Attitude—The Difference Maker #2: The Power of the Mind

“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he...” (Pro. 23:7 AMP).

One night a man climbed into what he thought was a boxcar. He closed the door, which automatically locked shut and trapped him inside. When his eyes adjusted to the light, he realized he was inside a refrigerated boxcar, and he became aware of the intense, freezing cold. He called for help and pounded on the door, but all the noise he made from the inside the car failed to attract anyone’s attention. After many hours of struggle, he lay down on the floor of the railroad car.

As he tried to fight against the freezing cold, he scratched a message on the floor explaining his unfortunate, imminent death. Late the next day, repairmen from the railroad opened the door and found the dead man inside. Though the man had all the appearance of having frozen to death, the truth was the repairmen had come to fix the broken refrigerator unit in that car. Most likely the temperature of the railroad car had never fallen below 50 degrees during the night. The man had died because he thought he was freezing to death (CBN.com).

Your thoughts are powerful. Where a person tends to focus their thoughts is exactly where they end up going. This principle is frequently taught in sports. As a person who enjoys mountain biking, rollerblading and downhill skiing, if I focus on something off course, I tend to go off course. This principles applies to driving as well. I know several people who turn the steering wheel wherever their eyes are focused. On the other hand, if we focus where we want to go, that is typically where we will end up.

Napoleon Hill said, “What the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.” Jesus said it like this, “...Everything is possible for him who believes” (Mark 9:23). And who can forget what Henry Ford said years ago: “Whether you think can — or you think can’t — your right.”

So if you want to change your life for the better, you have to begin to change the way that you think. Jeff Keller said, “Face the fact: Your beliefs brought you to where you are today, and your thinking from this point forward will take you to where you’ll be in the future” (Attitude is Everything, p. 23).

The Bible teaches that we as Christians have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16). Therefore, if you want to change your thoughts and ultimately your life, it is about allowing God’s thoughts to be our thoughts, for as a person thinks in their hearts, so are they.

More of Him, less of me,

Matt

Theology 201 #13: Cultural Commands Part 5: The Way We Love Others Matters

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (John 15:12).

All of the commandments in the Bible can really be boiled down to just two: love God and love others. However, it might surprise you to know that the command to love others has great cultural implications! This is true for a couple of reasons.

First of all, some of the ways that people show love to others do not actually communicate love at all to those they are trying to love. This should not be too difficult to understand, especially if you are married. You might verbalize how much your wife means to you, yet your wife responds by telling you that you don’t love her or that she is not feeling loved. And then when you eventually get her to explain what she means, she might say something like, “Well, you aren’t helping around the house; that would make me feel loved.” Or “You aren’t spending enough quality time with me.” Or “You haven’t given me any gifts lately.” Or “You don’t hold my hand or hug me like you used to.” Thus, the way a person expresses love and feels loved can vary from person to person. And if we really want to express our love for those we are near to, we need to understand how the other person feels loved.

This principle transcends cultures as well. Take for example how a person expresses hospitality to others. Showing hospitality is a form of loving others and it is explicitly commanded   in Scripture (Rom. 12:13). Missionary Wayne Dye tells a story that illustrates this point. “When my daughter and I visited the Tboli people of Mindanao, Philippines in 1974, the Christians provided us with gifts and hospitality which added up to a month’s wages. Their culture sets a very high standard of hospitality, and this is the level of kindness they felt they should show to friends of their beloved translator.

As missionaries we are often the recipient of Christian hospitality in the United States. Many people have opened their homes and shown great kindness to us, though we were strangers. No one, however, has come close to giving us a month’s wages in hospitality. We don’t expect such a thing in North American culture” (Culture and Conscience Biblical Absolutes and Cultural Variation, pgs. 12-13). 

Thus, the command to demonstrate one’s love by practicing hospitality remains, yet the way in which it is practiced is completely cultural! Furthermore, as we have already discussed, it must be personalized in such a way that the recipient experiences the love that we are attempting to show them.

As a minister of the Gospel, having regularly counseled couples, I am convinced that one of the greatest struggles that couples have with each other is a misunderstanding of this principle. So perhaps, you don’t feel loved by those you are close to, or you are struggling to express love to someone. It could be that this is the issue. If that is where you are at, I encourage you to do two things. First, I would recommend reading a book by Gary Chapman entitled, The Five Love Languages. This book will help you to better understand yourself and others who are near to you. Second, after having read that book, I encourage you to be open and honest with others, seeking to communicate as clearly as possible how others can best demonstrate love to you. And at the same time, we need to be willing to demonstrate love to others in their own love language.

