So, I've been doing some thinking, and I have come to this conclusion/realization.
Anxiety seems to be arise out of selfishness. The more selfish one is, in general or in a particular relationship, the more anxiety is felt.
I was thinking of this in context of a good friend who has just entered into a dating relationship. He is an outstanding guy, and a solid brother, but he has expressed that he feels anxious in many ways with this relationship. I think it's selfishness. I don't think this unnamed friend is selfish in general, he does not act as such, but I think the source of his anxiety can be traced to his own selfishness with this relationship. In the sense that an ideal or a mental picture of what that relationship should look like or how it would proceed is held in my friend's mind.
I would say my friend with this relationship is a minor example that was supporting evidence for this thought of how selfishness is related to anxiety. The real incriminating evidence and major example for this came when I reflected upon myself, and how stupidly selfish I am in certain relationships in my life, and low and behold, those areas of my life are where I experience the most anxiety. I refer to relationship both as in relationships to other people as well as relationship as in my relationship to money, trust, marriage, and other non-human aspects of life.
Instead of relying on Christ to be the center, I rely on my self, convinced of my own ways and my own thoughts to figure things out. I set out this idea in my mind about how something should be, rather than trusting Christ's way over my way.
I think Paul alludes to this in Philippians: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7 NIV).
And Jesus gives a pretty clear solution to this problem of selfishness and the resulting anxiety that can simply wear someone out: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV)
Now, I want to be clear, I don't think we're just to sit down in a chair and let God run our lives. Completely the opposite. We're to walk according to the graces He has showered down upon us, but do so with a firm trust and reliance on Christ's precepts and principles rather than my own.
12.28.2008
12.27.2008
the value principle (grace)
In our world today, someone of value is given something of value as a sign and symbol of worth. Value seems to be tied together.
Office employees who have been with a company for forty years receive a diamond studded bracelet in thanks for many years of outstanding service to the company. Or consider a regular salary for a worker. The worker receives value in the money for creating some sort of value through his or her work. Even little kids, who might go 0-12 for an entire basketball season, still get a trophy at the end of the season (I was that kid) for trying hard and coming close.
I'm claiming that this idea about value being tied to something else of value is some sort of universal principle... "well, ya, duh Hunter..." but I'm trying to make a very simple point.
I challenge you to come up with something that would be of greater value than a life that possesses the most joyful relationships that are truly authentic, a life that has the greatest possible purpose, and a life in which one receives the greatest contentment from such a purpose. Yes, these things rolled altogether into one life. Forever.
Possible?
Absolutely! The greatest gift of value is available for the incredible worth of individuals from every tribe, tongue and nation. If it were not so, Christ would not have come to earth, and He would have not gone to the cross.
Jesus recognizes, with His unique special eyes and insight, the worth of every person. And it is Christ, and Christ alone, who offers the most valuable gift--an eternal life spent in Jesus' presence--that is unparalleled in its worth. This great gift of value is given for the incredible value that individuals possess.
It is simply up to those individuals to allow Christ to give the gift and to accept it.
Office employees who have been with a company for forty years receive a diamond studded bracelet in thanks for many years of outstanding service to the company. Or consider a regular salary for a worker. The worker receives value in the money for creating some sort of value through his or her work. Even little kids, who might go 0-12 for an entire basketball season, still get a trophy at the end of the season (I was that kid) for trying hard and coming close.
I'm claiming that this idea about value being tied to something else of value is some sort of universal principle... "well, ya, duh Hunter..." but I'm trying to make a very simple point.
I challenge you to come up with something that would be of greater value than a life that possesses the most joyful relationships that are truly authentic, a life that has the greatest possible purpose, and a life in which one receives the greatest contentment from such a purpose. Yes, these things rolled altogether into one life. Forever.
Possible?
Absolutely! The greatest gift of value is available for the incredible worth of individuals from every tribe, tongue and nation. If it were not so, Christ would not have come to earth, and He would have not gone to the cross.
Jesus recognizes, with His unique special eyes and insight, the worth of every person. And it is Christ, and Christ alone, who offers the most valuable gift--an eternal life spent in Jesus' presence--that is unparalleled in its worth. This great gift of value is given for the incredible value that individuals possess.
It is simply up to those individuals to allow Christ to give the gift and to accept it.
12.17.2008
be still my soul...
In our conect-a-thon world, we've got this mentality that we always need to be plugged in. Not doing so, we sometimes begin to feel anxious, like something is wrong. Surfing the net, facebook, cell phone texting, watching the Office...or work or getting together with friends for sports activities or for a coffee chat or community group...
