Loss of Innocence

Those who know some of my journey realize that I came to know Christ at 18. It was shortly after that when I responded to a call to the ministry. I went to college and to seminary; did evangelistic rallies for several years; was in youth ministry for several years and was a pastor in two churches over a period of several years.

During that time I was receptive to most anything people of "church" authority told me. There were some things I questioned, but not many.

When life began to kick me around some and I faltered and "left" the ministry, there was a real loss of innocence. You might say I grew up and began to see things from a different perspective.  Some of that has been good, some of it has handicapped me at times. Nevertheless, it has been better overall. I believe it was Socrates who said, "An unexamined life is not worth living."  He is right.

On my other blog, there is a "page two" that contains some poems and essays. The first essay posted is entitled "Perplexed". It gives a sense of where I am going with all of this. So suffice it to say here, that I look at things differently now, than I did then.

In my reading through Revelation, I got started this morning and could not stop. It really is a great piece of literature, not to mention a challenging piece of prophecy. However, one cannot help but notice how it ends. At least five times "I am coming soon" or "the time is near" is noted. Now I don't know about you, but that catches my attention. I want to have some understanding of what is meant by "soon" or "near".

Of course, the standard responses are a day is as a thousand years to the Lord; we must leave it to the authors interpretation of what "soon" means; there is a sense of immediacy but we cannot take that literally, etc., etc..  All of which seem rather weak.  Is there more to it than that?

Many people are uncomfortable with these kinds of questions. I find them fascinating. God gave me a mind, He expects me to use it. Blind faith might be wonderful as an answer for the ultimate question of God, but it is a pitiful answer when it comes to explaining the Word of God.  Prophecy may be a genre with a certain element of mystery, but it is not one without predefined rules as set in scripture. (Deut. 18:20-22) Therefore I suspect there is a "now" answer for the readers then, and a "soon" answer for those in the future.

Loss of innocence is sometimes seen as coming of age. That may or may not be true. Nevertheless, as a student of scripture, I owe myself more than just reading with my mind disengaged.  Having full faculties on the "alert", as I read, is what makes the Bible come alive and speak to my heart AND my mind. It stretches me, causes me to reach farther and learn more. It is also what makes a growing disciple.

God Bless the reading of His Word!

Now is the time...

My daughter posted a little quiz on their blog about some products that are common to both England and the United States but have totally different names.  For example "plasters" are what we call band-aids; "dripping" is what we would call lard; and "fromage frais" is what we know as yogurt.  Needless to say, I did not do well on the quiz.

While reading the book of Revelation, it strikes me that "worship" is going to be similar in many respects. There will be several that will recognize it immediately for what it is - worship. The praise and adoration of God Almighty. But.....

There may be another group that will take a step back and say, "Wait, I think that looks familiar, but usually we call it the power hour and we do it this way! May we offer a suggestion?"

Then there may be another group that says, "Okay, this is great. While we lift our hearts in prayer and everyone has their eyes closed - What do you mean we don't close our eyes!!! How are we going to move the angels to one side and shift the incense bowls to the center? How will the  living creatures sneak off the stage? And what about those who need another cup of coffee? How are we supposed to get all that done with everyone looking?"

The truth is, most of us are not very good at praise and worship. We don't understand the concept, study it as described and practiced in scripture, nor see it demonstrated very well on Sunday morning.

I know I struggle with it. At times my mind wanders and I loose my focus. Other times I am reticent to open myself up to God and let my heart be exposed and my spirit be vulnerable.  Often times I am guarded and self conscious.  This is something I can change.

When it comes time to praise and worship God in total freedom before His throne, I may find myself looking around and thinking - "Wow - so this is what it's like!" Perhaps someone will come alongside and mentor me.

To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!"  (Rev. 5:13b)

Royal Crown

It is hard to imagine that Royal Crown Cola can still survive against the likes of Coke and Pepsi, but somehow they do. I remember as a kid Royal Crown Cola and Diet Rite were the drinks. In fact, I believe, Diet Rite, may have been the first diet soda on the market. If you've ever had one you know it has a taste like no other cola drink. Nevertheless, it found its niche and has survived.

The idea of "crowns" in the New Testament continues to survive as well. In fact, it was part of a recent on line discussion I had with a few friends of mine. The focus was primarily on the idea of five different crowns being noted in the New Testament: crown of righteousness (2Tim 4:8), crown of life (James 1:12), crown of glory (1Peter 5:4), crown of rejoicing (1Thes. 2:19), and the incorruptible crown (1Cor. 9:25). My question to my friends, both pastors and PhD's, was whether or not these were five separate crowns for five different references to the same crown.

Well, as you might imagine, there was not a definitive consensus but the trend was toward five different references to the same crown. Which seems most appropriate to Scripture and to the vision that John has in Revelation, since the twenty-four elders are said to simply have "golden crowns" (4:4). Not several crowns. In addition, they don't seem to be wearing them anyway, but casting them before the throne of God (4:10), twenty-four seven. So it really becomes irrelevant in many respects.

