Millennials & Jesus

Below is the first article I wrote for the Jairus Collective! Check those guys out at www.jairuscollective.com

Here's our question:  WHAT MIGHT KEEP MILLENNIALS FROM FOLLOWING JESUS?

Before anything else I want to make some things about this post clear.  To even attempt an answer to this question is going to result in generalizations of a people group.  That being said, any and every hypothetical theory asserted in this observation is just that: hypothesis.    

With this in mind, I asked friends of mine of various faiths and belief systems to think about the aforementioned question and testify about their own experiences with Jesus.  And, as you may correctly assume, many of the stories go straight to the Church.  Now, there are obviously tons of other reasons a young adult may not believe in Jesus, but I'm going to spend my discussion time dealing with the millennial and the Church.  I encourage readers to check out all the other Jairus Collective posts to see what other writers focus on and discuss (shameless plugs, right?)

For me, the Church, using the "big C", cannot be removed from the conversation of man-to-Jesus relationships because it is the continuation of the faith and teachings of Jesus descended straight from the first disciples.  On its best day, I really do believe the Church exists to spread the teachings, love, and name of Jesus to a world that's racked by suffering and darkness. But more often than I like to be reminded of, the Church is also the root of some of the most personal and real problems that millennials (and all people) have with Jesus Christ.  

On a large historical scale, a person that cares for human rights does not have to dig very hard to find portions of man's story where corrupt individuals persecuted innocents under the flag of "Christianity".  There are far too many true tales of deranged men, parading as God's messengers, destroying entire families, villages, and (in the case of colonization) entire people groups.  I think most of us, Christians or otherwise, are unanimously repulsed when studying the numerous occasions where disease and genocide fly the banner of the Cross.  

In a more contemporary setting, their are many pastors that teach doctrines of prejudice and condemnation that are far, far away from sounding anything like the love, mercy, and forgiveness of Jesus's teachings.  For example, one friend I spoke to told me that she had experiences, growing up in her home-church, of being told that she was mentally unstable and, even more appalling, that her disabled brother was incapable of being saved.  COME ON!  Other testimonies included stories of money-laundering pastors, manipulative Sunday School teachers, and a general incapability to listen and respect the doubts or beliefs of anybody that doesn't subscribe to a certain brand of Christianity.  It KILLS ME to think how frequently young adults (and any demographic) experience these atrocities.  And the thing is, can you blame someone for rejecting an organization or deity that, as far as they may have experienced, might be responsible for any all hardships listed above?  Would I have found the peace and love I know in Christ and my church families if I had grown up in an environment of self-serving, manipulative, or even violent persecution tied to the name of Jesus?  Who can say?

And on a less malicious, but perhaps just as inexcusable note, the Church is often found seriously wanting in the areas of intentional thought, study, and reason.  Don't hear me saying that the Church and all those that comprise it are foolish, that's not even close to being true.  Some of the most prominent philosophers, scientists, writers, and activists in man's history were devout believers in Christ.  But, that being said, I do think people often wonder, "Where did those Christians go?"  Far too many thoughtful, wise, and socially conscious young adults are surrounded by Christians that seem almost afraid to ask important questions.  I know many friends that, when trying to discuss scientific discovery or difficult passages of scripture, face regular evasion or even scolding from close-minded believers, almost as if fear prevented the Christians from uttering taboos they made for themselves.  I know very well, from pretty fantastic experiences I've had, that there are still MANY Christians of varying doctrines that hold vast wealths of intelligence.  But in places like my backyard bible-belt, there is a disappointing percentage of Jesus followers that are almost illiterate when in comes to modern philosophy or EVEN THE BIBLE THEY CLAIM TO PROTECT!  It does make one yearn for more C.S. Lewis's writing ridiculously dense examinations of man and faith while still believing in mysterious things like God, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  I can find no way to fault anyone for being doubtful of the legitimacy of the Gospel when it's proponents sound like ignorant fools in a world of enlightenment, in fact I feel the need to apologize pretty frequently.

