That is an interesting perspective that may be driven more by propaganda than reality. I do not see the culture rejecting Christmas. I see the culture embracing Christmas, celebrating Christmas. I see the schools closing for two weeks. I see the Christmas lights everywhere. I see the Nativity on many street corners.

There may be a few very fringe people who do not want to celebrate Christmas, but to say there is a war on Christmas is probably a stretch. I have a friend who pointed to a northeastern state who is calling their state Christmas Tree a “Holiday Tree.” I responded that there are 49 other states that have “Christmas Trees!”

I would argue that Christmas is the still the most celebrated day of the year.

And then there are people posting things on Facebook like, “When somebody says Happy Holidays to me, I correct them. I say Merry Christmas!” Sometimes I wonder if we ever stop long enough to think about the backwards nature of that statement. Nothing could be further from the spirit of Christ than to rebuke and correct another person for saying “Happy Holidays.”

This Holiday season, I pray that we celebrate the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Not politics. Not propaganda. Not someone else’s cultural agenda. Just Jesus.

Merry Christmas!

Such an important thought from the Apostle Paul who is, in fact, comparing and defending himself against those who say he’s not a true apostle—against those who question his authority and the validity of his ministry.

It’s comforting, I suppose, to know that first-century Christians (including Christian leaders & apostles) were comparing themselves to one another—because we are still guilty of doing the same thing today!

How often I look at the “mega” ministries of my peers and find mine lacking.  How often I look at the “smaller” ministries of other peers and puff mine up!  How ironic and unChristian!

May we always be satisfied with the ministry that God has given us… may we always be faithful to our calling!  For, to compare ourselves with others, lacks understanding!

Three things God uses to build/create/catalyze/start/begin something: (1) Knowledge; (2) Understanding; and (3) Wisdom.

• KNOWLEDGE: Embracing the facts, circumstances, context, and information.
• UNDERSTANDING: Grappling with the information; understanding how the information works; the implications of the information.
• WISDOM: Application of the information; making the right decisions with the facts and information to ensure the best possible outcome.

Proverbs 16:25 says “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”

These proverbs remind us that we can rationalize just about anything… even fooling ourselves as to the thing’s righteousness.  Humans are masters of self-deception.  ”Motive” is the key.  We want something and then proceed as if God Himself wants it–like so many world leaders who have used religion to justify imperialism, war, or other self-promoting policies.

Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed.”

Proverbs 16:9 says “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”

Proverbs 15:22 says, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed.”

Whatever you do, do it for the Lord and for other people, not just for yourself.  Consult adequate and godly counsel who can help you weigh your plans, your motives, and your ambitions, speaking truth into your life and holding you accountable to God’s ways.

Too often, we use this verse to justify being intrusive, nosey, or down-right rude.  ”I am telling you this because I love you,” is an oft quoted phrase–often quoted as an excuse to speak our mind to someone we want to “correct.”

Indeed, our words may actually be motivated by our love.   However, speaking the truth “because” we love is not the same as speaking the truth “in” love, as Ephesians 4:15 instructs.  We too often confuse this verse, and it’s application.

In 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 the early Christian leader, Paul, explains that we can perform all kinds of acts of righteousness and spirituality, but if the acts come from a motivation other than love (agape), then they are useless.

If not love, what motivates you?

Many people believe that “tolerance” is the key to Peace on Earth.  I think tolerance can be a good thing.  But tolerance is not the key to Peace on Earth.  Jesus never called us to tolerate one another.  Peace comes, not as we tolerate one another, but as we serve one another in love!

So how should we respond to those who are different from us?  To those who don’t like us?  To those who annoy us?  To those who have a different worldview, a different political perspective, a different religious background?  To our enemies?  Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you!” Unless we learn to love our enemies–to serve our enemies–then Peace on Earth will continue to be a failed biblical value.

Jesus defined marriage as the union of one man and one woman, for life.  We cannot walk out on that teaching.  The Bible teaches us that the safest, healthiest environment for children to be raised is in a home where there is a mom and a dad who love God, who love each other, and who work together to nurture their family.  We cannot walk out on that teaching.  The Bible teaches that children are to be valued, that they are a gift from God, that God knits us together in our mother’s womb.  We are known by God to be unique human beings before our birth.  To walk out on any of the above teachings is to open our homes to serious threats and dangers.

