Obituary -- Death of Common Sense
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn't always fair, and maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not children are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intended but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using a mouthwash after lunch; a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student; and a librarian fired for reporting to the police of a patron viewing child pornography on the libraries computer, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Aspirin, sun lotion or a Band-Aid to a student, but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Commons Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your home and the burglar can sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little on her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, Someone Else is to Blame, and I'm a Victim.
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone, apparently assuming that the persistent deterioration of the American way was just fine.
"Author unknown"
Monday, March 31, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Eliot Spitzer
When news first hit the floor of the New York Stock Exchange that a scandal was brewing involving Eliot Spitzer and a high priced call girl -- a cheer went up. Trading stopped for a second or two and the floor erupting in cheering. Eliot Spitzer who had zealously pursued justice at the cost of many Wall Street firms had fallen. His sin had been exposed. A lot of people were elated.
Why is that?
When someone falls, why do we rejoice? I'm no Spitzer fan - he took his role as Attorney General of New York to an extreme. He viewed himself as a modern day Eliot Ness and went from company to company, industry to industry threatening corporate death unless Boards of Directors gave in, wrote huge checks and fired their CEO's. Spitzer threatened many a man with total humiliation including threatening to arrest a corporate executive in front of his wife and small child unless he gave in to Spitzer's demands.
In hindsight, it is very clear that the power went to his head. He became invincible, untouchable and as we now know, above the law himself. So I am no fan, but why is it that some of us rejoice in his fall? Take him out of this ... why do you rejoice when your enemy falls?
Why aren't we on our knees praying for that enemy or Spitzer and shuddering, "My God, that could so easily be me. If the world saw what lurked in my own dark heart, I'd be taken out too."
We are hypocrites. It is so easy to make Spitzer or Bill Clinton or that guy in your office who fools the bosses year after year and finally gets exposed, out to be the bad guy. We love to say, "what goes around, comes around". But what about that which is due to come around to us? How quick we are to judge others and slow to see our own sin.
I'll admit, I was glad the "SOB" Spitzer got exposed. He was cocky, he was a super ego, he thought the rules didn't apply to him, he thrashed others to build his own stock to help fulfill his ultimate ambitions. I was glad until I put this back on me. On my knees, I proclaim, "My God how easily that could have been me!"
Every time I see Chuck Bradshaw and say "How are you doing?", he always (I mean every single time) says, "Better than I deserve." How true.
Soar!
When news first hit the floor of the New York Stock Exchange that a scandal was brewing involving Eliot Spitzer and a high priced call girl -- a cheer went up. Trading stopped for a second or two and the floor erupting in cheering. Eliot Spitzer who had zealously pursued justice at the cost of many Wall Street firms had fallen. His sin had been exposed. A lot of people were elated.
Why is that?
When someone falls, why do we rejoice? I'm no Spitzer fan - he took his role as Attorney General of New York to an extreme. He viewed himself as a modern day Eliot Ness and went from company to company, industry to industry threatening corporate death unless Boards of Directors gave in, wrote huge checks and fired their CEO's. Spitzer threatened many a man with total humiliation including threatening to arrest a corporate executive in front of his wife and small child unless he gave in to Spitzer's demands.
In hindsight, it is very clear that the power went to his head. He became invincible, untouchable and as we now know, above the law himself. So I am no fan, but why is it that some of us rejoice in his fall? Take him out of this ... why do you rejoice when your enemy falls?
Why aren't we on our knees praying for that enemy or Spitzer and shuddering, "My God, that could so easily be me. If the world saw what lurked in my own dark heart, I'd be taken out too."
We are hypocrites. It is so easy to make Spitzer or Bill Clinton or that guy in your office who fools the bosses year after year and finally gets exposed, out to be the bad guy. We love to say, "what goes around, comes around". But what about that which is due to come around to us? How quick we are to judge others and slow to see our own sin.
I'll admit, I was glad the "SOB" Spitzer got exposed. He was cocky, he was a super ego, he thought the rules didn't apply to him, he thrashed others to build his own stock to help fulfill his ultimate ambitions. I was glad until I put this back on me. On my knees, I proclaim, "My God how easily that could have been me!"
Every time I see Chuck Bradshaw and say "How are you doing?", he always (I mean every single time) says, "Better than I deserve." How true.
Soar!
The Good Life
The good life - the one that truly satisfies exists only when we stop wanting a better one. It is the condition of savoring what is rather than longing for what can be. The itch for things, the lust for more - so brilliantly injected by those who peddle them - is a virus draining our souls of self contentment.
Have you noticed?
A man never earns enough. A woman is never beautiful enough. Clothes are never fashionable enough. Cars are never nice enough. Houses are never furnished enough. Gadgets are never modern enough. Food is never fancy enough. Relationships are never romantic enough. Life is never full enough.
Satisfaction comes when we step off the escalator of desire and say, "This is enough. What I have will do. What I make of it is up to me and my vital union with the Living Lord."
Are you satisfied? What are you reaching for? Can you reasonably hope that this world can fulfill you?
No. It is only in the Lord. In the Lord.
Soar!
The good life - the one that truly satisfies exists only when we stop wanting a better one. It is the condition of savoring what is rather than longing for what can be. The itch for things, the lust for more - so brilliantly injected by those who peddle them - is a virus draining our souls of self contentment.
Have you noticed?
A man never earns enough. A woman is never beautiful enough. Clothes are never fashionable enough. Cars are never nice enough. Houses are never furnished enough. Gadgets are never modern enough. Food is never fancy enough. Relationships are never romantic enough. Life is never full enough.
Satisfaction comes when we step off the escalator of desire and say, "This is enough. What I have will do. What I make of it is up to me and my vital union with the Living Lord."
Are you satisfied? What are you reaching for? Can you reasonably hope that this world can fulfill you?
No. It is only in the Lord. In the Lord.
Soar!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Wild at Heart - second time around...it is still about freedom
I have just returned from 5 days in Colorado attending my second Wild at Heart boot camp. 10 men from Columbus went and it was a very powerful time for our group. Let me be clear, John Eldredge isn't "It". Wild at Heart isn't "the" solution. Jesus is "it". He is "the" solution. John Eldredge doesn't lead some cult of men. He isn't out to get men away from the church. He hasn't invented a better solution. No, John just does a great job of capturing the essence of what scripture is saying to men.
To me, the underlying take away of Ransomed Heart ministries is freedom. Christ came to give man freedom. It is pretty simple and yet the Church has moved men away from freedom into a life of duty. As a result, men are bound up in duty, rules and "I shouldn't". Psalm 119 says "I run in the path of your commands because you have set my heart free". Luke 19:10 says "The Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost." Not "the lost" but the "what was" lost. What was lost? Our hearts. John 10:10 says, "The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it to the full."
"set my heart free"..."save what was lost"..."Live and life to the full"...
Freedom. A full life. No boundaries. Fullness. Richness.
And yet, that isn't what we hear from the church. It surely isn't what we hear from society. We hear conform. Don't rock the boat. Play fair. Be political. Hedge yourself. Have a back up plan. Don't drink. Don't smoke. Don't look at another woman. Don't watch an "R" rated movie. Never cuss.
Works. The path of Christianity of many is a path of perfection. Like the Lexus commercial, "The relentless pursuit of perfection". That I am most like Christ when I have so purged myself of all that is any way sinful... Works. Duty.
Is it any wonder that so many of us are bound up? We are so rigid because we are so afraid of what others in society (or even worse in Christianity) think of us. Christ came that we may have freedom. Freedom. That doesn't mean free to sin, free to booze it up -- no, true freedom means the relentless pursuit of Him. So in love, so passionate about my faith that I am free to pursue Him wherever he takes me.
I'm not doing a good job of articulating this but let me try it this way. On my trip, I was with a man that went to medical school and is now running a community health clinic in downtown Augusta. Charitable work. His dad is a very successful businessman. His uncle retired as a world-class investment manager. His other uncle is a highly paid surgeon. All three, very wealthy. But this guy has taken his medical degree and is giving it away to the poor in Augusta, Georgia. Someone was talking to him one day and said, "sounds great but you are going to be poor". His reply? "Yep, poor for the next 40 years." Wow. That puts it in its proper place. Yes, he will be poor by the world's standards but his eyes are on eternity. He'll be earthly poor for 40 more years but he'll be heavenly rich for eternity. Freedom. He has found freedom.
More to come. In the meanwhile, please -- Soar!
I have just returned from 5 days in Colorado attending my second Wild at Heart boot camp. 10 men from Columbus went and it was a very powerful time for our group. Let me be clear, John Eldredge isn't "It". Wild at Heart isn't "the" solution. Jesus is "it". He is "the" solution. John Eldredge doesn't lead some cult of men. He isn't out to get men away from the church. He hasn't invented a better solution. No, John just does a great job of capturing the essence of what scripture is saying to men.
To me, the underlying take away of Ransomed Heart ministries is freedom. Christ came to give man freedom. It is pretty simple and yet the Church has moved men away from freedom into a life of duty. As a result, men are bound up in duty, rules and "I shouldn't". Psalm 119 says "I run in the path of your commands because you have set my heart free". Luke 19:10 says "The Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost." Not "the lost" but the "what was" lost. What was lost? Our hearts. John 10:10 says, "The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it to the full."
"set my heart free"..."save what was lost"..."Live and life to the full"...
Freedom. A full life. No boundaries. Fullness. Richness.
And yet, that isn't what we hear from the church. It surely isn't what we hear from society. We hear conform. Don't rock the boat. Play fair. Be political. Hedge yourself. Have a back up plan. Don't drink. Don't smoke. Don't look at another woman. Don't watch an "R" rated movie. Never cuss.
Works. The path of Christianity of many is a path of perfection. Like the Lexus commercial, "The relentless pursuit of perfection". That I am most like Christ when I have so purged myself of all that is any way sinful... Works. Duty.
Is it any wonder that so many of us are bound up? We are so rigid because we are so afraid of what others in society (or even worse in Christianity) think of us. Christ came that we may have freedom. Freedom. That doesn't mean free to sin, free to booze it up -- no, true freedom means the relentless pursuit of Him. So in love, so passionate about my faith that I am free to pursue Him wherever he takes me.
