alone time

Many people in our culture consider it weird when people want to spend time alone, be by themselves or get away. Something is thought of as not right, or that person has issues because they can't be in community 24/7.

I think it's interesting that the Gospel authors point out multiple times of Jesus' alone time. As in our culture, Jesus' desire to be by himself, to get away from people, was quite strange for that day and age. Especially in a time where robbers free-roamed the territory, wild animals couldn't be defended against with modern weaponry...it was much more dangerous being alone and people didn't often do it.

Yet Jesus did, alot.

"But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." (Luke 5:16)

"...Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed..." (Mark 1:35)

"One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God." (Luke 6:12)

"...Sit here while I go over there and pray..." (Matthew 26:36)

The key thing to notice is that Jesus didn't go be alone for the sake of getting away from people. He seems to have gotten away to have deep prayer time with the Father and reflect on His ministry and pray for God's will to be done. Before Jesus made major decisions, He went to be alone.

Ironically, Jesus' alone time seems to have strengthened and fortified Him for the times that He did interact with His community of disciples and the larger crowds full of thousands of people.

And so, just as Jesus was considered a complete weirdo for many of the habits He had and things He did, I think it's safe to say that we can also find intentionality in our times of solitude, for they are necessary to functioning well and living a life full of the Spirit for God.

Mark 8

It's great how Jesus asks rhetorical questions to cut straight to issues that really matter. He asks a few of them in Mark 8, and they're quite poignant for the current reality of my life. His questions are good are-you-living-the-gospel reality checks.

Here's one:
He sighed deeply and said, "Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it." (Mark 8:12)

(notice Jesus sighed deeply before he said that, as if to communicate...you guys still really don't get it!!) I think a great number of Christians are always looking for a "neon sign" that points us to God's will. In life, we want signs or dreams or messages to tell us which big decisions to make that will properly line up with walking and serving God.

If we think about this for a second, this line of thinking is not really in the heart of God. He gives us an example and His word in Christ to know what His heart deeply cares about. God gives us freedom in our life to decide how to go about fulfilling that gospel magnetism with professed allegiance to Christ.

In this passage in Mark, Jesus just fed about 4,000 MEN the text says (more when adding women and children present)...so maybe about 10,000 people with 7 (SEVEN) loaves of bread. Jesus did this just after his disciples confessed their lack of faith "But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?"

Their problem is the same one I encounter when it comes to gospel living. I proudly depend on myself, my faculties, my abilities when it comes to trying to live out the gospel.

The same thing happens with Peter later in Mark 8 (8:31-33).

Hence, it's fitting that Mark 8 closes with:
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."

notice Jesus said this to the crowd AND the disciples. He wants this to be public knowledge.

He's telling us to get rid of ourselves and our pride. Forget the ways of the world. It's empty tired and broken. Pursuing its rewards is empty and full of despair.

Jesus is challenging us to live a life marked by free gospel living that is based on an everlasting devotion to His name, depending on His power and not ours.

failing to eagerly wait

I'm not sure if it's because I'm mostly a pessimist, but I have really been dropping the ball on eagerly waiting for the redemption of both the world and the New Jerusalem and my own redemption.

"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, 'My master is staying away a long time,' and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 24:45-51 NIV)

Part of eagerly waiting for the appointed promise is to "give them their food at the proper time...". I take that to mean that we are to constantly be serving and encouraging fellow servants (other believers) as well as non-believers. We are to be in a constant mindset with the gospel on the tip of our tongue...always sharing it in word and deed.

After all, Paul writes that "The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed." Romans 8:19. The specific 'creation' word in the Greek that Paul uses, ktisis, is taken to mean a "creature" of creation, as in Gentiles, non-believers.

Now that's interesting. Even non-believers are eagerly waiting for the redemption. Which I think makes perfect sense. Non-believers, whether they like it or not, admit it or not, I believe were originally created in the image of God to worship Him and reflect His glory. And when that doesn't happen, something is off and not right ("subjected to frustration"...Romans 8:20).

The point is, as believers in Christ, we have the vision and promise of Revelation 21, the New Jerusalem.

For living out my present faith, I would do good to more eagerly anticipate Christ's return and actually try to believe in His promise and listen to His words.

can love be understood?

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:7-8

I've been thinking a bit lately about love, and what that looks like in our media driven, for-profit day and age. Culture tries to splotter love all over the place, and I think people get de-sensitized to what love really is, at its core.

First, remember that love is something we don't understand well as humans -- that's why it goes in the abstract noun category. But certainly, love is demonstrated or exemplified by certain acts. It's hard to identify love without some sort of concrete, physical, can-be-seen act.

Well, this verse tells us that love comes from God, and that God is love. Can we understand God? I don't think God is abstract, but He's too intense, too vast, too full to understand fully by us and our feeble minds, in my opinion. So if we can't understand God, we can't understand love.

Certainly, love was showcased by the concrete, physical in-the-flesh act of Jesus on the cross. It was a manifestation, or the playing out of love, God's love...but that still leaves us a little in the dark on an absolute definition of love.

There's something else unique that I'm figuring out about love. Acts of love are not earned nor deserved. They result from grace. This is true for my human relationships. The most memorable things I remember about acts of love on me or to me are not done to earn anything back from me -- there is a genuine heart to love me because of the person I just happen to be.

Appreciating someone for them just being them and the way they are. Love doesn't try and instruct or tell, it simply celebrates.

Jesus did the necessary thing to fully celebrate each and every one of His. And driving it was grace -- not anything that Jesus expected to earn or deserve back from the people He saved.

In light of this, I think it frees us up to love in our human relationships like He did -- with freedom, no fear of condemnation, not thinking we have or deserve something in return -- we can simply celebrate.

the example of Mary

Unfortunately, Mary, the mother of Jesus, has been deified by certain lines of the Catholic church. In lines that have not deified Mary, she is thought to have always been a virgin (please explain James and John), and is revered close to, if not more than Jesus.

In some ways, I think Protestant churches and Protestant theology have rebuked Mary a little too much in response to Catholic views towards Mary, by virtually never talking about her example or how faithful a woman she was to the Lord. She submitted faithfully and steadfastly to God's plan for her life, and I think that should be celebrated.

She is a great example of faith to consider, but not the reason for our faith. Jesus alone (includes the Holy Spirit and the Father) is the reason for our faith.

Consider her worship song:

And Mary said:
"My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
even as he said to our fathers."
(Luke 1:46-55 NIV)

the beginning too!!

I tend so often to view and live out a faith that sees Christ as the end of all things.

Like Paul says in Romans 10:4, Christ in many ways tends to be the end goal. The end goal of worship, of trying to honor, of trying to live like and live for, of trying not to sin against...

I seem to so easily forget that Jesus is the beginning too!!

And I know that in my mind (John 1), but not in the way I live my life out.

I should do a better job at believing Jesus, for He very plainly says "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." (Revelation 22:13).

That's crazy to me, because dare I say, Jesus encourages that we can and we will do greater things than He did while He was here on earth.

