Christmas morning has never come quickly enough for me.  As a kid, it was my personal goal to find out what my presents were as soon as possible.  My mom would come up with very unique ways of keeping me from finding my presents before Christmas, including a few very creative hiding places.  I still remember the first time my sister and I opened and re-wrapped our gifts to see what they were… and I still remember my mom threatening to take them back when she found out.

Jesus Christ is God’s gift to the world.

Ephesians 2:8 – “For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”

Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

The difference with this gift is that God is not interested in hiding it.

Do you know the main difference between my childhood curiosity and the world’s desperate searching?  I knew what I was looking for.  The world may know something is missing, but most people have no idea what they’re looking for.  They are “lost” just as Paul described them in 2 Corinthians.

Are you hiding God’s gift to the world?

Before you answer that question, let’s consider some ways that we hide God’s gift.

We hide God’s gift with our sin.

When you harbor sin in your life, you will not easily share God’s gift.  Sin will always hinder our passions for souls, but our sin will do more than just discourage us from witnessing.  It will distract the lost from receiving God’s gift.

One of my first questions I ask when I’m picking a present from the gift exchange pile is this – “Who brought this?”  Why?  Because who brought it tells me a lot about what kind of gift it will be.  We may have the perfect gift, but people aren’t just concerned with the gift.  They’re also very interesting in the giver.

Why would someone want the gift of peace from someone who is worried?
Why would someone want the gift of love from someone who is rude or unkind?
Why would someone want the gift of hope from someone who is negative?

Don’t allow sin to discourage you and distract others from God’s gift.

We hide God’s gift with our silence.

Sometimes, we’re silenced by fear, but God offers a replacement of that fear.

2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Most often, though, I believe we are silenced by forgetfulness.  One year, I found the perfect Christmas gift in early Spring, and I decided to get an early jump on shopping.  I purchased the gift, hid it carefully in the house, and promptly forgot about it until the following Spring.  Christmas had come and gone, and I had completely forgotten about the gift.

Forgotten gifts never bring joy to anyone.  Someone was supposed to receive the perfect gift, but they never got it, because I forgot I had it.

In Philippians 1, Paul describes his compassion for the people at Phillipi.  In verse three, we see that the church at Phillipi was in his thoughts.  This is where we usually fall apart.  We simply don’t think about how many lost people we come in contact with every day.  Then, in verse four, we read that they were in his prayers.  Finally, in verse seven, we see that they were in his heart.  The lost will never be in your prayers and certainly not in your heart until they are first in your thoughts.

Make it a point to keep the gift of Jesus Christ in the forefront of your thinking.  Many opportunities are lost simply because we do not realize that we had them in the first place.

We hide God’s gift with our selectivity.

The way of salvation is exclusive (John 14:6), but the gift of salvation is not.  How can we be selective with the gift that cost Jesus Christ His life?

Sometimes we have false assumptions about who needs God’s gift of salvation.  We assume that someone is not interested or that they are already a Christian.

The person who looks like they have it all together is miserable without Christ!
The person who looks like they hate the world is screaming out for someone to love them!
The person who acts like they’re already saved could be desperately searching for truth!

We can also be guilty of a false acceptance.  We go out into the highways and hedges to compel peopel to come in, and then, when they come, we’re annoyed that they’ve taken us up on our invitation.  Do you welcome the lost in your ministry?  Or do you tolerate them?  Do you find yourself impatiently trying to get them to conform to your church family so they don’t stand out so much?  Or are you genuinely concerned with the transforming work of Christ in their life?

The name tag on God’s gift reads “Whosoever.”

John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Romans 10:13 – “For whosoeover shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

If you’re hiding the gospel from someone, you’re hiding it from the wrong person.  Remember, the gospel is very personal, but it is not a secret.  Don’t hide God’s gift this Christmas season.

“If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost.”

So you’re thinking outside the box.  Now what?

