everlasting worth

Grace, judgment, and wrath

2012-02-08T22:31:00.000-06:00

A recent summary paper on chapters 13-15 from Knowing God, one of the books I'm studying in my Systematic Theology course in Seminary.

J.I. Packer rightly calls out the modern worldview of God: “they [modern men and women] imagine God as a magnified image of themselves and assume that God shares his own complacency about himself. The thought of themselves as creatures fallen from God’s image, rebels against God’s rule, guilty and unclean in God’s sight, fit only for God’s condemnation, never enters their heads.” (130) While mankind may accept grace as a free pass out of the obvious guilt from natural sin, nevertheless they compare themselves against the rest of mankind and don’t see the depth of their own sin. Moreover, their actions don’t prove the worth of God’s grace because they think, speak, and act in ways that undermine grace by believing their good works keep them above the fray of the rest of mankind. Certainly, I am guilty of this.

Upon further examination of God’s judgment and wrath, it becomes apparent that these are issues which a tolerant culture wants to shy away from. Perhaps that is why we’ve prostituted the depth of grace. We have no need of it. Yet, when we survey the Scriptures, we can’t escape the reality that our good God is a righteous judge who cannot allow rebellion to go unpunished. Moreover the measure of his justice is that he is angered over sin. Because his wrath and judgment must be satisfied, we can experience God’s grace in the cross. Were there any lax in these attributes, he would not be perfect. This is a joyful message to carry to an apathetic world.

Packer, J.I., Knowing God Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 1973.

Strength of a Father

2011-11-15T00:29:00.001-06:00

Rarely do men affirm one another verbally. Real godly men do it often though. Words are a gift. They are powerful.

The words of a father are mighty in the life of a child. The actions are even mightier still. While the tendency to focus on negative words and actions is easy to gravitate to, seeing the positive is very enriching.

This weekend I was reminded of some of my dad's finest qualities. His hard work, perseverance, and willpower are second to none. When it comes to completing a task relating to stewarding what he's been given, my dad is most likely undefeated. His own dad's motto, "if you're going to do something, you better do it right", is evident in his life. What is most astounding is the stamina my dad has for completing tasks. This weekend I attempted to lend a hand in chopping and hauling some wood from a neighbors yard. My dad not only lasted most of Saturday and Sunday but went nearly all day with no break. He's relentless. I can't help but wonder where my work ethic went. When I'm worn down and starting to be lax, he was not only going strong but staying disciplined. My dad's perseverance and willpower are made of steel. Of course, this is a microchosm. I've witnessed this time and again. His strengths are my weaknesses.

My point in writing is to resolve to do my best in taking after those traits. What's more is to apply them in all areas of life - with serving God, loving my wife, raising my kids, being faithful to all the responsibilities God blessed me with.

Penn State and threads of evil

2011-11-10T22:30:00.000-06:00

As I sit and watch the unfolding of a purely evil story involving Penn State former coach Jerry Sandusky, I'm disgusted on so many levels. This atrocity is so abhorrent that humanity involuntarily accepts the depth of this evil act. Yet deviant sins against the innocent often strike all of us. Not much more needs to be said regarding the unspeakable horrors that this man has committed against these young boys.

What is perhaps more telling is the response of a nation. Never mind the fact that grown men stood by and didn't take matters into their own hands in either turning the perpetrator over to the authorities or knocking sense into him on their own. Never mind the fact that it was kept quiet for years while the perpetrator proceeded to not only use facilities and but continue his abuse. What is eerily striking is the response of some students to the situation. The sins of omission in this story now reach beyond the school authorities. Every student who stood by cheering on Joe Paterno this past week stands behind him in approval of his omission. While that may not be openly admitted, what else is being asserted when we don't stand up and decry man's inhumanity to man and those who stand by and do nothing? What's really important when we'd rather see a coach of a sport not be punished for an egregious failure because of his legacy? That only carries on the falsehood that crimes don't have punishments.

It's not surprising though. This society condemns Sandusky one moment, then goes back to lusting over celebrity bodies, longing for possessions, and apathetically ignoring injustices the next. Subtle sins are the real killers to morality. It's not adultery, it's lusting after something that's not yours that is the seed of sin. It's not murder but hatred. Woe to the society that fails to see the seeds of destructive sin. Woe to us.

Journey

2011-09-19T23:45:00.001-05:00

I'm not talking about the band though they're quite memorable. I'm about to embark on one of my own figuratively speaking. It's long been a desire of mine to pursue a degree in theology. I finally set my heart on preparing for this journey back in the fall of '08. Knowing the cost to knock out the remainder of my bachelor and master degrees would not be cheap, I've kept a focus on investing in a business these past couple years to not only gain some "real-world" experience but also pay down debt and save for education.

I had this goal further out in my mind than now but through God's leading, my family has been brought to a church in Green Bay that was intent on opening a remote campus for a seminary out of Florida. With little prior knowledge of the situation, we've been handed an opportunity for me to finish both degrees one class at a time over the next 6 years for a fraction of the cost. The best part is that we are able to stay planted here and invest in this church and serve the community we've grown to love. I'm elated.

