Christ and Common Sense

Thoughts from a Central Valley Pastor

Month: January 2023

Optimist, Pessimist, or Psalmist?

January 27, 2023 /

A couple weeks ago I saw a friend post an image with the following phrase, “Are you living like an optimist, a pessimist, or a Psalmist?” The accompanying image had two glasses of water. One had water filled to the middle of the glass. The other had water overflowing and splashing down the side. I smiled thinking about what a great illustration that was for the Christian life. The traditional outlook on life gives two options, either the glass is half full or half empty. The Bible reveals a third option that is infinitely better. It is a life that is overflowing with the goodness and faithfulness of God!

Psalm 23 is a great example of the overflowing life. The Psalmist describes the supernatural peace and goodness that come from having the Lord as your shepherd. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.” (ESV) The word used for comfort in the original Hebrew refers to being encouraged and consoled in grief. The idea is that God’s loving presence cancels the fear and difficulty of even the worst situation. This not only removes the negative feelings that come with trials. It makes it possible for the fear to be replaced with a deep-seated joy that comes from being in the presence of God.

The Psalmist wrote, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” My favorite image in this section is of the cup that is overflowing with the goodness of God. The word used for overflowing refers to satisfaction and abundance. Psalm 66:12 uses the same phrase, “We went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.” The Psalmist’s experience of trials was not marked by the difficulty of the situation. His attitude was determined by his knowledge of God. He knew the Lord had brought the Jews out of Egypt. He knew God had brought them into the Promised land. His knowledge of God extended from human history to his own personal experience. He had seen the Lord bless him in abundance, even in the midst of hard times. He had discovered the marvelous secret of trusting in the sovereignty of God.

The apostle Paul also knew how to live the life of the overflowing cup. In Philippians 4:11-13 he wrote, “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Paul’s strength did not come from “living his best life now.” It did not come from tricking himself into thinking things were better than they were. No, his joy was found outside of himself. His joy was hidden in the work of God.

This was masterfully displayed when Jesus Christ quoted from Psalm 22 while being tortured on the cross. It is hard to envision a more dramatic image of someone going through the valley of the shadow of death than the crucifixion. Yet in the midst of this excruciating pain, the gospel accounts describe how Jesus was able to speak to those around him and even quote from memory some of the passages that brought him supernatural hope and joy. One of the most profound passages that he quoted was from Psalm 22. I would encourage you to read this psalm in it’s entirety, but for now I want to focus on one section that mentions the idea of the abundance and overflowing goodness of God.

Psalm 22:26 says, “The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the LORD!” The idea of being satisfied is very similar to the abundance described in Psalm 23. These two psalms actually go together very well because they share this profound theme of having joy in the midst of trials. David experienced great pain in life, but Jesus even more so. He was able to endure the agonizing pain of crucifixion with joy because he was relying on the supernatural power of God. Hebrews 12:2 says, “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” The Greek word used for joy is “charas.” It refers to the “experience of gladness.” It is supernatural joy that can only be experienced by those who have committed their lives to God.

The power of believing in God is immeasurable. The one who believes in the triune God is not limited to the physical world. He does not have to live a life that is bound by the laws of nature because he believes in the supernatural. He is living for eternity. This is why the believer should not settle for the analogy of the half glass of water. He knows that is not the whole story. He knows that a Christian worldview would not use such a limited and finite illustration. God does not fill a glass half full and tell people to use will-power to “look for good in a bad situation.” God is infinitely good and wise and full of joy! He tells humanity to “Taste and see that the Lord is good!” “Eat and be satisfied!” “My cup overflows, surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever!”

I think it is helpful for Christians to reflect on the analogy of the glass of water. There are many believers who think their lives are like a glass that is half full. They don’t have what others have. Or they think they have too many problems compared to others. The Christian doesn’t have to live like that. They can upgrade the analogy to a cup that is overflowing. This can not be done by your own power. This can only be done by repenting of living with a worldly mindset. The Christian needs to throw the old glass away. He must reject a selfish worldview for the selfless one that comes by serving God. Then God is able to remove a heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh. Then a person can confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in their heart that God raised him from the dead and be saved! Believing in Christ not only saves a person from their sin. It also saves them from a life that is limited to the confines of the materialistic world. My prayer is that you will upgrade the analogy of the glass to that of the overflowing cup. Jesus said, “I have come that you may have life and have it abundantly!” (John 10:10)

The Crux & the Conscience

January 21, 2023 /

What is the most difficult decision you have ever had to make? Were you placed in a crux because of your own actions or was the situation thrust upon you? Often the most difficult decisions in life come when there are only two choices available and neither of them seem very positive at the time. I have found that if a person has a sensitive conscience, which has been informed by God’s word, then they will usually be able to make the right decision because they are guided by their conscience. This is how the conscience is supposed to work, and I find it fascinating to see how God’s word impacts the conscience and helps people navigate the difficult decisions of life. 

