Let's not call this a devotional. This truly is a writing of thoughts and meditations that have been building in my head. The focus is a developing one, but I believe that a clear vision is on its way. If you want to label this post, label it a call to arms.
Look around you. Our world is on the verge of power shift and colossal change. Developing nations run by tyrannical egoists are waving their nuclear manhood for everyone to see and fear. Meanwhile, the last of the superpowers is seeing a "fundamental transformation" that the citizens aren't in favor of. Even more personal, the family as it was created is dissolving and has melted into a liquid form, taking the shape of any who would have it, rather than shaping that person.
Some are looking for some great person to stop this change. These people look to presidents, prophets, authors, gurus, and talking heads to lead them to solid ground. Still others hope a regime or government will supply all they need. Another group turns to religion and organization to right the wrongs in their lives, personal or collective. None of these things will change the world effectively. The will only lead us to what they want, touting their own agendas and hoping we won't notice.
If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, I pose a call to you. You probably attend a church. You might even serve in a major role there. Don't give that up. Instead, I ask you to not let that church be your guiding light. Trust and love and support your pastors and leaders, but remember that they are only men. Encourage your church to do the same, and remember that we are all a "priesthood of believers." Though our gifts vary, we are part of the same function, the same body, the body of Christ. This is literal. Jesus has chosen us, that is you and me, to be his method of expression in this world. Sure we screw up, but that is where His power is made perfect and his grace and mercy heal. My call is for us to truly let Jesus be the head of the church. That means he is the head of your life. He is the head of your household, your family, your workplace.
I don't know what that looks like; I don't believe we have seen such a thing in our lifetime. What I know, though, from Scriptural accounts and church history is that it is the only way that TRUE fundamental transformation will occur. Sadly, we may not see positive effects in our government, in our global community even, but we will see our small communities and our churches changed.
There is a fire that is burning in me. It is a zealous passion to see Christ as our King, yet I cannot even get myself there. I think that it is up to the CHURCH, not churches, to make Christ known by the way we live, not by our programs or our rallies or our books. We must love and love without fear. I will steal a quote from Glenn Beck here: question with boldness, hold to the truth and speak without fear. Jesus did this. The status quo, those who would manipulate and use others, liars and cheaters: these people were questioned by Jesus. When they turned back against him, he held to the Truth, and he was never afraid to tell the Truth.
This is why they were so amazed, saying he spoke with authority. Whatever fear he could have had was driven out by the perfect love he received from his Father and the perfect love he gave to his creation. WE HAVE THAT LOVE!!! He has given it to us! We have it twofold, because our Father has given it to us as well!! Whom shall we fear!!! Not even death can keep us from His loving embrace. His power shall be seen, his glory revealed!!! Will the rocks be the ones who get to shout his name because we cannot live and breathe his mission?!?
Rise up and let your life be seen. Focus on the Truth which is Jesus. He told us so. Love without fear and let go of earthly things. This will change the world. I challenge and I call you to this. Join me. Let us hold on another accountable and walk arm in arm, swords raised and brandishing the love of Christ.
I will write more on this as it formulates. Please share your ideas on how we can do this together without creating another man made organization, but letting Christ guide our thoughts and actions.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Friday, October 09, 2009
No Nobel, but I don't care.
The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26
I must admit now that my heart is heavy. When something needs to be said, I begin to feel this way. I am praying about what it is that needs to be said. There is no way to explain it, but I like the feeling and miss it when it is gone. As I wait for the word to come, I think about something a friend said to me a while back.
We were talking about the passing on of a word we had received from God, a message He had for His people. Those words are not easy ones to carry, as they often bring truth about sin and a need for change. The Spirit behind these words is real and powerful and empowering, but the messenger is often weak and finds the burden more than enough. When the message is delivered, the tone can sometimes be impatient, tired, judgemental, and even hateful. None of these characterize the gospel.
