Are You Extreme Pt2-Selah48-CMAW137

S I felt like my last Selah episode 47 didn't fully address the issue of being extreme and wanted to share some additional thoughts. I'm not retracting anything I said, and hopefully I don't contradict what I said, but rather expand on the topic. Last week, I said that generally living in moderation is what we should strive for, with the only possible exception being living out our faith, and in that part or our lives we should be extreme. I'd like to start this episode by defining the term extreme, since it can mean different things to different people and with different contexts. One definition from Dictionary.com is "of a character or kind farthest removed from the ordinary or average" With that as a reference, here are some things I don't mean by being extreme about our faith. First, I don't meant that you're vomiting religion, i.e. every sentence that comes out of your mouth contains something overtly spiritual or religious, like "Praise the Lord", or "God is good" or "Amen". Second, it doesn't mean that you've accumulated more works or good deeds than the average Christian. Third, it doesn't mean that you intentionally pursue conflict with others over your faith. These 3 things could be a fruit or result of being extreme the way I'm recommending we be, but they don't inherently make us extreme, they may just make us offensive. Here are a few passages to ponder on concerning a "godly life". Micah 6:8 "He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love [d]mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?" 1 Thess 4:11-12 "that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, 12 that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing." Prov 17:11 "Better is a dry morsel with quietness, Than a house full of feasting with strife." Isaiah 30:15 "For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.”" Isaiah 32:17 "The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever." That sounds like a good life, doesn't it? Matt 11:28-30 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am [f]gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” John 10:10b "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." These passages all sound like a wonderful life, this Christianity, don't they?  You might even be inclined they don't expect much from us, but just to believe and wait for heaven or the rapture whatever comes first. Let's look at a few more passages: But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Matt 19:29-30 "29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother [a]or wife or children or [b]lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first" Luke 14:26-27 "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple." Mark 10:21 "Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” 24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. Matt 7:13-14 "“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." Here's another powerful passage from the Sermon on the Mount describing the narrow way  Matt 5:38-44 "“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 [o]But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you These passages which seem to be somewhere between unreasonable and very difficult, may seem like a different life than the first batch of passages which included an easy yoke and a light burden, but I believe they are 2 sides of the same coin.  In all these passages, Jesus is calling us to a life that clearly fits the definition of extreme we discussed earlier "of a character or kind farthest removed from the ordinary or average".  That's because average in our world is following Satan because he is the ruler of this world.  Just as God wanted Israel to be set apart, or holy, as a nation, we are to be set apart, ambassadors in a world that is not our own. You may have heard it said that following Jesus requires nothing on our part, and at the same time requires everything. I agree with that statement, even if it's not a direct quote from the Bible.  Here's a passage that eludes to that, Galatians 5:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." What I believe all these passages describe is a life centered on and submitted to Christ. 1 Cor 10:31 "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." I can honestly say I've loved doing every one of the interviews on this podcast.  I love hearing different faith journeys and different personalities and approaches to walking out being a follower of Jesus and I continue to be humbled and inspired by the faith and commitment of everyone I've interviewed.  Two of the men I've spoken with really struck me as having found peace in being totally submitted to Christ and incorporating their faith into every aspect of their lives.  One is Jason Davis and the other Cam Arnett.  One of my questions I had for Cam was how he split up his time between reading the Bible vs. entertainment like watching movies.  His response was basically that he didn't think of life that way, and that everything he did was about loving and glorifying God.  To me that is extreme in a very positive way, and while I can't honestly relate to that, I want that kind of life and that kind of faith. Before I leave this discussion, I wanted to also comment on the issue of uncovering the Mysteries of God. We had a discussion at our church recently about Kaballah and basically that it is a Jewish pursuit of mysticism and something to be avoided.  It got me thinking that sometimes I fall into the trap of thinking that being a hard-core Christian is about seeking and knowing the mysteries of God.   I believe God leaves plenty in His word for us to dig deep if we desire to and He is pleased by this.  For those of you who have studied the teachings of the late Chuck Missler, you know he is a great example of someone with a passion for God.  