Ponderings of a Clueless Boy in a Mixed-up World

New Testament Church

2011-03-27T19:55:00.000-07:00

In the past five years I have been privileged to travel around the state of Missouri, and beyond, to countless different churches. I have participated in dozens of Disciple Now weekends at various locations, filled the pulpit in numerous houses of worship, visited churches in the city of Cleveland ranging from traditional to contemporary to hip-hop, taken on interim roles in three churches, and am currently employed at a church as a youth pastor. I have seen countless church services from the pew and from the pulpit. And even with the church-hopping mentality of today’s church-goers, I have been a part of more churches than most people ever will. Yeah, I get around.

And with all these places I have gone, there was one thing I had to learn very quickly: no one does it the same. If you visit many churches you will realize this too; despite the similarities we find, no two churches are the same. And, as I visited all these churches, I began to be amazed at how rigid some people have become in their way of “doing church.” With so many Christians these days it’s “My way or the highway. And highways are unbiblical. Remember, Jesus said the way is wide that leads to destruction.”

I blame much of this mentality on the New Testament Church. Well, that may be a bit unfair. I blame it on the idea of the New Testament Church. This is a concept I have heard talked about in many different places; it is an ill-defined idea of some sort of perfect, coherent, super-church where Peter is the pastor, Paul is the Sunday school director, and John is the minister of music. And we glorify this “Church” to the point of thinking, “Oh, if I could only have been a Christian back when Paul was around! Not when he started passing the torch to Timothy, that kid had no moxie. Give me Paul any day.” And we look around at our churches and we judge them, saying, “My church is a ‘New Testament Church.’ Sure, you may attend a church, but mine is holier.” or “This church has some problems. They would never have made it if Peter was still around. Most likely, they’d all be lion food; except God would probably strike them dead like Ananias and Sapphira before the lions got to them.”

What we sometimes forget, I think, is that this “New Testament Church” was actually why we have the largest portion of the New Testament. Think about it; how much of the second half of the Bible would we have if Paul had not been reprimanding the church for something stupid they were doing? A good chunk of the New Testament is devoted to telling off the New Testament Church. Far from perfect, it was a group of people still trying to figure out how to love God, and they messed up plenty along the way.

Don’t get me wrong, I think they had a lot of stuff right; and we have a lot to learn from the way they did things. But the New Testament Church, the REAL New Testament Church, was not successful because they had the order of service down pat. They didn’t grow because they had great facilities or programs. In many cases, it wasn’t even because of strong leadership. The New Testament Church was successful because it was filled with people who wanted to learn about God and show Him to others. It wasn’t the way they “did church;” it was the way they left church. It wasn’t their order of service; it was their obedience in service.

So, the next time you look around at your church and think, “I don’t like the way they do that. I bet there’s a better church out there; a more ‘New Testament’ kind of church.” maybe the problem isn’t with your church but you. There is no perfect church, not even in the New Testament; stop looking for it. Instead, work where God has put you so that your church will begin winning territory for the Kingdom of God.

What about you? Are you at a "New Testament Church"? Are you looking for one? Are you helping create one?

A Dead Dog and the Kindness of a King

2011-03-18T15:44:00.000-07:00

In 2 Samuel 9, David is the newly crowned king of Israel, the nation’s enemies have all been put down, and God has promised to bless David and his house forever. Things could not be going better for David.

The story is quite different, however, for the household of Saul, Israel’s former royal line. All the closest relatives of Saul have been killed either by Israel’s enemies or by treacherous men with whom they had surrounded themselves. In all the family of Saul, one lone man is left: Saul’s grandson, the son of Jonathon, named Mephibosheth. But it is even worse than that; Mephibosheth was lame. Not that he wasn’t hip; no, he actually was the victim of a childhood accident that left him without the use of either of his feet.

One could wonder, then, considering the contrast between these two families, what it would take to bring them together. This question will only be heightened by an understanding of the culture of the day. In times when monarchy is the prevailing form of government, the role of king is understandably very desirable to people. This position, however, is generally established by heritage: namely, by relation to the previous ruler. But, on the few occasions that a king is overthrown by someone outside his family, it was common political practice to eliminate the competition, so to speak, by executing the entire royal family.

One can imagine, knowing this, the amazement David’s counselors must have felt when they heard him ask one day, “Is there not still someone of house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?” (2 Samuel 9:3)

I think the key to this question is in the way David describes this kindness. It is “the kindness of God.” David recognizes that the kindness that has been shown him is from God; and he desires to show that kindness to the son of his friend Jonathon, even though the world would tell him to do the opposite. David’s actions are not based on the culture around him but on the way he has seen God act. And David tries to mirror those actions.

This is important to remember. It is, in fact, the core of following Christ: to be like Him, to display Him, to show His kindness.

But I feel David is not the only character in this story from whom we may learn something. When Mephibosheth is finally tracked down and brought before the king, David reveals to him that he is to be an honored and permanent guest at his table. Mephibosheth responds, “What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?” (2 Samuel 9:8)

Here was a man who knew that he was pitiful. He knew what most people would do to him in that situation, and he knew that nothing he could say would alter his fate. That is the way we must all accept the kindness of God. There is nothing we could do to deserve it. There is nothing we could do to get it on our own. We are as disgraceful as dead dogs, but He gives us grace anyway.

That is the Kindness we must show. For, that is the Kindness we have been shown.

*******

2011-02-16T18:38:00.001-08:00

It is not a small thing to be called the Body of Christ. It is no small thing indeed. Little is the thought we devote to the burden placed upon that privilege. But it is no trifling matter to see with His eyes, to speak on His behalf, and to work for His Name.

C.S. Lewis said, “You don’t have a soul. You are a soul; you have a body.” Yet, when the world thinks of us, it thinks first not in terms of unseen but of seen. Though our true selves are grown and contained and maintained in are souls, we are only shown for what we are through the usage of our bodies.

Likewise, we are the means by which Christ has chosen to show His nature to the world. He doesn’t have to use us, but He does. And we think far too little of that call. When the world wishes to judge us, it does not see our soul; it judges by what our body does. When the world wishes to judge God, it does not always see His Holiness; it judges by what His body does.

“If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” -- 1 Peter 4:11

Why Do You Yet Crawl...?

2011-02-01T18:39:00.001-08:00

For over two months now, there have been at least four sparrows living inside of the Wal-Mart here in Hannibal. I know this because I see them there…all the time…all over the store. I’m not sure how this is not some sort of health code violation, but what are you gonna do? I sincerely doubt that those birds are going to find their way out; I don’t know why they would want to leave anyway. And, short of some kind of net-launching cannon or releasing a falcon in the store, I see no way to catch those things.

Let’s face it: if you were a bird, that would be the place to be. There’s all the food you could want, it’s super warm and cozy, there are no threats from predators, and the ceilings are high enough to fly above the crowds and even build a nice little nest for yourself and the little lady.

There’s only one kicker. Those birds: I wouldn’t call them free. Sure they have anything they need; they may even have all the liberty they could ask for, they can fly around to their heart’s content. But there is still a ceiling between them and the sky. They are still in a cage; it’s just bigger than they would expect.

Sometimes I feel like those birds: trapped at Wal-Mart. There are so many things I would like to do, and so many things I feel I am meant to do; but my job traps my time. After all, I have to provide for needs. I need money to get food and to pay rent and bills. But it all seems like flying in a circle—a big circle, maybe, but still a circle.

Actually though, it’s just easy for me to blame Wal-Mart for my problems because I don’t like being there anyway. There is still so much of my time that I could use for the important things, but I waste it. The cage I’m in is built mainly of my own laziness and procrastination. If there is anything holding me back from the sky, it is me. God has blessed me so greatly, and I have opportunities most people will never know (as do we all) but I am still content to live in a smaller world with a ceiling above me.