Now - what I find interesting about this crown business, is that it would capture my attention. We all like "rewards" or recognition whether it is in the form of an "atta-boy" or a tangible reward such as a crown. I am no different. Some folks are collectors of rewards, they display them on their walls, around their necks, in their driveways, etc. So the idea of multiple crowns is appealing. The more the better. But our goal as Christians is not "How can I get more crowns than you". Our goal is "how can I serve you?"

If there were a "crown of servanthood" in that list of crowns, then I might say, yes we are talking about separate crowns. But there is not. Being a servant for the cause of Christ is sometimes like being the Royal Crown Cola of the soft drink industry, it's not very glamorous. It is not everyone's first choice. But it is the one  "royal crown" of every true disciple of Christ.  Perhaps that should be our focus.

Prayer - Is it Necessary?

Before you seek to hang me from the highest tree, hear me out. This came up in our discipleship class when we were discussing teaching new Christians the importance of praying out loud and public prayer.

It was a timely discussion. That very morning I had a head-against-the-wall experience when it dawned on me the futility of my own prayers.

I approach my personal prayer time in one of several ways; I will write out my prayers in a journal, different from this one; I will voice my prayers; I will simply journal my prayer as an entry on this blog in prose; or I will simply sit and let my heart do the talking.

The particular morning in reference, I was verbalizing my prayer and it suddenly dawned on me that my words where not at all synchronized with my heart. What I was saying had nothing to do with what I was thinking or feeling. It was as though I was trying to cover up my true thoughts and feelings with my rhetoric. Thinking perhaps God would not realize what I was doing.

There is little doubt, because of my own demented mind, that I am alone in this particular phenomenon, so I will share with you what I did. I merely shut up and let my heart do the talking. For some of what I was thinking was too shameful for me to speak and too painful for me to form into words.

In Psalm 19:14, the Psalmist said

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer."

Is there a chance that he was undergoing the same type of masquerade? Then realizing that perhaps there were tawdry thoughts or submerged faults (v.12-13) and he best harmonize his words with what was going on in his heart? I tend to think so.

Speaking for no one but myself, this experience has both intimidated me and transformed me. It has opened me up to a whole new awareness of what it means to pray.  I suspect my words will never be loud enough to drowned out the voice of my heart, that does not mean I will not try from time to time. It simply means I know how futile it will be.

Prayer as we often practice it, may not be necessary. Prayer as God hears it, needs no practice.

I Can Do This!

You are three hundred feet in the air. The roof of the building you are standing on is level with the one directly across the street stretching below. There is a steel beam; not a rope or a wire, but a steel beam 24" wide that stretches between the buildings. All you need to do is walk the one hundred and fifty feet from one side to the other. No safety net, no harness, just you, the beam, a slight breeze and the cool blue sky.  Could you?

I have never been a big fan of heights. There were times when I worked certain jobs that dealing with heights was necessary.  I didn't like it, but I did it anyway. Does that mean I conquered my fear? No, it just means I managed it for that situation. I still get nervous climbing my extension ladder more than ten feet off the ground.

To conquer something means you have done more than convince yourself, "I can do this!" There is a deeper sense where your entire being is committed to such a degree that "failure is not an option." It is similar to what Jesus said regarding putting our hand to the plow and not looking back.

Conquering is never easy. For those who think it is, they are mistaking the term conceding as being equal. It is not.

In the letters to the seven churches in Revelation, each one ends with the exhortation to "conquer".  Whatever their unique situation was - whatever they were struggling with, individually or corporately, Christ is exhorting them to be conquerors!

To conquer, subdue, or prevail over something, someone, or a particular situation involves a process over time. If not, Jesus would have exhorted us to be "all-of-a-suddeners".

Conquering requires the three D's:

• Dedication to the task
• Desire to see it to completion
• Discipline necessary to reach the goal

Hence the letters to the churches. Christ was encouraging them to remember their dedication, rekindle their desire, and renew themselves to the discipline necessary to fulfill their calling.

I struggle with the three D's. More often with "desire" than the other two, because that one is more emotional - And I am sometimes driven by emotion. However, my intention is to keep the big picture in view and know that today is just today.  Nevertheless, whether it is a day or a thousand days...

"I can do all things through him who strengthens me." (Phil. 4:13)

More Tense Than Others

Over the past few days, I have spent some time talking about "words" and their value. Something else that is important when it comes to understanding Scripture, or communication in general, is grammar.

Grammar was never one of my favorite subjects. I would always get confused between participles, prepositions, pronouns, past tense, present tense, etc., etc. There seemed to be so many rules and even more exceptions to the rules, especially in the English language. Nevertheless, grammar has its rightful place in the toolbox of any good student of Scripture.

A good example of how grammar presents itself is Revelation 1:5b

"To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood..."

Here are two terrific truths that can serve to transform how we think about what Christ has done for us. Grammatically, both "love" and "freed" are participles. Participles are tricky little critters because they can have the characteristics of both a verb (action) and an adjective (modifier).

Moving one step further, there is the tense of each word, which shows the "time" of each action.  That is, when did it, or does it, take place? In this verse, "love" is present tense - as in on-going.  "Freed" is what is known as aorist tense. Most often, aorist tense is used to denote a summary action or an action that occurred at a point in time not to be repeated.

Therefore, what John is telling us in this verse is that Jesus Christ loves us now and forever and has freed us once for all.  We are forever in his love and never again to be slaves to sin.  How marvelous is that?

