Author: Scott Chafee

Scott serves on staff at King’s Grant Baptist Church in Virginia Beach.

Forgiveness and Grace

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I’ve come to understand that Justice is getting what one deserves, mercy is not getting what one deserves and that grace is getting something that we definitely do not deserve. It is unmerited favor, something that only God can do. The closest we can come is probably being a parent; we do things for this little person that they do not deserve, but we do them for no other reason than because we love them. If we desire to become more like Christ (Romans 8:29), we must learn to grow in forgiveness and grace.

Quotes:

Forgiveness is the final form of love. — Reinhold Niebuhr

The world can do almost anything as well as or better than the church. You need not be a Christian to build houses, feed the hungry, or heal the sick. There is only one thing the world cannot do. It cannot offer grace. — George McDonald

I rejected the church for a time because I found so little grace there. I returned because I found grace nowhere else. — Philip Yancey

We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies. — Martin Luther King, Jr.

Sincere forgiveness isn’t colored with expectations that the other person apologize or change. Don’t worry whether or not they finally understand you. Love them and release them. Life feeds back truth to people in its own way. — Sara Paddison

Top 10 Ways to Grow in Grace:

  1. Be quick to acknowledge sin and guilt.
  2. Live in the confidence of your divine ownership.
  3. Easily receive God’s forgiveness that invites you into intimacy.
  4. Stop trying to earn God’s favor when you already have it.
  5. Reject false guilt; the enemy’s favorite lie.
  6. Take every opportunity to overlook the failures of others.
  7. Call attention to people’s potential, not their faults.
  8. Speak the truth in gentleness and love.
  9. Don’t pretend to have your life all neatly together.
  10. Be quick to forgive and slow to offend.

Trust and Faith

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The essence of the Christian life is faith and trust. It’s one thing to simply believe the right stuff about Jesus but it totally another thing to live a life worthy of being called a Christian. Trusting God that He wants the best for you and any restrictions are for our benefit. Trust is a learned skill, and is something that is earned. The most we trust God, the more we come to realize that He is worthy of our trust (Jeremiah 29:11).

Quotes:

Jesus says that the root of anxiety is inadequate faith in our Father’s future grace. As unbelief gets the upper hand in our hearts, one of the effects is anxiety. The root cause of anxiety is a failure to trust all that God has promised to be for us in Jesus. — John Piper

The one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible. — Thomas Aquinas

Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted in spite of your changing moods. — C. S. Lewis

Top 10 Places in Life That Require Trust:

  1. Prayer: knowing that He’s there and hears every word. Even the ones you have not said.
  2. Friendships: knowing that He can sustain the ones that matter.
  3. Parents: knowing that He can bring understanding and respect.
  4. Children: knowing that they are held by stronger arms than yours.
  5. Church: knowing that God is bigger than problems and messes.
  6. Personality: knowing that He is changing you and unlocking your true self.
  7. Career: knowing that God is preparing you for important things.
  8. Finances: knowing that God is absolutely committed to your supply.
  9. Destiny: knowing that your journey has a good destination (John 14:3).
  10. Your life: knowing that God will finish what He has started (Philippians 1:6).

Determining Destiny

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One of the chief goals of parents is to help our children make good decisions. If we get that right, the children just might turn out OK. Anyone who is trapped in some sort of vice or addiction probably is not that good at making decisions. When it comes to following God versus walking my own path, while it may come down to commitment, there is also a decision making process that must be utilized.

Quotes:

One of life’s greatest tragedies is a person with a 10-by-12 capacity and a two-by-four soul. — Kenneth Hildebrand

God has created me to do him some definite service; he has committed some work to me which he has not committed to another. I have my mission. — John Henry Newman

Top 10 Ways to Make Good Decisions:

  1. Invite counsel from trusted people within your spiritual community.
  2. Let God reshape or amplify the desires in your heart.
  3. Look for your story inside of God’s story throughout the Bible.
  4. Pay attention to God’s still, small voice.
  5. When unsure or confused, wait for confirmation.
  6. Pursue the vision God has given until more comes.
  7. If God isn’t speaking, go back to # 1.
  8. Look for God to confirm His will in several ways.
  9. Capitalize on both the mistakes and the victories of the past.
  10. Listen constantly, trust unceasingly and act boldly.

