The Definition Of A Fanatic

Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.” [Mark 12.41-44] 

It's not the measure of what is given, but the measure of what it costs us that counts in Kingdom terms.

Why?

The more (percentage-wise) we give to God and His Kingdom, the more we trust Him. To give God everything is to trust God implicitly. To give to God sparingly is to trust Him sparingly... and that is where the problem lies because God is unapologetically all-or-nothing in regard to where we place our faith:

“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. [Exodus 20.2-7]

Jesus did not come to relieve mankind of the demands of Exodus 20.2-7, but rather to "flesh them out:" 

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24]

In a world full of "solutions," we must decide today if we trust God implicitly or sparingly. As harsh as it may sound, to trust in man's solutions to any degree is idolatry. Every degree that we trust man's idols is a degree that we do not trust God. It seems though that God (as revealed by Jesus) consistently requires one hundred percent or nothing.

The only thing that proves my devotion to God more than my willingness to give one hundred percent, is to give up my own way, take up my cross and follow Jesus - to actually lay down my life for His Kingdom.

Following His time on earth, Jesus, Who rose from the dead, went back to heaven to be seated at the Father's right hand. So significant is it when a person lays down their life for the Kingdom that Jesus would stand to His feet from His sitting position:

But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. [Acts 7.55]

So, we'd better believe Jesus noticed the widow giving all she had... nothing more clearly declares undivided, unreserved, unadulterated, idol-free faith in God ALONE than to give Him everything. 

In conclusion of Jesus' parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18, Jesus asked a pertinent question:

But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?” [Luke 18.8]

Could Jesus have already answered this question elsewhere?

“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. [Matthew 7.13-14] 

Anyone who takes the Bible seriously (as opposed to religiously) meets all the criteria of a fanatic. It was pure fanaticism for the woman to give her last two coins away. It was pure fanaticism for Stephen to give his life. But, at the end of the day, and, if the Bible is indeed true, there is no question, according to the one hundred percent faith demands of the Bible, about whether or not these two are in heaven with God at this moment. 

Do we dare live to a degree any less than that of a fanatic?

The sad truth is, most people determine for themselves that their faith is sufficient for God's grace. Even among those who profess to be Christ followers, few even give ten percent of their income to God, and even fewer (if any at all) give away all. Any reason however that a person holds back anything from God is an idol.

Of course, religion comes to our rescue with explanations why we should not be fanatics... or, to be more Biblically accurate... religion comes to our damnation...

The ENTIRE story of the Bible is God's desire for fellowship with man. That undeserved gracious call to fellowship with God, defined throughout the Bible, is answered only with pure, undivided, unreserved, unadulterated, idol-free faith in God ALONE by "Way" of Jesus Christ. God said it unapologetically. Jesus said it unapologetically. A fanatic believes it unapologetically. 

Religion however misleadingly says, "God knows your heart" as if that makes adulterous, idolatrous, faithlessness okay, while religious but Bible-ignorant people self-determine that their heart-intentions are "good."

But here is what God says about that:

This is what the LORD says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the LORD. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land. “But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due  rewards, according to what their actions deserve.” [Jeremiah 17.5-10]

All this fuss over two small coins... that has to be the definition of a fanatic. 

Father, Your Word is no lie. May we be found giving up our own way, taking up our cross, and following Jesus. May we see the widow's example in Mark 12.41-44 as our model. So be it.

Grace And Holiness (Parable Of The Wedding Feast)

Jesus also told them other parables. He said, “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come! “So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!’ But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them. “The king was furious, and he sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their town. And he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren’t worthy of the honor. Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.’ So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests. “But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply. Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ “For many are called, but few are chosen.” [Matthew 22.1-14] 

This story is about grace and holiness.

It is the grace of God that calls all men to the wedding feast.

It is holiness that gives them the right to be there.

Giving up our own way and taking up our cross is the attire required for the wedding feast of the Kingdom of God.

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24]

That's it.