A second reason that expressing love to others has great cultural implications looks to actions that can be highly offensive. As an expression of love to others, the Bible commands us to take care of those who are less fortunate (1 John 3:17).

Ruth was a woman who experienced great financial hardships. Yet, God provided means for overcoming the issues of poverty. This was known as gleaning. Yet what is gleaning? In the Old Testament, God commanded the farmers to not harvest the perimeter of their crops, and anything that would have naturally been dropped as they were harvesting, was to be left there in the field. These portions of their harvest were fair game for the poor (Lev. 19:9-10). 

However, consider what was actually going on. The poor were allowed to go onto other people’s property without permission and take a portion of the crops without paying a penny for it. In our day and country, that would be considered trespassing and stealing. And a person in the times that the Bible was written did not even need to be in poverty to trespass and take things that were not theirs. Deuteronomy 23:25 allows for anyone to pluck the heads of grain with their hands yet they were not allowed to use a sickle. Jesus did exactly that (Matt. 12:1). And David took food that did not belong to him (1 Sam. 21:6). Thus, had David and Jesus done the same thing in our country in the year 2020, they would have been arrested for theft!

On the other hand, what took place back then was a God ordained means of taking care of others, fulfilling the command to love others. Therefore, in their day and location, Jesus and David had the right to take what they did.

Another expression of love that could be considered highly offensive relates to being generous with others. The Bible explicitly commands us to “be generous and willing to share” (1 Tim. 6:18). Generosity is again a demonstration of the command to love others. Yet the application of generosity varies from culture to culture.

Missionary Wayne Dye tells of a people group in the northern Philippines called the Isneg. “If an Isneg came into his village with a basket of pineapples from his garden, and gave away two-thirds of them, he would be considered stingy. The cultural standard is to give away three-quarters. If I returned from the grocery store and gave away two-thirds of my groceries to my neighbors, they would be concerned about my sanity.

We live in different cultures, with different standards and systems for sharing. The command is universal, but the application is culture specific” (Culture and Conscience Biblical Absolutes and Cultural Variation, pg. 13). 

Therefore, as we study the pages of the Bible, and seek to apply what it says, we must be always mindful of how to be culturally relevant. Yet being culturally relevant without undermining requires a clear understanding first of what the Scriptural commands meant to the original audience. And only when we understand what it meant to the original audience can we begin to understand what Scripture is commanding us to do today.

In His service,

Matt

Elder’s Corner: What Will “He” Be?

Well, if you haven't heard the good news yet—I have my first grandchild, a grandson, named Carson Alan Miller. My daughter Erin gave birth November 4th. And he has preempted my life in a very good way!

We are making many more trips to Branson these days. As I held him the first time and even now when I hold him, I wonder what he will grow up to be and what will the world be like that he inhabits. The nurses made comments about his long feet so maybe he will be an athlete. Maybe he will be the one to develop a cure for cancer. Maybe he will become a great preacher (however you define that). Maybe he will have an analytical brain and be drawn to the study of those six DNA genes that are found in the brains of everyone that develops Alzheimer's disease. Maybe he can even discover why some develop those dental plaques that create such havoc in patients with Alzheimer’s.

Mary wondered these same things about the baby she held and all the things that were being said about Him. Luke 2:19 says, “But Mary was keeping within herself all these things (sayings), weighing and pondering them in her heart.”  She was the one that eventually saw it all. She watched Him preach truth, train followers, and handle the tricks and traps of the Pharisees. She saw His trial, His torture, and His triumph as He defeated death and rose from the grave, offering His life as a trade for yours and mine.

So the question really becomes “What will You Be?” in the time you have left? Will you be a follower, a fraud (you may even go to church-but you know you're still just a fake), or one who just does nothing at all. God has given us life through His Son and we should respond “Thank You, what can I do for You?”  

—Alan

Attitude—The Difference Maker #1:

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5 NASB).

As we begin this new year, it is a good thing to take time to reflect back over the past year and to carefully consider goals for the new year. In spite of the negativity concerning New Year’s resolutions, a person’s odds of achieving them are much higher when they set goals. And perhaps the most helpful tool that each person has in achieving their goals is their attitude. Attitude is the difference maker. Just consider a few quotes about a person’s attitude.

