FindThe01

Half & Half (or Not)

2011-08-25T16:00:00.002-04:00

Luke 5:20-23And when he saw their faith, he said, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, "Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'?

Today I've got a quick thought on a quick piece of Scripture. Check out this part: "...Jesus perceived their thoughts...".

One thing that we have to remember as Christians is that our Savior was not half god and half human; He was fully God and fully human: he was painfully aware of his purpose on Earth.

When people thought hurtful thoughts about Him, He heard them. When He woke up in the morning, He knew how many days He had left. And when He washed the disciples feet as a sign of sacrifice and service, He washed Judas' feet knowing exactly how Judas would betray Him.

Burning Bush - Part 3: Meaning for Us

2011-07-28T16:00:00.004-04:00

So here we are, finally at the third and final post in our series on the burning bush. Today's is definitely my favorite section: what the burning bush miracle and surrounding story means to us. We've already talked about what it meant to Moses, and if you haven't read that post yet, you should. I'll draw a lot of parallels between what the miracle meant to Moses & what it means to us. Let's dive right in.

In Exodus 3, we see God call Moses to play a major role in God's plan. We've already talked about Moses' past as an orphaned murderer, etc, so if we see God using Moses in such a major way after all he has done, we should easily accept that God wants to call us too. God not only calls Moses, but throughout their relationship, God reveals himself to Moses in ways that he could have never imagined. I think that part of the story is very important because it shows that God doesn't just want to use us to do His bidding, but He truly wants to know us.

The next portion of the burning bush story has God telling Moses to remove his shoes because he is on holy ground. We have already discussed, in the previous post, that it was God's presence there that made the ground holy. With that in mind, think about what we know about God's presence in the lives of Christians: when we accept Christ, God's Spirit dwells in us. Knowing that we have God's presence with us at all times, everywhere a believer walks is holy ground.

God tells Moses that he has seen His people's troubles; Moses didn't have to tell God about it, He already knew about their troubles, felt compassion on them, and had a plan to rescue them which he begins to carry out through Moses. Our situation as Christians is no different: we experience troubles, God sees them and feels compassion for us, and He has a plan to rescue us. The only difference is that our rescue is permanent and eternal; God has offered His son for our rescue. In Christ, we are saved.

As the story of the burning bush draws to a close, God sends Moses out and says that He will be with Moses just as God promises to be with us through His spirit that dwells in us. And in the same way as Moses: God's spirit is not only in us to comfort us, but to provide the power that is not optional, the power that is required for anyone who desires to accomplish the plan that God has for them,

Burning Bush - Part 2: Meaning for Moses

2011-06-30T16:00:00.002-04:00

In my last post, we started talking about the burning bush and how it (from a scientific perspective) might have happened. Today we'll begin to dig in to the spiritual meat and will talk about what the burning bush meant for Moses (and Israel). In the next post, we'll finish our series with a look at what this miracle means for us.

At the time of the burning bush, Moses is taking care of his father-in-law's sheep in the region of Midian. Now, think to yourself, what is Moses doing in Midian? Aren't the Israelites suffering in Egypt? Oh right, Moses ran away after he murdered someone. So, from what we know about Moses: first his mother floats him down the river, he's found by a woman in Pharaoh's household, he murders someone, and now he's a shepherd; interesting career path.

The first part of the burning bush story has God revealing himself to Moses and then warning Moses to take off his shoes because he is on holy ground. Now what is it that makes this ground holy? We've discussed Midian; is it inherently holy? No. What makes this ground holy is God's presence there.

Next, God tells Moses that he has seen His people's affliction, has heard their cry, and knows their suffering; he then reveals that he will be sending Moses to rescue them. For Moses, this is what we'd consider his official 'call' from God; this is where God turns an orphaned royal stepchild, murdering shepherd into a savior (lowercase s).

Finally, Moses, among the most reluctant of Biblical characters, asks God how he could possibly go before Pharaoh, etc. God responds with little more than "I will be with you", not only as a comfort to Moses, but answering his question "How?" Not only is God's presence comforting to Moses, but it is necessary.

Burning Bush - Part 1: Intro

2011-06-02T16:00:00.005-04:00

Exodus 3:1-12

Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, "I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned." When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." Then he said, "Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." And he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

Then the LORD said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt." But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?" He said, "But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain."

I recently took a look at this passage as part of a Sunday morning series: Miracles in Exodus. We took a number of the miracles in the book of Exodus and really looked at them in-depth: how does science help us better understand this miracle, what it meant to Moses (or Israel), and what it means to us as present-day Christians. Our focus throughout this series was really on God's provision.

Well, my favorite miracle in Exodus is the burning bush, so I would like to take three blog posts and take a look at it. Today, we'll take a brief look at how science helps us better understand this miracle. Keep an eye out for the next two posts.

At this time, Moses is in Midian, taking care of his father-in-law's sheep. There are a couple of important facts about Midian that will help us better understand the burning bush. First, Midian had a history of volcanic activity; this was important for Moses because volcanic soil is very fertile (good for grazing) and helps explain why shepherd hung out in this area. Midian also contained (contains) many natural gas deposits.

With those two facts in mind, we can offer two highly-plausible explanations for the natural occurrences that God might have used to orchestrate the burning bush. Both explanations revolve around the fact that volcanic activity leads to deep cracks in the soil and both explanations are forms of what I call "The Cracker Barrel Effect". If you have never been to a Cracker Barrel, they always have a huge wood fire going in the fireplace, but when you look closely, you notice that the fire is assisted by a steady stream of natural gas. The same situation is likely for the burning bush: with known deposits of natural gas and volcanic gases and the presence of deep cracks in the soil (from volcanic activity), either flammable gas could easily escape and be ignited by intense heat or another ignition source.

Pretty interesting, right? I hope you'll check back for the next two posts where I'll really get into the spiritual implications of the burning bush.

Restrained

2011-05-05T16:00:00.007-04:00

Exodus 36:3-7

They still kept bringing him freewill offerings every morning, so that all the craftsmen who were doing every sort of task on the sanctuary came, each from the task that he was doing, and said to Moses, "The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the LORD has commanded us to do." So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, "Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary." So the people were restrained from bringing, for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more.

This passage really hit me hard. What an awesome example of what a group of people can accomplish when they allow the Lord to stir up their hearts (Ex36:2)!

I mean, take a look: the Israelites gave of themselves so much that the had to be 'restrained'! They had given more than enough to accomplish what God was calling them to. What would this sort of sacrifice look like in modern Christianity? How do church leaders compel their communities to this point?

As a church staff member, I get a unique perspective on the needs of a community and on the people's willingness to provide. What is it about this passage that makes it personal for you?

Silent Fight

2011-04-07T16:00:00.004-04:00

Exodus 14:14

"The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent."

A great quote from a frustrated Moses. Talk about short and sweet: How many trials and struggles in my own life would have been so much faster and smoother if I had taken Moses' advice?

We need to begin to view silence as the first line of defense and not the last resort. God will fight for you. Will you let him?

Repetitive Instruction

2011-03-10T16:00:00.003-05:00

Exodus 12:14-20

"This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven out of your houses, for if anyone eats what is leavened, from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. On the first day you shall hold a holy assembly, and on the seventh day a holy assembly. No work shall be done on those days. But what everyone needs to eat, that alone may be prepared by you. And you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day, throughout your generations, as a statute forever. In the first month, from the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. For seven days no leaven is to be found in your houses. If anyone eats what is leavened, that person will be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a sojourner or a native of the land. You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwelling places you shall eat unleavened bread."

In this passage, God is establishing Passover. When I first read this passage, I had to do a double-take. I said to myself, "Is it just me, or did God just repeat himself?" But then I thought, "How many times, in my life, has God had to repeat himself?" It seems that many times, I act as a disobedient child and have to be told the same thing over and over before I act on it. Do you all see that in your own lives? How do you grow from that?

Food for Thought?

2011-02-10T16:00:00.000-05:00

Matthew 6:9-13

Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

What really struck me in this passage ("The Lord's Prayer", Jesus' example of how we should pray) was the part about food (yes, I am a huge fan of both Jesus and food so I was pretty excited to find them both in Matthew 6).

If you re-read the passage, paying extra attention to food part, you see that when Jesus teaches us to pray, he does so in the future tense. So often, for many of us, the only consistent time we pray is when there is food in front of us or even after we've already eaten, but Jesus example was about, before anything happened and before we even thought about where our next meal was coming from, recognizing that it is God who sustains us and provides for us. I think for many of us we ignore God all day long, sit down to dinner and, in our hearts, pray "God, this food looks great and I worked my butt off earning the money to buy it and/or cook it. Oh, PS, thanks for anything you might have had to do with it. Amen."

Maybe it's time for a change.

Admiring the Vision

2011-01-13T16:00:00.011-05:00

Matthew 6:1

Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

Not long ago, I visited an unfamiliar church. I was seated in one of their pews and decided to entertain myself by rifling through the many cards and pamphlets that were available. Among others, I found one card that said in big, bold letters: "I give electronically". It had a spot to write your name and date and included fine print that read: "If you donate online or by bank draft you may use this card to participate in the offering during worship services." I felt an immediate unsettling in my spirit: this is not right.