Lastly, and even when the Church around a person is intelligent AND compassionate, there is often a massive hole in the showing-people-Jesus-is-real-and-tangible-by-actually-doing-any-of-the-things-He-said-believers-can-do department.  It's important to me that you know I'm not talking about famous televangelists knocking hundreds of people over for profit here, the Spirit isn't a tool to use in a con and I believe it's unwise to be such a manipulator.  BUT, I do think that Jesus told the believers to be bold and seek opportunities to help a hurting world and that sometimes, and more often than many agree with, the miraculous is what is needed most.  This may be the part where I lose readers, but I personally testify to the reality I've seen of prayer healings, messages someone needed to hear coming straight from prayer, and Jesus speaking to people in pretty crazy ways.  And yes, I've also seen my fair share of people doing their own thing while claiming to be following God's will.  The point is, if the more spiritual, mysterious, and unexplainable aspects of Jesus (which are not more important than good teaching and social action) were properly and more frequently talked about or acted upon, there could be (at the very least) more for the jaded, bored, and simply skeptical to at least talk about.  More simply, it's harder to ignore a prophetic word or cured deadly disease than it is to ignore empty words and hearsay. 

Perhaps, because most churches and pastors I know are wonderful and compassionate and I don't want this to be a church-bashing post, it would be best to just lump all of these types of negative interactions and call them"FAILURES OF THE CHURCH".   I am painfully far from perfect and there may be people farther from Jesus than when I met them, and that is, maybe, more convicting than anything. It is an unfortunate reality that, even though most of us Christians believe Jesus to have been perfect, the humans that make up the Church are flawed and often fall short in the radical love and relationship department.

There are TONS of other things that could and should be written about within this discussion.  It's outside of the time I have and, honestly, the number of perspectives and people I've talked to and lived with thus far.  Millennials are a strange, entrepreneurial, and active demographic.  We are very convicted about what we believe and feel a need to better ourselves and our community.  Faith, no matter what culture or age-group it's affecting, is incredibly difficult to unravel mathematically or empirically and I'm probably not the guy to attempt it anyways.

I do want to issue a challenge to any believers reading.  Many of the variables I mentioned above are beyond your control and people will believe what they believe.  But I DO BELIEVE, with intense conviction, that Christians are charged with living and loving in such a way that anyone that comes in contact with them will see a genuine, radical something within the believer that brings healing, understanding, and hope in a very dark world.  I believe, with all my millennial heart, that that something is Jesus Christ.  

Thanks for reading and please talk, pray, or yell at me at grady.milligan@gmail.com, my blog gradymilligan.blogspot.com, or just on good ole' Facebook at facebook.com/gradymilligantunes 

Blessings and Peace,

Grady Milligan

Loving The Other Side (part 2)

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. (James 1:19-20, 26-27 ESV)

If you read the last blog-post from Nick Hillard, you'll know we're talking about how we live, love, and minister in relationship with the people around us, particularly those that think or believe differently than we do. Nick did a great job so check out the last post and look for more guests soon.

As for me, I just wanted to meditate on one specific part of this broad and important topic, that part being LISTENING.

If you know me at all, you know that I struggle with using my mouth and ears in proportion.  And though I've got miles to go, I've been learning a great deal these last few years about how to TRULY LISTEN to those around me.  And I will say, firstly, that real and compassionate listening is more than just not talking.  Many of us are far too good at politely refraining in conversation, but in truth we are usually just waiting our turn to say the next thing we have on our mind instead of hearing, evaluating, and even praying about what to respond with in our conversations.

I don't want this post to sound, simply, like an old mother teaching manners to unruly children.  I believe listening with the ears of Christ is HUGELY IMPORTANT for any effective friendships and ministry. If REAL, LIFE-CHANGING, DISCIPLE-MAKING, FRIENDSHIP-BUILDING ministry comes from a place of true, genuine care for the other person(s), then hearing the person's heart is CRITICAL.

Don't pretend to know their pain, LEARN their pain by listening to their troubled stories.  NEVER put a person or the situation of that person into a general category or template if you hope to see real fruit or change. The people in my life that inspire me, with their outrageously successful love, are the people that let the hurting soul cry on their shoulder and weep with them, NOT the person that sifts through his stock answers and callously whips out the first answer he can find.

And this is super important, WE CAN NOT BE AFRAID OF LISTENING, ESPECIALLY FOR FEAR OF LOSING FAITH.  What I mean by that is this: if your faith is real and deeply rooted, you should never fear the differing opinions of other people groups and belief systems.  It is not Christ-like to, when a friend of another faith begins testifying about their religious journey, get up and leave a conversation with someone you supposedly love because you fear they'll destroy your personal faith.  How strong is a faith if it can be completely deconstructed in the face of one different opinion.  Jesus and the gospel seek out people of uncountable numbers of understandings. Believe in Jesus and ignore fear. Fear keeps us from love and the ones that need love. And DO NOT be impatient or have agendas in your listening and relationships. You may spend YEARS walking in life with a person before (or if) he or she ever gives a serious consideration to YOUR faith or belief. The goal is to show real love, not to mark salvations on your sanctification scoreboard. If you really love someone (and you're a Christian) you'll want them to know Jesus, but that's REALLY UNLIKELY if you're just a fake with an agenda and no interest in that person's heart.