I don’t know what all of this will prove to be about, but this is what my life is like right now. There is a sentence in my head. I don’t know if I heard it somewhere, or if God just put it there. “Why do you yet crawl while you may fly?” Most of us are still stuck on the ground. God has so much more for us. Stop being content here in the dirt.

And that goes for me.

The Church of Tomorrow

2010-08-20T19:58:00.000-07:00

Admit it. Some of you, when you read that title thought back to the old “home of tomorrow” or “car of the future” campaign ads. You were thinking, “What? A blog about churches with recliners instead of pews? With all stainless steel décor, robots to greet you when you enter, automatic collection plates that take the money right out of your wallet!” But no, that is not at all what I intended. Although, it would be pretty awesome if that church had a convict-o-matic, where the preacher could flip a switch and any member of the congregation he chose would be “aided” down the aisle to pray, led by a combination of spring propulsion and robotic arms a la George Jetson. But I digress.

By “The Church of Tomorrow” I was referring to a phrase that seems to be a favorite of certain church members. Typically it is used by the elderly, often deacons, for whom I have the utmost respect. But it is also common among the middle-aged and young parents. And I believe they are well-intentioned, though misguided.

Here is my problem with the term: we don’t apply it to the right people.

That phrase, as it is used in the typical church, usually is part of an impassioned plea or a rationale for focusing on the youth group. “These young people are the church of tomorrow!” someone will say. “The youth are the church of the future.”

As a youth pastor, I appreciate the sentiment. But there is a flaw with the statement. The youth, if they are Believers, are not the church of the future. They are the church now. The attitude that they are the future church is a part of what contributes to the generation gap in our churches.

At this point it would be possible for the ranting to begin. But there is another point I need to make, a point that is perhaps more important. And that is that there is a church of tomorrow. It consists of the lost.

So, please, stop referring to youth as the church of the future. If they are our future, it looks bleak. I’m not bashing the youth; I’m just saying, statistically 80% will leave church when they graduate high school. Also, Church, you are not having enough kids to propagate a “church of tomorrow” without reaching out to the lost. I’m not saying to forget the youth; please, please don’t. But can we put as much emphasis on reaching the lost? We should, if we are truly concerned about the future of the church; and, more importantly, if we are concerned with Chist.

The Pride of False Humility

2010-08-12T19:38:00.001-07:00

Humble. That is one word we would all like to be used in describing us. We want to be thought of as humble people. Here’s the problem: many times in our desire to appear humble we are actually behaving pridefully.

Here’s the scenario. Someone come to you for something. It could be for advice. It could be asking for your help. It could be wanting you to fill a position or a need. In response, we humble admit that we are not smart enough, not talented enough, not gifted enough, or whatever the case may be.

The message we try to convey is this: “No, I’m not good enough. I would mess things up. I totally recognize my inability. I’m trying to be humble here.”

Essentially, what we’re saying though, is this: “I recognize your need, but I don’t want to take the chance of making myself look like a fool. Maybe I would be the best one to meet this need right now, but I don’t feel like trying it. I don’t think I’m good enough. So, I would rather maintain my dignity than do what I can to help someone.”

That is not humility. That is the most conceited action we could take. We are more concerned with our appearances than with doing the work God has prepared for us. It is our pride that tells us we will look like a fool, and so we do nothing.

Listen to what the Bible would say about that. I Corinthians 3:18 says, “Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.”

Humility requires willingness to be humiliated. Humility means putting the needs of others above our own need to look good.

Not A Knight

2010-07-14T12:42:00.001-07:00

If I had lived in the Dark Ages, I would not have been a knight. I would have dreamed about it. I would have longed to be the protector of the helpless. But I think I would have been a farmer. I would have been a farmer who dreamed of being a knight, but I would have been satisfied with being a herdsman. At least then I would have had the animals to protect.

There are but few knights that we remember, however. Not many, even of that most noble breed, left a mark on history. And we may remember a few in tales or ballads, but those were composed by someone other than the knights themselves. So, perhaps the poets are the ones who have left the greatest signs of history. We know the names of Lancelot and Beowulf and Saint George, but few if any remember who told the tales. Those forgotten bards bear more weight than the heroes of their tales, for it is they who have shaped us with the stories.

If I had been alive back then, I would not have been a knight. I think I would have been a farmer. I hope I would have been a storyteller.

Don't Water the Begonias

2010-06-12T08:52:00.000-07:00

If you are going to take care of plants it is helpful to know something about them. I don’t. That is, I don’t really know about them; I do have to take care of them. My training involving the plants consisted basically of being told to water them every day, and to water them until it runs out the holes in the bottom of the pots. I really don’t know much about plants.

Luckily, Wal-Mart has Art. Art is a 76-year-old black man who knows everything about every plant. When we have a question, we go to Art, and he answers with his usual fervor. He sure doesn’t act 76. I think he must have either discovered the fountain of youth or he has a secret lab in his basement where he sucks the vitality out of little children he has shipped in from the streets of Mexico City. But I digress. The point is, when the majority of the Begonias in our store were dying and rotting, it was Art who knew that their peril was caused by over-watering.

In life, I have found that I usually know as little about what I need as I do about how to take care of a hibiscus. Thankfully, in life, we have God. The verse has become a bit of a Christian cliché, but the truth of Jeremiah 29:11 not diminished by its overuse. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Sometimes the things that happen to us don’t make sense. But God knows what He’s doing. Just accept what He gives, and trust.

Enslaved to Liberty

2010-06-01T20:39:00.001-07:00

Here in the land of the free and the home of the brave there are few things we value more highly than our liberty. Liberty is one of the cornerstones of our nation. We even have an idol of her in the harbor outside New York. Well, perhaps we don’t bow down to “Lady Liberty,” but she is still somewhat of a deity to us. We like to do things on our own, in our own way. And we like to have the freedom to do so. This is especially true of men, and I don’t know of any guy out there that doesn’t wish they could be William Wallace crying out with his last breath, “FREEEEEDDOOOOOOOM!!!”

As wonderful as our liberty is, and as grateful as I am for freedom, I believe that the majority of the American church has taken our independence too far. Our commercialism and economics and politics and social theory have bled over into our faith. There is only one problem: our faith does not follow the same laws as the government or the stock market or Hollywood or the media (thank goodness). And yet, we have all but replaced God with what we can do on our own. We are free to do as we please and do what we please in a way that is pleasing to us. And our freedom has given us power.

Or so we think.

But seriously, what can we not accomplish? We have enough money to solve all our problems without prayer, without God’s help. We have a world of information to answer our questions. The philosophy of the ages and of this age is at our fingertips on the internet. We can supply our own food, shelter, whatever; who needs faith? Who needs to rely on anyone or anything? We are free.

Or are we?

Maybe we are. But if we are, our liberty has made us weak. By relying only on our own power we have forfeited any true power. By replacing God with freedom we have become indebted to self-sufficiency, enslaved to liberty, and subservient to independence.

Think about it; the most powerful being to ever walk the planet, Jesus Christ, did not even rely on His own strength. Listen to what He said in John 5:19. “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do.”

In spite of all His power, Jesus was still completely dependant upon His Father. In fact, that dependency was the very source of His power. Wrap you mind around this: Jesus was so dependant on the Father that He could do nothing apart from the Father; hence, everything He did was in accordance with the will of the Father and as such was empowered by the very hand of God. It is incredible to think of such perfect dependence result in such absolute power, but that is the way God works.

So if you want more than just “freedom,” offer yourself as a slave to God. It is my prayer that the church will become so dependent on God that He can empower us. It is my prayer that we will forfeit enough of our liberties that He will be able to use us.