"Sing the wondrous love of Jesus, sing his mercy and his grace..."

God's Word

"An old book" - that is what Ergun Caner said when he issued a challenge to debate a group I have referenced here on a couple of occasions. Who is Ergun Caner? He is the President of Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA.

When he made that reference, he was setting the "guidelines" for the discussion saying it would follow the rules of logic, there would be no personal attacks, no surprise questions, and the Bible would be just "an old book".  In context, what I understood his remark to mean, was that the Bible would be viewed as a historical document for the sake of the debate. To view it as the inspired Word of God would make it a non-viable resource because the opponents discounted its veracity. Whether that was what he meant or not, I have no idea. (He has not replied to my e-mail.)

When we approach the Word of God we always have several options. It can be viewed as a document of history, a collection of spiritual fables, or as the inspired words of God Himself.  Many of us claim it is the third option. However, we treat it as though it is the first or second.

Being a good student of the Word, is not equal to being a good defender of the Word. Most of us would fail in that category. Why?  Primarily because we do not approach Scripture rationally. We approach it emotionally. That is, we expect it to speak to us individually and not to "us" corporately. It can do both, but I suspect that the major intent of Scripture is to do the latter.

Perhaps, if we paid less attention to what we want God to say to "me", and more attention to what God may be saying to "we", our study and understanding of Scripture would be enhanced.

In my post yesterday, I indicated my journey into the Book of Revelation. It has been some time since I have visited this particular book. Part of the reason is because it requires me to stop often and determine - "symbolic or not?" - with each phrase, sometimes each word.  And I don't always like to think that hard on a daily basis. Nevertheless, here is my rational approach to the book.

• It is a revelation of Christ, received from God, given to John
• It involves things that "must soon take place"; the "time is near"
• "Blessed are those who hear and who keep what is written in (this prophecy). (1:3)
• It is prophecy, therefore John is viewed as a prophet
• Prophets speak the word of God
• The mark of a true prophet is their prophecy comes to pass or proves to be true (Deut. 18:20-22)
• What I read in this book must have contemporary meaning for its hearers
• It may have future application for those who follow
• Every text has context - local and general

Now any one of those, except the first and last, may prove invalid as I go along, nevertheless, those are my starting points.

The Bible, it may be "an old book" but it is a grand book indeed! If it IS the Word of GOD, then it must be more than what's-in-it-for-me!

Words

"The LORD has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word." (Isaiah 50:4)

Words are important instruments. Even the smallest word has value and conveys meaning when used properly.  They can cut or heal, inspire or demean, cause us to rise to our potential or push us down to the very depths of "hell".

When placed properly we will tolerate large quantities of words crafted into a story, such as War and Peace. When constructed poorly, we will seldom give them a second glance.

For Christians even the word "word" is important. It carries its own weight in meaning and significance: "The Word became flesh..."

I raise this topic for a couple of reasons. One is a result of my venturing into the book of Revelation. There, words are regularly used to convey symbolic meaning. The second is because often times, in the context of Christian "teaching", we may use words too casually. Let me illustrate.

In a recent Bible Study class the instructor said, "Steve may receive a revelation from God regarding...."  Of course you do not own the context of that statement, but I do and I immediately thought, "What kind of revelation could Steve receive?"  Does God still offer revelations?

When I think of  a "revelation" - I think of a divine disclosure; Something that could not be learned by any other means.  I am not certain God still does "revelation" any longer.  If we just take it on face value, in the book of Revelation itself we are told there is rather harsh judgment for adding to or taking away from God's  word or prophecy. (22:18-19)

Now perhaps the instructor meant, Steve "felt lead to...", or "after praying it became clear what God wanted...". These are fairly common phrases used to express how we sense God's leading in our lives through the Holy Spirit. Many are innocuous and have a rather widely accepted understanding. However, that is not what was said. Which, is my point.

I read a recent article in the local newspaper about the Second Coming of Christ. When I finished the article, I was not sure what the author wanted to convey. What was it that he wanted me to learn, know, or understand from reading his article? So, I wrote and asked him.  I don't think I should have had to do that.

For myself, I am learning how to use words properly. I fail miserably at times. Nevertheless, all of us are managers or stewards of our words. Those who choose to be teachers, writers, communicators of truth, are held to a stricter standard in that role - James 3:1, 2 Tim. 2:15, Eph. 5:6.  If that is your role, I applaud your challenge and commitment. If your role is different than that, you still are a manager of words. You still impact people with what you "say". (James 3:5ff) Let's all be more careful.

The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the minds of fools. (Proverbs 15:7)

"Measure" of Faith

When following a recipe, at what point does a "dash" of salt or a "pinch" of paprika become something you should actually measure?  How about that phrase, "salt to taste". What does that mean?  

This past Sunday, our Pastor spoke on the incident with the disciples and Jesus, as recorded in Luke 8:22-25. You may recall the story; they are in the boat, crossing the Sea of Galilee, a violent storm erupts, Jesus is asleep in the boat, the disciples panic and wake him shouting, "Master, Master, we are perishing!".  Jesus woke up, rebuked the storm then rebukes the disciples with this stinging question, "Where is your faith?"

