I have a problem when it comes to agreeing with smart people. I have so few foundational, core beliefs and convictions that when theologians argue about certain "gray-area" topics, that I have yet to really understand, I find myself easily persuaded by whomever's opinion I have heard most recently. If I hear Marc Driscoll say something on Tuesday about free will that Timothy Keller contradicts on Friday, I will find myself all twisted up on Saturday as I feel lead to cross over from Driscoll's party to support Keller's campaign. Then on Sunday if I find myself around my peers discussing just such an issue as free will I am helpless but to lay down in the middle of the road as they wage war from both sides of the street. The most recent topic that has left me pondering which direction to go is the subject of Hell.
Obviously, there is no easy answer when it comes to the hot-button issue (cheesy pun intended). Is there a Hell, and if there is who goes there/what does it look like? I just read Rob Bell's book called Love Wins which guides readers to question their ideas of the traditional hell fire and brimstone theology in favor of a more post-modern approach to damnation. A lot of people took his approach to mean that he is a Universalist who believes that all people and all roads lead to Salvation. I don't believe he thinks that, but I could be wrong. He definitely does hold a kinda-sorta "new-age" vision of what Hell actually is that has definitely never been popularized before but definitely has scriptural support. Anyway, now I am reading Erasing Hell by Francis Chan, who's theology I have always loved. This book was in many ways written as a rebuttal to Bell's book. Chan's fear of the vision of Hell the Bible gives him is what inspires so much of his radical, "crazy love" based ministry. He says "we can't afford to be wrong on this one." I have to say, my ignorant self already agrees with him. But I digress.
This issue in particular has made be look inwardly at how I do theology in general, and how a lot of people come to form their beliefs. I believe Christianity in the West today has never been harder. There is an information overload and everybody who was ever able to speak or write has an ability to find a powerful voice in society. This has given birth to so many sects, denominations, and in the end an unimaginable number of different view points on everything God related. Some opinions are completely uninformed and easily ignored, yet there are so many studied, intellectual, wise people in the world, now and from generations past, who offer up completely opposing beliefs on everything from homosexuality to predestination to the End Times. So what's your average American Christian to do?
Most people that I have talked to about this just say "Well, keep studying and pray that God gives you the answers in time." But I have argued with Mormons (who I completely disagree with from years of my own study and prayer) who have told me "Look, I sincerely pray to God about this and that He show me the way if this religion is in anyway incorrect and I've felt no conviction from the Holy Spirit." What could I possibly say to that? They had been in the Church all their lives, done the 2 year mission, knew their Bible and yet they and I both stood at a crossroads of disagreement and God was telling neither of us "You are wrong."
I have no doubt both Francis Chan and Rob Bell love Jesus Christ with all their heart. I believe that John Calvin and Jacobus Arminius both loved Jesus Christ with all their heart, but they had completely different views when it came to Salvation. Maybe God wants us to disagree...I don't know. Maybe in the end all the quarreling is just supposed to show us how incredibly fascinating and complex our God is. The cliché line I hear is typically "Well, if we could figure out God then He wouldn't be God!" That is as true as it is annoying. I want answers, I want the truth, and I know every time I say that God is looking right back at me, while doing His best Jack Nicholson impression, saying "You can't handle the truth!" So in the meantime, I'll be in the middle of the road trying not to get run over by all those people who think they've found the answers.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Lazy Sunday
Sleep in, eat, watch football, eat some more, relax, play the geetar, Church, more football, and maybe some video games if I'm feeling frisky. That's my idea of a lazy Sunday. Part way through just such a day I decided to delve into the many books I have been planning on finishing. When I picked up my copy of The Screwtape Letters I found that my bookmark had been misplaced so I began flipping through the many chapters to see which one I had last read (all of my underlining makes it easy to figure out which chapter I was on.) However, I stumbled upon a section that stood out to me a while back and I became fixated on one passage in particular.
C.S. Lewis does not label his chapters in this book but I give each one a name to help me remember the topic when I skim through them again and I had labeled this one "The Gradual Road to Hell". It is about self-will and how we become lulled into an inactive lifestyle where we give up on pursuing our passions and end up finding ourselves in lifestyles that are completely sedentary and doing work that never stimulates any of our higher reasoning, deep thought, interests, or purpose. The quote that got me motivated enough to begin writing this very post, is the last line of the chapter and says, "The more often he feels without acting, the less he will be able ever to act, and, in the long run, the less he will be able to feel."
For anyone reading this who is not familiar with the context of The Screwtape Letters, it is written from the perspective of one demon writing to his demon nephew in-training who is trying to steer his "patient" (human) away from salvation. I found this closing remark to be the deepest statement made in the entire chapter. I never thought that my inactivity could be a stumbling block used by the enemy to eventually deaden my senses and lead me down a path of destruction. Let me preface the rest of what I'm about to say with this; I do not believe that taking it easy some days is a sin, nor do I think it leads to an inactive lifestyle. I know perfectly well that after I work on set from 330pm to 430am the next morning that I am going to need a day of recuperation and "laziness" in order to decompress so I can keep my sanity.
What I am mostly geared up to ruminate on during this post is the grander scheme of Lewis' statement. I believe everybody is here to do something great. Greatness looks different to every person, but as individuals we all have certain traits that allow us to do "great" things. I believe greatness comes from doing exactly what God has programmed you to do best. Some people are janitors, others are presidents and we all have our unique opportunities to minister to those around us. With that said, I believe we often talk ourselves out of that very greatness God has in store for us because of the tactics the enemy has utilized on us for so long, the tactics that Lewis illuminates in The Screwtape Letters.
The reason that Lewis' statement made such an impact on me was the fact that he describes a snowball affect on our hearts that eventually overtakes our souls. Every time we talk ourselves out of something we know would be good for us, or that we would enjoy, because "there may not be enough time" or the logistics of things seem too daunting, we are giving the enemy a foothold on our lives. God gives everyone dreams for their lives for a reason. If we give up on those dreams or passions because the road may indeed prove to be very difficult, what does that say about our faith in God? Inevitably our lack of faith in God becomes a lack of faith in ourselves. After we have lost our faith in everything what good is living? Why not just sit at home and play video games all day until we're old and can die alone? Why chase after that dream if everyone will scoff at you and instead you can continue to fly under the radar and meet the status-quot of society? Why would you act on those silly emotions when clearly that's not the practical move to make? Lewis is saying that every time we fail to act on those innate parts of who we are that we will eventually cease to be who God has made us to be.
I really hate untapped potential. I know Satan loves it. I hope and pray and try continually to be the best possible version of myself that I can be. And I'll admit it, sometimes this pursuit of "perfection" bites me in the ass, but it's so worth it. I believe the more we act the more we will be able to discern how God speaks through the Holy Spirit within us and we will be given a clearer picture of the men and women we are called to be. So, let's enjoy the lazy Sundays when they come but let's never allow ourselves to become numb to the feelings that God uses to get us up off the couch and into the world that He has sent us to save.
C.S. Lewis does not label his chapters in this book but I give each one a name to help me remember the topic when I skim through them again and I had labeled this one "The Gradual Road to Hell". It is about self-will and how we become lulled into an inactive lifestyle where we give up on pursuing our passions and end up finding ourselves in lifestyles that are completely sedentary and doing work that never stimulates any of our higher reasoning, deep thought, interests, or purpose. The quote that got me motivated enough to begin writing this very post, is the last line of the chapter and says, "The more often he feels without acting, the less he will be able ever to act, and, in the long run, the less he will be able to feel."
For anyone reading this who is not familiar with the context of The Screwtape Letters, it is written from the perspective of one demon writing to his demon nephew in-training who is trying to steer his "patient" (human) away from salvation. I found this closing remark to be the deepest statement made in the entire chapter. I never thought that my inactivity could be a stumbling block used by the enemy to eventually deaden my senses and lead me down a path of destruction. Let me preface the rest of what I'm about to say with this; I do not believe that taking it easy some days is a sin, nor do I think it leads to an inactive lifestyle. I know perfectly well that after I work on set from 330pm to 430am the next morning that I am going to need a day of recuperation and "laziness" in order to decompress so I can keep my sanity.
What I am mostly geared up to ruminate on during this post is the grander scheme of Lewis' statement. I believe everybody is here to do something great. Greatness looks different to every person, but as individuals we all have certain traits that allow us to do "great" things. I believe greatness comes from doing exactly what God has programmed you to do best. Some people are janitors, others are presidents and we all have our unique opportunities to minister to those around us. With that said, I believe we often talk ourselves out of that very greatness God has in store for us because of the tactics the enemy has utilized on us for so long, the tactics that Lewis illuminates in The Screwtape Letters.
The reason that Lewis' statement made such an impact on me was the fact that he describes a snowball affect on our hearts that eventually overtakes our souls. Every time we talk ourselves out of something we know would be good for us, or that we would enjoy, because "there may not be enough time" or the logistics of things seem too daunting, we are giving the enemy a foothold on our lives. God gives everyone dreams for their lives for a reason. If we give up on those dreams or passions because the road may indeed prove to be very difficult, what does that say about our faith in God? Inevitably our lack of faith in God becomes a lack of faith in ourselves. After we have lost our faith in everything what good is living? Why not just sit at home and play video games all day until we're old and can die alone? Why chase after that dream if everyone will scoff at you and instead you can continue to fly under the radar and meet the status-quot of society? Why would you act on those silly emotions when clearly that's not the practical move to make? Lewis is saying that every time we fail to act on those innate parts of who we are that we will eventually cease to be who God has made us to be.
I really hate untapped potential. I know Satan loves it. I hope and pray and try continually to be the best possible version of myself that I can be. And I'll admit it, sometimes this pursuit of "perfection" bites me in the ass, but it's so worth it. I believe the more we act the more we will be able to discern how God speaks through the Holy Spirit within us and we will be given a clearer picture of the men and women we are called to be. So, let's enjoy the lazy Sundays when they come but let's never allow ourselves to become numb to the feelings that God uses to get us up off the couch and into the world that He has sent us to save.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Among the Wolves
Today I got my haircut by a hefty gentleman who had a thick beard, nose wring, and two full sleeves of tattoos on each arm. My initial thought was "This is the most bad ass, gay guy I have ever seen." I think I've been in Hollywood too long (already) because I just assumed that any man who cuts hair for a living in an upscale salon does so because he fits in well with the overwhelming amount of estrogen pumping through the veins of just such an establishment. I soon came to find out that this man had his AA in Theological Studies and was recently married, to a woman. He also plays bass guitar for the Nazarene Church that he attends. The only reason he cuts hair is because his best friend's parents owned a salon when he was growing up and he took a job there as a receptionist for extra cash as a kid but was eventually trained to be a hair stylist. Now he cuts hair to support himself while he plays guitar for a (Christian) punk band. Who woulda thought? Not me, that's for sure. But I'm learning everyday.
Me and Sean quickly hit it off as I told him what I was doing for work and how I wanted to implement my passion for the entertainment industry alongside my love and/or calling to ministry. To look at us, one clean cut, all-american, 150lb, boyish looking man and the other a 220lb, tattooed, pierced, hardcore member of a rock band, you would think that we would have nothing in common. However, our ministries and life experiences could not have been more similar. He uses his music to break into a scene where most people use their instruments and voices to rage against "established entities" such as religion or God in general. I use my looks (not at all trying to brag with that statement, I look like I'm 16) to get on sets where people have run to from all over the world to find hope, love, and acceptance in what they see as the all-powerful, healing affect of fame and fortune. We work in broken worlds where people come to use and be used themselves. We work among the wolves.
As I was trudging through Matthew I found a verse that I have come to embrace with all my heart. It's Matthew 10:16 and it says, “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.” There's a balance in that statement that is so profound that only someone like Jesus could have said it. I think too many Christians walk through this life acting far too naive to ever do anything truly meaningful for the Kingdom of God. We are to be cunning, astute, perceptive, insightful, and wise as we march down the path God has laid before us. I am convinced that we are far too concerned with being harmless than being shrewd. We must be shrewd for most of today's wolves come dressed in sheep's clothing...
But I digress. My original point was to comment on how lovely it is that Jesus has always been about being the odd-man-out. He's the only righteous one at a table of sinners, He's the only working class guy among the high-class, religious leaders, He's the only Jew talking to a group of Samaritan lepers, He's the only man talking with woman in public, He's the only grown man playing with children in the streets, and He calls us to live in exactly this way. I'm beginning to feel that if we are not finding ourselves in situations where we are one of the only good people doing something positive for Christ in a place surrounded by those who are nothing like us, than we are not doing our jobs as Christians called to minister to every dark crevasse and corner of this earth. In other words, if you don't spot some wolves from time to time than you never really left the pasture and you are certainly not ending up with the rest of the heard alongside the Shepard at the end of the day.
Me and Sean quickly hit it off as I told him what I was doing for work and how I wanted to implement my passion for the entertainment industry alongside my love and/or calling to ministry. To look at us, one clean cut, all-american, 150lb, boyish looking man and the other a 220lb, tattooed, pierced, hardcore member of a rock band, you would think that we would have nothing in common. However, our ministries and life experiences could not have been more similar. He uses his music to break into a scene where most people use their instruments and voices to rage against "established entities" such as religion or God in general. I use my looks (not at all trying to brag with that statement, I look like I'm 16) to get on sets where people have run to from all over the world to find hope, love, and acceptance in what they see as the all-powerful, healing affect of fame and fortune. We work in broken worlds where people come to use and be used themselves. We work among the wolves.
As I was trudging through Matthew I found a verse that I have come to embrace with all my heart. It's Matthew 10:16 and it says, “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.” There's a balance in that statement that is so profound that only someone like Jesus could have said it. I think too many Christians walk through this life acting far too naive to ever do anything truly meaningful for the Kingdom of God. We are to be cunning, astute, perceptive, insightful, and wise as we march down the path God has laid before us. I am convinced that we are far too concerned with being harmless than being shrewd. We must be shrewd for most of today's wolves come dressed in sheep's clothing...
But I digress. My original point was to comment on how lovely it is that Jesus has always been about being the odd-man-out. He's the only righteous one at a table of sinners, He's the only working class guy among the high-class, religious leaders, He's the only Jew talking to a group of Samaritan lepers, He's the only man talking with woman in public, He's the only grown man playing with children in the streets, and He calls us to live in exactly this way. I'm beginning to feel that if we are not finding ourselves in situations where we are one of the only good people doing something positive for Christ in a place surrounded by those who are nothing like us, than we are not doing our jobs as Christians called to minister to every dark crevasse and corner of this earth. In other words, if you don't spot some wolves from time to time than you never really left the pasture and you are certainly not ending up with the rest of the heard alongside the Shepard at the end of the day.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Judge Me Not
Yesterday I was lucky enough to stumble upon a fellow APU grad on set at Suburgatory. I had seen her around several times before but never talked to her and we got into a conversation I would not have expected to get into with a fellow Christian. It felt very much like talking to a non-believer based on the way she approached spirituality as such a subjective, experiential, individualistic way a deriving one's own beliefs about God and truth in this world. We got into a complex conversation about "good and bad" and whether or not Christians are to make judgements in this world about anything. She majored in Psychology and is getting her masters in Spiritual Psychology but it shocked me how little she knew about theology or scripture. She found me on facebook and sent me a lengthy follow up message to our conversation saying basically that we can't judge people's actions because their actions are so unique to the person experiencing the situation. Here was my response:
I know that when anyone enters APU they walk into a world of scrutiny. A lot of times it hurts to feel like people are constantly expressing disapproval for the way you live life, or for what you believe. Too often, people start to define this inappropriate behavior as "judgement". People go on rants and tirades about how we should have no negative opinions of their actions and scream "don't judge me!" as they walk unknowingly down harmful paths of sin.
