What Does it Mean to be Saved | Part I

The following is the script used as part of the “Muscular Christianity Podcast,” which you can access by clicking here.

I) Intro

Hey guys, today we’re going to be talking about what it means to be born again.

This is going to be a three-part series. The first part we’re going to talk about what does it mean to be saved. In the second part we’ll look at how do you get saved and in the third part will examine how you can know that you’re saved.

Listen, this is important stuff because there’s some people who are walking around thinking that if they simply form the words on their lips, “Yes, I believe that Jesus died and came back to life,” somehow that translates to them being born again.

And that’s not necessarily the case. We’re going to talk more about that later in Part II, but when you consider the fact that the demons believe that Jesus Christ died and came back to life (Matt 7:21-23; Jas 2:19), you need to have more than just a verbal acknowledgement on your spiritual resume before you can accurately claim to be a believer.

But here’s the thing: You can’t base your convictions on another person’s opinion or a particular tradition or even a familiar denomination.

You have to go by what it says in God’s Word.

It’s because the subject matter is so important that you can’t afford to allow any type of human convention to substitute for the Truth as its defined in Scripture.

Now, if you’re listening to this broadcast and you’re among those that are just looking for some simple and easy to remember sound bites, let’s get you taken care of.

What does it mean to be saved? It means all the ways in which you’ve rebelled against God have been forgiven. Colossians 2:13-14 says:

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you[a] alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. (Col 2:13-14)

But the other piece of the salvation package is this: You have been fundamentally changed. It’s not that you’ve changed your mind as much as He’s changed you.

You can see that in Galatians 2:20 where it says:

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Gal 2:20)

Forgiven and transformed – that’s what it means to be saved.

There’s your Executive Summary! Let’s now take a closer look at how Scripture defines Salvation.

II) What Does it Mean to be Saved?

Bottom line, the Holy Spirit – and by the Holy Spirit, I’m talking about the Character (Gal 5:22-23) and the Mindset of God (1 Cor 2:16) –  that is now a part of who you are as a person (Eph 1:13-14; Titus 3:5).

You see that in Romans eight verse nine.

You however are not in the realm of the flesh, but are in the realm of the Spirit if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. (Rom 8:9)

Let’s read that last part again because that is either the game changer or a deal breaker: “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.”

Now, bear in mind that the Spirit of God isn’t a mere add on or a plug in.

Whereas before you were spiritual corpse, now you have a spiritual pulse. You have been made completely new:

2 Corinthians 5:17.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come, the old is gone, the new is here. (2 Cor 5:17)

Everything that prevented you from obeying God rather than yourself, every inclination you had to go up to God as He was sitting on His Throne and telling Him to get out of your chair, has been replaced with the capacity to choose His Strength and His Perspective over your own.

The Bible says that prior to Christ breathing life into the spiritual part of your existence, you were a slave to sin (Prov 5:22; Jn 8:34; Rom 6:17; Eph 2:5). This doesn’t mean that you were giving in to every vulgar and heinous thought that crossed your mind, necessarily. What it does mean is that you measured everything according to the standard of yourself (Phil 3:19).

As a spiritual corpse (Eph 2:1), whether you’re imitating a Christlike demeanor or you’re operating as a criminal, you are your own bottom line and in that context you are never serving anyone other than yourself (Is 64:6; Matt 6:24-26). And however you want to pose as someone who is willing to subordinate themselves to a higher authority or a greater good, you submit only to those that meet with your approval. In that way, you are perpetually at war with your Creator which is the essence of sin (Rom 8:7).

But now, as someone who has a spiritual pulse, you are no longer hostile to God. And while you can still ignore Him and choose to rebel against His Authority, you now have a choice to use the Power and Perspective He offers to follow His Instructions and enjoy all the benefits of obedience  (Jn 10:10; 1 Cor 10:13).

And while the Holy Spirit is now making a huge difference in the way you live your life, it’s His Spirit that serves as His Signature, come the day you stand before him after you pass away (Heb 9:27).

21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (2 Cor 1:21-22 [see also Lk 10:20])

Paul is talking about Heaven in this verse. When your body gives out, all that makes you the person that you are continues to exist in one of two environments – you’re either living in Heaven as someone who’s been redeemed, or you’re suffering in hell having chosen to reject the Gift that God made available to you in the context of His Son having bled, suffered and died on your behalf (1 Jn 2:2; Rev 20:15).

So what does it mean to be saved?

It means that you’re now a different person because of the way the Holy Spirit directs and empowers you. And it’s that same spirit that Scripture refers to as a seal of ownership that will validate your citizenship in heaven.

That’s what it means to be saved.

Christ living in and through you now and being able to call heaven your home after you breathe your last.

That’s part one, folks.

Buckle up now for Part Two of this Salvation Series.