I learned a long time ago that behind every question is a statement. What is the statement behind Jesus' question? "Your faith does not measure up!" Or "If you had faith to keep rowing you could handle this on your own!"

Panic during a storm can make us do some pretty unreasonable things. One of those might entail the "d" word - doubt. We begin to question whether we are doing the right thing, going the right direction, making the right choices. The stronger the storm the bigger our questions become.

I also know that at times we confuse emotion with faith. In other words, we mingle what we "feel" with where we want our faith to lead us. Then when the "feeling" fades, our so-called faith slides down the drain with it.

The disciples, just like you and I, had to learn some hard lessons about faith. One of them - that it is not a measurable quality. You don't take a "dash" here or a "pinch" there based on your circumstances.

Faith is a matter of the will. It is the confidence and courage in our belief that allows us to see our way through the storms. We may be panicking, but Jesus is "asleep" in the back of the boat knowing all along that things are going to be fine, if we will just keep rowing.

My Own Worst Enemy

Technorati Tags: Choice, Micah, Sin

 

There is a book on my library shelf by that title. It basically talks about how we can sabotage ourselves by our own actions and words. Whether it is in personal or professional relationships, the things we do and say are often the critical factors to success, not the actions and words of others.

In the book of Micah, I am going to take a verse and make a similar application.

Alas for those who devise wickedness and evil deeds on their beds! When morning dawns, they perform it, because it is in their power. (2:1)

In its context, Micah is condemning the rich and powerful for oppressing the people. They even lie awake at night thinking of ways to push them down. When morning comes they put those "deeds" into practice simply because it is in their power to do so.

Here is the application, from my own experience. My mind is exposed to sin and evil every day in a variety of ways -often subtle  ways.  If I choose to open the door and let "it" in, then I begin the rationalization process. Not so much that I lie awake at night. Rather there is this process of mulling, hashing, pondering, coming to the conclusion that - it is not that bad.

Once I have come to that conclusion, then - "when morning dawns" I make the decision to act. It is a conscious choice. Not an accident or a misstep - it is a wilful choice. Not a habit, or a way of living, but a choice I made that particular moment in time.  Do I like it, no. Am I pleased with myself, absolutely not. Should I pretend it did not happen. I can, but it just exacerbates the situation.

The only option is to confess and repent. And then claim these verses in Micah:

Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me.

I must bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he takes my side and executes judgement for me. He will bring me out to the light. I shall see his vindication. (7:8-9)

I truly desire to live temptation free and sinless. That is not going to happen today. But I can choose to put myself in positions where I am tempted less and sin-less; cultivate stronger discipline and self-control.

Father Spirit, I am what I am, a sinner saved by grace.  May I be what I can be through the Cross of Christ, a child of the King.

Hall of Fame

When was the last time you were inducted into any type of "Hall of Fame"? 

If you are like a good friend of mine, you could answer that question, "Why just this past weekend, as a matter of fact!".  And indeed he was. The school where he had taught for many years made him the very first coach to be inducted into their Athletic "Hall of Fame". 

I thought it was quite and honor. A true recognition of his achievements and how he had touched the lives of so many young people during his career. Of course, he played it down as no big deal. However, I explained to him, "Most people get that kind of recognition posthumously, so you better be thankful!" :)

It is not often we are recognized, during our lifetime, for the achievements or deeds done that may have affected the lives of others. Indeed, some of us my never impact, in a "life-changing" way, the existence of another human being. Nevertheless, as Christians, we are expected to live in such a way that we "confirm" our faith in Christ. In other words, we are to live a disciplined and godly life.

His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. (2Peter 1:3)

What is the "everything" that Peter talks about? He delineates that in verses 5-7. Our faith must be supported with: goodness, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godliness, mutual affection (brotherly love), and unconditional love (italics mine).

Now Peter makes a pretty strong case for the importance of these qualities.

For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2Peter 1:8)

I think Peter is saying , if you develop these traits you will be affective and fruitful - in your own life and in touching the lives of others. A large challenge indeed. An individual and collective challenge that will stretch each of us. Nevertheless, it will be worth the discipline and effort.

For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you. (2Peter 1:11)

There may not be a Hall of Fame in my future. But there is a hall-of-fame-like challenge before me.

Father Spirit, the qualities that make me a good man serve as a foundation to build the qualities of a good Christian. May I be faithful in developing those qualities into life and godliness.

LiveJournal Tags: 2 Peter, godliness, discipleship

Strong Enough To Stand

LiveJournal Tags: Rational Response Squad, Apologetics

 

Let me make a disclaimer before going any further. I do not write this with intent to give this group credibility or value.

In a recent post "Compelled",  there was mention of a group called the Rational Response Squad.  They are basically an "organized" group of atheists. Or rather, an organized gathering of philosophy, logic, and debate masters with a primary premise that religion is an "opiate of the people" (Karl Marx) and "god is dead" (Friedrich Nietzsche).

Since learning about this group, I have occasionally monitored their forums and "listened" to some of their interaction with people who write in. They are very well coached and very well informed. In fact, they run circles around most inquirers. The same is true, if you look at any of the so-called "debates" they have had on national television. Why? They come armed with facts, "we" come armed with notions. 