Cultivating Courage

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I believe that God is calling for people of faith to courageously stand up for Him and His mission without the fear that binds us and drags us down to a level of mediocrity. Life is meant to be lived with boldness, not like a beer commercials but His faithful walking with the confidence that God is real, He has revealed His truth and will to us, and has given us a mission to accomplish.

Quotes:

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. — Winston Churchill

Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened. — Billy Graham

Decision is a risk rooted in the courage of being free. — Paul Tillich

Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. — C. S. Lewis

Research has shown that one’s thought life influences every aspect of one’s being. Whether we are filled with confidence or fear depends on the kind of thoughts that habitually occupy our minds. — John Ortberg

Top 10 Steps to Cultivate Courage:

  1. Identify your calling.
  2. Identify your fears.
  3. Consider how your fears will thwart your calling.
  4. Consider the authority of Christ over your fears.
  5. Trust God’s ability rather than your limitations.
  6. Decide whether you want a life of compliance or rebellion.
  7. Always choose obedience in the face of fear.
  8. Join forces with other of similar calling.
  9. Remind yourself that God’s side wins.
  10. Embrace the adventure of a life of significance.

Fostering Contentment

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It’s hard to be humble and satisfied living in America. Madison Avenue would have us believe that life is not worth living without the product they are selling; the car, boat, makeup, jeans, beverage… How can we learn to be content?

Quotes:

Most of us are alcoholics when it comes to material things. — Rich Nathan

Contentment is a pearl of great price, and whoever procures it at the expense of ten thousand desires makes a wise and happy purchase. — John Balguy

If we have not quiet in our minds, outward comfort will do no more for us than a golden slipper on a gouty foot. — John Bunyan

God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him. — John Piper

Top 10 Ways to Practice Holy Happiness:

  1. Allow your inner peace to shape your circumstances, not vice versa.
  2. Explore the concept of delighting in the person and ways of God.
  3. Hold your desires loosely until confirmed by God’s spirit.
  4. Meditate upon the kingdom abundance and favor that belong to you.
  5. Search out the sacrament of the present moment.
  6. Learn to ask, “what is God up to in this circumstance?”.
  7. Differentiate between what is right and what is comfortable.
  8. Rest in the security that God work all things for good when you are called according to His purpose.
  9. When you are confused or disappointed, trust.
  10. Find your greatest satisfaction in fellowship with you Father.

Church and Community

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People today need a place to belong before they come to believe. The church is the body of Christ gathered for worship, fellowship, discipleship and missions. We grow in Christ together, not separated from one another. Many believers would like to recapture what the early church experienced, but how? It takes being real, and vulnerable, taking off the mask and connecting to another person at a meaningful level. This sounds very risky; are you willing to take the risk?

Quotes:

A striking feature of worship in the Bible is that people gathered in what we would call “holy expectancy.” They believed that they would actually hear the voice of God. It was not surprising to them that the building in which they met shook with the power of God. — Richard Foster

Rather than growing bigger churches, we should be concerned with growing bigger Christians. — Rich Mullins

In the essentials-unity; in the non-essentials-freedom; in all things-love. — John Wesley

Top 10 Ways to Build Community:

  1. Use self-disclosure to get real.
  2. Listen more than you talk.
  3. Ask good questions to uncover meaning.
  4. Have fun! Don’t make everything overtly spiritual.
  5. Use your spiritual gifts to encourage others.
  6. Balance activity inward, outward and upward.
  7. Serve those outside your community as a community.
  8. Share the significant issues of your past.
  9. Probe one another’s dreams for the future.
  10. Love one another practically and consistently.