We must go to the broken, the widowed, the lost, and the wicked for the purpose of loving them with Christ's love that He has freely given us. BUT WE MUST GO WITH TWO EARS AND ONE MOUTH, using them in the proverbial proportions. Don't guess at their pain, LEARN IT. Love by listening so that you might see where their joy and pain comes from. Who knows, maybe the Lord will speak to them in the silence you're afraid of. That awkward pause in conversation might be the moment where Jesus speaks to an intimate wound that neither you nor that person were aware of... BECAUSE YOU WERE LISTENING!

Listen to the Word, Listen to the beliefs and stories around you, and THEN speak as the Truth gives you instruction. The religion God desires is effective and genuine love to the lost and hurting, not our practiced speeches, foolish fury, or careless words.

Blessings to any that read this

---Grady Milligan 

Transformed With Unveiled Faces

Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:12-18 ESV)

First off, I'm gonna start with huge celebration at the last two lines of the passage. I don't see the "glory to glory" transformation reflected in my actions most days, BUT MAN DO I WANT TO! 

And don't get me started thinking about the unveiled faces bit, I #canteven (I went there) begin to comprehend the joy of seeing our Lord face to face. What really gets me about that particular part of this passage is the marriage symbolism, which is where my romantic brain goes first at any given chance. We, as the beloved bride of Christ, are welcome to grow in closeness and righteousness daily with the Savior..........BOOYAH!

But I need to calm down and meditate on the harder part of the scripture as well. 

Paul's letter encourages the believers that the veil over our spiritual understanding will be lifted when we turn to Christ, amen, but it's heartbreaking to read his report that "to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts."

As is the unfortunate tendency of man, many of the Israelites did not understand the gravity and truth of Jesus as the Way and their Hope.  Paul's letter tells us that, even as the church grew and people were seeing Christ for what He was, there were still many people reading the Old Covenant without the understanding that Jesus was the fulfillment of God's promises and the sacrifice that sealed God's new covenant with all that would believe in His Son.

I want to note that I am not in any way saying that the teachings and stories of the Old Testament are less relevant or less a part of holy scripture (they are still God's word), I'm just examining that, as Paul says in 2 Corinthians, we are made free and unveiled through faith in Jesus and that His Holy Spirit gives us the ability to understand God's will and Truth for the purpose of ministry and transformation. 

So I pray that our minds would not be hardened like those before us, but that we would seek the glory of the Lord in ludicrous amounts and desire to be made more and more like our Maker. Walk with joy as the unveiled bride of Christ and look to the lost around you that they might know God's love and power through the light of the Holy Spirit transforming you!

Commended by Christ

Blessings in the name of Jesus Christ! I pray this post finds you well and joyful. And if you find yourself in a time of struggle, I pray that the Spirit of God empowers you with all you need for the battle.

For today's meditation, please read and examine the following passage from Paul's second letter to the Corinthians:

"Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God," (2 Corinthians 3:1-5 ESV) 

If you're like me you may have found yourself exposed and convicted by this chapter's opening question.  Are we commending ourselves as believers?  I would hope not.  I believe God wants His children to delight not in pride or praise of self, but in the Christ-centered testimonies of God's miraculous fruit that He is growing and displaying in the lives of those around us. I do not mean to put too much emphasis on the works of others either, since glory given to anyone other than Christ is misplaced. But I do think we should be confident in Jesus acting through His body, and that DOES include all of us and our imperfections.

So it's about celebrating the beautiful grace that trades our insufficiency for the ULTIMATE SUFFICIENCY that the Spirit of God empowers us with to spread His Truth.  Even more, we are a letter written BY the Spirit to transform hearts as ours have been made new through  His love.

He is our advocate and all the recommendation we need, and in turn, He makes us a living decree of His goodness for the world.

The Gift Of Undeserved Everything

I think the best gifts are the ones that we don't earn.  There aren't many things that feel as good as the joy and surprise of an unexpected treasure. 

Recently, my father-in-law bought my wife a really fancy gaming laptop completely out of nowhere.  Brandy was totally blown away, since a computer of that caliber felt like an unattainable dream.

Now I'm NOT AT ALL saying that expensive gifts and earthly  belongings are the best way to show love (it all fades away to dust).  But seeing how happy Brandy was at receiving something out of a father's generosity reminded me of our Heavenly Father pouring out HUGE and UNDESERVED gifts on His children.