The danger in thinking outside the box is always that you’ll go too far.  When you finally break out of your intellectual routine, there is always a tendency to test the limits of your creativity.  Some people are so afraid of going too far that they don’t even attempt to think creatively, but as a Christian, we have God’s Word to guide our creativity.  The Holy Spirit will use the Word of God to give discernment for these difficult decisions.

No creative concept should go outside of God’s truth, no matter how innovative.  Truth should always be at the center of creativity and glorifying God should always be at the end.

The key is to remember that creativity is not the goal.  Accurately and powerfully communicating truth is the goal.  Technology and creativity will never replace truth.  They are simply tools that we can use to lift up Christ!  When we make creativity our goal, there is always the pressure to find that next flashy effect or program, but if our goal is to communicate truth, we can rest in the fact that God will give the inspiration and direction for His work.

We can’t please God when we try to glorify Him with methods that contradict His Word.  Some have the idea that as long as they are sincere in their worship, God will be pleased, but John 4:24 tell us that “God is a spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” True worship cannot exist without truth.

When creativity is not guided by the truth of God’s Word, worldly philosophy will creep into the church.  There is no specific reference guide for this kind of deception, because Satan’s devices are always changing, but we do have the unchanging Word of God to give us principles that apply to every area of life and ministry.

We must develop the skill of thinking Biblically.  There is no other answer.  Every creative concept must be run through the filter of God’s Word.

Think outside the box, but never outside the Book.

Creativity is a wonderful characteristic of our God.  The Psalmist reminds us that even a casual glance at the world around us will lead us to the knowledge of a Creator.  “The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament showeth his handiwork.  Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.  There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not hear.” (Psalm 19:1-3)

We are created in the image of God, and as His highest creation, we should be reflecting the characteristics of a perfect God – His holiness, His love, His sacrifice.  Lost in the middle of these powerful attributes, we sometimes miss the characteristic of creativity.  We serve a very creative God, and he has given us the ability to creatively approach life, family, and ministry.

Creativity is desperately needed in ministry.  No tradition or preference should come between the church and God’s mission for it.  One of my professors in college used to say, “We have the most wonderful message in the world, but we often package it like it doesn’t matter.”  If there were ever a pursuit that deserved our utmost effort, it is the work of the Lord.  Our philosophies and programs need to be constantly evaluated as our world is constantly changing.

We expect missionaries to go to a foreign field, understand the culture, and reach them with the gospel.  We don’t want them to produce cookie-cutter, American churches.  Truth is relevant in any society, and missionaries seek to make that truth readily available by engaging the culture.

Meanwhile, here at home, we aren’t as willing to accept this model of ministry.  We have become so steeped in tradition that we’ve missed opportunities to creatively reach the world around us.  If our goal is to reach a community for Christ, our desire should be to do everything we can to engage them.  People need to know that God’s truth is relevant to their life right now, and the only way for this message to be powerfully communicated is through constant ministry evaluation.

I am not advocating compromise.  Far too many churches have compromised truth to achieve relevance, only to find that they have failed miserably at both.  Although creativity is a valuable tool, the goal must always be to bring glory to God.

My next post will deal specifically with how to keep the creative side to ministry in check, but first, I want to invite you to consider your life and ministry right now.  I want to encourage you to ask yourself these important questions.

• Is your church effectively reaching your community?
• Are you continually looking for new ways to improve and expand your ministry?
• Is there any man-made tradition or practice in your church that would distract or discourage someone from accepting Christ?
• Do you find yourself continuing programs and events out of convenience instead of necessity?
• Are you asking God to give you creative ways to reach your community with the gospel?
• Is there any part of your ministry that you would not allow God to change for His glory?

God often surprises us by not fitting in the boxes we’ve created for Him.  We need to push ourselves to think outside the box.

Next, I’ll be posting on an even more important issue – what to do once you’re outside the box.

These circumstances in our country create a perfect opportunity for us to use the physical to relate to the spiritual.  Carrying a credit card in your wallet or purse will give you a simple, yet powerful object lesson for the gospel.