Stacking Dung

2010-05-22T18:52:00.001-07:00

I recently got a job at Wal-Mart. Working there has stifled my desire to write for some time, though I have gotten a few ideas in the past weeks. One of them actually came from something I do as a part of my job.

I work in the lawn and garden department and one of the responsibilities I have is to load mulch and potting soil and fertilizer and such things. We have big piles of all this stuff stacked on pallets in the parking lot, and the heaps can tend to get a little disorderly. When this happens, someone has to straighten up the lot.

This task reminded me of what Paul said about this life in the third chapter of Philippians. In the beginning of that chapter Paul lists his credentials according to the flesh: all the things that he once thought would make him right with God. It is a very impressive list, full of wonderful things. But in verse eight Paul says he counts all these things as “rubbish” but the original Greek word actually translates better as “dog dung.”

Perhaps you wonder how it relates. But as I thought about the impressive pile of crap that Paul had accumulated, I couldn’t help but think about the stacks out on the lot and about how much time I spend building up my own pile.

We spend so much time gathering together our little piles of manure, stacking them neatly, and trying to make them look impressive. But in the end, it’s all still dung. No matter how nicely packaged a bag of manure may be, it doesn’t change what I’m loading into that truck when people come to Wal-Mart to try to get their garden ready. And no matter how much dung we gather, we still have nothing to offer to God.

So what we need to do is leave those steaming heaps behind us; and, like Paul, say that we are “forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Jesus Christ.”

What is Good?

2010-04-12T13:10:00.001-07:00

We all want things that are good. We don’t want things that are bad. It’s a simple concept, one that no one would dispute. It is basic common sense. But, in this life, we all must face things that we cannot help but label as “bad.” These “bad” things cannot be avoided; there are a part of living in a fallen world. But they make me wonder: who decided whether a thing is “bad” or “good”? And is there any real difference between these things, or is it all in our heads?

As Christians, should we not be protected from these “bad” circumstances? If, after all, “bad” is a result of sin, should not we whose sins have been atoned have release from these dire circumstances? Does not the Bible say, “God cause all things to work together for good…”? Yes, that promise is there. But what does the Bible mean when it says “good”? Is it what we would call “good”?

Ecclesiastes 6:12 asks the question, “Who knows what is good for a man in this life…for who can tell a man what will be after him?” The Hebrew word for “good” in that verse—tob—can have several meanings: sweet, beautiful, bountiful, better, or best. So, it is difficult for us to know what is good for us in this life. Many things that seem “good” can become bad, and vice versa.

So, now to the real question: what does God say is good? Well, Micah 6:8 tells us that God has “shown you, o man, what is good (tob).” But since I took Romans 8:28 out of context earlier, I would like to use that passage to answer the question.

When Scripture says that God cause all things to work together for good it puts a few stipulations on that promise. To begin with, the previous verses are talking about how we don’t even know what we should pray for, but the Spirit will intercede in accordance with God’s will. So, the context is not one of getting what we want, but of being informed of what God’s purpose is. So, if we do not even know how to pray as we aught, how can we claim to understand what is good for us?

Secondly, the last half of the verse puts a qualifier on the promise, “to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” So, this is meant for those who are called according to the purpose of God. But what is that purpose? What does He intend? The following verses explain; they list a string of events that take place in the life a Believer. We are foreknown, predestined, called, justified, and glorified. All these things take place that we may be “conformed to the image of His Son.”

That is the goal. That is the purpose to which we have been called. That is the good toward which God will cause all things to work. So, those “bad” things we go through, they are put there because God wants to use them to make us more like His Son. That is the reason we were made: to be His image. That is the purpose we messed up with our sin. And that is the purpose Christ had in mind when He offered us salvation. God is ever striving to restore His image in us. And that is the greatest good we can find in this world.

Raised from Stones

2010-03-16T20:40:00.000-07:00

What gall those Pharisees and Sadducees had. Oh, and it wasn’t just Jesus who had to deal with them; John the Baptist had his fair share of dealings with the religious nuts. They came to him in Matthew chapter three. They wanted to be baptized, but John saw right through them. They wanted to be baptized, but they didn’t want to change.

Those presumptuous Israelites figured that their standing as children of Abraham afforded them assurance of high standing in the Kingdom of God. They thought God would certainly desire followers of such noble lineage. But John set them straight.

In verses seven through twelve he really lets them have it. “You’re a bunch of snakes! Who warned you that God was about to take you out? If you really want to escape, start acting like you’re sorry for being such idiots and making Him angry in the first place.” (This, of course, is a slight paraphrase.) “You keep bragging about being descended from Abraham, but that’s nothing. God could make children of Abraham from this pile of rocks, and they’d be better looking too!” (Maybe that last part isn’t in there).

The gist of John’s message: “God is fixin’ to clean house fellas (I like to imagine John spoke with the equivalent of an Alabama accent in Hebrew). You’d better straighten up and quit putting all you stock in who your daddy was. God doesn’t need you anymore than He needs a gravel pit.”

How true that is. God made the first man from dirt; don’t you think He could do that again? He doesn’t need us. But we need Him desperately. The next time you think you are entitled to something from God because of who you are or what you have done, remember: He made you from mud; there is plenty of material left to make your replacement.

Kicking Against the Goads

2010-03-14T22:03:00.000-07:00

In Bible times one of the most vital and useful tools that could be owned by a farmer or a herdsman was a device known as a goad. It’s not something we hear about very often these days. It was basically a stick with a sharp point either hardened with fire or covered with metal. This spiked tip was then used to poke an animal to make it move. The goad was meant to direct the animal, steering it or speeding it up.

When the beast was confronted with this motivational tactic, it had three basic choices. It could give in to the prodding and move at the desired speed in the right direction. It could keep doing what it was doing as though nothing had happened, thus ensuring the goad would be used again (and likely in a more aggressive manner). Or the animal could kick at the goad, trying to injure whatever it was that had poked him. There are a couple of problems with the animal reacting in this way. First of all, the whole point of a goad is to keep the herder far enough away from the herdee that the animal cannot reach him. So, an animal that kicked against a goad could only hurt himself. In order to kick, the animal has to be moving toward the goad; well, moving closer to a sharp object that is jabbing you is not going to help. Also, in order to kick, the animal would have to flex most of the muscles in its leg. This would cause the goad to dig deeper into the muscle than if they were relaxed.

Interesting, right? Well, I’m not meaning to just talk about ancient techniques for animal herding. That historical tidbit is necessary in order to understand a message that God once gave to the apostle Paul. In Acts 26 Paul is retelling the account of his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus. It is there that we hear the words of Jesus, when He says, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

So, God is comparing Saul (later to be called Paul) to a stubborn ox that is being herded but keeps kicking against the goad. God is trying to direct Saul, to move him in the right direction; but Saul only wants to attack what is pushing him.

This makes me wonder if Saul knew all along that Christianity was the way. God had been guiding him, trying to get him to see the truth, but he just would not. He did not want to admit that his whole way of life was useless, his vast learning was missing a vital piece, his righteousness was not enough.

Like Paul we often find ourselves being herded along by God. And, like Paul, we often think our own way is so much better, and we rail against the direction God is taking us. We ignore His guidance and His direction. But all the while, He keeps trying to turn us. It would be so much easier if we would just stop kicking against the goads and walk where Christ wants us.

“The words of the wise are like goads…they are given by one Shepherd.” Ecclesiastes 12:11

2010-03-11T21:54:00.000-08:00

It sure seems like I've been writing on here a whole lot less recently. Well, since I'm through with college, there hasn't been as much to write about. Or so it seems anyway.

One may take my lack of blogging to mean that I am no longer clueless. Perhaps I wander less. Perhaps I have found the answers to my questions.

Rest assured, this is not the case.

