Category: Christian Living

Articles I have written specifically dealing with areas of Christian living.

Deuteronomy – “Remember”

by Mike Avery, posted in All Articles, Christian Living

–April of 2008

Deuteronomy – “Remember”

The first five books of the Bible are often referred to as the “Books of Moses.”  Deuteronomy stands at the end of this Pentateuch as the “grand summation”—the final words of Moses to the children of Israel. His words carry a remarkable recounting of yesterday’s journeys, tomorrow’s conquests and the promises of God to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that tie it all together. As in any good speech, there will be a key word or thought that encapsulates the whole.  This oration can be summarized in one word: Remember!

Moses took them down the path of historical memory so that by remembering they might not repeat.  How could they ever forget God’s love as long as they could remember the plagues of Egypt, the miracle of the Red Sea, the supernatural provision of manna, quail, water and raiment?  How could they ever forget God’s justice as long as they could remember the ground opening up and swallowing Korah and his rebels?  How could they ever doubt God’s promise to give them the land and His power to fulfill that promise if they would only remember Jericho!  But as soon as the Israelites crossed Jordan, conquered Canaan, built cities, grew strong and prosperous, they promptly did just that – they forgot God!

Nothing, apparently, bothers God more than the simple act of being forgotten.  And nothing, apparently, aids the forgetting process more than personal success and material prosperity. As soon as the Israelites became comfortable in houses of their own and grew plump from crops they had grown, they ceased to care for the alien and the poor.  As soon as they had won enough battles for the surrounding nations to fear them, they placed their trust in their own armies and chariots instead of the God who drowned Pharaoh’s army in the sea.  And by the time that Solomon had made Israel a global standard bearer of wisdom and excellence; had made silver as common as stones in the streets of Jerusalem,  Israelites from Dan to Beersheba were bowing before images of wood and gold saying, “these be thy gods oh Israel.”

How does one keep from forgetting God?  Moses speaks to that in the most famous words of the whole book. “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might”.  It is God’s love for Israel that delivered them from Egypt, but it is only a heart of love for God that will keep Egypt out of their hearts.  It is only a heart of love for God that can understand that His commands have been given to us for our good!  It is only a heart of love for God that will refuse to allow any thing, legitimate or otherwise, to compete for our devotion to God and God alone.

In the final analyses, it is only a heart of love for God that keeps us from forgetting Him and what He has done for us.  It is impossible to forget the one that you love with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.  Obviously, we all know that loving and forgetting are mutually exclusive!  Unless, of course, we have already forgotten!

Connected

by Mike Avery, posted in All Articles, Christian Living, Church

–March of 2008

 Connected

Radical independence is a highly admired characteristic in American culture.  From the earliest pioneer to the twenty-first century entrepreneur, Americans take pride in the man who can “go it alone” and “make it happen.”  These rugged individualists possess a homespun philosophy of life that says, “if you need a helping hand, look at the end of your arm.”  We applaud their independence, quote them in leadership seminars and teach our children to emulate their self-reliance.

This independent spirit is to some degree helpful and healthy, but when taken too far it can have devastating consequences.  A part of what it means to be created in the image of God is that we are created to relate to and interact with other people.    Just as the Divine Persons live in intimate Trinitarian relationship, humans cannot fulfill their created role without intimate relationships.  The very nature of true relationships requires inter-dependence.  We were not created to be “stand alone” people, but members of a family and a community that is interconnected and dependent.  We draw emotional and spiritual strength from one another that we need to be a whole and healthy person.

This is never truer than in our own spiritual lives.  “There are two things we cannot do alone,” said Paul Tournier, “one is to be married and the other is be a Christian.”  We are part of a living body that depends upon “connectedness” to God and to one another to function properly and develop normally.  It is true that we draw our spiritual life from the source and fountainhead of all spiritual life – God himself.  But it is also true that we draw precious and necessary resources from one another that enable us to function as a healthy part of the body of Christ.

This line of truth is so important that Jesus included it in His final discourse he had with His disciples the night before His crucifixion.  It’s found in John chapter fifteen and is explained with the analogy of the vine and the branches.  It teaches us a least three important lessons about being connected to Him and to one another.

First, we are not self-originating.  “I am the Vine you are the branches.”  In counseling sessions I have often reminded people that we are only stewards of the life God has given us and we are not free to do with it as we please.  But occasionally I hear these words in response, “No! It’s my life! I’ll do . . .” It is a fundamental error to think that our life is our own.  Only God is self-originating. The source of all life both physical and spiritual is always in another – someone outside ourselves. The branch does not exist without the vine.  Our life is not our own!  It is a gift from God!