One of the most famous decisions of conscience can be seen in the case of King Solomon and the two women. By correlating ancient Assyrian accounts with the Biblical chronology we can place the fourth year of King Solomon’s reign to the year 966 BC. This gives us a very specific time-frame for when this event took place. 

The Bible describes King Solomon as the wisest man in the world. 1 Kings 3:16-28 tells us that two women were brought to King Solomon for what may have been the first true test of his wisdom. Each woman had given birth to a boy within a three day span. One of the babies had died in the night and the women wanted Solomon to decide who was the right mother of the child. The first woman claimed that the other woman’s baby boy had died because his mother had accidentally laid on him in her sleep. The first woman argued that the other woman switched the babies while she was asleep by taking the living baby and replacing him with the dead baby. 

The other woman denied this account and said, “‘No, the living child is mine, and the dead child is yours.’ The first said, ‘No, the dead child is yours, and the living child is mine.’ Thus they spoke before the king.” (ESV) You can imagine how difficult it would have been to judge between the two women. There was no DNA testing available three thousand years ago. King Solomon had to find a way to see who was the real mother and who was not. He made a decision that proved dramatically effective in the ancient context he lived in. 

King Solomon gave the order to have a sword brought to the courtroom. He said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other.” There is no indication that he was actually going to cut the child in two. He recognized each woman had a conscience, and he trusted that the threat of losing another child would elicit a powerful reaction from one of them.

Verses 26-28 tell us, “Then the woman whose son was alive said to the king, because her heart yearned for her son, ‘Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means put him to death.’ But the other said, ‘He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him.’ Then the king answered and said, ‘Give the living child to the first woman, and by no means put him to death; she is his mother.’ And all Israel heard of the judgment that the king had rendered, and they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice.”

I find myself reacting to this account the same way the people of Israel did. I am amazed at Solomon’s wisdom, and I am also surprised by the response of the women. King Solomon’s wisdom is clearly seen because he recognized the powerful role of the human conscience. He recognized that mothers value the life of their children, and I believe he hoped that one of the women would be outraged by his solution and voluntarily provide a better one. His strategy proved effective, but not in the way some might think. 

I would think that the likely outcome of Solomon’s order would have been for the guilty woman to admit to switching the babies. You would think her guilt at taking her housemate’s baby would eat away at her conscience and she would want to come clean and make things right. But that is not what happened. Instead of admitting her guilt, the other woman cried out in support of another killing. She said, “He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him.” Those are the words of a cold-hearted killer. Instead of having her conscience softened, she had actually hardened her heart to the point of justifying another death. 

This is a tragic reality of the human conscience. It can be hardened to the point of justifying murder. Jeremiah 17:9-10 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” As Christians we need to be aware of our propensity to self-deception, and we need to make sure our conscience stays keen and aligned with God’s word so that we will not find ourselves condoning sin or giving into temptation. 

The other surprising aspect of this account is the response of the true mother. She could have cried out in anguish and rebelled against the judge’s ruling. She didn’t. She said, “Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means put him to death.” That is a surprisingly gracious response. Did she realize that she was giving permission for her child to be given to a woman who had kidnapped him just a few days before? How could she do that? I believe she was able to because she valued the life of her child over the rule of the law. She could live with injustice, but she could not live with condoning the death of her own child. 

One last thing to consider. Why didn’t the guilty woman keep her mouth shut? King Solomon might not have had clarity to see her crime if she had stayed quiet. But that is not what happened. The hatred and wickedness of the other woman was so strong that she could not help crying out for murder. That should be a powerful warning for us as well. A hardened conscience is deceitfully wicked, capable of doing much worse than the person might even recognize. 

