In these last ten days I've been able to take a much needed break from the demands of this bible school and have been travelling around the island of Taiwan. One thing I've been able to do during this break is real a book called "The Reason for God" in which the author Timothy Keller establishes all the major skepticisms that the world carries against "Christianity" and confronts the big questions of 'Why does God allow suffering in the world? How could a loving God send people to hell? Why isnt Christianity more inclusive? How can one religion be "right" and others be "wrong"? Why have so many wars been fought in the name of God?' The majority of the book is dedicated to dissasembling the false views of God but in its last few chapters gives a point of application for the reader.
This book really challenged me to re-evaluate my motivation for being a Christ follower and humbled me to know that most people's bitter conceptions of the church are viewed for being judgemental and hypocritical. I think sometimes we catch ourselves in the mentality of believing that because "I know the truth" it gives us the authority to judge and be intolerant towards "nonbelievers." If I was to be truly honest with myself I would admit that at times my good intentions are rooted out of prideful and selfish ambition. I've learnt that this is part of the human condition and that instead of being defeated by our imperfections we need to be continually infused with passionate urgency to participate with what God is doing in the world and break the lies of "Christianity" and "religion" through the ACT of compassionate, unconditional love. I often listen to Bill Hybels Podcast series of 'walking across the room'. He totally redefines the predispositions of 'evangelism' being not a ministry or time-of-the-day but as a lifestyle. We need the heart change to believe that Christianity is not a prayer prayed but a life lived. We cannot profess to be Christians if we're not actively engaged and burdened by the wickedness in the world. People are not confused by the gospel, they're confused by us. We dont need to have all of lifes questions, we just need to love people like Jesus. Our only mandate is love.
I hope this comes together and isn't just random garble, I just feel like God is trying to raise us up to a higher standard in our faith. I've never been so close to God in my life than in these last few months. I pray that these messages would create a hunger in you for truth, draw you into a deeper intimacy with God and inspire you to live for something more as I continue to do the same through the incredible book of the bible. Don't underestimate your life. Where you are right now, you can make impact for Christ. Nothing is insiginificant when you're walking in God's will.
Learning to Love,
-Jer
"The single most greatest gift we can give another human being is an introduction to the God who loves them" Bill Hybels
"I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ" Ghandi-
"A Christian is literally, "Christ's one," someone who is not just vaguely influenced by Christian teaching, but who has switched his or her fundemental allegience to Jesus. Christians understand the all-or-nothing choice that is forced upon us by the magnitude of Jesus' claims."