What should a gift to God look like? Well, my friends at Merriam-Webster define a gift as "something voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation" and I see nothing in that definition that conflicts with Scripture. So, both Jesus and M-W tell us that when we give a gift, we should give it without expectation of compensation, whether that looks like the choice piece of Communion bread (don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about), a stroked ego, or even the praise and admiration of our peers.

So why then would a church use a card like this? Well, since the people using it "donate online or by bank draft", both the congregant and the church would already have a record of the transaction, so that's not it. The card states that its purpose is to allow the user to "participate in the offering", but if you donate online or by bank draft, haven't you already participated in the offering? You are left with no choice but to believe that this card is a modern-day example of exactly what Jesus was speaking out against in Matthew 6: sinners' need to be admired by others and their willingness to trade that admiration for the reward that God has for them.

Do I think the leadership of this particular church have no regard for the vision that God has for their church? Not at all. My guess is that they have let the wants a few misguided congregants (who also happen to give electronically) interfere with that vision. I think one of the strongest signs of the spiritual health of a church (or almost any organization or individual) is the willingness of the leadership to discern the vision that God has for them and then to pursue that vision despite all of the distractions that the masses have to offer. Isn't that something that we have all experienced?

Spirit of the Law

2010-10-28T16:00:00.003-04:00

Matthew 12:9-14

He went on from there and entered their synagogue. And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"— so that they might accuse him. He said to them, "Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.

I read this passage today, and it really struck a chord with me; not because I had tons of deep, theological thoughts on it, but because I think this passage shows us a little nugget of Jesus' character that I can really appreciate: he's pretty crafty.

As a crime/legal drama junkie (Law & Order of all persuasions, Boston Legal, CSI in any location, Outlaw, you name it), there was another part of this passage that stuck out to me: Jesus sought to carry out the spirit of the law rather than the letter.

Reminiscent of one of my favorite Law & Order characters (ADA Jack McCoy), Jesus does not allow the letter of the law to prevent him from using any means necessary to carry out the spirit of the law. I think that may be my little take-home nugget today: don't get so hung up on doing things the right way that you don't do the right thing.

Family Ties

2010-10-14T16:00:00.003-04:00

^{Matthew 10:37-39} Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

This piece of scripture has always been a wake-up call for me, which I guess is a good thing, sort of. You see, I've always had a great family, and have always really loved my family. I count my wife, parents, brother, in-laws, and extended families not only as relatives, but as friends. I tell and show my wife that I love her every chance I get, I try to talk to my parents and spend time with them as often as I can, I regularly have meals and hang with my brother; you get the idea. But with all of the ways that my love for my family is evident in my life, it leaves me wondering: "Is my love for my Savior that evident?"

I think that's something that I'll continue to ponder and strive for for a long time.

'Sticky' Friends

2010-09-16T16:00:00.001-04:00

Proverbs 18:24
There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.

In my personal reading and study, I almost always use one of two translations of the Bible: the English Standard Version or the New Living Translation. When I read this passage, I was using the NLT (which is printed above). Although the ESV is a newer translation, the NLT is more "modern"; and that impacted the way that I read this verse.

In this passage, the NLT uses quotation marks in "...'friends' who destroy each other..." as a modern, tongue-in-cheek way of indicating that friends who destroy each other are not really friends at all. I think we have all witnessed that in one way or another; whether you have experienced that firsthand or not. We've all seen friendships that were based on something temporary and trivial implode, but we've also seen two people, who seemed to be great friends, slowly drift apart and then proceed to start tearing each other apart, whether with words, physical actions, or attitudes.

So what is a real friend? What does that sort of relationship look like?

To me, a real friend, someone who is in my 'core' group of friends knows more of you than you would ever show to a casual acquaintance. For me, a real friend is someone who is more than a casual acquaintance that also happens to be nice, fun, and trustworthy. A real friend is someone I have intimacy with, someone I can count on in all situations, and someone who knows and believes in my character and values enough to stand up for them. (Maybe this is why I've always had a very small, quality group of close friends...)

If you identify with my description of my real friends, you know how important they are; how awesome it is to have a real friend. From what I know about God's character and from what I've read in His Word, I fully believe that God wants us to have real friends. I also believe that if we are Christian, we should emulate the character of God and we should want other people to have real friends too.

We see people every day in our schools, jobs, and families that could benefit greatly from having a real friend. It's time for us to step up and be that friend.

Hurt at Home

2010-09-02T16:00:00.003-04:00

Matthew 5:44-45
Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.

Recently, our small groups have been talking about persecution. Persecution is something that we usually associate with foreign countries, so I want to look at it a little closer to home.

When we look at the life of Jesus, we see that he was persecuted in His own country and by His own people. As Christians, we are called to act as Christ did; to literally be 'little Christs'. So, to me, if we're doing our job and acting as Christ acted, we should probably expect the same treatment Christ received.

If we take a look at recent headlines, we see Church burnings, shootings, and illustrations of the growing prejudice against Christians in our country. Whether the methods involve intimidation or violence, the intent is to prevent Christianity from spreading.

Persecution is a daily occurrence in this country, and although it is not always as severe as some of the stories that we hear from around the world, the frequency and severity seem to be increasing.

More and more we are told where we can display scriptures and religious symbols, prayer is often frowned upon or even prohibited in public, and the word 'Christmas' is increasingly replaced by 'holiday'.

With all that said, you may be surprised to learn that I think a good deal of this is our fault. You see, by standing around and watching these events occur, we tell the world that our freedom of religious expression is not important to us. Every time shop at a 'holiday' sale, we're telling retailers that we don’t care whether they call it Christmas or not. And, every time we are too weak or scarred to start a prayer group or Bible study in our school or office, we're saying "You might as well ban Bible studies, because none of us care enough to start one anyway."

The good news about this struggle is this: The outcome is clear; God wins and no one can stop him. In the mean time, we have two choices: we can let the persecution, name calling, and nasty looks bother us, we can quit praying when we go out to eat, we can keep our Christianity a secret and just slide by, or we can hold our heads high, stand firm, and use persecution as a means to share our faith and grow the Kingdom.

It's really your choice. Either way, we’re going to be persecuted. But, for us, I don't think it should be not about the persecution that we endure, but about how we use that persecution as a means to love people into a relationship with Christ.

Focus on The Detail

2010-07-29T16:00:00.004-04:00

Mark 16:1-8

When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?" And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back— it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you." And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

As I read this account of the day of the resurrection, a couple of details struck me:

The women were already on their way to the tomb when they questioned who would roll the stone out of their way. To me, this says that they didn't worry about seemingly big details like how they were going to get into the tomb, but focused only on the biggest detail: that they were going to honor Jesus' body.

How many times do we talk ourselves out of doing something that we feel called to do simply because we can't figure out all the details? How much more effective would we be as Christians if we focused only on the biggest detail of our calling and took the rest on faith.

Just a little pondering that I've been doing this afternoon. Do y'all have any thoughts? Leave them in the comments section below.

Prepare the Way

2010-07-22T16:00:00.002-04:00

Matthew 3:3

"The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.'"

As I was reading about John the Baptist today, I was challenged, so I'll pass that challenge on to you:

Do our words, actions, and attitudes prepare the way for Christ in others' lives? What about in your own life?

Dead Men Walking

2010-03-18T16:00:00.003-04:00

Matthew 27:50-53

Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people.

It's 'funny' how you can read the same passage of Scripture sixty times and get something different out of it every time.

I read this today and its imagery really struck me: you're standing in Jerusalem on the day of Jesus' death and not only does the temple curtain tear, the earth shake, and the sky go dark, but just to make sure you notice that something huge just happened, the bodies of Godly people who died years ago are wandering through the streets.

It's hard to halfheartedly believe something that crazy. The scripture isn't a metaphor; it's not a simile; it doesn't use 'like' or 'as'; it happened. Either you believe that real dead bodies hopped up out of their real graves and walked into real Jerusalem, or your Jesus is not the one described in the Bible. How's that for an acid test? Pretty crazy.

What are your thoughts? Leave them as comments.

Promises

2010-03-09T16:00:00.000-05:00

Jeremiah 33:20-21

“This is what the Lord says: If you can break my covenant with the day and the night so that one does not follow the other, only then will my covenant with my servant David be broken. Only then will he no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne. The same is true for my covenant with the Levitical priests who minister before me.

As I read this passage this morning, it really hit home with me. I was reminded how small we are and how big God is: that we could no more disrupt God's plan than we could disrupt the rhythm of day and night. That is both humbling and comforting.

Attitude Check? Praise the Lord.

2010-02-11T16:00:00.005-05:00

Psalm 150

Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heaven! Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness! Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn; praise him with the lyre and harp! Praise him with the tambourine and dancing; praise him with strings and flutes! Praise him with a clash of cymbals; praise him with loud clanging cymbals. Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord! Praise the Lord!

As an assistant youth pastor, one of my favorite parts (if not the favorite part) of my job is leading worship. We have a youth worship service every Sunday morning, do a short worship set before Wednesday night small groups, and tend to salt and pepper all of our events with worship whenever possible.

As much as I love leading people in worship, it can be physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding; and sometimes, I just don't feel up to it. But, over the years, I've found that I can respond to my lack of feeling in one of two ways. I can say, to myself, either:

A. "I don't feel like leading worship, but I'll push on and do my best."

or

B. "I don't feel like leading worship, so I can have even more confidence that God is the one leading worship."

It is incredibly humbling to see the vast difference that my team and I experience when I choose B instead of A.

