You committed murder. You are guilty. You are sentenced to die. You stand before the judge. Your sentence is read aloud. The judge is about to administer your sentence. He begins:

“You know you are guilty.”

“Yes, your honor, I stand before this court guilty as charged.”

“In your case,” states the judge, “justice demands death.”

“I understand. I am prepared to die for my sins, your honor.”

The judge drops his head. His voice barely audible, he lifts his eyes and looks directly at you.

“Will you allow someone else to die for you?”

Could you have misunderstood him?

“What did you say?”

“I asked you if you would allow someone to die for you.”

It’s your chance. You must take it! How can you refuse? But, ultimately pride prevails.

“No. I would never allow anyone to do that for me. I could not. I will not, your honor.”

“What if he already did?”

“What do you mean?”

“Last night, my son…” the judge’s voice breaks with emotion. He eventually gathers himself and continues, “Last night…my son…came up here. He offered to pay your debt. I allowed him to give his life for you. He was executed in your place. All I ask is that you accept his death as payment for your sins. Do so, you walk away free with one stipulation. You must sin no more. Insist on dying anyway, I will kill you myself. That would be the greatest insult to me, personally. It would be the ultimate insult to my son.”

A hush falls over the courtroom. Everyone is looking at you. The judge’s tear-filled eyes fix on your face.

What will your answer be?

I was reading on Rosie's blog and it got me to thinking about my perfectionism. (Thanks Rosie!) There are some good things about being a perfectionist and some very bad things. Can we talk?

Perfectionism is good when it drives me to do my best. It can keep me striving upward! Also, it can help me encourage others to do their best. I think public schools fail students by allowing them to opt out for mediocre teachers and classes. These students get a shock when they get to the university! (That's why so many universities have to offer remedial courses for incoming freshmen! But, I digress.)

The bad side of perfectionism is when it makes me too hard on others and myself. No one is perfect. I shouldn't expect too much. That sets me up for disappointment. I have to stop expecting more than others and myself are capable of doing.

Another downside to my perfectionism is that it never allows me to take a break. Each time I break for lunch, or needed rest, a force drives me to get back to work! I hate that! It used to make everyone not want to work with me because when I was "on task" I wouldn't stop for anything or anyone! I couldn't multi-task. I couldn't delegate. I didn't think anyone would do as good a job as I would do. That was not good. I hated it. I'm glad God has changed me.

Also, because of my perfectionism, I tended to be the constant critic. (I don't even like constant critics.) I would be especially critical of my wife and chilren, even when they were doing the best they could! This gave them the sense that I was impossible to please. So, they would just stop trying. That would frustrate me even more!This was not a pleasant time for us. I still have to remind myself to give 5-10 blessings (praises) for every criticism I offer. I'm getting better. (Thank you, Jesus!)

I think the worst side of my perfectionism is that it never allowed me to celebrate a victory. David faced Goliath because he could count past victories with God. He had reference points. This made him fearless. Whenever I used to do something good and tried to tell myself, deservedly, "That was a good job, Theophileous!" I would hear this opposing voice, "Well, it would have been even better if you would have done such and such!" Was that Satan, or just my perfectionism? Who cares! It's bad. We all need to celebrate our victories. We all need to take time to praise God!

The conclusion is that when I listen to God in me, more than I listen to myself, or anyone else, especially my perfectionism, it is better for all concerned. Pefectionism can be a counterfeit spirit. It's part of flesh. It can destroy me and my relationships if I do not constantly keep it in subjection to God. He transforms it into a force for his good.

Now, get back out there and get to work you slacker!

Hebrews chapter 11 is called the Hall of Fame of Faith. Here the faithful are listed and faith is given a face. These are real persons facing a crises of faith and proving themselves faithful. God grants them his approval and his paradise. It is a snapshot into the lives of ordinary persons with simple, trusting faith. These are average individuals who, when challenged, show that faith can overcome anything. Here are few of my impressions as I look over this chapter.

-God is no respecter of persons.

-Being known by God is better than knowing of God.

-Persons deemed insignificant in the eyes of men may be highly significant in the eyes of God.

-God takes a person where he is and asks him to simply trust him.

-When persecution comes, it is not so much the size or reputation of the man that matters. What matters is the size of the man’s faith in God.

-When the going gets rough, the faithful keep going.

-Worship and sacrifice result from faith.

-Second-hand faith doesn’t cut it.

-Faith in God gets you through when all else fails.

-Faith in God brings reward. Faith in people brings heartache.

-Faith in God causes ordinary persons to do extraordinary feats and demonstrate courage in the face of horrible evil.

There is one person obviously missing from this list in Hebrews 11. It is Solomon. Where is Solomon? He was the wisest man that ever lived. Just proves to me that faith is not given out according to intellect, it comes as a prize with a humility snack pack.

Prior to the universe existing, the atheist asserts that there was no God, no space, and no time. Reasoning persons ask, “What then was the cause of the universe coming into existence?” We know this:
1) Whatever begins to exist has a cause.
2) The universe began to exist.
3) Therefore, the universe has a cause.

The atheist believes in nothing. He believes nothing begat something. He asks reasonable persons to intellectually accept his faith in nothing.

Jesus claimed to be God. Jesus claimed to be the cause of all things. I believe Jesus. I believe Jesus proved himself to be God by raising himself from death. God alone gives life. God alone causes something “to be” from something that is not yet. God alone breathes life into lifeless matter.

I’m glad the Creator of the universe ordered this chaos. I’m glad he sustains to predictability. I cannot imagine walking in my pasture fearing that some male lion or bull elephant might suddenly “pop” into existence in front of me. I cannot imagine speeding down the freeway and having some matter (of significant size) manifest itself directly in my path, at any moment! Yet, this is the ridiculous claim of the atheist who asserts that the universe “came into existence” from nothing.

Intellectually, it is more reasonable to believe in a Supreme God as the cause and sustainer of all we see.

The game is in progress. Others have played. They either won or lost. You have joined the game. It is your bet.

Either God exists, or God does not exist. Make your choice. If your reason is not violated in making either choice, then choose the one that maximizes your happiness.

If you bet God does not exist and you win, you win nothing. If you bet God does not exist and you lose, you lose everything. You will face God and his just wrath, infinite pain.

I bet God exists. If I win, infinite happiness. If I lose, nothing. This seems most reasonable to me. It maximizes my joy.