Yes, despite all the things God has taught me, I am still clueless. I still ponder things to which I may never find a reasonable conclusion. And my life is filled with at least as many questions as it was when this whole thing began.

Here's the problem. My questions used to be interesting. There used to be some kind of deeper... something from... somewhere. Now all I can seem to get out is "What? Where? When? How?" Not very exciting or vital to the reader who is outside my thought process. But to me, these are the questions that shape the course of my life. They are the same boring questions we all ask.

So, yes, I am still clueless. I am still stumbling through a messy, mixed-up world. And I still hope we can find the Way together as we seek to walk with Christ.

Yesterday's Manna

2010-02-23T21:10:00.001-08:00

As I was contemplating how we are sustained by God, and how He nourishes us spiritually, I couldn’t help but remember the story of Exodus 16. As seems to always be the case in Exodus, the Israelites are groaning. I say this in no way to mean that I am better; I groan plenty, it’s just that no one has written a book about me doing it yet.

In this particular instance, the people are groaning because they need food. Not a bad reason to groan, if you have none. So, God provided for them, as He always did. He rained down a delicious meal from heaven, an unknown food that tasted like wafers made with honey (possibly Honeycomb breakfast cereal). They could it “manna.”

God gave some specific instructions along with this blessing, however. He told them to gather only what they needed, but to gather double on the day before the Sabbath, and to eat those leftovers on the Sabbath.

Of course, the Hebrews neglected these commands. Not only did they try to gather manna on the Sabbath, but they also tried to gather extra manna on other days. And, as is usually the case when one disobeys God’s instructions, the consequences were eminent.

During the night this sweet pastry attracted and bred worms, turning sour and creating a tremendous odor (the manufacturers of Honeycomb avoided this with the invention of the artificial preservatives we all love so much).

Nonetheless, I believe there is an important lesson to learn from this story. So often we look back on our past spirituality, or even the spirituality of our family, and we become satisfied with it. We come to rely on it. We believe what we have done in the past is enough, if we could just sustain it or replicate it. We try to survive on the manna we gathered yesterday. But there was a reason God told the Israelites to gather their nourishment everyday.

God wants us to continually be relying on Him. He wants us to always be searching for some new revelation. Simply reviewing what we have done or learned cannot be enough. In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, he writes in chapter thirteen, “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.”

The bitter truth is, there are many among us who simply need to grow up. We have become satisfied with what we have accomplished, with what we know; and all the while there is so much more to behold. There is so much more to the glory of God than we have seen. There is so much more to His provision, to His power. And we are content to stagnate and breed worms. We need to quit fiddling around with yesterday’s manna. Go and see what God has sent from heaven today.

Food we Do Not Know

2010-02-21T18:57:00.001-08:00

How often do we skip a meal? I know I don’t very often. We like food, and we don’t like being hungry. But I was wondering the other day, “Why don’t we hunger for God that way?” After all, we need God even more than we need food; He is the source of our strength and nourishment. Why do we ignore Him in a way we would never ignore our hunger pangs?

In John chapter four, Jesus’ disciples were taking care of their grocery shopping in a Samaritan village while Jesus waiting at the local watering hole. That’s where the Savior had an encounter with a Samaritan woman and confronted her misconceptions about worship and life. But after His conversation with the woman, His disciples tried to get Him to eat something. Jesus replied, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” The disciples question among themselves, wondering where He got the food. He answered them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.”

I really believe that Jesus had a hunger inside Him. I believe that if He ever went very long without touching someone for His Father, He was filled with pangs like if we had not eaten. And when He fulfilled a task that His Father had given to Him, He felt a satisfaction better than any we could know from the biggest meal.

So why do we not take advantage of this food we do not know? Why do we neglect the one thing that can nourish us, strengthen us, and satisfy us like nothing else can? Why do we not hunger to serve the One who sent us?

Lord, fill us with desire for Your food.

The Most Noble Contradiction

2010-02-10T09:28:00.001-08:00

There were many contradictions at the cross. Everything about it went against the nature of God. The One who knew no sin was made to be sin. The True Light that had come into the world was shrouded in darkness. The Life was crucified. The Three-in-One God was divided, separated for the first and only time.

But these kinds of contradictions are what makes the cross so powerful. No other life could have, by its death, given life to the world. Only a sinless sacrifice could wipe out the debt of sin. These contradictions were a part of the plan all along, and they were nothing new in the life of Christ.

The very act of Jesus being born was a contradiction. His very nature, wholly God and wholly man, is a seeming paradox that we cannot fully understand. But perhaps the greatest contradiction is explained in the opening chapter of John’s Gospel. John says that Jesus came “full of grace and truth.”

The grace of God is His lovingkindness toward us, His mercy, the way He puts up with us when we fail. The truth of God is His unchanging faithfulness, His immutability, His uncompromising justice. His grace is what makes Him want to bring us to Himself. His truth is what keeps Him from welcoming sinners. The two thoughts are perpendicular. It does not seem like they should exist in one God. But the contradiction is not because the two are mutually exclusive; it is because our sin is in conflict with both.

That is why the contradiction of the cross was necessary. That is where the grace of God and the truth of God met. That is where they worked together to rid the world of the sin that had placed them at odd. That is where Christ became, as it says in Romans 3, “both just and the justifier.” The contradiction of the cross is where God rejected His own nature because of His deep love for us. He gave up so much of Himself so that His real self could be revealed to us, so that we could know Him.

It is a mystery too great for words. It is the most noble contradiction.

God: Remembered

2009-11-11T20:49:00.000-08:00

It was strange. God had freed His people from their enemies and conquered their foes on every side. He gave them Gideon as a judge to guide them. But, as soon as he died, Judges 8:34 says, “the children of Israel did not remember the LORD their God.”

When Jerusalem lay desolate and without walls, and enemies threatened to stop the construction, Nehemiah offered the people only one hope. “Do not be afraid of them.” Nehemiah 4:14 says, “Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight.”

A prophet running from God found himself in the midst of a storm-tossed sea. But matters soon would get much worse, as he found himself in the midst of a great fish. But, from the bowels of a sea monster, when all hope was lost and his spirit fainted within him, Jonah 2:7 says, “I remembered the LORD.”

Often God must go to extreme lengths to get His people to remember Him. When the psalmist recounts the story of the exodus in Psalm 78, he lists all the ways that God provided for His people. But it was not until God brought death to them that he could say in verse thirty-five, “Then they remembered that God was their rock, and the Most High God their Redeemer.”

How often we don’t remember God! When He is the only One who can save, guide, and provide. I can only say, with the writer of Ecclesiastes 12:1, “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come.” Now is the time to make that choice. He is worth remembering. He is the most important thing to remember.

“All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You.” Psalm 22:27.

Too Much Honey

2009-10-27T19:03:00.000-07:00

The Bible often uses honey as an analogy. Typically it is a symbol of prosperity; several times it is even used as a picture of God’s Word. One chapter in Proverbs, however, references honey twice, but in a very different way. Proverbs 25:16 says, “Have you found honey? Eat only as much as you need, lest you be filled with it and vomit.” But the verse I really want to focus on comes later. Verse twenty-seven tells us, “It is not good to eat much honey; so to seek one’s own glory is not glory.”

These verses, placed so conveniently close together in the text, have got me thinking. How much of a good thing is too much? Clearly, the Bible is teaching here that indulgence results in our own downfall. Like an overabundance of honey, seeking our own glory destroys the thing we were out to get.

But there’s more to it than that. In the original Hebrew, the word for “seek” doesn’t mean simply “seek;” it has connotations that can make it mean “examine,” “study,” or “number.” So the writer is not merely warning against someone who is only out to get more glory, but he is also saying that we should not spend too much time thinking about their own “glory” or taking stock of their own accomplishments.