Have you let God work through you this week, or have you tried to do it on your own?

Joy: An Inspiration

2010-02-04T16:00:00.002-05:00

Philippians 1:3-6

Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Well, this is the final, most important, most succinct aspect in our month-long discussion of joy (Greek: chara).

This aspect of joy picks up where last week's left off, continuing the idea that joy should not just be a personal event. However, this passage points out the most radical, yet least complicated aspect of joy yet.

What we see in this passage is pretty much Paul's standard greeting; he used similar greetings in most of his letters. In this greeting, Paul indicates that he is experiencing joy; not joy just for joy's sake, but joy that has stemmed from the Philippians and their ministry.

There is one point that you must take away from this discussion: that you, I, and all Christians are called to live our lives in such a way that we inspire joy in other people.

Does that idea rock your world like it does mine?

Joy: A Community Event

2010-01-28T16:00:00.000-05:00

Acts 8:4-8

But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went. Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah. Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did. Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city.

Alright, this is where our discussion of joy (Greek: chara) begins to turn a corner. In the past two passages, we've seen that joy should cause us to worship, that joy should cause us to sacrifice. In this passage, however, joy displays itself in a new way. Take a look. What I think this passage can teach us about joy is that it is not just about us.

What we see, in this passage, is demons being cast out of many of the lame and paralyzed people of the city and then the whole city experiencing joy. There is a command in Romans 12 that we should rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn; to me, that is exactly what we see here. The ideal situation seems to be that we would not just experience joy in our personal, local church, or denominational bubbles, but that the whole body of Christ would experience joy together.

Does that strike a chord with you? Do you see how this is probably the most important aspect of joy that we've touched on so far?

Joy: What Will It Cost

2010-01-21T16:00:00.000-05:00

Hebrews 12:1-4

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.

Who in this scripture, is receiving joy and what action does it motivate? The answer is Christ and sacrifice.

It was because of joy (or chara), the type of joy that Galatians 5 says will be evident in all Christians, that Christ suffered the cross.

The type of joy that we, as Christians, should possess is a joy so extreme, a joy so selfless, that until we have given our lives for the cause of Christ, we still have plenty to give.

Joy: A Call to Worship

2010-01-14T15:00:00.001-05:00

Matthew 2:9-11

After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

As we look at the first of four passages emphasizing the characteristics of "joy" that should be evident in Christ-followers, there is one question that I want to ask about it: "How does joy display itself here, or how is joy embodied?"

It appears to me that the by-product of joy (Greek: 'chara') that the wise men experience is worship. But, it is not just worship that the wise men experience, it is a specific type of worship, a worship that costs us something.

I can say, that as a church staff member, I get to witness many of my coworkers worship in this way. For many staff members, it is clear that their vocation is an extension of their worship and it is evident how God blesses the time and comforts that they give up to serve Him in their jobs.

Is that a type of worship that you experience or witness regularly?

Joy: An Introduction

2010-01-07T15:00:00.009-05:00

Galation 5:22-23

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

This passage has been one of my favorites for a number of years. I'm not necessarily sure why I like this passage so much, but I think it probably has to do with:

A. My enjoyment of lists,
B. My love for Paul and his writings and
C. The fact that I used to lead a kids' worship service where we regularly sang a song based on this scripture

But, no matter why I enjoy this scripture, it is a list of traits and characteristics that we, as Christians, should exhibit if we have Christ's spirit in us. The part that I want to focus on for the next few posts is "Joy"; not so much joy as we know it in English, but the Greek word chara that is used for "joy" in this passage and many others. There are probably about six words used in the New Testament that are translated "joy", but I want to focus on chara because it is the type of joy that we are told should be evident in all believers.

So, over the next four posts, we will discuss specific instances of chara and what we can learn about joy from each instance.

Your Theology: Part 2

2009-04-03T12:01:00.002-04:00

In my last post, I introduced the word 'theology' and the fact that there are two major ways that it is used. In this post, we will take a look at the first, more general, meaning: theology as the study of religious faith, practice, and experience, especially the study of God and His relation to the world.

The question: What, if anything, can we do with theology?

My answer: As with any sort of studying, the more you study something, the more comfortable and familiar you are with it. By studying the religious beliefs, practices, and experiences of Christianity and other religions, we become more familiar with them.

By being more familiar with our own religion, we are more capable of having a genuine faith. How could you call yourself a Christian, a Jew, or a Muslim without having any clue what you were claiming to believe?

By being more familiar with other religions, we are more capable of relating to one another and sharing ideas and beliefs. This aspect of theology is similar (at least in my mind) to a personality test: if want you take a simplistic, online personality test to kill some time, you'll learn that you are proactive, enjoy the color green, and have all the necessary traits to become a NASCAR driver. Whoo hoo! But, if you want to take a really effective personality test, you'll not only learn everything the simplistic test told you, but you'll also learn how to communicate with people who are passive, enjoy the color blue, and are on track to become neurosurgeons.

To me, that is the difference between studying Christian theology and studying that of many religions: the difference between a teen magazine quiz and a witnessing tool.

If you, as a Christian, have any intention of following Christ's commands to spread his Truth, I suggest you get a grasp on what exactly that truth is and how your listeners will be viewing it.

What do you think? Is a general knowledge of God and what different people believe beneficial or is it a waste of time?

Next post: specific 'theologies', why you should have one, and how I know you already do.

Your Theology

2009-03-20T12:00:00.002-04:00

Anyone who has spent any time within a church has probably heard the term 'theology' thrown around. In my experience, the word's usage can be varied and sometimes confusing. For the church fathers, theology was their bread and water; for thoughtful Christians, theology is an ongoing process that evolves as their relationship with God does; and for Christians today who have grown tired of tradition, theology is another old, dirty word that simply draws attention to the fact that Christians are different.

So what is 'theology'?

'Theology' has two basic meanings: The first, most basic is the study of religious faith, practice, and experience, especially the study of God and His relation to the world. The second is dependent on the first and is used to refer to a specific system of theology or a body of theological opinion. (Merriam-Webster)

In the next couple of posts, we will look at theology, these two meanings, and how it all relates to us.

What do you think? Have you heard 'theology' used? In what context? Do you think it affects you or is even worth your time?

Refuge

2009-01-05T22:58:00.004-05:00

What is refuge?

Often, during times of military and political conflict, you will hear news anchors use the term 'refugees' for people who flee their homeland to seek safety somewhere else.

Perhaps the only other place that I hear the word refuge used much is the Bible, mostly Psalms.

Merriam-Webster defines refuge as "shelter or protection from danger or distress; a place that provides shelter or protection; something to which one has recourse in difficulty".

For Christians, especially those experiencing "difficulty", our refuge is God and his character. Psalm 119:114 says "You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word." In fact, we have so much refuge in God that Psalm 59:16 says that "I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble."

So, as Christians, we don't just have a little refuge in God. We have so much that not only will we be able to trust him with our burdens, but we should be able to sing of his strength and love. Imagine the faith it must take to find that much refuge from your troubles, and ask God for that faith now.

Christian Dissension

2008-11-06T12:09:00.002-05:00

Romans 13:1

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.

We must remember, always, to weigh everything against Scripture.

I have no doubt that speeding is a sin: nowhere does it say in Scripture that I am entitled to drive 56 in a 55, or that I have to drive 54. In this case, the authority that God has established should be submitted to because Scripture is silent on this issue.

Every four years or so, a new group of so-called American Christians use Romans 13 to protect their candidate against other groups of American Christians who are either too conservative or too liberal for the first group's taste.

However, we must remember the story of Daniel, who remained a man of God by disobeying the established authority. An authority which, according to Romans 13, God himself established. This is, to me, is a perfect argument against the idea that Romans 13 is a catch-all for governmental authority.

Our country has a long and growing history of anti-Christian actions and though I am not happy about that, I also do not see any end in sight. As long as that is the case, I think that we must continue to use Scripture as our ultimate authority.

I don't know that obeying the amoral decrees of a 'God-established' authority will ever be a good idea.

Green Bible

2008-11-02T13:56:00.003-05:00

Well, as you can probably tell by the date on my previous post, I've been really busy. As a student at UT, I can honestly say that I have never had a harder or more challenging semester than this one; but enough excuses, on with the post.

Although, I have done little to contribute lately, I have been cruising the blogosphere and I recently ran across this over at the New York Times.

I really enjoy seeing all the new types of presentations that people use to repackage the Scriptures. I like checking out the new translations, new study systems, new paraphrases; they all interest me. But this, The Green Bible, is something completely different.

The Green Bible is printed on recycled paper, has a cotton/linen cover, and is printed using soy-based inks. The feature that really sets The Green Bible apart, however, is the fact that all the verses that reference the Earth are printed in green (like the Bibles that have Jesus' words in red).

On first glance, I think this is very cool and would definitely pick it up if I saw it at McKay's (the only place I ever buy books). But this Green Bible made me think: Is it really a good idea to set certain verses apart? Our nature as humans seems to cause us to pick a short-list of our favorite Scriptures and then cling to those 10 verses; never venturing out of our little box. Would this Bible just be one more tool to help us segregate our Scriptures?

I know that I'm over-thinking this; and the Bible-hoarding side of me really wants a Green Bible. But what do you think? Is this a great new tool to dive even deeper into God's word, or is it one more Bible to make the publisher ten more dollars and leave us all clinging to ten green scriptures?