First off, I believe that we are called to judge. Most importantly we are called to have GOOD judgement. Jesus says in John 7:24 "Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly". We should judge situations, people's actions and most of all our OWN actions. Judgement in and of itself is not bad. Judgement is what happens after we have analyzed a situation and used discernment to come up with a Godly, Biblical opinion of a situation. IF someone does something we approve of and we say "Good job!" or "Well done good and faithful servant" we are making a Judgement. But, no one ever complains if we make a judgement that ends in a positive opinion of them.
2 Chronicles 19:7 says 7 "Fear the Lord and judge with integrity, for the Lord our God does not tolerate perverted justice, partiality, or the taking of bribes.” Clearly there are bad things in this world that should be judged accordingly.
The type of judgement that God condemns is when we judge people's salvation. Matthew 7:1 is the famous "Judge not lest you be judged" that people usually quote to advocate against having any negative opinions about other people's actions. But this verse is in the context of damnation. In Luke 6:37 we see this same verse but with more context. “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven."
Jesus hung out with the people who received the harshest judgements in society i.e. prostitutes, tax collectors, adulterers but he never judged them, in the wrong way that is. John 12:47 says "I will not judge those who hear me but don’t obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it". Yet we see Jesus, John the Baptist, and Paul constantly judging religious leaders and calling them out for being "hypocrites" and calling them "broods of vipers".
We can judge people's actions but not their salvation, and if we do deem their actions as inappropriate than we must still continue to love and forgive them as brothers and sisters in Christ. IF we start condemning people to Hell than we are overstepping our bounds and will receive divine punishment. Ok, that said we should not be spending so much time judging people's actions as we do. It goes back to the whole taking the plank out of our own eye before we complain about the speck in our friend's eye (Matthew 7:3-5). We are called to love people first and foremost (Mark 12:28) and we forget that far too often. Christians should be the least judgmental people with the best judgement. It's a tough paradox to master but that's where I fall in this topic. I hope this helps clarify my position!
I know that when anyone enters APU they walk into a world of scrutiny. A lot of times it hurts to feel like people are constantly expressing disapproval for the way you live life, or for what you believe. Too often, people start to define this inappropriate behavior as "judgement". People go on rants and tirades about how we should have no negative opinions of their actions and scream "don't judge me!" as they walk unknowingly down harmful paths of sin.
First off, I believe that we are called to judge. Most importantly we are called to have GOOD judgement. Jesus says in John 7:24 "Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly". We should judge situations, people's actions and most of all our OWN actions. Judgement in and of itself is not bad. Judgement is what happens after we have analyzed a situation and used discernment to come up with a Godly, Biblical opinion of a situation. IF someone does something we approve of and we say "Good job!" or "Well done good and faithful servant" we are making a Judgement. But, no one ever complains if we make a judgement that ends in a positive opinion of them.
2 Chronicles 19:7 says 7 "Fear the Lord and judge with integrity, for the Lord our God does not tolerate perverted justice, partiality, or the taking of bribes.” Clearly there are bad things in this world that should be judged accordingly.
The type of judgement that God condemns is when we judge people's salvation. Matthew 7:1 is the famous "Judge not lest you be judged" that people usually quote to advocate against having any negative opinions about other people's actions. But this verse is in the context of damnation. In Luke 6:37 we see this same verse but with more context. “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven."
Jesus hung out with the people who received the harshest judgements in society i.e. prostitutes, tax collectors, adulterers but he never judged them, in the wrong way that is. John 12:47 says "I will not judge those who hear me but don’t obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it". Yet we see Jesus, John the Baptist, and Paul constantly judging religious leaders and calling them out for being "hypocrites" and calling them "broods of vipers".
We can judge people's actions but not their salvation, and if we do deem their actions as inappropriate than we must still continue to love and forgive them as brothers and sisters in Christ. IF we start condemning people to Hell than we are overstepping our bounds and will receive divine punishment. Ok, that said we should not be spending so much time judging people's actions as we do. It goes back to the whole taking the plank out of our own eye before we complain about the speck in our friend's eye (Matthew 7:3-5). We are called to love people first and foremost (Mark 12:28) and we forget that far too often. Christians should be the least judgmental people with the best judgement. It's a tough paradox to master but that's where I fall in this topic. I hope this helps clarify my position!
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Mornings With Martha
Some days you wake up and it's like God had an issue waiting for you to deal with as soon as you stepped out of bed. I feel like it normally happens right after you have a great day, this way it comes as a complete surprise. This morning felt like just such an occasion.
It seems like God constantly brings people into my life who have surrounded themselves with "friends" who will never speak into their lives in any meaningful way, nor will they speak out against any serious problems they see in the lives of their "friends". However, I seem to constantly be the one friend who will.
Many people get to a point where they give up trying to deal with those whom they constantly butt heads. It's all too common to hear people say, as they toss their arms up in defeat, "What's the point? They're never gunna change!" I think I've known for quite some time that I will never be able to accept that argument with anyone, no matter how big of a pain in the ass they are. I don't have it in me to allow people in my life to continually wreck themselves and ignore glaring problems in their lives. I don't have it in me to ignore people. But this process of confrontation is so tough to do and it can all too often end in loosing a friendship. I've always had the hope that maybe just a few words will break through from God, just enough to illicit some sort of positive change...This brings me to the topic at hand.
Martha has always bugged me. We read about her in Luke 10:38-42 and she bugs me. I'm pretty sure she bugged Jesus too so I don't feel bad about the fact that she bugs me. Just so it's clear, Martha really bugs me. Ok, now that I've clarified the situation I have to say that God has placed plenty of Marthas in my life at one point or another. They usually become my friend because at first we can relate to one anther's drive, passion for moral/ethical living, and work ethic. However, what we never relate on is how to just live life sometimes.
Martha always has to be doing something and I just want to tell her to shut up, sit down and relax. I just want her to believe already, to feel even an ounce of trust in the Lord. She worries about grades, finances, work, etc. and thinks there is always some book or instruction manual she can study in order to become perfect and in need of nothing when in fact mistakes and trials are the only things that can ever shape you in such a profoundly positive way! Martha worries, a lot. She stresses out so much that it makes me nervous just to be around her sometimes. What is truly tragic about Martha is that she has never lets anyone get close enough to her to speak into her life and show her the error of her ways. Even when Jesus shows up she ignores Him to finish baking a cake for some event instead.
So my pickle today is how do I reach Martha? Of all the Marthas I've known I have never witnessed a transformation into a Mary. They usually just get married and pass on their problems to the next generation of "marthitas" as I'll call them. I guess I don't have much else to say about this one. I know I usually have some hope based on a reflection or epiphany I had but this one kind of ends in thoughtful deliberation and lots of prayer.
It seems like God constantly brings people into my life who have surrounded themselves with "friends" who will never speak into their lives in any meaningful way, nor will they speak out against any serious problems they see in the lives of their "friends". However, I seem to constantly be the one friend who will.
Many people get to a point where they give up trying to deal with those whom they constantly butt heads. It's all too common to hear people say, as they toss their arms up in defeat, "What's the point? They're never gunna change!" I think I've known for quite some time that I will never be able to accept that argument with anyone, no matter how big of a pain in the ass they are. I don't have it in me to allow people in my life to continually wreck themselves and ignore glaring problems in their lives. I don't have it in me to ignore people. But this process of confrontation is so tough to do and it can all too often end in loosing a friendship. I've always had the hope that maybe just a few words will break through from God, just enough to illicit some sort of positive change...This brings me to the topic at hand.
Martha has always bugged me. We read about her in Luke 10:38-42 and she bugs me. I'm pretty sure she bugged Jesus too so I don't feel bad about the fact that she bugs me. Just so it's clear, Martha really bugs me. Ok, now that I've clarified the situation I have to say that God has placed plenty of Marthas in my life at one point or another. They usually become my friend because at first we can relate to one anther's drive, passion for moral/ethical living, and work ethic. However, what we never relate on is how to just live life sometimes.
Martha always has to be doing something and I just want to tell her to shut up, sit down and relax. I just want her to believe already, to feel even an ounce of trust in the Lord. She worries about grades, finances, work, etc. and thinks there is always some book or instruction manual she can study in order to become perfect and in need of nothing when in fact mistakes and trials are the only things that can ever shape you in such a profoundly positive way! Martha worries, a lot. She stresses out so much that it makes me nervous just to be around her sometimes. What is truly tragic about Martha is that she has never lets anyone get close enough to her to speak into her life and show her the error of her ways. Even when Jesus shows up she ignores Him to finish baking a cake for some event instead.
So my pickle today is how do I reach Martha? Of all the Marthas I've known I have never witnessed a transformation into a Mary. They usually just get married and pass on their problems to the next generation of "marthitas" as I'll call them. I guess I don't have much else to say about this one. I know I usually have some hope based on a reflection or epiphany I had but this one kind of ends in thoughtful deliberation and lots of prayer.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Just GO
A wise man once told me that 2/3 of God's name is GO. Another wise man then told me "Well, in English it is." Anyway, the phrase has always stuck with me but mostly in terms of doing overseas mission work in the 10/40 and the many "unreached people groups" that reside there. Now I look at this phrase as a means for doing life in general.
I recently went to a retreat with APU's School of Practical Theology. It was for all the Christian Ministry and Youth Ministry majors as well as alumni and faculty. It was a great chance to recharge my ministry battery by being able to fellowship with both the younger and older generations of ministry professionals. During the two day retreat I had multiple opportunities to share my story about where God has brought me these past few months with my passion for ministry and my heart for shaping culture, media and Hollywood especially. The typical response I got was "Wow, that's so cool that you are doing that!" I know that Hollywood is cool, tv is great, and movies are awesome but is it really that cool what I'm doing?
I believe what I am doing should be the standard (meaning lowest possible mark) for ministry professionals. If you want to do ministry you better damn well have a passion for it because, as one of the professors on the retreat stated, "ministry is the front lines." All I am doing is blending my calling with my passions, interests, and skills. I feel like that is basic. Those are the foundational ingredients for creating an effective ministry. I don't have outlines, lesson plans, programs, or any staff yet but I am doing ministry and I am doing it somewhere that is in dire need of divine intervention; of salvation and healing. Sadly, I feel so drawn to Hollywood because I don't see any other Christians flocking there as they should, but that's another issue I'm sure I'll address another day.
Why don't we follow our passions? Usually because they lead down a road with too many unknowns, or at least that's what I have found. I have no idea where I will be in a week and I wouldn't have it any other way. Only God knows, He's the only one who needs to know.
We get so used to planning our lives and if something goes wrong in our plans it becomes a problem instead of a blessing because we don't see it as God course-correcting for us but instead the world interferring with what we projected onto God as "His Plan" for our lives. What all this critique adds up to is that I see far too many people hindering their own futures because they are too afraid to mix their passions with their careers because it seems less "practical" and is much harder to discern. Most importantly, I see ministry professionals compromising their ministries because they do not believe God could call them outside of traditional Church roles or preexisting non-profit organizations. We are so afraid to invent or venture outside the norms of custom/culture and create something as unique as ourselves. There are a myriad of verses I could use to support these arguments but I'll just use one. I'll just use the one that has inspired me the most.
Proverbs 16:9 "In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the LORD establishes their steps."
How comforting is that?! We can, we are allowed to, we get to plan a course for ourselves. A course that can be as complex and incomparable as our very own fingerprints. Yet, God is there at every "step" to ensure that His will be done and all things work together for His glory to be reflected upon the entire earth. All we have to do is go. Just go. Pick a path, any path. We start constructing the course of our destiny and then get to be the humble witnesses of God's glorious guidance in our lives as we watch the changes, difficulties and growth that God catalyzes in our lives. That is, if we ever get off the starting line.
This weekend I heard too many of the same stories from future ministers who were paralyzed by fear. I know we plan everything years in advance while we are in school until we are 21 or older, but then real life starts and all that planning goes out the window. Still, I wish we would have built up more confidence in the time we spent inside the world of texts and tests. The one draw back about being in school for so long is that we never fully learn to trust God with the future, unless we are privy to some tougher lessons that take place outside the classroom.
The point of school becomes learning how to control your own future by being prepared, educated and entirely self-sustaining. It seems extremely obvious, to me at least, that ministry is never about having all the answers nor being completely prepared. The only thing you can be prepared for is that you are most likely unprepared to handle the things God will bring your way initially. That is why we have to learn to lean on God and just be willing to walk into the darkness in the direction that seems most appropriate to us at the time. That is why I don't believe what I am doing is special, cool, etc. It should be the standard, and the lowest possible one at that. God expects no less from us than complete obedience and trust. He also expects that we utilize our God-given talents and seek out our innate passions in order to lead us into the most effective ministries possible.
Time to GO? I think so.
I recently went to a retreat with APU's School of Practical Theology. It was for all the Christian Ministry and Youth Ministry majors as well as alumni and faculty. It was a great chance to recharge my ministry battery by being able to fellowship with both the younger and older generations of ministry professionals. During the two day retreat I had multiple opportunities to share my story about where God has brought me these past few months with my passion for ministry and my heart for shaping culture, media and Hollywood especially. The typical response I got was "Wow, that's so cool that you are doing that!" I know that Hollywood is cool, tv is great, and movies are awesome but is it really that cool what I'm doing?
I believe what I am doing should be the standard (meaning lowest possible mark) for ministry professionals. If you want to do ministry you better damn well have a passion for it because, as one of the professors on the retreat stated, "ministry is the front lines." All I am doing is blending my calling with my passions, interests, and skills. I feel like that is basic. Those are the foundational ingredients for creating an effective ministry. I don't have outlines, lesson plans, programs, or any staff yet but I am doing ministry and I am doing it somewhere that is in dire need of divine intervention; of salvation and healing. Sadly, I feel so drawn to Hollywood because I don't see any other Christians flocking there as they should, but that's another issue I'm sure I'll address another day.
Why don't we follow our passions? Usually because they lead down a road with too many unknowns, or at least that's what I have found. I have no idea where I will be in a week and I wouldn't have it any other way. Only God knows, He's the only one who needs to know.
We get so used to planning our lives and if something goes wrong in our plans it becomes a problem instead of a blessing because we don't see it as God course-correcting for us but instead the world interferring with what we projected onto God as "His Plan" for our lives. What all this critique adds up to is that I see far too many people hindering their own futures because they are too afraid to mix their passions with their careers because it seems less "practical" and is much harder to discern. Most importantly, I see ministry professionals compromising their ministries because they do not believe God could call them outside of traditional Church roles or preexisting non-profit organizations. We are so afraid to invent or venture outside the norms of custom/culture and create something as unique as ourselves. There are a myriad of verses I could use to support these arguments but I'll just use one. I'll just use the one that has inspired me the most.
Proverbs 16:9 "In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the LORD establishes their steps."
How comforting is that?! We can, we are allowed to, we get to plan a course for ourselves. A course that can be as complex and incomparable as our very own fingerprints. Yet, God is there at every "step" to ensure that His will be done and all things work together for His glory to be reflected upon the entire earth. All we have to do is go. Just go. Pick a path, any path. We start constructing the course of our destiny and then get to be the humble witnesses of God's glorious guidance in our lives as we watch the changes, difficulties and growth that God catalyzes in our lives. That is, if we ever get off the starting line.
This weekend I heard too many of the same stories from future ministers who were paralyzed by fear. I know we plan everything years in advance while we are in school until we are 21 or older, but then real life starts and all that planning goes out the window. Still, I wish we would have built up more confidence in the time we spent inside the world of texts and tests. The one draw back about being in school for so long is that we never fully learn to trust God with the future, unless we are privy to some tougher lessons that take place outside the classroom.
The point of school becomes learning how to control your own future by being prepared, educated and entirely self-sustaining. It seems extremely obvious, to me at least, that ministry is never about having all the answers nor being completely prepared. The only thing you can be prepared for is that you are most likely unprepared to handle the things God will bring your way initially. That is why we have to learn to lean on God and just be willing to walk into the darkness in the direction that seems most appropriate to us at the time. That is why I don't believe what I am doing is special, cool, etc. It should be the standard, and the lowest possible one at that. God expects no less from us than complete obedience and trust. He also expects that we utilize our God-given talents and seek out our innate passions in order to lead us into the most effective ministries possible.