Sustaining Commitment

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Another one of those basic needs for a new (or long time) believer is to become committed to the faith he professes. Walk the walk, don’t just talk the talk. While God never promises a life of ease or that we will never find ourselves in the midst of turmoil, He does promise to go through the pit with us.

Hold fast to the commitments we have made to God and others. Don’t give up. I heard Dave Ramsey say just the other day, “Don’t Quit” to a seminar of 20 Entrepreneurs and leaders across the country.

Quotes:

Confidence thrives on honesty, on honor, on the sacredness of obligations, on faithful protection and on unselfish performance. Without them it cannot live. — Franklin D. Roosevelt

Obedience to the call of Christ nearly always costs everything to two people–the one who is called, and the one who loves that one. — Oswald Chambers

I do not pray for success, I ask for faithfulness. — Mother Teresa

I have found that there are three stages in every great work of God: first it is impossible, then it is difficult, then it is done. — Hudson Taylor

Top 10 Practices to Sustain Your Commitment:

  1. Worship: renew your vision of the one you love.
  2. Remembrance: remind yourself of God’s past faithfulness.
  3. Planning: set goals and strategies toward your spiritual calling.
  4. Prayer: cultivate intimacy with the one to whom you are committed.
  5. Fellowship: jointly own each other’s failures and successes.
  6. Study: use books and the Bible to equip and inspire.
  7. Solitude: reflect on your motivations for a life of faith.
  8. Faith: actively trust in the character and promises of God.
  9. Meditation: interpret the purposes of God in difficulty.
  10. Passion: put faith in motion to see the results of your commitment.

Discerning God’s Will

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One of the foundational desires for a new believer is to discover God’s will, but the question posed is generally something like, “What is God’s will for my life?” I submit that we often ask the wrong question. We should rather ask, “What is God’s will?'” and then realign our lives in that direction. I don’t buy that God has a specific will all drawn out for each person. He has set into place a series of principles for us to follow and it is up to us to discover how to follow Him in obedience. (I can write a whole lot more on the topic, but will save that for another time).

Quotes:

Shine. Make ’em wonder what you’ve got. Make ’em wish that they were not on the outside looking bored. — Steve Taylor, Newsboys

Your career should be true to your inner wiring, your set of gifts and abilities, your passions. Otherwise, it’s just a job. — The New Rebellion

We serve God by serving others. The world defines greatness in terms of of power, possessions, prestige, and position. If you can demand services from others, you’ve arrived. In our self-serving culture with its me-first mentality, acting like a servant is not a popular concept. — Rick Warren

The Top 10 Tools for Discerning God’s Will:

  1. Prayer – bring your concerns and confusion to God.
  2. Listening – tune in to the responses from His heart.
  3. Community – hear God’s perspectives from those who know you best.
  4. Counsel – receive illumination from your spiritual authorities.
  5. Scriptures – look for God’s direction from His reveled Word.
  6. Passion – recognize the deep longings God has planted in you.
  7. Gifting – release the unique abilities God placed within you.
  8. Opportunity – consider the natural doors God opens supernaturally.
  9. Joy – welcome the Spirit’s confirming presence upon right choices.
  10. Confirmation – find where the above tools converge.

The New Rebellion

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I found a provocative book called The New Rebellion Handbook: A Holy Uprising Making Real the Extraordinary in Everyday Life. Here are but a few thought provoking items from it. I would encourage all who seek to join this army to purchase the book and support the authors.

Rebellion occurs when oppression reaches a level that we can no longer tolerate in good conscience. It occurs when our vision for extraordinary living is more compelling than our urge for comfort. Materialism numbs us while distraction and apathy work on us from the inside.

The new rebellion is calling today’s generation, people who are disillusioned with the MTV culture and half-hearted Christianity. This rebellion equips us with powerful tools for partnering with God to change His world. This rebellion is for those who are intensely passionate about Jesus and are determined to live a purposeful life. We have a nothing-is-impossible mindset. Jesus is not meek and mild, but mighty and wild!

