Spiritual Growth – Page 5

Dead Right

Posted on July 16, 2011 by johnmarkum

Have you heard the expression of being “dead wrong?” Dead wrong is not just having your facts incorrect. Dead wrong is being so blind to the fact that you’re wrong that you get argumentative, defensive, even belligerent about something, only to find out later that you were not even right to begin with. You end up feeling kinda stupid and ashamed for getting so fired about about something you didn’t even have right. You weren’t just wrong. You were dead wrong.

If there’s anything worse than being dead wrong, it’s probably being dead right. A friend I was talking to this week introduced me to the term, and it was a powerful thought. Being dead right is very similar to being dead wrong. When you’re dead right you have the correct information. Your facts are accurate. But because you know you’re right, you end up being more confident.

And so in an argument the person with the right answers or perspective makes stands that are not worth taking. They end up winning a battle but losing the war. Has this ever happened to you? You were right. They were wrong. The fight got out of hand and the other person walked away. You know you were right, but you still feel like it’s your fault. It might be because you were dead right.

This happens in marriages all the time. One spouse gets upset at something the other did/didn’t do. And instead of calling them out on it in a loving way that still shows care for the other person, they use their “right” position as a weapon to attack the other person. The end result? They end up dead right. Correct about their information. Incorrect in their approach. What was probably a simple situation now has great hurt attached to it. They said they were going to do the dishes and they didn’t. Now that you’ve humiliated them by verbally beating them up over it, the dishes are still dirty, and your wife/husband doesn’t want to even look at you. The dishes would have taken 20 minutes to clean. Now it’ll take several hours or even days to recover peace and harmony in your home.

You know what being dead wrong has in common with being dead right? You’re still dead. I would rather be wrong than dead right. Wrong happens. Wrong is fixable. Dead right is personal. Dead right stings. Dead right is not love.

Purpose in your heart now that you will refuse to be dead right. When some else has done wrong by you, you will seek forgiveness and reconciliation, and not character assassination of the other person. Decide that you will use your right position as an opportunity to help the other person, not break them.

Knowledge is knowing the right stuff. Wisdom is understanding how to use it.

Blessings,

John

Things that make me happy…

Posted on May 31, 2011 by johnmarkum

My wife’s smile.
My kids running to see me when I come home.
Getting to baptize people.
Seeing someone trust God in a big way.
Seeing my leadership team’s passion.
Hearing people in my ministry geek-out over what God is doing.
Cooking for my wife.
Rocking out to some music and drinking Mt. Dew while brainstorming in my office.
Winning at RISK over xbox live.
My kids laughter.

Don’t be spiritually delusional

Posted on May 29, 2011 by johnmarkum

James 1:22, “But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourself.”

I love when the Bible just comes out and tells it like it is. James is one of the most dense books in the Bible because nearly every single verse is so packed with powerful thoughts, encouragement, doctrine, etc. But one of the dangers that James warns against in the very first chapter of his letter is with the subject of what real discipleship is.

He warns that being a true follower of Jesus is not about how much you know. Don’t misunderstand me: “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” But true faith – saving faith, changing faith – does not end there, and James goes on to deal with that in more detail.

But James specifically warns against misunderstanding discipleship for knowledge. Knowledge can lead to discipleship, but it is not discipleship in and of itself. Because discipleship is not knowledge; discipleship is obedience to what God says. And at the point that you and I begin doing what God says, we’re becoming more like Jesus. We’re not like Jesus just because we can quote the Bible. Or because we know theology and doctrine. Or because we’ve sat through hundreds of sermons.

And James tells us that if we think we are disciples because we have heard the Word but not obeyed the Word, we are “deceiving ourselves.” In other words, a person who knows God’s Word, without doing God’s Word, and thinks God is ok with it, is spiritually delusional.

If I’m honest, I’m guilty. I’ve been there. More than I’m comfortable admitting. And the excuses I make are the same as yours. And I’m a pastor. So I know this is something that we all struggle with on some level. Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only. Listen to God, and do what He says. Don’t be a Christian who marks his Bible but his Bible never marks him. Don’t be settle for being a Bible scholar over being a follower of Jesus. Don’t fool yourself. Don’t be delusional!

What are the areas that you struggle with being completely obedient to God? In what ways have you paid lip service to God, but your actions dictate otherwise? How will you correct that behavior and submit it to Christ? Have a great week!

Blessings,

John