Clare De Graaf's Blog, page 25
May 16, 2016
5 Ways to be a Better Priest
Evangelicals almost never talk about their priesthood. And, I’m not referring to those men in robes and vestments standing in front of church, leading worship and dispensing the sacraments, as in the Catholic Church.
I’m talking about you and me! And every born-again Christian – priests.
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 1:9
The Holy Spirit, speaking through Paul, is introducing one of the most radical ideas ever, in any religion. That every born-again Christian is a priest! Prior to that, all religions had a class of spiritual leaders who believed they were intermediaries between the people and the gods. And this religious class perpetuated that idea because it kept them in power and control.
In the case of Israel, the priesthood actually was God’s idea, not mans. But with Christ’s death, the priesthood in Israel ended because Jesus became our forever high priest. “Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.” Hebrews 8:1,2
Priests on earth
So, while Christ is our heavenly priest, on earth we are his priests. However, we don’t stand between God and man as priests of old did. There is no human being, no pastor, no elder, no religious leader, we need as an intermediary between Jesus and us. Yes, there are elders and pastors assigned to lead churches, but they no longer stand between God and us. Christians have direct access to God, because we are all priests of God! So if we don’t stand between God and man, what is our purpose? To serve God, by serving humans – not to stand above them, but to stand alongside of them!
Here are 5 ways you and I can be better priests.
I’m talking about you and me! And every born-again Christian – priests.
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 1:9
The Holy Spirit, speaking through Paul, is introducing one of the most radical ideas ever, in any religion. That every born-again Christian is a priest! Prior to that, all religions had a class of spiritual leaders who believed they were intermediaries between the people and the gods. And this religious class perpetuated that idea because it kept them in power and control.
In the case of Israel, the priesthood actually was God’s idea, not mans. But with Christ’s death, the priesthood in Israel ended because Jesus became our forever high priest. “Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.” Hebrews 8:1,2
Priests on earth
So, while Christ is our heavenly priest, on earth we are his priests. However, we don’t stand between God and man as priests of old did. There is no human being, no pastor, no elder, no religious leader, we need as an intermediary between Jesus and us. Yes, there are elders and pastors assigned to lead churches, but they no longer stand between God and us. Christians have direct access to God, because we are all priests of God! So if we don’t stand between God and man, what is our purpose? To serve God, by serving humans – not to stand above them, but to stand alongside of them!
Here are 5 ways you and I can be better priests.
May 9, 2016
Serving With a Bad Attitude
I’ve been asked many times if it’s wrong to serve, if our hearts are not really in it.
I hope not.
Perhaps half the time I’m serving others, I do so without any great excitement and occasionally with real reluctance. Jesus told this story that get’s right to this point.
“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.
Which of the two did what his father wanted? ‘The first,’ they answered. Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.’” Matthew 21:28-31
Would Jesus prefer we serve, with a great attitude? Of course he would! But in the end, obedience, even without enthusiasm, is better than disobedience. But why is it I, and perhaps you as well, enjoy serving some people but not others?
I hope not.
Perhaps half the time I’m serving others, I do so without any great excitement and occasionally with real reluctance. Jesus told this story that get’s right to this point.
“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.
Which of the two did what his father wanted? ‘The first,’ they answered. Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.’” Matthew 21:28-31
Would Jesus prefer we serve, with a great attitude? Of course he would! But in the end, obedience, even without enthusiasm, is better than disobedience. But why is it I, and perhaps you as well, enjoy serving some people but not others?
May 5, 2016
Jump-Starting Your Spiritual Life
If you have a spiritually indifferent older child or adult, here’s an idea for Mother’s Day.
When I found out I had lymphoma cancer 35 years ago, my world and my worldview fell apart. I’d gone to church and Christian schools all my life. As I said in the Introduction of my book, The 10 Second Rule;
Up until age thirty-one, I was your standard-issue Christian–the kind the Christian schools and churches in our conservative little town pounded out year after year like spiritual Model Ts–mostly in one color: beige. We were covenant children. We figured we came with a cradle-to-grave salvational warranty.
And in the midsixties, high school seniors in my church were expected to make a public profession of their faith unless they were atheists or Democrats. I was neither. But I had no fire in my belly for God.
Nevertheless, that June I became an official Christian.
It was one of the worst mistakes of my life.
In my mind I had my get-out-of-hell-free card. I just needed to keep loving God (whatever that meant), love others, attend church regularly, serve, give, keep a lid on the public sin in my life, and pray. I’d grown up in the church; I knew what was expected, and I did it. One more beige Christian parked in the pews waiting for my weekly fill-up.