I hope this story is a helpful reminder of the importance of keeping our conscience clean before the Lord. May we pray with the Psalmist, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)

A Call for Self-Control

January 21, 2023 /

When was the last time you saw or heard our society encourage the need for self-control? Unfortunately, the call for people to control their impulses and base desires has been rejected by the world. The need to control immoral urges seems to have been replaced with a demand for environmental guidelines and rules. Were we not told just this week that we need to be self-controlled in our use of gas stoves and natural resources? This environmental brow-beating is misdirecting people from the true problems of society. Where is the demand to reign in corruption, pornography, illicit sex, greed, and gluttony? Where is the call for people to be morally self-controlled? 

It comes as no surprise that our society will not encourage this type of self-control. We have to look to a supernatural source for this type of guidance because the natural world is geared towards sin and corruption. 

The Bible speaks very strongly about the need for self-control. Proverbs 25:28 says, “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.” In other words, without self-control a person has no defense against the temptations of the world. Without discernment the Christian can quickly give in to a myriad of temptations that will have permanent and painful results. Proverbs 13:15 puts it like this, “Good sense wins favor, but the way of the treacherous is their ruin.” 

One of the most famous illustrations in the Bible about self-control is found in the book of Proverbs. Proverbs 5:1-6 says, “My son, be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding, that you may keep discretion, and your lips may guard knowledge. For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil, but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path to Sheol; she does not ponder the path of life her ways wander, and she does not know it.”

Proverbs 7 goes on to tell a dramatic story about a foolish young man who meets a prostitute on the city streets and follows her to her lair. It says, “With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him. All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast till an arrow pierces its liver, as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life.” (Proverbs 7:21-23) 

Taken together these two passages create a strong argument for self-control. They appeal to the human instinct for self-protection. Why would anyone willingly follow a path that leads to death? The reason, according to Proverbs, is that they were unaware of the danger. If the young man is shown the danger of sin, he will be motivated to turn away from it. 

This is one reason the Bible is so valuable today. It is the only place where the reader can find divine warnings about the reality of sin and the need for repentance. It is the only place where morality is defined by the holiness of God. Leviticus 19:2 says, “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” God’s holiness is perfect. He is a God of truth, righteousness, purity, and goodness. He can not allow wickedness to dwell in his presence. He created the world to be pure and sinless, but when Adam and Eve sinned, the world was plunged into perpetual wickedness. This is why God had to provide a solution for sin. This is why Jesus Christ came to the earth. He lived a perfect life and died on the cross so that he could make the payment for our sins (Romans 10:9-10). He did so in order to fulfill God the Father’s need for sin to be paid. He did so to bring glory to God. 

This last point is important to bring up in relation to living a life of self-control. The Christian should be motivated to live a holy life because of his or her desire to glorify God. The Christian should resist temptation because he wants to do the will of the Father. The will of the Father is for us to do good works. Jesus said, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16) If a Christian recognizes the joy and peace that comes from living for God then he will be willing to resist temptation for he knows that path brings pain and death, but the narrow path of God brings joy and life eternal! 

Reading Challenge for 2023

January 7, 2023 /

Have you ever read through the Bible In a ear? Many people have attempted it, but only a few have actually entered the BIY club. The reasons for this are many, but I believe with a focused plan and the right motivation, we could see the percentage of BIYers increase in our churches this year. First we have to choose the right plan. 

One of the benefits of living in the modern English speaking world is the amazing access we have to the Bible. It is possible to find dozens of plans to read the Bible. Ligonier ministries has a helpful list of updated plans to choose from at www.ligonier.org/posts/bible-reading-plans. These range from Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s classic reading plan, which has been used since 1842, to the ESV’s online plans that will actually let you listen to the Bible for free. Personally, I find it helpful to read God’s word chronologically and with a realistic reading schedule. That is  why I am recommending the Five Day Bible Reading plan. 

This plan can be downloaded for free at fivedaybiblereading.com Once you download it you will see that it allows the reader to finish the Bible with only five days of reading a week. I have found this to be a reasonable schedule because it is not always possible to read several chapters every day of the week. If you miss a day in the middle of the week, you can still reach your goal by catching up the next day. 

I also appreciate how this plan places the Psalms and poetry books in tandem with the historical books of the Old Testament. For instance, Psalm 19 is read the same day as the creation account in Genesis 1-2. The plan also includes reading the New Testament chronologically at the same time, which is also helpful because it is easy to overlook the historical order of the books if you read the Bible from cover to cover. There is some disagreement over the exact timing of the books of the Bible, but I have found this reading plan is quite accurate. I discovered that Job is placed at the end of the plan because the person who developed the plan believes it is one of the earliest books, but it “is hard to fit elsewhere.” 