Time to GO? I think so.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Better The Devil You Know...
We are creatures of habit. Good ones, bad ones, useless ones. In this case I'll mostly be talking about the bad ones. Usually we don't understand that something has become a bad habit, aka demon, until a situation occurs that shakes up our little worlds. A good friend once told me, you can't change by being told about your flaws, you have to be shown. As I've been reading through Mark this past week I've realized that Jesus works in that very manner.
I didn't quite understand Mark 3:12 the first time I read it. In the verses prior to it, Jesus has been casting out evil spirits who shriek in pain as they realize that He is the Son of God. In verse 12 Jesus commands these evil spirits not to tell anyone who He is. It is written "Jesus sternly commanded the spirits not to reveal who He was." For some reason I could not wrap my head around the fact that Jesus did not want everyone possible proclaiming who He was, until I studied the story about the demon-possessed man in Mark 5.
When I started to read this passage today I thought that it was the perfect kind of scary, ghost story fitting of the Halloween season we are in. It tells of a man who was possessed by so many demons that he grew more and more twisted until he began to stalk through the cemetery every night howling and cutting himself with sharp stones. Some of the towns people became so terrified of him that they tried binding him in shackles and chains. However, the man was so strong with evil powers that he would snap the chains from his wrists and smash the shackles on his body. This man was quite a beast but still no match for the JC.
Jesus confronts this man head on and the demons, collectively called Legion, "begged Him again and again not to send them to some distant place." (v. 10). So in a move that would piss off PETA in a big way, Jesus casts the demons into 2,000 little piggies and sends them all the way home to the bottom of a lake. Now, anyone who has ever lived in a small town knows that big news spreads fast. Even trivial news spreads like wild fire in a rural town such as this, so one can imagine that word of Jesus' actions would get around quickly. The surprising part of the story is not that everyone finds out but how they react once they do find out.
Verse 17 depicts the crowd begging Jesus to "go away and leave them alone." Why would they do this? After all they knew about the struggles the demon-possessed man faced for so long and how he terrorized their town, how would seeing him healed and sane not drive them to worship Christ? It's really quite simple. People have been the same since the beginning of time, and we have always preferred the devil we know to the angel we don't. Those townsfolk we terrified of the demon-possessed man yet they grew to be comfortable with that terror. They knew that evil and thought it wasn't that bad after all. Jesus challenged them to flip their world upside down and recreate their understanding of what God was doing in the world as well as what He was calling them to do.
The demon-possessed man fell on the exact opposite end of this spectrum. Verse 18 shows the man begging to go with Jesus as He left town. Why was his reaction so different? Because he experienced the evil first-hand and the change that followed. The man was shown his flaws while the towns people were merely told about theirs. When he experienced the renewed life Jesus offered him he knew that there was no going back. The townsfolk merely saw that Jesus disturbed the life they had come to know and accept. Loosing that life was not worth gaining the true life that Christ offered them.
I wonder how often we do this in life. Obviously most of the time it wont be such an overt experience that threatens the demons in our lives but it's still noticeable every time we choose to move away from God in support of our own selfish motives. Jesus is constantly trying to show us the error of our ways but too often we have to become raving lunatics wondering around grave yards at night first before we let Him change us. Ok, that's an exaggeration I know, but we still need to be vigilant about ridding ourselves of the devils we know when there are plenty of angels out there waiting for us.
I didn't quite understand Mark 3:12 the first time I read it. In the verses prior to it, Jesus has been casting out evil spirits who shriek in pain as they realize that He is the Son of God. In verse 12 Jesus commands these evil spirits not to tell anyone who He is. It is written "Jesus sternly commanded the spirits not to reveal who He was." For some reason I could not wrap my head around the fact that Jesus did not want everyone possible proclaiming who He was, until I studied the story about the demon-possessed man in Mark 5.
When I started to read this passage today I thought that it was the perfect kind of scary, ghost story fitting of the Halloween season we are in. It tells of a man who was possessed by so many demons that he grew more and more twisted until he began to stalk through the cemetery every night howling and cutting himself with sharp stones. Some of the towns people became so terrified of him that they tried binding him in shackles and chains. However, the man was so strong with evil powers that he would snap the chains from his wrists and smash the shackles on his body. This man was quite a beast but still no match for the JC.
Jesus confronts this man head on and the demons, collectively called Legion, "begged Him again and again not to send them to some distant place." (v. 10). So in a move that would piss off PETA in a big way, Jesus casts the demons into 2,000 little piggies and sends them all the way home to the bottom of a lake. Now, anyone who has ever lived in a small town knows that big news spreads fast. Even trivial news spreads like wild fire in a rural town such as this, so one can imagine that word of Jesus' actions would get around quickly. The surprising part of the story is not that everyone finds out but how they react once they do find out.
Verse 17 depicts the crowd begging Jesus to "go away and leave them alone." Why would they do this? After all they knew about the struggles the demon-possessed man faced for so long and how he terrorized their town, how would seeing him healed and sane not drive them to worship Christ? It's really quite simple. People have been the same since the beginning of time, and we have always preferred the devil we know to the angel we don't. Those townsfolk we terrified of the demon-possessed man yet they grew to be comfortable with that terror. They knew that evil and thought it wasn't that bad after all. Jesus challenged them to flip their world upside down and recreate their understanding of what God was doing in the world as well as what He was calling them to do.
The demon-possessed man fell on the exact opposite end of this spectrum. Verse 18 shows the man begging to go with Jesus as He left town. Why was his reaction so different? Because he experienced the evil first-hand and the change that followed. The man was shown his flaws while the towns people were merely told about theirs. When he experienced the renewed life Jesus offered him he knew that there was no going back. The townsfolk merely saw that Jesus disturbed the life they had come to know and accept. Loosing that life was not worth gaining the true life that Christ offered them.
I wonder how often we do this in life. Obviously most of the time it wont be such an overt experience that threatens the demons in our lives but it's still noticeable every time we choose to move away from God in support of our own selfish motives. Jesus is constantly trying to show us the error of our ways but too often we have to become raving lunatics wondering around grave yards at night first before we let Him change us. Ok, that's an exaggeration I know, but we still need to be vigilant about ridding ourselves of the devils we know when there are plenty of angels out there waiting for us.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Beyond Esteem
Our society often deals with the issue of personal contentment within the realm of self-esteem. How good we feel about ourselves usually has to do with how much we allow the opinions of others affect us. In my opinion, we can never have the proper amount of self-esteem until we recognize who actually is the ultimate judge.
A lot of what I'm about to say comes from Timothy Keller's podcast entitled "The Sickness Unto Death", so if you don't like my version of things you should listen to his sermon for a better understanding. The basis for my understanding of how a Christian should handle the matter of self-esteem comes from 1 Corinthians 4:3-4, which says "I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me." Here, we see that Paul's perspective of self-esteem is entirely off the map because we are usually at one end of the two extremes of self-esteem. We either have too high of a regard for ourselves, causing us to be arrogant, self righteous, and prideful or we have too little self-esteem causing us to be depressed, insecure, and unstable.
To describe things as concisely as possible I'll just say that we are to live beyond esteem. Paul says he doesn't even judge himself, only God judges. That should bring a profound sense of peace to our lives as God loves us completely and unconditionally so there is no standard that we must live up to in order to be accepted. When we rely on boosting our self-esteem through anyone but God we will always come up empty. What tends to happen most often is that we seek the cheapest, easiest forms of approval in order to gain the quickest high we can get. Just look at Facebook for example. We post pictures and hope to gain as many "likes" as possible, or we post what we hope to be funny, exciting or witty status updates that we hope will catch the eye of all those with whom we are "friends". On that note, we collect facebook friends like trophies that represent our self-worth in the world. It's ridiculous and it creates an all too fragile reality for far too many people because our self-esteem is raised just only half as much as it is lowered by this superficial conduct.
The flipside to this reality are those people who isolate themselves in their own personal opinions and become closed off to the thought of anyone else's point of view. It seems like this is a product of our American individualistic culture that we can't comprehend living beyond our own personal thoughts about ourselves because we elevate our opinions to the status of Godhood. We should care about what others think of us to some degree so we never loose accountability but we should never find our self worth in the opinion of any man or woman. I say all this as the chief among sinners. I have found myself on both sides of the coin in this instance so I know how detrimental they can be. I am learning to rely on God's approval alone but it is a complicated process. These habits are ingrained in us from our families, friends, and culture. We have to shake off the chains of false self-esteem and realize that the One who created us thinks that we are beautiful, interesting, lovely people despite all of our flaws. Once we realize that, every ounce of judgement is gone and we can finally accept ourselves as God does.
A lot of what I'm about to say comes from Timothy Keller's podcast entitled "The Sickness Unto Death", so if you don't like my version of things you should listen to his sermon for a better understanding. The basis for my understanding of how a Christian should handle the matter of self-esteem comes from 1 Corinthians 4:3-4, which says "I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me." Here, we see that Paul's perspective of self-esteem is entirely off the map because we are usually at one end of the two extremes of self-esteem. We either have too high of a regard for ourselves, causing us to be arrogant, self righteous, and prideful or we have too little self-esteem causing us to be depressed, insecure, and unstable.
To describe things as concisely as possible I'll just say that we are to live beyond esteem. Paul says he doesn't even judge himself, only God judges. That should bring a profound sense of peace to our lives as God loves us completely and unconditionally so there is no standard that we must live up to in order to be accepted. When we rely on boosting our self-esteem through anyone but God we will always come up empty. What tends to happen most often is that we seek the cheapest, easiest forms of approval in order to gain the quickest high we can get. Just look at Facebook for example. We post pictures and hope to gain as many "likes" as possible, or we post what we hope to be funny, exciting or witty status updates that we hope will catch the eye of all those with whom we are "friends". On that note, we collect facebook friends like trophies that represent our self-worth in the world. It's ridiculous and it creates an all too fragile reality for far too many people because our self-esteem is raised just only half as much as it is lowered by this superficial conduct.
The flipside to this reality are those people who isolate themselves in their own personal opinions and become closed off to the thought of anyone else's point of view. It seems like this is a product of our American individualistic culture that we can't comprehend living beyond our own personal thoughts about ourselves because we elevate our opinions to the status of Godhood. We should care about what others think of us to some degree so we never loose accountability but we should never find our self worth in the opinion of any man or woman. I say all this as the chief among sinners. I have found myself on both sides of the coin in this instance so I know how detrimental they can be. I am learning to rely on God's approval alone but it is a complicated process. These habits are ingrained in us from our families, friends, and culture. We have to shake off the chains of false self-esteem and realize that the One who created us thinks that we are beautiful, interesting, lovely people despite all of our flaws. Once we realize that, every ounce of judgement is gone and we can finally accept ourselves as God does.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Reevaluate
Last week a friend of mine died. She was 23. Apparently, she took a three story fall from a rock climbing wall as she was working at a youth camp. I still don't quite know what to make of it.
I first met Nadyne my junior year at APU. She was my RA which would have normally meant that I would never see her nor develop a relationship with her, but Nadyne was different. She came by all the time in order to intentionally build relationships with 4 guys who would otherwise avoid every community meeting and organized event. She baked for us, watched movies with us, and even had late night conversations about war and the military as 3/4 of us were in ROTC at the time (I was in the process of getting out of it). We both had studied abroad in Spain and had strong critiques about Christian culture so we got along great.
I last saw her in May on the night that I graduated. She was at a party my friend was having for all of us that had graduated. We caught up a little bit but nothing serious because in my mind I always expect to see people again. Young people are supposed to live forever, right? I still can't imagine the Nadyne I talked to and bonded with lying on a stretcher in some hospital, broken and lifeless, or in a casket with friends and family gathered around saying their last goodbyes...but I can imagine her dancing and signing with her Father in Heaven, away from all the pain this world holds. I can imagine her asking God so many questions about life, the bible, theology, and creation. I can imagine her being happy right now and for all eternity.
Sometimes I wonder if she or I is the lucky one. Am I more fortunate to be on this earth a few days longer than her or is she the lucky one who got to go home early? Some days I just want to go home already. I'm tired of the hurt, pain, sorrow and disappointment this world brings. I'm looking forward to some brighter days, hopefully here but definitely there. I admire Paul who found his contentment in the Lord no matter where he was. I need to develop that ability in my own life. We all do, or else things like death and suffering become too much for any human heart to bear.
These past few months have been hard. I can't imagine what the next few months will be like for Nadyne's family...We all suffer hardships. I'm still trying to reevaluate my life and relationship with Christ to ensure that, no matter what happens, I am never broken beyond repair and that the Joy of the Lord never leaves me.
I first met Nadyne my junior year at APU. She was my RA which would have normally meant that I would never see her nor develop a relationship with her, but Nadyne was different. She came by all the time in order to intentionally build relationships with 4 guys who would otherwise avoid every community meeting and organized event. She baked for us, watched movies with us, and even had late night conversations about war and the military as 3/4 of us were in ROTC at the time (I was in the process of getting out of it). We both had studied abroad in Spain and had strong critiques about Christian culture so we got along great.
I last saw her in May on the night that I graduated. She was at a party my friend was having for all of us that had graduated. We caught up a little bit but nothing serious because in my mind I always expect to see people again. Young people are supposed to live forever, right? I still can't imagine the Nadyne I talked to and bonded with lying on a stretcher in some hospital, broken and lifeless, or in a casket with friends and family gathered around saying their last goodbyes...but I can imagine her dancing and signing with her Father in Heaven, away from all the pain this world holds. I can imagine her asking God so many questions about life, the bible, theology, and creation. I can imagine her being happy right now and for all eternity.
Sometimes I wonder if she or I is the lucky one. Am I more fortunate to be on this earth a few days longer than her or is she the lucky one who got to go home early? Some days I just want to go home already. I'm tired of the hurt, pain, sorrow and disappointment this world brings. I'm looking forward to some brighter days, hopefully here but definitely there. I admire Paul who found his contentment in the Lord no matter where he was. I need to develop that ability in my own life. We all do, or else things like death and suffering become too much for any human heart to bear.
These past few months have been hard. I can't imagine what the next few months will be like for Nadyne's family...We all suffer hardships. I'm still trying to reevaluate my life and relationship with Christ to ensure that, no matter what happens, I am never broken beyond repair and that the Joy of the Lord never leaves me.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
A Necessary Break
Reading Acts 14 is like watching someone bungee jump. They're up, they're down, there's a rush of excitement then a fear of death, and it all ends with them finally being pulled back up to safety. For some reason, my mind has been completely focused the ups and downs of chapter 14.
Verses 1-18 depict a complicated love-hate relationship between Team P&B (Paul, Barnabas) and the Jews and Gentiles to whom they ministered. Verse 19 shows that Paul is finally captured by those who hate his message and they eventually stone him to the point where everyone thinks he is clearly dead. I can't image what shape he must have been in...They drag Paul's beaten corpse out of the town but somehow, through the Grace of God, the very next day he is up and about walking to another town with Barnabas. When they get to the next town it says in verse 22 that "They encouraged them to continue in faith, reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God." I don't think anyone has ever been more fit to preach that message than Paul and Barnabas at that point in their lives.
I know a major theme in my life has become learning how to find joy despite my circumstances and somehow being able to rejoice when suffering comes my way for that is when we grow closest to God. I'd like to think I've suffered too, but in comparison to what Paul and Barnabas had to endure I've been through nothing! However, it's all about perspective and personal situations, not comparison. I'll talk more about that in a moment.