So, when the doctor told me I had 5-9 years to live, my beige faith was no comfort at all! So I went to a pastor friend of mine for advice. I told him I felt “stuck” spiritually, but had no idea how to get more God in my life. And here it was his advice;
When I found out I had lymphoma cancer 35 years ago, my world and my worldview fell apart. I’d gone to church and Christian schools all my life. As I said in the Introduction of my book, The 10 Second Rule;
Up until age thirty-one, I was your standard-issue Christian–the kind the Christian schools and churches in our conservative little town pounded out year after year like spiritual Model Ts–mostly in one color: beige. We were covenant children. We figured we came with a cradle-to-grave salvational warranty.
And in the midsixties, high school seniors in my church were expected to make a public profession of their faith unless they were atheists or Democrats. I was neither. But I had no fire in my belly for God.
Nevertheless, that June I became an official Christian.
It was one of the worst mistakes of my life.
In my mind I had my get-out-of-hell-free card. I just needed to keep loving God (whatever that meant), love others, attend church regularly, serve, give, keep a lid on the public sin in my life, and pray. I’d grown up in the church; I knew what was expected, and I did it. One more beige Christian parked in the pews waiting for my weekly fill-up.
So, when the doctor told me I had 5-9 years to live, my beige faith was no comfort at all! So I went to a pastor friend of mine for advice. I told him I felt “stuck” spiritually, but had no idea how to get more God in my life. And here it was his advice;
May 2, 2016
Building “Redemptive Relationships”
Two of our grandchildren are heading off to college next year. While on vacation a few weeks ago with 23 of our family, I set aside some time to talk to these two, about to fly the coop, how they planned to build redemptive relationships at college.
Obviously, they were clueless about what I was asking and you may be as well. Here’s the gist of what I told them.
Obviously, they were clueless about what I was asking and you may be as well. Here’s the gist of what I told them.
April 25, 2016
“Bathroom Bills?” – 4 Things You’ll Want to Know to Dialogue Wisely on This Issue
The so-called “Bathroom Bills” passed by a number of cities and states have been big news recently. The state of North Carolina is the latest. Each state’s approach has been different, so I’ll comment most on North Carolina, efforts. In brief, here’s the issue;
It’s helpful to remember that the North Carolina legislature did not start this fight! The city of Charlotte, NC passed an ordinance, pushed by LGBT activists permitting the use of bathroom and locker rooms based on a person’s gender choice, not on their biological gender. This law applied to public facilities, schools, corporations and non-profits. The idea was to accommodate transgender men and women who may be physically male for example, but do not think of themselves mentally or emotionally as being male, but female. (The reverse is true for women).
As Christians, we ought to have great sympathy for transgender people. I can’t imagine what it is like to be a woman mentally, living in a male body, or vise versa. This gender confusion is not a choice they consciously make. It’s just the way they are, people, like all of us who’ve been damaged by sin because of the fall. And it’s also important to understand that transgender people are not, in the strictest sense of the word, homosexuals! Does that surprise you? It’s true that transgender people are attracted to their same sex, based on their own physical characteristics, but mentally and emotionally they are attracted to their opposite sex. Yes, it’s complicated!
Transgender people got attached to the gay and lesbian movement when homosexuals saw transgender people as another minority who face sexual ridicule and discriminations, so they got added to the LGBT descriptor.
In any case, apparently transgender people feel uncomfortable using restrooms and lockers that don’t correspond with their gender identity. Let’s give transgender people the benefit of the doubt that it’s difficult for them.
HB2
So in response to Charlotte’s ordinance, the North Carolina legislation almost immediately passed “The Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act” (HB2). This is a law against “local” bathroom laws, believing Charlotte’s ordinance went too far and fearing every municipality would enact different laws and there would be chaos. Within weeks almost 160 national corporations and organizations threatened to boycott doing business in North Carolina, including Apple and Starbucks.
But here’s the crux of the issue; this “Human Rights Campaign” has the audacity to claim that transgender men, who appear physically to be men, have the human right to have access to women and girls public bathrooms and locker rooms and vice versa. Furthermore, it’s discriminatory to deny them this access.
Moderates in this campaign offered this solution; remodeling every public facility in the state to offer single use (one person at a time) bathrooms, and locker rooms with showers. And yes, that is a solution. But forcing every school and corporation to spend tens of thousands of dollars to accommodate a person who simply feels uncomfortable in a normal bathroom is outrageous. Yes, we have “handicapped bathrooms” but those are needed because some handicapped people, literally cannot go to the bathroom without them! And some public places offer, family restrooms, but those are not required by law.