"I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." (John 14:12-14 NIV)

Now, I need to be clear. We're not nor I am not as an individual going to save the world from their sin...and I doubt that I'll be resurrected to this physical life again, it could happen, I believe I'll be resurrected in Christ, but not back to the earth as I knew it. And Christ is very clear. Apart from Him, we're toast in our ability to do anything. It is only through Him can we do "greater" things than He did.

A distinction is necessary: I think we'll be able to do greater things than Jesus in the "what" but not in the "how" He did them.

Take any of Christ's examples. The miracle of feeding 5,000 people. It's going to be difficult to replicate just creating bread out of nothing, but we can grow wheat, bake it, and then distribute it to hungry mouths...it'll take time, but we can feed thousands of people. Even raising Lazarus from the dead dare I say. Modern science and doctors can do amazing things nowadays, to bring people "back" from death...but we'll never do it like Jesus did by just saying "Lazarus, come out!"

I don't often tend to look at Jesus as an "enabler" but I think that is what Scripture is telling me. Again, my perspective is often that Christ is the end of the law, the end goal in worship, the end goal in all I try to do...but I think Scripture is trying to convince me that He's much more than that.

He's the beginning of all things that are on God's heart. Sharing the truth of the gospel. Feeding starving people. Serving the poor. Healing the sick. Comforting the broken-hearted. Dissipating hate. Reconciling lost relationships.

It can only be done 1. because of Jesus and 2. with dependence upon Him.

Jesus, help me always remember You are the beginning, the starting point of all things too!!

the difference in generations

Generational differences exist, both in identity and action.

I think this is clear when anyone considers their parents and/or grandparents. Their lives revolve around certain activities, behaviors, and habits that are more common to their own generation than they are to a particular family. Take facebook as an example. Take playing bridge as an example. Take wearing white New Balance walking shoes.

It got me thinking, what does my generation have to offer the world? And my generation here in the US, how is it distinct from my parent's generation?

And I considered this amidst the context of this passage in Matthew:
When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. "Lord, have mercy on my son," he said. "He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him." "O unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me." Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment. Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"

He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life." And the disciples were filled with grief. (Matthew 17:14-23 NIV)

The man who came to Jesus really wanted his son healed. That was his focus and his reason for coming to Jesus. It makes sense, back then, without modern medicine, that sickness and illness rates were much higher. Calamities and deformities were commonplace. In a sense, it was a generation that, as part of its identity, had high levels of sickness.

I think Jesus' response in this passage is so unique:
"O unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me."

I think Jesus would have said this with an exasperated, almost frustrated tone. It seems all that the people wanted were surface level things, important, but surface level...to be fed...to be healed...to have comfort. Very plainly, Jesus then proceeds to tell them that they needed more faith, to consider something bigger than the surface level things they were wrestling with common to their current generational identity.

I consider that my parent's generation brought a great deal of prosperity to America. The sheer demographic number coupled with their work ethic helped usher in large economic gains for the country as a whole. Honestly, I don't forsee that staying the case, I think America's standard of living in economic terms will fall or flatline and not improve. The point is, my parent's generation seems to have, as part of their identity, earned prosperity, and thus, an accumulated status of wealth.

As proof of this, consider how many parents helped finance their kids college education (of my generation). Probably a great number more than their parents who could or could not help with their college education.

Each parent always wants to give their children more than their parents were able to give them.

I think that applies largely to a whole generation. And so what is my generation's gift to our children going to be?

I was thinking about that this weekend when I saw my best friend's baby boy, happy as ever to be dancing around with his dad, mom, and me in the room.

Well, I think it is going to be hard to give our children the kind of prosperity that our parents were able to give us. Remembering this passage in Matthew, I think we can give our children something maybe better than prosperity and comfort through having enough money.

May they grow and develop a sense of faith in Christ, modeled by their parents (us), that is bigger than a mustard seed, so that they will actually move mountains and bring Christ's kingdom here to earth.

James and judgment

I admit that I struggle, and struggle often, with judgment.

James was doing a good job of kicking my butt this morning in regards to judging others.

It's something that I need to be kicked in the teeth on, it's something that's not good at all.

The most convicting part:
Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor? (James 4:11-12 ESV)

Basically, I am playing God when I judge others. I set myself up on a throne to determine who and who is not worthy of mercy, grace and compassion.

Jesus was very clear about judging others. (Matthew 7:1-6)

How dare I judge. How dare I even remotely try to act or take duties reserved for God. How dare I do something that Jesus explicitly said "do not..."

I'm thankful for James 2:12-13 that encourages me to be quick to be merciful, rather than quick to judge:
So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

I'm also thankful for the real people in my life who model that. My girlfriend and one of my roommates in particular, are modeling and teaching me, although I am stubborn and slow to learn, how mercy over judgment is such a better way to treat others and love your neighbor. I don't consider that they're perfect at it, but they offer such a fresh example that points in the right direction of mercy triumphing over judgment.

They apparently have been listening to what James has to say about judgment.

getting back to the heart of worship

I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus

The chorus of this song is reminding me that all I do in my life, it is meant for the glory of God in the highest, to worship Him with every aspect of my life.

I've been forgetting that. In my busy-ness, the end goal of why I do all that I do sort of slipped under the table.

In reading a research article for class, do I do it for You Lord?

When I spend an hour at work, giving a test, do I do it for You Lord?

In playing frisbee with friends and seeing it as a time of fellowship, do I do it for You Lord?

Every word and action that I direct towards my girlfriend, a beautiful daughter of Yours, do I do it for You Lord?

I have to confess, I'm at a point where all these things I don't do with a heart of worship. Mixed in there is a heart of selfish desires, a heart of anger, a heart of fear, a heart of idolization, a heart of pride, a heart of independence and not dependence on You Lord...

Colossians 3 is giving me a refreshing view:
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things...Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry...Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him...Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

This part of the chapter emphasized itself to me:
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him...Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men

Lord, on Your strength and by Your grace, please get me back to the heart of worshiping You Jesus. In all I do.

Wisdom difference

One of America's most celebrated writers is William Faulkner. In his novels, he used multiple lenses of understanding, or points of view of different characters, in not necessarily chronological order, to weave together a unique and meaningful story. Movies such as Crash, and Amores Perros pursue a similar framework...multiple points of view and understandings interweave and connect to showcase a unique story.

I was thinking about how this is similar to the wisdom of the world vs. the wisdom of God.

The wisdom of God is unique and often antagonizes, or opposes the way the world might do something. Things thought in the heart of God are considered foolish or silly when those same things are considered through the world's wisdom glasses.

As a believer of Jesus who is God's only Son, and with a desire and attempting to follow Christ, I think it's important for believers to distinguish clearly these differences and pursue, in our lives, the wisdom of Heaven.

This is going to be hard and invite all sorts of doubt and ridicule. But remember, that's coming from a wisdom of the world perspective.