The next verse that really lingered in my mind is verse 28. Paul and Barnabas have returned back home to where their journey started and they are sharing the good news about how the Gentiles are becoming more open to the message of Christ. It says, "And they stayed there with the believers for a long time." The reason why this verse stands out to me despite being an otherwise inconsequential verse to most people is because of my personal situation. In my ministry I am surrounded by non-believers with radically different morals, opinions and lifestyles than me. It's absolutely draining to constantly be around them and pour out my differing views based on a God they know nothing about. Some scoff while others listen. Either way it takes a toll on the human soul, and while I'm not being physically beaten or placed in prison, it is still all my untested heart can take. That's why it's not about comparing experiences but relating them.
Paul traveled around immersed in controversy, evangelizing every where he went. But eventually he had to stop for a while and be re-energized by a community of believers. That's why verse 28 stands out to me so much. I may not be able to run the race as far as Paul did but we both run as far as we can before we have to stop for a while and let God soothe our aching muscles and pour some spiritual Gatorade down our throats. Some of us will never run hard enough in life to need a break, which is a shame, but all Christians who do the Lord's work will hit that point where there is no shame in resting for a bit. In fact, it's of paramount importance that we do find rest among other believers in order to avoid burning out for good.
I believe taking advantage of these necessary breaks is the key to having the most productive ministry possible. If you read just a few verses after 14:28 you'll see that Paul and Barnabas get right back to fighting the legalistic Jews who oppressed the Gentiles with religious regulations. Acts 15:2 says, "Paul and Barnabas disagreed with them, arguing vehemently." Where did they get the energy to continually argue for what they believed in vehemently?
That's right. They took good, long breaks.
Verses 1-18 depict a complicated love-hate relationship between Team P&B (Paul, Barnabas) and the Jews and Gentiles to whom they ministered. Verse 19 shows that Paul is finally captured by those who hate his message and they eventually stone him to the point where everyone thinks he is clearly dead. I can't image what shape he must have been in...They drag Paul's beaten corpse out of the town but somehow, through the Grace of God, the very next day he is up and about walking to another town with Barnabas. When they get to the next town it says in verse 22 that "They encouraged them to continue in faith, reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God." I don't think anyone has ever been more fit to preach that message than Paul and Barnabas at that point in their lives.
I know a major theme in my life has become learning how to find joy despite my circumstances and somehow being able to rejoice when suffering comes my way for that is when we grow closest to God. I'd like to think I've suffered too, but in comparison to what Paul and Barnabas had to endure I've been through nothing! However, it's all about perspective and personal situations, not comparison. I'll talk more about that in a moment.
The next verse that really lingered in my mind is verse 28. Paul and Barnabas have returned back home to where their journey started and they are sharing the good news about how the Gentiles are becoming more open to the message of Christ. It says, "And they stayed there with the believers for a long time." The reason why this verse stands out to me despite being an otherwise inconsequential verse to most people is because of my personal situation. In my ministry I am surrounded by non-believers with radically different morals, opinions and lifestyles than me. It's absolutely draining to constantly be around them and pour out my differing views based on a God they know nothing about. Some scoff while others listen. Either way it takes a toll on the human soul, and while I'm not being physically beaten or placed in prison, it is still all my untested heart can take. That's why it's not about comparing experiences but relating them.
Paul traveled around immersed in controversy, evangelizing every where he went. But eventually he had to stop for a while and be re-energized by a community of believers. That's why verse 28 stands out to me so much. I may not be able to run the race as far as Paul did but we both run as far as we can before we have to stop for a while and let God soothe our aching muscles and pour some spiritual Gatorade down our throats. Some of us will never run hard enough in life to need a break, which is a shame, but all Christians who do the Lord's work will hit that point where there is no shame in resting for a bit. In fact, it's of paramount importance that we do find rest among other believers in order to avoid burning out for good.
I believe taking advantage of these necessary breaks is the key to having the most productive ministry possible. If you read just a few verses after 14:28 you'll see that Paul and Barnabas get right back to fighting the legalistic Jews who oppressed the Gentiles with religious regulations. Acts 15:2 says, "Paul and Barnabas disagreed with them, arguing vehemently." Where did they get the energy to continually argue for what they believed in vehemently?
That's right. They took good, long breaks.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
The Jacob Complex
I have a really good friend who has an indescribable void in his life. It's been there as long as he can remember and for the longest time, since he discovered what romance is, he has tried to fill this void with the love of a significant other. Somehow the idea of a perfect female companion, "the one" if you will, has provided him an inexplicable hope for healing, companionship and sense of completion that seems almost Heavenly. Obviously these things are so appealing because of the great deal of hurt, loneliness, and emptiness that exists within his soul. Recently, his situation has been at the forefront of my mind after listening to Timothy Keller's sermon entitled "The Struggle for Love".
The focus of Keller's sermon is on the portion of Jacob's life portrayed in Genesis 29. After stealing his older brother's blessing from his dying father, Jacob escapes to Paddan-Aran to work for his uncle Laban. There he meets and falls madly in love with Rachel, who was a truly beautiful woman in every way it seems. Jacob agrees to work 7 years for Laban in exchange for Rachel, which equated to an extremely irrational amount to pay for a bride. Well after 7 years and one crazy wedding party, Jacob gets fooled into marrying Leah, who was the older, uglier daughter of Laban. After little protest, Jacob agrees to work 7 more years for Rachel. After those next 7 years pass and the happy couple finally ties the knot, Jacob and Rachel are rewarded with a baron womb. Leah, on the other hand, catches God's eye as she is unloved and He blesses here with many children and it is her line from which our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ comes.
The significance of this story comes from the context of Jacob's life. Back in Genesis 25 we are told that Jacob's father preferred Esau, the eldest son. Esau was a man's man and understandably attracted more attention from his father. Meanwhile Jacob was an introverted, mama's boy who must have felt disconnected and unfulfilled by his family life. From the day he was born he struggled to compete with his brother for his father's affection. He knew not love nor support from 2/3 of his immediate family. Once Jacob had to flee from Esau after steeling his father's blessing he lost his mother too, the only one who truly loved him. Jacob had a void in his life that he desperately tried to fill with the love of an ideal women, but what Keller reminds us in his sermon is that no human relationship can carry the burden of God-hood. Only God can fill that indescribable void in our lives. No friend, brother, sister, mother, father or especially husband or wife can complete us like God can. We can never find the eternal source of healing we hope to gain from a spouse because no matter how hard we fight to attain her, she's always Leah never Rachel. She will never be good enough. He will never be good enough. Only God is good enough.
If it wasn't already obvious from the start, I might as well clarify that the very good friend of mine struggling with this exact same "complex" is me. It's taken time to realize that this deep passion of mine has become so rooted in my soul that it has become a hindrance to God's will for my life. I have spent many sleepless nights thinking about my future wife, and mostly about how lazy she's been about getting in touch with me. Jokes aside, I don't want to have a wife unless it's within God's general direction for me because I know that at my age and with my perspective I most likely have no idea what I need or what is good for me. I want to be married and have a family, but I don't want to be as messed up as Jacob was when I finally do it. I certainly don't want to wake up with Leah either, despite her amazing personality...
So for now I think I'm just going to have to put up the old "Closed for Renovation" sign on my love life. I've got to see what this life is like when I live it in a constant pursuit of intimacy with God and not a woman. If I can do that, who knows what God may throw in along the way?
(9/20/12) OYP2G-CS
The focus of Keller's sermon is on the portion of Jacob's life portrayed in Genesis 29. After stealing his older brother's blessing from his dying father, Jacob escapes to Paddan-Aran to work for his uncle Laban. There he meets and falls madly in love with Rachel, who was a truly beautiful woman in every way it seems. Jacob agrees to work 7 years for Laban in exchange for Rachel, which equated to an extremely irrational amount to pay for a bride. Well after 7 years and one crazy wedding party, Jacob gets fooled into marrying Leah, who was the older, uglier daughter of Laban. After little protest, Jacob agrees to work 7 more years for Rachel. After those next 7 years pass and the happy couple finally ties the knot, Jacob and Rachel are rewarded with a baron womb. Leah, on the other hand, catches God's eye as she is unloved and He blesses here with many children and it is her line from which our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ comes.
The significance of this story comes from the context of Jacob's life. Back in Genesis 25 we are told that Jacob's father preferred Esau, the eldest son. Esau was a man's man and understandably attracted more attention from his father. Meanwhile Jacob was an introverted, mama's boy who must have felt disconnected and unfulfilled by his family life. From the day he was born he struggled to compete with his brother for his father's affection. He knew not love nor support from 2/3 of his immediate family. Once Jacob had to flee from Esau after steeling his father's blessing he lost his mother too, the only one who truly loved him. Jacob had a void in his life that he desperately tried to fill with the love of an ideal women, but what Keller reminds us in his sermon is that no human relationship can carry the burden of God-hood. Only God can fill that indescribable void in our lives. No friend, brother, sister, mother, father or especially husband or wife can complete us like God can. We can never find the eternal source of healing we hope to gain from a spouse because no matter how hard we fight to attain her, she's always Leah never Rachel. She will never be good enough. He will never be good enough. Only God is good enough.
If it wasn't already obvious from the start, I might as well clarify that the very good friend of mine struggling with this exact same "complex" is me. It's taken time to realize that this deep passion of mine has become so rooted in my soul that it has become a hindrance to God's will for my life. I have spent many sleepless nights thinking about my future wife, and mostly about how lazy she's been about getting in touch with me. Jokes aside, I don't want to have a wife unless it's within God's general direction for me because I know that at my age and with my perspective I most likely have no idea what I need or what is good for me. I want to be married and have a family, but I don't want to be as messed up as Jacob was when I finally do it. I certainly don't want to wake up with Leah either, despite her amazing personality...
So for now I think I'm just going to have to put up the old "Closed for Renovation" sign on my love life. I've got to see what this life is like when I live it in a constant pursuit of intimacy with God and not a woman. If I can do that, who knows what God may throw in along the way?
(9/20/12) OYP2G-CS
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Hide and Seek
I have come to realize how much I enjoy discovering new information about the nature of God. Some people are frustrated by how mysterious God can be, or how unclear Scripture is at times, but if you look at how humans are created it makes perfect sense. We are intrigued by mystery and elated by intellectual stimulus. Think about how we were when we were 5 years old or so. What child doesn't love to play hide and seek? Do you ever wonder why we loved that game so much? It's because we are instilled with a deep passion to discover what is hidden from us. I believe God intentionally hides things from us in order to keep us searching for Him. If we could ever fully understand everything about God and the Bible they wouldn't be as interesting as they are. People have studied God since the beginning of time and we are still so interested in His being.
This is also why I believe science and Christianity are not enemies, but allies. God gave us science to discover the extraordinary breadth of His creation. All of the scientific breakthroughs we could ever hope to make will still never tell us about all the incredible potential for humanity that God has woven into Creation. As far as Scripture goes, we have one all-powerful text that can provide us with a life time of insight and enlightenment if we continually seek out the wide expanse of knowledge contained within it. Hopefully we can stop stressing out about the many translations of Scripture, or the multiple theories about evolution and just enjoy the game that God has set before us. I'm pretty sure we aren't supposed to figure everything out anyway!
This is also why I believe science and Christianity are not enemies, but allies. God gave us science to discover the extraordinary breadth of His creation. All of the scientific breakthroughs we could ever hope to make will still never tell us about all the incredible potential for humanity that God has woven into Creation. As far as Scripture goes, we have one all-powerful text that can provide us with a life time of insight and enlightenment if we continually seek out the wide expanse of knowledge contained within it. Hopefully we can stop stressing out about the many translations of Scripture, or the multiple theories about evolution and just enjoy the game that God has set before us. I'm pretty sure we aren't supposed to figure everything out anyway!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Screen Actor's Gospel
This past Sunday was the most fulfilled I have felt in a long time. I finally reached a point where my passion and purpose aligned, if only for a moment, leaving me with a profound sense of God's will for my life.
I have been working as a background actor or 'extra' for television, commercial, and other film projects the past few months. I went into it with the desire to work in an exciting industry filled with large amounts of radical non-believers. So far I have had several theological conversations that have led to confessions of disbelief because of past experiences with sexual abuse, religious oppression, and discrimination on behalf of the church. However, nothing has paralleled what I experienced on Sunday.
About midway through the day I heard one of the girls on set talking to one of the several very gay members of the cast about why God allows suffering. At the time, I was involved in a different, meaningless conversation and I quickly turned around to engage the pair. As soon as I heard the guy ask "It just doesn't make sense why Jesus would have to die if God is so good and perfect" my heart started to pound because I had never felt so prepared to answer a question like this before. I literally had just finished reading the first chapter of Timothy Keller's book The Reason for God that discusses this very topic.
What ensued from this point on was a heavy, two hour discussion about the character of God and what Christianity is really meant to be, a relationship. We touched on topics from evolution, to sacrifice, to pain, to biblical interpretation, the Old Testament vs. New Testament, the difference between Jews and Christians, and ultimately the reconciliation of the Cross. I was only talking directly to a self-proclaimed new atheist and homosexual named Silas, as well as a very harsh, broken young women named Veronica who had just graduated from college. Outside of these two was the rest of the entire cast and crew totaling almost 8 other people, two of whom were also gay.
I knew this was an extremely heavy conversation to have in a crowd like this but God spoke the best possible words through me and I found Silas constantly nodding in agreement as I laid out who Christ actually was and what God meant for Christians to be. Veronica, on the other hand, constantly came back at me with argument after argument in disbelief against the words of Jesus. Her main problem was that Salvation seemed too limited as we can only get to Heaven through this one Man. She persisted in saying that if you only just live a good life that you should be allowed into Heaven and that she did not, or rather could not believe anything otherwise. I refuted her statements time and time again by asking how she could define this 'standard' of good. How could we all live by her subjective view of what good is? By even saying that there could be a universal good implies a higher power or judge of this good.
Eventually she acknowledged that she believes in God and had thought about converting to Judaism. This is when I knew she was truly lost. I asked her why even believe in a God if you don't have to do anything in relation to Him in order to get to Heaven? She just replied that she had always felt that there was a God, that she wanted to pray, but could never imagine the fact that her family (the people she loved most in this world) would not end up in Heaven. Veronica later told me that her brother was gay and I realized that the thought of him not being able to go to Heaven because of this is what hardened her heart towards the idea of a religion that told her people such as that can't be saved.
I pressed her on this issue and told her that no one wanted her and her family to Saved than Jesus. I told her about how Jesus had to die because we are so imperfect and that no standard of our own personal perception of good would ever reconcile all of the evil we have done in this earth. I described how Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice and how badly He loved people like Veronica's brother. I said that Jesus was just as heart broken at the thought of her family not going to Heaven as she was. At this point Veronica was in tears but still defending her position. All I could do was tell her that some of the people I too love the most in this world still don't know Jesus and how much it pains me to think of an afterlife without them. I couldn't help but be chocked up with all the emotions as well.
At this very moment we were called back onto set. It seemed like the worst possible moment. Once we were separated Veronica had time to rebuild her defenses and after a few hours on set of ranting about God to the other non-believers she was in no place to be reasoned with. She had let her guard down, become vulnerable and revealed that she wasn't as tough as she tried so hard to show everybody she was. She kept on saying that she would rather go to hell, "Dante's Inferno" as she mockingly labeled it, than go to a Heaven where her family was not. Veronica scoffed at the idea of an exclusive Heaven even though I told her anyone could enter, even the thief who was nailed beside Jesus on the cross...She had no idea of the depth of what she was saying. Completely protected, her heart began to twist back into it's fortified walls where I still wonder if the words God spoke through me will one day breach.
Despite the fact that Veronica left that day the way she did I felt incredible. Several other people, including Silas, came up to me afterwards to express their words of appreciation for what I said. I recommended books for them to read as well as parts of Scripture they should really study for themselves so as to be better protected from the raging, ranting christians they had encountered before.