I'm not doing a good job of articulating this but let me try it this way. On my trip, I was with a man that went to medical school and is now running a community health clinic in downtown Augusta. Charitable work. His dad is a very successful businessman. His uncle retired as a world-class investment manager. His other uncle is a highly paid surgeon. All three, very wealthy. But this guy has taken his medical degree and is giving it away to the poor in Augusta, Georgia. Someone was talking to him one day and said, "sounds great but you are going to be poor". His reply? "Yep, poor for the next 40 years." Wow. That puts it in its proper place. Yes, he will be poor by the world's standards but his eyes are on eternity. He'll be earthly poor for 40 more years but he'll be heavenly rich for eternity. Freedom. He has found freedom.
More to come. In the meanwhile, please -- Soar!
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Bill
He won't let it rest. I've read the posts on his blog and he has a local who is also from Boston and she is affirming him in this assault on the South. Bill says my ramblings are just sour grapes over us losing the war. I've fired back and said, "If y'all are so proud of winning the war, why are folks from the north moving to the South by the hundreds of thousands?" Makes you wonder doesn't it?
And I left this tune on his blog ...
She grew up in the city in a little subdivision,
Her daddy wore a tie, Momma never fried a chicken,
Ballet, Straight A’s, Most likely to succeed
They bought her a car after graduation
Sent her down south for some higher education
Put her on the fast track to a law degree
Now she’s comin home to visit
holdin the hand
Of a wild-eyed boy
with a farmer’s tan
And shes ridin in the middle of his pickup truck
Blarin Charlie Daniels yellin, “Turn it up!”
They raised her up a lady
but there’s one thing they couldn’t avoid
Ladies love country boys
Yeah, you know momma’s and daddy’s want better for their daughters
Hope they’ll settle down with a doctor or a lawyer
In their uptown, ball gown, hand-me-down royalty
They never understand
why their princess falls
For some camouflage britches
and a southern boy drawl
Or why she’s ridin in the middle of a pickup truck
Blarin Hank Jr. yellin, “Turn it up!”
They raised her up a lady
but there’s one thing they couldn’t avoid
Ladies love country boys
You can train ‘em
You can try to teach ‘em right from wrong
But it’s still gonna turn ‘em on
When they go ridin in the middle of a pickup truck
Blarin Lynyrd Skynyrd yellin, “Turn it up!”
You can raise her up a lady
but there’s one thing you jus can’t avoid
Ladies love country boys
They love us country boys
Soar!
He won't let it rest. I've read the posts on his blog and he has a local who is also from Boston and she is affirming him in this assault on the South. Bill says my ramblings are just sour grapes over us losing the war. I've fired back and said, "If y'all are so proud of winning the war, why are folks from the north moving to the South by the hundreds of thousands?" Makes you wonder doesn't it?
And I left this tune on his blog ...
She grew up in the city in a little subdivision,
Her daddy wore a tie, Momma never fried a chicken,
Ballet, Straight A’s, Most likely to succeed
They bought her a car after graduation
Sent her down south for some higher education
Put her on the fast track to a law degree
Now she’s comin home to visit
holdin the hand
Of a wild-eyed boy
with a farmer’s tan
And shes ridin in the middle of his pickup truck
Blarin Charlie Daniels yellin, “Turn it up!”
They raised her up a lady
but there’s one thing they couldn’t avoid
Ladies love country boys
Yeah, you know momma’s and daddy’s want better for their daughters
Hope they’ll settle down with a doctor or a lawyer
In their uptown, ball gown, hand-me-down royalty
They never understand
why their princess falls
For some camouflage britches
and a southern boy drawl
Or why she’s ridin in the middle of a pickup truck
Blarin Hank Jr. yellin, “Turn it up!”
They raised her up a lady
but there’s one thing they couldn’t avoid
Ladies love country boys
You can train ‘em
You can try to teach ‘em right from wrong
But it’s still gonna turn ‘em on
When they go ridin in the middle of a pickup truck
Blarin Lynyrd Skynyrd yellin, “Turn it up!”
You can raise her up a lady
but there’s one thing you jus can’t avoid
Ladies love country boys
They love us country boys
Soar!
Throw of the hindrances
"Throw off the hindrances and the sin which so easily entangles us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us..." Hebrews 12:1
First of all, the race is set out before us. Life is a race. There is a start and there is a finish. We can crawl, walk, skip, jog or sprint but it is a race. Not a race against mankind but rather a race toward the grand finish. God built us, created us and breathed life into us for a reason. It isn't 9-5, pay your taxes, raise your kids, do a few good works, retire and die. No, there is so much more. He calls us to a race. Race implies so much here - endurance, training, excellence, reaching for more than we thought we could possibly achieve - all for a life that is fully lived.
The message is pretty simple and pretty direct - there is a race to be run and we must throw off the hindrances that entangle us and prevent us from the full life. Throw off the hindrances.
What hinders you?
As I type this, I am watching the Super Bowl. That is entertainment and many of us are addicted to being entertained. Some advertisements tonight will cost $2 million. Can you imagine spending $2 million for 30 seconds of air time? Think what good $2 million would do for 50 families living in poverty. Think how many kids this money could send to college. Think of those with living under the bridges of the Chattahoochee and how this money could help them. But no, we Americans are addicted to entertainment and pleasure and corporate America knows it. They'll spend what it takes to make you and I act. And act we will.
We have come to worship entertainment. It robs us of life and pulls us away from interaction with others. 4-5 hours a day in front of the TV or internet and kids in front of electronic games. These things rob us of life. Go spend one hour in the woods totally alone. Take a chair and sit down with nothing to do. See how it challenges you. Does the silence bother you? Are you addicted to noise and activity? Recreation is OK - we need it but too much recreation can be a problem. Excess recreation leads to addiction which leads to gluttony.
We all know of people who have taken this addiction to the next step of gluttony. New cars every year, flat screens in every room, every latest gadget, fine wines and foods, every possible comfort -- all seeking that one last final thing that completes them. We know people like that and we know we are like this. We know in many ways that our addiction for comfort and things is a hinderance to our walk with God.
Hebrews is telling us how to handle whatever it is that hinders us from running the race as efficiently as we should - we should throw them off. If our love of things possesses us, we need to stop. Simply put...just stop. Stop the rapid acquisition of everything we can get our hands on. Be the opposite of what drives us - start giving things away rather than buying more new things. Think counter-intuitively. The world tells you (yells at you) more, more, more it is all about more stuff. That is the wrong kind of more.
The more we need is more of the Lord. More quiet time. Less hindrances and more of Him. It is pretty simple but it is hard to do but remember, we are running a race. We are born to run. Born to be free.
Soar!
"Throw off the hindrances and the sin which so easily entangles us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us..." Hebrews 12:1
First of all, the race is set out before us. Life is a race. There is a start and there is a finish. We can crawl, walk, skip, jog or sprint but it is a race. Not a race against mankind but rather a race toward the grand finish. God built us, created us and breathed life into us for a reason. It isn't 9-5, pay your taxes, raise your kids, do a few good works, retire and die. No, there is so much more. He calls us to a race. Race implies so much here - endurance, training, excellence, reaching for more than we thought we could possibly achieve - all for a life that is fully lived.
The message is pretty simple and pretty direct - there is a race to be run and we must throw off the hindrances that entangle us and prevent us from the full life. Throw off the hindrances.
What hinders you?
As I type this, I am watching the Super Bowl. That is entertainment and many of us are addicted to being entertained. Some advertisements tonight will cost $2 million. Can you imagine spending $2 million for 30 seconds of air time? Think what good $2 million would do for 50 families living in poverty. Think how many kids this money could send to college. Think of those with living under the bridges of the Chattahoochee and how this money could help them. But no, we Americans are addicted to entertainment and pleasure and corporate America knows it. They'll spend what it takes to make you and I act. And act we will.
We have come to worship entertainment. It robs us of life and pulls us away from interaction with others. 4-5 hours a day in front of the TV or internet and kids in front of electronic games. These things rob us of life. Go spend one hour in the woods totally alone. Take a chair and sit down with nothing to do. See how it challenges you. Does the silence bother you? Are you addicted to noise and activity? Recreation is OK - we need it but too much recreation can be a problem. Excess recreation leads to addiction which leads to gluttony.
We all know of people who have taken this addiction to the next step of gluttony. New cars every year, flat screens in every room, every latest gadget, fine wines and foods, every possible comfort -- all seeking that one last final thing that completes them. We know people like that and we know we are like this. We know in many ways that our addiction for comfort and things is a hinderance to our walk with God.
Hebrews is telling us how to handle whatever it is that hinders us from running the race as efficiently as we should - we should throw them off. If our love of things possesses us, we need to stop. Simply put...just stop. Stop the rapid acquisition of everything we can get our hands on. Be the opposite of what drives us - start giving things away rather than buying more new things. Think counter-intuitively. The world tells you (yells at you) more, more, more it is all about more stuff. That is the wrong kind of more.
The more we need is more of the Lord. More quiet time. Less hindrances and more of Him. It is pretty simple but it is hard to do but remember, we are running a race. We are born to run. Born to be free.
Soar!
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Bill Shorey .... get a life
Bill Shorey is a wonderful friend. I read an article on Bill a few years ago in the Columbus paper and knew immediately he was a kindred spirit, a rebel and a passionate follower of Christ. The very next week, I ran into him at Panera Bread with Cary Jones, introduced myself and invited him to lunch. Our friendship took off at that point. We've shared some great times over the past few years, have spent time in Colorado and now worship together.
Bill has a blog that is excellent. It was totally the inspiration for my blog and I even copied the theme of his site - enjoying the adventure - for mine "chasing the adventure". his is www.enjoyingtheadventure.blogspot.com. Read it. Bill's writing is God inspired. He is a poet. His writing is incredibly talented.
But...
Bill has a problem. As you'll read on his blog from today, he is challenging me. Bill is from Maine. He is a yankee through and through. He carries a thick new england accent. I love him for it. But he is waaaay too attached to his beloved Boston Red Sox. Last fall he was crowing about the Sox and how they were a team of destiny. Yeh, yeh, yeh, blah, blah, blah. Dumb me, I decided to rile him with a challenge that the Colorado Rockies would beat the Sox. This set him off like a roman candle. Needless to say, he won the bet and he has never let me forget it -- in fact, he addresses this on his blog today. Now, with his (all of a sudden?) beloved Boston Patriots at 17-0 and a day away from the super bowl, my man Bill is crowing again. As if I care! My wife just asked me who I wanted to win the Super Bowl and I said, "I really don't care but now, I want the Giants to win just to aggravate Bill".