The gospel message is characterized by love. It isn't a safe love. When you look at Jesus life as he introduced the Way to the Jews, he began by filling needs. He healed, fed, comforted, and taught. As time went on, the receiving of gifts merged with the receiving of edification. Those who crossed paths with Jesus found their lives unraveled before their eyes. It had seemed so nice for a while, but Jesus didn't only come to meet physical needs. The higher goal was Spiritual salvation. This required the sluffing off of the physical body, its death. Today, this is still the way of working out salvation. Jesus exhibited for them and for us, saving us in the very process of teaching us. Still, we don't seem to get it. We struggle and aim for the easy life of church and work and family, while Jesus wants us to follow him with our families, with our churches, into the dangerous love adventure that is His life.
The thing that Jesus did, though, after the hard teaching, was show mercy and grace and hope. That is what his death signified. It is what our deaths to selves can signify for a world seeking truth. It is what I want to do as I deliver these tidbits of truth and opinion, thought and feeling. I know that God has given me messages in the past. I know that I have delivered them in ways that are lacking. Mercifully, He still uses them. What I want to do is leave you with the verse above. Know that when we are called to change for Christ, it is all about him - from him, through him and to him. Know that He answers prayers, and my prayer is this one: The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
I must admit now that my heart is heavy. When something needs to be said, I begin to feel this way. I am praying about what it is that needs to be said. There is no way to explain it, but I like the feeling and miss it when it is gone. As I wait for the word to come, I think about something a friend said to me a while back.
We were talking about the passing on of a word we had received from God, a message He had for His people. Those words are not easy ones to carry, as they often bring truth about sin and a need for change. The Spirit behind these words is real and powerful and empowering, but the messenger is often weak and finds the burden more than enough. When the message is delivered, the tone can sometimes be impatient, tired, judgemental, and even hateful. None of these characterize the gospel.
The gospel message is characterized by love. It isn't a safe love. When you look at Jesus life as he introduced the Way to the Jews, he began by filling needs. He healed, fed, comforted, and taught. As time went on, the receiving of gifts merged with the receiving of edification. Those who crossed paths with Jesus found their lives unraveled before their eyes. It had seemed so nice for a while, but Jesus didn't only come to meet physical needs. The higher goal was Spiritual salvation. This required the sluffing off of the physical body, its death. Today, this is still the way of working out salvation. Jesus exhibited for them and for us, saving us in the very process of teaching us. Still, we don't seem to get it. We struggle and aim for the easy life of church and work and family, while Jesus wants us to follow him with our families, with our churches, into the dangerous love adventure that is His life.
The thing that Jesus did, though, after the hard teaching, was show mercy and grace and hope. That is what his death signified. It is what our deaths to selves can signify for a world seeking truth. It is what I want to do as I deliver these tidbits of truth and opinion, thought and feeling. I know that God has given me messages in the past. I know that I have delivered them in ways that are lacking. Mercifully, He still uses them. What I want to do is leave you with the verse above. Know that when we are called to change for Christ, it is all about him - from him, through him and to him. Know that He answers prayers, and my prayer is this one: The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
The Hardest Thing
After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, "Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it." So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said:
"Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen. -- Acts 13:15-16
It has been said that children can be the meanest of all creations. The lack of couth and the absence of knowledge of social norms allows for many words to exit their mouths which, as adults, we would keep locked up to save others' feelings. In the classroom of a middle school, I witness this phenomenon every day. There is no end to the hurling of insults and put downs and mud slinging. When called on it, the excuse given is, "I am only joking."
The reasons for such behavior could come from many places. Possibly, the home is broken, and one parent is struggling to support the fragile psyches of multiple needy children. Another child might suffer the verbal and/or physical abuse of one or more of his elders. Still other kids may be dealing with parents who completely refuse to give attention to them at all. Some may only be responding to the pressure they feel to fit in. The list goes on and on. Sadly, it becomes increasingly harder to provide encouragement because we are surrounded by the negative words.
Turn on the television and you see the same thing. A television show whose title advertises that it has a male figure who is family focused actually portrays every spiritual and cultural poison in a comedic light, giving us all the freedom to laugh at things that are truly inappropriate to even be public knowledge, much less be made fun of. The vocabulary of most screen writers must be horrible, for they resort to the selling of sex and vulgar language to maintain viewers. Even more sad is the fact that we continually consume and conform without complaint.