I have never preached the Gospel like this before. I have never evangelized before. This was what Jesus did and called us to do. I don't say that pridefully, I say it humbly as a servant of God who has never had the balls to do it before. Now as I look back on the world of APU I am ashamed that we rarely seek out opportunities to do this type of ministry. We live and talk solely amongst those who live in our Christian bubble and then have the audacity to say "oh evangelism just isn't my gift". We hide behind the idea of a "silent sermon" where hopefully people are lead to Christ by the subtle, self-righteous manner in which we think we live our lives. Well I discovered that it takes words. No silent sermon will do. We have to talk! Jesus was perfect, Paul was amazing, and they all talked A LOT! But most importantly, those who really know the truth of Scripture, the Gospel of love, must do the talking.
Atheists, Agnostics, young, and old all have a question burning deep inside them about this Jesus fellow. They know there is something more to this life and are so curious about those who say they know Him. Hollywood may act like they think anyone who believes in God is a raving lunatic or right-wing, redneck nut job but they are more curious than anyone else. They have put up their walls but they know logic and reason when they hear it and they are astounded by a passionate faith inspired by truth.
That's what I have. They are my focus. I believe you can reach the entire world from this one location, so this is where I'll be. I hope Christians will stop running away from this place and instead embrace it as Jesus would. I hope you'll pray for me as I embark on this journey that has no longer become a shot in the dark but a deliberate light in the darkness.
I have been working as a background actor or 'extra' for television, commercial, and other film projects the past few months. I went into it with the desire to work in an exciting industry filled with large amounts of radical non-believers. So far I have had several theological conversations that have led to confessions of disbelief because of past experiences with sexual abuse, religious oppression, and discrimination on behalf of the church. However, nothing has paralleled what I experienced on Sunday.
About midway through the day I heard one of the girls on set talking to one of the several very gay members of the cast about why God allows suffering. At the time, I was involved in a different, meaningless conversation and I quickly turned around to engage the pair. As soon as I heard the guy ask "It just doesn't make sense why Jesus would have to die if God is so good and perfect" my heart started to pound because I had never felt so prepared to answer a question like this before. I literally had just finished reading the first chapter of Timothy Keller's book The Reason for God that discusses this very topic.
What ensued from this point on was a heavy, two hour discussion about the character of God and what Christianity is really meant to be, a relationship. We touched on topics from evolution, to sacrifice, to pain, to biblical interpretation, the Old Testament vs. New Testament, the difference between Jews and Christians, and ultimately the reconciliation of the Cross. I was only talking directly to a self-proclaimed new atheist and homosexual named Silas, as well as a very harsh, broken young women named Veronica who had just graduated from college. Outside of these two was the rest of the entire cast and crew totaling almost 8 other people, two of whom were also gay.
I knew this was an extremely heavy conversation to have in a crowd like this but God spoke the best possible words through me and I found Silas constantly nodding in agreement as I laid out who Christ actually was and what God meant for Christians to be. Veronica, on the other hand, constantly came back at me with argument after argument in disbelief against the words of Jesus. Her main problem was that Salvation seemed too limited as we can only get to Heaven through this one Man. She persisted in saying that if you only just live a good life that you should be allowed into Heaven and that she did not, or rather could not believe anything otherwise. I refuted her statements time and time again by asking how she could define this 'standard' of good. How could we all live by her subjective view of what good is? By even saying that there could be a universal good implies a higher power or judge of this good.
Eventually she acknowledged that she believes in God and had thought about converting to Judaism. This is when I knew she was truly lost. I asked her why even believe in a God if you don't have to do anything in relation to Him in order to get to Heaven? She just replied that she had always felt that there was a God, that she wanted to pray, but could never imagine the fact that her family (the people she loved most in this world) would not end up in Heaven. Veronica later told me that her brother was gay and I realized that the thought of him not being able to go to Heaven because of this is what hardened her heart towards the idea of a religion that told her people such as that can't be saved.
I pressed her on this issue and told her that no one wanted her and her family to Saved than Jesus. I told her about how Jesus had to die because we are so imperfect and that no standard of our own personal perception of good would ever reconcile all of the evil we have done in this earth. I described how Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice and how badly He loved people like Veronica's brother. I said that Jesus was just as heart broken at the thought of her family not going to Heaven as she was. At this point Veronica was in tears but still defending her position. All I could do was tell her that some of the people I too love the most in this world still don't know Jesus and how much it pains me to think of an afterlife without them. I couldn't help but be chocked up with all the emotions as well.
At this very moment we were called back onto set. It seemed like the worst possible moment. Once we were separated Veronica had time to rebuild her defenses and after a few hours on set of ranting about God to the other non-believers she was in no place to be reasoned with. She had let her guard down, become vulnerable and revealed that she wasn't as tough as she tried so hard to show everybody she was. She kept on saying that she would rather go to hell, "Dante's Inferno" as she mockingly labeled it, than go to a Heaven where her family was not. Veronica scoffed at the idea of an exclusive Heaven even though I told her anyone could enter, even the thief who was nailed beside Jesus on the cross...She had no idea of the depth of what she was saying. Completely protected, her heart began to twist back into it's fortified walls where I still wonder if the words God spoke through me will one day breach.
Despite the fact that Veronica left that day the way she did I felt incredible. Several other people, including Silas, came up to me afterwards to express their words of appreciation for what I said. I recommended books for them to read as well as parts of Scripture they should really study for themselves so as to be better protected from the raging, ranting christians they had encountered before.
I have never preached the Gospel like this before. I have never evangelized before. This was what Jesus did and called us to do. I don't say that pridefully, I say it humbly as a servant of God who has never had the balls to do it before. Now as I look back on the world of APU I am ashamed that we rarely seek out opportunities to do this type of ministry. We live and talk solely amongst those who live in our Christian bubble and then have the audacity to say "oh evangelism just isn't my gift". We hide behind the idea of a "silent sermon" where hopefully people are lead to Christ by the subtle, self-righteous manner in which we think we live our lives. Well I discovered that it takes words. No silent sermon will do. We have to talk! Jesus was perfect, Paul was amazing, and they all talked A LOT! But most importantly, those who really know the truth of Scripture, the Gospel of love, must do the talking.
Atheists, Agnostics, young, and old all have a question burning deep inside them about this Jesus fellow. They know there is something more to this life and are so curious about those who say they know Him. Hollywood may act like they think anyone who believes in God is a raving lunatic or right-wing, redneck nut job but they are more curious than anyone else. They have put up their walls but they know logic and reason when they hear it and they are astounded by a passionate faith inspired by truth.
That's what I have. They are my focus. I believe you can reach the entire world from this one location, so this is where I'll be. I hope Christians will stop running away from this place and instead embrace it as Jesus would. I hope you'll pray for me as I embark on this journey that has no longer become a shot in the dark but a deliberate light in the darkness.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Shattered Jars of Clay
Predestination is something I've chosen to write about continually over the past few years now as the questions that surround this topic return to gnaw at my brain every time I discover another passage in Scripture that alludes to God's omnipotent nature. 2 Peter 2 has several verses that contain key language in deciphering how God controls the destiny of man.
2 Peter 2:3 he is writing about the condemnation of those false teachers who preach the prosperity gospel in order to cheat naive believers out of their money. He says "In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed." I focused in on the LONG AGO part if you didn't notice my clever use of italics. All sarcasm aside, think about the weight of that statement. It sounds like, to me, that long ago, in a galaxy far far away, God predestined (notice the clever italics again) certain people to be evil, deceitful, false prophets who would upon death suffer the wrath of hell.
2 Peter 2:12 continues to talk about the destiny of false teachers. It is written "These false teachers are like unthinking animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed." This verse says it even more clearly than the first. They were BORN for the sole purpose of being DESTROYED. That seems a little unlike that God of The Shack that I fell in love with recently. I thought we were all predestined for a loving relationship with the creator God? Or maybe I've just been hoping that's the way it is.
I always seem to come back to Romans 9:14-24 which says,
14 Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! 15 For God said to Moses,
“I will show mercy to anyone I choose,
and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.”[i]
16 So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.
17 For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth.”[j] 18 So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.
19 Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven't they simply done what he makes them do?”
20 No, don't say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn't he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into? 22 In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction. 23 He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory. 24 And we are among those whom he selected, both from the Jews and from the Gentiles.
The reason I focus so heavily on this topic is because I can't understand how I would present these beliefs to a secular audience... "Oh hey there, you wanna know about my God? Well for starters He creates some people, possibly one of your very own loved ones, for the sole purpose of being sent to Hell so that I may see their demise and go to Heaven. He's a little rough around the edges, I know, but once you get to know Him you'll become one of His 'chosen ones' too, and then the benefits are grrrreat!"
It's all hard to sort out and I think I know what I believe but I don't want to. There has to be some explanation that reasons out how God is entirely loving therefore everything He does is out of Love. Ya know? This is all just my continued, predestined shot in the dark.
To be continued....
2 Peter 2:3 he is writing about the condemnation of those false teachers who preach the prosperity gospel in order to cheat naive believers out of their money. He says "In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed." I focused in on the LONG AGO part if you didn't notice my clever use of italics. All sarcasm aside, think about the weight of that statement. It sounds like, to me, that long ago, in a galaxy far far away, God predestined (notice the clever italics again) certain people to be evil, deceitful, false prophets who would upon death suffer the wrath of hell.
2 Peter 2:12 continues to talk about the destiny of false teachers. It is written "These false teachers are like unthinking animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed." This verse says it even more clearly than the first. They were BORN for the sole purpose of being DESTROYED. That seems a little unlike that God of The Shack that I fell in love with recently. I thought we were all predestined for a loving relationship with the creator God? Or maybe I've just been hoping that's the way it is.
I always seem to come back to Romans 9:14-24 which says,
14 Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! 15 For God said to Moses,
“I will show mercy to anyone I choose,
and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.”[i]
16 So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.
17 For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth.”[j] 18 So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.
19 Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven't they simply done what he makes them do?”
20 No, don't say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn't he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into? 22 In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction. 23 He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory. 24 And we are among those whom he selected, both from the Jews and from the Gentiles.
The reason I focus so heavily on this topic is because I can't understand how I would present these beliefs to a secular audience... "Oh hey there, you wanna know about my God? Well for starters He creates some people, possibly one of your very own loved ones, for the sole purpose of being sent to Hell so that I may see their demise and go to Heaven. He's a little rough around the edges, I know, but once you get to know Him you'll become one of His 'chosen ones' too, and then the benefits are grrrreat!"
It's all hard to sort out and I think I know what I believe but I don't want to. There has to be some explanation that reasons out how God is entirely loving therefore everything He does is out of Love. Ya know? This is all just my continued, predestined shot in the dark.
To be continued....
Monday, September 5, 2011
Enemy At The Gates
James is has become my default book of the Bible that I tend to peruse whenever I feel the need to be reminded of some essential Biblical wisdom. There is just so much packed into those 5 glorious chapters written by Jesus' brotha himself.
I have always been an outspoken person. Controlling my tongue has been, and will be, a life-long effort. If you've known me for more than a day, or ever read any of the other posts on this blog, this will come as a very obvious statement. That's why James 3:1-12 has always stood out to me. Verse 3 in particular says "If we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every way." I never equated control of the tongue with control of the heart, mind and soul as James seems to say here, but honestly it makes sense. Controlling the tongue demonstrates a deeper control that comes from something divine within us, and it takes something divine to control such a dangerous weapon as our tongues.
Now, that may sound drastic to call your tongue a dangerous weapon, or "The Enemy at the Gates" as I like to call it, but James paints a similar picture in chapter 3. In verses 5-6 James compares the tongue to a tiny spark that starts a great forest fire. He goes on to say that the tongue is "A whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself." Clearly James understood that the tongue is Satan's muscle of choice for he knows that we humans are helpless to control it. Verses 7 and 8 say "People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison." These verses demonstrate the lop sided war we wage against our tongues, for we can only hope to contain it while it can control our entire being.
Going backwards a bit, verses 3-5 say "We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches." Isn't that passage humbling in a profound way? We create amazing technology, travel incredible distances and yet we can be controlled by such a simple part of our own anatomy. I know I know, most women would say that men are controlled by another part of their anatomy, but if you think about it the tongue really is to blame for even the sexual indiscretion in our lives.
What do men use to lie to women, brag about sexual conquests, and provoke others to do the same? It is the tongue. What is every political leaders greatest tool in swaying the masses to commit the most horrendous atrocities? Again, it is the tongue. How do we tear down the love we struggled to build up with those we are closest to? Sadly, we utilize the tongue.
I was once told that "One seldom regrets unspoken words." I think that goes for those of us who tend to talk more when we are angry, which may be most people. James 1:19 is famous for saying "You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry." I like to jump straight from that to James 1:26, which says "If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless."
BOOM, roasted. How huge of a statement is that?! James is the freakin' man. He's basically saying that all those beliefs you invest your life in, all that you worship, is complete GARBAGE if you don't check what you say and watch how you treat people. There are so many "christians" who snap at people and are complete ______s to one another because of the slightest disagreements. We have to be able to control our words and patiently interact with the people in this world who firmly stand against what we believe or we will never make any progress in advancing the Kingdom of God. I can't imagine what our secular societies would think about Christians if we adhered to what we read here in James.
I could write all day about the wisdom we find in the book of James, but I'll stop here. I hope you find this all to be as enlightening as I do. If not, it was all just my shot in the dark anyway.
I have always been an outspoken person. Controlling my tongue has been, and will be, a life-long effort. If you've known me for more than a day, or ever read any of the other posts on this blog, this will come as a very obvious statement. That's why James 3:1-12 has always stood out to me. Verse 3 in particular says "If we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every way." I never equated control of the tongue with control of the heart, mind and soul as James seems to say here, but honestly it makes sense. Controlling the tongue demonstrates a deeper control that comes from something divine within us, and it takes something divine to control such a dangerous weapon as our tongues.
Now, that may sound drastic to call your tongue a dangerous weapon, or "The Enemy at the Gates" as I like to call it, but James paints a similar picture in chapter 3. In verses 5-6 James compares the tongue to a tiny spark that starts a great forest fire. He goes on to say that the tongue is "A whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself." Clearly James understood that the tongue is Satan's muscle of choice for he knows that we humans are helpless to control it. Verses 7 and 8 say "People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison." These verses demonstrate the lop sided war we wage against our tongues, for we can only hope to contain it while it can control our entire being.
Going backwards a bit, verses 3-5 say "We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches." Isn't that passage humbling in a profound way? We create amazing technology, travel incredible distances and yet we can be controlled by such a simple part of our own anatomy. I know I know, most women would say that men are controlled by another part of their anatomy, but if you think about it the tongue really is to blame for even the sexual indiscretion in our lives.
What do men use to lie to women, brag about sexual conquests, and provoke others to do the same? It is the tongue. What is every political leaders greatest tool in swaying the masses to commit the most horrendous atrocities? Again, it is the tongue. How do we tear down the love we struggled to build up with those we are closest to? Sadly, we utilize the tongue.
I was once told that "One seldom regrets unspoken words." I think that goes for those of us who tend to talk more when we are angry, which may be most people. James 1:19 is famous for saying "You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry." I like to jump straight from that to James 1:26, which says "If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless."
BOOM, roasted. How huge of a statement is that?! James is the freakin' man. He's basically saying that all those beliefs you invest your life in, all that you worship, is complete GARBAGE if you don't check what you say and watch how you treat people. There are so many "christians" who snap at people and are complete ______s to one another because of the slightest disagreements. We have to be able to control our words and patiently interact with the people in this world who firmly stand against what we believe or we will never make any progress in advancing the Kingdom of God. I can't imagine what our secular societies would think about Christians if we adhered to what we read here in James.