Building a House

2008-09-25T13:41:00.002-04:00

Proverbs 24:3-4

A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense. Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.

In our world today, the pursuit of knowledge is marketed to youth by institutions of 'higher learning' and numerous people who once called themselves by the name 'Christian' have been led astray by the notion that knowledge is the god to which we should all bow. However, this sort of blind pursuit of knowledge does not fulfill. I have seen this sort of empty pursuit lead to the use and abuse of drugs, as well as other self-destructive behaviors. But why? Surely God does not want us to all be uneducated sheep. I agree. I believe that an education and a good measure of knowledge can exponentially help our ability to communicate the message of Christ. The problem with making the pursuit of knowledge your primary goal is that it's backwards. Look at the scripture. A house is built by wisdom and then filled by knowledge. The scripture makes it clear that knowledge without wisdom is a recipe for problems.

Being A Tool

2008-09-13T14:00:00.000-04:00

Isaiah 10:15

But can the ax boast greater power than the person who uses it? Is the saw greater than the person who saws? Can a rod strike unless a hand moves it? Can a wooden cane walk by itself?

For me as a worship leader and for all of us that call ourselves 'Christian', what a great life lesson this is. No matter what great thing we do, it is through God's power and the urging of the Holy Spirit that we accomplish anything noteworthy.

Jesus In the Media

2008-09-12T08:56:00.002-04:00

I will interrupt our normally scheduled content to bring you a feature that I like to call 'Jesus In the Media' where I will periodically highlight a reference to Christ in the so-called popular media.

A lot of people say that you should not mix religion and politics. I have never subscribed to that belief. I have always thought that, as Christians, unless we allow our religious beliefs to influence our political beliefs that our political beliefs are garbage. The reason I say that is because I believe that our Christianity ought to spill over and infiltrate every aspect of our lives. With that said, today's clip is not necessarily the sort of religious-political mix that I was hoping for. I hope you will view the clip and share your thoughts afterwards.

Is this appropriate? How does this make you feel as a Christian? Does it motivate you to align yourself with the congressman's beliefs?

If you're interested, here is an article containing a little more background information.

Wisdom That Hurts

2008-09-02T23:52:00.001-04:00

Proverbs 22:15

A youngster’s heart is filled with foolishness, but physical discipline will drive it far away.

Remind me again of the argument against spanking children?

I Need More...Or Do I?

2008-08-21T16:22:00.002-04:00

Proverbs 21:26

Sinners are always wanting what they don't have; the God-loyal are always giving what they do have.

I always enjoy what the guys over at LifeChurch.tv have to say on their blog especially when it coincides so well with my daily readings.

What do you think? Do you find yourself wanting things for your personal or professional ministry that you don't need?

Bedtime Stories

2008-08-19T17:04:00.001-04:00

When I was in Middle School, our youth pastor used to read us Chronicles to put us to sleep.

I used to think that it was odd until today when I read Esther 6 and realized that it is actually a Biblical practice?

What about you; what have you been surprised to find in the Bible lately?

Good Worship?

2008-08-18T00:24:00.002-04:00

As a worship leader, the question that often lingers is 'What is good worship?'

Rather than basing my definition on how 'on' the music was that day, I try to define 'good worship' as 'the moment when the congregation recognizes God's presence in the room and reacts accordingly.'

Let me unpack that a little bit: I say 'recognize' because his presence is always with believer through the gift of the Holy Spirit. Also, I say 'reacts accordingly' because if we recognize God's presence and choose to ignore it, we are wasting our time.

No matter how you define 'good worship', you know how I define it; and let me tell you, today's Ignusion was 'good worship'.

Non-Negotiable

2008-08-12T14:24:00.002-04:00

This was too good for me to not re-post it.

I will probably be using these again very soon.

A quote from Chuck Colson

There are truths every Christian should agree on. They are non-negotiables...
1. God is.
2. He has spoken. The Bible is the word of God.
3. Jesus came.
4. God is triune.

Enough said.

Discovery

2008-08-03T16:20:00.002-04:00

Today, I read 2 Chronicles 34. After returning from Ground Zero, I saw a number of parallels to my life in the scripture.

In this section of scripture, the temple is being renovated. During renovations, a copy of God's law is found and it turns the Israelites' world upside down. At this point, Israel is so far from God's will that many of them do not even remember when they last followed his laws.

For so many who attended Ground Zero this week, there have been "temple renovations". Foster Christy did a great job of reminding those who had forgotten God's will and introducing those who had never known God's will to the calling that God has on all of our lives.

Operating System

2008-07-23T12:56:00.002-04:00

Well, it's a pretty crazy week getting ready for GROUND ZERO, our end-of-summer camp.

This morning, as I was getting in my car to head off to another 12 hour work day, I had a thought: When your computer runs slow, you either run fewer programs or you run a stripped-down version of your operating system.

What if, to simplify my life this week, I 'ran' a stripped-down version of Christianity. Instead of worrying about the pros and cons of Calvinism, the difference between worship leaders and lead-worshipers, and the latest denominational argument, I just tried to love God and love others. My stripped-down religion would be treating others like I want to be treating and treating God like God.

Would it work? Is it sacrilegious? What do you think?

Prepare the Way

2008-07-19T12:31:00.002-04:00

I was reading 1 Chronicles 22 today and was really impressed by David's heart.

God has set a new task before his people: to build a temple.

This is a job that David desperately wants; just like most of us would. This is a job that will be remembered till the end of the Earth. However, God says 'David, you have shed too much blood. I will use your son instead of you." How many of us would fly off the handle at this point? It's one thing to use someone else, it's another thing to use someone so close to us. So what does David, the 'man after God's own heart', do?

So David gave orders to assemble the aliens living in Israel, and from among them he appointed stonecutters to prepare dressed stone for building the house of God. He provided a large amount of iron to make nails for the doors of the gateways and for the fittings, and more bronze than could be weighed. He also provided more cedar logs than could be counted, for the Sidonians and Tyrians had brought large numbers of them to David. Then David ordered all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon. He said to them, "Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God. Begin to build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the sacred articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Name of the LORD."

For a man on his deathbed, David goes out of his way to help a man who, by every human account, he should have been jealous of. Today, we should realize that God's plan is perfect and he will use us to benefit that plan. Whether we are meant to plant the seeds or to harvest them, let His will be done.

Double Jeopardy

2008-07-16T17:02:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine recently committed a misdemeanor crime. The state supreme court tried and convicted my friend and he received his punishment. Then, a lower court decided to try my friend again, for the same crime. He, of course, was found guilty again and once again received punishment.

In the United States, we strive to deal out the most fair form of justice possible. We call my friend's situation 'double jeopardy' and it is against the law.

Today I read Romans 2 and saw this passage:

You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things?

I had two thoughts when I read this:

1. This seems to be a familiar situation. (People judging other people.)

2. This seems a lot like double jeopardy.

At this point I must admit that I do not have a friend who has been a victim of double jeopardy, but I merely used the story as an illustration. If we so readily sense the evil in a double-conviction in the courtroom, why can't we sense the evil in a double-conviction within ourselves. God has already passed the judgment and delivered the consequences; there is nothing left for us to do.

Wisdom

2008-07-15T15:55:00.002-04:00

Romans 1:22

Claiming to be wise, they became fools.

Over the years, one of my favorite topics of reading and research has been wisdom. One of my favorite books of the Bible is Proverbs and I just get really interested in any conversation that revolves around wisdom.

Today, I read this verse and it really summed up the topic of wisdom.

If anyone were to claim wisdom for themselves, in their own power, it would tell me that they are anything but wise.

Set Apart

2008-07-14T15:18:00.002-04:00

1 Chronicles 15:1-3

After David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. Then David said, "No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the LORD chose them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister before him forever." David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the LORD to the place he had prepared for it.

The thing that really speaks to me in this passage is that David goes out of his way to prepare a place for God.

How often do we expect God to come into our lives or into our churches without us changing anything? So frequently, we expect God to work around our plans rather than discerning the plans that he has for us.

Explosion

2008-07-05T00:56:00.003-04:00

Acts 10:34-36

Peter fairly exploded with his good news: "It's God's own truth, nothing could be plainer: God plays no favorites! It makes no difference who you are or where you're from—if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open. The Message he sent to the children of Israel—that through Jesus Christ everything is being put together again—well, he's doing it everywhere, among everyone.

As it is now 1 a.m., the explosions have finally died down outside. Today is July 4 and, as Americans, we are celebrating our independence; or at least, we are supposed to be.

The holiday is actually called Independence Day, but I hear it referred to, more often, as 'July the 4th'. I suppose Independence is an awfully big word to squeeze on to a bottle rocket. It seems to me that Independence Day becomes, increasingly, the day that local law enforcement officers are callous to small explosions.

I would venture that the same trend is setting in for Christianity: no longer do we strive for Christ-likeness. Now, the goal is to achieve a quick explosive burst: 'How can I grow this Wednesday?', 'Will I look holy enough on Sunday?', 'Will I get the emotional high that I seek on this retreat?'.

Well, check the scripture. It doesn't matter if you're an American, it doesn't matter if you're from the South. God's kingdom is coming to all believers, everywhere and there is no stopping him.