The book has 24 real-world, cutting-edge themes of life. This book is a wealth of resources; fresh ideas, Web sites, book, music, stories from ancient and contemporary figures (rebels themselves) who offer a compelling invitation into kingdom purpose. I’ll share the information here over the next few weeks.

The Top 10 Reasons to Join the New Rebellion:

  1. You are intensely passionate for Jesus and His kingdom.
  2. You really want to live a life of eternal significance.
  3. You resent the apathy that derails many of Jesus’ followers.
  4. You’re willing to swim against today’s social currents.
  5. You know God is already stirring your heart for action.
  6. You’re looking for tools to empower your purpose.
  7. You want to live out God’s ancient wisdom in a relevant way.
  8. You desire to experience God and invite others into that experience.
  9. You’re absolutely dedicated to Christ’s lordship in your life.
  10. You’re ready to move in the power and authority of God.

The information listed in this category is from the book.

Cross-Cultural Values

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Cross-cultural is not just experiencing another culture overseas or across town. We also desire to embrace the culture of the cross, which may be described in the following 12 values that all believers should embrace…

Cross-Cultural Values: 1 Peter 2:11

We are essentially aliens and strangers in this present world, so we desire to effectively model and communicate the values and cultural norms of the cross (the culture of the cross) rather than of the world (or American culture).

“For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” 1 Corinthians 2:2

[Values guiding my relationship with my God]

1. Savior-centric

Focusing on Jesus in my internal life and my external communication. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the initiator and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame… Hebrews 12:2-3 – Is Jesus the center of my thoughts and conversations? Do I revolve around Him?

2. Submission

Consistently asking the Master what He wants and then simply doing it. “During the days of Jesus life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.” Hebrews 5:7 – Is there anything I am unwilling to do for Him?

3. Sanctification

In his power and for His glory living a life that is “set apart” by His Spirit, according to His character, for His purpose. “it is God’s will that you should be sanctified…” 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 – What percentage of my personal life and my ministry are a work of the Spirit?

4. Sacrifice

Continually offering my life to Him as an act of worship. “I urge you brothers in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices holy and pleasing to God” Romans 12:1 – Is my whole life a sacrifice or do I see it as specific, intermittent acts?

[Values guiding my relationship with the world]

5. Supplication

In humility sharing my needs with the Father and trusting Him to take care of me. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6 – Are all my finances, family, future, health, and other concerns turned over to Him?

6. Satisfaction

Trusting God’s provision in all situations and learning to want what I have. “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:11-13 – Am I satisfied with what He is providing for me and do I want what I have?

7. Self-denial

Choosing at my own initiative that which pleases Him rather than what pleases me. “If any man would come after me, first he must deny himself take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:23 – What am I intentionally and willingly giving up for Him today?

8. Suffering

Joyfully joining in suffering because I know its redemptive value for others and myself. “Do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ…” I Peter 4:12-13 – Do I expect to suffer as a Christian? Do I follow Him up to the boundary of suffering and then hold back? Am I upset with Him when I suffer?

[Values guiding my relationship with others]

9. Selfless love

Laying down my life wholly for the benefit of others and expecting nothing in return. “No man has greater love than this: that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 – Do I love when it will not be returned and when it is costly?

10. Sympathy

Allowing my heart and hands to be guided by God’s concern for those in need. “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress… If one of you says to him, `Go, I wish you well’, but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?” James 1:27, 2:16 – Have I become hardened by the overload of needs around me?

11. Saltiness

Developing and sharing a savory (Saviory) flavor in order to influence the stew. “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:6 – Is my life salty enough to evoke questions about Him and am I ready to answer?

12. Servant-leadership

Serving others… the motive, the style, and the content of leadership. “the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them… Not so with you.” Matthew 20:25-26 – Am I willing to serve? To be treated as a servant?