Now he is already moving on past football to basketball and his "beloved" Celtics have the best record in the NBA and he is challenging me on the basketball. I don't know about you but I could give a rat's ___ about the NBA. Thug vs. Thug. Whoever wins the thing is still a Thug.
Christ came as the Great Liberator to set the captives free. Bill, by God's great Grace, you have been set free. You live in the South now my friend ... God's country. You've been set free of the land of your icy captivity. No more Soda Pop, no more "Yous guys", no more Kennedy-liberal NE politics ... no Bill, you have been liberated. God picked you out of that icy, bleak world and has dropped you into the land of lush lawns, tall pines, sweet tea, Auburn football, "yes ma'am", "y'all", fried chicken, country music and the Augusta azaleas of the Masters. You are free Bill. Embrace the South. Put a big AU sticker on the back of the Explorer and a Braves hat on your head and bow down and thank God that you are free.
Free at last! Long live the South.
p.s. Go giants!
Soar!
Bill Shorey is a wonderful friend. I read an article on Bill a few years ago in the Columbus paper and knew immediately he was a kindred spirit, a rebel and a passionate follower of Christ. The very next week, I ran into him at Panera Bread with Cary Jones, introduced myself and invited him to lunch. Our friendship took off at that point. We've shared some great times over the past few years, have spent time in Colorado and now worship together.
Bill has a blog that is excellent. It was totally the inspiration for my blog and I even copied the theme of his site - enjoying the adventure - for mine "chasing the adventure". his is www.enjoyingtheadventure.blogspot.com. Read it. Bill's writing is God inspired. He is a poet. His writing is incredibly talented.
But...
Bill has a problem. As you'll read on his blog from today, he is challenging me. Bill is from Maine. He is a yankee through and through. He carries a thick new england accent. I love him for it. But he is waaaay too attached to his beloved Boston Red Sox. Last fall he was crowing about the Sox and how they were a team of destiny. Yeh, yeh, yeh, blah, blah, blah. Dumb me, I decided to rile him with a challenge that the Colorado Rockies would beat the Sox. This set him off like a roman candle. Needless to say, he won the bet and he has never let me forget it -- in fact, he addresses this on his blog today. Now, with his (all of a sudden?) beloved Boston Patriots at 17-0 and a day away from the super bowl, my man Bill is crowing again. As if I care! My wife just asked me who I wanted to win the Super Bowl and I said, "I really don't care but now, I want the Giants to win just to aggravate Bill".
Now he is already moving on past football to basketball and his "beloved" Celtics have the best record in the NBA and he is challenging me on the basketball. I don't know about you but I could give a rat's ___ about the NBA. Thug vs. Thug. Whoever wins the thing is still a Thug.
Christ came as the Great Liberator to set the captives free. Bill, by God's great Grace, you have been set free. You live in the South now my friend ... God's country. You've been set free of the land of your icy captivity. No more Soda Pop, no more "Yous guys", no more Kennedy-liberal NE politics ... no Bill, you have been liberated. God picked you out of that icy, bleak world and has dropped you into the land of lush lawns, tall pines, sweet tea, Auburn football, "yes ma'am", "y'all", fried chicken, country music and the Augusta azaleas of the Masters. You are free Bill. Embrace the South. Put a big AU sticker on the back of the Explorer and a Braves hat on your head and bow down and thank God that you are free.
Free at last! Long live the South.
p.s. Go giants!
Soar!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Fruit of the Spirit
I am in a Bible study on Thursday mornings at Trinity. We've had 3-4 years of great study and I've learned more details of the Bible - Moses, Jacob, Abraham, etc. - than I have in any other study i've been in. We are now going through the book The Fruit of the Spirit by John Sanderson. It is powerful.
In today's chapter, Sanderson says, "Satan's tactic is to give some people so light a case of Christianity that they will never get the real thing." That is what I want - I want the real thing. I want to go deep and stay there. I have only scratched the surface of a walk of faith and I am hungry for more.
Sanderson talks of weeds, artificial fruit and The Fruit of the Spirit and it nailed me...
The Weeds ---- hatred, sorrow, anxiety, strife, impatience, pride, evil, infidelity, self-seeking, lack of control
Artificial Fruit -- limited love, temporary joy, numbness, carelessness, laziness, insensitivity, manipulation by kindness, hypocrisy, half-heartedness, false modesty, choosing lesser gods
The Fruit of the Spirit --- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control
We all have weeds and they choke out growth but I'm OK with the weeds and think I've got them fairly well under control. At times I struggle with hatred, anxiety, pride, etc. but for the most part, this area is OK. But man, when I get to the artificial fruit, I am in trouble. I love but I limit it. I have joy - real, tangible, God-given joy but it is fleeting. I have peace at times but I spend a lot of time being numb. You get the picture.
I can't manufacture the Fruit of the Spirit - they are only God-given. If you ever know one to be at peace, joyful, patient, kind, good, etc. you'll know they are of God. When I do experience the Fruit, I am reminded it is only through God's grace that this fruit appears. My vine cannot produce good fruit. My sin would only produce bitter fruit but when some sweet, healthy fruit appears, praise the Lord, I know it came from the Master Gardener.
Some of my friends lead with "I'm just a rotten sinner saved by grace" - true. That is true. No matter how long we've been a Christian, that sin nature is in us and isn't leaving. We are rotten. And yet, Jesus talks about turning our heart from a heart of stone to one of flesh. Through Christ, real fruit can be produced. We are not doomed to weeds. Yes, we will stumble but that good heart is in us - that Good heart is Jesus and the Spirit. Seek Him, desire Him, look for Him and Live in Him. Truly Live. Live like you've never lived. Free. Free.
Soar!
I am in a Bible study on Thursday mornings at Trinity. We've had 3-4 years of great study and I've learned more details of the Bible - Moses, Jacob, Abraham, etc. - than I have in any other study i've been in. We are now going through the book The Fruit of the Spirit by John Sanderson. It is powerful.
In today's chapter, Sanderson says, "Satan's tactic is to give some people so light a case of Christianity that they will never get the real thing." That is what I want - I want the real thing. I want to go deep and stay there. I have only scratched the surface of a walk of faith and I am hungry for more.
Sanderson talks of weeds, artificial fruit and The Fruit of the Spirit and it nailed me...
The Weeds ---- hatred, sorrow, anxiety, strife, impatience, pride, evil, infidelity, self-seeking, lack of control
Artificial Fruit -- limited love, temporary joy, numbness, carelessness, laziness, insensitivity, manipulation by kindness, hypocrisy, half-heartedness, false modesty, choosing lesser gods
The Fruit of the Spirit --- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control
We all have weeds and they choke out growth but I'm OK with the weeds and think I've got them fairly well under control. At times I struggle with hatred, anxiety, pride, etc. but for the most part, this area is OK. But man, when I get to the artificial fruit, I am in trouble. I love but I limit it. I have joy - real, tangible, God-given joy but it is fleeting. I have peace at times but I spend a lot of time being numb. You get the picture.
I can't manufacture the Fruit of the Spirit - they are only God-given. If you ever know one to be at peace, joyful, patient, kind, good, etc. you'll know they are of God. When I do experience the Fruit, I am reminded it is only through God's grace that this fruit appears. My vine cannot produce good fruit. My sin would only produce bitter fruit but when some sweet, healthy fruit appears, praise the Lord, I know it came from the Master Gardener.
Some of my friends lead with "I'm just a rotten sinner saved by grace" - true. That is true. No matter how long we've been a Christian, that sin nature is in us and isn't leaving. We are rotten. And yet, Jesus talks about turning our heart from a heart of stone to one of flesh. Through Christ, real fruit can be produced. We are not doomed to weeds. Yes, we will stumble but that good heart is in us - that Good heart is Jesus and the Spirit. Seek Him, desire Him, look for Him and Live in Him. Truly Live. Live like you've never lived. Free. Free.
Soar!
Monday, January 21, 2008
Lesson from history
I was watching a new special on the Kennedy assassination and an important revelation appeared. The story talked about how paranoid Lyndon Johnson was after the assassination. Johnson had been told by the CIA that if the Russians were going to launch a nuclear attack, they would likely first assassinate the president and other key leaders of the country. So he was pretty shaky right off the bat. After he settled into office, he became concerned that the rise of communism across the globe was the real risk to America. Post the Kennedy killing (which he suspected was put in place by the Russians or Cubans), Johnson became convinced that America needed to strike out against communism somewhere to make a statement about Americas military might.
So the story said Johnson settled on Vietnam as the place to make a statement to the world in retaliation against the murder of Kennedy. The world had to know that the US wasn't going to accept the murder of their President and that the US was serious about containing communism. Of all the places on the map that would be the easiest place for a quick victory, Vietnam was the place. Or so he thought.
The similarities to today are striking.
Bush wakes up post 9/11 and realizes the greatest threat to America was the spread of radical Islam. In order to send a message to the world that the US wouldn't just take the 9/11 attacks, he felt compelled to strike somewhere. To make a statement to the world, the US needed a quick victory. Iraq was the easiest (so he thought) place on the map to win a quick war to show the world that the US was serious.
We'll see what the history books right about Bush but I suspect they will discover many similarities between the paranoid fear of Johnson and Bush. Both Texans led us into a war that they thought would be quickly won only to be bogged down in a political, military and economic quagmire that neither could escape.
Soar!
I was watching a new special on the Kennedy assassination and an important revelation appeared. The story talked about how paranoid Lyndon Johnson was after the assassination. Johnson had been told by the CIA that if the Russians were going to launch a nuclear attack, they would likely first assassinate the president and other key leaders of the country. So he was pretty shaky right off the bat. After he settled into office, he became concerned that the rise of communism across the globe was the real risk to America. Post the Kennedy killing (which he suspected was put in place by the Russians or Cubans), Johnson became convinced that America needed to strike out against communism somewhere to make a statement about Americas military might.
So the story said Johnson settled on Vietnam as the place to make a statement to the world in retaliation against the murder of Kennedy. The world had to know that the US wasn't going to accept the murder of their President and that the US was serious about containing communism. Of all the places on the map that would be the easiest place for a quick victory, Vietnam was the place. Or so he thought.
The similarities to today are striking.
Bush wakes up post 9/11 and realizes the greatest threat to America was the spread of radical Islam. In order to send a message to the world that the US wouldn't just take the 9/11 attacks, he felt compelled to strike somewhere. To make a statement to the world, the US needed a quick victory. Iraq was the easiest (so he thought) place on the map to win a quick war to show the world that the US was serious.