When we eat too much honey we get sick to our stomachs. That is the same effect that besets our souls when we think more of ourselves than we ought. So often we seek our own glory. We become caught up in our image or reputation. We refuse to be fools for Christ, forgetting that the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. We lap up honey like it was water, and it has made us sick. It is time to finally stop researching ourselves. Enough is enough. There is one Glory, and it is God alone. If we seek any glory but His, we are looking to be filled by something that is actually causing the problem. We are getting sick off of honey.

Let the Dead Bury Their Own

2009-10-24T09:22:00.001-07:00

How easy it is to become distracted from doing the work God has set before us. The gospels of Mathew and Luke share a very brief story that emphasizes the importance of remaining focused on following Christ.

In Matthew 8:21-22 we see the story of a man who would follow Christ. But he asks the Savior if he may first go and bury his father. Jesus answered, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” Luke chapter 9 tells much the same story in verses 59 and 60, but records Jesus’ response as, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.”

Christ’s response to the man is something many of us would do well to remember. The things of this world can only end in death. Even things that aren’t bad often bring no benefit except in what happens between here and the grave. Christ is trying to get this young follower to shift his focus to what happens after the grave. So many of the things in this life are not worth worrying about, and would take care of themselves if we focus on following Christ and proclaiming His kingdom.

So, let the dead bury their own. Let the things of this world worry about themselves. And follow Christ.

Head to the Window

2009-10-18T22:37:00.001-07:00

Around the turn of the 18th century there was a poet named William Blake; from the time of his childhood, he claimed to experience visions. When Blake was a boy, he claimed to have a vision to which he clung so surely that even his parents began to stop doubting the truth in what he said. In it he claimed that he saw God “put His head to the window” and gaze into his house.

Whether or not you give credence to the thought of a vision, the idea caught my attention. I have often thought of God watching my life and wondered what He thought of it, as if He were a critic watching a movie or reading a book. I imagined His response in the sad moments; I pictured times when He called the angels over to watch a part He knew was going to be good.

The idea may seem strange, I know, but it reminds me of Proverbs 15:3; “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.”

So, however you choose to remember it, keep this in mind: He is watching. What does He see?

God Remembered

2009-09-17T12:07:00.000-07:00

Noah was alone with only his closest family, floating above the watery grave that was the rest of the world. When God had shut him in the ark, it had taken seven days for the rain to start. Noah must have wondered at that point, “What now?” Now the ark had saved him, for the time being. But, as he sailed over the corpses of his neighbors, brothers, sisters, friends, and everything he knew, he had to be thinking again, “Now what?” Then Genesis chapter eight says, “And God remembered Noah…”

Abraham was looking out over the plains toward where Sodom and Gomorrah used to be. Now he saw only smoke rising like out of a furnace. As he looked upon the judgment and wrath God had rained down, he must have wondered, “What about my nephew?” It surely seemed that no one could have escaped that awful flame. But Genesis 19 says, “God remembered Abraham…”

The Hebrews were in bondage to the Egyptians. They were forced to struggle under heavy burdens. They did not control even the destinies of their own children. Their one advocate in the palace had fled the country after he committed a murder. He had been the closest thing they had known to hope in nearly four-hundred years, and now even that was gone. As they labored hopelessly under the sun, they must have wondered, “Has God forgotten us?” Then, Exodus 2:24 says, “God heard their groaning, and God remembered…”

When we are lost and don’t know what to do next, when we wonder if the good perish with the evil, when we think we are forgotten, God remembers. When we wonder, “What now?” when the world around us is going up in smoke, when we haven’t heard from God in what seems like ages, God remembers. No matter where we find ourselves, God remembers. It is not because He ever forgot; it is because He was waiting on time to catch up with His plan. He has marked us out for a purpose, and He remembers. And, no matter how many times we forget, God remembers.

Shown on the Mountain

2009-08-24T21:44:00.001-07:00

It has been said that you should not doubt in the dark what God has told you in the dark. There’s nothing wrong with the saying, and I think it speaks to an important point. But, like most such sayings, I believe it is said much better with scripture. So, here it goes, “And see to it that you make them according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.” Exodus 25:40.

Perhaps a little context would be helpful in showing the point.

Moses has just received the Ten Commandments, many other rules, and a detailed design for the furnishings of the tabernacle. These objects were the holiest utensils ever created, and they included the ark of the covenant, the physical symbol of God’s presence on earth.

Imagine Moses, after he came down from the mountain, trying to fashion these pieces in the middle of the desert: gathering the raw materials, acquiring the necessary tools, and then completing them to God’s extravagant design. It is not hard to imagine Moses and the craftsmen becoming discouraged. They may have even questioned the point of the utensils, or why they had to be so lavish. But it was in those times when they remembered the command of the LORD, “make them according to the pattern which was shown.”

And it’s a good thing they did. They had no way of knowing it at the time, but their faithfulness was remembered thousands of years later. It was then that the writer of Hebrews quoted that fortieth verse of Exodus 25. And it was then that he revealed why it was so important. He tells us that they were for a “copy and shadow of heavenly things.” They showed the greatness of God, and foretold of His work in the future.

So let us not grow discouraged in following God’s design. All that we do is meant to be a copy and shadow of something better to come. And, if we are faithful to the pattern shown us on the mountain, people will see how great God is, even in the desert.

Taster of Death

2009-08-14T22:06:00.000-07:00

If you have carefully followed my notes or blogs, you may have noticed that I write about death slightly more than the average person might; perhaps not always physical death, but spiritual death or the putting to death of our selves. The duality of death for the Christian fascinates me. It is a paradox. We once were dead, but if we die to ourselves we can live. And, if we crucify ourselves, we will share in Christ’s resurrection. And so, we really only know life if we die.

More thoughts of death and the Christian were aroused in my head as I was reading through the book of Hebrews. In verse nine of chapter two it says, “But we do see Him who was made a little lower than the angels, namely, Jesus because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.” Later in the same chapter it says that, by His death, Jesus destroyed him who had the power of death and He set free those imprisoned by the fear death brings.

It’s a beautiful image. Because Christ has died, we no longer have any reason to fear death. But the part that really stood out to me was when it said that Jesus tasted death for everyone. This called to mind an image of ancient winetasters, testing the king’s drink to make sure it contained no deadly poison. I’ve often thought that a wintaster’s job would not be one I would want. But that is, in many ways, what Christ became for us. I like to imagine Christ tasting death and then handing it to us as if to say, “This is fine. It won’t kill you.” Indeed, death no longer has any sting. Christ tasted it, He destroyed its power, and it’s a safe cup for us to drink.

Ten Shekels and a Shirt (or Have Idol, will Travel)

2009-06-18T22:48:00.000-07:00

There’s a story in Judges 17 and 18 that doesn’t get many sermons preached about it. After all, it is a little strange. In fact, the last five chapters of Judges are pretty weird. Try reading them sometime when you want some, uh… interesting stories. (Just a warning, these passages contain some of the more, shall we say, “disturbing” accounts in the scripture.)

It was the story in chapters 17 and 18 that really caught my attention though. It’s a little long, so hold on. It begins, as all good stories do, with a boy who stole from his mother… ya, a great opening, I know. His name was Micah, and he took eleven-hundred shekels of silver from his mother (that’s about 28 pounds). When he heard her put a curse on it, he decided to return it. To which she said, “Wow! You’re such a great son! I’m going to make this silver into an idol and give it back to you so that God will be happy with you!” I know, sounds like a great family, right?

Oh, but it gets better. A wandering priest shows up. No, this isn’t a bar joke. Micah figures, “hey, I’ve got an idol; if I get this Levite to be a priest for me, God will have to like me!” So he offers the Levite a new suit, food and lodging, and 4 ounces of silver a year to hang around and be his good luck charm.