So which one do I bow down to and confess my allegiance to...here are some lines, just like Faulkner's novels or those movies, that weave through Scripture at different points at time, but still uniformly point to the wisdom of God being greater and higher:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.
(Proverbs 3:5-8 NIV)

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
"Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?"
"Who has ever given to God,
that God should repay him?"
For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen.
(Romans 11: 33-36)

Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.
(1 Corinthians 1:18-25)

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.
(2 Corinthians 10:3)

In this battle between the wisdom of God and the way of the world, let us wage war with the weapons of God's wisdom, the Spirit of Truth...His wisdom is far superior and far greater!

really powerful verse

Please consider meditating on this verse. Reading the context is great too, but please meditate on this verse and how it relates to what Jesus may have done for you in your life.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV)

vulnerability in community

"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (James 5:16 NIV)

"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift." (Matthew 5:23-24)

Vulnerability is not an easy thing. Especially in America in 2009. Our culture is teeming with walled, very individualized, personal individuals. That's fine in one respect, but ends up costing individuals and collective communities in large ways.

I went to a Prodigal God Bible study last night, and this idea came up again and I've been thinking about it.

I feel Jesus was the best model of vulnerability. He left the comfort and splendor of heaven to come down to earth, and yes, while it was His creation, I'm going to say heaven is a far better place to be. He was open with the people He walked and interacted with...how is it that four different men, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John record with a unique perspective each ways in which Jesus was vulnerable.

He exemplified this vulnerability by going to the cross, yes, but He also exemplified it by His willingness to talk about others sins. Not only speak of them, but heal them!!

Back to modern day America 2009, I don't think it is our responsibility to heal our brother or sister's sins. That is a ridiculous thought. Only Jesus Christ can do that. Nor am I proposing or am suggesting that people who are uncomfortable to speak about their sins should be forced in any way to speak of their sins. When they're ready. And certain relationships, obviously, sin shouldn't be confessed to the other person, both to protect and prevent further injury.

But if communities are environments of Christ's love, where fellowship is genuine and honest, a willingness to confess sins when appropriate can do so much to strengthen the relationships in those communities! Of course, I don't think it's easy, vulnerability never is, especially not in guard-everything-about-you-America, but it can have a strong cementing, binding, effect to solidify and strengthen communities that they may walk stronger together in the desire to bring Christ's kingdom here to earth.

the tongue's power

So over the past few weeks, there have been different incidents where my mouth has led to trouble for me or some pain for other people. Not that it was intentional, but nonetheless, it happened.

I don't think James was under-do-ing it when he used the analogy of a ship's small rudder controlling the big ship. I was going over his words in James 3, and here are some running thoughts as the passage goes on, related to this idea of keeping the tongue in check:

Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
My role in life with other people is not to instruct them or tell them what is right or wrong. That is the Lord's doing and the Lord's work. Not to say He can't use us as instruments to do that, He can...but in my zeal to help build others up, living an example of God's truth and His ways speaks far louder than words.

We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
James knows human beings. We're going to goof up with our mouths from time to time. Nobody is perfect.

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.
Our tongues should not be used to control or to demonstrate power.

Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.
All that "sticks and stones may break my bones...but words will never hurt me..." That is the most untrue, horribly in-denial song for the world. Words have an incredibly powerful effect and should be chosen and used carefully.

Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
Chosen words have the potential, if not checked, to spiral into a horrendous and dangerous snowball with even greater and greater consequences. Remember James points out a bit earlier he knows that all humans are going to mess up and say dumb and hurtful things sometimes. Yet, there ought to be a check in place and a desire to limit or reconcile those words from spiraling into something much much worse.

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
Yikes. Like I was feeling after my incidents, I would rather not ever talk again. It'd save me a lot of frustration, hurt on other people's part. So yes, there is something valuable to biting the tongue and not saying anything at all. Never might be an extreme, but I should speak less.

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness.
This hit me hard. With my words, when I criticize people or gossip or talk negatively about someone behind someone's back, or even to their face, I am basically in God's face, saying, "this creature you made is not that great...not that wonderful." It is way too bold and arrogant on my part for me to dare to do something like this, I should always remember that when I speak of someone, I am speaking of a uniquely beloved creation of Christ.

Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
I am clearly a person full of contradictions and hypocrisy. Most often, I need to seek the Lord's wisdom, and not my own (the next thing James talks about). I need to live out His wisdom, the knowledge of Christ's grace, and that sort of life should be the life that I am speaking about and living out loud.

Christ's love without condition in spite of physical condition

It strikes me that so many people in our culture today love conditionally based on someone else's physical state or condition.

I admit that do this much more often than I'd like to admit. I engage people if they are like me, or clean enough, or pretty enough, or often of the same skin color.

I get impatient and judgemental if a person is fat or doesn't speak English fluently or smells awful.

It reveals the poor, but true, condition of my own heart.

How refreshing it is to look at Christ and His example! How he loved people with great compassion! Unconditional to their physical state or appearance.

In Matthew 8, Jesus heals a man of leprosy. Nobody approached lepers in Jesus' day. Not many do in today's day and age. Leprosy is an intense disease with outward disfigurement of the skin, possibly leaky skin ulcers, the strong smell deterring most people away...

A bleeding woman (who had been bleeding for 12 years) in Matthew 9 comes and touches Christ's cloak. She is immediately engaged by Christ. "Take heart daughter...your faith has healed you."

Most people who are randomly bleeding, and if I had known they had been like that for the previous twelve years, I would do my best to avoid them. Certainly not want to engage them. And yet Christ puts forth immediate compassion.

In John 11, we see Christ's power to defeat the worst physical condition of all: death. Yet, we know this physical condition does

"But Lord" said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days." (11:39b). We know that Jesus is quite moved in this scene as He just wept. Not cried. Wept. (John 11:35)

In spite of the place stinking badly, in spite of a dead body, Jesus great compassion has the power to raise Lazarus from the dead. Jesus thanks His father for the power to do so, giving all honor and glory to the Creator of the universe, and then Lazarus walks out alive (John 11:44).

Christ loved unconditionally in spite of other's physical condition.

Someone's physical condition or state should not be a reason to withhold love. Whether someone stinks, is sweaty, is fat, is a different color, has corn rows, has creepy looking eyes...I don't think that is for me to judge and with hold a desire to serve and love that other person as Christ would have.

Yet it happens a lot in our modern day culture. When it does happen, those who may not have the most optimal or best physical state or appearance develop greater fears that they won't be loved for their physical condition. They may not want to love. They may fear being loved on condition.

The point is, it is a downward spiral. Instead of it getting started, it would be wise if I looked to Christ's example and sought to love others as He did, regardless of their physical state or condition.

perplexed by grace

God is good. All the time. God is good to me. All the time.

The ironic thing is that I don't realize this all the time. I wish I did.

I feel now, Sept. 1, 2009, is a point in my life where the scales have somehow been removed from my eyes and I'm seeing incredible amazing God and the blessings and gifts He's given to me in my life.

And I'm incredibly confused. Perplexed is a better word. I don't understand it. I want to understand it. I don't feel like I necessarily have to understand it. But it's really crazy!! (His grace)

The provision of relationships, and sustenance, and beauty...I am in a funk of "wha?"...for me??

I wonder if my life could get any better. I don't say that arrogantly, but with a genuine heart of thanks. And even in recognizing incredible blessings, there is still doubt present. I wonder, and I actually doubt, it could get better.

