Randy's Blog

In my April 14, 2013 message entitled, "Adultery & Lust" (as part of our series "Turning the World Upside Down"), we looked at what Jesus had to say on these subjects.

Jesus: “‘You have heard the commandment that says, “You must not commit adultery.” But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.’” (Matthew 5:27-28 NLT2)

We may think this kind of stuff is no big deal, but our feelings can fool us, as Proverbs reminds us.

“There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.” (Proverbs 14:12 NLT2)

To help us walk God's path instead of the dangerous one of adultery and lust, I shared some steps for dealing with lust in our lives. Here are the five steps I included:

• Ruthlessly cut out anything in our lives that moves us toward lust.
• Avoid putting ourselves into compromising or tempting situations.
• Turn to Jesus Christ and focus on him.
• Find an accountability partner.
• If you are married, work on your marriage.

There are certainly other steps, and many folks much better educated in these matters than me have written books and set up websites. However, this offers you a starting point.

In my message I quoted some stats. Below are some of those stats, as well as additional ones, plus a couple of infographics. I've also listed the web addresses for these.

Children Internet Pornography Statistics
Average age of first Internet exposure to pornography	11 years old
Largest consumer of Internet pornography	35 - 49 age group
15-17 year olds having multiple hard-core exposures	80%
8-16 year olds having viewed porn online	90% (most while doing homework)
7-17 year olds who would freely give out home address	29%
7-17 year olds who would freely give out email address	14%
Children's character names linked to thousands of porn links	26 (Including Pokemon and Action Man)

Adult Internet Pornography Statistics
Men admitting to accessing pornography at work	20%
US adults who regularly visit Internet pornography websites	40 million
Promise Keeper men who viewed pornography in last week	53%
Christians who said pornography is a major problem in the home	47%
Adults admitting to Internet sexual addiction	10%
Breakdown of male/female visitors to pornography sites	72% male - 28% female

Women and Pornography
Women keeping their cyber activities secret	70%
Women struggling with pornography addiction	17%
Ratio of women to men favoring chat rooms	2X
Percentage of visitors to adult websites who are women	1 in 3 visitors
Women accessing adult websites each month	9.4 million
Women admitting to accessing pornography at work	13%

Jesus: “‘Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.’” (Matthew 7:24-27 NLT2)

Last Sunday I began a new series, "Famous Last Words" (listen to it by clicking here), looking at Jesus' last words or statements from the cross. A person's last words often carry great significance, and this was certainly true in Jesus' case. His seven statements tell us so much about Jesus, but they also tell us a great deal about those of us who choose to follow him.


As I ended the message on Sunday, I issued a challenge to all of us to spend time each week leading up to Easter praying and fasting. I suggested that we each pray and fast about three things:

1. My own spiritual journey and spiritual growth
2. My church, Gateway Community Church, and the mission God has given us, and, particularly, the mission He has given me as a part of this church
3. The last words/statements of Christ from the cross, focusing each week on the statement preached on the preceding Sunday and the ways it impacts my life

Here are the statements, in the order we will be addressing them (with the first one discussed this past Sunday):

•  “‘Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.’” (Luke 23:34)
• “‘I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” (Luke 23:43)
•  “‘Dear woman, here is your son.’” “‘Here is your mother.’” (John 19:26, 27)
• “‘My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?’” (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34)
• “‘I am thirsty.’” (John 19:28)
• “‘Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!’” (Luke 23:46)
•  “‘It is finished!’” (John 19:30)

These statements impact us not only as Jesus speaks them to us, but also as we, his followers, live them out in our lives for the sake of others. A follower or disciple doesn't just observe their leader/follower, they follow or imitate or put into practice what he or she teaches. We're not much of a follower if we don't follow!


I mentioned a set time frame for this period of fasting and prayer - the weeks leading up to Easter. Historically, in the Christian Church, this period has been called Lent. Some of us may be very familiar with the season of Lent, but it may be new for others, and still others may have only bits and pieces of understanding about Lent. 