Your credit card has your name on it.  The bank issued that card and gave you the ability to use it however you want.  If you want to swipe that card at a gas station, they won’t stop you.  If you want to swipe that card to purchase an over-priced coat, they won’t try to talk you out of it.  Why?  Because they’re keeping track of every transaction, and one day, they’re going to require that the debt be paid.

You have been given life.  God created you and gave you the ability to use your life however you want.  If you want to “swipe” lust, He won’t stop you.  If you want to “swipe” anger, He won’t try to talk you out of it.  Why?  Because He’s keeping track, and one day, you’re going to have to pay that debt of sin.

I won’t be responsible for your sin, just as you’re not responsible for my credit card debt.  One day, you will stand before God and give account for your life.  You won’t be able to pretend that the debt doesn’t exist, because God will have a record of all your words, thoughts, and actions.  On that day, your possessions and popularity won’t matter.  The only thing that will matter is how your debt will be paid.

I can tell you on the authority of God’s Word that there are only two ways to pay that debt:

1. Eternal death in a place called Hell – The Bible says, “The wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23a) Because of our sin, we deserve to spend eternity separated from God, but because of His great love for us, He has provided a second way to pay that debt…

2. Sacrificial Death of Jesus Christ on the Cross -  Jesus Christ died to pay the price for your sin, and if we accept Him as our personal Saviour, He will pay that debt for us!  Listen to the rest of the verse we looked at earlier, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) Jesus is the only one who can pay that debt for you, and He offers salvation to you as a gift.

There are obviously a lot of different applications for this illustration, and I encourage you to look at how many times financial terms are used in the Bible to illustrate salvation and sin.  As always, there are holes in the picture, because no earthly story can perfectly illustrate a divine truth, but I hope you can use this illustration to spark the thinking of the lost, and perhaps, it will give you a chance to share Jesus Christ in everyday coversation – at the bank, after a Walmart purchase, or with a friend who brings up the poor economy.

There are opportunities all around us to share the gospel.  Don’t miss a single one!

In earthen vessels, God has placed the treasure of His Word.
In finite minds, the timeless truth of God has been transferred.
Into the fragile hearts of men, the truth God does entrust,
And reminds us that the power is of Him, and not of us.

“Of course I do…”  You don’t want them to know that you’re drawing a blank on their name, so you spend the next few minutes in awkward conversation, wishing they were wearing a name tag.

The memory section of the brain is called the cerebrum, and mine is defective.  I can remember random facts that I heard years ago, but I can’t remember names I heard an hour ago.  The problem with that scenario is that names are important to remember.  Random facts… not so much.

Remembering someone’s name goes much deeper than just avoiding embarrassment.  It is a key to communicating genuine care and interest.

Dale Carnegie said, “A person’s name, to that person, is the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”

Here are a few tips to help you avoid those awkward conversations and communicate genuine care and interest for the people you meet.

Stop Making Excuses
Saying “I just don’t have a good memory” doesn’t work.  We remember a lot of things that don’t really matter.  If you’re not good at remembering names, commit to getting better and stop making excuses for yourself.

Listen
Don’t start thinking about lunch when you’re turn to talk is over.  Listen and take a genuine interest in what the other person has to say.

Repeat
If possible, repeat their name as soon as they introduce themselves, and then, use it often in the conversation.  Repeating their name while you’re talking to them cements it in your mind, and helps you tie in the name with their face.

Verify
If you didn’t quite catch their name, don’t be afraid to ask them again.  The longer you wait, the more awkward that question will be.  Most people don’t mind you asking once or twice to repeat their name over a short period of time, but after a while, it becomes very offensive.

Create a Mental Picture
Create a colorful mental picture and place that person right in the middle of it.  Use physical characteristics, common hobbies, or even the place you met to create a visual memory of the person and their name.  When you see the person, think of the picture, and the name should come to you.  By the way, if you’re mental pictures is “Chris with the Crooked Nose,” you probably shouldn’t tell Chris about it.