If there is a bathroom law in your state, and you deny access by transgender people to locker rooms or bathrooms, you may be committing a “hate crime.” The Christian Legal Society reports lawsuits across the country, even when reasonable accommodations have been made, because transgender people want to feel normal, and using a separate bathroom facility makes them feel separate and is degrading.
This is a problem that won’t go away, so the following are four very practical talking points for you as you think about this issue. You may want to forward them to your Bible Study group or friends and then talk about this with them and your family.
It’s helpful to remember that the North Carolina legislature did not start this fight! The city of Charlotte, NC passed an ordinance, pushed by LGBT activists permitting the use of bathroom and locker rooms based on a person’s gender choice, not on their biological gender. This law applied to public facilities, schools, corporations and non-profits. The idea was to accommodate transgender men and women who may be physically male for example, but do not think of themselves mentally or emotionally as being male, but female. (The reverse is true for women).
As Christians, we ought to have great sympathy for transgender people. I can’t imagine what it is like to be a woman mentally, living in a male body, or vise versa. This gender confusion is not a choice they consciously make. It’s just the way they are, people, like all of us who’ve been damaged by sin because of the fall. And it’s also important to understand that transgender people are not, in the strictest sense of the word, homosexuals! Does that surprise you? It’s true that transgender people are attracted to their same sex, based on their own physical characteristics, but mentally and emotionally they are attracted to their opposite sex. Yes, it’s complicated!
Transgender people got attached to the gay and lesbian movement when homosexuals saw transgender people as another minority who face sexual ridicule and discriminations, so they got added to the LGBT descriptor.
In any case, apparently transgender people feel uncomfortable using restrooms and lockers that don’t correspond with their gender identity. Let’s give transgender people the benefit of the doubt that it’s difficult for them.
HB2
So in response to Charlotte’s ordinance, the North Carolina legislation almost immediately passed “The Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act” (HB2). This is a law against “local” bathroom laws, believing Charlotte’s ordinance went too far and fearing every municipality would enact different laws and there would be chaos. Within weeks almost 160 national corporations and organizations threatened to boycott doing business in North Carolina, including Apple and Starbucks.
But here’s the crux of the issue; this “Human Rights Campaign” has the audacity to claim that transgender men, who appear physically to be men, have the human right to have access to women and girls public bathrooms and locker rooms and vice versa. Furthermore, it’s discriminatory to deny them this access.
Moderates in this campaign offered this solution; remodeling every public facility in the state to offer single use (one person at a time) bathrooms, and locker rooms with showers. And yes, that is a solution. But forcing every school and corporation to spend tens of thousands of dollars to accommodate a person who simply feels uncomfortable in a normal bathroom is outrageous. Yes, we have “handicapped bathrooms” but those are needed because some handicapped people, literally cannot go to the bathroom without them! And some public places offer, family restrooms, but those are not required by law.
If there is a bathroom law in your state, and you deny access by transgender people to locker rooms or bathrooms, you may be committing a “hate crime.” The Christian Legal Society reports lawsuits across the country, even when reasonable accommodations have been made, because transgender people want to feel normal, and using a separate bathroom facility makes them feel separate and is degrading.
This is a problem that won’t go away, so the following are four very practical talking points for you as you think about this issue. You may want to forward them to your Bible Study group or friends and then talk about this with them and your family.
April 18, 2016
Finding a Spiritual Mentor
By far the most difficult part of finding a spiritual mentor is having the courage to ask. Men in particular, fear rejection more than almost anything. Therefore a portion of this blog is directed at helping you overcome the fear, so you can enjoy the priceless benefits of having a mentor.
What is spiritual mentoring?
Spiritual mentoring is the process of passing on from one person to the next their love for God and biblical truth, and the life skills and experiences needed to prepare them to be fully devoted followers of Jesus in every area of their lives.
Mentoring is a relationship, which fosters and encourages godly lives in both the mentor and protégé.
Mentoring is a relationship, not a program. While the process may involve some systematic teaching and study, most learning occurs naturally in response to real life experiences.
Mentoring is a relationship with someone you like, enjoy, believe in, and want to see lead a life of significance, fruitfulness, and contentment.
Mentoring is a relationship that flourishes in shared experiences: “Tell me and I’ll remember for a while; show me and I’ll remember for a lifetime.”
What is spiritual mentoring?
