God Is Not the Golden Corral

“We have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” – Colossians 1:9a

Nowadays, a lot of people treat their spirituals lives like dinner at the Golden Corral. We grab a plate and step up to the religious smorgasbord, then pick and choose what we like. We might say, “I’m going to take a big helping of Christianity. But I’m also going to get a side of Buddhism and a little bit of Wicca and dash of pop psychology and a big helping of me-centered mumbo jumbo on top.” It might be tasty, and it sure is colorful. But is it anywhere close to the truth?

That’s what we sometimes call religious syncretism, where we try to merge all religions together into one and pretend that the incompatible differences are actually compatible. In this post-Christian culture, more and more people are wondering: “Is Jesus really enough? Is He enough to give my life meaning? Is He enough to help me rise above my problems? Is He enough to make me happy? Is Jesus Christ enough?” And the Bible answers in a word: Yes. Jesus is enough.

Jesus Christ is all-sufficient. Jesus isn’t part of the answer to your deepest needs. Jesus isn’t part of the answer to our world’s greatest problems. Jesus Christ is the answer—He is the whole package. In other words … Jesus plus nothing equals EVERYTHING.

That’s what Paul had to teach the people of Colosse, where they had eagerly embraced the good news of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, a lot of other teachings had begun to seep in, resulting in a mixture of Judaism, Christianity and Eastern mysticism. It was a Golden Corral of religions that didn’t completely ignore Jesus Christ, but it pushed him to the back of the plate. Sound familiar? In this culture we live where most people treat religion like the Golden Corral, the message Paul gives them in the Book of Colossians may be more relevant that ever before.

So, how did Paul address the people who had slid into this religious hodgepodge? With faith, hope and love. In the first few verses of his letter to the church in Colosse, he praises and encourages them in their new-found belief: “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your FAITH in Christ Jesus and of the LOVE you have for all the saints—the faith and love that spring from the HOPE that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth the gospel that has come to you” (Col. 1:3-6a).

The Colossians needed to be set straight on a few things, but Paul opens by revealing his heart for the church—and the church’s faith, hope and love. Then, and only then, he goes on to pray for their spiritual wisdom and understanding: “We have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (v. 9).

Isn’t that a glorious prayer? It’s perfect for someone who’s stumbled into a trumped-up, Golden-Corral-style version of God’s truth. The Colossians obviously were in need of spiritual wisdom and understanding. But never forget: It applies to you and me as well. Never underestimate how vitally important it is to keep growing in your knowledge of God and His will. If you aren’t spending time in the word, being filled with that knowledge, you will easily be duped by any smooth-talking preacher or celebrity who doesn’t proclaim the truth. It happens all the time. Every day across America, Christians who don’t know God’s word or understand God’s word get pulled into Mormonism, or into the Jehovah’s Witnesses, or into the health-and-wealth heresy that many churches preach.

I’d love for you to start praying a prayer like this, for yourself and any other Christian you’re praying for: “Oh, Father God, don’t just give us SOME knowledge of you. Won’t you fill us to the brim with the knowledge of You and Your will? Won’t You give us, not just SOME spiritual wisdom and understanding, but ALL spiritual wisdom and understanding?”

Paul prays for his Christian readers to be filled to overflowing with spiritual wisdom and understanding. And today I pray the same for you.

Dane Davis is the Pastor of First Christian Church in Victorville. For more information, visit www.YourVictorvilleChurch.com  and join us for worship Sundays at 10 am.

Joy in Suffering

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trails of many kinds.” – James 1:2a

Let’s be honest. Have you ever read one of God’s commands in Scripture and found yourself saying, “You’ve got to be kidding me! God, what were you thinking?”

Here’s an example. In James 1:2-4, the Bible tells us: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trails of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

There’s no way around it. That sounds like crazy talk. Are you kidding me, God? When I get a pink slip from my boss, I’m supposed to consider it pure joy? When my doctor says, “The cancer is back,” I’m supposed to consider it pure joy? When my car breaks down on the side of the road, or my marriage is on the rocks or my dog bites me in the leg, I’m supposed to consider it pure joy?

Yes, you are. But how is that possible? I’m so glad you asked. Today I’d like to share with you two ways that you and I can experience joy in the midst of the trials and suffering of this life.

The first thing you and I must do if we are going to experience lasting joy in this life is this: Remain in Christ’s presence. In John 15, Christ told his disciples,“If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love…. I have told you this so that my JOY may be in you and that your JOY may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

I don’t know about you, but complete joy sounds really good to me. I don’t want just a sliver of joy. I don’t want a polluted mixture of joy and something else. After all, who wants a mixture of joy and lousiness? But the fact is, one of the reasons so many Christians struggle with sadness and depression is because they live their daily lives apart from Christ. Sure, we believe in him. Yes, we worship him on Sunday mornings. But we don’t remain in his love throughout the week. We can’t just open our Bibles for 30 to 40 minutes on a Sunday morning and call it quits till next week.

To remain in Christ’s love, we need to remain in his teaching and remain in prayer. But interestingly, Jesus doesn’t mention either of these two depression-busters in this John 15 passage. He simply says that if we desire to remain in his love, we must obey his commands—especially his command to love each other. So if you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired, ask yourself: "Have I disconnected myself from Christ’s joy by failing to obey his command to love others?” You see, when we get depressed, too often it’s because we’re too caught up in our own little world. Are you bummed out because you’re living paycheck to paycheck? Well, join the club. Take the little bit you do have and be a blessing to someone who has even less. Your health isn’t great? Well, I guarantee there are plenty of others whose health is even worse. Be a blessing to them—show them Christ’s love. There is great joy in the presence of the Lord. Remain in his love, and you’ll discover that peace and joy aren’t nearly as elusive as they used to be.

God’s second piece of advice for bringing more joy into your life may surprise you: Spend more time in heaven. What does that mean? No, I’m not trying to send you off to push up daisies before your time. Instead, live out Colossians 3:1-4: “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

Isn’t that good? You’ve probably heard people say, “Get your head out of the clouds!” But God’s word says, “No! Put your head in the clouds! What you need is to get your head out of the dirt! You’re not an ostrich! You’re not a prairie dog! You’re not a gopher! Your heart needs to rise above the dirt of this world and beat for heavenly things. And your mind needs to rise above the dirt of this world and think about heavenly things.”

Paul says it there in Colossians 3:1: “You have been raised with Christ.” On that first Easter morning, the stone was rolled away and the light of dawn came rushing into that tomb. And when you became a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, his light came rushing into your sorry tomb as well. If you’re a Christian, you’re not hopelessly surrounded by dirt anymore. You’re not a prisoner of complete darkness anymore. Your body has already been set free from the grave. Your heart and your mind have already been released from the prison of this world.

So, get up out of the dirt and soar into the clouds. Set your heart and mind on things above. If you do, no matter what trials this dirty old world sends your way, you’ll be able to count it all joy.

Dane Davis is the Lead Pastor of First Christian Church in Victorville. For more information, visit www.fccvv.com  and join us for worship Sundays at 10 a.m.