Any Questions?

I don't know about you, but I have a lot of questions when it comes to Christianity. Often these questions seem unanswerable, and as Christians, we are just supposed to use faith to bridge the gap between how we perceive the world to be, and our Christian convictions. But that troubles me, to be honest. Did God really intend for us to have minds capable of reason and founded upon logic, only to dump them out when we become Christians, and just hope that all the things that God has revealed about himself and His message to us in the Bible are true?

"The heart cannot believe for very long that which the mind rejects." - Greg Koukl

This quote seems to sum it up for me. How are we supposed to believe those things that we perceive to be contradictions, impossibilities, or those things that seem irrational? What about these questions below?

• » How do we know what books belong in the Bible?
• » Do all religions lead to God?
• » So many churches—what is the big difference?
• » Why does everyone seem to interpret the Bible differently?
• » The doctrine of the Trinity—can someone please explain this?
• » Why should I study theology?
• » So many versions of the Bible… Which one do I use?
• » What about those who have never heard about Christ, can they still make it to
  heaven?
• » Why does God allow bad things to happen?
• » What is the difference between Protestants and Roman Catholics?
• » Can we be sure that Christ rose from the grave?

These are big questions that many struggle with, some for which people have placed their faith in God on the shelf, if not abandoned all together. And the culture we live in isn't much help. The rhetoric is thick, full of presumption that there are no answers that could possibly harmonize with a biblical world view, let alone that all this Christianity stuff  just might be true.

But what if the culture is wrong? What if there are answers to these questions? What if Christianity is true? The implications are life changing-- and if acted upon, are life-giving and life-saving. But we won't convince a doubting world with "what if's", let alone our doubting mind. If we have any hope of not only plugging the holes of doubt in our own belief in God, but also those of others, we must take a note from the Bereans and do some homework and search for answers (Acts 17:11).

I am preparing to take a step in the footprints of the Bereans, to seek out answers, to see if these things which I believe are true, to see how the scriptures respond to these questions of doubt, and to see if the scriptures are actually reliable and divinely inspired by the One who created me and you, and all of creation.

There are many great resources out there. In my search for truth for over the last several years, I have found a few that are exceptional, biblical, and reliable resources for helping people connect their questions and doubts with truth: Stand to Reason (http://www.str.org/site/PageServer), The Christian Research Institute (http://equip.org/), and last but not least- Credo House Ministries (http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/).

I plan to begin The Theology Program at the Credo House in Oklahoma City (http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/what-we-do/the-theology-program/) after the first of the year, and would encourage any and all to take this step if you have questions or want to shore up your convictions with truth. If you are interested, please follow the link and check it out. They have resources that would allow for independent study, or live classes via the internet. Hope to see you there!

The BEST idea

No one likes to be told they're are doing something wrong - especially me. When we act upon a choice, we do so because either we think it is the right thing to do, or we have justified it to ourselves in our own mind that there is nothing wrong with what we are doing. But sometimes, even with the best intentions, we arrive at wrong conclusions when we take into consideration the "facts" of the issue.

It seems to me that based on our predisposed opinions, agenda, and point of view, we perceive reality the way we want to see it. Now there's nothing wrong with having an opinion or belief about something - that's what makes us unique; it's a part of our individuality.  But the goal is to see through a clear, objective lens, not a distorted subjective one.

Often I'll be faced with a problem and have to come up with a solution. If I'm able to come up with an idea that solves the problem, it automatically becomes the BEST idea amongst all others, because it was my idea. It doesn't matter that someone else's idea is objectively better, one that clearly addresses the problem and meets all the required criteria. If it didn't come from between my two ears, or pass my subjective approval, it is not the best idea.

My pastor preached a message this last weekend on "self deception" as a part of a series called "Masquerade" (if you haven't seen it yet, you should definitely do so; follow the link http://www.lifechurch.tv/watch). One of the most challenging points to me was when he said that, "Often the more convinced you are you're right, the more likely you are wrong." At first i didn't like this statement. It's clearly not a black-and-white statement that is correct 100% of the time, but it does provide just reason to pause and consider: am I right because of the intensity of my conviction, or am I right because the collaborative evidence objectively supports my belief? What I found in introspection of myself is that I often conclude that I am right because of my own predisposed bias towards my own ideas that are always right - this is bias of mine was distorting my lens.

"You cannot hate the sin you don't detect; you cannot overcome sin that you cannot identify." Craig Groeschel

Now that I have identified this source of self deception, I can now do something about it. Awareness is half the battle. What about you?  Here's a few points that Craig made in his message, to help us uncover our distorted view of ourselves:

1. Pray. "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139:23-24

2. Listen. "He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise. He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding." Proverbs 15:31-32

3. Change. "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." James 1:22

"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:3

Don't brush this off. Pray. Listen. Change. 

Thanking God for rejection

Never thought I would be thanking God for rejection from others. Timely reminder that there is One who is closer than a brother, that my joy and well being is not found in the approval or acceptance of others, but in knowing the risen Christ, who has chosen me, accepted me, and has uniquely made me just as I am, for His divine purposes, for His glory. Thankful that I'm not who I was, but even more so that God isn't finished with me yet.
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