Thomas Jefferson said, “Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal. Nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong attitude.” Similarly, Jeff Keller said, “Your attitude is your window to the world.”

William James said, “The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.” A psychologist named Viktor Frankl endured the horrors of the Nazi death camps. He later wrote that the Nazis took everything from him—his property and possessions, his family and friends, his future and hope, and even the very clothes on his back. Even still, he said: “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing; the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.”

Jeff Keller said, “Your success in life begins and ends with your attitude.” Your attitude will make a difference in how you view yourself, others, your circumstances, your hopes and dreams, your opportunities and obstacles. Your attitude will make a difference in how you treat your family and friends. It makes a great difference in your work and your health. I have witnessed people who had a determined attitude literally defy life and death. There is great power in choosing one’s attitude throughout life!

The Bible has a lot to say about one’s attitude. And the reality of the matter is that apart from a person’s relationship with Jesus Christ, the next most important thing about a person is their attitude. Therefore, over the next several months, we are going to consider what attitudes a person should have and how these attitudes can literally change our lives. An unknown source once said, “A positive attitude is a person’s passport to a better tomorrow.” Thus, I want to encourage you to join me in this journey of changing our attitudes to the destination of a brighter tomorrow.

More of Him, less of me,

      Matt

Theology 201 #12: Cultural Commands Part 4: Building Wisely

“When you build a new house, you must build a railing around the edge of its flat roof. That way you will not be considered guilty of murder if someone falls from the roof” (Deut. 22:8 NLT).

As a former construction worker in the state of Michigan, I had a love/hate relationship with building codes. While Missouri is increasing the number of building codes, they still don’t have anywhere near as many as Michigan and certain other states. This can be a positive and negative thing all at the same time. As a former licensed builder and mechanical contractor, I can tell you that some codes don’t make a whole lot of sense. Honestly, some codes seem to only benefit building supply companies, as they only increase the cost of construction. Sometimes changes in building codes end in that same result: no increase in quality, yet an increase in cost.

On the other hand, most times changes in codes increase the safety and longevity of one’s house. Thus, if you are in the process of having a house built for you, you may appreciate the fact that the state requires that certain standards be met, helping to ensure your safety as a homeowner and the longevity of the place you call home.

 According to the Bible, God has certain building codes as well. And a careful examination of these codes reveals God’s motive behind them.

God has given certain Biblical building codes with the motivation of love and protection of lives. Deuteronomy 22:8 commands that we place hand-railings around the perimeter of our roofs. Chances are, you do not, and neither do I. Thus, are we in violation of this Biblical building code? Maybe, maybe not.

When the command in Deuteronomy 22 was given, most people had flat roofs, and flat roofs are still common in certain parts of the world. Also in the time and place that this command was originally given, a person’s rooftop would have been similar to our living-rooms of today. During the evenings, it was normal for people to go up on their roofs seeking cool breezes to give relief from the scorching heat of the average Middle Eastern day. Therefore, to protect homeowners and any guest that they might have who came over to visit in their living rooms (on top of the roof), God gave this command.

Now, in our day and age, most Americans don’t hang out on their roofs nor do they invite guests to do the same. Thus, the intent of this God inspired law is not fulfilled in most cases by simply building a hand-railing on one’s roof. The intent of this law is clearly to protect people.  Therefore, the intent of this law (aka, the spirit of this law) is to construct one’s home in such a way that it is safe for all people.

Thus, when a person fails to take care of sagging floors, broken steps, electrical issues that shock people when they turn on the light, failing to shovel a sidewalk, neglecting to deal with black mold issues, etc. that can be harmful to you or others is in fact to be in violation of the intent of Deuteronomy 22:8. Recently, with my son getting Legos for Christmas, our house is looking like a scene from the movie Home Alone, when Macaulay Culkin put toys all over the floor for an obstacle course for his unwanted guests. That is how my home looks at times, thus, I need to watch that I don’t allow my own home to violate the intent of this verse. :) Lol

 Leviticus 14:34-57 describes the procedure the Israelites were to follow when mildew was found in the home. While the Israelites may not have understood exactly what would happen if they allowed mold or mildew to continue to exist in their houses, God still gave them this command to protect them.