I’m Bruce Gust with Muscular Christianity.

Let’s go make a difference.

Make No Provision | Part III

Up to this point we’ve been talking about the way in which someone is intentionally stacking the deck against themselves by accommodating dynamics that make it easier to disobey their Heavenly Father.

It can be both frustrating and confusing when you’re listening to someone defend what you intutively recognize as a sinful concession, yet you can’t quite find the words or connect the biblical dots necessary to formulate a decisive sounding rebuttal because of the way that person can seemingly validate their actions by insisting they’re not “doing” anything wrong.

You’re Not Being Fair

It becomes even more exasperating when they insert the idea that anyone who would be critical of their behavior is being legalistic and intolerant. This just adds to the challenge of articulating a compelling sounding argument by virtue of the way the substance of your platform is immediately compromised because of how your listening audience is now hearing you as being insensitive and unfair, thus making your opponent look as though they’re being victimized. Once that aspect has been successfully installed into the debate, the conversation is no longer about the defendant’s choices, rather it’s about the plaintiff’s motives and the innocence of the accused is taken for granted.

But however a person wants to justify themselves by insisting that they’re not actually being disobedient, despite the way in which they’re making it easier on themselves to disobey, they’re not really defending their actions as much as they’re trying to distract attention away from them, and instead create the impression that all that needs to be evaluated is a mindset that can’t be classified as corrupted without getting into some subjective territory.

In that way they’re able to insulate themselves from any condemnation let alone criticism by positioning themselves as a victim of an unfair assessment, either in the context of unnecessarily strict standards or a biased perspective that’s intent on reading something into a situation that isn’t there.

“Being a Christan is less about cautiously avoiding sin than about courageously and actively doing God’s will.” ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer

You Pointed it at Your Foot

But that line of defense doesn’t really work if the action itself can be objectively categorized as a concession regardless of the intent. In order to shoot yourself in the foot, you first had to choose to load the gun and then aim it in the direction of your toes. Neither one of those two actions represent moral infractions in and of themselves, but they’re revealed as being contemptible when they’re processed as necessary parts of a sequence leading up to the wound and the pain you’re now having to contend with.

James 1 breaks it down like this: Desire -> Temptation -> Sin (Jas 1:13-15). You can think of it as: Thoughts -> Plans -> Actions.

However subjective the “planning” stage may be from a human standpoint, it is nevertheless addressed specifically in Scripture as a place where sin is being committed when you purposely set yourself up to fail (Gen 4:7; Prov 4:23; Matt 25:26-28; Rom 13:14; Jas 4:7; 1 Pet 5:8-9).

Being in the presence of decadence and compromise is sometimes unavoidable. And if you’re going to be salt and light, then you’ve got to interact with some dark characters (Matt 5:13-16; 10:16). But there’s a distinction between the person who’s determined to make a difference as opposed to the person who’s simply making an excuse.

If you’re not actively resisting the devil, then you’re cooperating with him…

…and that’s a sin.

But here’s the thing…

Who’s In Charge?

When you’re determined to honor the One Who established the boundary, then you’re not as tempted to test the boundary. Those who see Scripture and the Christian doctrine as a collection of “rules” are choosing to ignore the Love, the Grace and the Power of the One Who put those rules in place and instead declare themselves as their own bottom line.

They are in charge.

And because they are resolved to maintain themselves as their own absolute, they will forever process those restrictions as rules that need to be resisted rather than as tools that give them an advantage.

You first have to get to the place where you see God for Who He is. Not as a purveryor of punishments, but as the Source of the kind of Life you want to live and enjoy (Jn 10:10).

And more than that, while you don’t want to discount what He has to offer in the way of Purpose, Peace and Power, it’s not so much what you can get as much as it’s simply Who He is.

In the words, of Thomas: “My Lord and my God (Jn 20:28).”

This is why, regardless if you’re talking to someone that you’re concerned about because of the way they’re seemingly walking too close to the edge, or a person’s whose political convictions or cultural perspectives are leaning towards things that are contrary to what’s biblical – however logical and beneficial the approach you would champion may be – it’s ultimately a spiritual struggle and if a genuine transformation is going to occur, it has to happen from the inside out (Eph 6:12).

This is why, while it’s important and absolutely necessary to be able to argue effectively and be able to “give a reason for the hope that you have (1 Pet 3:15),” it’s God and God alone Who makes that difference and we need to be sure we’re not just stating the facts, but also staying on our knees and praying for the Real Power and the Real Life to show up and faciliate what amounts to Real Change.

Make No Provision | Part II

In “Make No Provision Part I,” we looked at how some will push the boundaries that define the difference between right and wrong and justify their actions by saying that unless they’re crossing the line, they’re not guilty of any wrongdoing.