Don't get me wrong, community is fundamentally important to this life we live, but it can also become an idol along with all other sorts of electronic means of "plugging in" that exist in our society nowadays.
Tim Keller makes the point that an idol is something that serves a good purpose, it can be a good thing, but it becomes elevated to being an ultimate thing. I think we should remember this.
One of the greatest ways, I think as Scripture teaches, and Christ often did himself, is to remove oneself from the world, go to a solitary place, and just have time to be with Jesus.
"Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."
The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Psalm 46:10-11 NIV
Don't get me wrong, community is fundamentally important to this life we live, but it can also become an idol along with all other sorts of electronic means of "plugging in" that exist in our society nowadays.
Tim Keller makes the point that an idol is something that serves a good purpose, it can be a good thing, but it becomes elevated to being an ultimate thing. I think we should remember this.
One of the greatest ways, I think as Scripture teaches, and Christ often did himself, is to remove oneself from the world, go to a solitary place, and just have time to be with Jesus.
"Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."
The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Psalm 46:10-11 NIV
This Scripture gives us the image of God as a Mighty Fortress. When we attempt to be still before the throne, with the King, we can picture ourselves doing so protected and surrounded by a mighty fortress. This will hopefully help block out all the "plugging in" temptations that battle for our attention.
How could a soul in solitude with Jesus not be renewing?
12.14.2008
The Shack
Well, I just finished reading The Shack by William P. Young. I have to admit, I was skeptical at first, mainly because it seemed like it was the bandwagon book everyone was reading at the time, and I tend to have caution with things that everyone else is doing.
Anyways, it was a good book and brought out some really solid questions to examine for yourself. I was really encouraged when I looked up the readership, and it's sold more than 2 million copies and has been #1 on the NY Times Best Seller list for 26 or something weeks now.
That's really encouraging to me that a lot of people are going through the substance of this book and finding and having time with Jesus in a different way than the institutionalized, culturized form of Jesus as they have known Him.
I totally agree with the book that Jesus is not a set of rules or an institution or an accepted status quo of how to act or what to think. God in His infinite-ness cannot be thought of fully or understood completely by finite-ness - that being US humans!! I think it's an amazing premise - that God is so huge and His love so great, even the love that we can actually understand and get an idea of -- the reality is that there's even that much more to His love than we know.
For this, as the book pointed out, Jesus deserves the center of attention and the entirety of our lives.
Another point that I really enjoyed about the book was the emphasis on reconciliation. To get a bigger grasp and a better sense of that huge huge love of God that we have a hard time experiencing because of our own selfishness and stupid independence -- a great way to get that love is via reconciliation. Reconciliation for friendships, marriages, relationships with family members, and acts of reconciliation with those who have hurt us or harmed us.
The power of reconciliation is incredibly great. After all, in doing so, we are seeking to follow God's example of how He worked on us, to make things right through Jesus. I don't think we can go wrong genuinely trying to emulate God's act of reconciliation in our own earthly relationships.
As Paul writes...
"If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:13-21 NIV)
One thing I felt was missing from the book was the importance of Scripture. The Shack never really included or talked about in the character conversations, anything about the primacy of the Word. I think it's great that a relationship with Jesus is going to look differently for each person, but I think that the Holy Scriptures are an inherent part of that relationship, since in the beginning, the Word was with God, and the Word was God...(John 1). Overall, a good book and a solid read!
Anyways, it was a good book and brought out some really solid questions to examine for yourself. I was really encouraged when I looked up the readership, and it's sold more than 2 million copies and has been #1 on the NY Times Best Seller list for 26 or something weeks now.
That's really encouraging to me that a lot of people are going through the substance of this book and finding and having time with Jesus in a different way than the institutionalized, culturized form of Jesus as they have known Him.
I totally agree with the book that Jesus is not a set of rules or an institution or an accepted status quo of how to act or what to think. God in His infinite-ness cannot be thought of fully or understood completely by finite-ness - that being US humans!! I think it's an amazing premise - that God is so huge and His love so great, even the love that we can actually understand and get an idea of -- the reality is that there's even that much more to His love than we know.
For this, as the book pointed out, Jesus deserves the center of attention and the entirety of our lives.