One thing I am certain of: I have an obligation, not a works obligation, but a responsibility of love obligation, to turn His blessings and provision around and put them to use to furthering His kingdom here on earth.

But ya, for now, I don't get grace and the joyful giving of Jesus. But I'm okay with that.

Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing."
As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight.
The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips.

LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.
I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.

You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

-Psalm 16 (NIV)

successful sorrow

When the Apostle Paul wrote 1 Corinthians, it is thought to have been #2 in a sequence of 4 letters. 2 Corinthians is thought to have been letter #4 of 4 total letters.

And so consider:
Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God... I have great confidence in you; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds...Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while— yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter....
(from 2 Corinthians chapter 7 NIV)

In 1 Corinthians, Paul is both reminding the Corinthians and attempting to correct them because he dearly loves and adores them. Paul helped start the church at Corinth, and had invested a great deal of time and relationships into this church. It wasn't just another church down the road. There was a very real, true commitment and deep relationship between Paul and the church at Corinth.

The Corinthians in time got away from devotion to God, and were wronging God and each other. Living for themselves and pursuing selfish ends. Paul took personal offense to this, and probably had feelings of sadness and anger and disappointment that his children and family members were reveling in wild living and casting off the truth of God for wordly pursuits.

This passage in 2 Corinthians seems to be an affirmation passage. It seems that something did click with Paul's corrective attempts, and the Corinthians genuinely felt sorrowful for their previous behavior.

Paul is sorry that he hurt his beloved family members, but realizes that it ends up benefiting them and strengthening them. Sorrow in this case helped wake up the Corinthians.

I think there's a good take away for our modern-day culture. We typically see sorrow and sadness as bad things. They're not necessarily desirable. Nobody wants to be sad. Yet, if sadness brings about forgiveness or reconciliation, where there had previously been sin or brokenness, then sorrow has acted successfully.

"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation.."

burning with a passion for Jesus

This song, among others, by Shane and Shane (who rock by the way) has been getting me to think.

What does it look like to burn with a passion for Jesus, today, in America, in 2009?

I don't necessarily have the answer, but I do want to burn on the inside.

Holy design
this place in time
that i might seek and find my God
my God

Lord i want to yearn for You
i want to burn with passion
over You and only You
Lord i want to yearn

Your joy is mine
yet why am i fine
with all my singing and bringing grain
in light of Him

oh You give life and breath
through Him You give all things
in Him we live and move
that's why i sing

"And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring." (Acts 17:25-28 NIV)

"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:28-29 NIV)

God's Health Care Plan

The health care debate in America is "blowin' up" and getting out of control. Sanity please!

I’m not proposing that I know God’s heart when it comes to health care for America. Public option. Grandma death panels. Increased taxes for small business. I’m not sure what God thinks of those things, but His Word does talk about some really important things that I think are being missed or glossed over during this national debate.

“Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.” (1 Peter 2:13-17)

First of all, it’s kind of funny that Peter wrote this. The same Peter who wanted to fight the authority forces of power that came to arrest Jesus (and did, cutting off an ear). The same Peter at wits end for denying Jesus three times and then hearing the cock crow (Luke 22). The same Peter who met on the beach with the resurrected Christ (John 21), promising to follow Jesus and striving towards bringing His kingdom here to earth, even if it would cost his life (and it did).

Jesus changed Peter tremendously.

Maybe it was coincidence that Peter, with no medical training, became an amazing physician himself, healing a lifelong cripple in an instant (Acts 3). No, it wasn’t an accident. Christ was the reason that Peter was empowered to take care of such a sick man.

I point this passage and Peter’s story out to ask: are Christ followers doing and being health care in America, or are they just arguing, complaining, and debating like the rest of the world?

The passage in 1 Peter emphasizes “For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men…Love the brotherhood of believers.”

When was the last time Christ followers took care of widows and orphans? (James 1:27)

Are Christ followers serving the needy out of a desire for wordly recognition or a passion to love Jesus? (Matthew 6:1-4)

Do Christ followers pray in the morning that their leaders during the day will be seeking to make health care decisions that are after God’s own heart? (1 Timothy 2:1) Doing this because they know that the Lord Mighty God is completely in control?

Are Christ followers giving more of themselves to others, losing their life by the world’s standards, than they are expecting or taking from others? (Luke 9:23-27)

It’s great to be zealous and passionate about certain proposals regarding the future of health care in America. Yet, Christ followers can set a greater and more powerful example for health care reform by living out Jesus’ example and His teachings on health care, and not just debating it.

celebrating what is right

"Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.
If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.

This I command you, that you love one another." (John 15:9-17 NASB)

Christ's love is the perfect love to which our hearts aspire. The perfect love in which our hearts, souls, and minds find perfect peace. Amidst the backdrop of this passage, I think I'm getting a deeper picture of Christ's love, and the joys as well as the limitations of a dating relationship.

Christ emphasizes that we humans love only because it's made possible through and by His love. "I have also loved you..." "just as I have loved you..." "You did not choose Me but I chose you..."

This passage to me makes it clear that we can only abide in any sort of love on this earth AFTER and dependent upon the love relationship with Christ.

Don't get me wrong. I personally have been really fortunate to progress into a deeper season of becoming greater friends with a really great girl. The jury is still out on if it's love or not, I can't say...but a lot of things seem to be clicking as right and honorable. It's an experience of thoughts, emotions, and events that is quite fun, exciting, and unique. Christ speaks, in this very passage, about how greater love is closely related to the idea of deep friendship. "No longer do I call you slaves...but I have called you friends..."

The earthly dating relationship never will, and never should surpass the primary love relationship with Christ. I don't think marriage should either. That sounds almost defeatist at first, definitely counter-cultural to not pour out everything into this other person, this great friend, and to put your primary hope in this other human.

That should never be the case and if I project that as a boyfriend or future husband, I am failing as a friend and a brother. Not to mention, I am selling short the love of Christ and cheapening it.

It needs to be remembered that both humans involved in that relationship have their own individual sin that they bring to the table. That fact will never allow the intimacy and a purity of love that can be experienced with Jesus, the holy and perfect One. Don't get me wrong, husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends can have pretty awesome relationships that are fulfilling, honoring, and glorifying to the Lord. At their best, they can approach something less than the love of Christ. That's not a bad thing though, falling somewhat short of perfection can still be pretty darn good.

a life verse?

I've never really been one for "life verses" or a "verse of the week." I'm not sure why. Maybe because I've thought that the ONE verse for the week or the life is too limiting. God's genius and wisdom is found in much more than just one verse...

but if I had a life verse, or perhaps, a life outlook, I think it might could be Proverbs 30:7-9:

"Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die:

Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.

Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, 'Who is the LORD ?'
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God."

I only ask that I would know only Christ and His truth as my truth, and that Christ would sustain me sufficiently as each day comes. My daily bread in relationships...trials, discipline, finances, opportunities to glorify Him, chances to serve for His name...Christ and Christ alone.

the way I speak

I was realizing something the other day, so I thought I'd write a post on it in case it resonates with anyone else.