We'll see what the history books right about Bush but I suspect they will discover many similarities between the paranoid fear of Johnson and Bush. Both Texans led us into a war that they thought would be quickly won only to be bogged down in a political, military and economic quagmire that neither could escape.
Soar!
Monday, January 07, 2008
God's shaking
God is shaking the modern church. I've written about this for the past year. You can sense it - people are rapidly growing tired of "religion" - but they are dying of thirst for God. Hebrews 12 talks about God shaking the earth and the heavens. His shaking will come and perhaps it has already begun. From the Message - "If those who ignored earthly warnings didn't get away with it, what will happen to us if we turn our backs on heavenly warnings? His voice that shook the earth to its foundations; this time - he's told us this quite plainly - he'll also rock the heavens: 'One last shaking, from top to bottom, stem to stern.' The phrase 'last one shaking' means a thorough housecleaning, getting rid of all the historical and religious junk so that the unshakable essentials stand clear and uncluttered."
The passage goes on to say, "Do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He's actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won't quit until it's all cleansed. God himself is fire!"
Yikes! God is going to torch all that needs to burn. God is going to shake the earth, the church and each of us to knock off all that isn't of God.
Too many of us want just enough of God. Just enough to make us better people. That is all. We stop there. We then turn to the church to meet the other needs - nice, clean sanctuary, nurseries brimming with qualified care givers, AWANA for the little kids, summer camps, youth groups, nice choirs, etc. etc. Some mega-churches have taken this to an extreme with gyms, health classes, social events, networking plans, etc. so that the "consumer" will spend their free time (and money) in the institutional church.
Many have said, "I'd rather have all that - all that comfort and convenience - than I would a passionate relationship with God. All that radical church stuff is dangerous, it is unsettling, it is unconventional." EXACTLY - God isn't "safe". God isn't comfort and convenience. He wants all of us totally sold out.
If we refuse Him, the shaking will hurt. He warns against those relying on their own craftiness, own plans, own creativity -- "Go light you own fires, trust your own light to guide you. But this is what you'll receive from me - you'll lie down in a place of pain," Isaiah 50:11
God's shaking is happening. Big changes are coming in His church. He wants all of us. Are you willing to let go and let God take you where He will?
Soar!
God is shaking the modern church. I've written about this for the past year. You can sense it - people are rapidly growing tired of "religion" - but they are dying of thirst for God. Hebrews 12 talks about God shaking the earth and the heavens. His shaking will come and perhaps it has already begun. From the Message - "If those who ignored earthly warnings didn't get away with it, what will happen to us if we turn our backs on heavenly warnings? His voice that shook the earth to its foundations; this time - he's told us this quite plainly - he'll also rock the heavens: 'One last shaking, from top to bottom, stem to stern.' The phrase 'last one shaking' means a thorough housecleaning, getting rid of all the historical and religious junk so that the unshakable essentials stand clear and uncluttered."
The passage goes on to say, "Do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He's actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won't quit until it's all cleansed. God himself is fire!"
Yikes! God is going to torch all that needs to burn. God is going to shake the earth, the church and each of us to knock off all that isn't of God.
Too many of us want just enough of God. Just enough to make us better people. That is all. We stop there. We then turn to the church to meet the other needs - nice, clean sanctuary, nurseries brimming with qualified care givers, AWANA for the little kids, summer camps, youth groups, nice choirs, etc. etc. Some mega-churches have taken this to an extreme with gyms, health classes, social events, networking plans, etc. so that the "consumer" will spend their free time (and money) in the institutional church.
Many have said, "I'd rather have all that - all that comfort and convenience - than I would a passionate relationship with God. All that radical church stuff is dangerous, it is unsettling, it is unconventional." EXACTLY - God isn't "safe". God isn't comfort and convenience. He wants all of us totally sold out.
If we refuse Him, the shaking will hurt. He warns against those relying on their own craftiness, own plans, own creativity -- "Go light you own fires, trust your own light to guide you. But this is what you'll receive from me - you'll lie down in a place of pain," Isaiah 50:11
God's shaking is happening. Big changes are coming in His church. He wants all of us. Are you willing to let go and let God take you where He will?
Soar!
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Relationships
As I begin 2008, I am seeking what God wants from me this year. I have a life story. God has a purpose for my life. There is a plot. There is a reason. I exist for reasons - many of them. As I start this year out, I am seeking what God wants from me for this year.
I thought it was going to be The Spirit. This would be the year of focusing on the Holy Spirit. Now, just 2 days into the year, I am feeling this year is going to be about relationships.
I have relationships in my life. My wife, my daughters, my co-workers, my friends, my hunting buddies, my fellow Rotary members, the folks I worship with at church, even my dog (OK that is a joke - but not really).
Life churns on and it is very easy to overlook these relationships. We easily take them for granted. My goal for 2008 is to be satisfied with the relationships I have and to do whatever I can daily to cultivate those relationships. God puts a lot of people into my path every single day. He gives me opportunities daily to love those in my circle. It is so easy to talk to someone and already be thinking of the next call. This year, I want to dig deep into each call, each visit, each lunch. To truly listen to what the other person is saying. In that, I will find opportunities to minister.
Over the holidays, I watched some of the Mel Gibson movie where he can suddenly know what every woman is thinking. He has a lot of fun with it for a while and then he begins to realize what is really going on the lives of the people around him. At one point, he sees a woman in his office and hears her thinking to herself, "I wonder if anyone will notice when I don't show up for work. At some point, they'll be saying 'I wonder where Alice is? Do you think someone should go to her house and check on her?' They'll all wonder why I did it." She was going to kill herself and she wondered if anyone would even notice she was gone.
Everyone we cross paths with has a story. A life story. Something makes these people tick. Something soothes them. Something scares them. Something haunts them from their childhood. They all have dreams. A lot of them are hurting. This year, I want to get to know their stories.
Stay tuned, I will keep you posted. Life is short and our relationships are gifts from God. He wants to see what we are going to do with the relationships He has given to us.
Soar!
As I begin 2008, I am seeking what God wants from me this year. I have a life story. God has a purpose for my life. There is a plot. There is a reason. I exist for reasons - many of them. As I start this year out, I am seeking what God wants from me for this year.
I thought it was going to be The Spirit. This would be the year of focusing on the Holy Spirit. Now, just 2 days into the year, I am feeling this year is going to be about relationships.
I have relationships in my life. My wife, my daughters, my co-workers, my friends, my hunting buddies, my fellow Rotary members, the folks I worship with at church, even my dog (OK that is a joke - but not really).
Life churns on and it is very easy to overlook these relationships. We easily take them for granted. My goal for 2008 is to be satisfied with the relationships I have and to do whatever I can daily to cultivate those relationships. God puts a lot of people into my path every single day. He gives me opportunities daily to love those in my circle. It is so easy to talk to someone and already be thinking of the next call. This year, I want to dig deep into each call, each visit, each lunch. To truly listen to what the other person is saying. In that, I will find opportunities to minister.
Over the holidays, I watched some of the Mel Gibson movie where he can suddenly know what every woman is thinking. He has a lot of fun with it for a while and then he begins to realize what is really going on the lives of the people around him. At one point, he sees a woman in his office and hears her thinking to herself, "I wonder if anyone will notice when I don't show up for work. At some point, they'll be saying 'I wonder where Alice is? Do you think someone should go to her house and check on her?' They'll all wonder why I did it." She was going to kill herself and she wondered if anyone would even notice she was gone.
Everyone we cross paths with has a story. A life story. Something makes these people tick. Something soothes them. Something scares them. Something haunts them from their childhood. They all have dreams. A lot of them are hurting. This year, I want to get to know their stories.
Stay tuned, I will keep you posted. Life is short and our relationships are gifts from God. He wants to see what we are going to do with the relationships He has given to us.
Soar!
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
It is about love
John Eldredge's December letter addressed Christmas and it made a great point. When you walk around the mall wondering what on earth you'll get your wife and you hear Christmas music playing, say to yourself, "It is about love".
Whenever you see a Christmas tree, say to yourself, "It is about love."
When someone surprises you with a visit or an unexpected gift - say to yourself, "It is all about love."
A client came into our office on Monday with a gift of goodies. She recently lost her husband and has been really struggling yet through her pain she thought of us.
It is about love.
A good friend of mine from YoungLife came by my office today. I missed him. He left a little gift.
It is about love.
This season is way too commercialized and society has ruined the message of Christmas. Drown that out. Say to yourself - "It is about love".
Even though we are rotten in places. Even though we have good intentions and fall way short. Even though we think evil thoughts about those who oppose us. Even though we lust and crave and hate. Even though when times are good we turn our backs on Him. Even though...
He loved.
Even though we fall short...He cared enough to love and suffer and die on our behalf.
Even though we constantly forget - He never forgot.
It is all about love.
Soar!
John Eldredge's December letter addressed Christmas and it made a great point. When you walk around the mall wondering what on earth you'll get your wife and you hear Christmas music playing, say to yourself, "It is about love".
Whenever you see a Christmas tree, say to yourself, "It is about love."
When someone surprises you with a visit or an unexpected gift - say to yourself, "It is all about love."
A client came into our office on Monday with a gift of goodies. She recently lost her husband and has been really struggling yet through her pain she thought of us.
It is about love.
A good friend of mine from YoungLife came by my office today. I missed him. He left a little gift.
It is about love.
This season is way too commercialized and society has ruined the message of Christmas. Drown that out. Say to yourself - "It is about love".
Even though we are rotten in places. Even though we have good intentions and fall way short. Even though we think evil thoughts about those who oppose us. Even though we lust and crave and hate. Even though when times are good we turn our backs on Him. Even though...
He loved.
Even though we fall short...He cared enough to love and suffer and die on our behalf.
Even though we constantly forget - He never forgot.
It is all about love.
Soar!
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Hating Christmas
Do you hate Christmas? Does any part of you hate it? Here I go with more anti-religion talk but I think deep down a lot of us hate Christmas or parts of it at least. I do. Stay with me, there is a good part of this message to come.
I have grown to hate parts of Christmas. It is too commercial and too chaotic for me. I like peace and Christmas has come to be anything but peaceful for me. I love how my wife transforms our home during Christmas and I love how she cooks treats for others. Our home feels warmer during Christmas and I love that. I don't love how it wears her out. I don't love the endless "to do" lists. I hate - really hate - getting out into the shopping areas. It overwhelms me. I don't like how Christmas makes us all so tired - the travel, the shopping, the parties, etc. It just seems to wear us out.