He is also someone who believed that studying God's word can lead to some fascinating discoveries including codes and nuggets in the Bible that leave you appreciating that the Bible is not just another book and Christianity is not just another religion. I also believe that God's will is not for us to unlock all His secrets and that just as with Eve, Satan can tempt us by a constant pursuit of knowing what God knows.  God wants us to be humbled by the fact that He is God and we are not and that we will never on this earth, limited by our humanity and by the fallen nature of this world we live in, know what God knows.   Deut 29:29 NKJV says "29 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law." I think some red flags in this area include any kind of pride we may take in knowing something spiritual that others do not and spending more time pursuing mysteries through non-Biblical sources. Now, am I saying we should not seek to know everything God wants us to know in His word and to live out what the Bible says and not traditions of men?  Absolutely not. note the 2nd part of that verse "those things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of the law."  That gets me back to my original assertion that moderation is a virtue.  We can err in one direction by being spiritually lazy, thinking of our faith as a ticket to heaven and to just enjoy ourselves and our personal pursuits while on earth.  And we can err in the other direction and be a prideful believer who compares ourselves with others, following the law but not the spirit of the law.  Rather we are to worship in spirit and truth, and by doing so we will be radical and extreme by the world's standards.   E Young man came out to inspect our house to give a quote on installing a vapor barrier in our crawl space.  My wife asked "so we won't have to worry about any mold or moisture issues once this is installed".  I don't remember his exact words in response, but basically he said that wouldn't promise that but rather that this would help.  He and I had a brief discussion before this which convinced me he was a believer in Jesus Christ and it just struck me that this was a high integrity way of selling his product and a good example of faith at work.   I wanted to also mention a resource, Follower of One.  A friend shared it with me and it's a way to interact with others on the topic of faith at work.   L   The glory of young men is their strength, And the splendor of old men is their gray head. Proverbs 20:29 NKJV  This is just a reminder that whether we are in the beginning of our work career, toward the end, or somewhere in-between, we all have value and something to offer in our work glorifying God.   A  see TruthUnedited.com History of Religion Series ep#62 is about Roman Catholicism.  I've got a link in the shownotes but I thought I would take a break from going through tips from Ben LaCorte https://truthunedited.com/videos/history-of-religion-part-62-understanding-the-roman-catholic-church/
N Catholicism-make a list of the items he goes over from the Catechism, short list and make sure your friend realizes this   H-John Shirey-Time Management Saw a meme recently.  Fit is hard, fat is hard. You choose.  Self-imposed captivity can free you.

S I felt like my last Selah episode 47 didn't fully address the issue of being extreme and wanted to share some additional thoughts. I'm not retracting anything I said, and hopefully I don't contradict what I said, but rather expand on the topic. Last week, I said that generally living in moderation is what we should strive for, with the only possible exception being living out our faith, and in that part or our lives we should be extreme. I'd like to start this episode by defining the term extreme, since it can mean different things to different people and with different contexts. One definition from Dictionary.com is "of a character or kind farthest removed from the ordinary or average" With that as a reference, here are some things I don't mean by being extreme about our faith. First, I don't meant that you're vomiting religion, i.e. every sentence that comes out of your mouth contains something overtly spiritual or religious, like "Praise the Lord", or "God is good" or "Amen". Second, it doesn't mean that you've accumulated more works or good deeds than the average Christian. Third, it doesn't mean that you intentionally pursue conflict with others over your faith. These 3 things could be a fruit or result of being extreme the way I'm recommending we be, but they don't inherently make us extreme, they may just make us offensive. Here are a few passages to ponder on concerning a "godly life". Micah 6:8 "He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love [d]mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?" 1 Thess 4:11-12 "that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, 12 that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing." Prov 17:11 "Better is a dry morsel with quietness, Than a house full of feasting with strife." Isaiah 30:15 "For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.”" Isaiah 32:17 "The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever." That sounds like a good life, doesn't it? Matt 11:28-30 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am [f]gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” John 10:10b "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." These passages all sound like a wonderful life, this Christianity, don't they?  You might even be inclined they don't expect much from us, but just to believe and wait for heaven or the rapture whatever comes first. Let's look at a few more passages: But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Matt 19:29-30 "29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother [a]or wife or children or [b]lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first" Luke 14:26-27 "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple." Mark 10:21 "Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” 24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. Matt 7:13-14 "“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." Here's another powerful passage from the Sermon on the Mount describing the narrow way  Matt 5:38-44 "“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 [o]But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you These passages which seem to be somewhere between unreasonable and very difficult, may seem like a different life than the first batch of passages which included an easy yoke and a light burden, but I believe they are 2 sides of the same coin.  