The world is boastful, arrogant, loud, it wants to be known and gain recognition. I pick up on this example and end up doing the same thing. It translates into speech and thoughts which aren't always God-honoring. I'll sometimes joke, or gossip, or speak about someone behind their back in a negative way to affirm myself in the conversation, or in some weird way I'm trying to gain approval if I concede to talk about something or someone in a way that is not building up or encouraging.

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." (Ephesians 4:29 NIV)

It's a big deal because it hurts the person I'm talking unwholesomely talking about, and it is a poor testimony on my part to Christ, for others are listening "..that it may benefit those who listen."

In contrast, those who are quiet and peaceful (who I dare to sometimes judge that they need to be more "active" or "vocal" about their faith)...know something I seem to forget too often.

"...that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness" (1 Timothy 2:26 NIV)

"Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." (1 Peter 3:4)

The people who are quiet and gentle have a firm and bold peace and understanding that their salvation is found in the boldness and sovereignty of Christ. In light of this, they have no need to be load and boastful, or have a need to be heard by the world.

I should take notice of this example.

the deficit view, not the way Christ sees it

I posted not too long ago about wondering how Christ sees things, and wanting vision more like Him. That post is here.

Well, I think I might understand a bit better how He does NOT see things.

We were studying some aspects of education, and there was the realization that policy makers first "identify problems," and then craft their solution accordingly to "fix that problem." In essence, it is a deficit view. You come at something realizing it's broken, needs fixing, and then proceed from there.

I was reading in Hebrews, and the context is where the text talks about the New Covenant. Not one of laws and regulations, but one of Christ, who paid for all sins by His suffering on the cross. The verse that hit me was

"The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: "This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds."Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more."And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus..."(Hebrews 9:15-19 NIV)

"I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds..."

It's as if the Truth is on every one of our hearts and minds already. Sinners around the earth already have Truth engraved in them, whether they like it or not, or acknowledge it or not.

I think God sees in us deeply and most clearly the Truth He has written in our hearts. Some of that may be obscured sometimes by our flesh and evil acts (Romans 7)...but Jesus sees the beauty of His laws and Truth in us.

Getting at understanding this, I think it's a model for us to look at and love others. Christ's compassion on us is that Truth is already on our hearts. He affords us the immeasurable and amazing grace to "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more."

who's first in a relationship?

In many ways, being in a very close relationship, such as marriage, there is a strong intimacy and love for that other person in the relationship.

That is to be celebrated. A relationship where people can trust each other to such levels of baring-their-soul intimacy is a great thing. The love and security in a relationship like that, I imagine is an awesome thing to experience (I'm not married so I can't fully back up this post with a real-life experience). A developed and close-knit love helps each individual stand together and comfort each other amidst the world of evil, hate, and disappointment that we live in.

I think though, even in Christ-centered marriages, the influence of culture sometimes takes this idea too far. **This is where I acknowledge I lack clarity of insight having never been married. It's easy for me to say that a husband and wife should put Christ first and foremost in their marriage. Living that is something else.

Regardless, I really think it's true. Well, consider, if the other person were to be the primary focus in a relationship, that's going to eventually lead to disappointment. The fact of the matter is, no matter how great the other person is, no matter how deep and bonded the love of the relationship is, the other person is a sinner. More importantly, and what is a bigger deal, is that you are a sinner (I am a sinner). There's something there that will never allow a human relationship of love to be as perfect and pure as Christ's love for each one of His children.

I was reading in Genesis, and never picked up on this before. Before the fall, Adam and Eve DID live in a perfect relationship with each other, and it was pure, as God's relationship was to them. They were naked and not ashamed...then the fall happened, and the resulting sin produced some consequences. God says "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children; Your desire will be for your husband and he will rule over you." (Genesis 3:16)

so #1, giving birth is now painful. Giving birth to a child is perhaps the deepest proof, or "sign" of love between a man and a woman. Even greater than that is that giving birth is deep proof of God's love for both parents, His own children. God gives forth this incredible, miraculous blessing. What was meant to be an act of love without fear and completely joyous has turned into something painful and full of anxiety.
and #2 "your desire will be for your husband..." this line was really insightful. Before the fall, what was pure, what was holy, what was perfect leads me to think was the opposite of what this consequence. Eve's desire WAS for God. Now that the fall has occurred, the woman will desire her husband...she will gravitate towards loving her man more than God.

As Christian believers who seek to walk according to God's truth and live in holiness, I think we need to realize this. In spite of pop media and our general culture all around us encouraging us as much as possible to make idols out of our husbands or wives, and essentially put them up on pedestals, we need to be prayerful about putting Christ first in our lives, and walk in THAT desire. In doing so, I think we end up honoring and loving the spouse in a pure way far far greater than the alternative way of trying to love the spouse as #1.

music to dance for Jesus...

sit back, close your eyes, listen to this awesome song, and dance for your King

diversity of service

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' (Matthew 25:40 NIV)

Although we humans are creatures of habit, I think we need to be prepared to be Christ's hands and feet on this earth in different ways. It was Jesus' example for us -- He met a variety of different needs.

He was a doctor and healed people of their severe and intense disease and afflictions. He fed people. He spoke Truth when Truth need to be heard. He comforted a woman living in societal sin and disgust...the list goes on.

Jesus, in His perfection, had multiple gifts and outstanding abilities. I'm going to go ahead and say we don't have that. It might be going out on a limb, well, no it's not, we don't have that.

Certain people have the gift of encouragement or the gift of empathy, maybe the gift of service or the gift of speaking Truth gently but firmly, or maybe the gift of making delicious birthday cakes...

the point is Jesus met/meets people where they were/are and was/is willing to serve them there. Jesus didn't ask them to come up to some level or modify themselves so it was more convenient for Him to serve and love them.

I think this is one part of Christ's example we should seek to follow.

the convenience culture

My friend Rolf, who I met recently and is from South Africa, made an interesting observation of American life and culture. Not being a native to these parts himself, he has some qualified lenses to make some real observations about life here that we might not see as citizens immersed in our own culture. He hadn´t been here in a while, but this last visit, it was clear to him how much life in America is a culture of convenience.

I think he´s totally right.

Drive up ATMs, banks, delivery, take-out, fast food, fast casual restaurants, amazon.com, iphone apps...you name it. Some of these things can be good, useful tools...I'm not knocking all of them, I would some things, I'm just pointing out that the US is a saturated place for a convenience lifestyle.

As I got to thinking about this, I think it's true, but I also think it's unfortunate and sad that this cultural characteristic has snuck into the American church, and I would say is more widespread than we identify or care to admit. It's also not healthy I don't think.

The divorce rate within the American church around 50% is a statistic that supports this. When it gets hard or inconvenient, it's over. We'd rather not work hard or struggle in our marriage. This grieves God's heart intensely.

Rather than being missions, doing missions, it's very easy to give money to a non-profit. I've been struck by how true this is as I think more and more of it. I confess that I'm guilty of this way more than I want to admit. I'm not judging giving money or being generous to charities, those acts are great...but does Christ call us to something more?