Father, Your Word is really quite clear on the topic of Your undeserved invitation (grace) that requires proper attire (holiness). Help us to see how this story not only indicts the people of Jesus' day, but also us today. May we be found giving up our own way, taking up our cross, and following Jesus. So be it.

Everyone Wants To Believe Their Faith Is Okay

When Jesus returned to the Temple and began teaching, the leading priests and elders came up to him. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?” “I’ll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question,” Jesus replied. “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?” They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask us why we didn’t believe John. But if we say it was merely human, we’ll be mobbed because the people believe John was a prophet.” So they finally replied, “We don’t know.” And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things. [Matthew 21.23-27] 

Religion is no different now than religion was in Jesus' day: it sidesteps God's Word to "save face." Everyone wants to believe their faith is okay - including religious leaders.

The leading priests and elders mentioned in Matthew 21 above were not so concerned with what God's Word had said about the voice of one crying in the wilderness (Isaiah 40.3) and his call to a baptism of repentance. Instead, they were more concerned that they did not speak against John for fear of losing control of the people. They would not admit their own need for repentance and yet they would not decry John either. Religion, in this way, "rides the fence."

Modern religion is no different than what Jesus faced in this account from Matthew 21.

There are two basic schools of thought that make up the religious world today: 1) those who claim miracles are for today, and 2) those who claim miracles are not for today. Both sides of this issue are as ridiculously hypocritical as the leading priests and elders Jesus encountered.

First, those who claim miracles are for today make a huge fuss about "standing in faith." But when it comes down to circumstances that are not solved miraculously, they eventually line up at the doors of the industries of man (finance, insurance, medicine and technology) just like everyone else. When hardship, suffering, or death are on the line, faith goes out the window.

Secondly, those who claim miracles are not for today insist that God allows circumstances of sickness, disease, poverty and the likes as a way for those experiencing them to "grow." But, what do those who experience these circumstances do? They immediately go to the same doors of the industries of man... again, just like everyone else, to remedy that which "their faith" insists is an opportunity for spiritual growth. And again, when hardship, suffering, or death are on the line, faith goes out the window.

Of these two basic schools of thought, neither stands by their "faith" when it comes down to it. Both eventually or immediately bow to man-made idol industries having neither a testimony of faith to live or a testimony of faith to die (Hebrews 11 - all of it). And then they wonder why people become so disillusioned with "the Church." When they are finally questioned (as Jesus questioned the religious leaders in Matthew 21.23-27) they all eventually reply, "we don't know."

The religious leaders Jesus encountered didn't know the answer to His question because they did not know God - they had His Word, but they did not apply it. When it came down to putting God's Word to practice, they deceptively said, "we don't know." Instead of repenting (as John demanded - and as was prophesied) they resisted. However, they refused to go on record against John because they didn't want to lose their power over the people. "We don't know" they said, because they just needed people to keep coming to church. It's no wonder Jesus called them hypocrites and a brood of snakes.

The same religious, hypocritical, brood of snakes today (directly or indirectly) sends people to the idol industries of man because they do not want to commit to the faith they claim to have (whether faith to live or faith to die) - ultimately, neither stands by the "faith" they promote.

The Word of God gives every believer the right (the authority) to live by their faith or to die by their faith. But God's Word NEVER authorizes man to "take care of himself" by turning to idols he made for himself. When faced with the truth of God's Word, the religious leaders Jesus faced off with sheepishly lied, "We don't know." When faced with the truth of God's Word, the religious leaders of our day sheepishly lie, "We don't know" because "to know" would indict their so-called faith (whether to live or to die).

Everything Jesus' life and ministry teaches us is concisely stated in the following:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24]

Yes, everyone wants to believe their faith is okay, but is it?

Father, the truth of Your Word is that You demand that we trust in You without aid of idols. May we be found giving up our own way, taking up our cross, and following Jesus. So be it.

To Her, Jesus Was Already Dead

Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head. The disciples were indignant when they saw this. “What a waste!” they said. “It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.” But Jesus, aware of this, replied, “Why criticize this woman for doing such a good thing to me? You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me. She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.” [Matthew 26.6-13] 

This woman (Lazarus' sister Mary according to John's Gospel) acted upon the profound faith that Jesus would indeed die just as He said He would.