When it comes to being motivated to read God’s word I think the reader can do no better than to see what Scripture says for itself. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (ESV) Our hearts are so prone to deception (Jeremiah 17:9) that we are able to easily become complacent and sinful. We must constantly look at ourselves in the mirror of God’s word (James 1:22-25). We must seek to be like the man who “looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, (for) he will be blessed in his doing.” (25) 

Psalm 119 is a beautiful call for God’s people to recognize the value of His word. It says, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes! With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.”

I appreciate the Psalmist’s commitment to not forget the word of God. This takes time and it takes focus. We are forgetful creatures, so we have to constantly fill our minds with the truth of God’s word or we will forget. Having a bible reading plan is just one way we can seek to have our minds transformed by God’s word. As Romans 12:12 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” May this year be full of God’s word in our lives so that we may live in a way that is pleasing to Him. 

Seek Wisdom!

January 2, 2023 /

Raise your hand if you could use more wisdom in your life! I know I could. Life is difficult. Every day brings different challenges and concerns that require guidance and skill to complete successfully. Every new year brings an opportunity to recalibrate our hearts and minds to the truth of God’s word so we will are able to handle the trials that are bound to come.

The type of wisdom I am writing about is biblical wisdom. In the original Hebrew of the Old Testament the term often used for wisdom was “hakam.” It refers to skill in living. This type of wisdom is not just understanding knowledge and facts. It is learning to put truth into practice. The Greek word that is often used in the Bible for wisdom is “sofia” and it refers to “the capacity to understand and function accordingly.” (BDAG) The measure of a wise person is not in how much information they know. It is found in how well they can put the truth of God’s word into practice.

There are many passages that talk about this kind of wisdom, but I want to focus on one verse that I will be preaching on this Sunday. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

I like to think of this verse as rungs on a ladder. The first step to seeking wisdom is to humble yourself. If you are going to seek Godly wisdom, you have to first admit that you are lacking in wisdom. This is an important step because it makes sure that each person is seeking wisdom with the right attitude. If you read James 1:5 and think, “I’m not lacking in wisdom” then you don’t understand this kind of wisdom. This kind of wisdom can never be fully attained in this lifetime because every situation is different. Every trial presents another opportunity to put God’s word into action. Every year will bring difficulties that will take time and truth to discern. We have to stay humble before the Lord in order to seek wisdom with the right attitude.

The second rung of God’s wisdom is the command “Ask God.” It is important to notice that James does not say “seek wise counsel.” He goes right to the source and says, “Ask God.” This is a clear command for all Christians to ask God for wisdom.

This is similar to Proverbs 2:2 where Solomon encourages the reader to “Make your ear pay attention to wisdom, Incline your heart to discernment… Then you will understand the fear of Yahweh and find the knowledge of God.” (Legacy Standard Bible)

The Christian life is not one of seeking a life that is passive and pain-free. No, the Christian life is one of passion and the pursuit of God. It is spent asking God for wisdom. Jesus said, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.” (Mt. 6:33)

The third rung emphasizes the character of God. Verse five says, “Ask God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” The reason the believer should be motivated to ask God for wisdom is because God is a generous God. He pours out his wisdom upon those who seek after him.

James may have had Matthew 7:7 in mind where Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”

The Father is generous and he gives without reproach. The Greek word used here means that God gives wisdom without looking for fault. He doesn’t look for reasons to withhold wisdom from people. He is not capricious or vindictive. He is just and He is generous.

This leads into the fourth rung, which is also the last rung of the wisdom ladder. James 1:5 says, “and it will be given to him.” Aren’t you glad this is a short ladder? There is no red-tape or bureaucracy to pursuing the wisdom of God. God doesn’t tell wisdom seekers to “Go on a pilgrimage first.” Christianity can not be confined as a traditional religion that requires certain rituals be performed in order to reach a higher level of devotion. No, Christianity is a relationship with the God who created the universe. It is a life-long pursuit of knowing God and living the way he created us to be.

Psalm 34 sets the tone for seeking Godly wisdom. The Psalmist writes, “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.”

May this coming year be one of seeking the wisdom of God. May our lives be guided by His word and may they be full of the richness and pleasure and joy that comes from living the way God intended.

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