The times in your life, when a) you've given money to a cause or b) you've sat down with someone and interacted with them when they are struggling, searching, or grieving...been an ear or served them or loved them unconditionally...which one gives a better sense of fulfillment to the whole situation?

Again, I am not criticizing giving money, especially if it is motivated out of a heart intention to support and love bringing about Christ's kingdom on earth.

Jesus wants more of us than what's convenient for us!

And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me."For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it."For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?" (Luke 9:23-25 NASB)

We live in a wealthy nation. That's fact. It's easy to give money. Yes, we're not all Bill Gates or Warren Buffett. I know. It's still easy to give money or divorce someone because things aren't working out.

As followers of Christ, I think we need to be acutely aware of the easy areas in our lives and guard against them disallowing us to serve Christ and be His hands and feet in this world.

relativisim

In our modern-day culture, how do we grade, or consider our position or standing in life? If things are great, sad, we're rich, we're poor, we're smart or dumb, pretty or fat...how do we determine those things?

Don't we look at other people and compare? If I lived in a society where I weighed 350 pounds, but I looked around, and everyone around me was 500 pounds or more, I'd think I'm super-skinny, moms would want to constantly feed me and tell me I needed to thin out.

My point is, doing relative comparisons, and using other people as the measure, is a dangerous slope to be on I think while seeking to walk with and bring honor and glory to Jesus.

Husbands shouldn't look to other men and consider how they're doing in their marriages, and then decide if he's doing ok or poorly in his own marriage. Couples shouldn't consider how other couples interact and love and honor each other.

As followers of Christ, we have an absolute standard that we need to look to, and if you feel the need, to measure yourself.

Jesus is that absolute standard. As such, husbands should consider how Christ acted as a husband. Couples should consider how, in reality, Christ was in communion with the Father and Holy Spirit, and realize that a marriage is a three part relationship.

Now, you might think, attaining an absolute level like Christ is impossible. Yes, I agree. Attaining Christ's perfection is incompatible with the sinful, depraved human beings we are. But, it doesn't mean we shouldn't try.

Jesus is completely perfect. We should attempt to live as holy a life as He did. In doing so, it's important to realize that we will never live up to His absolute standard of perfection. That shouldn't stop us from trying. His perfect grace makes up for the shortcomings that hinder that attainment of absolute perfection.

Peter writes (NASB):
"For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
Paul puts forth at various points in the New Testament (all NIV)" (1 Peter 2: 21-25)

and Paul writes (NIV):

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me." (Phil 3:12)...

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)

wanting this...

Can we dare to imagine heaven on earth?

What would that look like?

It might include no fear, no pain, pride washed away, people living in harmony, loving each other purely...honoring God and spending ever waking moment bringing glory to the King and worshiping Him.

It's not that this mentality is one of "not" or "avoiding" sin. Rather, I think heaven on earth is going to be a proactive love and full worship of Jesus.

I went to a Hillsong concert about 3 weeks ago, and the pastor who shared a message put it very well: we should yearn and be led by the Spirit to live out and fulfill the bringing about of Christ's reformed Kingdom here on earth.

When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He said "This, then, is how you should pray: " 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven..." (Matthew 6:9-10 NIV)

Did you catch that?

Jesus' own words: "your kingdom come!! your will be done on EARTH as it is in heaven"

I keep replaying this prayer in my mind over and over since the Hillsong pastor talked about it in his message. And the other day, 2 Chronicles 7:14 popped into my life. These are God's words, Him speaking, so I'm pretty confident that they're long-lasting, as in eternally TRUE words worth counting on.

"if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land..."

How I long for that day when Christ's kingdom is all we know on this earth! God desperately wants to heal our land...to bring about the fulfillment of that promised earthly Kingdom...

And both these verses remind us and point to prayer as a fundamental starting point for that to happen.

teach me to see like You Jesus...

there's a fairly well-played song on Christian radio these days that has the chorus:

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
Ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see
Yeah
Yeah
yeah
yeah

Now it's kind of a pop-ish song, but that's not the point. I've though a lot about this idea of really trying to "put on" Christ-like vision apart from this song. Do I read the Bible more? Do I pray more? Do I serve others more? Do I deny the comforts of this American lifestyle and life with poor or neglected people? I think the lyrics reinforce really well the idea of wanting to see like Jesus in the world we live in.

I simply don't see the world as Jesus does. But I really want to!

Seeing one way or another way, how you interpret the world, makes a big difference in the way your motivations and subsequent behavior takes shape. Just put on those 3-D glasses or the goggles that they use to show what a drunk person sees, and you get this idea very quickly.

To me though, it's deeper than just surface level vision. My mind so often thinks about what is "efficient" or "effective" or "optimal." This comes from a wordly perspective, and I realize, it often doesn't coincide with the way of the King and His vision for His Kingdom on earth.

Here's a perfect example:

I know a very faithful missionary family in Argentina. The father is very real, genuine, and is one of the most faithful servants I have ever met. They minister intentionally to a specific group of people in Buenos Aires, one of the most difficult people groups to share Christ with, in my opinion. I'm not going to write which people group that is, for reasons regarding their safety and confidentiality.

My point is, the family is great, and they are led by an incredibly faithful man. I know this. In my mind and my heart, I know this and believe this fully.

Yet, I sometimes question, in my mind, their ministry. I have such thoughts as "well, jeez, they get paid a normal year's salary through the contributions of so many churches" "...they have some "successes" to show for their work, but really not that many." "They are semi-accountable to their donors, but not wholly and fully transparent." "They could be doing anything really, living off the good graces and good intentions of others." (again, as I stated before, they are a really genuine and no funny business is going on). "Wouldn't their time and effort be best spent in other areas with other people groups, where more chances for "success" in sharing Christ could take place?"

So let me say, I hate these thoughts that I have. But I have them. I think I'm nifty and crafty that I can see inefficiencies and the way things can be improved...my mind often thinks about such things.

Never mind that I overlook their sacrifice of being in a foreign country, away from many comforts of friends and family, to intentionally share the Gospel with a group of people who are often so quick to reject their message.

In all reality, this just really reveals the depth of my selfishness, and what I'm talking about in this post...that I really don't see like Jesus sees the world.

Peter tells us the underlying sentiment of God's heart: "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9 NIV)

Isn't it fitting that Peter is the one who writes this verse, even after his staunch promise to never deny Jesus, and then outright denying Him 3 times? Peter lived out fully this sentiment of God's heart.

Romans 3:23 speaks truth in reminding us that we're all broken. Sin is the culprit of our brokenness, and no matter who we are in the world, we can't escape this fact. "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (NASB)

Jesus has an amazing ability to see through our self-protections, piled up walls, defense mechanisms to deal with the world, to see the heart of our brokenness. He sees the problem crystal clearly AND the solution. I believe He desperately wants broken hearts to return to Him as soon as possible.

He is the perfect solution, and sees perfectly how events and His followers are going to work under His name to help heal those broken hearts and turn them back to Him, while delighting in the glory of this process.