The Mouths of Babes

2008-06-25T21:30:00.002-04:00

Matthew 21:12-15

Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. "It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a 'den of robbers.' " The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant.

Perhaps one of the more famous stories regarding Jesus is the story of him clearing out the moneychangers in the temple. This story is one of my personal favorites. Why? Well, I believe that the vast majority of people that make a habit of sitting in a pew on Sunday morning would call this angry Jewish man a sinner if they did not already know that it was Jesus.

This story serves many purposes, but one is to show us that, as followers of Christ, there is such a thing as righteous anger. Also, this story turns the church's policy of saving face on its ear.

For me, this week, there is a more important element to this story. As we read the story, we see that Jesus, the Christ, completely unleashes on the moneychangers and essentially mops the floor with them. However, the scripture says that it was not until the religious teachers (read: hypocrites) saw the children praising His name that they became indignant.

This is just one story that illustrates the power of children's praise. As I watch the children of Cokesbury praise their God, I can't help but think how depressed Satan must be that another generation of God's children are fearless in praise and constant in prayer.

I have been truly awed.

The World's Greatest

2008-06-24T22:58:00.002-04:00

Matthew 18:1-6

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

Typically, I have the opportunity to lead youth in worship twice a week. However, this week, I have been leading our Vacation Bible School's worship sessions. If anything has struck me, it is the intense humbleness of children.

Children do not care how they sound when they worship; their worship is a worship that originates in their hearts and not in their mouths. When we lead youth services, we keep our amps in a closet at a reasonable volume. At VBS, we have our amps on stage and we keeping finding ourselves reaching for the volume knobs as the children's worship is dwarfing the sound coming from our amps.

I am truly honored to be taught by children.

Faith Like A Child

2008-06-23T22:29:00.003-04:00

Matthew 11:25-30

At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

In this passage, Jesus speaks of the idea that children could have access to more knowledge than their older, wiser counterparts. For us today, and even more so for Jesus' original audience, this seems a bit absurd.

However, tonight, I have witnessed this very thing. This year, 'Find The 01' has the privilege of leading worship for Cokesbury's VBS. It was evident from the stage that the children in the congregation knew something that our youth and adults seem to have forgotten: the simple fact that God loves us and gave up his son for us.

Worshiping with the children tonight took me back to seven years ago when I was first cutting my teeth in worship ministry by leading children's worship once a week. I believe that the blessing of leading those children gave me a clearer picture of what child-like faith truly is; and that God-given faith is what has carried me to the place that I am now.

Thank God for his children and for the truth that they know.

A Community of Loners

2008-06-14T13:00:00.001-04:00

Genesis 2:18

God said, "It is not good for man to be alone."

It seems that since the very moment that God spoke these words, humans have been avoiding aloneness.

With every new wave of technology comes a new answer to the human condition of loneliness. First there was the postal service, then the telephone, then cell phones and e-mail, now Facebook and Twitter.

However, with all this technology that is supposed to be 'social', I found the results of a recent Strawpoll interesting. The poll asked users of Twitter if they considered themselves introverts or extroverts. The results were 72% introvert and 28% extrovert.

With that said, I wonder why no one markets their online startup like this: 'MyFaceTwit, the site for introverts.'

Prison Break

2008-06-10T14:45:00.004-04:00

Acts 16:25-28

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here."

Acts 5:17-21

But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, "Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life." they entered the temple and when they heard this, at daybreak and began to teach.

I think one thing we can get out of these two stories is that God has a specific calling and purpose for each of us. Even if two people are in identical situations, God may choose to act in two different ways. For example, God may miraculously heal one person, but not another.

This does not mean that God loves one person more than another, but it does mean that God has a specific plan for each person. Although these plans are sometimes confusing, our job is simply to act according to how God has called us.

Dance-Off

2008-06-06T22:05:00.003-04:00

Psalm 150:4

Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe!

As I write, I am watching thirty of the most passionate and talented youth I have ever known. They are the SonShine Choir and they have spent the past week giving everything they have to the people of the Southeastern United States in hopes that Christ would be glorified. Tonight is their last night together before our homecoming concert tomorrow night. They are celebrating the week with a dance party.

Pray for us as we return home to deliver the message of the 'Made to Love Tour' in our home, Cokesbury UMC.

Supplements

2008-06-01T22:52:00.002-04:00

2 Peter 1:5

Make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, knowledge, self-control, endurance, devotion, affection, and love.

As SonShine begins their 2008 tour, we hope that this tour will be a supplement to our faith. Please pray that we might have the knowledge and devotion to complete the tasks that God lays before us.

It is 11 p.m. and we are doing prized possessions. Tomorrow, we will be touring some Wesleyan historical sights, singing at Morningstar Treatment Services, and enjoying a little time on the beach.

Goodnight from Epworth.

Timing

2008-05-27T01:14:00.000-04:00

Psalm 90:4
For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it passes by, or as a watch in the night.

I am a Christian and have lived in Knoxville, Tennessee for my entire life. Being raised in the South, I have been exposed to mass amounts of 'cultural Christianity'. In fact, the culture in the South is so inherently Christian that many non-Christians use Biblical phrases and terminology without ever knowing where it came from. What's worse is that Cultural Christianity has exposed us to Christian cliches to the extent that many of us view phrases such as 'God's timing is perfect' more as chicken soup for the pimple-on-prom-night's soul more than scripture.

What we should realize is that, when it comes to God's timing, we must have faith that it is perfect. I say that we must have faith because when you read verses like Psalm 90:4, you will realize that we will never comprehend the way that God sees things.

Today, perhaps we should pray that God cleanse us of our lukewarm habits, give us a passion for His Word, and that we would have the faith to truly believe that his timing is perfect.

Fusion Message: 'Children'

2008-05-11T19:58:00.002-04:00

Today's message at Fusion was all about Love. Grab it on iTunes or stream it now.

Sermon Notes:

1 John 5
"Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God..."

James 2:19
"Even demons believe and tremble..."

1 Corinthians 13
"Love is patient love is kind..."

Matthew 11:28-30
"Come to me all you who are weary..."

Lefties

2008-04-30T15:41:00.003-04:00

Judges 3:15

Again the Israelites cried out to the LORD, and he gave them a deliverer—Ehud, a left-handed man.

For many who read this verse, it is nothing more than mere Bible trivia that could gain them nothing more than a bit of pride at the next Trivial Pursuit tournament.

However, for those who wish to dig deeper, God is telling us much more here.

Being right-handed, when I first read this verse, I took it at face value and kept reading. But later, I still wanted to know why the writer of Judges and his co-author, God, would want us to know that Ehud was left-handed. Here is what I have learned after a bit of reading:

In Hebrew, as well as many other Semitic and Mesopotamian languages and cultures, the left hand was used as a metaphor for evil, misfortune, and punishment from the gods. So, when you read this verse within the context of the culture, you see that God is telling us much more than Ehud's hand of preference. God is telling us that no matter what society tells you about your abilities, you can be and are called to a higher purpose.

Take, Eat

2008-04-28T20:45:00.004-04:00

This week, a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church in New York publicly criticized Rudy Giuliani's receiving of the Eucharist (Holy Communion).

Regular readers of this blog are probably beginning to recognize that one situation that sickens me more than normal is when someone actively seeks to promote disunity and hypocrisy within the 'Body of Christ'.

Cardinal Egan's reasoning is that Giuliani is a supporter of abortion rights, which is a "grave offense against the will of God". With that in mind, the Cardinal seems to have a very high (perhaps rightly so) standard of behavior (or thought life, since Rudy has never had an abortion). With a standard that high for receivers of Communion, how much higher must the standard be for those serving Communion. I wonder, under Egan's belief system, how many Priests, Pastors, Bishops, Reverends or Cardinals have ever committed a "grave offense against the will of God".

To guess, we must first have a measuring stick for the will of God. This sounds like an exact description of the Holy Bible. The Holy Bible says, in Proverbs 6, that God hates haughty eyes, lying tongues, hands that shed innocent blood, hearts that devise wicked schemes, feet that rush into evil, false witnesses and men that stir up disagreement among brothers.

I doubt strongly that Egan and his colleagues have never been proud or lied. I would not feel comfortable saying that the Roman Catholic Church has never been involved in the shedding of innocent blood. I sense that there have probably been a clergy or two who devised wicked schemes and looked forward to sinning. I can even name at least one Cardinal who has stirred up disagreement among brothers.

Orthodox Christianity is a religion made of of people who recognize that they have committed great crimes against the will of God. It is a religion of people who recognize that no one will ever deserve to receive Holy Communion.

A good word for Cardinal Egan, myself, and anyone who strives to follow after Christ would be to "First remove the planks from our own eyes" (Matthew 7:3-5).

Dove Awards

2008-04-24T23:50:00.002-04:00

FYI, Check out this year's Dove Award Winners.

Injustice

2008-04-23T23:04:00.003-04:00

Psalm 90:4
For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it passes by, or as a watch in the night.

Just so you know, I do not plan to do this overdone topic justice. I have a single thought.

This seems to be a great verse for students of the evolution/creationism conversation to remember.

What are your thoughts? I'm interested to see your comments.

His Holiness

2008-04-19T11:48:00.003-04:00

This past week, the man whom Roman Catholics refer to as 'His Holiness' visited the United States to strengthen the American arm of Catholicism and, as is his custom, offer constructive criticism to his host country.