There are other building codes listed in Scripture like taking the time to count the cost of our building projects ahead of time (Luke 14:28-30). Yet the most important building code in Scripture speaks of building one’s life on the firm foundation of the rock, Jesus Christ (Matt. 7:24-27).  Jesus is the cornerstone for which we are to build our lives on (1 Peter 2:7). Yet He is more than that, He is to be the very Builder of our lives (Ps. 127:1). Adding these things together means that the way in which one builds their life on the firm foundation of Christ is to surrender to His control, allowing Him to build our lives. When a person builds their lives on any other foundation, the storms of life will eventually wash that individual away.

Thus, from Scripture we see that God not only wants our homes to be safe for ourselves and others, but also He wants our lives to be safe from the judgment that is to come. So are you building your life wisely from an eternal perspective? And are you seeking to keep people safe in a physical sense with the houses that you live in?

In His service,

Matt

Matt’s Matters: The Reason for the Season

“But when the right time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent Him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that He could adopt us as His very own children” (Gal. 4:4-5).

What Is Christmas All About? Christmas is more than tinsel, toys, trees, egg nog, gifts, and greetings. It is not merely a word of goodwill lightly spoken and soon forgotten in the harsh cries of conflict. Christmas is about answering the biggest dilemma that all people have! However, many people fail to realize the dilemma that they are in. This is just like the person who has cancer that is treatable if dealt with early on.

The dilemma is the crimes that we have committed against the God of the universe. In our hearts, we even recognize this reality. This is why we feel guilty when we lie to other people, take items that do not belong to us, say/do hurtful things to others, cheat on our spouses or taxes, etc.

One day all of us will have to stand before the God of the universe to give an account for our lives. On that day God will not judge us in comparison to what other people have done, but what we have done. And on that day, the good that a person has done will not compensate for the bad. In this we are all doomed as the Bible teaches (Rom. 6:23). Yet that brings us to the primary reason for the season.

One writer said, “Christmas is the celebration of the historical event of where God entered into our world so that He might display the perfection and holiness of God and that through His work of living perfectly and also dying on the cross for our sins, that all who trust in Him would be saved from the righteous judgment of God” (Matt Slick, What is the True Meaning of Christmas?).

John 3:16-17 says it like this. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” 

Jesus’ very name means, “The Lord saves.” He came to give His life for ours (Mark 10:45). He came to save sinners from the wages of their sins. There are numerous verses that teach this (Luke 5:32; 19:10; 1 Tim. 1:15). Jesus did not come to save “good people.” He came to save sinners, which Biblically that includes all people as all are sinners (Rom. 3:23). Yet that is just it, we must recognize our dilemma before Him so that we will humbly repent of our sins to be saved.

While Jesus also came so that we could enjoy a relationship with God and to be an example of how to live a grace-filled abundant life. Thus, the primary reason for the season is related to an eternal matter. So, have you received the reason for the season, Jesus as your Lord and Savior? I pray that you have for that will change your life both now and forevermore.

In His service,

Matt

Theology 201 #11: Cultural Commands Part 3: An Act of Humility

“It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He now showed them the full extent of His love” (John 13:1).

For the past couple of months we have been considering the significance of understanding cultural commandments. Cultural commands can be defined as: something that applies to the letter of the law in one culture, yet only the intent of the law applies in other cultures. Thus, because of cultural issues, a person could follow the letter of the law and yet break the intent of the law. That is sin regardless of one’s culture.

This month we consider Jesus’ command to wash one another’s feet. Jesus clearly teaches that we are to follow His example of washing one another’s feet just as He washed the disciples feet (John 13:14-17). Perhaps you have attended one of the very few churches who, as they celebrate the Lord’s Supper, wash each other’s feet. Or perhaps you have seen a foot washing take place in a church service to serve as an illustration (I have witnessed that a handful of times). Yet apart from an illustration, for most Christians, the practice of foot washing is nonexistent. But why is that the case? Are the majority of Christians blatantly disobeying a direct command of the Lord Jesus Himself? Or is this an example of a cultural commandment, and how would one know? 

Applying the eight question method that we have talked about for the past two months gives us great clarity concerning this command. First, it important to note that Jesus (who) was speaking these words to His disciples (whom too) some 2,000 years ago (when) in the land of Israel (where). During that time foot washing was a common act that took place virtually whenever a person entered another person’s house. People mostly traveled on foot in sandals across the dusty roads of Judea. When entering a home, it was customary to wash one’s feet (portions from Bruce B. Barton, Life Application Bible Commentary: John). To not offer to wash a guest’s feet was considered a breach of hospitality (see Luke 7:44). At a bare minimum, the host would provide water for their guests to wash their own feet (Gen. 18:4).