Write their Name Down
Maybe that’s something as simple as a contact list or phone book entry, but do something to record the name.  Go back and review those names to make a solid memory of them for later meetings.

Hopefully, these tips will help you more effectively remember names… but if they don’t, and you find yourself in a desperate situation, here are some “survivor tactics.”

• Ask to borrow their Bible and take a quick glance at the front or inside cover.
• Ask for their middle name, because for some reason, people tend to give you their full name when you ask this question.
• Call them “Brother” or “Sister” and skip the names altogether.
• Call them an Obviously Wrong Name on Purpose. I do this a lot with kids and teens.  Call them something obviously wrong like Fred or Judy.  They’ll ALWAYS correct you, and then, you have an easy response: “Steven, I knew you’re name wasn’t Fred!  I was just kidding!”
• Introduce yourself again and hope they’ll play along with the joke.
• Ask them to spell their name, but be careful.  If they’re name is Bob or Mary, you’re going to sound really ignorant.

Just in case you’re wondering, my name is Luke Miller, but I answer to anything, so you don’t have to worry about me.

He that is down need not fear falling
He that is low need not fear pride
He that is humble in his calling
Will in the Saviour’s Grace abide

He that will see himself but clearly
He that will give God all the praise
He that will love the Lord so dearly
Will find fulfillment in his days

He that can serve with no position
He that will preach without restraint
He that will praise without condition
Will find a life without complaint

For when you let God’s grace consume you
It will produce a childlike trust
And with this humble expectation
You’ll find His grace will be enough

His grace will teach when you need wisdom
His grace will comfort when you’re lost
It will inspire you when you’re weary
And give you strength to count the cost

This grace will simplify your mission
For with its truth you’ll finally know
That in His grace you’ll seek His glory
To see souls saved you now can go

February 23, 2009

10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

How do you respond to the preaching of God’s Word?

The goal of preaching is not to brainwash the listeners.  A godly pastor, writer, and preacher will always point you to the Bible, and if you follow their direction, you’ll be studying the pages of a God who doesn’t fear your inspection.  The process of thinking Biblically goes beyond just accepting the truth.  When you think Biblically, you know what you believe and you know why you believe it.

In Acts 17, Bereans give us a wonderful of example of how to think Biblically.  Notice a few pointers on how to respond to the preaching of God’s Word:

Think Carefully

The Bible says they “received the word with all readiness of mind.”  That word readiness carries the idea of being “predisposed.”  The Bereans were predisposed to believe the truth.  Our world is full of people who are thinking, but are not really looking for the truth.  We must be careful to not to approach the Scripture with our own preconceived ideas.  The Bereans were ready to accept the truth that was preached.  Are you?

Think Critically

The Bereans “searched the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so.”  Once you are predisposed to believe the truth, you can go to the Bible and search out what you’ve heard.  If you miss this step, you may find yourself basing your belief on a man, not God’s Word.  Someone once said, “A man who does not think for himself, does not think at all.” C.S. Lewis said, “If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort, you will not get either comfort or truth, only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair.” Don’t forget to search the Scriptures!

II Timothy 2:15 – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

I Peter 3:15 – “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”

Think Confidently

In verse twelve, we find these words – “Therefore, many of them believed.”  Personal conviction is a natural result of studying the Word of God.  There was a confidence to their position, because it was based on Scripture.

In our changing world, the questions are getting more complex.  As Christians, we need to have the answers.  People with real questions don’t need you recite answers that you’ve heard or read.  They need to hear what you believe.  There was no doubt where the Bereans stood on what Paul preached, but their confidence was not just in a man.  Their confidence was in the Word of God.

If you don’t learn to think for yourself, there are plenty of people who will think for you.  Don’t allow the world to shape your thinking.  Receive the preaching of God’s Word, search the Scriptures, and think Biblically.

Often, it’s easy to make a decision.  The hard part is leaving church and living out that decision in your daily life.  Here are some keys to keeping the decisions that you’ve made for the Lord.