And when you get right down to it, EVERYTHING the Lord gives us totally and completely undeserved. From the breath we take each moment to the freedom from sin in Jesus, all of the things we should be thankful for are given to us out of GRACE ALONE.

Think about it, nothing you work for is really a gift.  In the same way, our blessings are not a payment for our wages.  Jesus AND ONLY JESUS completed the work of salvation, so He's the only one who should receive anything.  BUT HERE'S THE KICKER:  Christ shares His inheritance and life that He bought on the cross with us!  Praise the Lord.  You probably know all of that, but man do we need to stop and thank Him constantly for such a blessing!

SIDE NOTE:
Another part of what defines a gift, at least in my understanding and interpretation, is the choice to receive it. I know that the very word "choice" is a theological debate hot-button (which I will typically avoid in these devotionals), but I really think that the choice to thankfully receive a gift given is part of what makes a gift fundamentally different than a mandate.

But I don't think our human nature likes being told it's unworthy.  In our flesh we don't want anyone or anything (God included) to question our well-deserved earnings.  When we work or do ministry, it is easy for us to desire the praise and affirmation we believe we are owed by the world.  WE HAVE TO FIGHT THIS. In every success we must thank Jesus and turn our praise, and hopefully those around us, towards the true giver of every good gift.

Now I don't think we are being sinful when we are happy after receiving a compliment or if we get excited when somebody enjoys a piece of art we create, God delights in our accomplishments too.  It's just a matter of perspective and understanding that we couldn't do what we do without the gifts and skills the Lord has blessed us with. Jesus really, REALLY loves us.  He loves and desires us enough to give Himself WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS.  So don't think for a second you are not valued or beautiful.  In Jesus we are made a wonderful fragrance and a blessing to His heart.  We just HAVE TO REMEMBER that all of those realities are only made possible by His love for us before we ever loved Him. The second we believe He is our Lord and forsake the world's offer, we are made children of the King and inheritors in His family!

I want to finish with a thought that filled me with a great amount of joy this morning.  If I deserve nothing of what I have been given or will be given in the future, then HOW MUCH MUST GOD LOVE ME that He constantly pours out the gifts anyway???  Seriously, I think I'm MORE confident in my worth knowing that God doesn't have to give me anything, but He CHOOSES to give me more than I could EVER ask for or earn.  Not having the capacity to repay God means that we should receive His gifts humbly and thankfully BUT WITHOUT ANY GUILT, HE WANTS TO BLESS YOU

HE LOVES YOU ALL SO FREAKIN' MUCH.  Jesus deserves everything and Jesus lives in you, so you get to share in the greatest treasures in all of reality.  God's love is awesome and we didn't even have to work for it.  Pretty cool stuff.

Here are some scriptures for the day.  I hope something blessed you.  I'm not a great theologian, but I hope some nuggets of truth and encouragement find you in today's devotional.


Romans 5:8
 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

James 1:7
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Romans 8:28
 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

1 Peter 4:10
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:

1 Corinthians 12:7
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

1 Corinthians 10:30-31
 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.





Ephesians 3:7
Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power.

For the "YOU" you!

God's timing is always perfect.  He speaks and gives us what we need when we need it most.  For example, I had the privilege of working as a staff on a wonderful youth and college retreat this past weekend, and during a moment of prayer with a good friend, I was reminded of a reassuring truth...

GOD LOVES ME!   And even more incredible, HE LOVES "ME" ME (not just the different hats of me that I wear).

What am I talking about, you might ask (or maybe you don't, I'm gonna type along anyways)?
I am simply praising God and reminding myself and any of you reading that Jesus Christ saves/loves/protects/enjoys YOU at your deepest and simplest level.  I'm not talking about your ministry, your family life, your work, or your dreams (though all of those are beautifully made).  I'm talking about YOU.

Before the very foundation of the world was formed, YOU were DESIGNED by the Creator to be a unique and never-seen-before-or-after work of art.  And you've heard this all before, especially if you're a church kid, and possibly to the point of nausea, BUT YOU NEED TO HEAR AND BELIEVE IT TODAY!

I'm definitely an example of someone that "knows" this truth of God's acceptance and love, but often acts in a way that would reveal a "saved by works" mentality.

If somehow, by now, you don't know that I'm a musician (now you do), you might not know my struggle with motivation and purpose.  I am a Christian that is a musician, so most of my music and poetry draws its strength from my faith journey. But, I battle almost daily to keep proper prioritization of my work.  Do I write and play just for the Lord's enjoyment, do I play for ministry to others, or do I play simply to honor my commitment to put food on the table?