The event that I found most noble of the Pope's many engagements was the relatively private time he took to meet personally with victims of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy.

I have been awed by the parallels between the apologetic function of the Pope and what must be one of the many functions of the Holy Spirit. It is hard to imagine the difficulty that many Christian converts would find in accepting Christianity if the Holy Spirit did not go before and apologize for Christians like me.

Today, it is my prayer that, as I strive to live a life of holiness, the Holy Spirit would comfort the many who experience the fallout of my sins. Perhaps with the Holy Spirit and the Pope both on the case, the world will realize that Christianity is simply a group of people who admit that, without help, they are going to act very unchristian. It is a group of people who have found that help in Jesus, the Christ.

Things Eternal

2008-04-18T13:56:00.004-04:00

Recently, through conversations with friends and mentors, I have begun to think of eternality (eternalness, you know what I’m trying to say) not only as future but also as past and present. Just as our God is eternal (‘The one who was and is and is to come’ Revelation 1:4-5); so too is our life with him. However, when we think of our lives now, there are few things that will not die with our earthly bodies. Sporting events, school, chores, taxes, and speeding tickets all pass away. I cannot think of a single thing that I do every day that I and all that accompany me will continue to do in heaven; except one.

We see numerous scripture references (including Revelation 15:2-4) that speak of the type of musical worship that we can look forward to in heaven. Truthfully, what else would you do in the eternal, intimate presence of God Almighty?

Knowing that worship is one thing that will continue for all of our eternal lives; we should strive to reach a place of Biblical perfection in our worship today, so that we might be made more perfect worshippers in the days to come.

New Release

2008-04-08T12:32:00.002-04:00

Well, no major theological riddles today, but I have good news. After years of wondering if one of my favorite bands was dead in the water, I found out that Third Day has announced their first studio album in three years. It will release July 29 and I am pumped.

Let me take this opportunity to mention a few other recent (and not so recent) releases that I am currently enjoying:

David Crowder Band - The Lime CD
Stevie Ray Vaughn - In Step
Hillsong United - The I Heart Revolution
Leeland - Opposite Way
Starfield - I Will Go

I hope you all are enjoying this great Spring weather and remembering that God loves you and wants you to elevate your relationship with him.

Where Do You Draw the Line?

2008-04-07T15:59:00.003-04:00

Over the past few months, I have had been a part of many discussions about our task, as Christians, to be compelling. I have also read an article or two describing different churches' approaches to stewardship. My thought process today, combined these two discussions and now I'm wondering: Where do you draw the line?

Would you consider it poor stewardship to pay people to come to your service, knowing that they would hear the Gospel once they were there?

What about dropping handfuls of money off the balcony in your sanctuary, once the congregants arrived?

If these seem too crass for you; would it be acceptable to shower them with free gifts so that they would attend?

What about free food?

Would paying top dollar for big name bands to fill the seats be alright?

Let's take it smaller: Should we spend cash on 'cushy' seats instead of buying food for homeless people? Is that acceptable?

Or even smaller: Do you make a greater impact for the Kingdom by printing your church materials in full color or by printing in black-and-white and using the excess to send mosquito nets to Africa?

Unless your church is printing its own money, these are all valid questions. Ultimately, you are choosing between one and the other. Admittedly, if you send the entirety of your church budget to Africa, you will not have a budget to worry about next year; but, if you keep all your cash inside your doors, it's going to be a lonely party in Heaven.

Where do you draw the line?

Yes They'll Know...

2008-03-31T12:35:00.002-04:00

I had a thought this morning (I know this is shocking, but keep reading). It should probably be expanded on at a later time, but I'm on my way out the door, so here it is:

If the only way that people know that you abstain from a given activity is because you berate people who participate, you have probably missed the point.

Thoughts? Let's see some comments.

Fourteen?

2008-03-31T00:59:00.002-04:00

"Peter urged us to live our lives in a Holy way so that we may speed up Christ's return. To do that we need to know what sin is, but more importantly we need to know and seek the heart of God. To make it a list of dos and don'ts, simply returns us to bondage and we lose the freedom we found in Christ. But we also can not let the world determine right and wrong. God sets the standard of Holiness, not man."

In the past hour, I have been mentally struggling with the recent Vatican release of seven additional so-called 'deadly' or 'mortal' sins. While struggling with how I feel about it, a great friend spiritual confidant pointed out that "Aren't all sins deadly?" That, in addition to the above statement from Brent over at LeaveThe99, have really helped me sort through it. The new list includes:

Environmental Pollution
Genetic Manipulation
Accumulating Excessive Wealth
Inflicting Poverty
Drug Trafficking and Consumption
Morally Debatable Experiments
Violation of Fundamental Human Rights

As far as the original seven go, (Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride) I can see the biblical support for these, regardless of my mixed emotions when it comes to dogmatic lists of sins. However, with the additional seven, I feel like they are all either too broad, too specific, or too political. Regardless, they do not appear to be able to withstand another thousand years.

What do you all think about this? Why did they release seven more? Did the others finally expire after nearly a thousand years? Do we really need a pope to tell us what a sin is?

God Provides The Lamb

2008-03-24T12:26:00.003-04:00

Genesis 22:1-8

1 Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith. “Abraham!” God called.

“Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.”

2 “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”

3 The next morning Abraham got up early. He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son, Isaac. Then he chopped wood for a fire for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day of their journey, Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 “Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told the servants. “The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back.”6 So Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac’s shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them walked on together, 7 Isaac turned to Abraham and said, “Father?”

“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.

“We have the fire and the wood,” the boy said, “but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?”

8 “God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham answered. And they both walked on together.

During some of study time (and by study time, I mean the kind that I actually enjoy) this morning, God gave me an interesting illustration that may or may not make sense to you.

In Genesis 22, God commands Abraham to sacrifice his son Issac. Abraham is obedient and sets out with his son. When Issac asks where the lamb is, Abraham responds by telling him that "God will provide the lamb." This proves to be truer than Abraham knows. When Abraham is poised to sacrifice his son, an angel of God tells him to lay down the knife and then does indeed provide a more traditional lamb.

One of the greatest, if not the greatest, goals that a follower of Christ can have is to give up their will in favor of the Father's will.

This process is not easy and is often frustrating to many who seek communion with God. This struggle leads many to ask the question of why God would even bother to give us free will only to ask that we give it away.

If we look at Luke 22, when Jesus is on the Mount of Olives agonizing before his arrest, we see him pray "Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine." In this simple prayer, we see two great truths: First, "take this cup", we, as humans, have a will. Second, "yet I want your will", our wills may not be the same as God's.

So, just as God gave Abraham a lamb so that he might sacrifice it back to God, God has given us each free will so that we might be able to lay it down and choose His will over ours.

Today, let yourself be a living sacrifice to the One who gave you that life (Romans 12).

Why Worship by John Fischer

2008-03-24T09:26:00.002-04:00

Why Worship?
by John Fischer

I will worship God today because it is good and right to do so.

I will worship God today, not because of what it will do for me, or because it is popular, or because it is Sunday, or because I like the worship music, but for the simple reason that I was made to do this. To worship God is what I am here for.

Worship is not an asset. It is not an added benefit to my life like working out or taking vitamins. Nor is it a secret formula that will add a deeper dimension to my life. Worship is the air I breathe. It is the blood pumping through my veins. It is the cells in my body that reproduce and keep me alive for this. Everything else I do is extemporaneous. To worship God is the root of my being.

I understand why, but it is not necessarily good that worship has become a trend—a seminar that pastors attend to learn how to do it better. Music directors are now worship leaders, and this is all well and good, but it can also be demeaning to worship if we end up thinking that this is all worship is: the latest idea that will get more people to come to church.

Remember the pet rock craze? Or canned air? Or rain in a jar? Or anything else so basic that someone tries to make a buck off of packaging, in a clever way, what everyone already has for the taking? In the same way we risk the danger of belittling worship by marketing it or using it as a means to an end. No one needs to sell worship to anyone. Worship is the end. The Westminster Catechism calls it the "chief end" of man. That's another way of saying it is the most important thing we were created to do. And if it's that important, then it is accessible to everybody, all the time.

The Lord our God is one God, and we will love him and worship him because of who he is and who we are. It is good and right to do so. It is arrogant not to do so. We are his creatures; he is the creator. We are the sheep of his pastures; he is the shepherd. We are mere people; he is God. To do anything but worship him is to inadvertently put us in his place, and I don't think anyone in his or her right mind really wants to be there.

www.fischtank.com

Be Not Afraid

2008-03-23T16:01:00.001-04:00

Today, I am comforted and challenged by Jesus' command in Matthew 28 to 'be not afraid'. I must continually remind myself that no earthly power was able to hinder God's will in Christ's life and, likewise, no earthly power should hinder His will in my life.

Thoughts From the Road

2008-03-21T17:05:00.002-04:00

Last week I had the opportunity to lead worship for a college bible study in Virginia. As a musician, I can't say that I was on top of my game and I felt like I hadn't done as well as I could. However, it
was evident that the Spirit was there and everyone really responded to the music. As a worship leader, nights like that are invaluable. They serve as a reminder that I'm not worthy of my calling. This week, how has God made himself evident to you?