Yet Scripture commands us to be making no provision for that which can lead to a genuine problem (Rom 13:14). So, even if we’re not at that point where Satan is getting ready to hit a home run, if we’ve allowed him to load the bases so all he needs now is a base hit, we are guilty of accommodating the devil rather than resisting him (Jas 4:7; 1 Pet 5:8-9).

Whose Team Are You Playing For?

And here’s the thing: You’re not playing to win when you’re doing things that make it easier to lose. And when you’re not just contemplating concessions but actually doing things that make those compromises more likely, then you have to ask, “Whose team am I playing for?”

These aren’t just “impure thoughts,” this is you intentionally fumbling the ball and giving the other team a chance to score.

No, not everything is black and white. But, then again, God never has to speculate and since He sees the heart (1 Sam 16:7) and no man can serve two masters (Matt 6:24), you can rest assured that however you may be able to successfully convince another human being that things aren’t as they seem, God has full access to both your actions and your motives and you’re either promoting His Reputation or protecting your own.

Period.

Your Actions Will Reflect Your Priorities

In her article, “The Difference Between Guilt and Conviction,” Jeanne Harrison, a staff writer at Grace Church in Orlando, does a great job of shutting down all the white noise and allowing the  Truth that is central to this whole debate be heard in a way that’s easy to hear and understand…

Here’s the difference between guilt and conviction: guilt is not willing to pay the price of repentance. Guilt wants to make the problem go away as painlessly as possible because guilt’s primary focus is me. What will they think of me? How will the consequences impact me?

Conviction focuses on God. We begin to experience conviction when our hearts are grieved not solely because we might lose our job, or our spouse, or our standing, but because we have broken fellowship with God. In 2 Corinthians 7:10 Paul captures the difference between guilt and conviction by describing two different kinds of sorrow. He writes, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”

The question is, why are you lamenting over your sin? Is it because you fear losing the things of the world—the respect of your boss, the esteem of performing perfectly, the pleasure of sin itself? If so, you are experiencing worldly sorrow. Or are you pained because you have personally grieved God’s heart? This kind of godly sorrow takes us straight to the cross—to repentance, restoration, and life.

In order for me to repent, I had to care more about my relationship with God than I did about my reputation.

If your priority is your relationship with Christ, your actions will reflect your priorities (Matt 7:17).

Those who are being either indifferrent or critical of your behavior are subordinate to the One Who died for your sins.

That’s good news to the person who has a clear conscience, but it’s anything but encouraging to the one who has something to hide.

If you or the person you’re listening to defends their actions in a way that demonstrates a greater emphasis being put on their reputation than that of their King, there’s a good chance they’re being disobedient. Not necessarily in the context of an obvious sin, but a sin nevertheless in that if you’re making it easier for Satan to win, then you’re working against your Heavenly Father (Mk 9:38-40).

We’ll wrap this up in Part III.

Make No Provision | Part I

MoneyBall

The movie, “Moneyball” is based on the book by the same title authored by Michael Lewis. It stars Brad Pitt and it tells the story of the manager of the Oakland A’s who, at one point, deployed a strategy when it came to recruiting new employers that represented a dramatic departure from convention. Instead of going after big ticket all-stars, they focused instead on players that could consistently get on base. Not home run hitters, just solid and consistent ball players that could get on first every time they got up to bat.

The result was amazingly successful.

That year the A’s turned in a winning season and were able to do it at a fraction of the cost that comparable teams were paying for a roster that was supposedly more talented.

A Snake and a Lion

Satan is described in Scripture as both a snake (Rev 12:9) and a lion (1 Pet 5:8). Put those two illustrations together and you have something that is as vicious as it is subtle. He’s not posing as a home run hitter. Rather, he’s just trying to get on first. And what happens over time is he keeps advancing runners and before you know it, he’s putting points on the board and you’re up to your neck in the kind of sin you never thought possible.

Satan doesn’t just pounce, he prowls. He doesn’t necessarily need to hit a homerun, he just needs to get someone on base. From that standpoint, sin is not a singular situation or a specific boundary. It’s a comprehensive strategy designed to reduce wrongdoing to nothing more than a subjective collection of do’s and don’ts, which can be easily adjusted to suit a person’s need to justify themselves depending on the situation (Rom 10:3).

Do you see where this is going?

Death

The Bible defines sin as death. You see that in Ephesians (Eph 2:1), you also see it in the way God set up the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil as something that would result in both Adam and Eve dying if they were to cross that line (Gen 2:17).

Death.

This is what put Christ on the cross and what lands us in hell apart from God’s Grace.

Bear in mind, that even seemingly trival transgressions require you to go up to God as He’s sitting on His Throne and telling Him to get out of your chair.

It’s not just the sin itself, as far as the physical consequences you may have to contend with, it’s Who you’re sinning against that makes it so heinous (2 Sam 12:13; Ps 51:4).