Second, we are not self-sustaining.  None of us have life within ourselves. Only as we “abide in the vine” do we have life.  Just as physical life is maintained by the air we breathe, the food we eat and the relationships in which we engage, even so is spiritual life maintained by connection with Christ and with the members of His body. It is, “in Him we live, and move, and have our being.”  And living in Him also means living within His body the Church.  Saint John of the Cross wrote, “The virtuous soul that is alone . . . is like the burning coal that is alone.  It will grow colder rather than hotter.”   The Christian faith is not merely an intellectual, internal faith.  It can only be lived in community.  Abandon the Body and your faith will fade.

Third, we are not self-fulfilling.  Joy, happiness, meaning and value come only in and through a relationship to God and service to one another.  Real life comes to us through the Vine.  We have no ability within ourselves to bear the fruit of a meaningful and satisfying life.   It can only be found as we relate to and draw from the Vine and the other branches.

Too many branches of the visible church believe and practice isolation. They isolate themselves from the Church at large, but worse yet, they isolated themselves from those within their own religious tradition and in some cases from those within the same four walls of their own local church.  They have developed an approach to discipleship where people are exhorted to do what is right and then placed under rigid structures of accountability or fear of rejection to see that they do it.  This has yielded poor results because it ignores the deepest need of the human soul – true connectedness to another Christian.  I have seen my share of people in spiritual trouble and in so many of their cases there was more than a stubborn will that needed firm admonishment involved.  There was a desperate hurting soul that needed the nourishment that only a loving community and a meaningful relationship could provide. (I believe isolation and the resulting loneliness may be the devils most successful tool in luring people in to sin.) One poor soul expressed it like this, “they preached to me and prayed with me, but no one ever asked me over for lunch.”   It is often true that those churches that stress accountability and the “you need to stand on your own two feet” approach often do so because they simply don’t know how to relate to other people.  They either don’t know how or are too afraid to lock arms with those who are struggling.  Building meaningful relationships with needy people is time consuming, uncomfortable and costly.  But the successful results are indisputable.   If you are still unconvinced, take special note of the words spoken at the next communion service you participate in.  The Minister will hand you a piece of bread or a wafer and say, “The Body of Christ, broken for you. . .”  The Church was founded by One whose body was broken to give us life.  Shouldn’t we then go forth and pour out our lives for one another?

There really are no “self-made” men in our world, but men and women who have been fortunate enough to have other people invest so much in them that they in turn were able to make a huge difference on the visible stage of life.  If you are reading this article and truly want to make a difference, then find someone to connect with and pour your resources into them.  When we truly “connect” we can change a thousand lives – one at a time!

“It’s a Wonderful Life”

by Mike Avery, posted in All Articles, Christian Living, Holiday

–December of 2007

“It’s a Wonderful Life”

The Greatest Gift, written by Philip Van Doren Stern, is a story about a man who wants to accomplish something in his own life but is so busy helping others that life seems to pass him by. Despondent over what appears to be a very ordinary if not even a wasted life, he wishes he had never been born. He gets his wish, and through the help of a guardian angel he sees the world as it would have been had he never lived. After viewing life from such a unique perspective, he concludes that life is indeed a wonderful gift.  Though Stern never found anyone willing to publish the story, it finally found its way into the hands of filmmaker Frank Capra, who turned it into the all-time Christmas classic It’s a Wonderful Life.

I have not had any life-changing visits from a guardian angel, but I have had my perspective on this life altered in recent months.  I am one of those Christians who truly believe the best is yet to come!  It has not been tempting to me to spend any time or money collecting the trinkets and toys of this present world. I have not craved houses and lands.   I have had a good life, a happy marriage, and wonderful children who are grown and established – so any time God is ready for me to go, I am ready to depart: no sad stories, no regrets about leaving and no struggle to grasp a few more fleeting moments of time here on earth . It’s been a great journey! (For those who are shocked by this, no, I am not depressed, and yes, I would like to know my grandchildren). After all, earnest Christians live with a very loose grip on this present world. Right? Right! We are only pilgrims passing through the temporal headed for the eternal. Right? Right!  This life is inferior at best and the sooner we slip the bonds of mortal existence and are clothed with the eternal, the better.  Right? Not quite!

Some months ago God began to speak to me about the wonderful gift He has given us in our earthly physical life. It should not be minimized or demeaned because it is not as blissful a state as the life to come, nor should one just endure it until liberated by heaven. Rather, it should be lived with deep gratitude and respect as a wonderful gift from God.  It is good, not because I make it so, but because He has made it so.  God created life and declared it good. God gave Adam and Eve each other and the created world around them to enjoy richly.  He considers this physical life sacred and reserves the severest penalties for those who destroy it.  The first promise attached to a commandment was the promise of a long life. God often promised length of days as a way of honoring His faithful servants in the Old Testament. All of this is still true despite the Fall of man and the curse of sin.  Obviously, God sees the life He gives us as very good!