As one writer defined it, "Lent is a season of the Christian Year where Christians focus on simple living, prayer, and fasting in order to grow closer to God." (Upper Room). Those who practice Lent typically use it as a time to reflect on their own lives and seek God's help to draw closer to Him. It is a period of 40 days leading up to the Saturday before Easter. Interestingly, it does not include the Sundays during this period - it only counts Monday through Saturday as the days. This is because Sunday is considered a mini-Easter, a day to celebrate Christ's resurrection, and so is not a day to deny one's self.


The period of 40 days typically refers to the period of time in which Jesus, after his baptism by John the Baptist, headed out into the wilderness. It was for him a period of praying and fasting, and during this time he was tempted by Satan. (Matthew 4:1-11) In the early church, in those first centuries after Christ's life and death, it became a time to prepare new converts to be baptized.


The word Lent, like the word Bible, is not actually found in the Bible. Originally, the word Lent (Anglo-Saxon - lencten) was the English name for spring, the season between winter and summer. It was awkward to talk about the church observance of Lent and the season of lent with the same word, so eventually the English began using the word spring for that season, and kept the word Lent to denote the period of preparation leading up to Easter.


The day that begins Lent always falls on a Wednesday (as you count back the forty days, less the Sundays, from the Saturday before Easter), and is called Ash Wednesday. Some churches and traditions anoint one's head with ashes on this day. Ashes in Jewish and Christian history were typically a sign of mortality (when our bodies die they decompose to dust/ash/etc.) and repentance (in biblical times, a sign of remorse was to put ashes on one's head and wear "sackcloth," scratchy clothing that reminds one that sin is uncomfortable and leads to a sort of death of one's spirit). It was a way of confessing sin and seeking God's forgiveness. Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, occurs the day before Ash Wednesday. It was a day of food and parties as people who were about to enter Lent did not want to be tempted by sweets and meat in their home - so, they cleaned out their cabinets and had a party. It has evolved into something more in more recent times.


Gateway has a brochure on our website on Prayer and Fasting, that gives you more insight into these spiritual disciplines, and the practice of them together. It explains that there are many different kinds of fasts - not just food - so it's worth reading to see where God is leading you in your part for Lent.


As always, the reason we do any of this is to lead us to become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. Jesus spoke his last words from the cross, and they are significant for every Christ follower. I hope you join me during this season leading to Easter - Lent - in prayer and fasting to more fully "put on Christ."

As we begin 2012, my greatest hope and aim for you and me is to grow closer to Christ. I am absolutely convinced that he is the way to a purpose-filled abundant life. As I was reading the Life Journal readings this morning (Jan. 5), Jesus gave his invitation to Levi, the tax collector, that he gives to all of us, "'Follow me and be my disciple.'" (Luke 5:27)


I really do want to follow Jesus and be his disciple. But if I'm honest, I also realize there are times when, no matter what I say, I don't really feel like doing what it takes to follow him. Maybe I'm lazy, or tired, or distracted. Maybe I'm a little ashamed of where I'm at in that moment and really don't want to get any closer to Jesus and let him see what I've been doing (though, of course, there really is no hiding from him - but it feels like I can sometimes).


The truth is, if my spiritual journey to follow Jesus is dependent on how I feel, I'm not going very far. No matter how well-intentioned I may be, my feelings are up and down. Some folks are less driven by their feelings than others, but I'm not one of them. And the reality is, even if we're pretty strong in relying on our "thinking" over our "feeling," we all get tripped up here sooner or later.


That's why I understand that there are a couple of necessities to making changes in my behavior, changes in my practices, to help me better follow Jesus. Quite simply, they are time and accountability.


