by Caleb Gordon | May 6, 2015
The other night I went in to pray with my youngest son, Noah (5 years old). I got down on my knees and knelt beside his bed…and I began to pray. I said ‘AMEN’ and he said, “Daddy, I wanna pray now.” I said “OK.”
He got out of bed and crawled up into my lap and laid his head on my neck, and he began to pray. He cried out to the Lord for all of his family, asking for their protection, to which I was verbally agreeing by saying “Yes, Father” or “AMEN.”
I need to tell you about a stuffed dinosaur. His name is ‘Steggie.’ He is a Stegosaurus, and he sits on Noah’s bed faithfully. Noah loves this goofy dinosaur. He places value on him, so therefore Steggie made it in Noah’s prayer time. Noah prayed out, “God please protect Steggie.” He went silent, almost like he was expecting something. All of the sudden I got a slap to the back of my head, and he said “Dad….say ‘YES FATHER.'” To which I quickly began to pray in agreement “Yes, Father protect Steggie.” Then he went on and finished his prayer.
You see, I’m teaching my son something. He believes that praying for others is important because I, as his father, have placed a high regard on praying for others. I know praying for a toy seems silly, but what it’s teaching him is that praying for everything is important. When we take time to show our kids we value the things of God, they will also place a high value on those things. I get that we can’t force our children to love Jesus, but when we show them that He’s our foundation, they are more likely to want to chase the things we chase. “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it” (Prov. 22:6).
Take time to pray with your children and show them who Jesus is. It just might change the whole dynamic of your entire family.
by Caleb Gordon | Apr 15, 2015
Matt. 5:13-16 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
There is no denying that our world is going at break-neck speed into Crazy Town. If you just turn on the news or visit a news web site you can read all about the antics and downright spookiness of our modern day.
The thing that is even more disturbing is the stats inside of the church:
- Eight out of 10 students WALK AWAY from church, Bible, and Jesus by the time they are 19 or 20.
- One out of two marriages end in divorce (this is inside the church).
- Church membership and commitment has dropped exponentially over the last three years alone.
WHY?
I personally think the main reason is that many in our churches are not truly taking what Jesus did for them as PERSONAL.
We have grown up in America, and for many of us have been in church most of our lives, and we’ve been to Sunday School and VBS, and we’ve heard the stories. We know that Jesus died on a cross, and three days later He came back to life. We’ve seen it in movies, and we have heard all about John 3:16.
What this all boils down to is that it’s familiar. Nothing is life-shaking. It’s just part of our routine. We love the idea of Jesus, but in reality, when push comes to shove, nothing about what we do in our lives is transforming. I speak this from personal experience. I was part of the ‘don’t rock the boat culture.’ Then I read this verse:
And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again (2 Cor. 5:15).
This caused a personal shift in me.
It made what Jesus did for me PERSONAL. It was not just some foggy far out there idea. I had a stake in this thing now. Jesus died for me – but not just died – He came back to life, and as a result of this, I’m JUSTIFIED before God the Father. I have right standing with God because of what JESUS did for me. All of my sins are forgiven. (Past, present, and FUTURE)
Now that causes me to see things in a totally different light.
It causes Matt 5:13-16 to take on a whole new life.
If we as Christians started truly being salt and light, what would it look like?
Salt does what? It preserves. It keeps things good. We should be known for persevering “good” in our culture. Not caving into the evil of our day.
What does light do? Light scatters and dispels darkness.
What are some tangible ways in which we can live this out?
1. Stop playing with sin. Don’t tiptoe around sin. We run from it. We confess it, repent of it.
2. Get into a community of other believers that push us towards holiness, and when we are pushed on, we need to be willing to expect that word.
3. Our conversations need to be different. Our focus is Gospel-Centered. No more idle chatter. We focus on the mission at hand.
4. Talking to people about Jesus needs to be become like second nature. Whether you’re at the gas station or grocery store, you talk to people about Jesus. Invite them into this thing called a RELATIONSHIP with Jesus.
5. Forgiveness should become just as natural as breathing. Don’t hold grudges. Regardless of the issue or circumstance, we FORGIVE! Jesus has forgiven you and me of much, so therefore we must forgive of much!