What this woman did not do was plead with Jesus to avoid Jerusalem. Nor did she try in any way to prepare Him for a fight. We have no record that she even spoke a single word to Him. Her act of anointing Jesus with expensive perfume, what people did to a deceased person after they died, indicated that, to her, Jesus was already dead.

Because however, the woman's actions were indicative of her belief in Jesus Christ as the Messiah, her belief that He was already dead also carried with it her profoundly timeless faith that He was already resurrected. The realization of this in any person would surely render them speechless and change their actions too.

Although faith certainly "speaks" in certain circumstances, profound faith doesn't need to speak - it merely "acts." And, when profound faith acts, it will be remembered.

Jesus said:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24]

No need for fanfare - no need for explanation...

Father, may my life be found in profound faith that conveys at a greater level than words - it conveys only by actions. May I be found giving up my own way, taking up my cross, and following Jesus. So be it. 

Jesus Said "Go" - Not "Stay And Grow"

When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” [Matthew 20.24-28]

Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side. “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’ “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.” [Luke 10.30-37]

After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them. [John 13.12-17]

But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.” [Acts 6.1-4] 

Let's be honest. The apostles did not really follow Jesus' example and teaching (first three passages above) regardless how we suppose Acts 6.1-4 was the model beginning of Church government. 

But what about Acts 6.5?

Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (an earlier convert to the Jewish faith). [Acts 6.5]

"Everyone liking the idea" is NOT confirmation of the Holy Spirit (it can be, but, more times than not, it is not) no matter how upstanding the men they chose were.

Yes, the local Church grew, but at what price? Jesus' most profound instructions prior to His crucifixion had nothing to do with growing a local body of believers. Instead, Jesus was very specific that His followers should "go."

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” [Matthew 28.18-20]

It should not surprise us that upon Stephen's being martyred (Acts 6.8 - 7.60), great persecution ensued and the local body of believers was ironically dispersed. If Stephen was a "deacon," (elected to serve tables), why was he preaching and performing miracles in the first place?

Although good things eventually came of the Church's early beginnings, we should not be so quick to interpret everything they did (just because it is in the Bible) as the perfect will of God (again, Jesus said, "go" - not "stay and grow."

What Jesus said would be of no consequence if He was not the manifestation of "Immanuel - God With Us." But, as we realize that seeing Jesus is seeing the Father (John 14.9), we should understand that anything we set out to believe should FIRST pass the test of Jesus' words. We should NEVER allow ourselves to "interpret" Jesus' words to fit any other narrative. Why? Because HE is the only Living Word of God!

How much more important then is it to understand Jesus' words in Matthew 16?

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24]

One cannot "follow" another who is not moving. Jesus said, "Go!" 

What is said here gives good reason to question everything the local institutional Church is today... How does it match up to Jesus' words? Do we fear where this conversation will take us?

Father in heaven, may we see the truth of Your Word as it is written, but understand its clarity as it was lived and spoken by Jesus. May we give up our own way, take up our cross, and follow Him. So be it.

Child-like Faith Is A Real Thing

One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left. [Matthew 19.13-15] 

Child-like faith is a real thing...

Adult reason and logic offer a plethora of explanations why many passages in the Bible do not actually mean what they say. One such often "explained" passage is:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24]

Another "big passage" in the Bible that often gets "explained" with adult reason and logic is ironically a story found in today's One Year Chronological Bible reading:

Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” [Matthew 19.21]

Interpretation of God's Word to meet any level of human comfort is the first step to idolatry. Over the centuries, religion has produced countless volumes of such "commentary" conveniently sidestepping the fact that Satan actually introduced the very first Bible Commentary himself utilizing such adult-like human reason and logic:

The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the LORD God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’” “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” [Genesis 3.1-5]

To obey God's Word, without interpreting it to match human comfort, is childlike faith. The Kingdom of God belongs to no one but those who receive it in childlike faith.