By time, I mean that it takes time to build something new into our lives. Call it a habit or a practice or a discipline or whatever, but it doesn't become an ongoing reality in my life just because I decided this morning or at the start of this new year to begin something new. Whether it's exercise or reading or a spiritual discipline, it takes time to make it a part of us.


And the time period we often see mentioned in the Bible is 40 days. Yesterday's Life Journal reading in Luke 4:2 told about Jesus going into the wilderness for 40 days. We see the number 40 all through the pages of the Bible, including 40 days it rained in the time of Noah (Genesis 7:17), 40 days Moses was on Mount Sinai with God (Exodus 24:18), 40 days the spies were in the land of Canaan (Numbers 13:25), 40 days of fasting by Moses and Elijah, 40 days of probation given to the Ninevites after Jonah's warning (Jonah 3:4), and the 40 days Christ remained on the earth after his crucifixion and before his ascension (Acts 1:3). The number 40 is also found in reference to years, as in the period of wandering by the Israelites and several other examples. The number 40 is typically related to a time of testing, probation or being tried. And at the end of that time comes a period or item of blessing.


God works through 40 days, and so my encouragement and my challenge to you is to stay with your discipline, your new practice, etc., for 40 days.


But, it's easy to let up or make an excuse for one day, that becomes two days, that then becomes three days and then a week and before you know it, you're either racked with guilt or you've moved on and chalked it up to one more "resolution" that didn't make it. That's why accountability is so critical. Unless we're accountable to someone else, many of us can come up with plenty of excuses for why we let something slip.


That's one of the reasons why I think Jesus was so specific in one of his statements: "'For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.'" (Matthew 18:20 NLT2, italics added) Why two or three? Why not 8-10? Or more? Does that mean he's not there with me all the time, or that's he's not with my family or our church? Of course he is, but the key here is that when we gather as two or three, we can't hide from each other. Two or three is the ideal setting for accountability. I don't have to talk in a group of 8-10, and certainly not in a group of 20 or more, but when there are only two or three of us, there's no hiding, no holding back, without someone noticing. And that's where accountability occurs - when I can't hide. 


It's why I believe God has led us to make our Life2Life ministry and training so important. And why I believe we need to train one thousand or more of us over three years (we're about six months into that time frame) to grow ourselves and grow our influence for Christ across the Bay Area and around the world! You can click on the link to learn more and sign up for the training or if you are new in the Christian faith, have someone come alongside you and walk with you and help you on this journey.


If we're going to get closer to Christ this year, we have to make some changes in our lives, and that takes time - like 40 days. And we need to have someone alongside us to hold us accountable, and likewise, so we can hold them accountable, too. We're in this together! See what God can do in you and through you this year!

As I write, it's Saturday, May 21st, and the rapture, according to Harold Camping of Oakland, CA, is supposed to occur this afternoon at 6 pm... and I feel fine! (According to his prediction, the world itself won't actually end until October 21, 2011.) My first question is - is that 6 pm PDT (since that's where Harold is located) or 6 pm CDT (where I am) or 6 pm EDT (because television shows always list Eastern Time first - must be a conspiracy in there somewhere) or even 6 pm GMT (which is Greenwich Mean Time, which runs through England, and means I'm probably already too late)? It's an important question, if you think about it. If it's 6 pm EDT, then I have time to hear if it's really happening before it gets here to the Central Time Zone. Sort of a rolling rapture...


Anyway, I haven't cancelled any of my appointments for next week, and I would suggest that you don't either. It's not that I don't believe that Jesus will return someday and take home all those who have put their faith in him. That promise is found often and consistently throughout the Bible. It begins in the Old Testament with prophecies about the Day of the Lord. 


After Jesus' death and resurrection, there was a general expectation that he would return very soon. I love the picture of the church in Acts 2-4, but you also get the impression here that they were waiting for something to happen - the return of Jesus. And when it didn't happen right away and they had to go about their lives - and be Jesus' witnesses "...in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth," (Acts 1:8 NLT2) - the church began following the leading of the Holy Spirit to share this good news to every tribe and nation. But they never lost sight of the promise that Jesus would return on a Day of Judgment and take his followers home.