In all these passages, Jesus is calling us to a life that clearly fits the definition of extreme we discussed earlier "of a character or kind farthest removed from the ordinary or average".  That's because average in our world is following Satan because he is the ruler of this world.  Just as God wanted Israel to be set apart, or holy, as a nation, we are to be set apart, ambassadors in a world that is not our own. You may have heard it said that following Jesus requires nothing on our part, and at the same time requires everything. I agree with that statement, even if it's not a direct quote from the Bible.  Here's a passage that eludes to that, Galatians 5:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." What I believe all these passages describe is a life centered on and submitted to Christ. 1 Cor 10:31 "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." I can honestly say I've loved doing every one of the interviews on this podcast.  I love hearing different faith journeys and different personalities and approaches to walking out being a follower of Jesus and I continue to be humbled and inspired by the faith and commitment of everyone I've interviewed.  Two of the men I've spoken with really struck me as having found peace in being totally submitted to Christ and incorporating their faith into every aspect of their lives.  One is Jason Davis and the other Cam Arnett.  One of my questions I had for Cam was how he split up his time between reading the Bible vs. entertainment like watching movies.  His response was basically that he didn't think of life that way, and that everything he did was about loving and glorifying God.  To me that is extreme in a very positive way, and while I can't honestly relate to that, I want that kind of life and that kind of faith. Before I leave this discussion, I wanted to also comment on the issue of uncovering the Mysteries of God. We had a discussion at our church recently about Kaballah and basically that it is a Jewish pursuit of mysticism and something to be avoided.  It got me thinking that sometimes I fall into the trap of thinking that being a hard-core Christian is about seeking and knowing the mysteries of God.   I believe God leaves plenty in His word for us to dig deep if we desire to and He is pleased by this.  For those of you who have studied the teachings of the late Chuck Missler, you know he is a great example of someone with a passion for God.  He is also someone who believed that studying God's word can lead to some fascinating discoveries including codes and nuggets in the Bible that leave you appreciating that the Bible is not just another book and Christianity is not just another religion. I also believe that God's will is not for us to unlock all His secrets and that just as with Eve, Satan can tempt us by a constant pursuit of knowing what God knows.  God wants us to be humbled by the fact that He is God and we are not and that we will never on this earth, limited by our humanity and by the fallen nature of this world we live in, know what God knows.   Deut 29:29 NKJV says "29 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law." I think some red flags in this area include any kind of pride we may take in knowing something spiritual that others do not and spending more time pursuing mysteries through non-Biblical sources. Now, am I saying we should not seek to know everything God wants us to know in His word and to live out what the Bible says and not traditions of men?  Absolutely not. note the 2nd part of that verse "those things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of the law."  That gets me back to my original assertion that moderation is a virtue.  We can err in one direction by being spiritually lazy, thinking of our faith as a ticket to heaven and to just enjoy ourselves and our personal pursuits while on earth.  And we can err in the other direction and be a prideful believer who compares ourselves with others, following the law but not the spirit of the law.  Rather we are to worship in spirit and truth, and by doing so we will be radical and extreme by the world's standards.   E Young man came out to inspect our house to give a quote on installing a vapor barrier in our crawl space.  My wife asked "so we won't have to worry about any mold or moisture issues once this is installed".  I don't remember his exact words in response, but basically he said that wouldn't promise that but rather that this would help.  He and I had a brief discussion before this which convinced me he was a believer in Jesus Christ and it just struck me that this was a high integrity way of selling his product and a good example of faith at work.   I wanted to also mention a resource, Follower of One.  A friend shared it with me and it's a way to interact with others on the topic of faith at work.   L   The glory of young men is their strength, And the splendor of old men is their gray head. Proverbs 20:29 NKJV  This is just a reminder that whether we are in the beginning of our work career, toward the end, or somewhere in-between, we all have value and something to offer in our work glorifying God.   A  see TruthUnedited.com History of Religion Series ep#62 is about Roman Catholicism.  I've got a link in the shownotes but I thought I would take a break from going through tips from Ben LaCorte https://truthunedited.com/videos/history-of-religion-part-62-understanding-the-roman-catholic-church/N Catholicism-make a list of the items he goes over from the Catechism, short list and make sure your friend realizes this   H-John Shirey-Time Management Saw a meme recently.  Fit is hard, fat is hard. You choose.  Self-imposed captivity can free you.