If we begin to live this out and start to take this thing personal, this is when things begin to transform. People begin to come alive for the Glory of God. Life is no longer boring; it’s an adventure every day! It becomes meaningful. You begin to have purpose, and as a result you are now living a BIBLICAL lifestyle, and that is what God wants for each of us.
by Caleb Gordon | Mar 23, 2015
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates – Deut. 6:5-9.
We live in a ‘Christian parent culture’ that, by process of elimination, is teaching by example. In and of itself, this is what we are called to do. We are to lead our kids.
We are to show them what it looks like to love Jesus. We are to show them what it looks like to love the church, and to truly be committed to the body local of Christ.
But there is a problem. The stats are showing something different. Eighty-plus percent of students are walking away from the church by the time they are seniors in high school. And there are blogs, articles, and books that attempt to address the “why,” but I think the biggest reason is because the parents are not truly living out Deut. 6:5.
We have adults that are professing to know and love Jesus, but they act as if they are atheists. Look at this COMMAND: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children…’
What are we to be teaching our children? Are we teaching them to pursue Jesus with everything, to make him the top shelf when it comes to our priorities? Are we teaching them that being active in the church is important?
The sad thing that is happening is that the average church member only makes around two church services (meetings) a month. This includes Sundays and Wednesdays. Church attendance is not what saves us, but it is an outward barometer that measures what we view as priorities.
If you, as a member of any other social organization only made two meetings month it would be deduced that you really did not think that this group was that important. Out of all organizations on the planet, the church should be one of the most cherish and loved above all else! What we are doing in the church WILL matter in 10,000 years.
You need to ask yourself the question, “Does what your recreational sports team is doing going to really matter in eternity? Is it more important than the things that Jesus has called us to do?”
I know the regular arguments: ‘We can be salt and light if we are in these areas.’ And the answer to that is YES WE CAN BE! But in all reality, 99.9 percent of the time we are NOT being salt and light. We don’t wanna rock the boat. We don’t want to truly engage on that level. So we remain quiet, or even worse, we dive head long into the realms of the people who are present with us and instead of showing the light of Jesus we just become exactly like the other lost people. So in all reality that excuse is not truly valid.
It’s been my experience with people that if folks are not coming to church or replacing church with other stuff and activates they are committing idolatry (i.e. they love this world, and the things of this world more than JESUS.) And just so you know, that ends badly for those people.
Our utmost commitment needs to be to Jesus Christ and the mission of Jesus, which is primarily executed in the local visible New Testament church. If you are devoting more of your time to any other organization or group, you are living un-biblically.
I think one of the major reasons atheism is growing in our culture is because men (fathers in particular) in the last 60 years or so have placed high regards on everything and anything, (sports, money, jobs, hunting, fishing, video games, etc.) but the things of God (Bible study, Church membership, being active in that biblical community, and prayer) have mostly been ignored. Because of this, it’s had a trickle effect on children, so we are seeing children now not just ignoring the things of God, but rather becoming hostile to the things of God. It’s time to change things! MEN (Fathers) WAKE UP! Take an active role in your child’s spiritual formation. How can we do that?
1. Make sure you are committed to a local Bible-believing church. What does that look like? You and your family are actually committed and active in that community, and not just on Sundays but throughout the week. Have other believers and church members in your home on a regular basis, and show your children what a healthy loving church community looks like.
2. Make time to have regular family prayer and Bible study together. This means taking time to get on your knees and pray with your wife and children. Open your BIBLE inside of your home, and encourage and lead your family to do the same!
3. Be committed to living the Gospel out in your city. This means, actually do something. Lead and encourage your children to do mission projects that actually will have an impact, and commit to helping lead others to Jesus Christ! What are we to be teaching our children? To make Jesus our EVERYTHING…and we should be chasing Him more than we chase anything else!
This verse sums it up. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you – Matt. 6:33.
by Caleb Gordon | Mar 2, 2015
So everyone last month (including me) flipped out over the 50 Shades of Grey movie that came out…but I got to thinking about it, this movie is just a symptom of the deeper problem.
Why are women running to this type of book and film?
Honestly I put the blame at the feet of men. WHY, men?
Because God has called men to lead, guide and protect women. For the last several decades that has not been the case at all. We actually have been taking advantage of women. We have not viewed them as daughters of God, but rather something to be consumed. Shame on US, men!! It’s sinful and wrong!
If men (husbands) would follow Eph 5:25-28, women would not be running by the millions to go see this type of filth and trash.