I could write all day about the wisdom we find in the book of James, but I'll stop here. I hope you find this all to be as enlightening as I do. If not, it was all just my shot in the dark anyway.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Reaction Theology
There are many techniques and methods used to develop one's own personal beliefs. In a world where we are immersed in competing view points, varying experiences, and differing systems of theology it's hard not to have an opinion on all things related to God, spirituality, and/or religion. What I have begun to see as a dangerous and all to prevalent trend in Christians is what I like to call "reaction theology".
Reaction theology is the act of hearing a belief, idea, concept about God that contradicts or even just mildly disagrees with our own beliefs, ideas, etc. and we respond by building an entire belief system around proving the opposing side wrong. Our reaction, due to the great amount of pride that comes with personal conviction, is never to seek out the truth that may lie in the opposing side's argument or middle ground. Unfortunately we often lack the humility to see that we are not perfect, therefore our beliefs may also inherit this imperfection. That's not to say that our beliefs are wrong but that they may be lacking in some area. By engaging an opposing argument/belief with a humble heart and a contrite spirit we may actually learn something that could benefit our spiritual lives immensely, if only to give us a more complete understanding of the many unique perspectives that exist in society.
This is why I believe people like Calvin have flawed theologies. Calvin's 5 point TULIP system is a reaction to the Arminiast's argument against predestination. Instead of seeking to find where the Arminiast obtained their perspective of God in scripture or even seeking out the truth of Scripture with an unbiased mindset, Calvin sought to prove his own ideas about God with Scripture. As a disclaimer, I definitely side more with Calvinists than Arminians, but I continue to wrestle with both points of view.
Our reaction to what we oppose usually leads to harsh condemnation of the other side's complete being. The more we enforce our own biased beliefs the more we seek to prove the other side wrong with the ultimate goal of destroying their entire credibility. It's an interesting paradigm in which we feel as though we are being enlightened but we are in actuality closing the doors in our hearts and minds that would, if left open, lead us to discover the whole truth found in considering both positions. It's like using a teeter-totter to measure weight. Inevitably you only find out that one side is heavier or lighter than the other side and not the actual weight of each object.
Current examples can be found by watching how conservatives REACT to liberal points of view and vice versa. Look at how Christians handle issues such as homosexuality, women in leadership, the trinity, and the rapture. We are so polarized by our reactions that I'm sure God looks down and is disgusted by the lack of UNITY amongst His people. We need to go back to the basics and be slow to speak, slow to get angry, and quick to listen. Maybe then we can actually reach some degree of true enlightenment and rectify the relationship lost amongst many religious communities and even maybe bridge the gap between believers and the secular society we inhabit.
So overall, my point is that the next time you or I hear something that contradicts something unspeakable inside ourselves that we should first look inside our hearts and minds then turn to scripture in order to find out why we disagree with what we've heard. This would be a much more rational option than lashing out externally to belittle the opposing beliefs and the people who hold them.
All that to say, just make sure you know what you know and why you believe what you believe before ya go spouting off about this and that. And don't ever spout off for that matter! Phew. Sigh. O well, it's just my reaction to take a shot in the dark about all this.
Reaction theology is the act of hearing a belief, idea, concept about God that contradicts or even just mildly disagrees with our own beliefs, ideas, etc. and we respond by building an entire belief system around proving the opposing side wrong. Our reaction, due to the great amount of pride that comes with personal conviction, is never to seek out the truth that may lie in the opposing side's argument or middle ground. Unfortunately we often lack the humility to see that we are not perfect, therefore our beliefs may also inherit this imperfection. That's not to say that our beliefs are wrong but that they may be lacking in some area. By engaging an opposing argument/belief with a humble heart and a contrite spirit we may actually learn something that could benefit our spiritual lives immensely, if only to give us a more complete understanding of the many unique perspectives that exist in society.
This is why I believe people like Calvin have flawed theologies. Calvin's 5 point TULIP system is a reaction to the Arminiast's argument against predestination. Instead of seeking to find where the Arminiast obtained their perspective of God in scripture or even seeking out the truth of Scripture with an unbiased mindset, Calvin sought to prove his own ideas about God with Scripture. As a disclaimer, I definitely side more with Calvinists than Arminians, but I continue to wrestle with both points of view.
Our reaction to what we oppose usually leads to harsh condemnation of the other side's complete being. The more we enforce our own biased beliefs the more we seek to prove the other side wrong with the ultimate goal of destroying their entire credibility. It's an interesting paradigm in which we feel as though we are being enlightened but we are in actuality closing the doors in our hearts and minds that would, if left open, lead us to discover the whole truth found in considering both positions. It's like using a teeter-totter to measure weight. Inevitably you only find out that one side is heavier or lighter than the other side and not the actual weight of each object.
Current examples can be found by watching how conservatives REACT to liberal points of view and vice versa. Look at how Christians handle issues such as homosexuality, women in leadership, the trinity, and the rapture. We are so polarized by our reactions that I'm sure God looks down and is disgusted by the lack of UNITY amongst His people. We need to go back to the basics and be slow to speak, slow to get angry, and quick to listen. Maybe then we can actually reach some degree of true enlightenment and rectify the relationship lost amongst many religious communities and even maybe bridge the gap between believers and the secular society we inhabit.
So overall, my point is that the next time you or I hear something that contradicts something unspeakable inside ourselves that we should first look inside our hearts and minds then turn to scripture in order to find out why we disagree with what we've heard. This would be a much more rational option than lashing out externally to belittle the opposing beliefs and the people who hold them.
All that to say, just make sure you know what you know and why you believe what you believe before ya go spouting off about this and that. And don't ever spout off for that matter! Phew. Sigh. O well, it's just my reaction to take a shot in the dark about all this.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Faith or Reason?
Hebrews 11 is an awesome chapter filled with great examples of faith lived out. Or at least I thought so up until I got to verse 19. In this passage the author is writing about how Abraham was called by God to sacrifice his son and how Abraham proved his great faith by going along with it up until the very last moment when God stopped him to reveal that it was all a test.
Hebrews 11:19 says "Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead." I emphasize the word reason here because it is the word that sparked my curiosity. Some other translations use the word "considered" but the overall meaning behind this verse is that Abraham used his intellect to rationalize that Isaac would not really be harmed, or that Abraham would not really lose his son to God in this manner. Now, this is where the lines get fuzzy in my mind. Is it still faith when you've calculated the odds and know that you will still come out ahead? How much is reasoning a part of having faith? It's hard to say that faith has to be logical, while we know it shouldn't be blind, because we have a faith that is based on the "mysterious ways" of God.
Abraham didn't seem to think that God's methods were too mysterious as he played along knowing that he would still have his son when it all was said and done. Abraham reasoned. Focus on that phrase for a second. He is viewed as the father of our religion and he used reason to figure out what God was going to do. I don't know why but that just seems like a stern contrast to faith. I have done a lot of things in my past where I had no idea what God was going to do with me but I had faith that His will is what is best for me, not that what I wanted to happen would happen because I know how to work the system.
The Wesleyan quadrilateral (which is more like a pyramid in actuality) emphasizes that reason be utilized in every area of our faith i.e. scripture, tradition and experience. I'm just wondering at what point we affirm someone for having good faith versus having excellent reasoning. One of my favorite characters in the Bible is Thomas. I like Thomas because he had some serious balls. He was one of Jesus' 12 disciples, he saw Jesus work tons of miracles and preach radical sermons yet he put his foot down and still wouldn't believe “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." John 20:25. I can really appreciate that kind of doubt. He wanted to be sure before he gave his life to such a radical cause.
However, Jesus called Thomas out on this rational style of faith. In John 20:29 Jesus says,“Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." So are we more blessed when we blindly believe in something we have not seen nor experienced? I think sometimes I would much rather be spared the extra blessing for some actual first hand experience with God. That's why I don't chalk up Abraham's actions to some great act of faith when he experienced God first hand and got to know the very nature of our Creature, thus making his decisions far easier.
So the question for me is, would I rather have a reason based faith or an actual unadulterated faith? Is our religion based more on faith or reason? Or both? Let's be honest, nothing to do with the ways of the Lord is ever black and white, making this issue is very much a deep shade of gray.
It's all just a rationalized shot in the dark for me.
Hebrews 11:19 says "Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead." I emphasize the word reason here because it is the word that sparked my curiosity. Some other translations use the word "considered" but the overall meaning behind this verse is that Abraham used his intellect to rationalize that Isaac would not really be harmed, or that Abraham would not really lose his son to God in this manner. Now, this is where the lines get fuzzy in my mind. Is it still faith when you've calculated the odds and know that you will still come out ahead? How much is reasoning a part of having faith? It's hard to say that faith has to be logical, while we know it shouldn't be blind, because we have a faith that is based on the "mysterious ways" of God.
Abraham didn't seem to think that God's methods were too mysterious as he played along knowing that he would still have his son when it all was said and done. Abraham reasoned. Focus on that phrase for a second. He is viewed as the father of our religion and he used reason to figure out what God was going to do. I don't know why but that just seems like a stern contrast to faith. I have done a lot of things in my past where I had no idea what God was going to do with me but I had faith that His will is what is best for me, not that what I wanted to happen would happen because I know how to work the system.
The Wesleyan quadrilateral (which is more like a pyramid in actuality) emphasizes that reason be utilized in every area of our faith i.e. scripture, tradition and experience. I'm just wondering at what point we affirm someone for having good faith versus having excellent reasoning. One of my favorite characters in the Bible is Thomas. I like Thomas because he had some serious balls. He was one of Jesus' 12 disciples, he saw Jesus work tons of miracles and preach radical sermons yet he put his foot down and still wouldn't believe “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." John 20:25. I can really appreciate that kind of doubt. He wanted to be sure before he gave his life to such a radical cause.
However, Jesus called Thomas out on this rational style of faith. In John 20:29 Jesus says,“Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." So are we more blessed when we blindly believe in something we have not seen nor experienced? I think sometimes I would much rather be spared the extra blessing for some actual first hand experience with God. That's why I don't chalk up Abraham's actions to some great act of faith when he experienced God first hand and got to know the very nature of our Creature, thus making his decisions far easier.
So the question for me is, would I rather have a reason based faith or an actual unadulterated faith? Is our religion based more on faith or reason? Or both? Let's be honest, nothing to do with the ways of the Lord is ever black and white, making this issue is very much a deep shade of gray.
It's all just a rationalized shot in the dark for me.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
The 3 C's of Crisis Management: an attempt at pastorship.
Crisis may be a strong word for what some of us just call "drama" in this life, but things will undoubtedly come up to rock our worlds that we never could've seen coming. So I found myself trying think like your average pastor today for a second and come up with a simple step-by-step process, while simultaneously attempting to employ such catchy literary devices as alliteration, for dealing with such an occasion. This is what I came up with;
Cry out.
Calm down.
Cooperate.
Catchy right? I thought so. Each step is something we naturally want to do so why not consciously do them in a controlled manner and in a specific order that provides the greatest sense of relief and productivity.
First, cry out to God with every bid of anger, sadness, or _________ and let Him begin to bring healing into your life. He already knows what you feel but until you admit those feelings to God, He doesn't step into the picture. Secondly, calm down. The most powerful being in the universe has got your back and knows what you're going through so try to relax a bit. There's not much more you can do than begin the next step, which is to cooperate. Some sore of action is always required after something dramatic goes down. Either an apology, confrontation, questioning, rectification or protection. Something along those lines is usually what lies on our plate at this point. I believe God weighs heavily on our spirit in the wake that comes shortly after crisis and lays on our heart instructions as to what would be best for us to do. A lot of times we stand still with the excuse that we don't know what to do next when indeed we do have an idea of what is required of us next but we are either too afraid or too proud to cooperate with what God is calling us to do. This is why cooperation is the most important step of crisis management.
This is the point where I clarify that there is as much satire as there is truth in this post. Nothing in life is ever this easy. Contemporary christian pastors would have a field day making this into a perfect 30-45 minute presentation with funny anecdotes, personal experience, and new testament excerpts. Next, all they would have to do is bring to a boil, stir frequently, and present the audience with a steaming bowl of fresh christian platitudes full of empty spiritual calories. We've honestly got to go so much deeper than this when it comes to teaching "the flock" and dealing with controversial, complex life experiences. We are smarter than this, or at least I like to hope so.
But what do I know? This is just my pastorial shot in the dark.
Cry out.
Calm down.
Cooperate.
Catchy right? I thought so. Each step is something we naturally want to do so why not consciously do them in a controlled manner and in a specific order that provides the greatest sense of relief and productivity.
First, cry out to God with every bid of anger, sadness, or _________ and let Him begin to bring healing into your life. He already knows what you feel but until you admit those feelings to God, He doesn't step into the picture. Secondly, calm down. The most powerful being in the universe has got your back and knows what you're going through so try to relax a bit. There's not much more you can do than begin the next step, which is to cooperate. Some sore of action is always required after something dramatic goes down. Either an apology, confrontation, questioning, rectification or protection. Something along those lines is usually what lies on our plate at this point. I believe God weighs heavily on our spirit in the wake that comes shortly after crisis and lays on our heart instructions as to what would be best for us to do. A lot of times we stand still with the excuse that we don't know what to do next when indeed we do have an idea of what is required of us next but we are either too afraid or too proud to cooperate with what God is calling us to do. This is why cooperation is the most important step of crisis management.
This is the point where I clarify that there is as much satire as there is truth in this post. Nothing in life is ever this easy. Contemporary christian pastors would have a field day making this into a perfect 30-45 minute presentation with funny anecdotes, personal experience, and new testament excerpts. Next, all they would have to do is bring to a boil, stir frequently, and present the audience with a steaming bowl of fresh christian platitudes full of empty spiritual calories. We've honestly got to go so much deeper than this when it comes to teaching "the flock" and dealing with controversial, complex life experiences. We are smarter than this, or at least I like to hope so.
But what do I know? This is just my pastorial shot in the dark.
Living Next to Life & Death: A quarter life crisis
Everyday I witness the two extremes of life. I see a 14 month old discover the world in all it's glory, from the heights of the couch cushions to the depths that lie beneath the kitchen counters. Everything is new and fascinating while nothing is ordinary or common. He is just starting life's race.
Right down the street from our house is an old folks retirement center called La Fetra. I often see them out walking around the front of their home or being driven in groups to the market. Rarely do I see them with anyone resembling a family member. I see them through the windows, playing cards or walking the grounds at a snails pace just to get a taste of the air that doesn't come from an oxygen tank. Ironically their home is located right next to a large park with baseball fields, a skateboard/BMX course, and playground all filled with teens and young children. They sit at the finish line and constantly have to endure the sight of healthy, young bodies filled with potential and yearning to begin the journey that once laid before them.
I wonder what it's like for them and all their years of experience to be at this stage of life. Sedentary and weak about to cross into the hereafter, the great unknown, dreamland, nirvana, bliss, or to blink for an exceptionally long period of time as Patch Adams would say. Maybe they are content...It's possible I have no idea of the peace that comes with that age. But having seen wars, pain, suffering, wealth, poverty, joy, ecstasy, and love all come and go this life has to be an incredibly weathering experience. Looking into the eyes of the elderly has told me at least this much.
I'm at a point in life where any path but the one straight ahead of me seems appealing. Let's be honest, if someone asked us if could go through life skipping all the moments when we lost a loved one or we got really sick or the bank foreclosed on the house and instead go straight to all the times when we felt like we were on top of the world, feeling high on life and drunk with love we would say "yes!" It's an easy decision for most. But I can't help notice how when we all look back on our past to all the horribly trying times we faced our common response is "I wouldn't have done anything different."