Don’t confuse God’s gift of life that is good with what the world calls the “good life.”  The two are polar opposites. The citizens of this present world chase after the “good life,” grabbing all they can get and holding it as tightly fisted as possible.  They generally succeed in keeping it long enough to make themselves thoroughly miserable before losing it all.  Christians, however, have given up the “good life” so that they may enjoy a life that is truly good. They do not grab for what they can get, but rather hold everything they possess in an open palm.  They clutch nothing to themselves but God.  Thereby they can enjoy all things without those things affecting their joy.

If God views our earthly life as good, then His perspective ought to become our perspective. We should see every moment of our life here as a blessed gift to be richly enjoyed, life as a glorious journey marked by His grace.  I don’t need health or wealth or popularity or beauty or anything else to make my life good. All I need is to walk with Him and remain in Him moment by moment.   Such a view of life is neither a shallow optimism nor a refusal to acknowledge the deep darkness that life can bring.  It isn’t ignoring the curse of sin and its awful physical consequences. But it is refusing to let those things blind us to the ultimate goodness of this life. It is acknowledging that every day is a gift from God – a gift that when received gratefully can transform the most common and ordinary moment into joyful living.  It is a statement of faith that says pain, sorrow and trouble do not define my existence, determine my happiness, or have the last word!

If God sees life as good then His perspective should be reflected in the way we live it.  God has given me some real-life object lessons to illustrate this point. Oscar Johnson, a dear friend, died recently after battling cancer for several years.  Oscar’s life taught me so much about how one should truly enjoy each and every day. Oscar knew for over two years that he was dying.  The joy and optimism with which he lived those years was a powerful witness to hundreds of people.  During his last hospitalization, I was alone with him and took the opportunity to tell him how much he meant to my family and me and to say goodbye.  That opened the door to talk about dying.  He said to me, “Brother Avery, I have never walked this way before.  I don’t know what you’re supposed to do when you’re dying.” And then with a big smile he said, “So I’m just going to enjoy my family, witness to my doctor and take a nap.” Oscar was holding life in an open palm.  He was rejoicing in every moment he had, and others were incredibly impacted by that joy.

A few weeks ago I attended the funeral of alumnus John Case, Jr.  John died suddenly from a rare form of cancer at the age of forty-two. Hundreds came to the viewing and the funeral.  His life had impacted so many people for what appears to be one primary reason – he loved life and it showed!  From the twinkle in his eye, to the lilt in his voice, to the humor in his words, John left those around him with the feeling that life is good and he was enjoying it!  A simple phone call from John could be the bright spot in a person’s day.  What a great way to live!  It is doubtful that anyone was ever influenced toward the life to come by someone who despised the one he or she was living now.  Life is good, and as Christians we should demonstrate that goodness to those we interact with.

As we celebrate God’s unspeakable gift in Christ this Christmas season, it would be good to also celebrate another of His wonderful gifts – the gift of life.  Important celebrations require planning and thought.  Last year on Christmas morning, before my family and I opened our gifts, we read the Christmas story, prayed together and then I read some prepared remarks about how good God had been to our family and how grateful I was for each of them.  I then mentioned some specific things about each one that I deeply appreciated.  After I finished, each family member did the same.  At times we were so overcome with emotion we couldn’t speak.   When it was over, we embraced each other and realized anew how wonderful life really is! If you’re alone, read a prepared letter to God and thank Him for the life He has given you.  You will not be alone for long!   What ever your circumstance, don’t miss an opportunity this year  to celebrate all of life.  Because it really is wonderful!

Leadership

by Mike Avery, posted in All Articles, Christian Living, Ministry

–October of 2007

Leadership

The rise and fall of societies and of institutions has depended almost exclusively upon the quality of its leadership. George Barna, who has spent years researching the Church in America, claims that the most serious weakness he has found within the Church in the last fifteen years is the lack of leadership.  Few would disagree that strong, bold, innovative, and godly leadership is in short supply.

During the Civil War General Robert E. Lee said, “I believe our Army would be invincible, if it could be properly organized and officered.  These men will go anywhere and do anything if properly led.  There is the difficulty of proper commanders.”  Lee knew that ultimate victory rested on the quality of leaders that led the troops.  He wanted men with: administrative skills and diligence, imagination, initiative, resourcefulness, and the ability to elicit the best in other men. Like Lee, people everywhere are looking for leaders.  So, what does one look for in a leader?

Don’t put too much stock in outward appearance.  Externally, leaders often appear very different.  Hitler and Gandhi or Mother Teresa and General George Patton would be excellent subjects for a study in contrast except for the one thing they had in common — they were all leaders.  God has used uncultured farmers, crude fishermen, and simple shepherds, as well as gifted scholars, astute politicians, and military tacticians to lead his causes.  While most of us look at the outward appearance, God looks at the core of the person’s character.  He looks for certain inner traits that will turn a lad into a leader.  As a matter of fact, research shows that internally, leaders have certain characteristics in common.  Let me list them for you:

Leaders have clear cut objectives.  Leaders know what they what to achieve, why they want to achieve it, and how they are going to achieve it.  They know that you will only achieve what you aim for so they keep focused on their goals and objectives.

