Are You An Imitation?

Are You An Imitation?

by | Feb 9, 2014 | Discipleship

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“Imitation is not just the sincerest form of flattery – it’s the sincerest form of learning.”

― George Bernard Shaw




The word “imitation” often has a negative connotation – whether we think of imitation designer clothes that don’t look as good as the real items,  imitation coffee or milk that doesn’t taste as good as the real thing, or many other examples.  Usually, the imitation is just not as good as the thing imitated, but there is one type of imitation that is perfectly acceptable  – in fact desirable:  when God Himself is involved in the process of imitation.

Check out this week’s article “Are you an Imitation?” on the Tactical Living page to see how God is making imitations and how you can get in on the plan!

On Not Rushing to Anger

by | Feb 7, 2014 | Problems, The Life of Jesus

All the Gospels tell the story of Jesus casting the money changers and animal sellers from the temple.  It’s a powerful story.  As you remember, when He found people keeping animals in the temple and making profit in various ways He reacted dramatically.  He overturned the tables of those who changed the common Greek and Roman money for Jewish coins (which were acceptable  for Temple offerings) and used a whip to drive out the animals and birds being sold there (for sacrifices), saying: “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” (John 2:16).

The picture painted in the Gospels is clearly one of Jesus displaying righteous anger at the way in which the temple was being polluted and commercially used, and at least one modern portrayal  of the story depicts Jesus as seeing the situation and flying into a sudden and furious anger.  It may be easy to imagine it that way, but the  Gospels actually show that nothing could be further from the truth. Mark’s account is particularly interesting in that it gives us extra information which shows that Jesus did not just act with natural  impulsive anger, but with a controlled anger based on prior thought.  

Alone of the Gospels, Mark adds this fascinating detail to the temple cleansing narrative.  After his humble but triumphant entry into Jerusalem, as recorded by the other Gospel writers, Mark tells us that “Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve” (Mark 11:11).  Then Mark continues, “The next day … On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there” (Mark 11:12-15).  It is clear from Mark’s addition that Jesus must have already seen the sellers and money changers in the Temple courts, but He chose to return to Bethany for the night – doubtless thinking and praying about what He had seen – before returning the following day to cleanse the temple. 

Jesus’ driving out of the animals and the money changers and salesmen was clearly the opposite of hasty, impulsive anger, and John’s Gospel adds yet a further detail that also shows this.   “In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money.  So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts…” (John 2:14-15).  The Greek indicates that the “whip” used by Jesus was made from the rushes used as the bedding for the animals and also indicates that he “plaited” the whip – combining multiple rushes into a serviceable whip – something that would have taken some time.  Once again we see that unlike the common picture of Jesus seeing the money changers and instantly driving them out in great anger, when He did return to the temple He actually took time to plait or weave the whip he used. 

So Christ’s behavior in this circumstance was the opposite of rushing to anger and provides a clear lesson for us.  Even in the most justifiable instances of provocation, we need to think and pray about how we should respond (James 1:19-20).  Rather than rushing to anger,  we too need to take the time to figuratively plait the rushes.
Friends Everywhere

Friends Everywhere

by | Feb 4, 2014 | Fellowship, The Church & the World

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One of the very encouraging things about running a website such as TacticalChristianity.org (or our sister site, LivingWithFaith.org)  is seeing the web traffic – people coming to the site from all around the world.

Our site receives visits from people as geographically far apart, for example, as the United States and Russia, the United Kingdom and Pakistan, Dubai and Zanzibar.  It’s good to think that although we are so scattered around the world, we are friends in the faith.   Many people may log on from areas where they have fellowship with Christian friends, others doubtless come to the site from areas where they feel alone as Christians and without that same feeling of friendship in the faith.  If you are in this latter category, realize that we think about you and that you do have friends here and around this world.  Although you may not see tangible connections any more than you can see the internet connections, they are there and you have friends at TacticalChristianity.org and among our readers everywhere.