But we like to minimize the significance of sin by categorizing our transgressions according to the severity of the offense from a human perspective. In addition, we write off sinful compromises as nominal improprieties by dismissing any criticisms as coming from an overly conservative or legalistic mindset.

No doubt, you can take things to the extreme and read something evil into just about anything. Abraham Lincoln once said, “Those who look for the bad in people will surely find it.”

But the possibility of being legalistic shouldn’t be used as an excuse to intentionally walk every batter until the bases are loaded before you get serious about striking out the next hitter.

Make No Provision

And here’s the thing…

It’s not just about being “careful” or “sensitive” as much as it’s about being obedient.

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. (Rom 13:14 [Col 3:5; 1 Pet 2:11])

Being “tempted” isn’t a sin. Jesus was tempted and didn’t sin (Heb 4:15). But you’re not playing to win when you’re making it easier on yourself to fail. That’s what you’re doing when you’re giving a bad idea an opportunity to become more than just a dirty little concept.

This is part of what Christ meant when he talked about committing adultery in your heart (Matt 5:28). He’s using the same word for “heart” that Paul uses in the book of Romans when he explains how to get saved, by believing in your “heart. (Rom 10:9-10)” When your disposition towards something is rooted in that place that serves as the seat for the way you see yourself and the world around you, you’re no longer just thinking about it, you’re acting on it.

You may have yet to cross “the” line, but you’ve already crossed “a” line by showing contempt for the standard that’s in place and the One Who established it (Jas 4:4).

So, where does this land? How do you approach your situation with a genuinely holy resolve to be obedient, given the fact that perhaps it looks a little suspicious?

We’ll take a look at the answer to that question in Part II!

Leadership | Part II

It’s Not Just a Group Hug

It’s tempting, sometimes, to process the Bible as something that promotes the kind of character that manifests itself only in the context of being “nice” or “moral.” Obviously, those are Christlike Characteristics, but when you apply what the Bible has to say about Leadership and Life in general, the end result is more than just “noble.” It’s the kind of success that everybody ultimately wants because there’s no downside to it. You’re not having to compromise in order to achieve your goals (Ps 37:4).

One example is the way in which we’re commanded to love one another (Jn 13:34-35).

This isn’t just a group hug or “going the extra mile.”

One of the “laws” advocated in Og Mandino’s book, “The Greatest Salesman on Earth” is that, “I will approach this day with love in my heart.”

Think about it:

I will greet this day with love in my heart.

And how will I act? I will love all manners of men for each has qualities to be admired even thought they be hidden. With love I will tear down the wall of suspicion and hate which they have built round their hearts and in its place will I build bridges so that my love may enter their souls.

I will love the ambitious for they can inspire me! I will love the failures for they can teach me. I will love the kings for they are but human; I will love the meek for they are divine. I will love the rich for they are yet holy; I will love the poor for they are so many. I will love the young for the faith they hold; I will love the old for the wisdom they share. I will love the beautiful for their eyes of sadness; I will love the ugly for their souls of peace.

I will greet this day with love in my heart. 

All Kinds of People

As a leader, you inevitably come in contact with all kinds of people. Your mission may be clear, but the way in which you go about delegating responsibilities and telling your subordinates what to do is an authentic art and is not always intuitive, especially whey you’re tasked with having to work with all manner of personality types.

In the Marine Corps, Leadership is extremely important, not only for the sake of impressive looking formations, but more importantly, for the successful completion of combat missions. Amongst the innumerable courses and manuals promoted within the Marines to help their commissioned and non-commissioned officers grow in their ability to lead is the acrostic JJ DID TIE BUCKLE – a short, easy to remember tool that underscores crucial leadership traits that are especially worthy of study and application.

Regardless of how important each Leadership Trait may be, if they’re deployed in the absence of love, the end result is potentially catastrophic.

That may sound a bit out of place, given the military dynamic, but remember the love that is emphasized in Scripture is Agape love. It is God’s unconditional and perpetually giving love in action. Thomas Aquinas defined it as “…to will the good of another.”1 When processed beyond the scope of lofty sounding theological concepts, it can be recognized as the truly powerful and strategic force that it is, in terms of the way it can be used to affect the best possible outcome in the best possible way (Eph 3:20-21).

USMC Leadership Traits

Consider the way it’s made manifest in the context of the Marine Corps Leadership Traits it teaches:

USMC Leadership Trait Biblical Description of Love
(1 Cor 13:4-8)
1 Justice no record of wrongs
2 Judgement always trusts
3 Dependability not easily angered
4 Initiative not self-seeking
5 Decisiveness is patient
6 Tact does not boast
7 Integrity does not delight in evil
8 Endurance always perseveres
9 Bearing it is not rude
10 Unselfishness it does not envy
11 Courage love never fails
12 Knowledge Rejoices with the truth
13 Loyalty always protects
14 Enthusiasm always hopes

 

1) Justice -> If you’re going to be just, you’ve got to be impartial which means you’re not going to keep a “record of wrongs.”

