Month: April 2024

Author Seth Godin introduced me to a new word in his book The Icarus Deception: How High Will You Fly? The word originates from the Cruft Lab, part of the physics department of Harvard. In Cruft Hall, old, discarded, or out-of-date equipment that had been lying about began to be called “cruft.”

Later, redundant, old, or improperly written computer code began to be called cruft. It’s unnecessary, leftover, or just poorly written code that can become useless or even harmful.

Even a good bit of information on the World Wide Web, such as this blog, could be considered cruft over time.

You can easily transpose this thought to other items. That junk drawer with so many miscellaneous objects. That bin of cords to long lost gadgets. That Blackberry that was so essential 20 years ago.

Much of what is in your garage and attic is probably cruft. So many things that at one time seemed to be pretty important but are now just forgotten under a pile of dust bunnies.

Even more crucial to consider, what about well-worn thoughts and habits that get in the way of us moving forward and growing? What about the sins and laziness and selfishness that keep us from being the best version of ourselves for the people around us?

Cruft comes in many forms indeed.

It’s difficult to get rid of cruft. We worry that we will need it someday—that errant cord that goes to, well, something, but we’re not sure what; that old kitchen tool that we’ve had so long but can’t remember when we’ve used it last; that book on the shelf that we haven’t looked at, maybe ever, but who knows when we’ll get a hankering to read it.

The cruft of thoughts, attitudes, and habits can be even harder to rid ourselves of. But sometimes jettisoning that cruft of our thoughts can be crucial to our growth and future.

“The art of moving forward lies in understanding what to leave behind.”

— Seth Godin

Let’s de-cruft our lives—clean it out, ignore it, and replace it with God’s Word and His thoughts about us. Let’s press on and leave the cruft behind.

“No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”

— Philippians 3:13-14 (NLT)

One of the most important practices that contributes to a growing Christian is Bible intake. The term Bible intake encompasses several different ways we can take in the Word of God, including reading, listening, meditating, memorizing, and studying. But there are four levels of bible intake, and all four are needed, although most of us stall out before getting to the fourth level.

LEVEL ONE: INFORMATION

Level one is taking in the information in the Bible. This is the most basic level. We are taking in the facts of the printed page of the Bible, including many basic thoughts, that could include context, author, audience, location, time frame, word meanings, and more. Whether reading or listening by ourselves, in a group setting, or in a church service, this is the starting point of Bible intake.

At this stage our minds are taking in what we read or hear. This is the Word heard.

“But who has stood in the council of the Lord,

That he should see and hear His word?

Who has paid attention to His word and listened?”

— Jeremiah 23:18 (NASB)

LEVEL TWO: INSPIRATION

The best way to describe level two is that of an “aha” moment. It’s when a light bulb comes on and you see something in the Scripture you never noticed before, or you make connections that you had never seen. It’s that moment of inspiration when the Word is no longer head knowledge. It comes alive and more real than before.

At this stage, not only is the mind taking it in, but the heart as well. This is the Word alive.

“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”

— Hebrews 4:12 (NLT)

LEVEL THREE: APPLICATION

It’s not enough to take in the information of the Bible and to be inspired by it. We must also apply it. We must not be merely hearers of the Word, but doers also. This is where the Word not only inspires us, but also affects us in our behavior. It causes us to do something with what we’ve read. People should see a difference in us because of the intake of God’s Word.

It’s not just taking it in. Now we are living it out. This is the Word applied.

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.”

— 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT)

LEVEL FOUR: TRANSFORMATION

The danger of level three—application—is that it can become a legalistic motion. That is, we come up with a to do list when we study the Bible. The ultimate goal is not application, but rather transformation. Rather than just changing what we do, we allow the Living Word to change us into who He wants us to be. This is a lifelong process. As Christ changes and transforms us, we naturally begin doing what He wants us to do.

This is not just living it out, but living from the inside out. This is the Word altering.

“And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].”

— Romans 12:2 (AMP)

The goal, of course, is to get to level four—transformation. When we get stuck at the basic level of information, the Bible can become dry and boring. It has really no impact on our daily lives. If we get stuck at the inspiration level, we can be trapped in a vortex of our emotions. We can never rise above how moved (or not moved) we are at the moment. If we get stuck at application, we can start to feel unfulfilled since the to do list of what we see we should do gets longer and longer. Our only hope is the transformation level where we let God transform us by the power of His Word.

What level do you find most comfortable for you at the moment? Is it time to level up? Let’s get to level four transformation and find fulfillment and joy in the Living Word of God.

How sure are you about what you think? How do you know that you know what you know? How do you handle someone with a competing view?

When our beliefs are attacked, do we slip into the role of a preacher, a prosecutor, or a politician? Or do we approach ideas like a scientist?

That’s the basis of Adam Grant’s book Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know (Penguin Books, 2021).

“We go into preacher mode when our sacred beliefs are in jeopardy: we deliver sermons to protect and promote our ideals. We enter prosecutor mode when we recognize flaws in other people’s reasoning: we marshal arguments to prove them wrong and win our case. We shift into politician mode when we’re seeking to win over an audience: we campaign and lobby for the approval of our constituents. The risk is that we become so wrapped up in preaching that we’re right, prosecuting others who are wrong, and politicking for support that we don’t bother to rethink our own views.”

— Adam Grant

Grant presents the alternative as that of a scientist.

“If you’re a scientist by trade, rethinking is fundamental to your profession. You’re paid to be constantly aware of the limits of your understanding. You’re expected to doubt what you know, be curious about what you don’t know, and update your views based on new data.”