I could go on complaining. It would be easy, and I even have that first amendment right to do so. Complaining accomplishes nothing though. It merely makes my voice another in a sea of voices that all tout their own fears and desires, demanding to be heard and acknowledged. No one hears this. The voice that we are all straining to hear, isn't there.
What people are demanding is someone to take their side, someone to encourage them and show them hope. As Christians, we have hope, and we have a command to encourage others. The Bible has much to say on the topic of our tongues. They are the heaviest weight to carry, and nary a man can tame the tongue. Our words can give life or drive people down. It is time we changed our voices.
I suggest we follow the type that Paul set up for us in the passage above. When the scripture had been read and the call was given for one of the apostles to give a word of encouragement, Paul stood and said, "Men of God, listen..." He then set forth the history of the Jewish people. He pointed out their beginning, their rough and tumble past with their God, and finishes with a hope and a warning. The thing he showed them was that God "
"Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen. -- Acts 13:15-16
It has been said that children can be the meanest of all creations. The lack of couth and the absence of knowledge of social norms allows for many words to exit their mouths which, as adults, we would keep locked up to save others' feelings. In the classroom of a middle school, I witness this phenomenon every day. There is no end to the hurling of insults and put downs and mud slinging. When called on it, the excuse given is, "I am only joking."
The reasons for such behavior could come from many places. Possibly, the home is broken, and one parent is struggling to support the fragile psyches of multiple needy children. Another child might suffer the verbal and/or physical abuse of one or more of his elders. Still other kids may be dealing with parents who completely refuse to give attention to them at all. Some may only be responding to the pressure they feel to fit in. The list goes on and on. Sadly, it becomes increasingly harder to provide encouragement because we are surrounded by the negative words.
Turn on the television and you see the same thing. A television show whose title advertises that it has a male figure who is family focused actually portrays every spiritual and cultural poison in a comedic light, giving us all the freedom to laugh at things that are truly inappropriate to even be public knowledge, much less be made fun of. The vocabulary of most screen writers must be horrible, for they resort to the selling of sex and vulgar language to maintain viewers. Even more sad is the fact that we continually consume and conform without complaint.
I could go on complaining. It would be easy, and I even have that first amendment right to do so. Complaining accomplishes nothing though. It merely makes my voice another in a sea of voices that all tout their own fears and desires, demanding to be heard and acknowledged. No one hears this. The voice that we are all straining to hear, isn't there.
What people are demanding is someone to take their side, someone to encourage them and show them hope. As Christians, we have hope, and we have a command to encourage others. The Bible has much to say on the topic of our tongues. They are the heaviest weight to carry, and nary a man can tame the tongue. Our words can give life or drive people down. It is time we changed our voices.
I suggest we follow the type that Paul set up for us in the passage above. When the scripture had been read and the call was given for one of the apostles to give a word of encouragement, Paul stood and said, "Men of God, listen..." He then set forth the history of the Jewish people. He pointed out their beginning, their rough and tumble past with their God, and finishes with a hope and a warning. The thing he showed them was that God "
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
Government of Some Kind
"...For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved." 2 Peter 2:19b
In the classic novel Great Expectations, the main character Pip chases a dream of riches and romance that his own imagination created from fragments of truth mixed with fantastic ideas, only to find that nothing was as he thought. His beloved did not return the emotion; rather, she was a pawn in someone else's game of revenge. Pip's benefactor was not the seemingly benevolent old woman he first imagined, but an escaped convict who stole bread from him when he was but a wee lad. His expectations became his master, and he ended up in great disappointment instead.
As humans, and more specifically Americans, we have our own set of expectations. I write only from the perspective that I know and witness on a daily basis. I am not sure when it started, and I do not wish to argue that point, but any semblance of reality seems to have left us. Our own leader seems to truly believe that his charisma will save our nation. Meanwhile, many of us sit with our mouths open to him, crying our for he and his government to pour our nourishment into our mouths for us like baby birds. This progressive politic is only another symptom of a greater need, though. Personality will not save us. The government cannot protect us and feed us.