Something To Place In Your Piper

2008-03-17T19:04:00.003-04:00

Do The Math

2008-03-11T00:12:00.002-04:00

I felt like this was worth re-posting (the original can be found here):

The current situation:
In 2004, U.S. consumers spent $20 billion on ice cream.
In 2005, U.S. consumers spent $10 billion on cosmetic surgery.
In 2006, global military spending reached $1.3 trillion.
In 2007, U.S. consumers spent $9 billion on Starbucks coffee.

Looking forward:
For $8 billion, basic education could be provided globally.
For $9 billion, water and sanitation could be provided globally.
For $12 billion, reproductive services could be provided for all women.
For $13 billion, basic health care & nutrition could be provided globally.

Time to Elevate

2008-03-07T15:02:00.002-05:00

Proverbs 14:34

Uprightness and right standing with God elevate a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.

This weekend, I will be with a great group of Middle Schoolers. Our focus will be God and our goal will be to take our relationships to the next level. It's time to Elevate!

Ignite Recap

2008-03-04T13:40:00.002-05:00

After an awesome Sunday night with our High School students, I have spent the past few days really aware of prayer. I find myself being more consistent about constant prayer, desiring a set prayer time, and asking one question: what does prayer without requests look like? I've been asking myself how my other relationships would be doing if I focused on what others can do for me as much as I do with God. This will continue to be the focus of my thoughts, especially since my only other option at the moment is 'Reporting Irregular Items on a Multiple-Step Income Statement'.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-19

16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

The Ties That Bind

2008-02-29T13:25:00.004-05:00

1 Corinthians 12:12-20

12The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by^[a] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

14Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

As a Church Universal, there is no doubt that we are called to be a picture of Christ. With that calling, come many responsibilities and goals that we, as Christians, often misunderstand. Just as the Church Universal is called to be a picture of Christ, I believe that the local church is also called to be that picture.

In the local church today, I see many body parts: church staffers, lay people, a wide gamut of worship options, a wide gamut of worship times, I see Sunday school classes, life groups, Bible studies and special-interest groups, I see generational ministry, family ministry, leisure ministry, and gender-specific ministry. I see hands, feet, arms, legs, fingers, and toes; I see parts we show off and parts that we cover.

Truly, there are many functional parts of the Body. And just like you, I have some favorite parts of the body. There are parts that I consider to be more useful to me and there are parts that I rarely take advantage of. However, I must remember that just because I use my hands more than my feet does not mean that I would be better off with three hands and one foot.

Surely now is a better time than ever to realize that every part of the body is just that, a part of the body. More than anything, my goal today is to speak of the Church in the first-person and to truly remember that I am the Church, that you are the Church, and that we are the Church together.

Cause I'm Leaving On A Jet Plane...

2008-02-21T23:39:00.002-05:00

This week, Mac Hammond, high-profile pastor of Living Word Christian Center and peddler of prosperity gospel theology, announced that he would be selling his private business jet.

This sale along with the recent investigations into Hammond's theological brethren, brings a passage in Hebrews to mind. Specifically, in Hebrews 12, the writer urges the Hebrew Christians to 'strip off and throw aside every unnecessary weight' and consequently, 'that sin which so easily entangles us'.

As an experienced sinner, I know that 'casting off' can often be the difference between habitual sin and habitual victory. If your vice-of-choice is pornography, there is a lot to be said for throwing your porn away and moving your computer to a family area (casting off); if it's alcohol, casting off your drinking buddies tends to help; if you are a habitual speeder, allow me to suggest a boxy SUV. No matter what your favorite sin is (and we all have one: Rom. 3:23), removing your sin accessories from your life, and removing yourself from your circle of sin buddies will do wonders for your journey to holiness.

Friday Folly

2008-02-15T16:30:00.002-05:00

Romans 2:2-7

4 Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?

5 But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 He will judge everyone according to what they have done. 7 He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers.

If you consider yourself a Christian, then you believe in the Judeo-Christian God. Under this belief system, you believe in a god so powerful that he could crush a human like a bug. You also believe that sin is an abomination to God and that everyone sins. With that in mind, how can you possibly take God's grace for granted?

From the verses above, we should see that God's patience with us is not a 0% financing situation where you can do whatever you want with no worry of consequences, but instead "you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself".

Take today as an opportunity to "see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin" and begin to seek "after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers" by seeking after his will.

The Grand Weaver

2008-02-04T23:01:00.000-05:00

Romans 8:28

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

This verse is among the verses that I hear quoted and discussed most frequently. And no matter where I hear this verse being discussed, I can almost guarantee that the subject of the conversation is the fact that things are going to 'work out'. More often than not, the focus of the discussion is on the center 'good of those who love God' portion. The context of this portion is typically a feel-good, everything-is-going-to-be-ok context. Occasionally, I hear someone who ventures into the 'called according to his purpose' portion. This context tends to revolve around a theological emphasis on those whom God has called. However, today, I have been comforted, taught, and awed by the fact that 'God causes everything to work'.

As hard as we try to box our God in, this verse shatters our every attempt. If you really digest this verse, you will have to think about your Christianity. This, if read with any desire for truth will make your Christian walk a little harder; more sincere, but harder. The fact that Scripture includes the word everything ruins our chance to explain events away with phrases like: "God had no part in this" or "God does not allow things like this to happen" (As if a sinful creature was qualified to determine God's will, in and of himself).

More than anything, today, I am in awe of how big our God is and how he is capable of using 'everything' to spread his message; defunct Super Bowl apparel included.

This week marks the fourteenth year of a partnership between the NFL and Christian humanitarian organization World Vision. Every year, following the Big Game, the championship gear for the losing team is shipped to World Vision's distribution center in Pittsburgh. From there it is sorted and sent to children in countries like Nicaragua and Romania, many of whom have never owned new clothing. Because of World Vision's long-term and reliable presence in impoverished countries, they are able to spread the apparel out, so that the donations can do the most good without adversely affecting local economies.

If the idea of God using T-shirts and ball caps to carry out his plan doesn't get you in the mood to worship, you must be a Patriots fan.

Naturalization

2008-01-31T22:22:00.000-05:00

Philippians 1:27-30

27But whatever happens to me, you must live in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ, as a citizen of heaven. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing side by side, fighting together for the Good News. 28Don't be intimidated by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. 29For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.

No matter what, live in a manner worthy of the Good News.

There have been a good number of 'side-effects' of being a church staff member. One such 'side-effect' has been the renewed realization that every public decision I make can and will be taken as a reflection on the church that I serve and, ultimately, the Lord I serve.

Standing side by side, fighting.

Christianity most certainly is not 'Every man for himself' and most certainly is 'All for One and One for All'. By that, I mean that Christ did not die to save the Wesleyans or the Baptists or the Catholics, he died for everybody. Standing side by side means that we spend a little less time worrying about Apollos and Paul and a little more time worrying about Jesus and Satan. Sometimes we just need to realize that our theological diversity is what makes the Church a three-stranded cord.

The privilege to suffer.

I cannot say that I have known anyone who truly enjoyed suffering. However, as Christians, we have been assured that there will be suffering. With that in mind, what is there better to suffer for than standing up for what you believe is right? Even when the consequences are great and you are on, what appears to be, the losing team.

As American Christians, we often have lost sight of true suffering for the Gospel. However, after news was released today about Rehima Beoa of Bangladesh, (Rehima suffered severe burns to 70% of her body after members of the Muslim majority learned that she was planning on being baptized into the Christian Church.) we should certainly look at suffering a little bit differently, baptism a little bit differently, and look a little bit differently at where our true citizenship lies.

Trickle Down

2008-01-24T00:33:00.000-05:00

John 7:38 (New International Version)

38Whoever believes in me, as^[a] the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."

Over the summer, the Southeastern United States experienced one of the worst droughts in recent years. Lake levels were so low that recreational activities such as boating and water skiing became tough if not impossible. Not only were our waterfronts ugly, but news soon came that there would be restrictions on water use and that we might not even have enough drinking water. Months later, the trickle down effect of this drought is still being felt. As the drought persists, news has come that TVA may have to shutdown numerous nuclear power plants in the Southeast. Although this may be a surprising side-effect of low rainfall, the plants rely on large quantities of deep lake water to cool their components.

Similarly, for us Christians, a time without the Living Water is sure to have a trickle down effect. This spiritual drought often begins to show itself with a decreased amount of involvement in Bible studies, small groups, and worship. Soon, our lives start to get ugly and we begin to restrict the times and people that we share the Living Water with. Soon, you have reached a full-blown spiritual drought and a loss of Holy Spirit power is inevitable. The difference here is that we know when a spiritual drought will end: when we bow down, humble ourselves, and submit our wills to the God who knows us, Loves us, accepts us, and saves us.

Let's Get There In One Piece

2008-01-18T14:23:00.000-05:00

1 Corinthians 12
12The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by^[c] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

When the Apostle Paul wrote these verses, I don't think he would ever have imagined the dismemberment that the body of Christ would suffer over the next thousand years. Although a majority of those groups which refer to themselves as Christians agree on a majority of theology (especially that which I and many others would consider essential to the Christian faith), it is a minority of, often vocal, issues that have led to the current state of fragmentation of the Christian religion. However, after thirty years of discussion, we are now closer than ever to a more unified faith.

In the next year, we will see two important votes regarding the full communion of two significant Protestant denominations. The first will come on April 29, 2008 when the United Methodist Church's General Conference will vote to recognize the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America as being in full communion. The second vote will happen when the ELCA reciprocates at their 11th Biennial Churchwide Assembly during the week of August 17-23, 2009.

