YOLO- Fake News

by chrisaiken | May 14, 2021 | Uncategorized

You Only Live Once...is the battle cry of the adventurous. Don’t live lives of quiet existence when you can experience zest, passion, and excitement! After all…You Only Live Once! 

A great battle cry…YES. True? NO! The fact is, we don’t only live once. There is life after this one…and it is more important than the one we are living. After all…it lasts for eternity! 

“Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. 

John 5:28–29 (NASB95) 

Jesus dealt with the YOLO attitude of His day as well. In a parable that appears in Luke 16:19-31, He describes a man who experienced every pleasure in this life only to die and experience torment. In juxtaposition, Lazarus suffered in this life but found peace in eternity. Jesus explained the point in the convictions of both men in eternity. Lazarus was at perfect peace while the other man exhibited great concern for his own well-being and for those he cared for, who were still living. It seemed that the man felt some sense of responsibility, perhaps due to his familial affections or perhaps in recognition of his influence on others who would soon follow him to eternal judgment. 

The truth is, no one only lives once. But only one life in eternity is worth living. Furthermore, it is what we do in this life that controls our destiny in the next. What we do in this life also, as Jesus’ parable makes clear, powerfully influences how well-prepared others are for their next life. 

If your life is all about the now, I want to tell you that it’s not too late (if you’re reading this), but you should act today. Jesus permits U-turns and desires for you to experience the very best He has to offer…in this life and in eternity. 

This article first appeared at Englewood Baptist Church as part of our e-connect devotional series.

Achieving Razor Sharpness

by chrisaiken | Apr 30, 2021 | Uncategorized

Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

There is a popular idiom that says, “He’s lost his edge.” What is meant is that someone was once the best and has diminished in some way. This can happen to anyone. I suspect it has been happening as long as people have dwelt on the earth. 

As Solomon spoke the proverb that we see in our text today, I imagine he had observed the same thing. Sometimes, men can fall a step behind in life. They grow comfortable, complacent, apathetic, or dull. No one sets out to be that way, but life has a way of slowly but surely dulling the fine edge that we are meant to have. 

This is true in athletics, in business, in relationships, and, yes, in spiritual matters as well. Therefore, sharpening is required if we are to hold our edge. Notice that it is not circumstance of life that are used to sharpen us, but other men. People help people remain sharp. Isolation permits us to dull, but regular interaction promotes a razor-sharp edge. 

This kind of sharpening requires time. It involves friction. It demands intentionality. I think that the Lord intended for church community to be a laboratory of sharpening. He expected that when people came together, there would be encouragement, accountability, confrontation, and consolation. What’s true is we were intended to be sharp, and isolation makes us dull. 

If you feel like you’re losing your edge, check your commitment to community. If it is lacking, the solution is clear. If you examine your blade and you are sharp, consider who in your circle is growing dull. Drawn near to them and ask God to allow you to be the sharpening stone in their lives. As you do, you both win. As iron sharpens iron, so ONE MAN sharpens ANOTHER. 

Originally published on April 30, 2021 as part of the E-Connect Devotion Series.

When the Lost are Found

by chrisaiken | Apr 17, 2021 | Uncategorized

“But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.”   Luke 15:32, NASB95

A parable is a heavenly story with an earthly application. In other words, the story brings attention to and clarity on a truth that is difficult to fully grasp in other ways. Jesus often taught in parables which is a testimony in itself of their effectiveness. 

I think that Luke 15 is one parable with several moving parts. The lost sheep, the lost coin, and the two lost sons all serve to point to a single truth: God loves reconciling lost things. The main actor in the parable is the Father as he is depicted in the searching shepherd, the seeking woman, and the Father who waits, welcomes, and rejoices. 

The chapter ends with an audacious claim: All of heaven rejoices with the lost is found! Now the centerpiece of heaven is God Himself. Everything exists to His praise. Honor, and glory. So, the picture of a celebrating God over the lost being found is spot on! 

Picture, if you will, the Father leaping to His feet and shouting “welcome home” over the deafening applause of every creature in heaven—every time a lost son returns home, a sinning daughter repents, and a wayward Pharisee turns toward grace. Heaven erupts with joy and celebration when the rebel is reconciled, when the enslaved is set free, when the lost is found, and when the wicked are redeemed. 

The point of the Lord’s parable of the Father is to remind us that we truly speak God’s “love language” (if you will allow me one more comparison) when we seek out the lost and gather them in to the family. 

Question: Is blessing the Lord in this way your priority for living? Is it your highest ethic of worship? Is it your missional focus every morning? Is it your commitment every day? If not, you can start over, today. 

Much love! Pastor Chris

originally published as part of the econnect devotions at www.englewoodbaptist.com/econnect.

The Secret to Living without Anxiety

by chrisaiken | Apr 9, 2021 | Uncategorized

“Do not fear, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the Kingdom.”  Luke 12:32, NASB

We are an anxious people. One thing that the recent pandemic has made clear is the rise of anxiety. Across all ages and stages of life, the circumstances of the day bring to light the fact that an ever-increasing number of people struggle with a lack of insight and a lack of control. 

This is not really unique to us in our generation. In reality, people from the past also struggled with the lack of control they had in the world. Further, we are never told to think otherwise! We are never told to rely on our control or to get better control of the world around us; rather; we are told to place our confidence in the One who never lost control of anything! 

Notice in this verse (which is a favorite of mine) a couple of key truths which bring me a great deal of comfort. 

• First, we are told to “fear not” or “do not fear.” God never instructs us to do the impossible; so, we discern here that it is possible to live without fear or anxiousness. 
• Second, we are reminded of our relationship. He is our “Father,” and we are His flock. Both of these powerful images remind us to trust our Shepherd King and our Father who guards and protects us. We are led to green pastures and still waters. Further, we are never abandoned in the in the dark valleys of the shadow of death. 
• Third, The Father has already chosen that our inheritance is the Kingdom. We cannot earn it; therefore, we cannot lose it. It is wholly His and therefore it is assuredly ours. 
• Finally, the Father does not do this begrudgingly, but gladly. He wants to give us the Kingdom. He wants to provide for us. He wants to care for us. He wants us to rely on Him. 

As a child, I learned to sing “He’s got the whole world…in His hands.” We can still trust in the truths of this song today. He does control it all and He desires to provide all we need from His own abundance. 

Originally published as part of the E-Connect devotional series at englewoodbaptist.com/econnect.

Upside-Down Importance

by chrisaiken | Mar 29, 2021 | Uncategorized

¹³And they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked them.¹⁴But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.¹⁵“Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” ¹⁶And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.

Mark 10:13–16 (NASB95)

This text, in my opinion, is one of the most significant teachings of Mark’s Gospel. In Mark 10:13-16 we find families bringing children to Jesus. The crowds (I imagine) must have been overwhelming. The disciples, being dutiful and godly men, were trying to prioritize Jesus’ time and ministry obligations. They went as far as to turn back the children (v.13), presumably because there were more important things for Jesus to be doing. 

“Permit the children to come to Me,” Jesus replied. He then embraced and blessed the children declaring that the Kingdom of God belonged to such as these. 

The disciples had a set of priorities. Jesus’ priorities were different. The Disciples had schedules. Jesus had different ideas. The disciples had a perspective of importance and Jesus had different ideas. 

We can all use some reflection on the principles in these verses. There are times when God brings opportunities (the children coming) and we can miss them because we had other things in mind. What might we be “missing” by trying to conform Jesus to our agenda rather than embracing His? 

This devotional originally appeared in the e-connect series at Englewood Baptist Church, Rocky Mount, NC