Another point that I really enjoyed about the book was the emphasis on reconciliation. To get a bigger grasp and a better sense of that huge huge love of God that we have a hard time experiencing because of our own selfishness and stupid independence -- a great way to get that love is via reconciliation. Reconciliation for friendships, marriages, relationships with family members, and acts of reconciliation with those who have hurt us or harmed us.
The power of reconciliation is incredibly great. After all, in doing so, we are seeking to follow God's example of how He worked on us, to make things right through Jesus. I don't think we can go wrong genuinely trying to emulate God's act of reconciliation in our own earthly relationships.
As Paul writes...
"If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:13-21 NIV)
One thing I felt was missing from the book was the importance of Scripture. The Shack never really included or talked about in the character conversations, anything about the primacy of the Word. I think it's great that a relationship with Jesus is going to look differently for each person, but I think that the Holy Scriptures are an inherent part of that relationship, since in the beginning, the Word was with God, and the Word was God...(John 1). Overall, a good book and a solid read!
12.10.2008
disciples, not converts
In terms of global evangelism and missions (which is still relevant here in the USA), it's great to go and share the gospel, but I think Scripture even more specifically calls us to try and make disciples, not just mere "converts" to the faith.
Jesus says so himself: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20 NIV)
Go and make "disciples"...it doesn't say go and make "converts"...
Paul, a great missionary himself, also keys on the importance of "disciples" and not mere converts throughout the book of Acts. We see different instances (please see for yourself in Acts) where Paul is growing up "disciples" or strengthening the already existing "disciples."
"Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord. God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them." (Acts 19:8-12 NIV)
I think this is important to recognize. It changes the focus and logistics of what missions may involve and the commitment to missions.
1) It will be a slower process. We are used to so many things fast, fast, fast in our modern day and age. We acquire material goods, even large things, like buying a house very quickly. In many countries of the world, it may take a family 15 years to build their homes. They buy a lot, and when they can afford some cinder blocks they start a foundation. Then 5 years later when they can afford cinder blocks for a wall, they buy those and now you have a foundation and a wall. The point is, we are used to acquiring or accomplishing things with rapidity.
I feel like genuine discipleship and missions that seek to bring honor and glory to God are distinctly different.
2) The "numbers" won't be as many. Also in our day and age, we have this mentality of "more is better." We certainly take this approach to our financial holdings. Our houses as well. Even our food. Supersize me please! More, more, more!
I don't think it's wrong to desire that everyone know and have a genuine relationship with Jesus. I wish everyone I knew would know the Truth and Joy that is found in Jesus and Him alone. This may be my pessimistic attitude, but I'm not sure of the reality of how those two things mesh together. If we are taking time in missions to go deeper into relationships and with a commitment to discipleship, I feel like there's not enough time to go around for having deep relationships with numerous individuals.
That's hard to reconcile. In thinking about missions, against our fast and high quantity mindsets that we have been a-cultured to, I think the Lord wants us to do less, but do less well.
Jesus says so himself: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20 NIV)
Go and make "disciples"...it doesn't say go and make "converts"...
Paul, a great missionary himself, also keys on the importance of "disciples" and not mere converts throughout the book of Acts. We see different instances (please see for yourself in Acts) where Paul is growing up "disciples" or strengthening the already existing "disciples."
"Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord. God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them." (Acts 19:8-12 NIV)
I think this is important to recognize. It changes the focus and logistics of what missions may involve and the commitment to missions.
1) It will be a slower process. We are used to so many things fast, fast, fast in our modern day and age. We acquire material goods, even large things, like buying a house very quickly. In many countries of the world, it may take a family 15 years to build their homes. They buy a lot, and when they can afford some cinder blocks they start a foundation. Then 5 years later when they can afford cinder blocks for a wall, they buy those and now you have a foundation and a wall. The point is, we are used to acquiring or accomplishing things with rapidity.
I feel like genuine discipleship and missions that seek to bring honor and glory to God are distinctly different.
2) The "numbers" won't be as many. Also in our day and age, we have this mentality of "more is better." We certainly take this approach to our financial holdings. Our houses as well. Even our food. Supersize me please! More, more, more!
I don't think it's wrong to desire that everyone know and have a genuine relationship with Jesus. I wish everyone I knew would know the Truth and Joy that is found in Jesus and Him alone. This may be my pessimistic attitude, but I'm not sure of the reality of how those two things mesh together. If we are taking time in missions to go deeper into relationships and with a commitment to discipleship, I feel like there's not enough time to go around for having deep relationships with numerous individuals.