Well, the Levite agreed. And he was happy to stick around doing his thing for a while. But then a clan of Danites pass through on their way to battle. They see Micah’s house with the idol and the priest and they think, “Here’s what we need right here. If we want to stay safe in battle, we need a little of the supernatural. This couldn’t hurt.”

So, they offer to let the Levite be their priest. He gladly accepts the promotion of serving 600 men instead of just one. Then they steal Micah’s idols and set out on their own. Naturally, Micah is upset so he goes after them. They tell him to back off and shut his mouth or they’ll get mad and kill him.

Anyway, Micah goes home with nothing, and the Danites wipe out a city, settle down there, and keep worshiping the idol that made the whole thing possible.

Whew! Finally got through that. Here’s the point. First of all, don’t steal from your mother. But mainly, this is what I would say: everyone in this story missed the point. They saw God as something they could manipulate into blessing them. They were just trying to get something from Him. And the Levite, worst of all, used his position as priest to move himself up the social ladder.

The point is simple: don’t try to use God for what you can get from Him. The end of all being is not the happiness of man but the glory of God. We were made to glorify Him, not indulge ourselves. This weird story is just another example of how messed up we are. So, don’t build an idol and constrain God to blessing you how you want, don’t go around looking for some way to get yourself ten shekels and a shirt, and don’t think that simply following religious practices will guarantee your success. God is not a means to an end. He is the goal. He is the prize. Having Him is enough.

Greater Things

2009-06-16T09:48:00.000-07:00

Oh, what a year can do! It was a mere 365 days ago that I was in Cleveland, doing mission work, happy but struggling. It was then that we sang Chris Tomlin’s “God of this City,” boldly proclaiming “There is no one like our God! Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done…”

But what was to come would shake my world.

It was one year ago today that I wrote in my journal, asking God to keep me awake at night and fill me with passion for a cause. The only problem was that I was giving up the gifts He had given me for what I thought I needed.

Well, He found a way to keep me awake at night.

It was two days later that Amanda broke up with me. Many of you may not know, but we were dating pretty seriously, and the break up came as quite a shock. That day changed the course of all I had planned in my life. But God was working for Greater Things.

A few days later, I wrote in my journal that this was the hardest thing I had ever been through. But I also wrote that I knew it was, thus, the greatest opportunity for growth. And it was.

I don’t mean to sound like I’m gloating, but God has done so many amazing things since that day. There truly were greater things to come for me. He has blessed me with great friends and family; He has given me the opportunity to serve Him in a way I never thought I would a year ago; He has blessed me with an amazing girlfriend who is better than I could hope for; and, most importantly, He has given me a better understanding of His Life and His Purpose for mine.

That doesn’t mean the hurt wasn’t hard, or that it was wasn’t lasting. Even as long after the break up as January, I was still writing about it in my journal, though it was more of a side note. It was then that I said, “I really haven’t felt like myself since Amanda broke up with me, but I believe I am becoming myself.”

My life looks infinitely different than I expected it to a year ago. But one thing I have learned through all the change and pain and misdirection: there is no one like our God, and greater things have yet to come and greater things are still to be done. I’m excited to see how God will blow my plans out of the water in the next year.

Don't Drink the Kool-Aid

2009-05-16T21:04:00.000-07:00

In my family we have a running joke about noisy kids. We laugh about getting them to go to sleep by giving them “purple Kool-Aid” which, of course, is actually Nyquil. Now, before any of you go calling family services, we don’t actually carry out this practice; it is strictly a joke.

There is, however, a more sinister nature to everyone’s favorite fruit-flavored drink. We’ve all heard of cults that use the drink to deliver drugs to their members, either to make them easier to manipulate or as a means of mass suicide. By now, most rational adults know that if you are at a large compound in the middle of the New Mexico desert and the leader claims that UFOs are riding a comet to take us home to Jesus, you shouldn’t drink the Kool-Aid.

So, we can all breathe a sigh of relief. Whew, crisis averted.

But what about all the other poisons we drink in? And no, I’m not talking about the nationwide plot to put nicotine in Coca-Cola to make it more addicting. I’m not even preaching against the dangers of alcohol.

No, the poison I’m talking about is all the things we drink from the cult of culture. Things like, “You are all that matters.” “Follow your heart.” “You can be whatever you want; just put your mind to it.” “The government can fix your problems.” “Science can fix your problems.” “Religion can fix your problems.” There are countless others, and I could go on listing them for pages. However, it is much easier to simply tell you the truth.

The truth is: If you want any hope or any fulfillment, God is the only place. We look so often to what the world has to offer; but at best it is water that will cause us to thirst again and at worst it is poison that puts us under their control and kills us.

Jesus said He is the living water that would satisfy us so we will never thirst again. He poured Himself out. Be satisfied in Him. Don’t drink the Kool-Aid.

Bats Frighten Me...

2009-03-11T18:50:00.001-07:00

I think I may spend too much time being entertained. I like reading, watching television, and indulging in a good movie. Every once in a while, however, they are actually worth my time. Sometimes, something from a movie will strike a chord that resounds in the essence of my being. That is what defines a good movie for me. It may be cheaply made with poor acting and no special effects, but if its message can awaken a glimpse of the eternal, it has been well worth it. One such movie came out a few years ago, though it also had the benefit of exceptional acting and a large budget. That movie was Batman Begins.

The movie was absolutely brilliant. Its theme, plot, and tone were amazing; and there are many things I could point out from its storyline. However, I will concentrate on only one small portion: my favorite line in the movie. The character of Bruce Wayne is beginning his transformation into Batman when Alfred asks him, “Why bats, Master Wayne?” Bruce coolly responds, “Well, Alfred, bats frighten me; and it’s time my enemies shared in my dread.”

The thought of shaping your life around the very thing you fear the most was something that stuck in my mind. I have often thought that the thing we fear most is often the very thing that could be our greatest weapon. I can see this in my own life and where God has called me.

God has, for some reason, seen fit to call me as a preacher, a task that I never thought I could do. I preached my first sermon when I was seventeen, and it scared me to death; public speaking was, perhaps, my greatest fear. I am still nervous every time I get in front of people, but by God’s grace I am strengthened in faith to give glory to Him. As I am continuing in obedience to God’s call, I see more and more how little my fears really mean. And now I see that Satan will often assault us with fear to keep us from doing the very thing that is the greatest threat to him. So, by that reasoning, the things that God calls us to that we fear most are the things that do the greatest damage to Satan because they are the things that will most glorify God.

So, why preaching? First, because God called me to do it. Second, because it frightens me, and it is time for Satan to share my dread. And by God’s strength, though I am still frightened when I have to preach, the devil is far more frightened when I preach.

So, what frightens you? And how will you use it to strike fear into your Enemy?

Manipulating the Plot

2009-02-19T22:13:00.001-08:00

In literature there is a thing known as plot manipulation. This is a method some bad writers will use to resolve conflict in their plots. They build the tension, working toward the climax, and just when it seems that there is no hope for the hero…bam! The gun jams, the villain trips, a random passerby sees what is happening, something falls from the sky, lightning strikes. You get the idea. In short, some force outside the story steps in to mix things up.

In literature this is a bad thing; it shows a lack of creativity. But in the scripture, this is one of the greatest themes of God’s grace. Ephesians chapter two is a prime example. Paul begins the chapter by depicting our lives before Christ. He describes how we were dead in trespasses, living like the devil, following our lusts, and the children of wrath. Then comes verse four, and the two words that will change everything…

“But God…”

Bam! The outside Force has stepped in. “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ…”

Our story was hopeless. But God intervened in a way that no one could have predicted. And it is the most amazing thing we could have imagined. In the story of our lives, there was no hope of a happy ending. So this is one case of plot manipulation that we should embrace with hearts full of gratitude.