For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:14-18 NLT2)

This event is sometimes called the Rapture, though you won't find this word in the Bible. The word Rapture is a theological term that, according to my Accordance Bible Software, is "the imminent translation or removal from earth of the Church at the second coming of Christ." In Jerusalem just before he was taken prisoner, Jesus talked about his return and the warning signs that would be present in Matthew 24 and Mark 13.


Almost since the time of Jesus there have been folks who have tried to ascertain when Jesus' Second Coming would occur. Down through the centuries there have been many, many predictions. In my own lifetime and the 20th Century there have been seen several well-documented predications, and probably many more. (similar prophesies occurred for 2000, 1994, 1988, 1975, 1941, 1925, 1920, 1918, 1915, 1914, etc.) The first time you hear one of these it can be disconcerting, even scary, until you read more from the Bible about this event.

Jesus: "'However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.'" (Matthew 24:36 NLT2; see also Mark 13:32, which probably records the same event)

Jesus: "...'The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know.'" (Acts 1:7 NLT2)

On two separate occasions Jesus clearly stated that no one but the Father (God) knows when this will happen. No prophet, no pastor, no denomination, no radio preacher - no one! Jesus often tells us to be ready because, he says, '"...the Son of Man (Jesus) will come when least expected.'" (Matthew 24:44 NLT2) It seems to be the height of arrogance or ignorance for anyone to claim they know or have figured this out. Jesus is very clear about this.

"'Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight they were roused by the shout, "Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!" All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. Then the five foolish ones asked the others, "Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out." But the others replied, "We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves." But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, "Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!" But he called back, "Believe me, I don’t know you!" So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.'" (Matthew 25:1-13 NLT2)

On Wednesday night, April 13, I shared with our church family a sense that God is calling us as Gateway Community Church to a culture shift. I said this, and I continue to talk about this, not because of a momentary experience in my life, but what feels more and more like a tidal wave of leadings from God.


The essence of this culture shift is that the mission and the ministry of our church are not the responsibility of the institutional church but of the living, breathing organism of the church made up of the individual members of the body of Christ who attend Gateway. In other words, each one of us is called by God to live as "fully devoted followers of Christ." The mission belongs not so much to the church as a whole, but to the church as in each member of the body. The effectiveness of the church is most obvious when each one in the church family owns and lives the mission, rather than when the mission gets bumped up the line to the overall church body or institution.


I'll admit that I'm still working on the words and language to express just what I sense God saying in all this. I've been talking it out with staff and in Grow Gatherings on Sunday evenings. I've been thinking about it and reflecting on it, and actually preaching on it more than I realized. I see it already happening in the accountability and encouragement that occurs in Celebrate Recovery, as individuals take on responsibility for other individuals and come alongside them. I see it already happening in our Marriage Mentoring ministry, where one couple comes alongside another couple to help and encourage them in their journey. I see it as we've been talking lately about how to help grow and encourage brand-new followers of Christ, who need someone to come alongside them and show them the way. I see it already happening as we talk about investing more into the parents of our children and teens, so parents feel empowered to accept their God-given responsibility to teach and encourage their own kids about Jesus Christ, with the church serving in a helping role.


I've been sensing it in a scripture that has really jumped out at me in the last few weeks:

Jesus: “‘For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.’” (Matthew 18:20 NLT2)

Late last Spring I began a Membership Series for our Gateway members (and anyone else) that is intended to help us grow and become more and more like Jesus Christ. I'm using a tool that we at Gateway call the GUIDE (which is a part of our Membership Covenant). It's an acronym that both describes what a "fully devoted follower of Christ" looks like, and at the same time lists biblical disciplines and practices that God has given us to guide us in our spiritual journey. You can read more about the GUIDE in my May Update.