That's hard to reconcile. In thinking about missions, against our fast and high quantity mindsets that we have been a-cultured to, I think the Lord wants us to do less, but do less well.
12.03.2008
Scripture speaks clearly AGAIN!
A great game plan for carrying on this life that's short and to the point...
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 NIV)
12.01.2008
grace
I think the longer that I'm seeking and trying to follow Jesus, the more I recognize, truly get, that salvation is completely by grace, and grace alone.
This of course is a very central tenet to the Christian faith, one of the main ones, if not the most important thing that sets it apart. It gets talked about and preached quite often, but that doesn't always mean it's something that I really own and know to be true. That comes with time, and is till a work in progress.
The idea of grace that comes in the form of an incredibly joyous and pure eternal life found in Jesus, a pure gift with no strings attached of compensation from me or something I have to earn, is ridiculously radical.
I was thinking, the more I come to understand grace, the more incomprehensible it really becomes.
That sounds, at first, quite a contradictory statement. But I really think it's true. Think of doctors and their understanding of the human body. Or think of scientists and their grasp of the universe. In each case, the objects that are trying to be understood (the human body and the universe), are complex, but at the same time, wonderful and beautiful. Not much is understood of either. Talking to my doctor friends about the human body, the overall percentage of what's really known is very small. How all the systems interact with each other, how the brain works, how different cells work in different situations...if they really knew a lot more, I don't think we'd have as many diseases or cancers or afflictions.
Same with the universe. Scientists don't really know that much about all the stars or if global warming is really part of a longer term normal cycle or if it's something man-made. Sure, there's data to back up that claim. There's also data to back up the other side. You can get data to work how you want it to in scientific studies. The point is, not much is really understood. When doctors or scientists do discover something new or come to some new knowledge, it usually opens up more unknowns and more questions than before! Doctors and scientists can't even start to say how much they know because they don't know the finite amount of what can be known!!
In thinking about these examples, I think grace is similar. Grace is complex and we don't nearly know how extensive and amazing it really is. The more that is understood about a certain aspect of grace, more questions are brought up regarding other elements that stem from grace. So, the more I seem to understand grace, the more incomprehensible it really becomes. There are so many things I can think of right now that I take for granted that otherwise should not exist, and the only answer (rational or irrational) I have for those things, is grace. As complex as it may really be, I think it can also be compiled simply into Jesus, and the love He offers.
And so, more than anything, I'm incredibly stunned at how amazing grace really is.
"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:4-10 NIV)
This of course is a very central tenet to the Christian faith, one of the main ones, if not the most important thing that sets it apart. It gets talked about and preached quite often, but that doesn't always mean it's something that I really own and know to be true. That comes with time, and is till a work in progress.
The idea of grace that comes in the form of an incredibly joyous and pure eternal life found in Jesus, a pure gift with no strings attached of compensation from me or something I have to earn, is ridiculously radical.
I was thinking, the more I come to understand grace, the more incomprehensible it really becomes.
That sounds, at first, quite a contradictory statement. But I really think it's true. Think of doctors and their understanding of the human body. Or think of scientists and their grasp of the universe. In each case, the objects that are trying to be understood (the human body and the universe), are complex, but at the same time, wonderful and beautiful. Not much is understood of either. Talking to my doctor friends about the human body, the overall percentage of what's really known is very small. How all the systems interact with each other, how the brain works, how different cells work in different situations...if they really knew a lot more, I don't think we'd have as many diseases or cancers or afflictions.
Same with the universe. Scientists don't really know that much about all the stars or if global warming is really part of a longer term normal cycle or if it's something man-made. Sure, there's data to back up that claim. There's also data to back up the other side. You can get data to work how you want it to in scientific studies. The point is, not much is really understood. When doctors or scientists do discover something new or come to some new knowledge, it usually opens up more unknowns and more questions than before! Doctors and scientists can't even start to say how much they know because they don't know the finite amount of what can be known!!
In thinking about these examples, I think grace is similar. Grace is complex and we don't nearly know how extensive and amazing it really is. The more that is understood about a certain aspect of grace, more questions are brought up regarding other elements that stem from grace. So, the more I seem to understand grace, the more incomprehensible it really becomes. There are so many things I can think of right now that I take for granted that otherwise should not exist, and the only answer (rational or irrational) I have for those things, is grace. As complex as it may really be, I think it can also be compiled simply into Jesus, and the love He offers.
And so, more than anything, I'm incredibly stunned at how amazing grace really is.
"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:4-10 NIV)
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