Spiritual mentoring is the process of passing on from one person to the next their love for God and biblical truth, and the life skills and experiences needed to prepare them to be fully devoted followers of Jesus in every area of their lives.
Mentoring is a relationship, which fosters and encourages godly lives in both the mentor and protégé.
Mentoring is a relationship, not a program. While the process may involve some systematic teaching and study, most learning occurs naturally in response to real life experiences.
Mentoring is a relationship with someone you like, enjoy, believe in, and want to see lead a life of significance, fruitfulness, and contentment.
Mentoring is a relationship that flourishes in shared experiences: “Tell me and I’ll remember for a while; show me and I’ll remember for a lifetime.”
April 11, 2016
Becoming a Spiritual Mentor
Someone you know right now needs a spiritual mentor. They may not use those words, or even know exactly what they need. But most younger men and women wish they had an older person who they could learn to do life from.
Several years ago, I was at a Christian men’s conference in San Francisco. After the evening meetings hundreds of men gathered over a glass of wine, just to talk. I sat down at a table of young men, complete strangers. After a time, I asked several of the men why they came to the conference.
“I’m looking for a safe dad,” he said.
“What do you mean by that?” I asked.
“My dad walked out on his family when I was a kid, so I would never go to him to ask his advise on marriage or spiritual things. I started attending the local meetings of this ministry and the men there seem to have their act together. So, I’m getting to know a few better, hoping that one of them would mentor me.”
A second man chimed in with this. “I found a safe dad. I had a good Christian father, but there are all kinds of things I could never talk to him about. I meet with my mentor every few weeks. It’s great just having someone ask questions about all kinds of things from my marriage to how the Christian life works.”
There is someone you know right now looking for a safe dad and you may be God’s answer to their need. Here’s how to start.
Several years ago, I was at a Christian men’s conference in San Francisco. After the evening meetings hundreds of men gathered over a glass of wine, just to talk. I sat down at a table of young men, complete strangers. After a time, I asked several of the men why they came to the conference.
“I’m looking for a safe dad,” he said.
“What do you mean by that?” I asked.
“My dad walked out on his family when I was a kid, so I would never go to him to ask his advise on marriage or spiritual things. I started attending the local meetings of this ministry and the men there seem to have their act together. So, I’m getting to know a few better, hoping that one of them would mentor me.”
A second man chimed in with this. “I found a safe dad. I had a good Christian father, but there are all kinds of things I could never talk to him about. I meet with my mentor every few weeks. It’s great just having someone ask questions about all kinds of things from my marriage to how the Christian life works.”
There is someone you know right now looking for a safe dad and you may be God’s answer to their need. Here’s how to start.
April 4, 2016
Have You Been Waiting for a Sign From God?
Ken Davis, a Christian comedian, tells a humorous story of a Christian who gets on an empty city bus, walks to the rear, and sits down. Lord, he prays, if you want me to speak to someone about you, please give me a sign. At the next stop another passenger gets on, goes all the way to the back of the bus, and sits right down next to the Christian. “Do you know anything about Jesus?” the passenger asks.
The Christian excuses himself for a moment and slowly bows his head once again and prays,
Lord if you really want me to talk to this stranger, I need just one more sign. Please turn the bus driver into an armadillo.
Have you been praying for armadillos?
– Quoted from The 10 Second Rule
There are some decisions we don’t have to spend much time thinking about, like simple everyday impressions from God to do something kind or generous for another person. Simple stuff.
And, there are biblical accounts of people looking for signs, testing the will of God for major decisions, like when Gideon “put out the fleece” and the disciples waited for the Holy Spirit’s coming. However the waiting for a sign stories are few and far between in Scriptures, and they certainly aren’t the normal way God directs his people to make major decisions today.
Signs don’t require faith
Think about it; asking for a big dramatic sign before you move forward in obedience doesn’t really require faith at all. It’s literally walking by sight – not by faith!
Nevertheless, we Christians still like the idea of signs, don’t we? Why? Perhaps because it puts the responsibility back on God before we feel compelled to act on something we may not really want to do.
I want to make this clear, right up front; I believe it is perfectly legitimate to ask God to make his will known to you about important decisions you’re uncertain of. To ask God for his will, honors him. It lets him know you not only care about his will, but that you want his will to be “done on earth (in your life) as it is in heaven.”
It’s complicated
But here’s where it get’s tricky. I trust God, but I don’t always trust me! And you may not want to trust yourself either. By that I mean, when I’m looking for God’s will in a certain situations, I tend to look for signs that confirm what my heart desires. The Bible says, “The heart is deceitful above all things.” Jeremiah 17:9 We want, what we want.