But in reality, I guess I have figured out that the entire season has really very little to do with Jesus and that is why I don't like it. We get all freaked out and spend gobs of money and we wind up worn out and it really has very little to do with Jesus.
I don't hate Christmas. I hate the commercialization of Christmas. It is supposed to be about love but it isn't. The world has let it become about something else altogether. It is about a new Lexus with a big bow sitting in the driveway. It is about way too expensive jewelry and "this year, show her you really love her". It is about commercialized magic. It plays on our distorted memories of magical childhood Christmas'. "Make this year magical..." (by spending way more money than you should).
The magic of Christmas happened 2,000 years ago. Christ came to earth as a baby. The warrior came to liberate his people. He took human form knowing it would lead to murder. Max Lucado's book An Angel's Story reflects on this as he wonders what the angels must have been thinking looking at Jesus as a baby, "I exist to serve my King and I must watch Him be tortured? How will we sit silent as you suffer?" I've never thought of that but I wonder what it was like for the angels to see Jesus leave their realm and enter the world as a baby knowing full well it would lead to His painful physical death. Why would He endure that?
He came because He loved.
Christmas is about love. It isn't about Lexus', diamonds, playstations, Wii's or magical ski trips. It is about love. Remember and say to yourself over and over these next few weeks - "It is about love".
Soar!
Do you hate Christmas? Does any part of you hate it? Here I go with more anti-religion talk but I think deep down a lot of us hate Christmas or parts of it at least. I do. Stay with me, there is a good part of this message to come.
I have grown to hate parts of Christmas. It is too commercial and too chaotic for me. I like peace and Christmas has come to be anything but peaceful for me. I love how my wife transforms our home during Christmas and I love how she cooks treats for others. Our home feels warmer during Christmas and I love that. I don't love how it wears her out. I don't love the endless "to do" lists. I hate - really hate - getting out into the shopping areas. It overwhelms me. I don't like how Christmas makes us all so tired - the travel, the shopping, the parties, etc. It just seems to wear us out.
But in reality, I guess I have figured out that the entire season has really very little to do with Jesus and that is why I don't like it. We get all freaked out and spend gobs of money and we wind up worn out and it really has very little to do with Jesus.
I don't hate Christmas. I hate the commercialization of Christmas. It is supposed to be about love but it isn't. The world has let it become about something else altogether. It is about a new Lexus with a big bow sitting in the driveway. It is about way too expensive jewelry and "this year, show her you really love her". It is about commercialized magic. It plays on our distorted memories of magical childhood Christmas'. "Make this year magical..." (by spending way more money than you should).
The magic of Christmas happened 2,000 years ago. Christ came to earth as a baby. The warrior came to liberate his people. He took human form knowing it would lead to murder. Max Lucado's book An Angel's Story reflects on this as he wonders what the angels must have been thinking looking at Jesus as a baby, "I exist to serve my King and I must watch Him be tortured? How will we sit silent as you suffer?" I've never thought of that but I wonder what it was like for the angels to see Jesus leave their realm and enter the world as a baby knowing full well it would lead to His painful physical death. Why would He endure that?
He came because He loved.
Christmas is about love. It isn't about Lexus', diamonds, playstations, Wii's or magical ski trips. It is about love. Remember and say to yourself over and over these next few weeks - "It is about love".
Soar!
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Ism's, 'Ians, 'Ists...
Ferris Bueller said, "Not that I condone fascism. Or any "isms" for that matter. "Isms", in my opinion are not good. A person should not believe in an "ism"." Ferris Bueller, you're my hero.
Espiscopalian's have female pastors yet they don't call them pastors, they call them Rectors. They think they have it right.
Presbyterians have female elders. They sprinkle for baptisms and think they have it right.
PCA Presbyterians embrace "reformed" theology and unless it is "reformed", they won't support it. They think they have it right.
Methodists baptize babies. They think they have it right.
Baptists don't baptize babies and don't let ladies serve in leadership roles. When they baptize adults, they dunk them under the water and they think they have it right.
But then again, First Baptist here in Columbus has had a female deacon. So they must think they have it right.
How does all of this come about? The "Ians" (Episcopalians, Presbyterians) and the "Ists" (Methodists and Baptists) all think they have it right. They all read the same Bible and they all came up with their own interpretations, traditions and beliefs.
This sounds anti-church and it isn't meant to be but in some ways, aren't the major denominations kind of like cults? Their membership is brought in, taught "the way" and trained to defend/argue their beliefs to other denominations. In many cases, members feel their "way" is the only way. "The Episcopalians have it all wrong because _______". "If it isn't 'reformed', I'm not going to read it." "Baptizing babies is wrong". "Having ladies in any leadership capacity isn't Biblical." "Communion is only for those that have accepted Jesus as their Savior." "Communion is only for those that are members". "Anyone can walk down the aisle and join this church...all are welcome." "We don't allow anyone to join until they have met with the leadership of the church and we have heard their testimony of faith." I have heard it and seen it my entire adult life - denominations fighting each other over who has it "right".
You see where I am going. Who really has it right?
A lot of friends of ours have left Wynnbrook and are looking for a church home. They've been to Christ Community or CrossPointe and they really like the service and the passion but it isn't "church" to them. After 20 years in the Baptist church, they "need" Awana and Sunday School and Wednesday night supper, etc. We feel their struggle. They are conditioned that they "need" these things to have "church", to have "religion".
I wonder why we can't seem to dig beneath organized religion to the passion of a walk with Christ. Or better yet, can't you see how organzied religion tends to cover up The Truth? Jesus is in there somewhere but at times, He is hard to find underneath all the business of church. All those rules - we do this, we don't do that, you need to be in church 3 times a week, the way we baptize, the role of women - seem to bind people up into duty. I had a pastor one time tell me, "I don't read John Eldredge because he isn't reformed." What? You are so bound up in the "rightness" of reformed theology that you won't even pick up and read a leading Christian author?
Folks will say, "I love CrossPointe/Chris Community, I felt alive, I felt the Holy Spirit, I loved the music, God is present in that place but I miss the Awana and the traditional Sunday School and the Wednesday supper and I need all that for 'church'". So they will likely leave and go to a traditional church. I guess my fear is they will trade a passionate walk with Christ for the tradition of the church. They are hungry, you can see it in their eyes, but I suspect they'll trade that hunger back in for the "normalcy" of traditional religion.
All of this may offend readers that are in traditional churches and that isn't my intention. No one has it "right". What is right is what is in scripture. What is right is that Jesus was a rebel who challenged the organized religion of His day. He threw out many of the religous customs because they were man's rules and they were off base. Jesus was a rebel. He was passion. He was love - He healed on the sabboth even though that was against mans' rules because it was the right thing to do.
So today as people search for the Holy Spirit and they search for a newborn passion in their relationship with Jesus they need not seek Him in organized religion. He isn't there. Please don't misunderstand - I am not saying there isn't any faith or passion among those in the traditional church - far from it. I'm not saying the non-traditional church is "it". What I am trying to focus on is how we have come to value "organized" religion (our rules, the way we baptize, 3 services a week, Awana) more than we value the passionate experience of following Jesus. We fall into the routines of church but Jesus was anything but routine.
It seems to me that in many cases, man has taken passionate faith and made it organized religion and in so doing has driven the Holy Spirit out. This isn't anything new - it was the same 2,000 years ago when Jesus came as a rebel to tear down organized religion and set the captives free.
'Tis the season of the Great Liberator!
Soar!
Ferris Bueller said, "Not that I condone fascism. Or any "isms" for that matter. "Isms", in my opinion are not good. A person should not believe in an "ism"." Ferris Bueller, you're my hero.
Espiscopalian's have female pastors yet they don't call them pastors, they call them Rectors. They think they have it right.
Presbyterians have female elders. They sprinkle for baptisms and think they have it right.
PCA Presbyterians embrace "reformed" theology and unless it is "reformed", they won't support it. They think they have it right.
Methodists baptize babies. They think they have it right.
Baptists don't baptize babies and don't let ladies serve in leadership roles. When they baptize adults, they dunk them under the water and they think they have it right.
But then again, First Baptist here in Columbus has had a female deacon. So they must think they have it right.
How does all of this come about? The "Ians" (Episcopalians, Presbyterians) and the "Ists" (Methodists and Baptists) all think they have it right. They all read the same Bible and they all came up with their own interpretations, traditions and beliefs.
This sounds anti-church and it isn't meant to be but in some ways, aren't the major denominations kind of like cults? Their membership is brought in, taught "the way" and trained to defend/argue their beliefs to other denominations. In many cases, members feel their "way" is the only way. "The Episcopalians have it all wrong because _______". "If it isn't 'reformed', I'm not going to read it." "Baptizing babies is wrong". "Having ladies in any leadership capacity isn't Biblical." "Communion is only for those that have accepted Jesus as their Savior." "Communion is only for those that are members". "Anyone can walk down the aisle and join this church...all are welcome." "We don't allow anyone to join until they have met with the leadership of the church and we have heard their testimony of faith." I have heard it and seen it my entire adult life - denominations fighting each other over who has it "right".
You see where I am going. Who really has it right?
A lot of friends of ours have left Wynnbrook and are looking for a church home. They've been to Christ Community or CrossPointe and they really like the service and the passion but it isn't "church" to them. After 20 years in the Baptist church, they "need" Awana and Sunday School and Wednesday night supper, etc. We feel their struggle. They are conditioned that they "need" these things to have "church", to have "religion".
I wonder why we can't seem to dig beneath organized religion to the passion of a walk with Christ. Or better yet, can't you see how organzied religion tends to cover up The Truth? Jesus is in there somewhere but at times, He is hard to find underneath all the business of church. All those rules - we do this, we don't do that, you need to be in church 3 times a week, the way we baptize, the role of women - seem to bind people up into duty. I had a pastor one time tell me, "I don't read John Eldredge because he isn't reformed." What? You are so bound up in the "rightness" of reformed theology that you won't even pick up and read a leading Christian author?
Folks will say, "I love CrossPointe/Chris Community, I felt alive, I felt the Holy Spirit, I loved the music, God is present in that place but I miss the Awana and the traditional Sunday School and the Wednesday supper and I need all that for 'church'". So they will likely leave and go to a traditional church. I guess my fear is they will trade a passionate walk with Christ for the tradition of the church. They are hungry, you can see it in their eyes, but I suspect they'll trade that hunger back in for the "normalcy" of traditional religion.