That the Church of Jesus Christ has been off track early & often throughout its history.  Jesus never imagined that His movement would digress in a moral code sustained through religious gatherings at the beginning (or end) of every week.  Jesus never imagined that 90% of the resources entrusted to His church would be invested in buildings rather than people, and in programs rather than ministry.  Jesus never imagined that His church would become a counter-culture or sub-culture but rather a light to whatever culture it existed within.  I’m not calling into question the omniscience of Jesus, but rather the faithfulness of His church.

That real Christianity cannot be reduced to any political party or ideological persuasion.  Too many Christians equate GOP with GOD and this is little more than the Hebrews clamoring for a king during the age of the Judges—and with similar results: spiritual confusion and political tomfoolery.  The reality is that neither political party in America has Jesus in mind.  Furthermore, Jesus never espoused Nationalism and would have been horrified at the prospect of exceptionalism (American or otherwise).  His Way is one of humility rather than pride, of peace rather than partisanship, and of servanthood rather than power.  I respect the government as an agent of justice, but I reject it as anything more.

That Jesus defined righteousness in very different terms than Christians define righteousness.  We often define “righteousness” as living without sin, as relative morality, and as refraining from various sins that are most offensive to our personal values.  A better definition of righteousness is “being conformed to the nature of God.”  However, Jesus defined “the righteous” as those who feed the hungry, house the homeless, clothe the naked, visit the imprisoned, and heal the sick.  How can we possibly promote the Gospel of Jesus without any kind of emphasis on such things?  Praise God for His grace because His church has miserably failed to meet this standard.

That God is calling us to the urban populations of our society.  I confess this is a very personal conviction (and contextualized to my experience).  Every person badly needs Jesus, regardless of his or her locale.  However, America is filled with churches (particularly suburban and rural) that have missed a large part of the Gospel.  The Gospel calls us to go to all the people of the world.  And particularly to go to the marginalized people within our societies: the poor & downtrodden, the homeless & helpless—to the people that are powerless to help themselves.  And most of these people are found in the urban corners of our society.  I wish that God would call me to a rich suburban community, but I see nothing in the life of Jesus or His Apostles to support such a calling.

That American Christians are willing to give but unwilling to sacrifice.  That’s the crux of the matter, is it not?  Sacrifice.  Jesus came to give no matter the sacrifice.  His followers are willing to give, but few are willing to sacrifice.  We’re not afraid to give our money,  but we’re afraid to give up our amenities.  Consider this: If 200 Christian families would give up their cable television & internet (at approximately $100 a month), then that would create nearly half a million dollars over two years for real-life ministry.  But how many Christians are willing to give up ESPN and FOX NEWS?  The earliest Disciples walked away from their homes, jobs, politics and traditions to follow Jesus—ultimately they paid the price with their blood.  They followed in the footsteps of Jesus as they articulated the message of Christianity and initiated the Church.  How can we call ourselves Jesus-followers if we have made little or no tangible sacrifices to bless people with the Gospel?

All said, I have neither lost faith in Jesus nor His church. However, I have lost faith in the traditions of the modern-evangelical church (and have never put faith in the “social gospel”).  My heart’s desire is to plant and lead churches that are faithful with the whole Gospel, that are patterned after Christ and His Word, and that do two things: (1) bring people to heaven; and (2) bring heaven to people.

In my personal time I am reading through the Gospel of John which contains some powerful teachings of Jesus about life (now and eternal), about God and His work, and about the fallacy of religion versus the authenticity of real faith.  Mostly, the Gospel of John gives us a clearer understanding of the identity of Jesus.

This morning I read John 5 which describes a miracle of Jesus, the message learned from the miracle, and the criticism Jesus received for performing the miracle on the Sabbath.  And Jesus returns the fire of His critics, excoriating them for hypocrisy.  In John 5:39, Jesus tells the religious leaders: “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life.”  Yet, three verses later, He says: “You do not have the love of God in your hearts (5:42).

For those of us who are part of the modern religious establishment, that’s powerful.  Sometimes we are guilty of “studying the Scriptures because we think they possess eternal life” while we harbor bitterness, judgment, and harsh feelings toward those who are not studying the Scriptures.

Is it possible that we too do not have the love of God in our hearts?  Is it possible that we’re so intent on knowledge of God that we’ve missed the heart of God?  Is it possible that we’ve learned the Scriptures while missing the One who offers Salvation to sinners?  Is it possible that we love the Book so much that we’ve forgotten to love it’s Author?  May we love the Book, but may we love the One who inspired it even more!