Another illustration comes from my own experience with young people in churches and in schools. Though there are exceptions, the majority of our students and children have more rights than the teachers and parents who are to raise them, and as a result, show absolutely no respect. In addition, though every educational course I have taken gives teachers the tools and initiative to help students create their own learning, the students are sitting, much like the baby birds, expecting grades and passing without working to earn the grades. Sadly, they are given what they expect.
When schools give merit where merit is not earned, they weaken the students and cheat them from their education of both academics and character. The same thing happens when the government distributes wealth and goods. The people grow weary and tired and weak. They are not free from the government. The students become slaves to their ego while the schools are enslaved to the "accountability" of the state and the perceived needs of the students.
I say all of this to make the following point: rights do not equal liberty. I once heard it put like this: "Liberty is freedom exercised with responsibility." It is the responsibility that we have lost. Responsibility is hard. Responsibility is necessary, though, because it requires action. In order to enjoy our rights, we only have to do what we want. In order to keep our freedom, though we must act. This idea is not new. As a matter of fact, it is as old as the earth itself. Our own Creator made it thus when He established His creation.
In James chapter 1, the Lord tells us through His disciple that we are to be doers of the Word, not only hearers. Though this is written after the death and resurrection of Christ, the idea is present in Genesis. When God told Adam and Eve not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, he prefaced it with, "You may eat of any tree in the garden." Freedom was given, but with a little responsibility. That responsibility meant they must actively avoid that particular type of tree. As we all know, they failed.
Today, we are the same. We constantly find ourselves claiming rights and freedom, but exercising none of the effort it takes to keep and enjoy the freedom. Our expectation is for everyone to do for us. We are like the Israelites who preferred Moses to speak to God for them, or to have an earthly king rather than the King of Kings. We settle for second best because we don't have to work for it.
When we do not exercise responsibility for our freedoms, we invite, however unintentionally, someone else to do that part for us. Consider the parable of the man who had the demon exorcised from him but did nothing to fill the vacancy. The old demon returned with all of his friends and did even more damage than before. One application of this is that we want some form of government, and as long as we don't have to do the work, we'll allow anyone or anything else to guide us.
Because of this, laws of all kinds are created. For the Israelites, God handed down a law intended to give liberty, but those priests in power abused the law enslaving their own people. It isn't always rules, though, that creates the enslavement. Like Peter said, it is our desires who make the rules. The result is a person who hears the word, but does not do it. The word encourages, but does not empower.
Scripture says that the Spirit of God is a Spirit not of timidity but of Power. It also teaches that one of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control. James says that we should be doers and not only hearers. He tells us that the "man who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets, but a doer who acts, he will be blessed." In other words, God expects us to get off of our duffs and go.
Christians cannot allow the government to tell us what to do. Neither can we let our celebrities guide us. We cannot put our stock in books or in sermons, though these things are good. God Himself indwells and empowers each of us individually and corporately as the body of Christ to be self-governed, working responsibly to maintain the freedom that was freely given us of His Son. Does this mean we earn our salvation? Absolutely not! It was a graciously given gift. Yet, we are to work out our salvation. This is the step-by-step, daily routine of spiritual trench warfare that we do not endure, but face head on and refuse to fall slave to. It is for freedom that Christ set us free. Let us not sell that freedom for a cushy pew life.
In the end of Great Expectations, Pip discovers that he had chased down a future that did not exist. His desire for wealth and love led him down a roughshod path where he betrayed family and friend. Pip stands with his love at the end of the book and his future from this point is unknown to him and to us. More important, though, is the fact that his future is in his own hands. What are your expectations from life? Are you enslaved to desires, to laws, to ego? If so, cut the chain and accept the freedom and liberty and the power to live it out that is offered by Jesus Christ.
In the classic novel Great Expectations, the main character Pip chases a dream of riches and romance that his own imagination created from fragments of truth mixed with fantastic ideas, only to find that nothing was as he thought. His beloved did not return the emotion; rather, she was a pawn in someone else's game of revenge. Pip's benefactor was not the seemingly benevolent old woman he first imagined, but an escaped convict who stole bread from him when he was but a wee lad. His expectations became his master, and he ended up in great disappointment instead.