All of this may offend readers that are in traditional churches and that isn't my intention. No one has it "right". What is right is what is in scripture. What is right is that Jesus was a rebel who challenged the organized religion of His day. He threw out many of the religous customs because they were man's rules and they were off base. Jesus was a rebel. He was passion. He was love - He healed on the sabboth even though that was against mans' rules because it was the right thing to do.
So today as people search for the Holy Spirit and they search for a newborn passion in their relationship with Jesus they need not seek Him in organized religion. He isn't there. Please don't misunderstand - I am not saying there isn't any faith or passion among those in the traditional church - far from it. I'm not saying the non-traditional church is "it". What I am trying to focus on is how we have come to value "organized" religion (our rules, the way we baptize, 3 services a week, Awana) more than we value the passionate experience of following Jesus. We fall into the routines of church but Jesus was anything but routine.
It seems to me that in many cases, man has taken passionate faith and made it organized religion and in so doing has driven the Holy Spirit out. This isn't anything new - it was the same 2,000 years ago when Jesus came as a rebel to tear down organized religion and set the captives free.
'Tis the season of the Great Liberator!
Soar!
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Tough people
John Eldredge said "Be kind to every single person you encounter because every one you come in contact with is under some kind of attack."
It is a good point. We so often think, "What does he have against me? Why is he being such a jerk?" When we have no idea what battles he struggling with. We all struggle. Each of us has a wound (some have more than one) that has haunted us our entire life. Each of us carries around a chain of bondage to some person we struggle with or some past mistake we can't seem to shake.
Haunting - but true.
My brother in law attends a dynamic church in Birmingham and he had this posted from his church on his refrigerator. It ties in with this theme:
Seven words of Passion
1) Forgive everyone who is trying to ruin your life.
2) Help others who are experiencing your same struggle.
3) Be sure you've taken care of those near you.
4) Aim your hard questions at God, not man.
5) Be human enough to acknowledge your need.
6) Be assured, there is a purpose and there is an end.
7) Finally, surrender your life to God and let it go.
I struggle a great deal with a broken relationship. I can't seem to let it go but I have to. I cannot reconcile with the other party because the other party doesn't want to reconcile with me. God doesn't command reconciliation - He commands forgiveness. I need to forgive them so I can move on and they need to forgive me so they can move on. While I can't do anything about their forgiveness of me -- I can forgive them.
These seven words of passion help me in this struggle. When I think they are trying to ruin my life (they aren't - that is the enemy), I just need to forgive them.
When I run into others who struggle with this same issue, I need to open up and share my struggle so that I might be able to help them with the same issue.
I need to focus my attention not on them but rather on those closest to me and to be sure I am taking care of them. We waste so much time worrying about those that truly don't care about us that we ignore those around us who love us and need our attention. To spend time fretting about the struggle, talking about it, worrying about just gives more and more power to it. The enemy loves this. He wants us to wallow in it and to stay trapped in bondage. He hates forgiveness because that takes him out of the equation entirely.
When the tough times resurface, I need to aim my tough questions at God not the person I am struggling with. I'm not going to resolve anything by backing the other party into the corner with my well-articulated summary of the battle. I need to spend my time talking to God and giving Him the hard questions. He can deal with it.
I need to be human enough to acknowledge my need. I need this person. I need a relationship with them. It is OK to admit that I need it and that it hurts that we can't have a relationship.
I need to rest on the assurance that in all things, God has a purpose and I can focus on the end. There is an end to this in Glory. One day, the pain and suffering of broken relationships will end.
Lastly, I need to surrender to God. Quit fighting, quit keeping score and quit looking for yet another snub. Let it go. Quit giving power to it. Give it all over to God. Let the Healer heal it.
Soar!
John Eldredge said "Be kind to every single person you encounter because every one you come in contact with is under some kind of attack."
It is a good point. We so often think, "What does he have against me? Why is he being such a jerk?" When we have no idea what battles he struggling with. We all struggle. Each of us has a wound (some have more than one) that has haunted us our entire life. Each of us carries around a chain of bondage to some person we struggle with or some past mistake we can't seem to shake.
Haunting - but true.
My brother in law attends a dynamic church in Birmingham and he had this posted from his church on his refrigerator. It ties in with this theme:
Seven words of Passion
1) Forgive everyone who is trying to ruin your life.
2) Help others who are experiencing your same struggle.
3) Be sure you've taken care of those near you.
4) Aim your hard questions at God, not man.
5) Be human enough to acknowledge your need.
6) Be assured, there is a purpose and there is an end.
7) Finally, surrender your life to God and let it go.
I struggle a great deal with a broken relationship. I can't seem to let it go but I have to. I cannot reconcile with the other party because the other party doesn't want to reconcile with me. God doesn't command reconciliation - He commands forgiveness. I need to forgive them so I can move on and they need to forgive me so they can move on. While I can't do anything about their forgiveness of me -- I can forgive them.
These seven words of passion help me in this struggle. When I think they are trying to ruin my life (they aren't - that is the enemy), I just need to forgive them.
When I run into others who struggle with this same issue, I need to open up and share my struggle so that I might be able to help them with the same issue.
I need to focus my attention not on them but rather on those closest to me and to be sure I am taking care of them. We waste so much time worrying about those that truly don't care about us that we ignore those around us who love us and need our attention. To spend time fretting about the struggle, talking about it, worrying about just gives more and more power to it. The enemy loves this. He wants us to wallow in it and to stay trapped in bondage. He hates forgiveness because that takes him out of the equation entirely.
When the tough times resurface, I need to aim my tough questions at God not the person I am struggling with. I'm not going to resolve anything by backing the other party into the corner with my well-articulated summary of the battle. I need to spend my time talking to God and giving Him the hard questions. He can deal with it.
I need to be human enough to acknowledge my need. I need this person. I need a relationship with them. It is OK to admit that I need it and that it hurts that we can't have a relationship.
I need to rest on the assurance that in all things, God has a purpose and I can focus on the end. There is an end to this in Glory. One day, the pain and suffering of broken relationships will end.
Lastly, I need to surrender to God. Quit fighting, quit keeping score and quit looking for yet another snub. Let it go. Quit giving power to it. Give it all over to God. Let the Healer heal it.
Soar!
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Freedom
Brad Evangelista gave the message at Otis' farm last Thursday night. In Brad's usual fashion, it was passionate and energetic. What struck me was the point of freedom. Galatians 5:1 "It is for freedom that Christ has set you free, therefore do not be entangled again by the yoke of slavery."
It is for freedom that Christ set you free. That is an interesting comment...freedom so I could be free. Free so i can be free. Why would Christ say something like this?
How many of us are still trapped by religion? How many of us are Christians yet are still bound up by a whole bunch of rules. How many of us live our lives like prisoners? How many of us are entangled by the yoke of slavery?
Christ came to set us free but He also came to give us freedom. The cross is "free". The battle was won at the cross. If you accept Christ as your savior, you are forgiven and you are free. But He came to give us freedom -- "it is for freedom that Christ has set you free.." It is for freedom (the goal) that Christ has set you free (the act). The goal is freedom - that is the resurrection. The power in what Christ did wasn't so much in dying on the cross. The power came in the resurrection.
Too often, the church focuses on the "free" part and ignores the freedom. He came to give us freedom. He came to give us freedom from the chains and yoke of slavery that tie us down. Unfortunately, we live within fences of "religion" that tell us what we can/can't do and a bunch of rules. We don't live passionately or dangerously because we fear what others will think of us. We are free - we'll go to heaven - but we don't enjoy the freedom Christ came to give us.
Brad pictured this with a great story. When he was a young kid, he had a paper route. Everyday, he'd mount his Schwin and head off to deliver papers. A block away from his house lived a huge dog that was half wolf, half bear. The dog was huge and the dog hated Brad. Everyday, the dog would see him coming and everyday, he'd sit up on his porch and start barking as Brad approached. As Brad got closer, the dog would explode off the porch and tear towards Brad with blood dripping from his mouth. Right as Brad got to the house the dog would be in full sprint ready to take Brad apart running as fast as his four paws would deliver him toward his lunch. As Brad got to the dog, he'd pull out a paper. Right as the dog was about to eat Brad, he'd screech to halt at the fence that separated him from his meal. As Brad rolled by, he'd take his paper and drag it against the fence all the way down to the corner. This aggravated his adversary and gave Brad a daily victory against the beast.
One day Brad came rolling by and the daily ritual played itself out again -- this time with a shocking turn. As Brad approached, the beast leapt from the porch and charged him. Brad pulled his paper out to aggravate the dog and grinned in anticipation. Right as he approached the fence, his discovered in terror that the fence that separated him from the dog was gone! There was nothing to stop the dog from eating him for lunch. The dog approached faster than ever and Brad knew he was dead meat. He stood up on the seat of the bike and was prepared to kick the dog and swat him with the paper. But right as the dog was about to leave the yard and knock Brad off the bike...he slammed to a stop right where the fence used to be. The dog didn't know the fence was gone and out of habit, he stopped short.
The dog had freedom but he didn't know it. He remained trapped in the prison of his own making. In his mind, he was forever tied to that yard. Someone came along and removed the barrier that entrapped him but he didn't know freedom was his for the taking (or that Brad was his lunch for the taking!).
It is a great picture for us. Christ has taken down the fences that trap us in the ordinary life. He came that we might have life and have it abundantly. Seize the day!
Soar!
Brad Evangelista gave the message at Otis' farm last Thursday night. In Brad's usual fashion, it was passionate and energetic. What struck me was the point of freedom. Galatians 5:1 "It is for freedom that Christ has set you free, therefore do not be entangled again by the yoke of slavery."
It is for freedom that Christ set you free. That is an interesting comment...freedom so I could be free. Free so i can be free. Why would Christ say something like this?
How many of us are still trapped by religion? How many of us are Christians yet are still bound up by a whole bunch of rules. How many of us live our lives like prisoners? How many of us are entangled by the yoke of slavery?
Christ came to set us free but He also came to give us freedom. The cross is "free". The battle was won at the cross. If you accept Christ as your savior, you are forgiven and you are free. But He came to give us freedom -- "it is for freedom that Christ has set you free.." It is for freedom (the goal) that Christ has set you free (the act). The goal is freedom - that is the resurrection. The power in what Christ did wasn't so much in dying on the cross. The power came in the resurrection.