Render Unto God

2009-02-05T08:33:00.000-08:00

When I was younger we once went on a vacation out West. I may have forgotten a lot about it, but I do remember one thing. I remember setting pennies on a railroad track and waiting for the train to come by and smash them. I still have those pennies and I take them out to look at them sometimes. The thing about them is that they are no longer usable as money, even though you can still tell that they were once pennies. On some of them you can even still make out the profile of Abe Lincoln, stretched and distorted as it may be.

Many of you will probably wonder how I made the connection, but this reminds of a verse in the Gospel of Luke. In chapter 20 some of the religious leaders sought to catch Jesus in a trap. Once again, they thought they had Him pinned. They asked Him whether or not they should pay taxes to Caesar. If He said “no” they had Him for rebelling against the government. If He said “yes” then most of His followers would abandon Him because they hated the Romans and their oppressive rule.

Jesus did not answer right away; He simply asked for a coin. He held it up and asked, “Whose image is this?” Of course the people knew that the image on the coin was Caesar. Jesus answered them, “Render, then, unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.”

What I love about Christ’s answer was that He did not only spoil the trap that was set for Him but He also spoke a powerful message. Though we may be twisted and smashed, just like those pennies I mentioned, we still bear the image of God. Yes, we have been distorted by sin, but His fingerprints are still evident on our souls. Perhaps we are a little hard to recognize, and perhaps we cannot be fully used as we once could; but He would still have us. And, though we rightfully belong to Him, we would try to hold ourselves back from His possession. Jesus clearly commanded, “Render unto God the things that are God’s. Give Him what bears His image. Offer yourself to Him. Render unto God the very essence of your being.”

The Devil's Nightmare

2009-02-05T08:20:00.000-08:00

Satan awoke in a sweat one night
His spirit quivering, dumb with fright
A dream it was that had so vexed him
Its grim, dark fear greatly perplexed him
He called his advisor to ease his head
The advisor sat next to the devil’s bed
And he consoled the Accuser with the words he said

“Fear not, my lord, it was but a dream;
Things are not so bad as they would seem.
Yes, the Church remains alive.
But, lest it change, it shall not thrive.
They hide their flaws, they don’t confess,
They cover up their rotten mess.
They sit in pews on Sunday morning,
But that is all they care for learning.
They see suffering but will not stop it;
They’re too concerned with the building’s carpet.
They are content with one another,
So they welcome to themselves no others.
They quarrel over petty trifles.
They seek decisions, not disciples.
The world is dying outside their walls,
And they are building ‘fellowship halls.’
So sleep in peace, my lord, I say.
Our cause will live another day.
The Church is not a fearful thing,
But only slightly troubling.”

So the fallen angel’s mind was eased
And, in fact, he now was rather pleased
He slept sound again within the hour
Dreaming of whom he may devour
So all was well in Hades’ deep
The devil got a good night’s sleep
And that, o Church, should make you weep

P.S. If you enjoyed this poem, you should check out the rest of my poetry at http://soaringflames.blogspot.com/

A Faith like Charlie Brown's

2009-01-17T22:53:00.000-08:00

We all remember that round-headed kid with the zig-zag shirt who everyone said was “the charlie-browniest” person in the world. Well, those people never met me. I still maintain that I am charlie-brownier than even old Chuck himself.

Granted, I may have a little more athletic ability and I may be a little better at school, but we do have many similarities. We both enjoy the simple things. We are both a little shy. We both tend to fly under the radar of society. We both often face feelings of depression. We both have a thing for redheads. And we both spend a great amount of time staring into space and pondering the questions of life.

I was reminded of my bond with this lovable cartoon character just recently when I stumbled upon a quote from the comic. In it, Charlie Brown said, “In the book of life, the answers are not in the back.” This struck me as very profound. In life you can’t just flip to the last page and find out what will happen. You can’t even check in the back to see if your calculations are even close. You just have to take it one page at a time.

This is often frightening to some people, including myself. And it reminds me of the time Linus said, “I believe that there is no problem so big or so overwhelming that I cannot run away from it.” That would be the attitude of many of us, but Charlie Brown had a different viewpoint. It didn’t matter to him how many times the football got pulled away; he was still determined to kick it clear to the moon. And it didn’t matter how many of his kites crashed to the ground or got murdered by the kite-eating tree, he was determined that one would fly. He took it all one page at a time.

The Bible reminds us of this as well. Proverbs 17:24 says, “Wisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.” The answer to life is not on the back page or in some distant place or even at a 5 cent psychiatrist’s stand; it is right in front of your eyes. God doesn’t send us on wild goose chases to find His will. He is right next to us, guiding our every step; and He never pulls the football away. I just hope I can have the faith to follow, even if I fall flat on my back and kill myself.

Of Short Stature

2009-01-13T21:33:00.001-08:00

Zacchaeus was a wee, little man… Actually, what the Bible says is that he was of short stature. But he had a desire. Luke 19:2-10 tells his story.

Verse three says that Zacchaeus “sought to see who Jesus was.” That statement alone is surprising; in a place where everyone was seeking Jesus to see what He could do for them, this tax collector wanted to see who He was. Unfortunately, seeing Jesus is often easier said than done.

Two things stood in the way of Zacchaeus; first was the crowd, second was his own lack of physical prowess. But we must admire his dedication; for he would not let those things stand in his way. You all know the story, he climbed a tree in order to catch a glimpse of a Savior; Jesus looked and saw Zacchaeus and He called out to him.

I must say that, as I read this story recently, I was newly inspired by what it contained. First, I wondered why it was that I was seeking Jesus. Was it to ask Him for favors? Miracles? Or, do I seek Him to find a relationship with Him? To see who He is? Do I love my God for what He has done and how He blesses me, or do I love Him because of who He is? Secondly, I took stock of all the things that I allow to keep me from getting to Him.

Zacchaeus had a world of reasons to not see Jesus. There were obstacles between him and Christ. There was a crowd that he could not push through or get around, an impenetrable wall. And he had his own share of shortcomings as well. His physical height was not sufficient to get a look at Jesus.

Like Zacchaeus, there are many things that come between me and my Lord. I have my own shortcomings that make it impossible for me to get to see Him. But, the greatest question I must ask myself is whether or not I will be as persistent as Zacchaeus. Will I seek out any and all means to see Jesus? Will I do whatever it takes to know who He is? If I do, I know it won’t be a result of anything within myself. I’m much too short for that.

For the Love of Swine

2009-01-10T11:11:00.000-08:00

I often marvel at the human capacity to continually mistrust the things God does. I have found myself there many times and I have seen others do the same thing. Yet, it still confounds me. As I was reading through the Gospel of Luke I found a story that made this point in a very poignant way.

The story is one that is fairly familiar to most of us who have frequented Sunday school, and it is found in Luke 8:26-37. Here Jesus has crossed the Sea of Galilee into a land inhabited by Gentiles, and He is welcomed first by a man possessed by a legion of demons. Christ’s conversation with the demon is, in itself, very interesting, but it is not important to my point. It is enough to say that Jesus cast the unclean spirits out of the man and into a herd of swine. The swine then ran down into the sea and drowned.

The people of the nearby town heard of this and they ran out to see. They found the man there, who had been possessed. He was sitting silently, now in his right mind. They were amazed at his transformation, but they did not react as we might expect. Rather than praising God or worshipping, verse 37 says, “Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region… asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear.”

Why would they ask Him to leave? The Bible says they were afraid. But of what? Afraid that He may heal more of them? Could it be that they were afraid of what they would lose? Could it be that these people were more concerned about losing a herd of pigs than they were about this man being made whole? Surely people cannot be so materialistic… can we?

