is the kind of devotion we should desire. But if we are our own role models, how will we ever achieve it?

How will we achieve it? How is sin made less and less attractive? Where do we find the power to live like we should—to think and feel like we should? I think we need to pray with Paul that our eyes will be opened to the greatness of the true God; the real riches of His love. I think we begin to escape our self-induced enslavement when we start to see our God as the master he really is; as the master who is worth serving.

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come” (Eph. 1.17-21).

Here is our role model; here is our standard, the glorious Son of God. "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart" (Heb. 12.2,3).

What's the DIFFERENCE?

I've decided that it is best for me to make my first post a more general, introductory-type entry. It is not for lack of things to say, but because I have too much to say. I believe that my future entries will be better understood in light of this foundational entry. I want to share reasons (in addition to the ones mentioned in our first entry) why Jordan, Lucas, and I started this blog and see a real need for the Christian youth of today to "step it up."

My college career has opened my eyes to the state of my Christian peers. As I have observed and interacted with my fellow "Christians" at the three Christian colleges I have attended, one question has been throbbing in the back of my mind: what is different about the Christian youth of today and the rest of the youth in the world? Besides the fact that we say we are Christians, what is different about us? Should there be a noticeable difference? The answer is a resounding yes! There should be a noticeable, tangible differences between Christians of any age and nonbelievers. The sad thing I have discovered is that there are MANY "Christian" youth who go to Christian colleges and churches yet show no evidence of their faith except for the fact that they label themselves as "Christians." What is even sadder is that many do not even think they need to be that different from the secular world. Oh no, they think we should "blend in and relate." In future entries I'll get into more specifics.

Most of my upcoming entries will stem off of this question: what is the difference between the young believer and the nonbeliever besides the fact that we call ourselves Christians? I feel that a great number of young Christians are living like nonbelievers, and are unconcerned with the reality that they are falling into a secular, "pop culture" world. They see no problem with that. Honestly, it is hard for me to tell you what is different between my fellow Christian college students and the nonbelievers I know. The lifestyles of the two are so similar I don't know what separates the two groups. Are we not called to be different? Are we not supposed to "be in the world and not of it?" The problem is that the Christian youth know all the biblical principles like the one just mentioned, but view them as weak, overused, and archaic. They are so familiar with the truth that they ignore it.

I know this has all been very general, but as I said, I'll get into more specifics in later posts. Until then, I challenge my brothers and sisters in Christ to live lives that are holy and separate; to be lights in a crooked and depraved generation. Do not concern yourselves with the momentary pleasures of this world, but be different, and be known for what you believe. How great would it be to be known to those around you as a God-fearing man or woman? I know I pray that I will be known as a God-fearing man like my father. Pray for me, as I also pray for you, my brothers and sisters. Let us pray for those who do not have the great gift we share. And let us all pray for ourselves, that we will be the witnesses we should be.

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2).

It Endures Forever

A new year is often accompanied by personal reflection. How have I changed in the last year? What about the last twelve months has contributed to my situation right now? Where am I going? Questions like these, spoken or not, undoubtedly weave through many people's minds as calendars change and innumerable things begin yet again. The resulting answers are as varied as the people asking the questions. Some see themselves as an entirely different person than the one they were 365 days earlier while others less dramatically notice the slow but sure effects of age and life brought on by another year.

For some, whether they know it or not, the past year was the best they will ever have, filled with success and satisfaction never again to be matched. For others the past year was overwhelmed by dark times and great tragedy. And for the multitude somewhere in between, the past year was just another completely unpredictable stretch of living with highs and lows and joy and pain and everything else we experience as humans. Each person’s year long story is as different as their fingerprints and yet, unlike the marks from our fingertips, can change tremendously from each year to the next. Whether it is a "roller coaster" or some far more unique metaphor you might use to describe the passing years, any image assuredly tries to capture the drama, change, unexpectedness, and sheer fast pace of human life. Last year, like pretty much all the years before that, was crazy.