Too often, the church focuses on the "free" part and ignores the freedom. He came to give us freedom. He came to give us freedom from the chains and yoke of slavery that tie us down. Unfortunately, we live within fences of "religion" that tell us what we can/can't do and a bunch of rules. We don't live passionately or dangerously because we fear what others will think of us. We are free - we'll go to heaven - but we don't enjoy the freedom Christ came to give us.
Brad pictured this with a great story. When he was a young kid, he had a paper route. Everyday, he'd mount his Schwin and head off to deliver papers. A block away from his house lived a huge dog that was half wolf, half bear. The dog was huge and the dog hated Brad. Everyday, the dog would see him coming and everyday, he'd sit up on his porch and start barking as Brad approached. As Brad got closer, the dog would explode off the porch and tear towards Brad with blood dripping from his mouth. Right as Brad got to the house the dog would be in full sprint ready to take Brad apart running as fast as his four paws would deliver him toward his lunch. As Brad got to the dog, he'd pull out a paper. Right as the dog was about to eat Brad, he'd screech to halt at the fence that separated him from his meal. As Brad rolled by, he'd take his paper and drag it against the fence all the way down to the corner. This aggravated his adversary and gave Brad a daily victory against the beast.
One day Brad came rolling by and the daily ritual played itself out again -- this time with a shocking turn. As Brad approached, the beast leapt from the porch and charged him. Brad pulled his paper out to aggravate the dog and grinned in anticipation. Right as he approached the fence, his discovered in terror that the fence that separated him from the dog was gone! There was nothing to stop the dog from eating him for lunch. The dog approached faster than ever and Brad knew he was dead meat. He stood up on the seat of the bike and was prepared to kick the dog and swat him with the paper. But right as the dog was about to leave the yard and knock Brad off the bike...he slammed to a stop right where the fence used to be. The dog didn't know the fence was gone and out of habit, he stopped short.
The dog had freedom but he didn't know it. He remained trapped in the prison of his own making. In his mind, he was forever tied to that yard. Someone came along and removed the barrier that entrapped him but he didn't know freedom was his for the taking (or that Brad was his lunch for the taking!).
It is a great picture for us. Christ has taken down the fences that trap us in the ordinary life. He came that we might have life and have it abundantly. Seize the day!
Soar!
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Servant
We all want to be thought of as a servant. Servant leadership is a management buzz word - especially in Columbus. Jimmy Blanchard and Bill Turner "wrote the book" on Servant leadership. It is a noble cause. It is worthy.
We all aspire to being a servant - to put other's needs ahead of ours, to quietly serve others not really caring if our work is ever noticed. But how do we react when we are treated like a servant? What happens to us when folks take us at our word and "use" us as servants. What happens if others step on our servanthood as a step in their ladder to the top? Can servant leadership really work in a competitive work environment?
I think about it in a management role. Sandy Weill built Citigroup starting from zero. His ego was the size of Manhattan but he built a huge company and made a fortune. Jamie Dimon was his understudy all those years. When Sandy got fired from American Express, Jamie quit with him and the two set up shop with no business to run. Slowly, they began to buy businesses and cobble together what would become the largest financial services company in the world. When Sandy was at his pinnacle, he turned his back on Jamie and fired him. Jamie had crossed Sandy's daughter (who ran a division that reported to Jamie) and he wouldn't promote her. Sandy wanted her promoted so he fired his understudy and most loyal sidekick. Jamie left and became the CEO of BankOne which was bought by JPMorgan Chase (Citigroup's across town rival) and now Jamie is CEO of JPMorgan Chase. Citigroup has imploded and the press is now saying, "If only Sandy hadn't fired Jamie, Jamie would be running Citi today and Citi would likely have avoided this blow up in mortgage lending." Jamie is now widely regarded as the best CEO in banking and his JPMorgan has dodged much of the current crisis. Sandy forgot what brought him to the dance and rather than take on a servant leader role and cede authority when the time was right to Jamie, he fired him so he could have more time in the spotlight.
I think about it in the church. One of the largest churches in Columbus has recently been in turmoil. Their youth ministry program was, by far, the largest and most successful in town. Kids from all over the city were attending their ministry. Yet the pastor clashed with the youth pastor and didn't want to give him any of the spotlight in the church including forbidding him from ever speaking in a church service. The youth pastor left and that began the long and painful period of turmoil in the church. Down from more than 100 kids each week at youth functions, last week just a dozen came. Hundreds of people have left the church and they are stuggling to figure out the church's future. It is a crying shame that in trying to hold onto power, the pastor lost sight of the church's mission. Hundreds of kids passed through that church to get fed spiritually and now it looks like a ghost town and the kids are gone. He won the battle but is losing the war.
John the baptiser came to pave the way for Jesus. That was his role. He had disciples and his disciples came to him and said "This man Jesus is baptising people, what will you do?" The crowd was telling John - your role is being "taken" by Jesus, he is getting the spotlight, you'd better alter your marketing plan, you'd better step up your activities or else all the glory is going to go to Jesus.
What did John do? He quietly stepped aside and let Jesus do His thing. John was imprisoned and later beheaded. He died a servant. He knew his role and when his prominence was threatened by Jesus - he welcomed it. He knew he had done what he was called to do and now it was time to pass it all on to Jesus. John was the fullback that cleared the lane for the running back to score the touchdown. Fullbacks don't typically get much press but without them, the running back doesn't stand much of a chance. Now Jesus doesn't need anyone's help to clear the lane but He called John to a role and John fulfilled his role and then disappeared out of the spotlight.
I want to be thought of as a servant leader but truth be told, when others step on me, I get my back up and defend myself. I try to shine the light on my accomplishments, my works which flies in the face of servant leadership. The servant serves. Period. Serve!
Soar!
We all want to be thought of as a servant. Servant leadership is a management buzz word - especially in Columbus. Jimmy Blanchard and Bill Turner "wrote the book" on Servant leadership. It is a noble cause. It is worthy.
We all aspire to being a servant - to put other's needs ahead of ours, to quietly serve others not really caring if our work is ever noticed. But how do we react when we are treated like a servant? What happens to us when folks take us at our word and "use" us as servants. What happens if others step on our servanthood as a step in their ladder to the top? Can servant leadership really work in a competitive work environment?
I think about it in a management role. Sandy Weill built Citigroup starting from zero. His ego was the size of Manhattan but he built a huge company and made a fortune. Jamie Dimon was his understudy all those years. When Sandy got fired from American Express, Jamie quit with him and the two set up shop with no business to run. Slowly, they began to buy businesses and cobble together what would become the largest financial services company in the world. When Sandy was at his pinnacle, he turned his back on Jamie and fired him. Jamie had crossed Sandy's daughter (who ran a division that reported to Jamie) and he wouldn't promote her. Sandy wanted her promoted so he fired his understudy and most loyal sidekick. Jamie left and became the CEO of BankOne which was bought by JPMorgan Chase (Citigroup's across town rival) and now Jamie is CEO of JPMorgan Chase. Citigroup has imploded and the press is now saying, "If only Sandy hadn't fired Jamie, Jamie would be running Citi today and Citi would likely have avoided this blow up in mortgage lending." Jamie is now widely regarded as the best CEO in banking and his JPMorgan has dodged much of the current crisis. Sandy forgot what brought him to the dance and rather than take on a servant leader role and cede authority when the time was right to Jamie, he fired him so he could have more time in the spotlight.
I think about it in the church. One of the largest churches in Columbus has recently been in turmoil. Their youth ministry program was, by far, the largest and most successful in town. Kids from all over the city were attending their ministry. Yet the pastor clashed with the youth pastor and didn't want to give him any of the spotlight in the church including forbidding him from ever speaking in a church service. The youth pastor left and that began the long and painful period of turmoil in the church. Down from more than 100 kids each week at youth functions, last week just a dozen came. Hundreds of people have left the church and they are stuggling to figure out the church's future. It is a crying shame that in trying to hold onto power, the pastor lost sight of the church's mission. Hundreds of kids passed through that church to get fed spiritually and now it looks like a ghost town and the kids are gone. He won the battle but is losing the war.
John the baptiser came to pave the way for Jesus. That was his role. He had disciples and his disciples came to him and said "This man Jesus is baptising people, what will you do?" The crowd was telling John - your role is being "taken" by Jesus, he is getting the spotlight, you'd better alter your marketing plan, you'd better step up your activities or else all the glory is going to go to Jesus.
What did John do? He quietly stepped aside and let Jesus do His thing. John was imprisoned and later beheaded. He died a servant. He knew his role and when his prominence was threatened by Jesus - he welcomed it. He knew he had done what he was called to do and now it was time to pass it all on to Jesus. John was the fullback that cleared the lane for the running back to score the touchdown. Fullbacks don't typically get much press but without them, the running back doesn't stand much of a chance. Now Jesus doesn't need anyone's help to clear the lane but He called John to a role and John fulfilled his role and then disappeared out of the spotlight.
I want to be thought of as a servant leader but truth be told, when others step on me, I get my back up and defend myself. I try to shine the light on my accomplishments, my works which flies in the face of servant leadership. The servant serves. Period. Serve!
Soar!
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Brokenhearted
I just hung up the phone with a former co-worker and in his parting comment, he took a shot at me about a mutual client, "Listen, they are saying they will stay with you ... for now ... but they might look to do something different soon." Like a knife in the gut.
The client has told me, "I am with you" and I have to take him at his word. But the words of my former co-worker stung. I know what it is - his attempt to let me know he is in control of the situation and that I am just lucky to be hanging on. The enemy jumped all over that and started to tear at me.
Then I opened my daily email from John Eldredge...
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
He restores my soul.
He heals up the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. (PS 147:3)
"For some reason this has been lost in the recent offerings of the church. Perhaps it has been our pride, which has kept us from admitting we are broken. Perhaps its been the church's almost total focus on sin and the cross. But the Scripture is abundant and clear: Christ came not only to pardon us, but to heal us. He wants the glory restored. Jesus can and wants to heal your heart."
I read that within 15 seconds of hanging up the phone. The issue isn't my coworker or his insecurity or his jab at me. The issue is my heart. It is broken. I need healing and restoration and that ONLY comes from Christ. He wants me fully restored and living the abundant life - not trapped by "I'm just a lowly sinner saved by grace," or, "This is a tough life, full of hardships and trials and stress". NO, NO, NO! If we focus on our pity, we remain in pity. If we focus on our pain, we remain in pain. If we focus on the jabs of others, we remain on defense.