Father, I could write on for days about this subject, but it would only say what has already been said here... You don't need my adult reason or logic - You demand my childlike faith. May I then be found giving up my own way, taking up my cross, and following Jesus as a little child - believing every word from His mouth and every word from Your Word, the Bible. So be it.

A Lesson From An Unjust Judge

One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’” Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?” [Luke 18.1-8] 

Prayer: an address (such as a petition) to God or a god in word or thought.

This story is not about the widow or those who are persistent in prayer! Jesus said, "Learn a lesson from this unjust judge."

Wait... what??

While our persistence may indeed play a role, we must be very careful to understand that God moves because He is just - not because we are persistent. God is not a genie in a bottle who responds simply because we rub the bottle a certain number of times!

The key word in this illustration is justice.

Nowhere in the Bible is God's justice more on display than in the Ten Commandments. In particular, the first three of those Ten Commandments showcase justice:

“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. [Exodus 20.2-7]

Justice is defined by, and therefore reserved for use by, God ALONE.

We must understand that justice can be a "reward" to one and a "punishment" to another. It is the same justice, wielded by God, with different outcomes. The deciding factor in the outcome of justice is found in verse 8 above: "But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?"

Not just faith, but faith in God ALONE determines the outcome of God's justice. When God is not petitioned as God ALONE, the 2nd and 3rd Commandments reveal the problem and the just reward for that idolatry. Every sin known to mankind finds its root in the failure to observe the 1st Commandment - approaching God as God ALONE. Failure to comply with the 1st Commandment is idolatry (thus, the 2nd and 3rd Commandments become necessary).

There is a fine but critical line between persistence and God-pleasing faith. In fact, many define insanity as "repeating the same procedure over and over expecting different results." However, if immoveable, undeterred faith in God ALONE is repeated simply because there is no alternative (or, idol), God's just reward is assured. Why? Is it because of the petitioner's persistence? No! It is because of God's justice upon undivided faith!

The unjust judge, unjust as he was, realized one thing: the woman was fixated on him for the justice she required. She was "petitioning" nowhere else.

If the unjust judge could recognize singular focus by his petitioner - giving justice only to get her off his back, how much more does God recognize singular focus by His petitioners to ultimately enjoy eternal fellowship with them in His Kingdom?

Persistence with singular focus on God does not reveal insanity. Persistence with singular focus on God reveals God-pleasing faith that meets the full requirement of the first three Commandments.

The necessary persistence we should understand in Jesus' story was NOT about repeating the petition over and over insanely expecting a different result eventually... The necessary persistence Jesus pointed out was undivided (not-going-anywhere-else) faith - faith in God ALONE. Few are committed to this kind of faith even though Jesus demands it of anyone who would be His follower (as the only way to God):

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24]

The story of Luke 18.1-8 is not about persistence by itself. It is instead about God's just reward for those with undivided faith revealed by their persistence to (avoid every idol and) petition (pray to) God ALONE. Otherwise, Jesus would have said, "But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have persistence?"

In the end, everyone gets justice for what they have persisted in: most will receive the justice of eternal damnation for persisting to petition idols, but a few will receive the justice of eternal life for persisting to petition God ALONE by Way of Jesus Christ.

“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. [Matthew 7.13-14]

Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. [John 10.9] 

So, we should ask ourselves this pivotal question: "Am I persisting to petition idols (and maybe God too), or, am I persisting to petition God ALONE?" One is faith and the other is idolatry.

The interesting thing about this whole discussion is the first sentence of Luke 18.1-8: One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. To pray is to petition.

Are we petitioning (praying to) God? Or, are we petitioning (praying to) idols? Which one do we make petition of repeatedly?

Although we may indeed petition the "unjust judge" (any and every idolatrous alternative to God), the lesson from the "unjust judge" is that our prayer (petition) should be to God ALONE Who seeks faith (undivided faith is the only real faith): "But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?"

Father, help us to see that the "persistence" that petitions You ALONE can also be the same "persistence" but that insists on petitioning idols too. May we be found as those with singular faith in You when Jesus returns! May we be found giving up our own way, taking up our cross, and following Jesus as He leads us to You. So be it.