How many times in our lives have we told God to leave us alone because of what we may have to give up? We may not say those words. We would never come right out and say we want Him to depart, but our actions say it even more clearly. We cannot let go of the swine that God’s work may cast into the sea. Why can we not praise Him for the spirits He sets free? We hoard to ourselves pointless, dirty things that would ruin us. And then we are angry when He removes them. I guess we may be more like pigherders than we suspected.

Idle Tales

2009-01-07T09:31:00.000-08:00

I have recently been reading through the gospel of Luke. It's a book I haven't read in a while, and I came across several stimulating thoughts. Interestingly, the first one I will write about comes from the last chapter. Hopefully I will post some other thoughts soon, but I will start with this.

In Luke 24 Jesus has been crucified and all his disciples are gathered in a room. Some of the women have gone to the tomb to finish the embalming process, but when they get there, they find the tomb empty. An angel appears to them and tells them that Jesus has risen.

The women ran back to the disciples and told them all that had happened. And then, the Bible gives us this verse: verse eleven. It says, "And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them."

Here was the greatest miracle of all time, and Christ's followers dismissed it as a bedtime story!

This made me stop and think. How many works of God have I ignored as idle tales? How many times have I not believed something is from God because it was too fantastical?

God is in the business of doing the unbelievable. And He wants us to do the same.

I don't want to be frozen is disbelief when God does something I cannot imagine. We should not even be surprised when He blows our minds. Why is it so hard to believe that He will do the unbelievable? Why can't we trust that He does not write idle tales?

Unrequited

2008-12-19T10:02:00.000-08:00

I will be absolutely honest and admit that I am no expert when it comes to relationships. Especially the romantic kind. There are times I wish I could claim more expertise, but then I realize that my lack of proficiency comes from lack of experience. And, honestly, I don’t think that is a bad thing.

I have only ever told three girls that I liked them. Three. That’s it, in my whole life, except for one that I don’t count because I told her in a letter and I never saw her again after that. But, anyway, being as I am now single, you can guess how those three experiences went for me. So, I have, though on a much lesser scale than many of you, faced rejection from the opposite sex. But, the good thing about only pursuing a girl when God tells you to is that you only get rejected when God wants to teach you something from it.

Believe me, this was not an easy realization to come by. I have spent many lonely nights in my past angry with God for the response I got for my obedience to Him. But, through it all, He somehow broke through my concrete skull and made me see the Truth.

I believe that one of the main reasons God made men and women on this earth was so we could see, through that relationship, something about our relationship with Him. For reasons unbeknownst to me, God has chosen to pursue the human race the way a man is meant to pursue a woman. And with that pursuit, He puts Himself in danger of that same response we have all faced on one occasion or another. God makes Himself vulnerable to our rejection.

Based on this thought, I slowly began to realize what God goes through when we reject Him. He faces the same hurt, the same depression, the same grief that we felt when the one we cared about did not respond in the same way. Imagine that pain you felt and then imagine it multiplied by the entire population of the world over the entire course of history. That might be a little piece of the agony God goes through each time someone rejects Him. And it’s not just when people don’t get saved. Every time we sin we are rejecting God. We are turning our backs on Him who has valiantly pursued our souls.

It grieves me to think of the pain that I cause Him every day. Now I know how it feels. Maybe that’s why He allows us to suffer rejection. But no matter what we go through, it will never compare to the pain God feels for His unrequited love.

Chasing Buzzards

2008-12-12T19:40:00.000-08:00

There is a very interesting story in the 15th chapter of Genesis. It really doesn't get talked about much, but I have been thinking about it alot recently. In that chapter, Abraham has met with God, and he is offering Him a sacrifice. Abraham slaughters several animals and lays them out for the LORD. But it is verse eleven that really caught my attention. It says this: "And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away."

I find this interesting for two reasons.

First, is the fact that there are even vultures in this story. Why was God so slow in accepting this sacrifice? Why did He wait around so long that the buzzards got there before Him? Abram was acting in faith; he had brought this gift to the LORD, and God was doing nothing. Sometimes, when we act in obedience, it takes a while before we see God move. It isn't always an instantanious fire like with Elijah on Mt. Carmel. Sometimes it takes some time.

Second, is the action of Abram. He had already given these animals to God; if the vultures got them, what concern was that of his? Abram recognized that offering things to God often requires more than just laying them down at His feet. We can say we are surrendering to God, but what do we do after? Are we actively fighting to make sure that our lives are sacrficed to Him alone. When we give up to Him are we chasing away the buzzards that would devour our offerings?

See, the truth is, when we do surrender to God, we usually will let other things steal that offering from Him. We give Him our time, but we don't chase away things that steal it. We give Him our relationships, but we don't actively battle the things that destroy them. We give Him our lives, but we don't drive off the vultures that pick away at our souls. Maybe God hasn't moved as fast as we would like. Maybe we don't have a clue where He could be. But, through it all, we must remember that our offerings are for Him alone and drive away the buzzards that would steal them from Him.

(Newsflash)

2008-11-23T19:59:00.000-08:00

Hey, everybody, I just wanted to let you know that I recently started a new blog that is devoted solely to my poetry. If you are interested, you can find it at http://soaringflames.blogspot.com/ . I hope you enjoy it.

The Glory of Kings

2008-11-20T15:50:00.000-08:00

Life full of questions? Wondering what in the world is going on? Are you clueless, like me? Do you wish you could better understand God and His work?

Sometimes I get so frustrated because I can't see everything that is going on. I just wish God would reveal everything to me now.

Then again, maybe I don't know what I'm asking for. Proverbs 25:2 says, "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter."

Two things.
First, it is a part of the very nature of God that He cannot be completely known. If we could fully understand Him, why kind of a puny deity would He be? If He had no divine secrets there would be no weight to His glory.
Second, we need to be constantly digging deeper into the nature/work of God. It is not the glory of a king to know; it is the glory of a king to search out. What we know does not bear the same glory as what we do not know, and learning is greater than knowledge.

So, what does this mean? First, don't get frustrated when God is mysterious. That is just a part of His greatness; stand in awe of it. Second, don't get frustrated when You don't know what is going on. Search. Dig. Find out. Look and see. Uncover a piece of the mystery of life and God. It is in the searching that we find glory.

Road Signs and Question Marks

2008-11-13T17:01:00.000-08:00

There are no road signs on the path to Hell because they don't want you to know where you're going. There are no mile markers on the road to Hell because they don't want you to know how far you've come.

I have often thought life would be much easier if there were road signs along the way. Why can't the directions just be right in front of us? Things would be so much simpler. But, if life has taught me one thing it is that the "simple" and the "easy" do not always match up with the GOOD.

Road signs may come in handy, but are they good? I think a great big question mark may be the best thing that God can give us sometimes. It is in those times when we don't have a clue that Faith grows. You don't need Faith to follow a road sign; you do need Faith to keep moving in the direction God has called no matter the obstacles.

So, we have to pay attention, or we may find ourselves on the wrong road. But it is that need to watch our steps, those times of wondering, that make us look deeply into Who God is. When we do this we can plainly see what He would have us to do. Who He is guides into where He wants us to be. And that is better than a road sign. Through those times we not only learn how to get to God, we learn how to walk like He walked.

The Introduction

2008-11-13T16:44:00.000-08:00

I won't even begin to say that I have all the answers. I won't even say that I can always point you in the right direction. I openly admit that I don't have a clue most of the time, and I think we all agree that life in this world is confusing even for those wiser than us.
So, all I ask is that you come with me. Join me on my journey through life. Hopefully we will both learn something. And, hopefully, God will grow us into what He would have us to be. So, hold on; life will be bumpy. Here we go...