Take Immediate Action – The longer you wait to apply your decision, the harder it will be to keep it.  As soon as possible, make plans to follow through on your decision. (Matt.4:22, Ac. 16:10-11, Gal. 1:16-17)

Apply the Replacement Principle – Determine what will need to change in order for you to keep your decision, and make those changes.  If your decision involves removing something negative from your life, find a positive replacement to fill that void.   Deny the flesh, but don’t forget to feed the Spirit. (II Cor. 5:17, Is. 43:18-19)

Establish Accountability – The Christian life is filled with spiritual warfare, and friends who will stand in the trenches with you are invaluable.  Find a godly Christian – spouse, pastor, friend – and ask them to keep you accountable on the decision you’ve made. (Prov. 27:17, Prov. 17:17)

Create a Prayer List of your Decisions – Record the Scripture reference, date, location, and decision on a prayer list, and prayer through that list every week.  With God’s help, you can stay faithful to your commitments. (Jude 1:24, Mark 14:38)

Keep a Journal – Write out a prayer of thanks, record the Scripture text, or simply write out the decision in your own words.  Then, when you find yourself struggling, pull out the journal and review the decisions that you’ve made to God.

Tell someone about your Decision – A vocal testimony of what God has done in your life will not only encourage you to keep your decisions, it will encourage others to make decisions of their own. (Ps. 107:2, I Pet. 3:15)

Memorize Scripture that Supports your Decision – Find 5 or 6 verses that support your decision and memorize them.  Quote them whenever you are tempted to go back on the decision you’ve made. (Matt. 4:1-11, Heb. 4:12)

Keep Physical Reminders – Newspaper articles, typed out verses, hand-written prayers, pictures, and even rocks – these are all examples of things that can be tangible reminders of the decisions you’ve made. (Ex. 13:3, Num. 15:38-39, Josh. 4:3-7)

Focus on Truth not Emotion – Emotions are temporary, but truth never changes. You won’t always feel like keeping your decisions, but if you base your commitment on the Word of God, you will never lack a solid foundation for your decision. (Jer. 17:9, Jn. 17:17)

Recognize the Working of God – God has a specific plan for you, and every message from the Word of God is His way of guiding you to that purpose.  Think about it – God spoke to your heart and His Spirit personally convicted you to make a decision.  That’s amazing!  Take some time to think about how blessed you are to know God is working in your life! (Phil. 2:13, Eph. 2:10)

These are all things that I’ve personally used to help me keep my decisions.  What are some things you’ve done to help you keep a spiritual decision?  I’d love to hear your ideas!

I remember waiting very nervously for 9 1/2 minutes outside her next class, waiting for her to show up.

I remember asking her if she wanted to get some “coffee or something” after she got off work.

I remember her answer – “Sure.”

I remember being late for class and not caring.

I remember deciding not to get coffee and wondering what I meant when I said “or something.”

I remember driving desperately around Lancaster, looking for something to bring back.  Then, I saw the Jamba Juice sign.

I remember ordering “three Jamba Juices… three different kinds, with three different colors, in six small cups.”

I remember the confused look on the employee’s face as I spent at least 5 minutes determining which flavors would give the most eclectic sampling of the Jamba Juice menu, being careful, or course, to choose three with very different colors so as not to get them confused with each other.

I remember walking up to Sharon, holding six cups of Jamba Juice.

I remember realizing that I had been leaking Jamba all the way from the car.

I remember talking, laughing, and enjoying every minute we were together that night.

Yes… I remember it like it was yesterday.

Last night after work, I walked into Jamba Juice and ordered smoothies – three different kinds, with three different colors, in six small cups.  When I got home, I walked up to Sharon with six cups of fresh Jamba Juice.  I thought about all that’s happened since that first date, and I realized how blessed I am to have such a wonderful life.  God has been so good.  It’s been a wonderful two years.

I can’t wait until next year.  I think we’ll have coffee or something.