Signature Course

Hebrews 12:1  Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

A few miles from my house they built a new golf course. Not just any golf course. A golf course design by Jack Nichlaus, one of the greatest golfers ever. It is not an easy course. It was design so that the even the best would have a hard time staying out of the water and avoid the sand. It is a signature course.

I, however, will have no trouble avoiding the sand and surf of Harbor Shores. I am committed to avoiding the course! You see, I have trouble negotiating the miniature windmill on course B at the local Putt-Putt with my pink golf ball. I have no interest in playing a course that Jack signed his name to.

God has a signature course designed specifically for you. It is different than the one he has designed for me. It is “set before us.” At times God sets a Putt-Putt course before you. At other times God pairs you up with Jack facing challenges you would rather avoid.

Like me, you may have no interested in playing a course God has designed with the hazards of job loss, health concerns, or difficult relationships. But no matter how hard the course God has set before you, keep moving forward. Stop wondering if you are on the right course. Stop asking for mulligans. Stop wishing God would set you on an easier course like the one he assigned to you neighbor. God uses the difficulty to strengthen your faith and prepare you for what’s ahead.

If you aren’t facing any challenges or trials on your course you may need to ask God if you are on the course he designed for you. Quit patting yourself on the back for your victories on the course that your 10-year-old makes hole-in-ones on. Join the rest of us who are negotiating the hard stuff. Take a risk. Try something challenging for God.

Remember Jesus had a course set before him too. It was infinitely harder than the one set before you. How did he finish his course? He kept his eyes on the joy that was set before him. We all have a different course but we all have the same motivation to finish; the joy of looking to Jesus standing at the final hole ready to receive you as one of His own.

Keep your eyes on the prize. Today are playing is His signature course.

Ghetto Heaven

Revelation 21:3-4 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."

According to a survey in the L.A. times, for every American who believes he is going to hell, 120 believe they are going to Heaven. Everybody wants to go to heaven. Who wouldn’t want to escape the difficulty of this world and live in a place of perfection?  But not everyone who wants to go to Heaven is going. Only those who chose to worship Jesus here will be allowed to worship him there.

To be sure, heaven is a place where God will wipe away every tear. No more pain. No more sorrow. No more cancer. No more heart disease. No more still births. No Alzheimers’s, No depression or anti-depressants. No loneliness. No fear of devastating tornados or earthquakes. No terrorists. No fat grams in Krispy Kremes. No polarizing politics. There certainly won’t be any politicians because there will be no liars in Heaven. There won’t even be any preachers in heaven because there won’t be any sin to preach against. We will all be worship leaders.

But why? When we think of heaven we tend to think of all the benefits to enjoy for ourselves in heaven. But in heaven you will not have a single thought of yourself. That’s what got Lucifer and one third of the angels kicked out of heaven! You see, in heaven every thought you have will be of God.

The removal of sin, pain, and heartache is for the purpose of freeing you to worship God without distraction. Heaven exists for the unhindered worship of God by his completely perfected creation. In Heaven God receives unhindered worship from us while we receive unhindered joy in Him.

Maybe you aren’t really that passionate about worshipping Jesus here on earth but think that God has a special “scratch and dent isle” in heaven for remedial, sub-par worshippers like you. You think, “I would be happy if Jesus would just let me live my life on earth without radical abandon to His Lordship then just let me live in ghetto heaven for eternity.”

You don’t get it! Heaven is not a place where God makes much of you. Heaven is a place where you will make much of God. If you haven’t found the joy of making much of him here on earth what makes you think you will enjoy heaven where unhindered worship will be our eternal job description.  Why wait? Give yourself to the worship of Jesus in preparation for heaven.

Don’t be content with ghetto worship as a ghetto Christian in ghetto heaven. 

Choosing Hell

2Peter 3:9  The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. God is not willing than any should perish.

How could a loving God send a person to hell? The answer lies in how seriously God takes sin.  You cannot comprehend in your finite mind how infinitely offensive your sin is to an infinitely holy God.

A few years ago I had the opportunity to lead an all-day parenting seminar at a local church. I spent hours pouring out everything I had learned from God’s Word about how to motivate children to obey with a right attitude every time. The attendees listened eagerly as I shared proven techniques of imparting wisdom through patient instruction and extracting foolishness through loving correction. I shared personal examples of how my 3-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son had become so compliant and obedient in response to my tireless investment in their lives.

When the seminar was over, I walk out of the church to find my 2 precious angels having the most wonderful time in the parking lot throwing large rocks onto the hood of a beautiful new Buick owned by one of attendees.

The innocent smiles on their faces revealed they had no comprehension of how much damage they were doing. Apart from the cost to repair the paint they had scratched, they had just undone everything I was attempting to communicate about parenting. What they thought was a fun way to spend afternoon was actually invalidating my message and compromising my character as a father.

Like my children, we are clueless as to how offensive our sin is to God. By our hypocrisy we can invalidate the message those far from God need to hear and believe. What we consider playing around, God views as a compromise of his infinite holiness. And infinite holiness has an infinite price tag when violated.

So how do you suppose I should deal with my little Buick terrorists? I could demand justice from my children. “New paint job…$1000! Pay up! Now!” But they have no ability to pay. I could extend mercy, “At least you weren’t throwing hand grenades. I’ll delay payment. But you are going to work it off.” That would take too long. Or I could give grace. “You are broke, but loved. The damage you’ve caused will cost me but I will pay your debt out of my own resources.” They would be wise to receive the grace freely offered by a loving father.

Hell is reserved for those who reject God’s infinite grace to pay the infinite price for infinitely offensive sin.

A better question than the one we started with is, “Why would a person choose to pay the price for sin in Hell when grace is freely offered by a loving God?”