I can't even give an answer of what Jesus' version of a solution really looks like, since I so frequently think of solving problems in worldly terms...and again, I don't see like Him.

But I think it's really great that He sees in a unique way, that's different from the worldly vision which I so frequently see things...and I want more of that eyesight. His eyesight.

Lord Jesus, please help me to see more like You...

Christ followers and their roles with orphans...?

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:27 NIV)

I feel like that verse is pretty straightforward in what it is saying to Christ followers. It comes out of a larger section in James that is talking about walking the walk, putting faith into practice and being the hands and feet of Christ.

I'm thinking about orphans now, which I have to admit, I haven't ever really done much of...I watched a documentary yesterday entitled "War Dance." It traces the stories of three kids, some of them orphans, in Northern Uganda who have been displaced by rebel uprisings and war.

I'm not really an emotional person, and I don't really do crying. I didn't cry yesterday watching the film, but I was close a couple of times, if that says anything. The film really tore some inner heart strings.

I looked up how many orphans are in the US today, and it is approximately 3 million (according to UNICEF statistics). Another article I found said there are about 150 million orphans in the developing world as well. Taking all the nations of the world together, that's a lot of kids...way too many to be orphans!

I think a hard question to ask and an even harder one to answer, but one seriously worthy of some intentional thought:
What role do intentional Christ followers here in the US have to play with a) orphans in the US and b) orphans in the rest of the world?

I'm not implying that Christ followers should be nationalistic to a particular country, I think Christ followers should recognize they carry a passport of Heaven that sees no earthly nation-state lines...but I ask the question in parts because the reality of the situation is that we do live in recognized nation-states, and so borders, and laws, and customs, and language do factor in.

I don't know if Jesus specifically refers to orphans in this passage, but I can see Him having a really compassionate heart for these children who could be orphans:
"Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there." (Matthew 19:13-15 NIV)

go right ahead!

this is a really interesting story on NPR:
(it's a 5 part series - you can click on the next one under "more in this series")

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104240746

Scientists are trying to prove or disprove the existence of God by examining people's brains to see if they can detect some sort of linked relationship of when people pray and have "spiritual" encounters.

I'll let you listen to the story yourself, but there's strong evidence from various studies that shows association between spiritual experiences and certain parts of the brain being more active, and certain chemicals in the brain doing certain things...all that to say that the evidence is pointing to a positive correlation between certain parts of the brain and "spiritual" activities.

Wait...you mean, we're hard-wired to interact with and experience God? Shut up!

This to me is ironic, but great. Most science typically wants to disprove God and His existence. But it looks like science will end up actually producing more convincing evidence for the existence of God than evidence that disproves Him.

I can imagine that all these scientists and experiments might be humorous to God, trying to prove so hard through empirical proof and rigorous analysis that He is alive and well, and that...WOW...we're hard wired for communication with Him...go figure! (ok, I'll stop being sarcastic about this, because it's really serious for a lot people)

It seems like there's a less painful way to enjoying God, recognizing His existence, and knowing Him at a point sooner in life...which involves learning about and getting to know Jesus...but, if this is the route some people need to get a hold of the existence and believe the Father, then go right ahead! They'll get to Jesus at some point or another.

The fact is that it's an indeniable part of relating to God. Truth tells us that:

"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me". (John 14:6 NIV)

thank You Lord...

I just want to thank You Lord...

When I am weak,
when I am tired,
when my intelligence fails,
when the money entrusted to me isn't enough...

When I fear,
when I'm anxious,
when I become too prideful,
when I fail to love those closest to me...

when the Truth I try to speak for Your glory hits a firm wall,
when the ways of this world want nothing more than my shame and destruction magnified...

I want to bring a heart to You that is just thankful.
Thank You Mighty God for Jesus, and for not being selfish and sharing Him

I just want to bring You thanks Lord...THANK YOU!

grace and our ability to love

So I've had this thought for about a week now:

The more we understand true grace found in Jesus, the more powerfully we are able to love. Agape love that Lewis points out.

I think this point is true in relationships between friends, and married couples as well. I've also been thinking about some of the saints that have walked before me in history and current ones. Some of the well-known ones, and some of the lesser known ones. People like Mother Teresa, William Carey, the Apostle Paul, John, Augustine...and some missionaries out there on the field today.

It seems like they each have a pretty deep understanding of what grace found in Christ really is, and what it means. In turn, that has motivated these individuals to selfless action in pursuit of God's glory.

I don't even know if it's proper to say, for these subsequent actions in following the understanding of grace, that it's a "response" to grace. When people respond to things, the action tends to be limited. They do enough for what merits a response, and usually not much more. In addition, "responding" to grace is very human-centric powered. The real love that comes from these devoted saints I find it very hard to believe was somehow man-made.

I think I'm still a long ways off from really getting it. I really think this is true though:
The more we understand true grace found in Jesus, the more powerfully we are able to love.

I really want to get it. I'm still a long ways off. I think, however, a deep understanding of Christ's grace that motivates action in love has a lot to do with submission and yielding. To the point that the "love actions" that result from a person end up becoming something like extensions of Jesus Himself, working in these people. So in fact, ironically, it isn't the people loving at all.

Again, it's Christ. Full circle. Grace. Our ability to love. A beginning and an end.

And He somehow thought and wanted to include us in the process...

Christians and missions

I was thinking about "people groups" in the world, what's dear to them, and why they do or do not want to share what they have.

As I thought about it, genuine Christians seem to be an odd bunch. Go figure. Believers who hold that missions are important and who try to share the Gospel and be intentional about spreading the love of Jesus to others, do so for the benefit of those others.

There aren't many groups in the world with that sort of mentality. Now, I realize, I have to qualify this post quite carefully. The "Christians" I'm referring to are those that hold that missions are an inherent part of their walk with Jesus. And no, this doesn't mean going to a foreign land. There's all sorts of mission opporunities right here at home. Next door. It's not up to me to qualify who is a real Christian and who isn't. However, in reading Scripture, I am of the opinion that it's really hard NOT to care about missions if you are someone who genuinely desires to seek and pursue Christ.

There are certainly "Christians" who are in it for personal gain, and who seek their own benefit by using missions as a means to their own selfish goals and desires for comforts. But please keep in mind, when I refer to Christians from here on out in this post, I am meaning it to mean those who think missions as a means for sharing Christ's love and the knowledge of His grace.

And so...Do the rich people of the world try to share their secrets of being wealthy with numerous others, so those that lack wealth can become like the rich ones? (no, that doesn't happen, wealthy people don't want competition that would endanger their wealth)

Do the American citizens of the world go around trying to share the greatness of America and offer citizenship to non-Americans because, "hey, America is so great!" (no, this doesn't happen either. Americans share American values sometimes to show off, brag, or because their ignorant sometimes, but hardly do many Americans voluntary about inviting or offering citizenship to others)

Do the professional athletes of the world go out to foreign countries to share their highly valuable skills with other players so that they too can become really good? (no, this doesn't happen, athletes are busy working on their own skills to have time to share them with others)

I could go on with more examples, but hopefully my point is starting to become clear. There are many people groups out there, joined together by some sort of common denominator, but few of these groups have a desire to share what's at their core in a way that they're primarily seeking the benefit and good of others.