Is what they say true and accurate? I can't say for certain. They very seldom quote sources - and I am certain, like most preachers and Christians in general, they use "proof text" just like anyone else. Nevertheless, here is what they say that is very accurate:

1. They know the content of the Bible better than many Christians
2. They know basic history - biblical, US, and constitutional - better than most Christians
3. They can prove their position with scientific evidence and we cannot (apparently)
4. Most Christian's belief system is not strong enough to stand against their assault (based on facts)

Is what they do new - of course not. The fact that they have the Internet as a forum has helped them a great deal. The fact that they are as brash as they are, with their "blasphemy challenge" is similar to the man who garnered all the publicity by urinating on the American flag.  The only difference is, these people are marketing their "product" on other Web sites.

As of yet, I have not seem them debate anyone with any credentials. At least not yet. Perhaps one day they will. Until then...

Here's a warning. If you encounter these folks. Leave them alone. You will not, cannot, "win".

Just look into their eyes - you will see the emptiness and what it might be like to look into the canyon of the damned.

Partitioned Prayers

Technorati Tags: 1 Peter, Prayer

LiveJournal Tags: Prayer, Devotion, 1 Peter

They call them "cubicles" - those little workspaces divided by partitioned walls. Apparently someone's ingenious design to create personal space within the scope of a larger impersonal environment.

How do they do it - with walls of course. They carpet them, hang bookcases and shelves on them and call it "home". Everyone with their own little compartment. The only thing creeping over to someone else's space might be a well maintained inch plant.

Peter warns us that there may be a danger of having our prayers partitioned - having them walled in. However, the problem here is not that they do not make it over the "wall", it is that they do not make it to the ears of God.

He mentions three specific circumstances when our prayers may be partitioned or hindered from echoing in the halls of the hallowed.

1. When husbands are not being appropriately attentive to the needs and desires of their wife (3:7)
2. When our behavior is "evil" and unacceptable in God's eyes (3:10-12)
3. When we act and think foolishly or without self-discipline (4:7)

Only number one is gender specific. The other two apply to all.

There are times when I think my prayers are simply a matter of - come, confess, and cajole God into hearing my wish list. When in reality, there are so many partitions in my life that my words simply bounce around like pinballs.  Perhaps, I should do an "environmental" check before I get on my knees. Examine and see which partitions need to come down before my words start flowing up.

Thank you Father for teaching me something more of what it means to come before You in prayer. Help me to ensure that what I do for prayer is not so automatic that it is no longer adoring of You.

Jesus as Priest

Technorati Tags: 1 Peter, Sin, Priest, Temptation

 

1Pe 4:1  Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,
1Pe 4:2  so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. (ESV)

Over the past few weeks in our Sunday morning Bible Study class, the leader has been taking us through the various "roles" of Christ as seen in scripture. He calls it "Christ in 3D".  It's an interesting study and he is a very good instructor. 

Last week and this week we were discussing the role of Christ as "priest".  The emphasis was on the priest's function as an intermediary between the people and God. As part of that conversation, having a priest that could "identify" with our temptations was important. Not just from an empathetic standpoint, but a sympathetic standpoint. In other words, not a priest who says "I have not been there but I feel your temptations"; rather one who can say "I have  been there and I know your temptations".   Jesus was such a priest.

Peter emphasizes this in these verses. We can identify with Christ sufferings not because he experienced them as "divine" but rather that he experienced them "in the flesh". Christ apparently had the same internal battle's in the heart, the same back and forth conversations in the mind, and the same reaching out and drawing back of the "flesh" that you and I do. And because he did, we have a Savior that knows exactly what we are dealing with every day.

Therefore, Peter says..."Arm yourselves with the same way of thinking" (same intention). As Christ resisted, not to live for human desires, but "for the will of God", so too should we. Our desire, our intention, our way of thinking motivates us to live this earthly life, not for our own gratification, but for the fulfilling of the will of God in our lives.

What a powerful concept. What a challenge. It is when we are suffering, that is, struggling with temptation that we know we are, in a sense freeing ourselves from sin. Otherwise, it would not be struggle.  And our model, our source of encouragement and strength is the very one we call Lord and Savior. One who identifies with every anxious moment as we hang suspended between the "yes and no" of temptations pull.

These verses were liberating for me. They helped me to see from a new perspective what the author of Hebrews was saying when he talked about our High Priest being "...tested in every respect as we are, yet without sin." I found a new level of awareness, a new plateau of understanding. A new strength for my own spiritual conflicts.

Thank you Father for the freshness of Your Word. For the way it speaks to me and uncovers my needs in terms I was not expecting.  Through Christ, may I find the like-mindedness to no longer live by my desires but by and for Your perfect will.     In Jesus Name.

Revelation

Paul, in his letter to Timothy, suggests that there are going to be some folks who have "itchy ears" and "accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from the listening to the truth and wander away to myths." (2Tim 4:3-4)

Translation...tell me what I want to hear and keep me happy. Fill me with good stuff and warm devotions. Let me have that "guidepost" gospel where it all ends well and everyone lives happily ever after.