God’s past year, as we might see it, was far less exciting. He experienced no surprises, did not fail in any way, did not in any sense have "a bad year," and remains exactly and perfectly the same God He was a full year ago. As Christians, God's change-less nature is a cause for praise! So many of our human ups and downs correspond to our failures, struggles, and imperfection–simply put, sin. Very often we Christians expand our New Year’s reflections to include our spiritual growth, a pursuit marred by our faithlessness and resulting in yearly resolutions to tackle new or ongoing areas of our lives that need work. Yet even as our faithfulness to God fails and our mercy to other people reaches its limit–things that surely make for troubling, "exciting" times in life–God's faithfulness to us has not faltered. Among many I talk to, no matter how different or trying the events of the past year have been, the one constant is God's redemption of situation after situation.

Psalm 136 famously begins with a declaration of this truth: "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever." After each line declaring a truth about God, the refrain "His love endures forever" returns verse after verse after verse, illustrating even within the poetry that God's love is ever present and does not end.

Likewise "the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness" (Lam 3.22). The Bible contains so much about the consistency and constancy of God. In any new, tough, or changing season, it seems wise for His followers to seek out and dwell on God's promises of love that does not change and mercy that does not end. It is a stark contrast to the inconsistent and infidelity-ridden way in which we imperfectly love Him. While our failings make for action packed and drama filled years to reflect on, it is God's tranquil and ceaseless love that is truly exciting. How wonderful that Christ first loved us!

HAPPY New Year

An adjunct professor at my school was talking to me about his church. He told me that one of his children asked him "why everyone at church looks so sad when they sing." I was really struck by that. I started thinking about what message I'm sending when I worship my Father in public. What do people see? I must honestly confess that - as far as I can tell - I am one of the "sad people." Joy is not a reoccurring theme of my internal praise. My deepest emotions are all reminiscent of remorse, regret, or melancholy-gratefulness; and even these are stirred up but rarely.

This really appears to be a fundamental dilemma for this generation of believers. what are we doing wrong that our faith brings no fresh aspect of joy to our praise - and our daily interactions? There is a spirit of emotional apathy afoot. I can see it in my heart and sense it in the church youth group, the college dorm, and the family gathering. But look at the church fathers; observe their lives; consider their words: isn't their example the we are striving to recreate in our own lives? Then why, when it comes to this issue of joy, is there such a glaring difference between us and them? The Apostle Paul's letters are virtually overflowing with doxology. It's like he can't contain himself. As he speaks of the truths of God's word and the depths of His being and the power of His work it all just spills over into praise. Why is this not the case with us? If this "sadness" the child spoke of is a persisting characteristic of our Christian walks, perhaps it is time to consider whether we are actually praising the same God as Paul. Maybe we are believing a different gospel. Maybe our sorrow - our "repentance" - is not God-honoring after all.

"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings . See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness...what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done" (2 Cor. 7.10-11).

Godly sorrow is but one small step on the ladder of sanctification. There is so much to follow; so much intended to bring honor to our Lord and draw others to His light. Even if you're a happy person, is yours the kind of happiness that overflows? Certainly I have met many happy Christians my age. But often as not it was happiness made possible through willful blindness to resident sin, rather than joy born of God's forgivness of sin. I am sure that many times sin is the cause of depressed emotions in the justified soul. This is fitting. What good does a happy Christian who speaks naught of Christ do the world? Better to be silent and purged than silent and proud. But to remain so - to remain gloomy and despondent in the face of our own weakness is not evidence of godly sorrow. Christ has sent his comforter, "who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. for just as the sufferings of Christ overflow into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows" (2 Cor. 1.4-5). Godly sorrow should lead to godly happiness; the kind that overflows into the lives of those around us. After speaking of this sorrow, Paul goes on to tell the Corinthians:

"In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit had been refreshed by all of you" (2 Cor. 7.13).

Is this not the kind of people we are to be - the kind who bring refreshment to those we come in contact with?

Perhaps Christianity no longer packs a punch for you. Maybe the spark is gone (or never existed) and you feel no real drive to express the truth to those around you. I know for me, sometimes I can practically feel my presence in a room draining the energy from the atmosphere, rather than bringing a sense of life and excitement. All that I can say - if this is the consistent pattern - is to scrutinize the working doctrinal statement of your soul. There must be some misunderstanding, because the God we read of in scripture is the God of all comfort, the God who is life, the God who gives joy. If we are not experiencing this fruit of the Spirit, maybe we're plugged into the wrong vine.