I know this is a common theme in a lot of my posts but I think it takes a lot for me to get over the way God designed this life to work. I feel like much of life resembles going to the doctor to get a series of vaccinations. Even if you don't mind needles, shots still suck. The logic behind injecting yourself with the very disease you hope not to get is remarkable. I wonder what the reaction was to the first person who suggest this technique...couldn't have gone over well. But anyway, such is life. We get hit with a strong dose of whatever it is we are trying to avoid and it is just enough not to kill us. Instead, we get stronger. We become immune to the problem. I can see this light at the end of the tunnel we call life but I'm not looking forward to all the shots I'm about to get. I know they will save my life but they will hurt like hell. I know that right now is probably about the time that God is going to raise my pain tolerance a few notches.
Right down the street from our house is an old folks retirement center called La Fetra. I often see them out walking around the front of their home or being driven in groups to the market. Rarely do I see them with anyone resembling a family member. I see them through the windows, playing cards or walking the grounds at a snails pace just to get a taste of the air that doesn't come from an oxygen tank. Ironically their home is located right next to a large park with baseball fields, a skateboard/BMX course, and playground all filled with teens and young children. They sit at the finish line and constantly have to endure the sight of healthy, young bodies filled with potential and yearning to begin the journey that once laid before them.
I wonder what it's like for them and all their years of experience to be at this stage of life. Sedentary and weak about to cross into the hereafter, the great unknown, dreamland, nirvana, bliss, or to blink for an exceptionally long period of time as Patch Adams would say. Maybe they are content...It's possible I have no idea of the peace that comes with that age. But having seen wars, pain, suffering, wealth, poverty, joy, ecstasy, and love all come and go this life has to be an incredibly weathering experience. Looking into the eyes of the elderly has told me at least this much.
I'm at a point in life where any path but the one straight ahead of me seems appealing. Let's be honest, if someone asked us if could go through life skipping all the moments when we lost a loved one or we got really sick or the bank foreclosed on the house and instead go straight to all the times when we felt like we were on top of the world, feeling high on life and drunk with love we would say "yes!" It's an easy decision for most. But I can't help notice how when we all look back on our past to all the horribly trying times we faced our common response is "I wouldn't have done anything different."
I know this is a common theme in a lot of my posts but I think it takes a lot for me to get over the way God designed this life to work. I feel like much of life resembles going to the doctor to get a series of vaccinations. Even if you don't mind needles, shots still suck. The logic behind injecting yourself with the very disease you hope not to get is remarkable. I wonder what the reaction was to the first person who suggest this technique...couldn't have gone over well. But anyway, such is life. We get hit with a strong dose of whatever it is we are trying to avoid and it is just enough not to kill us. Instead, we get stronger. We become immune to the problem. I can see this light at the end of the tunnel we call life but I'm not looking forward to all the shots I'm about to get. I know they will save my life but they will hurt like hell. I know that right now is probably about the time that God is going to raise my pain tolerance a few notches.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Accusation NOT Temptaion
I listened to a sermon today by RC Sproul. The man is brilliant. He is one of Marc Driscoll's favorite theologians if that gives you any idea of the weight Sproul brings to the religious community. He was speaking at a conference for other pastors and he was answering a question about bringing guilt into one's ministry. He said something profound and that is "Satan works primarily through accusation not temptation." We often feel that Satan is tempting us to sin but his craft is truly perfected in his constant accusation of the sin which we commit.
What this means is that the Devil is constantly doing things based on long term goals rather than short term achievements. For example, he may achieve success in tempting you to have sex in your teens but his goal is to keep you beating yourself up about it to the point that you can no longer have another fruitful relationship or feel justified in lecturing others about the importance of waiting to have sex until marriage. We are so good about emphasizing God's grace for our imperfections but WE are terrible about having any sort of grace for ourselves. I'm a perfectionist and I know this struggle first hand. Guilt is Satan's most effective tool for it creates a personal sense of inadequacy in our lives that prevents us from attaining any sort of positive forward motion.
Now, there may be confusion when it comes to what exactly we feel after we sin because their is an appropriate sense of conviction we should feel from the Holy Spirit. Sproul said that he has never felt accused of anything by the Holy Spirit but that it brings a sense of correction in almost a sweet, caring manner. We should feel uplifted by the Holy Spirit's conviction of our sins as there is always love and forgiveness when we turn to Christ. Satan is the only one that brings a sense of guilt and sorrow. I felt that these distinctions are vital to having a healthy, christian lifestyle.
I know as modern Christians today we almost have tunnel vision when it comes to what God does for us and how He works in our lives. However, it seems like we forget to focus on how the enemy works as well and we lose out on gaining valuable insight into what he may be doing in our lives as well. C.S. wrote a whole book called The Screwtape Letters all from the perspective of the enemy in order to enlighten us as to what we need to prepare ourselves against. To me, it's just like sports. No team ever just focuses on their offense, no matter how great it is. Every team needs to know what they're up against. It's necessary to know their moves in order to have the best defense. It doesn't mean we need to obsess about how good the enemy may be but instead be confident that our strengths can overpower theirs at every step and that we can protect ourselves from even their strongest attacks.
In the end, it's about having Grace for ourselves when we really screw things up. God showers us in His grace so why can't we have some for ourselves? If we ever find that we are constantly beating ourselves up about any one thing we need to realize that those thoughts come straight from the Devil himself. He delights in our guilt, so rise up. Find redemption and get on with life. That's just my shot at the darkness for now.
What this means is that the Devil is constantly doing things based on long term goals rather than short term achievements. For example, he may achieve success in tempting you to have sex in your teens but his goal is to keep you beating yourself up about it to the point that you can no longer have another fruitful relationship or feel justified in lecturing others about the importance of waiting to have sex until marriage. We are so good about emphasizing God's grace for our imperfections but WE are terrible about having any sort of grace for ourselves. I'm a perfectionist and I know this struggle first hand. Guilt is Satan's most effective tool for it creates a personal sense of inadequacy in our lives that prevents us from attaining any sort of positive forward motion.
Now, there may be confusion when it comes to what exactly we feel after we sin because their is an appropriate sense of conviction we should feel from the Holy Spirit. Sproul said that he has never felt accused of anything by the Holy Spirit but that it brings a sense of correction in almost a sweet, caring manner. We should feel uplifted by the Holy Spirit's conviction of our sins as there is always love and forgiveness when we turn to Christ. Satan is the only one that brings a sense of guilt and sorrow. I felt that these distinctions are vital to having a healthy, christian lifestyle.
I know as modern Christians today we almost have tunnel vision when it comes to what God does for us and how He works in our lives. However, it seems like we forget to focus on how the enemy works as well and we lose out on gaining valuable insight into what he may be doing in our lives as well. C.S. wrote a whole book called The Screwtape Letters all from the perspective of the enemy in order to enlighten us as to what we need to prepare ourselves against. To me, it's just like sports. No team ever just focuses on their offense, no matter how great it is. Every team needs to know what they're up against. It's necessary to know their moves in order to have the best defense. It doesn't mean we need to obsess about how good the enemy may be but instead be confident that our strengths can overpower theirs at every step and that we can protect ourselves from even their strongest attacks.
In the end, it's about having Grace for ourselves when we really screw things up. God showers us in His grace so why can't we have some for ourselves? If we ever find that we are constantly beating ourselves up about any one thing we need to realize that those thoughts come straight from the Devil himself. He delights in our guilt, so rise up. Find redemption and get on with life. That's just my shot at the darkness for now.
And you call that suffering (Perspective Part II)
I just read this in Hebrews 10:32-36
32 Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ.[j] Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. 33 Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. 34 You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with JOY. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever.
35 So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! 36 Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.
Find joy even after loosing all of our possessions and being wrongfully imprisoned? I'm sure that kind of perspective comes with time but when the first mile seems difficult it's hard to imagine finishing the marathon. It all comes back to being confident that God will reward us for the trials we face today. We have to remember that at all costs or else failure becomes an option. That's just my perspective's continued shot in the dark for now.
32 Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ.[j] Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. 33 Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. 34 You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with JOY. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever.
35 So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! 36 Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.
Find joy even after loosing all of our possessions and being wrongfully imprisoned? I'm sure that kind of perspective comes with time but when the first mile seems difficult it's hard to imagine finishing the marathon. It all comes back to being confident that God will reward us for the trials we face today. We have to remember that at all costs or else failure becomes an option. That's just my perspective's continued shot in the dark for now.
Sexcess! (warning: some material not suitable for children)
We are one horny bunch of people. We always have been. We have the profound ability to take something beautiful and sacred and water it down into something "casual". I have a lot of hope for the human race in areas such as improving energy systems, promoting fair trade, and creating a society devoid of racism. But when it comes to keeping Mr. Man out of Ms. Daisy's garden until the time is right (aka marriage), we seem hopeless. All joking aside, it's scary how sex is viewed as something as basic and necessary to daily life as eating, drinking or sleeping.
I know as a teenager in high school that sex is viewed as a right of passage. You are almost viewed as a foreigner (especially as a guy) if you make it into your twenties without having crossed the threshold. Even awkward, nerdy geeks can find other awkward, nerdy female geeks to hook up with freshman year in college, so what's the hold up? Those of us who try to wait are viewed as people who must have something truly insidiously disgusting about us deep down that has deterred the likes of every other female that has crossed our path.
Yesterday I was an audience member at the new Dr. Drew show called "Life Changers" and I was reminded of how warped society's view of sexual relations is. Dr. Drew was accompanied by a guy named Steve who hosts VH1's show called 'Tough Love". He's basically a loud, abrupt outcast of the Jersey Shore who bashes on some of the most sexually confused individuals alive in America today. Their advice to audience members and guests on the show was mind-blowing. I wanted so badly to know what percentage of importance they believe sex is to a relationship. I would guess, based on their comments, that 85% of what makes a relationship work is pure sexual activity. If the sex isn't good right away, or you don't have tons of it, or he/she wants to wait, than run because the relationship is bound to fail. Their statements confirmed my thoughts that our pop-culture world has watered-down the depths of the human existence to whether or not we can reach a point of physical ecstasy with one another. It has somehow become common belief that during this act of extremely personal interaction that there will be a complete absence of mental or spiritual connection.
I love the analogy that our sex lives are like a piece of tape. The first time you ever use that piece of tape it sticks great. However, each time you remove that piece of tape there is a residue left behind which makes it less and less sticky. Eventually, like the tape, we become more and more disconnected from the people to whom we choose to give ourselves to the point that sex does become casual. By doing this we loose touch with one of the most beautiful gifts in this life. 1 Corinthians 6:18 says that sexual sin is the ONLY sin we commit against our own body. There is a unique harm we do to ourselves when we sin sexually that has untold consequences to our bodies, minds, and hearts. Now, secular society doesn't know this and doesn't care, but Christian's do and have done several things wrong in response to the extreme sexual pressure we all deal with.
First, liberal Christians go to the heart. I believe all truly devoted Christians (I know that's a tough judgment to make but o well) know deep down that waiting to have sex until marriage is our utmost goal for physical interaction. However, we fail to wait and often times we fail young. So what do we do? We spend the years and years trying to find theologians to rationalize our actions by saying that we put sex on a pedestal, or that marriage occurs in the heart upon consumation, yada yada yada. We know we screwed up (no pun intended) and instead of seeking repentance we seek justification through circular argumentation and theological jargon that just confuses the generations to come.
The other thing Christians do is even more dangerous than this and that's rush. We rush to get married because we just can't wait another minute and "this person I'm with is good enough for now!" We get tired of seeing romance after romance in TV and movies, or listening to love songs alone in our rooms so that once we find a "good christian boy or girl" that waited just like we did it's enough to convince us that they are the one we have been searching for. It's painful to constantly hear our other married friends, or secular couples talk about how great sex is or how often they have it whenever they want that we just can't stand one more cold shower! Such a rough life it is. However, it doesn't take long before the sex can't hide the poor decision to spend your life with someone you don't really love and are now tired of seeing naked. Turns out society made sex up to be a whole lot more than it is, just as much as they downplayed the need to take it seriously.
18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.
That's the verse I mentioned earlier from 1 Corinthians. Notice that it tells us to flee, as in urgently run away from, sexual immorality. Define sexual immorality for yourself but know that the answer is not what Hollywood or even our friends may tell us. We are equipped with an amazing conscience deep within us that we can choose to listen to at any time. If that seems to murky than Scripture is crystal clear.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 says "For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths." I want to combat those myths, no matter how futile that fight may be. I know that a great deal of sex does not equal great success. I know that there is such a thing as an excess amount of sex. There is a time and place for everything and I wholeheartedly believe that great sex only happens in a committed, loving relationship where both parties have chosen to wait for each other for at least some time. I know it's cliche but I do believe that anything worth having is worth waiting for and God certainly makes us wait for the best things in life, sex being one of the greatest!
Deep breath, exhale. sigh. That's all I've got for now on this heavy topic. It's all just my passionate heart's shot in the dark anyhow.
I know as a teenager in high school that sex is viewed as a right of passage. You are almost viewed as a foreigner (especially as a guy) if you make it into your twenties without having crossed the threshold. Even awkward, nerdy geeks can find other awkward, nerdy female geeks to hook up with freshman year in college, so what's the hold up? Those of us who try to wait are viewed as people who must have something truly insidiously disgusting about us deep down that has deterred the likes of every other female that has crossed our path.
Yesterday I was an audience member at the new Dr. Drew show called "Life Changers" and I was reminded of how warped society's view of sexual relations is. Dr. Drew was accompanied by a guy named Steve who hosts VH1's show called 'Tough Love". He's basically a loud, abrupt outcast of the Jersey Shore who bashes on some of the most sexually confused individuals alive in America today. Their advice to audience members and guests on the show was mind-blowing. I wanted so badly to know what percentage of importance they believe sex is to a relationship. I would guess, based on their comments, that 85% of what makes a relationship work is pure sexual activity. If the sex isn't good right away, or you don't have tons of it, or he/she wants to wait, than run because the relationship is bound to fail. Their statements confirmed my thoughts that our pop-culture world has watered-down the depths of the human existence to whether or not we can reach a point of physical ecstasy with one another. It has somehow become common belief that during this act of extremely personal interaction that there will be a complete absence of mental or spiritual connection.
I love the analogy that our sex lives are like a piece of tape. The first time you ever use that piece of tape it sticks great. However, each time you remove that piece of tape there is a residue left behind which makes it less and less sticky. Eventually, like the tape, we become more and more disconnected from the people to whom we choose to give ourselves to the point that sex does become casual. By doing this we loose touch with one of the most beautiful gifts in this life. 1 Corinthians 6:18 says that sexual sin is the ONLY sin we commit against our own body. There is a unique harm we do to ourselves when we sin sexually that has untold consequences to our bodies, minds, and hearts. Now, secular society doesn't know this and doesn't care, but Christian's do and have done several things wrong in response to the extreme sexual pressure we all deal with.
First, liberal Christians go to the heart. I believe all truly devoted Christians (I know that's a tough judgment to make but o well) know deep down that waiting to have sex until marriage is our utmost goal for physical interaction. However, we fail to wait and often times we fail young. So what do we do? We spend the years and years trying to find theologians to rationalize our actions by saying that we put sex on a pedestal, or that marriage occurs in the heart upon consumation, yada yada yada. We know we screwed up (no pun intended) and instead of seeking repentance we seek justification through circular argumentation and theological jargon that just confuses the generations to come.
The other thing Christians do is even more dangerous than this and that's rush. We rush to get married because we just can't wait another minute and "this person I'm with is good enough for now!" We get tired of seeing romance after romance in TV and movies, or listening to love songs alone in our rooms so that once we find a "good christian boy or girl" that waited just like we did it's enough to convince us that they are the one we have been searching for. It's painful to constantly hear our other married friends, or secular couples talk about how great sex is or how often they have it whenever they want that we just can't stand one more cold shower! Such a rough life it is. However, it doesn't take long before the sex can't hide the poor decision to spend your life with someone you don't really love and are now tired of seeing naked. Turns out society made sex up to be a whole lot more than it is, just as much as they downplayed the need to take it seriously.
18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.