My experience has been and is, life seldom works like that. Even the Christian life. But again, that is my "experience". The more time I spend in scripture the more is revealed to me about my life, my thinking, my "convictions", my understanding of God, and my pilgrimage.  That combined, serves to manage my expectations of  life.

I have just finished reading through Isaiah. It is a book that one could spend their life studying and I expect never fully understand. Nevertheless, some things were revealed to me that were important.  Now when I say "revealed" - I don't mean God spoke to me - or I had a revelation... I think we all should know by now He doesn't do that any longer. His final word was in Christ and Scripture.  What I mean is, I came to understand.

I came to understand:

Listening to God is important (51)

Obedience to God is important (48)

Worship without being in right relationship to your "neighbor" is unacceptable to God (57-59)

God will accomplish His purpose regardless (46)

God's Word will always come to pass (55)

You might say "duh" to all of those. But giving assent to them with your mind and actually practicing them, is similar to what Paul was saying to Timothy.  And, I might add, the basis of Israel's problem with God! There is a big difference between knowing and doing.  And apparently God takes none of this lightly.

I suspect -- neither should I.

Observations to Entertain Myself

I was watching the new show "Bionic Woman" this evening and it occurred to me, why does a bionic woman have to do push ups?

Most new mini-vans have entertainment centers better than I have in my home.

Why don't kids come with On Star?

Do kids really drink Ovaltine?

They say that Carpool and Cavemen are the new hit comedy shows of the season. No wonder men are not role models in the home!

What type of gratification is there in "fantasy football"?

Why does one side of my toaster only toast one side of my bread?

Does it really make sense to put lemon in SWEET tea?

God is omnipresent which means He is everywhere - I am, not where I am, He happens to be.

Jesus said "Let your yes be yes and your no be no".  I do not recall him saying, "Let your not yet be not yet or your maybe be maybe."

If "Jesus wept" is your favorite Bible verse, you need to spend more time in the Word.

Read more fiction written by Christian authors. It costs more, but it is worth more.

Tell your spouse "I love you" every day.

God likes to hear that too.

Stand in the Gap Part II

A few days ago I wrote about an event being held in Washington, D.C. called "Stand in the Gap 2007".  It was conducted on Saturday, the 6th, and if their Web site is any indication of the success or "failure" of the event, it must have been rather dismal. Then again, based on what I had said in my article about the lack of awareness, it may not have been a surprise.

Nevertheless, there is a posting on their Web site about some resolutions that came out of the event.  I read those with some interest because I have been thinking lately about the notion of discernment.  Discernment is an instrument in the believer's toolkit that often ends up collecting dust. Primarily because we do not know how to use it properly. In part because we have a rather shallow understanding of scripture. That, and the fact that few of us have really given much thought to our "world-view" or what makes up our world-view.

Having said that, I considered several of those resolutions and concluded that most, if not all the men who read them would probably go home with little or no understanding of what they should be doing about them. The only exception might be the person(s) who wrote them.  Here are a couple examples:

We remember your mission and declare as your sons, servants, soldiers, and saints, our resolve to see all nations gathered at your throne in worship.

What exactly does that mean? If it is a veiled reference to the "great commission" our duty there is to make disciples and to teach them obedience to the commands of Christ.  Throne worship might be a by-product of that but that is not our mission.

We renew with resolve our surrender to the authority of your word and its truth for our lives.

Those are wonderful words, but what do they mean? I know it is not a mater of just renewing something, it is renewing something with resolve, so it must be important. If I were at that demonstration, committing to this resolution, what would I be expected to "DO" when I got back home?

Please do not misunderstand. I am not making light of these resolutions. They are wonderful. But they are the kind of resolutions we make every day. In fact, we make similar ones every year around midnight on December 31st, in some form or fashion, then promptly abandon them on January 2nd.

My point is, can we discern superficial rally calls from commitment to disciplined action? Can we decipher so much verbiage from what scripture displays as a clear mandate?  I propose that it is essential we be able to do so and do so with consistency.

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God --- what is good and acceptable and perfect."  (Romans 12:2 NRSV)

"And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless...." (Phil. 1:9-10)

It's Time - Remember Now

Time - it can be measured in minutes and hours; days and weeks; months and years. For some, it can be measured in nanoseconds - the "twinkling of an eye".

Biblically speaking there were two concepts when measuring time. In the Old Testament, time was marked based on events or festivals. For those in the New Testament period, there was a more traditional marking of time - a typical calendar orientation. An over-simplification I know, but accurate nevertheless.

Today we measure time in a combination of the two. We keep "date books" that record events and time keepers; watches, phones, palm-pilots, etc., that tell us our next appointment. We have instant communication across the street or around the world. Nothing is more than literally a click away either on our computer or our cell phone.

My point? How does God keep up with us? We are so frantic in our pace of living, does God have a small GPS chip in each of us that He tracks our "raising up and our sitting down"?  Or perhaps that is the wrong question.  Maybe the question should be, "How are we keeping track of God?"  A little here, a little there, "I can fit Him in on Wednesday at three but Friday is out, I'm booked solid."

I am like most people. I am a right now kind of guy. It is hard for me to be patient. To "wait on the Lord".  So I am thinking, does God wait on me?  Does He wonder, "Will Norm find sufficient time for Me today?"