He came to set us FREE of all that. Free. Free and fully restored - fully restored to where we don't even have to "rise above all that pettiness" - we don't have to rise above it because we don't ever have to get down in it. We are restored!
Soar!
I just hung up the phone with a former co-worker and in his parting comment, he took a shot at me about a mutual client, "Listen, they are saying they will stay with you ... for now ... but they might look to do something different soon." Like a knife in the gut.
The client has told me, "I am with you" and I have to take him at his word. But the words of my former co-worker stung. I know what it is - his attempt to let me know he is in control of the situation and that I am just lucky to be hanging on. The enemy jumped all over that and started to tear at me.
Then I opened my daily email from John Eldredge...
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
He restores my soul.
He heals up the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. (PS 147:3)
"For some reason this has been lost in the recent offerings of the church. Perhaps it has been our pride, which has kept us from admitting we are broken. Perhaps its been the church's almost total focus on sin and the cross. But the Scripture is abundant and clear: Christ came not only to pardon us, but to heal us. He wants the glory restored. Jesus can and wants to heal your heart."
I read that within 15 seconds of hanging up the phone. The issue isn't my coworker or his insecurity or his jab at me. The issue is my heart. It is broken. I need healing and restoration and that ONLY comes from Christ. He wants me fully restored and living the abundant life - not trapped by "I'm just a lowly sinner saved by grace," or, "This is a tough life, full of hardships and trials and stress". NO, NO, NO! If we focus on our pity, we remain in pity. If we focus on our pain, we remain in pain. If we focus on the jabs of others, we remain on defense.
He came to set us FREE of all that. Free. Free and fully restored - fully restored to where we don't even have to "rise above all that pettiness" - we don't have to rise above it because we don't ever have to get down in it. We are restored!
Soar!
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Man Fully Alive
The glory of God is man fully alive! I have posted in the past about my hunting adventures. I took up deer hunting last year. My dad wasn't a hunter and i've never had an "elder" show me the ropes of hunting. Masculinity is bestowed - it is taught, it is handed down - and in some sense, hunting is a part of the masculine adventure. Unfortunately for me, I've had to teach it to myself. I have two good hunting buddies and they are showing me a good deal and I do have an older man that is extremely experienced in all types of hunting. He helps me learn from my mistakes but I am, for the most part, doing this myself and that is OK. Not ideal, but OK.
Saturday was a grand day. The weather was incredible - crystal clear blue skies and very fall-like temperatures. I hit the stand at 6:30 am and enjoyed some quiet time with God. I saw a few deer early and then about 8:30, 6 doe walked into my stand area. I set my stand up at the end of a food plot down into a hardwood forest that falls down into a creek bottom. These doe came off the food plot and were heading down into the woods. They walked right up to my stand and hung around for a few minutes munching on acorns. A spike came up out of the woods to check the girls out and then a 4 point came along. With 8 deer now under my stand, I was frozen waiting and hoping for a large buck to come along. I heard something coming up behind me and as I slowly turned my head to the right, a very nice, mature buck came up. He was perfect - almost. One side of his rack was thick and mature with 4 good points and a smaller 5th point. The problem is, his other side was mangled and broken. He had been fighting and lost some of this side. Hard as it was, I let him go but needless to say, it was thrilling. He was almost perfect, almost on my wall.
I went again this morning. I only saw 1 doe and she had a nice 6 point following her up out of the creek bottom. At this point in the cycle, the younger bucks are "pushing" the does. The does aren't in heat yet and the rut hasn't begun...but it is close. The younger bucks are driving the does and the big boys are holding back. Once the rut kicks in, the chase will be on. My hope is that my stand is in the right place to catch the right buck at the right time. So far, I am encouraged by the traffic flow around my stand.
What was trilling beyond words this morning was my first encounter with a bobcat. I've had 2 bobcats in my driveway before but this was the first time I've seen one in the woods. About 10am, I heard a scream way off in the woods. I had no idea what it was - at first, I thought it may be a goose honking and the echos of the woods were playing tricks on me. The screaming continued non-stop and was getting closer and closer. I noticed the squirrels started running up the treees and that tipped me off (that and the hair standing up on the back of my neck). This wasn't a goose. It was a bobcat and he was moving in on me. The screams got louder and louder and then he went totally silent. About the time he went silent, he appeared on my left cruising up right in front of me. About 30 yards ahead of me he stopped and I had a full side look at him. He then disappeared like a ghost into the thick brush. What a thrill!
Now this doesn't ring everyone's bell but I am telling you, you feel fully alive at 8am on a cold fall morning watching the miracle of God's woods. It is thrilling beyond words.
Soar!
The glory of God is man fully alive! I have posted in the past about my hunting adventures. I took up deer hunting last year. My dad wasn't a hunter and i've never had an "elder" show me the ropes of hunting. Masculinity is bestowed - it is taught, it is handed down - and in some sense, hunting is a part of the masculine adventure. Unfortunately for me, I've had to teach it to myself. I have two good hunting buddies and they are showing me a good deal and I do have an older man that is extremely experienced in all types of hunting. He helps me learn from my mistakes but I am, for the most part, doing this myself and that is OK. Not ideal, but OK.
Saturday was a grand day. The weather was incredible - crystal clear blue skies and very fall-like temperatures. I hit the stand at 6:30 am and enjoyed some quiet time with God. I saw a few deer early and then about 8:30, 6 doe walked into my stand area. I set my stand up at the end of a food plot down into a hardwood forest that falls down into a creek bottom. These doe came off the food plot and were heading down into the woods. They walked right up to my stand and hung around for a few minutes munching on acorns. A spike came up out of the woods to check the girls out and then a 4 point came along. With 8 deer now under my stand, I was frozen waiting and hoping for a large buck to come along. I heard something coming up behind me and as I slowly turned my head to the right, a very nice, mature buck came up. He was perfect - almost. One side of his rack was thick and mature with 4 good points and a smaller 5th point. The problem is, his other side was mangled and broken. He had been fighting and lost some of this side. Hard as it was, I let him go but needless to say, it was thrilling. He was almost perfect, almost on my wall.
I went again this morning. I only saw 1 doe and she had a nice 6 point following her up out of the creek bottom. At this point in the cycle, the younger bucks are "pushing" the does. The does aren't in heat yet and the rut hasn't begun...but it is close. The younger bucks are driving the does and the big boys are holding back. Once the rut kicks in, the chase will be on. My hope is that my stand is in the right place to catch the right buck at the right time. So far, I am encouraged by the traffic flow around my stand.
What was trilling beyond words this morning was my first encounter with a bobcat. I've had 2 bobcats in my driveway before but this was the first time I've seen one in the woods. About 10am, I heard a scream way off in the woods. I had no idea what it was - at first, I thought it may be a goose honking and the echos of the woods were playing tricks on me. The screaming continued non-stop and was getting closer and closer. I noticed the squirrels started running up the treees and that tipped me off (that and the hair standing up on the back of my neck). This wasn't a goose. It was a bobcat and he was moving in on me. The screams got louder and louder and then he went totally silent. About the time he went silent, he appeared on my left cruising up right in front of me. About 30 yards ahead of me he stopped and I had a full side look at him. He then disappeared like a ghost into the thick brush. What a thrill!
Now this doesn't ring everyone's bell but I am telling you, you feel fully alive at 8am on a cold fall morning watching the miracle of God's woods. It is thrilling beyond words.
Soar!
Friday, October 26, 2007
Lonely
Why are we lonely? Why do - sometimes - we feel like it is us vs. the world? Why do we crave intimacy with our spouse? Not sex so much as deep intimacy. Why do we long for a few friends that really "get" us? As men, why do we want our father's affection and attention? Why do we need him to take a real interest in us a his son?
It is a fallen world. Broken. This isn't heaven. Those longings we feel are in some strange ways - normal. They are the normal consequences of living in a broken world. People don't meet our needs because deep down, they hurt and long as much as we do. Someone recently said, "Be patient with everyone for everyone you come in contact with is fighting a battle." Everyone that ticks you off today, everyone that is rude to you in a store, everyone that forgets you, everyone...is fighting a deep battle of their own.
We all battle. We all hurt. This is a scary place this world of ours. It is easy to mourn this life because it isn't right. The world and mankind cannot fulfill that deep seated, soul-planted desire we all have for relationship. God put that desire in man and it won't be totally satisfied until we are with Him in His realm. That sense of mourning reflects the longing we have for M-O-R-E -- there has to be more than this life offers. Praise the Lord, there is.
Those twinges you feel are normal. It truly is you vs. the world. The world is out for itself because the world is broken. The hurt, anger, loneliness, lack of intimacy, sadness are all just symptoms of the fall. But there is hope. There is M-O-R-E.
He craves intimacy with us. He is restorative. He is healing. He is power. Lean on Him during the times of mourning this broken world.
Soar!
Why are we lonely? Why do - sometimes - we feel like it is us vs. the world? Why do we crave intimacy with our spouse? Not sex so much as deep intimacy. Why do we long for a few friends that really "get" us? As men, why do we want our father's affection and attention? Why do we need him to take a real interest in us a his son?
It is a fallen world. Broken. This isn't heaven. Those longings we feel are in some strange ways - normal. They are the normal consequences of living in a broken world. People don't meet our needs because deep down, they hurt and long as much as we do. Someone recently said, "Be patient with everyone for everyone you come in contact with is fighting a battle." Everyone that ticks you off today, everyone that is rude to you in a store, everyone that forgets you, everyone...is fighting a deep battle of their own.
We all battle. We all hurt. This is a scary place this world of ours. It is easy to mourn this life because it isn't right. The world and mankind cannot fulfill that deep seated, soul-planted desire we all have for relationship. God put that desire in man and it won't be totally satisfied until we are with Him in His realm. That sense of mourning reflects the longing we have for M-O-R-E -- there has to be more than this life offers. Praise the Lord, there is.
Those twinges you feel are normal. It truly is you vs. the world. The world is out for itself because the world is broken. The hurt, anger, loneliness, lack of intimacy, sadness are all just symptoms of the fall. But there is hope. There is M-O-R-E.
He craves intimacy with us. He is restorative. He is healing. He is power. Lean on Him during the times of mourning this broken world.
Soar!
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