This is truly a significant event in the life of the Christian Church.

Apples and Oranges

2008-01-11T22:14:00.000-05:00

Matthew 7:1-5

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2 For you will be treated as you treat others.^[a] The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.^[b]

3 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye^[c] when you have a log in your own? 4 How can you think of saying to your friend,^[d] ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.

These days, as our society becomes increasingly tolerant of false religions, it seems that Matthew 7:1-5 are the favorite verses of hostile talking heads and highly visible pastors alike. With this series of verses, those who are less interested in answers than conflict feel that they have delivered the proverbial sucker punch to sometimes unprepared Christians. Additionally, because of the current societal climate, more and more young Christians take these verses to mean that they shouldn't bother their non-Christian friends but should rather, tuck tail and run. Thankfully, Jesus is not done delivering his message:

Matthew 7:15-20

15 “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. 16 You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 19 So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.

Wait a minute, verse 20 tells us that we 'can identify people by their actions'. Merriam-Webster defines 'identify' as 'establishing the distinguishing characteristic of an individual'. This sounds much like the classic parental advice to 'be careful who you hang out with' and the Proverb that warns us that 'Those who walk with the wise will become wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm (Prov. 13:20)." This mindset sounds contradictory to the first set of verses we looked at. However, when we look at the definition of judge ('to form an opinion...') we realize that identity is based on fact and judgment is based on opinion. With that in mind, the practice of looking for fruit before yoking yourself to someone else becomes not wrong, but in fact, the best practice. It's not judgment, it's discernment of truth.

Three Men, Three Diverse Opinions, One Truth

2008-01-11T09:04:00.000-05:00

Clicky Pens

2008-01-08T10:31:00.000-05:00

I heard two men arguing today. One was talking about how his clicky pen (you know the kind) was the best ballpoint pen he had ever used. The second man was vehemently arguing that there is no way that a clicky pen could be a ballpoint pen. As I looked on, the argument continued for quite some time, until each man walked away angry and no more interested in the other man's opinion than before.

At this point, I must tell you that I witnessed no such argument regarding pens. In the argument I witnessed, the clicky pen was really the theory of evolution and the second man was a well-meaning evangelical Christian arguing there is no way that God would have used evolution to create the Earth.

Now, I know Genesis 1:1 says that 'In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth.' But, I do not seem to recall the verse that tells us what method he used. I do not claim to be the most educated or well-informed Christian, but I simply cannot understand why there is a vast majority of my brothers and sisters who see evolution as an antonym to creationism.

The more I hear talk of God, the more I realize that phrases beginning "God can.." are true and phrases beginning "God cannot..." are false. No matter what method you propose was used to create the Earth, there is one fact that stands unchangeable: that God perpetrated, controlled, and planned it. And for that, I am truly thankful.

2008-01-07T02:53:00.000-05:00

16 The best-equipped army cannot save a king,
nor is great strength enough to save a warrior.
17 Don’t count on your warhorse to give you victory—
for all its strength, it cannot save you.

18 But the Lord watches over those who fear him,
those who rely on his unfailing love.
19 He rescues them from death
and keeps them alive in times of famine.

20 We put our hope in the Lord.
He is our help and our shield.
21 In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
22 Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord,
for our hope is in you alone.

(NLT, biblegateway.com)

After meeting with the Ignite leadership team tonight, I am awed by our youth and our God. I know that Ignite will be a 'success' this semester, for the same reasons that it has been a 'success' before: because the members of the Ignite leadership team do not count on their own strength to save them, because the LORD is always faithful, and because the leadership team is both a vessel and an example of Christ's unfailing love.

I'm Huntin' Wabbits

2008-01-04T16:41:00.001-05:00

During my reading time today, I read Genesis 10. When I came to verses 8-9, I was a bit surprised:

8 Cush was also the ancestor of Nimrod, who was the first heroic warrior on earth. 9 Since he was the greatest hunter in the world,^[a] his name became proverbial. People would say, “This man is like Nimrod, the greatest hunter in the world.” (NLT, biblegateway.com)

If you don't know, in modern times, nimrod has come to mean an idiot or silly person (m-w.com). So how has the great legacy of Nimrod been reduced to a joke? Well, after much research it appears that our friend Mr. Bugs Bunny, in his classic cartoons, referred to Elmer Fudd as a "Poor little Nimrod" (with his typical sarcasm, I assume).

It is amazing to me, how an animated rabbit has been able to sculpt the legacy of one of Genesis' greatest warriors.

Nothing Good Happens After Midnight

2008-01-04T02:40:00.000-05:00

Well, I think we've probably all heard the saying that 'Nothing Good Happens After Midnight' (most often used by parents of youth). With that in mind, I'll hope that this post is an exception.

Let me first say that it is amazing, and sometimes frustrating, how I can be worn out at 11:00 pm, get a second wind, and not be able to fall asleep at 3:00 am. Luckily, I have the boys from Fee to keep me entertained. Now, on to the meat:

It seems that there is one struggle that youth and adults alike deal with, one problem that has been answered by nearly every religious group, and one issue that no one wants to deal with head-on. This is, of course, the issue of alcohol use by Christians. Everywhere I look, whether it be local churches, high school Christian organizations, or even whole denominations; it appears that the tendency is to take an extremist view. Whether it be the laissez-faire attitude that anything goes or the prohibitionist attitude that it's the dry way or the highway (I made that up myself, impressed?), everyone seems more interested in perpetuating their particular view rather than digging into the Biblical view and perpetuating that.

So what is the Biblical view? I think that, to have a complete view, we must answer four questions:

Is it a sin for Christians to drink alcohol?
If not, who can drink?
Where should they drink?
How much should they drink?

1. Is it a sin for a Christian to drink alcohol? Well, if we look at The Last Supper (Mark 14), we see Jesus use wine in the first celebration of the Eucharist. If I, as a Christian, consider Jesus to be free of sin and thus an acceptable sacrifice for my sins, I must logically recognize that drinking alcohol is not, in and of itself, a sin.

2. Who can drink? Well, Romans 13 tells us that we are to obey the established governments. Thus, I am inclined to believe that, as an American, it would be a sin for me to drink before I turn 21. This changes from place to place (Canada: 16 years old, eh).

3. Where to drink? There is, obviously, no specific instruction provided for where Christians should drink. So, we must extrapolate these instructions. Given the gravity of 1 Corinthians 10 and its call to not cause anyone to stumble, I must believe that drinking in public is not the best idea. Personally, I have many close friends and siblings in Christ who believe that any alcoholic consumption constitutes a sin. With that in mind, I don't beleive that a drink should be worth harming one's testimony and causing a friend to stumble.

4. How much? Well, there are numerous passages (Ephesians 5 comes to mind) that admonish us as Christians to not be drunk (Not to mention Noah's bad example of drunkeness and nakedness at the same time. How would you like to walk in on a drunk, naked 600 year old man?). With that in mind, everyone's limit is different.

So, is it wrong for a Christian to drink? Not under certain conditions. Is it wrong for a Christian to completely abstain from alcohol? I sure hope not, or I have a problem.

Peace out, it's bed time.

New Thing

2008-01-03T15:42:00.000-05:00

Well, like all great trends and developments, the question has become not 'Will you ever blog?' but 'When will you begin blogging?'. For me, the answer is now. I hope to use this blog to not only share my pithy comments, but hopefully to make meaningful observations on the nature of God, following his son Jesus, and the world around me. So as this new year begins, I will follow God's example in Isaiah 43 and do a new thing.

FindThe01

Half & Half (or Not)

Burning Bush - Part 3: Meaning for Us

Burning Bush - Part 2: Meaning for Moses

Burning Bush - Part 1: Intro

Restrained

Silent Fight

Repetitive Instruction

Food for Thought?

Admiring the Vision

Spirit of the Law

Family Ties

'Sticky' Friends

Hurt at Home

Focus on The Detail

Prepare the Way

Dead Men Walking

Promises

Attitude Check? Praise the Lord.

Joy: An Inspiration

Joy: A Community Event

Joy: What Will It Cost

Joy: A Call to Worship

Joy: An Introduction

Your Theology: Part 2

Your Theology

Refuge

Christian Dissension

Romans 13:1

Green Bible

Building a House

Being A Tool

Jesus In the Media

Wisdom That Hurts

I Need More...Or Do I?

Bedtime Stories

Good Worship?

Non-Negotiable

Discovery

Operating System

Prepare the Way

Double Jeopardy

Wisdom

Set Apart

Explosion

The Mouths of Babes

The World's Greatest

Faith Like A Child

A Community of Loners

Prison Break

Dance-Off

Psalm 150:4

Supplements

Timing

Fusion Message: 'Children'

Lefties

Take, Eat

Dove Awards

Injustice

His Holiness

Things Eternal

New Release

Where Do You Draw the Line?

Yes They'll Know...

Fourteen?

God Provides The Lamb

Why Worship by John Fischer

Be Not Afraid

Thoughts From the Road

Recommended Reading

Something To Place In Your Piper

Do The Math

Time to Elevate

Ignite Recap

The Ties That Bind

Cause I'm Leaving On A Jet Plane...

Friday Folly

The Grand Weaver

Naturalization

Trickle Down