2) Judgement -> To make sound judgments in crisis situations, especially for the believer who’s intentionally including the Perspective of His King in crisis situations, you’ve got to trust what He’s telling you (Jas 1:5-7).

3) Dependability -> Being a hero one moment and being a jerk the next may be “understandable,” but it’s not acceptable in the Corps nor should it be in any scenario. Your disposition should be even, regardless of the circumstance or your mood. It’s then when you are truly dependable.

4) Initiative -> You do what needs to be done regardless of who’s looking.

5) Decisiveness -> Tactical Patience is a term used to describe the ability to allow a situation to develop in order to make sound decisions as opposed to those that are reactionary and impulsive.2

6) Tact -> However you may be justified in insisting on a particular behavior on the part of an individual by virtue of your rank / position, you always want to wield that authority in a way that’s humble and approachable.

7) Integrity -> Honesty is not something you should pursue begrudgingly. Rather, it is something you should enjoy, value and embrace.

8) Endurance -> It always perseveres. Suck. It. Up.

9) Bearing -> You bear the name of your King, your ancestors, your nation as well as your employer. Act like it.

10) Unselfishness -> You should never be so preoccupied with yourself that you can’t authentically celebrate the accomplishments of others.

11) Courage -> God’s Love will always inspire you to do things you would never consider doing on your own.

12) Knowledge -> You have to know the truth in order to rejoice when it wins the day. Be knowledgeable.

13) Loyalty -> God’s Love will drive you to protect others above yourself.

14) Enthusiasm -> Being motivated and enthusiastic requires a “hope” for something better based on a Truth that never fails. You have that in God’s Love.

The sooner you leave behind any notion of God’s Love being some distant, albeit noble, dynamic that has no real practical application, the better.

Let’s go make a difference!

 

  1. Wikiquote, “Thomas Aquinas”, https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Thomas_Aquinas, accessed September 2, 2018
  2. “Mountain Tactical Institute”, “Show Tactical Patience – Worst Leader Essays”, http://mtntactical.com/knowledge/show-tactical-patience-worst-leader-essays/, accessed September 2, 2018

Leadership Part I

Anytime you’re responsible for something that involves other people, you are, by default, in a position of Leadership.

As a Parent, a CEO, a Teacher, a Coach, a Minister – you are a Leader and with that position comes an amazing opportunity to not just accomplish whatever needs to be done, but to also influence those who are in your charge in a way that makes them feel better about themselves.

That’s the difference between Managing and Leading.

With Managing, you’re just moving things around. But when you Lead, not only are you getting the job done – whatever that job may be – but you’re creating an environment where the people who are actually doing the work are not just present, they’re engaged. They don’t want to simply execute, they want to perform.

And if you’re doing it right, the energy and the passion with which your subordinates do their job inevitably spills over to other areas of their life and they don’t just improve in the context of those things they’re responsible for, but they become better people.

You can hover over any of the Scriptural references and be able to read the verse in the context of a popup that will appear. You can also read the Scriptures that are referenced by clicking on the arrow to the right of every one of the “Solid Truths…” headings.

That’s why great Leaders are often so admired and appreciated. It’s not just what they do, it’s who they are and the Light they shine doesn’t just provide direction, but it also provides inspiration and you want to follow their example.

But how do you get it done?

How do you become a great Leader?

Some just seem to be born with the ability to organize resources and motivate their people, but like anything else, regardless of your personality or how your brain is wired, you can watch great Leaders in action and identify certain techniques and characteristics that when properly deployed make a big difference.

Bear in mind that there’s an enormous amount of studies and instructional material that have been developed, most of which is excellent. The Marine Corps has a whole curriculum that focuses exclusively on the art of power and how to lead.

For the sake of this discussion, we’ll reference some of what comes from the USMC as well as several other professional entities, but we’re going to look at just three things that translate to an approachable and effective way to ensure that you’re not just managing, but you’re truly leading.

And part of what makes these three things so effective is that they’re coming from Scripture so you can rest assured these aren’t just “good ideas,” but they’re solid Truths.

Lead by Example

Hypocricy is a deal breaker. As a Teacher you shouldn’t expect your students to do their homework if you’re never prepared for class yourself. As a Fitness Professional, you can’t hope to make an impact in the way you tell your clients how to lose weight if you’re not in shape yourself (Matt 7:3-4).

Don’t ever ask someone to do something you’re unwilling to do yourself. Don’t insist on a standard that you don’t try to live up to (1 Pet 2:12,15).