With different people groups, there is a natural built in hindrance to sharing what each of these people groups holds so dear. It might be competition or fear or unintended negligence, but many "people groups" of the world don't go around sharing the core of what they care about deeply and what their lives revolve around.

So why do Christians do it? Is there something different about the core of them, what makes them tick, that they feel they have to go and share with others?

Well, part of the reason is Jesus wanted them to. "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 NIV)

I think the other reasons Christians care about sharing the Gospel through missions so much is that they get a sense that the size of Christ's love is way too big for any one individual to handle. It has to be shared with others! It is so wide and high and deep and everlasting, more people gotta know about this Jesus!! It's too incredible to believe!! But it's true!!

I gotta run out and share this with the people I know, and the people I don't know!

May we as broken vessels and genuine seekers and followers of Christ be impassioned by the Holy Spirit with a desire to share Christ's love to all nations and peoples...

ALL of us are broken...

Like it or not, we all have brokenness. If you are a "good" person, bad person, immoral, moral, Black, White, Latino, male, female, from the South, from Zimbabwe, from the North pole...you can't escape the fact that you are broken in one way or another.

No single person, Christ follower or not, can escape brokenness. It's part of our human condition. Of course, our brokenness plays out in different ways. Some people have abusive spouses, or have for years suffered heartbreak from relationships. Some are looking to be affirmed and go looking in the wrong places and thus get disappointed. Some are afflicted with disease or trauma. Some have empty family relationships. Some seek wealth, only to find that it doesn't really satisfy. There are many more types of brokenness.

I'm not always Captain Observant, but I don't think it's hard for anyone to see that every individual in some way or another, has both shallow and deep hurts that are part of that person's identity. Some people are good at concealing them, lying about them, and projecting an image of "got-it-togetherness", or "I'm-ok-ness". But the fact of the matter is we're all broken.

I think brokenness is closely related to sin, and Paul tells us "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23 NIV).

We're all broken. And so we all need fixing. Again, I think many people attempt to use the wrong tools and remedies to fix both the shallow and deep brokenness that is inherently part of them.

Not by arrogance, but by grace, those who identify and understand the gift found in Jesus have a way to deal with their brokenness. And the ironic thing is, the more humble and honest a person is about their own brokenness, the greater the work Christ can do in that person to heal whatever the brokenness may be.

He is the Greatest Handy-Man. He knows how to fix it all. And it is genuine and it works!

"On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.'For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Matthew 9:12-13 NIV)

Psalm 96

This Psalm complements the Great Commission really well I think.

Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.

Sing to the LORD, praise His name; proclaim His salvation day after day.

Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all peoples.

For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; He is to be feared above all gods.

For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary.

Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name;
bring an offering and come into his courts.
Worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness;

tremble before Him, all the earth.

Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns."

The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved;

He will judge the peoples with equity.

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;

let the sea resound, and all that is in it;
let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them.

Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy;
they will sing before the LORD, for he comes,

He comes to judge the earth.

He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in His truth.

-Psalm 96 NIV

wedding in Wealthville

Yesterday I went to a wedding in Dallas. The wedding crowd consisted mainly of guests from the Highland Park community, a wealthy suburb of Dallas. This is the Dallas version of the community I grew up in in San Antonio. So for most of my life now, I have gone to school with a good number of well to do kids or have grown up in a neighborhood whose occupants are for the most part quite prosperous.

See, the funny thing is, you, or I, nor anyone for that matter, has a choice of where you are born or the family to which you are born, or the socioeconomic class to which you are born into.

Statistics largely bear out that the socioeconomic class you are born into is the one you'll die in. Socioeconomic advancement or decline for the majority of Americans, world citizens, whoever you might be, just doesn't happen.

Sure, you hear of rags-to-riches success stories, even more of them in America, but the majority of people around the world will more or less stay in the same socio-economic class for their lifetime.

If you think about the reasons surrounding and supporting that claim, they make a lot of sense. But that's an entire other post altogether.

So anyways, can one be wealthy and have a relationship with Jesus? Can one be wealthy and pursue Jesus with all his or her heart?

Those are really two separate questions.

In the midst of the wedding and the reception, I got to thinking about this more (I have thought about it a ton already). I have to admit, I had judgements before (and still do) the wedding about people who are rich and how that plays into a relationship and pursuing Jesus.

I was able to take a walk around this neighborhood in Dallas, and I was mammothly impressed by how large some of the houses in this neighborhood are. Not only that, the architecture is really fascinating on many of these homes and I was thoroughly impressed.

It really got me thinking. If people build these homes out of pursuit for glamour or to showcase wealth, in some sort of competition, that becomes an IDOL, and it is false and despicable to God. If people build these homes with the genuine intent of, say gathering a family together, building a community, or serving their neighbors, or allowing underserved or underprivileged people to stay in their home, whatever it may look like...if they build a home with the intent of bringing glory to God, that is what God wants.

Those thoughts have led to some overall conclusions I have come to so far regarding wealth and pursuing Jesus (they aren't necessarily permanent conclusions).

Throughout history, God has given certain kings or the people of Israel numerous material blessings. They resembled in certain ways the Highland Park community of back then.

My point is, I don't think God despises wealth or have a problem with it. Wealth standing alone is a neutral for God. In fact, if anything, it may very well be a sign of God's approval and faithfulness.

Now, the previous paragraph is a very dangerous statement. Please re-read it. It is worded very carefully. It could lead to all sorts of misunderstandings...

What God DOES have a problem with is when wealth is pursued over Him or even somewhat instead of FULLY Him!! God is jealous. I don't blame Him. He made us. We belong to Him. As individuals or communities, how would we dare to put anything...wealth, sex, achievement...before God??

So, back to the idea of, well, I want to follow Jesus, but I have all these elements pulling againt me....what do I do if I'm born into a community or family that is prosperous?

I think the answer is seeking Jesus means getting poorer. It was His example for us.

I don't necessarily fully refer to monetary prosperity. And in fact, getting poorer can be done by anyone who is rich or poor (economically). "Getting poorer" for the Kingdom will just look differently for those in differing world socio-economic classes. Paul nails it on the head:

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very natureGod, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:5-11 NIV)

I can't imagine what the prosperity of Heaven is like. Jesus voluntarily, willingly GAVE THAT UP to BECOME POORER! A man of all things!!

So no, I don't think being wealthy creates an impasse in having a relationship with Jesus. There are wealthy people and communities, contemporary and throughout history, who have been great models of faith in Christ, and incredible humble servants. It's not impossible.

However, I certainly think that wealth is an overly dangerous and strong tempation, especially in light of the way our world is culturally and economically structured. Wealth or its pursuit is an alternative life street to Jesus with way too many stumbling blocks. It requires a mature and humble follower of Jesus to possess wealth but have it be a relatively unimportant part of their identity.

Identity #1 is pursuing Jesus with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind. And I think, that looks like getting poorer by the world's standards.

So who wants to voluntarily become poor?