No matter what doubts assail me each day, I know that the Lord has called me to use music as a big part of my ministry.  BUT HERE'S THE THING/THE KICKER/THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS DEVOTIONAL:

MY BIGGEST CALLING FROM GOD (and yours too) IS TO LOVE HIM WITH MY EVERYTHING AND BE THE ME HE LOVES!

When I break down life to it's core purpose, my highest purpose is the pleasure and glory of GOD!

And the amazing thing is that this truth, that Jesus wants me for me and not for what I do, should take TONS of pressure off.  I'm not giving an excuse to not work, because we are all created for good works for His Kingdom, but I'm saying His love and joy around us is not dependent on what we do as much as WHO WE ARE.

You can turn off your theology alarms.  Yes, I believe that if someone is truly saved than good fruit must come from them.  Yes, I believe that Jesus demands obedience.  All that is true and a joy!

I just want to remind anyone reading today that you are EXACTLY who God loves, enough that He died for YOU!

Let Him shape you, let Him improve and grow your faith and ministry, BUT DO NOT ACT LIKE YOU HAVE TO EARN HIS LOVE OR BELIEVE THAT YOUR MINISTRY IDENTITIES ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING!

Jesus is delighted by you, His child and beloved, adopted beauty.

Here are some scriptures to think about today.  Much love to you all  ----------Grady Milligan

Psalm 139:14
"I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. My soul knows that very well."

Romans 8:15
"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”"

Romans 5:8
"but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Ephesians 2:10
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

Ephesians 1:4
"even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love"

Comfort: 2 Corinthians 1:3-11

Let me start today's post with Paul's prayer in the first chapter of 2nd Corinthians:  "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all COMFORT"

I want to spend this evening meditating on that word: COMFORT.   A dictionary definition of the word comfort might read as follows:

Verb  1.  to soothe, console, or reassure; bring cheer to   2. to make physically comfortable

Noun  1. relief in affliction; consolation; solace   2. a feeling of relief or consolation.

The opening prayer of the this chapter of 2nd Corinthians starts with, for me at least, an incredibly heartwarming depiction of God as "the Father of MERCIES and the God of ALL COMFORT".  What a joyful thought, that the maker of every brilliant star and every beautiful creature on Earth desires to see us comforted and brought to a place of peace in His presence!  Amen!

And, like most things that God does, this act of reassurance and peace has a more lateral purpose than just our personal enjoyment of Jesus (though that's not to be understated, IT'S AWESOME!).

Verse 4 of the same book and chapter tell us that Jesus "comforts us in all our afflictions" as a means of ministry to others.  The overwhelming love and protection of the Spirit, in our darkest moments and difficult battles, should cause us to pour out that same comfort "with which ourselves are comforted by God".   When we see the broken people that God has placed in our circles of influence, we should be contagious with His compassion and desire to see their pains relieved through grace!

IT'S ALL ABOUT SHARING IN EXPERIENCE!  Verses 5 and 6 teach us that we are to share in BOTH THE SUFFERINGS AND COMFORT of Jesus Christ.   Though many of us, especially in overprivileged America, do not experience the type of suffering or persecution as Paul and the early disciples (not to mention many modern martyrs in various parts of today's world), we are called to take joy in EVEN OUR DIFFICULTIES because they lead us to a better understanding and appreciation of God's salvation and providential comfort.  And in the evangelistic sense, suffering for or comforting our brothers and sisters in Christ (and suffering for those who need His salvation) is HUGELY IMPORTANT!  Don't forget that Christ said that there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for his friends.  "If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation" (Verse 6).

I absolutely love the confidence Paul (and Jesus) have for the church in verse 7 when he says "Our hope for you is unshaken."  What do we have to fear?   If Jesus has raised us up with Him through the sharing in His death AND resurrection, what can come against His body?

To finish pondering this wonderful chunk of scripture, I encourage us all (since I need this reminder daily) to pray ferverently for each other in our ministry to the lost.  The rest of this passage down to verse 11 recounts Paul's struggles while in Asia and how the prayers of the church at Corinth made a massive difference in his deliverence from dangerous situations.  

IT IS CRITICAL for us to be aware of the sufferings of our brothers and sisters and JUST AS CRITICAL to pray for the sufferings of the unsaved, if we are to join in the comforting process of the Spirit for both parties.

Many don't believe God loves them because they have lived a life devoid of healing or comfort.  Let the hands and feet of Christ not be idle when God has given us comfort and power to make a change!

Blessings!

-Grady