Be ready to teach what needs to be done and model the kind of behavior you want to see in others so they can see, not only how to do it, but why it makes a difference (1 Cor 4:16; 2 Thess 3:6-10).

Solid Truths…

Don’t Just Tell It, Sell It

Whatever it is that needs to be done can be presented in one of two ways:

  • You can present it as an Obligation
  • You can offer it as an Invitation

The thing that distinguishes the difference between an Obligation and an Invitation is the extent to which you as a Leader explain why it is that your subordinates would want to do what needs to be done.

Why is it important? Why are you uniquely qualified to get it done? How does it benefit you? Why will others appreciate the sacrifice of time and effort that will be required?

Explain what needs to be done in a way where your listener is made to feel like the hero in their own story (Josh 1:8; Jn 10:10; Rom 12:1-2; Phil 2:13).

Solid Truths…

Make Them Feel Good About Themselves

There’s a difference between flattering somone and genuinely complimenting them.

When you say something positive, yet trite, it’s easy to dismiss it as pointless and even manipulative.

On the other hand, when you say something that makes a person feel valued, you’re breathing life into them (Eph 2:10; 1 Thess 5:11). People like being around those that make them feel good about themselves (Matt 5:14-16). The world can be a very critical and negative space. Most people are very familiar with those areas in their life that need improvement and rarely do they operate in an environment that doesn’t seemingly exaggerate those areas to the exclusion of everything else.

Reminding those you lead of their strengths and their capacity to do great things can feel like the sun breaking through the clouds in the mind of those who tend to focus more on what needs to change than that which constitutes something to be proud of.

And that’s everybody!

You’ll never run into someone who doesn’t appreciate a good compliment!

And again, it’s not just being complimentary. John Maxwell summarizes Leadership as being influential, and you maximize your capacity to influence people by adding value to them.

Give your people a reason to feel good about who they are and what they do (Eph 2:10).

Solid Truths…

Click here to read “Leadership Part II…”

Muscular Christianity Bible Study

Muscular Christianity Bible Study

September 10th will be completely online! We will not be meeting at my home! Tune it to the broadcast on the Muscular Christianity Facebook page and catch the live broadcast! See you then!

Where: 2125 Maytown Circle, Thompsons Station, TN 37179

When: Beginning Sunday, September 10th from 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM. We’ll meet for four weeks!

What Do I Need? Bring a chair and a copy of the “Muscular Christianity 90 Day Workout Plan” I’ll have some copies available on the first day if you’re not able to get it from Amazon in time.

You’ll also need the handouts. Click on the links below to download and print the Listening Sheets for each session:

What Are We Doing? We’re going to be doing a workout featuring military grade calisthenics and combining that with a Bible Study that reviews the daily devotions you’re doing as part of the Workout Plan.

Sounds Great! How Do I Get Involved? Email Bruce Gust at bruce@brucegust.com and include your name and your contact info.

This is a fitness program that targets both your physical waistline as well as your spiritual gut. By the end of four weeks, you’ll be well on your way to being spiritually ripped as well as physically fit.

Regardless of your current fitness routine, this will make a difference in the way you look and feel. You’ll be learning about nutrition as well as working out using the kind of standard that’s utilized in the military. In addition, you’ll be popping the hood on the Word of God in a way that’s practical, motivating and easy to understand and apply.

See you Sunday!

We will also be broadcasting this live on the Muscular Christianity Facebook page! Buckle up!

Accountability plays a huge part in the realization of your goals. If you know of someone who might be interested in doing this Study, who you could also enlist as someone who you’re willing to empower with the right to ask you if you’ve worked out and remained consistent with your diet, invite them as well!

Ordained

Two Years

For the two years that I was stationed in Hawaii, anytime I wasn’t going to night school or doing something work related, I was either practicing or playing, determined to one day be good enough to be a Drum Instructor at the School of Music.

The environment at the School was awesome. Everyone there was focused on improving themselves. Combine that with a military dynamic and you’ve got one motivating situation!

I got orders back to the SOM (School of Music) in ’84. Whereas before I was a PFC, now I was coming back as a Sergeant. Since the majority of the students that comprised the population at the School were just coming out of Boot Camp, you had a default position of authority by virtue of your rank. And I don’t mean just the regular courtesy you extend to someone who’s senior to you. Because your stripes were associated with the Drill Instructor and the Recruit Training they had just graduated from, you were greeted in the hallway by everyone saying, “Good morning, Sergeant.” They were conditioned to perceive you as someone to be respected and obeyed without question.

Because they almost expected you to be stern, if you responded by being friendly and legitimately interested in their welfare, you were in a great position to make a big impression.

That’s another reason why I wanted to be an Instructor. You could breathe a mammoth amount of life and inspiration into a student who was extremely impressionable given the credibility you had as a Non-Commissioned Officer.