In Isaiah 38, when Hezekiah was sick, he prayed this prayer:

Remember now, O LORD, I implore you, how I have walked before you in faithfulness with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight."

It may be colloquial, but the "remember now" is interesting. Had it been that long? Did he think God my have forgotten his faithful service?  Is this a game of catch-up?  If so, Hezekiah comes to the table with some pretty strong cards; "faithfulness", "whole heart", "what is good", and it was convincing. God gave him fifteen more years.

If I were behind in my coming to God and have one of those "remember now" times -- would my evidence be that strong?

Absence of Heart

It is a phenomenon that we have all experienced at one time or another. We are reading a book and suddenly realize we have no idea what we have been reading for the last several pages, so we  go back and re-read them. We have been driving along and come to the realization that the last few miles are nothing but a blur. Or, someone has been talking to us and we have heard the words but our mind has not been registering any of the content. 

During each of those episodes we have been there physically, but somehow absent mentally. We checked-out along the way and merely went through the motions. Almost an out-of-body experience. Except we were simply out-of-our-mind. We had slipped away mentally, consciously.

In Isaiah, the LORD accuses the people of Israel of doing something similar. Except here, they were very much present mentally, but absent emotionally, or with their heart. 

"These people draw near with their mouths and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their worship of me is a human commandment learned by rote."  (29:13)

They had become so accustomed to going through the motions that they failed to realize that their heart was no longer involved in their worship. They were saying the prayers, making the sacrifices, giving the alms, but they had checked out emotionally a long time ago. They were void of devotion.  They could "read" the Torah, but the impact on their heart was nothingness. They were wooden puppets on some priestly string, perpetrating the "perfect crime" of some form of worship.

But their hearts!  What about their hearts.....what about my heart?

Is my worship done with my heart or with my head? Am I coming into God's presence with my heart "in my hand" or my time-clock punched and ready to get in, get on with it, get out and say, "Well done you self-righteous subservient servant of the Lord."

How about my personal devotion time. That is even more intense for me, because it is private. No one knows except God and I what goes on there. Talk about susceptible to routine and heartless repetition.  Does, "I need to get this done. I have so much to do today" sound familiar to anyone?

Father Spirit, could it be that I just go through the motions? Get up, read, pray and go to work. Get up, read, pray, and go to work. Without giving thought to my heart...without giving thought to You?  Those times when my heart is absent from my "devotion" must be insulting to You and I confess them.  My heart is what you desire. My heart is what I yield. 

In Jesus Name.

What Am I Missing?

Apparently, today, in Washington D.C., there will be a gathering of men for a rally called "Stand in the Gap 2007".  From what I understand it is a gathering of Christian men rallying to show support for Christian values and committing themselves to those values in an effort to turn our country "around".

Now I suppose this is a good thing. What I cannot figure out is why I am just hearing about it now. I understand that I have a tendency to be out of touch with reality at times. But the classes I attend -- those men, the instructor, the people who read these blogs, the other blogs I visit, the number of emails I receive each day and other Christian Web sites I visit....NONE have mentioned this gathering.

Perhaps there is some theological tenant that this group holds that prevents people from supporting them? Maybe they are pre, not post tribulation - how pitiful would that be.  Maybe it's because they have "infallible" and not "inerrant" in their belief statement regarding scripture. Or that they do not mention some other important theological position that prevents mainstream evangelicalism from endorsing them.  Or, perhaps I just haven't been listening or paying attention.

It would be sad if it is not supported simply because there are minor disagreements in theology. Sadder still if it is because no one knew about it.  We may be missing something good.

Arrested Development

When the police came to haul me off, it was a little difficult to explain. After all, it's not an ever day occurrence - seeing a grown man on the street corner, buck naked, holding a Bible preaching about the coming of the Lord.

Actually, that did NOT happen. At least to me. But for three years Isaiah walked around barefoot and naked proclaiming the oracles of God and apparently no one thought a great bit about it. Either his nakedness or his oracles. You have to admit, that has to be a challenge to your self-esteem.

I mean  - think about it. In the most extreme circumstances, if you or I were hopelessly devoted in our commitment to the Lord and we knew beyond any doubt that he said to do that, regardless of what people thought, we strip down and head out. If all goes right, and we make it a day...consider it a victory. But, a week, a month, a year, three years!

No rational person would consider that today. Either that God would ask them to do such a thing or, even if He did, that they would follow through with it. So, should we surmise that the people in Isaiah's time were irrational people?

I think that perhaps we have outgrown our own development. By that I mean, we have become so sophisticated in our proposed thinking and "being" that we have no room for the divine, the prophetic, even the normal.  We have let culture dictate the "norm".

Yesterday I signed a petition regarding two bills in congress on supposed "gay rights". One is really a Free Speech bill. It says, roughly, if I choose to speak out against homosexuality IN CHURCH, as a deviant lifestyle based on scripture, that that may be considered a hate crime punishable by law.  The other is a "worker's rights" bill that basically says businesses such as the Salvation Army, Focus on the Family, etc. that would not hire homosexuals because of their belief system, my be forced to hire them or be charged with worker discrimination. 

Now something is wrong with that picture.  People do not want "Christians" forcing their belief system on them, but it seems to be alright for every other group to force theirs down everyone else's throat.