That's the verse I mentioned earlier from 1 Corinthians. Notice that it tells us to flee, as in urgently run away from, sexual immorality. Define sexual immorality for yourself but know that the answer is not what Hollywood or even our friends may tell us. We are equipped with an amazing conscience deep within us that we can choose to listen to at any time. If that seems to murky than Scripture is crystal clear.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 says "For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths." I want to combat those myths, no matter how futile that fight may be. I know that a great deal of sex does not equal great success. I know that there is such a thing as an excess amount of sex. There is a time and place for everything and I wholeheartedly believe that great sex only happens in a committed, loving relationship where both parties have chosen to wait for each other for at least some time. I know it's cliche but I do believe that anything worth having is worth waiting for and God certainly makes us wait for the best things in life, sex being one of the greatest!
Deep breath, exhale. sigh. That's all I've got for now on this heavy topic. It's all just my passionate heart's shot in the dark anyhow.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Humbled Colt
I lack humility. That is a basic statement for me that speaks volumes about what's wrong with me, and what's right with me (see there's the pride coming out). I know that I am far from perfect even though I am indeed a perfectionist. I guess that counts as being hypocritical? Who knows? I want so badly to be a vessel for Christ, to be completely open with everyone about everything I am but it scares me to death to even dream of doing so. Something about having a nice glossy veneer has always been appealing to me as people have usually looked at me as the clean-cut, white kid from the burbs who never experienced anything harmful or ever stepped out of line. However, at the same time I have always wanted to prove that I am troubled, dark and mysterious to those people as if that would raise my initial estimate in their books. When I work around celebrities my mind wanders as to how I would handle their lives. I like to think that I would do all the right things, speak out for Christ, spend my money conservatively and give lavishly to charities. I feel like I've seen all the famous people in the world do all the wrong things and that I could somehow be the exception. I could be the colt that Jesus rides into this world to proclaim His Gospel!!!
In Scripture it was prophesied that Jesus would ride the foal of a donkey, or a colt, into Jerusalem and He did in fact do so just before the end of His ministry (Mark 11: 7 for example). I always jokingly likened myself to this "colt" that Jesus road triumphantly into town to fulfill His destiny. Once, a teacher was talking about this story in class and when he got to the part where it read "Then they brought the colt to Jesus" I whispered over to a fellow classmate and pointed up at myself as if me and that colt had something in common. Just then the professor stopped to clarify that this colt could have also been labeled "an ass", being that it comes from the donkey family. What my professor did there, in so many words, was turn me from a noble vessel of Jesus' ministry to a stupid ass that someone tied to a gate and left to be stolen by a bunch of wandering apostles. I think it was the most appropriate lesson on humility I have ever been taught.
Life seems to do that to me though. Just when I am up, God lets the legs fall out from under my stool. Eventually, it seems like the goal is to just to get us to stop climbing up on the stool and be happy with Him being the only one seated above everyone else. I think He would even like it more if we started trying to get other people up on the stool so they can be nearer to Him. The only time we get to stay seated at the top is when we are giving all the glory to God and praising Him for what he does not only in our lives but the lives of our brothers and sisters. I've noticed that it is easy to say "Praise God" but even harder to say "Good for him/her" and really mean it. I want to be able to do those things with a clean heart and a clear conscious. To be truly proud of other people's accomplishments and give God every ounce of glory for the things I accomplish in this life through the gifts and talents He has given me.
It is very possible that my success in this life will be very simple and ordinary, maybe they will be greater if He chooses, or possibly I wont live to see tomorrow. In the end, I just want to be proud that God loved me enough to send His Son to die for me and that I did my best to live out His will for my life so I can hear "Well done my good and faithful servant." Right now, I have big dreams. But maybe someday soon those dreams will align with the dreams of my Father. I hope and pray that He gives me the humility to sacrifice all that I would want to do in this life and take up what it is He wants me to do with this gift we call life.
For now, this is just my humbling shot in the dark.
In Scripture it was prophesied that Jesus would ride the foal of a donkey, or a colt, into Jerusalem and He did in fact do so just before the end of His ministry (Mark 11: 7 for example). I always jokingly likened myself to this "colt" that Jesus road triumphantly into town to fulfill His destiny. Once, a teacher was talking about this story in class and when he got to the part where it read "Then they brought the colt to Jesus" I whispered over to a fellow classmate and pointed up at myself as if me and that colt had something in common. Just then the professor stopped to clarify that this colt could have also been labeled "an ass", being that it comes from the donkey family. What my professor did there, in so many words, was turn me from a noble vessel of Jesus' ministry to a stupid ass that someone tied to a gate and left to be stolen by a bunch of wandering apostles. I think it was the most appropriate lesson on humility I have ever been taught.
Life seems to do that to me though. Just when I am up, God lets the legs fall out from under my stool. Eventually, it seems like the goal is to just to get us to stop climbing up on the stool and be happy with Him being the only one seated above everyone else. I think He would even like it more if we started trying to get other people up on the stool so they can be nearer to Him. The only time we get to stay seated at the top is when we are giving all the glory to God and praising Him for what he does not only in our lives but the lives of our brothers and sisters. I've noticed that it is easy to say "Praise God" but even harder to say "Good for him/her" and really mean it. I want to be able to do those things with a clean heart and a clear conscious. To be truly proud of other people's accomplishments and give God every ounce of glory for the things I accomplish in this life through the gifts and talents He has given me.
It is very possible that my success in this life will be very simple and ordinary, maybe they will be greater if He chooses, or possibly I wont live to see tomorrow. In the end, I just want to be proud that God loved me enough to send His Son to die for me and that I did my best to live out His will for my life so I can hear "Well done my good and faithful servant." Right now, I have big dreams. But maybe someday soon those dreams will align with the dreams of my Father. I hope and pray that He gives me the humility to sacrifice all that I would want to do in this life and take up what it is He wants me to do with this gift we call life.
For now, this is just my humbling shot in the dark.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Perspective
If there's one thing children (especially infants) are good for it's giving you a renewed perspective on life. They reflect every natural, basic human characteristic we posses. Fear, joy, sadness, guilt, ecstasy, humor, and love are reflected in the maturing eyes and faces of children everywhere. No one has told them how they are supposed to feel in any given situation, they just know to feel it. There's a profound beauty in their innocence that brings me back to the incredible ways God has shaped us...
In the same way it brings me joy to watch Josh grow and become more aware of his surroundings it also brings me a great sense of anxiety. I've been working in Hollywood the past few weeks and to talk with kids who have just turned 18 or spent a few years in college is alarming because they show how ruined we can become so fast. In the past few days I have talked with teenagers who do ecstasy and acid like its no big thing. God says in James 1:2-3 that the trails in life are what grow us the most and give us the greatest sense of endurance with which to take on even more strife the next time. An even more popular Christian platitude for human suffering is 1 Corinthians 10:13 that says "The temptation in your life are no more different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted He will show you a way out so that you can endure."
The only reasoning I can find as to why our generation seems so incredibly broken at such a young age is something that Andy Stanley said in one of his sermons on love and that is "This generation has an incredibly low pain-tolerance." That has to be true because it seems that any bit of family fracture, relationship failure, health issue or inability to achieve a personal goal/dream leads to a great deal sorrow which leads to self-medication via sex, drugs, alcohol or violence and never to Christ as it should. Deep down we may be able to achieve a divine level of perseverance but our current society is severely lacking in spiritual fortitude.
In all honesty, I am so afraid for Josh and his future in this world that seems to be spiraling downward at an alarming rate. I am even intimidated by the thought that the trails God is about to lead me into are far worse than the ones I've already experience. I know that it means spiritual growth and enlightenment will occur simultaneously, but it's hardly an encouraging thought as one stands before the fires of this life to know, that after passing through the flaming gauntlet, that the burns will heal to make the skin even stronger and thicker than it once was. But that's if, and only if, we aren't first overwhelmed by the flames themselves.
Hopefully, we can raise up this next generation with a higher pain tolerance than we were left with by our parents. If we fail to do so, there is no telling what the rates of divorce, suicide, abortion, teen pregnancy, and drug abuse will be like in the near future. It has to start now though. It has to start with us. Every time we have the chance to run from a difficult experience or mentally/physically/spiritually exhausting situation we have to choose to stick it out and trust that "God will give us strength along the way"-Jeff Vines (as cheesy as that is to quote, I just had to). That's easier said than done, especially when you're in the thick of it, but it's essential to internalize as our every instinct will tell us that things aren't working out easily enough because we aren't doing the right things. Often times things are the most difficult when they are exactly what we are to be doing. Places seem the most bleak when they are right where we are supposed to be. People appear the most hopeless when they are exactly who we are supposed to be with.
I know everybody's situation is different, I know God's word is tireless, I know we are everything but perfect and we will fail. But I also know that we never give ourselves enough credit for the things we can accomplish with God's help.
All in all, that's just my suffering shot in the dark.
In the same way it brings me joy to watch Josh grow and become more aware of his surroundings it also brings me a great sense of anxiety. I've been working in Hollywood the past few weeks and to talk with kids who have just turned 18 or spent a few years in college is alarming because they show how ruined we can become so fast. In the past few days I have talked with teenagers who do ecstasy and acid like its no big thing. God says in James 1:2-3 that the trails in life are what grow us the most and give us the greatest sense of endurance with which to take on even more strife the next time. An even more popular Christian platitude for human suffering is 1 Corinthians 10:13 that says "The temptation in your life are no more different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted He will show you a way out so that you can endure."
The only reasoning I can find as to why our generation seems so incredibly broken at such a young age is something that Andy Stanley said in one of his sermons on love and that is "This generation has an incredibly low pain-tolerance." That has to be true because it seems that any bit of family fracture, relationship failure, health issue or inability to achieve a personal goal/dream leads to a great deal sorrow which leads to self-medication via sex, drugs, alcohol or violence and never to Christ as it should. Deep down we may be able to achieve a divine level of perseverance but our current society is severely lacking in spiritual fortitude.
In all honesty, I am so afraid for Josh and his future in this world that seems to be spiraling downward at an alarming rate. I am even intimidated by the thought that the trails God is about to lead me into are far worse than the ones I've already experience. I know that it means spiritual growth and enlightenment will occur simultaneously, but it's hardly an encouraging thought as one stands before the fires of this life to know, that after passing through the flaming gauntlet, that the burns will heal to make the skin even stronger and thicker than it once was. But that's if, and only if, we aren't first overwhelmed by the flames themselves.
Hopefully, we can raise up this next generation with a higher pain tolerance than we were left with by our parents. If we fail to do so, there is no telling what the rates of divorce, suicide, abortion, teen pregnancy, and drug abuse will be like in the near future. It has to start now though. It has to start with us. Every time we have the chance to run from a difficult experience or mentally/physically/spiritually exhausting situation we have to choose to stick it out and trust that "God will give us strength along the way"-Jeff Vines (as cheesy as that is to quote, I just had to). That's easier said than done, especially when you're in the thick of it, but it's essential to internalize as our every instinct will tell us that things aren't working out easily enough because we aren't doing the right things. Often times things are the most difficult when they are exactly what we are to be doing. Places seem the most bleak when they are right where we are supposed to be. People appear the most hopeless when they are exactly who we are supposed to be with.
I know everybody's situation is different, I know God's word is tireless, I know we are everything but perfect and we will fail. But I also know that we never give ourselves enough credit for the things we can accomplish with God's help.
All in all, that's just my suffering shot in the dark.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Baby Christians
I was studying through Hebrews 5 and 6 today and it was shocking to see the similarity between the Hebrew Church Paul was writing to and all the churches I have ever been to. I am always fascinated by such shocking similarities that existed thousands of years ago because it shows that all humans that have ever existed are undoubtedly the same. We don't change. We are no better or worse than the people that existed during the time of Jesus and Paul or even all those who lived throughout the Old Testament.
With that said, it seems that up until the end of chapter 5 that Paul is just instructing the Hebrew people as he instructs all the other people he writes letters to in the NT. But all of a sudden, in verse 11, Paul begins to rip into his listeners. Paul writes "There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is diffcult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don't seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead , you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God's word. You are like babies who need mil abd cannot eat solid food...Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong."
For some reason that just caught my attention in a profound way. He goes on to say "So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don't need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds, placing our faith in God, baptisms, resurrection of the dead, eternal judgment."
I paraphrased a bit there but it seems like that's all we ever talk about in any church I have ever been to. Granted, my pastor now goes a bit deeper than most and the pastors I choose to listen to such as Mark Driscoll, Francis Chan, and Andy Stanley are not too basic (definitely not Driscoll). But how can a church with thousands of people ever not be BASIC? Isn't that part of being SEEKER SENSITIVE? I truly hate that word because Jesus was anything but seeker sensitive. This is part of why I think I could never be a pastor because you have to repeat yourself over and over again because you constantly have new followers and are constantly trying to bring in new believers. The cost of this course of action is that you never build up the followers that have been there the whole time, those who can really do some damage for the Kingdom of God.
I think this is why Chapel at APU was always less and less popular with the most senior students. The freshman loved it (including myself 4 years ago) then the sophomores liked it because it solidified what they had heard last year, the juniors got disconnected after the third go around, and by senior year we were all so jaded from years of controversial bible courses questioning the most fundamental Christian beliefs that we began to resent the repetitive themes in messages and it took a truly profound, brilliant speaker to move us just an inch spiritually. Same goes for those that belong to any American Church.
So how do we take it deeper, those of us who are tired of the same old, same old Bible stories and predictable, spiritual platitudes from Pastors? If this is something churches have struggled with since the beginning of time than the answer must not be an easy one. It is vital, nonetheless, that we begin to find a way to get the masses of believers out of this infant stage of life. We NEED discipleship in our churches and other religious communities just as we need parents who raise their children up right in society. Maybe we just need to start telling it like it is, just like Paul....what a BA. Any way, that's just my critical shot in the dark.
With that said, it seems that up until the end of chapter 5 that Paul is just instructing the Hebrew people as he instructs all the other people he writes letters to in the NT. But all of a sudden, in verse 11, Paul begins to rip into his listeners. Paul writes "There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is diffcult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don't seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead , you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God's word. You are like babies who need mil abd cannot eat solid food...Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong."
For some reason that just caught my attention in a profound way. He goes on to say "So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don't need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds, placing our faith in God, baptisms, resurrection of the dead, eternal judgment."
I paraphrased a bit there but it seems like that's all we ever talk about in any church I have ever been to. Granted, my pastor now goes a bit deeper than most and the pastors I choose to listen to such as Mark Driscoll, Francis Chan, and Andy Stanley are not too basic (definitely not Driscoll). But how can a church with thousands of people ever not be BASIC? Isn't that part of being SEEKER SENSITIVE? I truly hate that word because Jesus was anything but seeker sensitive. This is part of why I think I could never be a pastor because you have to repeat yourself over and over again because you constantly have new followers and are constantly trying to bring in new believers. The cost of this course of action is that you never build up the followers that have been there the whole time, those who can really do some damage for the Kingdom of God.
I think this is why Chapel at APU was always less and less popular with the most senior students. The freshman loved it (including myself 4 years ago) then the sophomores liked it because it solidified what they had heard last year, the juniors got disconnected after the third go around, and by senior year we were all so jaded from years of controversial bible courses questioning the most fundamental Christian beliefs that we began to resent the repetitive themes in messages and it took a truly profound, brilliant speaker to move us just an inch spiritually. Same goes for those that belong to any American Church.
So how do we take it deeper, those of us who are tired of the same old, same old Bible stories and predictable, spiritual platitudes from Pastors? If this is something churches have struggled with since the beginning of time than the answer must not be an easy one. It is vital, nonetheless, that we begin to find a way to get the masses of believers out of this infant stage of life. We NEED discipleship in our churches and other religious communities just as we need parents who raise their children up right in society. Maybe we just need to start telling it like it is, just like Paul....what a BA. Any way, that's just my critical shot in the dark.
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