But First…

But first, I had to graduate the Intermediate Course. It was six months long and it was an intensive curriculum that had you doing Traditional Harmony, Arranging, Ear Training, Conducting and more. At one point, you had to arrange a composition for an entire Stage Band. Not only did you have to write out the score, but you also had to write out all the parts by hand.

But while Arranging could be challenging, my biggest concern was Traditional Harmony. Harmony is the study of how music is composed using Bass, Tenor, Alto and Soprano. It hails back to the days when the popular music was Operas and Symphony Orchestra performances. It serves as the basis for a lot of musical structure today, so it’s an important part of your development as a musician.

While you’re working on your projects and your homework, you’re sometimes called upon to lead group PT (Physical Training), which means you’re in front of approximately 100 hardchargers, calling out the exercise and yelling the cadence. I loved doing it, but taken together, you’re looking at a very busy schedule and there’s not a lot of room for error.

You didn’t get a grade, per se. It was either pass or fail. That’s why the Final Exams are so crucial because if you fall short, you get one chance to take the test again. If you fail a second time, you get stationed somewhere in the states or in Japan and you have to wait a couple of years before you can try again.

Traditional Harmony was my greatest worry. You were given a Final Project that was designed to take you all night to finish. The following morning you were to turn it in and then take your Final Exam.

I failed both.

Guess What?

Now while all this is going on, one of the Drum Instructors that was currently on staff announced he was going to leave. That meant there was a spot. That, in and of itself, was a miracle, as far as being at the School at the precise time an opening for a Drum Instructor became available.

So, it was decided that I was going to audition for some of the senior staff members at the School in order to qualify as a Drum Instructor.

But if I failed Traditional Harmony, that whole opportunity would be potentially gone.

I was exhausted. I was running on very little sleep and I was intimidated right down to my socks. If I failed either the Final Project or the Final Exam for Harmony one more time, I was going to be sent back out to the Fleet and my dreams of both graduating and becoming a Drum Instructor would be put on an indefinite hold.

It all came down to a period of time in the space of one that that probably didn’t last more than four hours.

I turned in my Final Project, I took the Final Exam and then took my Staff Audition.

I passed!

And, where all you’re required to score on your audition is a 3.2 to be hired as an Instructor, I got a 3.3.

Ordained

It all landed in a great spot, but when I first learned I had failed and would have one chance to retake and resubmit everything as well as learning I would be auditioning for a position I had been working towards for the last two years, all I could do initially was just get some sleep. It was almost like I was watching someone else, you’re an emotional wreck and you feel like you’re hanging by a thread.

There’s a verse in Psalm 139 that says:

Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (Ps 139:16)

There’s a strong sense of comfort knowing that everything you encounter in this life is something that was known before it ever actually happened.

God had every moment of your life “written in his book” before it ever came to be. He knew your triumphs and He knew when you were going to fall short and when you would need an extra dose of wisdom and calm in order to function properly.

It’s hard when you’re looking at a situation or a report card or a letter or rejection and not wonder why God would allow that kind of hurt.

Paul, who was no stranger to some serious pain, wrote this in his letter to the church in Corinth:

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. (2 Cor 1:3-4)

It was because of the way Paul had seen God move, heal and direct in his own life, that he could be a legitimate source of wisdom and encouragement for those who were going through something similar.

Sometime God allows you to hurt as a form of discipline (Heb 12:5-7). But sometimes He allows you to experience some discomfort as a way to build your faith so that you’re not only better prepared for the larger challenges that await you down the road, but also so you can someday “comfort” those who are going through something that you can legitimately identify with. (Heb 12:11; Jas 1:2-4).

His Ways

Isaiah 55:8-11…

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. (Is 55:8-11)

God’s Purpose for your life (Jer 29:11; Eph 2:10) often requires you to be more than you are right now. You’ve got to grow and you have to mature, and I don’t mean just physically. Sometimes you’ve got deploy that kind of faith where if He doesn’t do something, it’s just not going to work, and that’s a hard place to be in. But if you’re going to grab that prize, you’ve got to reach and sometimes, it’s difficult (Phil 3:12). But there is a purpose in the pain and every day of your life is…

…ordained!

The Mechanics of Forgiveness | Part IV

What Was Dead is Now Utterly Alive

Because everything is tainted the way that it is, nothing really qualifies as “good” (Is 64:6). In addition, apart from Christ, you are “dead” spiritually, yet His Grace makes what was dead utterly alive…

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. (Eph 2:1-5)

And where before we were making choices based on a depraved mindset, now we are “slaves to righteousness.” (Rom 6:18)

What that means is that now we process things differently because we not only have the Holy Spirit to alert us to what qualifies as bogus (Jn 16:8), He also provides the resolve and the strength to stand whereas before we simply allowed Satan to play us as fools (1 Cor 10:13; Eph 6:10-18; Jas 4:7; 1 Pet 5:8).