God help us all.    Really ---- God help us all.

Counterbalance

Mr. Webster defines a counterbalance as, "a weight or force that balances another" or "to offset".  I began thinking about this today, as I do from time to time, when sin comes creeping around my corner. It was a concept that I first heard many years ago in college. And I do mean many years ago.

I was the youth director at a small church in County Line, Texas. We had a Baptist Men's Breakfast and our guest speaker was the pastor from a church in a nearby town. (Yes, I remember his name.) His topic was this idea of counterbalance. The point was, we all have things in our life that offset our propensity to get "too big for our britches!" In other words, when we think we are getting a little too cocky in our spiritual "attitude", something comes along to knock us down a peg or two. It was what he called a "counterbalance". Of course, he did not go so far as to tell us what his particular counterbalance was, but I believe we all were sharp enough to get his point and make our own applications.

The irony of it all, just a couple years after that, I ended up as a senior pastor in a church in the same town. He did not remember me, but I sure remembered him and that devotional talk.

Since that time, plenty of "stuff" has flowed through the gray matter occupying space in my cranium. Few things have stuck with me as long as that particular illustration. Perhaps it is because the nemeses that I have joined to that concept continues to follow me around, I'm not certain. Nevertheless, I believe he had a valid point. 

We all have one, maybe more, counterbalance that keeps us from tipping over into the abyss of self-righteousness.  Those who ignore it are akin to the ones we read about in the paper or hear about in the news. Those who acknowledge it, are the ones who struggle, but continue to hunger and seek after righteousness. It is never pretty, seldom easy, but we keep striving.

"My grace is sufficient for you, for (my) power is made perfect in weakness."  2Cor. 12:9

Voice In the Wilderness - Isaiah 1-5

A voice cries in the wilderness
Yet the wilderness does not lament
Nor its inhabitants
Nor the culture of their creation

Morality stares expressionless
With eyes that cannot see
Will not see
Care not to see

Everyone does what is right
In their own mind
Based on their own precepts
Their own "true north"

Lying is not lying
Just a way of doing business
Cheating is not cheating
Just a way to compete and survive

Love is not love, but sex
Sex is not sex, but casual encounters
Relationships are impersonal
At best another link in the network

They wander aimlessly with determined purpose
Moving with steadfast uncertainty
Toward some meaningless goal
That anyone with enough money could buy

Yet their heart hungers for something true
Something pure, lasting, and fulfilling
Something that satisfies not just today
But for a thousand tomorrows

A voice cries in the wilderness
It cannot be heard
Will not be heard
Not today anyway

They would like to try
This first
Again

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Tabernacles and Sanctuaries

Technorati Tags: Worship, Tabernacle, Presence

What makes a house a "home"; a country a "homeland"; a traveler "homesick" or "homeward bound". It is presence - the presence of someone or something special, someone or something loved beyond all else. Something missed, longed for, desired.  When I read about the tabernacle and "God's presence" there. I think how special that was. How wonderful that must have been. Of course, I think of it from my perspective and not Israel's, but still -- what a privilege.

I recall when I first moved to Texas to go to school. I had a small apartment across the street from Texas Tech stadium in Lubbock, TX. It was my home until school started in Plainview, a few miles up the road. One Saturday afternoon, shortly after I moved in, I took a walk around the neighborhood. Before long, I found myself outside the First Baptist Church of Lubbock. I could hear singing, so I decided to go inside. There was no one around, just me and whatever was going on in the "auditorium". I opened the doors and it was like walking into the very presence of God. A men's quartet was practicing - their voices were like that of angel's; Perfect harmony, a blend of glorious praise. I stood perfectly still and just wept. I was on holy ground, in the presence of the Almighty. I stood transfixed.

You may scoff. But I think we have abandoned something when we have simply made our churches auditoriums and "worship centers". Leaving concepts like sanctuary and tabernacle by the side of the road has, in some sense, meant we have left the significance of the "presence of God" by side of the road. Bartering instead for some universal appeal to His presence within all people and abandoning the power of the presence all people before Him!

I do not mean to dismiss Christ's presence in the heart of man. That is not my intent by any stretch. I simply mean to say we may be missing something by diluting our worship. Making it something less than acknowledging our coming into the presence of God.  Whether that is in a rented hall, a school auditorium, or the replication of the Crystal Cathedral.

At a recent writer's conference one of the speakers talked about growing up in Ireland. They would always go to his grandfather's house on Sunday morning and go to church as a family. The catch was, they had to go an hour early, because his grandfather started "preparing his heart for worship" at least an hour ahead of service. He went on to say, here in the states, "Our preparation for worship seems to consist of, do I have time to make it to Starbuck's drive-thru?"

In the building of the Tabernacle, God had some very specific guidelines for "worship"; for coming in to His presence or should I say for Him choosing to tabernacle with them.  Maybe we are missing something by diluting worship and shunning terms like sanctuary in order to make it more palatable to the populace.  Maybe we would rather have "performance" over "presence".

Father Spirit, I know that your presence is eternal and in all places at all times. Nevertheless, coming together to worship as a community ought to bring a different sense of your presence - a celebration of the holy; an awakening of the "awe"!