— Adam Grant

Dr. Grant is an organizational psychologist and a professor at the prestigious Wharton College (and Wharton’s top-rated professor for seven years running!). He does not approach this subject necessarily from a Christian perspective, but I find it a fascinating subject with Christian applications.

It is so easy to get settled into one singular view of a matter and close oneself off to any thought that might seem contrary. But when I read the gospels, I see Jesus constantly challenging everyone’s views and provoking them to rethink.

A Bible teacher in my past once said, “No one of us has a corner on truth.” I still believe that today. While there are certain basics of the faith that are pretty cut and dried, there are many things that are in grey areas. That’s part of the mystery of God, I think. And that’s one of the reasons we need community. We need other brothers and sisters to challenge our faith and our thinking. We all bring different perspectives to the table that need to be considered. (Consider the fact that there are four gospel accounts, not just one. Why is that?)

One subject Grant does not attack is how rumors and gossip can influence our thinking. We can hear news about someone—information that may be true, false, or somewhere in between with a kernel of truth—that colors how we think of that person. Instead of approaching it like a scientist to test our hypothesis, we can let that gossip taint how we think, and we then spread that gossip further. (Adam, can you speak to this?)

I highly recommend Think Again by Adam Grant. It will challenge your thinking—and your rethinking.

He was weary. House arrest does that to you. But so does the nagging suspicion that the end is near. And that also gave him a strange sense of hope and peace. He so looked forward to seeing His Savior once again, of hearing that kind voice say, “Come, and enter into your rest.”

But for now, in spite of the weariness, there was a passion in his pen. He felt like this might be the last time he could put down in words what was burning in his heart. He knew the struggles His fellow believers were facing—and he felt the worst was yet to come. In some ways, this could be a record of his last words—what he wanted to make sure he said before his glorious transition to paradise.

Emperor Nero was on the warpath. Jews felt like they were on the outside, and Christians were looked at skeptically. Jewish Christians were despised by both the Romans and the Jews. Nero was lighting them on fire—alive—to light up his gardens.

Danger outside the door is one thing. But now there was danger within the camp as well. False teachers—sheep in wolf’s clothing—were becoming a sinister threat to the church.

It is in this first century setting that Simon Peter sets his pen to writing to persecuted believers the letter we now call 2 Peter. It’s a letter with astounding application to the 21^st century as well.

He begins with a powerful statement.

“His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.”

2 Peter 1:3 (NASB)

As Christians in the first century and in the 21^st century, we know that God has given us everything we will ever need for “life and godliness,” that is, for eternal living later and for godly living now.

It’s worth noting that the word “everything” is translated from the Greek word pas, which actually means, well, “everything.”

Through the power of the Holy Spirit living within us, we are fully equipped to live out a radiant, godly life, even in the face of blunt persecution.

And this happens through “the true knowledge” of Christ. This is not an intellectual awareness or a theoretical understanding, but a true heart knowledge borne of intimacy with the Savior.

“You see, with our initial salvation, God has equipped us—by the indwelling Spirit—with an introductory packet that includes everything we need. We have access to resources which, when utilized, will result in usefulness and fruitfulness both horizontally—in our relationships with others—and vertically—in our relationship with God.”

Charles Swindoll

No matter what you and I face this week, no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in, no matter what the world system, the flesh, and the devil throw our way, we can know that the Holy Spirit has empowered us to handle it all in His power. Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you. And He has already given us everything we need to not only survive but thrive.

(Note: After nearly six years of radio silence on this blog, I am writing again. Join me on the journey, share with your friends, and give me some comments and maybe even writing advice. But be gentle. I am rusty.)

I turned 60 a few months ago, which means I am older than most people. The median age in the USA is about 39, so I am way older than that. I am so old that I remember using punch cards in a computer class in high school. I am so old that I remember when I was the TV’s remote control. I’m so old that I remember when Cosby was cool, not criminal, OJ ran for the 49ers, not for his life, and Caitlyn was a boy on a Wheaties box.

I’m so old I remember fondly the first cast of Saturday Night Live—the Not Ready for Prime Time Players. Those seasons were the best. Well, maybe not the very first season, when Jim Henson’s Muppets had a running feature that was absolutely horrid and maybe the only thing Jim and the Muppets failed at (look it up). But after those very first shows when it caught its stride.

The news update feature has survived through different formats and hosts through all these nearly 50 years. And the one running gag I have remembered for years is, “This just in: Generalissimo Franscisco Franco is still dead.”

The origin of this phrase was that the Spanish dictator Franco had been hanging onto life by a thread and news outlets seemed to be holding a vigil for weeks reporting that he was still alive. Chevy Chase first uttered the famous (and possibly SNL’s first long-lasting) catchphrase soon after Franco’s death in November 1975.

For a twist on this phrase, I’d like to submit the following news bulletin on this day after Easter 2024.

This breaking news just in: Christ is still risen.

Following reports yesterday that the tomb was empty and churches worldwide celebrated with triumphant singing and tears of joy, our sources report that many offices were filled this morning with sad faces and drooping frames as they realized Jesus had not returned to earth, which meant they had to return to work.

If we truly believe that Jesus has risen, that He has been victorious over death, hell, and the grave…if we firmly agree that the same power that rose Jesus from the dead lives in and empowers those who believe in His name…if we wholeheartedly trust that Jesus’ resurrection means that not only do we have eternal life with Him later, but abundant life with Him now…

Then we must agree that a risen Christ means that no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in, no matter what trials befall us, no matter what temptations entice us, no matter how slow the traffic is, we can know and celebrate the fact that we serve a risen, living Savior who, by His divine power, “has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3).

So I repeat…

This just in, ladies and gentlemen: Christ is still risen!