As humans, and more specifically Americans, we have our own set of expectations. I write only from the perspective that I know and witness on a daily basis. I am not sure when it started, and I do not wish to argue that point, but any semblance of reality seems to have left us. Our own leader seems to truly believe that his charisma will save our nation. Meanwhile, many of us sit with our mouths open to him, crying our for he and his government to pour our nourishment into our mouths for us like baby birds. This progressive politic is only another symptom of a greater need, though. Personality will not save us. The government cannot protect us and feed us.
Another illustration comes from my own experience with young people in churches and in schools. Though there are exceptions, the majority of our students and children have more rights than the teachers and parents who are to raise them, and as a result, show absolutely no respect. In addition, though every educational course I have taken gives teachers the tools and initiative to help students create their own learning, the students are sitting, much like the baby birds, expecting grades and passing without working to earn the grades. Sadly, they are given what they expect.
When schools give merit where merit is not earned, they weaken the students and cheat them from their education of both academics and character. The same thing happens when the government distributes wealth and goods. The people grow weary and tired and weak. They are not free from the government. The students become slaves to their ego while the schools are enslaved to the "accountability" of the state and the perceived needs of the students.
I say all of this to make the following point: rights do not equal liberty. I once heard it put like this: "Liberty is freedom exercised with responsibility." It is the responsibility that we have lost. Responsibility is hard. Responsibility is necessary, though, because it requires action. In order to enjoy our rights, we only have to do what we want. In order to keep our freedom, though we must act. This idea is not new. As a matter of fact, it is as old as the earth itself. Our own Creator made it thus when He established His creation.
In James chapter 1, the Lord tells us through His disciple that we are to be doers of the Word, not only hearers. Though this is written after the death and resurrection of Christ, the idea is present in Genesis. When God told Adam and Eve not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, he prefaced it with, "You may eat of any tree in the garden." Freedom was given, but with a little responsibility. That responsibility meant they must actively avoid that particular type of tree. As we all know, they failed.
Today, we are the same. We constantly find ourselves claiming rights and freedom, but exercising none of the effort it takes to keep and enjoy the freedom. Our expectation is for everyone to do for us. We are like the Israelites who preferred Moses to speak to God for them, or to have an earthly king rather than the King of Kings. We settle for second best because we don't have to work for it.
When we do not exercise responsibility for our freedoms, we invite, however unintentionally, someone else to do that part for us. Consider the parable of the man who had the demon exorcised from him but did nothing to fill the vacancy. The old demon returned with all of his friends and did even more damage than before. One application of this is that we want some form of government, and as long as we don't have to do the work, we'll allow anyone or anything else to guide us.
Because of this, laws of all kinds are created. For the Israelites, God handed down a law intended to give liberty, but those priests in power abused the law enslaving their own people. It isn't always rules, though, that creates the enslavement. Like Peter said, it is our desires who make the rules. The result is a person who hears the word, but does not do it. The word encourages, but does not empower.
Scripture says that the Spirit of God is a Spirit not of timidity but of Power. It also teaches that one of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control. James says that we should be doers and not only hearers. He tells us that the "man who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets, but a doer who acts, he will be blessed." In other words, God expects us to get off of our duffs and go.
Christians cannot allow the government to tell us what to do. Neither can we let our celebrities guide us. We cannot put our stock in books or in sermons, though these things are good. God Himself indwells and empowers each of us individually and corporately as the body of Christ to be self-governed, working responsibly to maintain the freedom that was freely given us of His Son. Does this mean we earn our salvation? Absolutely not! It was a graciously given gift. Yet, we are to work out our salvation. This is the step-by-step, daily routine of spiritual trench warfare that we do not endure, but face head on and refuse to fall slave to. It is for freedom that Christ set us free. Let us not sell that freedom for a cushy pew life.
In the end of Great Expectations, Pip discovers that he had chased down a future that did not exist. His desire for wealth and love led him down a roughshod path where he betrayed family and friend. Pip stands with his love at the end of the book and his future from this point is unknown to him and to us. More important, though, is the fact that his future is in his own hands. What are your expectations from life? Are you enslaved to desires, to laws, to ego? If so, cut the chain and accept the freedom and liberty and the power to live it out that is offered by Jesus Christ.
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