So, is there a better way to get direction from God? There is, but it’s not easy. Here are three ideas that may help you.
The Christian excuses himself for a moment and slowly bows his head once again and prays,
Lord if you really want me to talk to this stranger, I need just one more sign. Please turn the bus driver into an armadillo.
Have you been praying for armadillos?
– Quoted from The 10 Second Rule
There are some decisions we don’t have to spend much time thinking about, like simple everyday impressions from God to do something kind or generous for another person. Simple stuff.
And, there are biblical accounts of people looking for signs, testing the will of God for major decisions, like when Gideon “put out the fleece” and the disciples waited for the Holy Spirit’s coming. However the waiting for a sign stories are few and far between in Scriptures, and they certainly aren’t the normal way God directs his people to make major decisions today.
Signs don’t require faith
Think about it; asking for a big dramatic sign before you move forward in obedience doesn’t really require faith at all. It’s literally walking by sight – not by faith!
Nevertheless, we Christians still like the idea of signs, don’t we? Why? Perhaps because it puts the responsibility back on God before we feel compelled to act on something we may not really want to do.
I want to make this clear, right up front; I believe it is perfectly legitimate to ask God to make his will known to you about important decisions you’re uncertain of. To ask God for his will, honors him. It lets him know you not only care about his will, but that you want his will to be “done on earth (in your life) as it is in heaven.”
It’s complicated
But here’s where it get’s tricky. I trust God, but I don’t always trust me! And you may not want to trust yourself either. By that I mean, when I’m looking for God’s will in a certain situations, I tend to look for signs that confirm what my heart desires. The Bible says, “The heart is deceitful above all things.” Jeremiah 17:9 We want, what we want.
So, is there a better way to get direction from God? There is, but it’s not easy. Here are three ideas that may help you.
March 28, 2016
Five Ways to Help You and Your Family Keep Easter “Alive” All Year Long!
I love Easter because it’s the most important day in the Christian calendar. And I’m wrapping Good Friday, the day Christ died, under the label of Easter as well.
The reason it is the most important day for Christians, is that the power and trustworthiness of the gospel hinges on what happened at Easter! Paul put its importance this way:
“Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
In fact, Paul goes on to say this about the importance of the resurrection;
“If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised.” 1 Corinthians 15:13-15
Remembering to remember
So, as fathers, mothers, mentors and leaders, how can we remind ourselves and others of the importance of Easter in our lives, year round? I’d recommend you put a date on your calendar right now, to reflect deeply on the meaning of Easter, at least once every three months. On each of those dates, I’d suggest doing the following:
The reason it is the most important day for Christians, is that the power and trustworthiness of the gospel hinges on what happened at Easter! Paul put its importance this way:
“Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
In fact, Paul goes on to say this about the importance of the resurrection;
“If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised.” 1 Corinthians 15:13-15
Remembering to remember
So, as fathers, mothers, mentors and leaders, how can we remind ourselves and others of the importance of Easter in our lives, year round? I’d recommend you put a date on your calendar right now, to reflect deeply on the meaning of Easter, at least once every three months. On each of those dates, I’d suggest doing the following:
March 21, 2016
The Dangers of Claiming Promises, God Never Made to You
A few years back, I met with a man considering a new job in California, moving there with his family. While the job and move sounded exciting, something he said set off alarm bells in my spirit.
When I asked him questions about the affordability of housing, schools for his children and his wife’s thoughts on the move, he dismissed most of them with this statement.
“I’m just going by faith, like Abraham and his family. God brought him to a new country and prospered. We’re going to just trust God to do the same for us.”
My reply startled him. “But did God specifically tell you to go to California? Did he promise you, that if you went, he’d cause you to prosper with the kind of clarity he gave Abraham?” Obviously, he admitted God had not. Then made this observation; “There are some things you should never trust God for.” “Like what?” he asked with real skepticism.
When I asked him questions about the affordability of housing, schools for his children and his wife’s thoughts on the move, he dismissed most of them with this statement.
“I’m just going by faith, like Abraham and his family. God brought him to a new country and prospered. We’re going to just trust God to do the same for us.”
My reply startled him. “But did God specifically tell you to go to California? Did he promise you, that if you went, he’d cause you to prosper with the kind of clarity he gave Abraham?” Obviously, he admitted God had not. Then made this observation; “There are some things you should never trust God for.” “Like what?” he asked with real skepticism.