A New Creation with a Whole New Set of Tools

When you get to that place where you can connect the dots and realize that Christianity is not just a “tradition” and Christ is not just a spiritual regimen, but instead see it as a Truth that is both practical and profound and embrace Him as a personal Reality – at that point, everything changes.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Cor 5:17)

Understand that you’re a new creation not because you’ve changed your mind but because of the way Christ changed you.

 

You see that also in Galatians 2:20:

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Gal 2:20)

You’ve got a new spring in your set and a different kind of Muscle that you can use to stand against what before would’ve knocked you down (Acts 1:8; Eph 6:10-13).

You’ve got the Holy Spirit living in you. This is what happens when you flip that switch and the authenticity of Christ goes from being a historical fact to a personal Reality. That’s the kind of belief referenced in Romans 10:9-10 and it’s then that the Spirit of Christ takes up residence in your heart and it’s His Preferences that become the determining factor in your life (1 Pet 4:2).

Lose Your Chains!

To be forgiven results in a feeling of relief and restoration. You may have some scars in the aftermath, but while before they were reminders that triggered regret, now they serve as altars to commemorate a debt that was paid on your behalf.

You don’t have to constantly rehearse the mistakes you’ve made and allow them to haunt you and impair every thought that would otherwise be pondered in the context of a clear conscience and an optimistic disposition. You can instead lose those chains that keep you shackled to your shame and let Christ restore and renew that mindset that sees first the empty tomb before your list of wrongs (Heb 10:22).

You have the option to ignore His Instruction and dismiss the Resources He offers, but not without the Holy Spirit creating within you a desire to make things right – not just with those who you have wronged, but with the One that is ultimately offended with every sin you commit (2 Sam 12:13; Jn 16:8; 2 Cor 7:9-10).

You can make it right, you can lose your chains – but you’ve got to ask for Forgiveness in the context of the mechanics outlined in the Word of God: Real confession, genuine reverence and intentional reprentance.

Short of that kind of approach, you’re pursuing a pointless imitation of humility (Jas 4:10) that masquerades as piety but, in the end, is nothing more than a resolve to maintain one’s self as your only absolute (2 Tim 3:5).

But, when you do draw to the throne of Grace, with confidence (Heb 4:16) and a single mindedness to “turn from you wicked ways” (2 Chron 7:14; Jas 4:7-10), you receive more than you could ever hope for and more than any of us could ever deserve.

Those are the Mechanics of Forgiveness!

Mechanics of Forgiveness | Part III

Slaves to Sin

In Romans, it says that prior to submitting to Christ, we are “slaves to sin…”

15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. (Rom 6:15-18 [see also Jn 8:34])

Being a slave to sin doesn’t mean that you have no moral restraint – that you automatically submit to your most base impulses.

What it does mean is that you are governed by a paradigm that is fundamentally flawed. Whatever you do springs from a mindset that sees itself as its own absolute:

“There is no one righteous, not even one; 11there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” 13 “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The poison of vipers is on their lips.” 14“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” 15“Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16ruin and misery mark their ways, 17 and the way of peace they do not know.” 18“There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Rom 3:10-18)

Again, it’s not the sin itself that makes it the heinous thing that it is, as much as it’s Who you’re sinning against. Given the Substance and the Absolute Authority of Christ, to ignore Him represents a level of arrogance that is nothing short of nonsensical. Yet, that is our natural state prior accepting God’s free gift of Salvation (Eph 2:8-9).

After you’re saved, Scripture says you’re now “slaves of Christ (1 Cor 7:22; Gal 2:4; Eph 6:6).”

We associate the word “slave” with something inhumane. But in the ancient world, there was a relationship that sometimes existed between a slave and his master that reprented a special bond:

In ancient times, slaves were purchased or born into a slave family and served the master until they died or until the master decided to free them. Some slaves had developed such a close and loving relationship with the master’s family that they wanted to continue serving, even when they could go free. That’s the idea Paul and others were conveying when they referred to themselves as servants of Christ. The Lord has bought us with a high price (1 Corinthians 6:20), and those who come to know Him desire to abandon all rights to Him and choose to serve Him faithfully.1 

It’s not about whether you’re “nice” or “generous.” It comes down to your regard for the One Who created you and redeemed you and the extent to which you value His Love (1 Jn 3:1), respect His Authority (1 Chron 29:10-12; Ps 103:19; Is 40:21-23; Daniel 4:34, 37; 1 Jn 1:2-4) and rather than looking for ways to justify yourself, instead you’re looking for ways to honor Him.

Click here to read “The Mechanics of Forgiveness | Part IV.”

1. “What Does it Mean to be a Servant of Christ?” “Got Questions”, https://www.gotquestions.org/servant-of-Christ.html, accessed July 26, 2023