I am calling on CHRISTIAN MEN, in particular, to become ACTIVATED for the cause of Jesus Christ! Show your wife what it looks like to chase after the things of God. This is so much more important than anything else we can do as husbands and men.
When we chase after God, and bring our wives along with us in this journey, the marriage relationship completely transforms. If men would do this, women would no longer have a need or desire to run into the arms of this type of ‘entertainment.’
As my grandpa use to say: “If you’ve got a top shelf steak at the house, you won’t be running into town to get hamburger helper.”
If we transform the hearts of men we will change the destiny of the entire family.
by Caleb Gordon | Feb 10, 2015
When I was in high school I was plugged into the Christian community. I was a leader in a small group Bible study that met once a week, and I desired to know and serve Jesus. But there was a moment. I was sitting in a church service the fall of 1998, and I heard the pastor preaching on this text:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness” (Matt 23:27).
The Holy Spirit grabbed me by the shirt and shook me quite hard that day. I ran to the front of the church and told the pastor “I am a Pharisee….I need Jesus to save me.” I prayed and repented of my sins at that moment and ask Christ to come and transform my life, and He sure did!
Here is where many of the people in Christian culture have things a little messed up. I have been told by some well-meaning believers that once I give my heart to Jesus everything starts to get brighter and easier. For a little bit I believed that idea, because I was young and naïve.
When I was in my earlier 20′s I started to encounter trouble and tribulations. I had not really read James 1, so I was caught a little off guard when it happened. Nevertheless it happened.
By the age of 24 I was divorced, angry, bitter and full of contempt. What should have pushed me to my knees in prayer and a dependency on Jesus Christ, rather pushed me into addiction and bitterness.
What happened? I thought things were on the up and up, and I was going to be a part of better things?
The major issue is that the devil is like a lion roaming around seeking someone to devour (1 Pet. 5:8), and I did not do what the Bible called me to do in that first part of that verse (Be sober-minded; be watchful.) I was too busy playing games, and just coasting. Sure I was saved, and I had a strong desire to serve this Jesus who had saved me, but I did not take my own personal sin seriously. I did not take what Jesus Christ did for me on the cross as personal either.
The fact is that sin is deadly. Rom. 6:23 says that the wages of sin is DEATH. Sure I believed that, but not MY sin. I just make mistakes – well that’s exactly what the enemy wants us to believe. That’s when he POUNCES, and according to John 10:10 that’s when he comes to ‘steal, kill and destroy.’ And man did he ever. I was knocked out.
I was pretty much useless during this time in my life. I cared nothing for the things of God, because I was so blinded by my anger and pride that nothing else really mattered to me. All I wanted to do was partake in things that brought me pleasure and happiness. Never mind that there were men and women in my life who were trying to show me that Jesus was better than all the other junk I was chasing, but I thought I knew better. What was beautiful was the fact Jesus was pursuing me even during this time of my rebellion. He was bringing me back to himself.
One summer I was asked to join a friend of mine and lead worship at a church camp. I was VERY reluctant at first. I really did not want to be in that environment, but after some conversation I said yes, and helped lead worship! It was Tuesday night at the camp, and as the preacher was sharing out of the Word of GOD. I was sitting there thinking to myself: “This was insane! I am dating a woman who was everything that my parents and Jesus had said NEVER date this kind of woman! I drank on a regular basis. I watched porn on a regular basis, and here I am leading worship at a church camp!”
These students thought I was ‘Super Christian guy.’ I totally BROKE that night! The Holy Spirit throat-chopped me. It hurt! I let the guy who I was leading worship with just play, as I laid at the altar and sobbed and repented.
I went home and broke up with that girl and said enough is enough. I started trying to obey and follow Jesus. Now, this does not mean I was perfect. I still fell, and my old ways still kept trying to show back up, but this time I was quite aware of my sin. My heart broke when I would attempt go back. Jesus was there to show me that HE WAS BETTER!
When everyone else thinks you’re done, when you think that you have no worth and you’re useless, Jesus is there!
Psalm 139:1-6 “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.”
My sin DOES NOT SURPRISE God! He is not shocked by it. Rather He is quite aware of what you are about to do before you do it, and He still loves and cares for us. He draws us to Himself in order that we might find forgiveness and reconciliation. How amazing is that!? Even though you are flawed. In Jesus Christ YOU are not a failure!