 Washing guests’ feet was a job for a household servant to carry out when guests arrived (1 Sam. 25:41). If a person had more than one servant, it was always performed by the one who had the lowest position/seniority. Another clue is to see how the idea of foot washing is conveyed elsewhere. When John the Baptist desired to give expression to his feeling of unworthiness in comparison to Christ, he could think of no better way to express this than to say that he deemed himself unworthy of kneeling down in front of Jesus in order to unloose His sandal-straps and remove the sandals (John 1:27). Thus, John the Baptist saw himself as even unworthy to be considered the lowest servant with regard to Jesus’ greatness.

It is interesting to note how the disciples responded to Jesus’ action of washing their feet. Peter, as a representative of the twelve disciples was blown away by it at first. Peter even explicitly said, “No...You shall never wash my feet” (John 13:8). Peter viewed himself as a servant of Jesus, not Jesus being his servant. It was not until Jesus told Peter that if He did not wash Peter’s feet that Peter would have no part with Him that Peter agreed to have his feet washed (John 13:8).

By comparing the timing of the event within four Gospels, another significant fact is revealed. Just moments prior to Jesus’ washing the disciples feet they were arguing over who was the greatest of the disciples (Luke 22:24). The Baker New Testament Commentary said, “In the Upper Room everything was ready. There was water in the pitcher. Yet no one stirred. Each disciple was hoping that someone else would make the first move.” Included in that group was Judas Iscariot who would soon betray Jesus. Jesus, the all-knowing God in the flesh understood that, even still He chose to wash all twelve of the disciples’ feet, including those of His betrayer.

In conclusion, after considering the original context, the implications of Jesus’ actions was a call to great humility and servitude on the part of His followers. And it was a call to even serve those who hurt and betray us in unimaginable ways. Is that what people think today about washing someone else’s feet? Does the idea of washing another person’s feet in our 21st century American culture fulfill the role of a lowly and humble servant seeking to put at ease another person, even if that person is our betrayer? Hardly!!!

Typically, the only people who have another wash their feet are those who are physically unable to do it themselves. And I think that it is safe to say that even in those instances it does not convey the same meaning that this command would have had upon the disciples and others living in Israel in the 1st century A.D. Thus, for most people in our culture, the idea of washing another’s feet, regardless of one’s position is completely foreign. The average person does not walk everywhere that they go down dirty, dusty roads wearing open-toed sandals.

It is for reasons such as these that most Bible believing Christians contend that foot washing is a cultural commandment. Additionally, there are other reasons to believe that it is cultural. “There is never a record of it being done by any church in Acts; (2) it is never advocated in the NT letters; and (3) it is never specifically said to be an ongoing ordinance as are baptism (cf. Matt. 28:19) and the Lord’s Supper (cf. 1 Cor. 11:17–34)” (Robert James Utley, The Beloved Disciple’s Memoirs and Letters: The Gospel of John, I, II, and III John, vol. Volume 4, p. 120).

However, just because there is extremely good evidence that this is in fact a cultural command does not negate the spirit of the law. If you will recall from last month, the spirit of the law points to the intent of the law. The intent, as we have already seen, is a call to great humility and servitude on the part of Christ’s followers. Furthermore, the inspired word of God calls Jesus’ act a display of “the full extent of His love” (John 13:1). Thus, the full extent of Jesus’ love shown in His humble service to people who are not worthy to be His servants (which is true of every person who has ever lived). Jesus said that the reason that He came was “to serve and give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

Therefore, it is possible for someone to fulfill the letter of the law by washing other people’s feet yet fail to keep the intent of Jesus’ command. The application of this command is: are you a humble servant? Are you willing to selflessly serve others including those who have hurt you deeply? No doubt at this level it is much more challenging to fulfill Jesus’ intent than to literally wash another person’s feet. But that is the kind of service and humility that God calls us as Christians to fulfill.

The following are a few practical ways to fulfill the intent of Jesus’ command in our American culture: Taking on a menial task or accepting a lesser role. Not insisting on your “rights” or “privileges.” Meeting others’ needs before meeting your own. Looking for a job no one else will do and cheerfully doing it.

And ultimately focusing on the results being achieved, not who is getting credit (portions from Bruce B. Barton, Life Application Bible Commentary: John). Therefore, may we seek to follow Jesus’ example of love by being a humble servant.

In His service,

Matt