We certainly welcome all of you coming to the site from distant areas – we think of you as our Russian friends, Zanzibar friends, or friends wherever you are, and want you to feel just as much a part of the site as our friends here in the United States.  If you have suggestions for material that would be helpful to you in your own circumstances, don’t hesitate to leave a comment at the end of this post.  We’ll be glad to provide needed subjects in the  postings and articles as much as we are able.  That’s what friends are for!
Cornelius – Centurion of Word and Deed

Cornelius – Centurion of Word and Deed

by | Feb 3, 2014 | Prayer, Service

“At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment.  He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.  One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said … “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God” ( Acts 10:1-4).

Two aspects of Cornelius’ faithful walk before God are shown in these verses – twice over: his generous gifts to the poor and his prayer.  Now I can’t prove it, but given the fact of Cornelius’ evident  concern for those with needs, the final verse in this section of scripture makes me think he was praying  for the poor as well as giving to the poor.  If that’s the case, I’m sure that the poor were not all Cornelius prayed about, but in any case, the story of  this centurion reminds us that prayer and giving are both important in helping others and in learning the spirit of true giving ourselves.  Just as we can give without concerned prayer, we can pray without actual giving, and in either case our concern is limited as well as our effectiveness.

This is a point the apostle James makes so clearly in his Epistle: “Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.  If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? (James 2:15).  It’s a vital combination:  we should not speak without doing.  James doesn’t suggest that our words of comfort are not important, just that they should not be alone.  This applies as much in terms of our words spoken in prayers, of course, as it does in our direct relations with others.

The Book of Acts shows us that Cornelius understood the importance of both speaking and doing.  He reminds us of that other centurion who told Jesus “… just say the word, and my servant will be healed.  For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it” (Matthew 8:8-9).   Both centurions understood the relationship between speaking and doing, both understood that speaking of itself is not enough. But while the one story stresses what God does as a result of our requests, the other story stresses what we should do as a result of our requests.  Words and deeds are always interrelated, in prayer as in other areas of Christian life, and the more we remember that, the more we can accomplish.

Leaders with Only Half of What They Need

by | Jan 29, 2014 | Leadership

A Barna Group survey, conducted last year, found a number of interesting things about the leadership concepts, identities and lifestyles of  the self-identified Christians who were surveyed.  The full study can be found at their site, and I recommend it highly if the topic is of interest to you.

For the purposes of this blog I would just like to consider one of the survey’s findings.  In the words of the survey report:

“More than half of Christians in this country identify themselves as leaders (58%). Yet, less than one-sixth (15%) say their primary leadership trait is integrity, the quality Christians were most likely to name as an important leadership trait.”

This finding is unsettling to say the least.  The survey report does not list in exactly what ways the respondents  identified themselves as leaders – whether at work, in church, other activities or in their homes, yet the outcome is the same – that the majority of Christians who felt they were in leadership roles did not think integrity was a primary trait for them.   Either most Christians have an overly developed sense of humility when considering their own integrity, or integrity just isn’t their primary trait. The survey indicated the latter.

Now the honesty here is a good thing, so I’m not faulting that.  Notice David’s words when he realized he had failed his leadership position in a matter of integrity: “… I have sinned; I, the shepherd, have done wrong…”  (2 Samuel 24:17); but this was an instance of failed integrity, not an accepted lack of integrity as a leadership trait.

Interestingly, the Barna survey  agrees with similar population-at-large studies done  in the business and political arenas.  Integrity is often not an issue that those who are in leadership positions would claim as being of primary importance. If we watch the news, we probably know that.  It is doubtless a symptom of the society and the age in which we live, yet it is one which we certainly should not find acceptable. 

I can’t help thinking about the parallel with David in this situation.  Although he readily admitted those occasions when his own integrity did fail, it is clear that as a leadership lifestyle he was committed to integrity:  “And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them” (Psalms 78:72).  Today, all too often we only expect skill in leadership – the “skillful hands” David mentions – as the requirement for leading.   But David’s example makes it clear that integrity is just as important – in fact, of course, he listed that trait first.