  1. Leaders know themselves.  Leaders know their strengths and weaknesses.  They lead from their strengths and bring the right people around them to help where they know they have weaknesses.
  2. Leaders are persistent.  They have staying power.  They will sometimes give a lifetime of dedicated service just to seeing their objectives fulfilled.
  3. Leaders are learners.  They never stop learning and growing.  They have an insatiable appetite to expand their knowledge and learn how to lead more effectively.
  4. Leaders have the ability to attract and energize people.  Leadership is influence.  Leaders have the ability to influence others to accomplish a common goal.
  5. Leaders are risk takers.  They don’t fear failure.  They are willing to fail if they can learn something from it.  They aren’t afraid to take risk with resources, ideas, and change if they believe good can come from it.
  6. Leaders are followers. No true Christian leader is a law unto himself.  He asks others to follow him only as he follows Christ.  He lives in obedience to the Word and those to whom he is accountable.

Some who are reading this right now are looking for a leader to lead your church or organization.  Look for these core traits.  Don’t be too caught up in outward appearance or you may miss a David, Israel’s greatest King.  Don’t be deceived by a hesitant speaker, or you may miss a Moses, Israel’s greatest leader.  Don’t be turned off by a “thorn in the flesh” or you may miss a Paul, the church’s greatest missionary. But look inside.  Look for the right kind of heart.  That’s where you will find a true leader.

Real Persons or Fictive Characters?

by Mike Avery, posted in All Articles, Christian Living

–September of 2007

Real Persons or Fictive Characters?

The bravest moment of a person’s life is when they take an objective look at themselves.  The saints saw such introspection as healthy and necessary for character transformation and growth in personal holiness.  The value is not in just the looking, but in honestly acknowledging and dealing with what one may find.  It can be very painful to confront the truth about ourselves, but a failure to do so thwarts the goal of becoming the “real” person that God intends for us to be.  Furthermore, when we fail to acknowledge something that we know is true about ourselves and rather seek to obscure it, we inadvertently cultivate a dangerous form of duplicity that makes us more of a fictive person than a real one.  James calls this, “deceiving yourselves.”  Jesus called it hypocrisy.

The word hypocrisy comes from the language of the theater.  It originally meant “recitation, acting on stage.”  What happens on a stage is not real­ – it is fiction – it is make believe.  All that is bad about fictive behavior was transferred to the word hypocrisy until it has become a word that is exclusively negative. One may brag of almost any sin, but one never brags of being a hypocrite.  Hypocrisy is ceasing to be a real person in order to become a character. By the time of Jesus the word had acquired at least one other meaning.  It began to be used to describe the disconnection between outward life and inward reality. Jesus called the Pharisees hypocrites because they sought an outward conformity to the law while their hearts were vile and wicked.

Blaise Pascal wrote, “Every person has two lives: one is the true life, and the other is the imaginary life lived in one’s own or other’s opinion.  We work tirelessly to embellish and preserve our imaginary selves, and we neglect our true selves.”  Whether Pascal is fully correct or not, what is true is that one almost never hears of anyone acknowledging this subtle sin that so easily dogs the steps of those who pursue righteousness and value holy living.  Why?  The reason is simple: Wherever spiritual values, piety, and holy living are the most highly esteemed, the temptation will be present to pretend to have them—so as not to seem to be without them.  Wherever rules of behavior are valued and adherence to those rules is obvious to others, the temptation to “act out” our commitment for the sake of others or because of fear of what others may think will always be near at hand.

Why is hypocrisy such an abomination to God? Because hypocrisy it is a form of idolatry. Hypocrisy gives the creature a place that belongs only to the Creator.  One lets what others think become more important to us than what God thinks.  In the end we become performers for the audience (others) rather than living a life solely for the glory of God.  It can even lead to a distortion of scripture as it alleviates the view of my peers over the clear teaching of God’s Word.

What is the cure for such hypocrisy?  First, we need to seek to have a heart that has been so thoroughly cleansed of sinful self-love that we are more anxious about “being” (true character) than we are about “seeming” (our reputation).  Second, we need to establish in our soul the principle behind whatever rules we use to guide our lives so that it is indeed the principle rather than the rule that does the guiding.  Third, we must understand that any ritual we perform or rule we keep that is not motivated by love for God and man will be just an empty shell—a complete facade.

True spirituality will always make us more real not less.  It constantly reminds us that, “all things are naked and opened before the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”  C.S. Lewis was right when he said, “The prayer preceding all prayers is: May it be the real I who speaks. May it be the real Thou that I speak to.”  God deals in reality.  Let’s be real!