While I'd love to say I prayed much about this decision the past few months, it wouldn't be true. The truth is i've prayed more about this over the last five to ten years than I know. When something is right, you tend to know. So here I am. God's provision is infinitely more than we can ask or imagine- Ephesians 3:20-21. That verse has been on my office wall for the past 3 years and each day is testimony more and more of its reality.

My classes start this Friday. I'm going to be blogging class summaries, assignments, and stuff I learn along the way in an attempt to keep this blog living. I hope you'll join the dialogue and share in the journey.

To bow the knee...

2011-08-08T06:51:00.015-05:00

To bow the knee or not to bow the knee, that is THE question. At a men's group book study some time ago, the topic of glorifying God came up. Specifically, we wrestled with the question of whether human beings regardless of belief, creed, age, sex, ethnicity, bring glory to God by the fact that they are image bearers of the Creator. More pointedly, can a person who does not believe in God bring glory to God by acting in manners that would seem to be of God (acts of service, justice, etc...)?

Trite as it may seem, let's look at the game of football and the touchdown celebration. Two players of similar talent level can make a magnificent catch in an end zone, while all the fans look on in admiration and cheer wildly, and what comes next I believe puts this argument to rest. Two men of similar stature physically and athletically, by nature, point to a Creator just by virtue that the ability of these men to physically train themselves to perform a feat that many cannot. Their ability speaks of the excellence of a Creator who gave them their very abilities. Glory is displayed. Even more importantly than their natural ability speaking though, man was given a voice. When those two men perform their feat, they now have the opportunity to speak about this feat albeit in the form of a touchdown celebration. What we find is that one man may very well beat his own chest proclaiming his own excellency in making such a catch. The other man simply bows the knee and points to the sky returning all the praise to the One who gave him the ability to perform such a feat.

So we see that both by nature and by voice the opportunity to glorify God is seen in creation. "For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made..."(Romans 1:20) First, glory is displayed and given to God naturally in the creation. However, "They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised..." (Romans 1:25) Second, glory is given to God through worship. As John Piper says, "Worship is a way of gladly reflecting back to God the radiance of His worth."

That reflecting is an act that must be DONE by creation. It is this reflecting or deflecting that condemns man. When we choose to exchange giving the glory to God for giving it to man, we commit the ultimate transgression. In bowing the knee to God, we reflect the truth that God is Maker and we are not.

Psalm 51

2011-08-08T05:38:00.001-05:00

Verses 1-5: without the acknowledgement and confession of the depth of sin in my heart, I cannot follow Christ. He sees my sin clearly and I see it through a veil. His judgment is right and good, mine is flawed yet. The realization must come that I have sinned against God chiefly each time I do. That fact is condemning of all. All sin is against God.
Verses 6- 10: how glorious that God delights in truth and wisdom in my heart! Why? Jesus tells me in the gospel that all sin emanates from the heart. Therefore, if I am being made new and truth is replacing lies in my heart, then I am being transformed. Repentance then is in routing out the old man in my heart and replacing these sinful desires, affections and will with redeemed ones. It is only the cleansing power of God that can remove all my sin and condemnation.
Verses 10- 13: in order for ministry to be effective, Christ must have created a clean heart in me, renewed a right spirit in me, kept me in His presence and granted me His Spirit. The joy of that salvation process should then flow from within and a willing spirit, no less, is necessary. A willing spirit that, in my heart, is willing to obey and follow as opposed to so often being willing to sin against the Father.
Verses 13: with these steps in tact, then my life shall speak of the glories of redemption in Christ. Without these pieces, I lack true redemption.
Verses 14-19: praise and sacrifice become the anthem of a life redeemed. Both of which originate in the heart and out of a need for salvation from sin. This is what God desires and is pleased with. Let me offer my heart to Thee.

May this be true of me in increasing measure to the praise of Your glory Father!

unbelievable love

2011-02-21T19:51:00.000-06:00

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. - 1 John 4:9

Tonight, I caught a glimpse of the love of God the Heavenly Father. After some family devotional time reading the Scriptures and praying, my (almost) two-year old son and I stood and sang some good old hymns. While singing of the love of the Father, it dawned on me in a new way how much God gave up in sending His Son into the world, knowingly and freely, as a sacrifice to redeem the world. As I looked at my boy in my arms, I was humbled by a sacrifice that I'm not sure I could make. The unspeakable love that I have for my boy is just a drop in the ocean of God's love for the world. His love is truly unspeakable - beyond us. As i pondered the thought of giving up my own son, I was brought to tears. While I would no doubt toil over obeying God if I were in the shoes of Abraham as he put Isaac upon that altar, God willingly and zealously fulfilled His promise sending Jesus the Christ to the cross to lay down His life that we might have life. And so the gospel and God's unbelievable love continue to astonish! He showed His love through sending His Son to make way for us.

With Authority

2011-02-02T12:42:00.000-06:00

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. - Matthew 7:28-29

Reading the gospels, common themes can jump out at you if you look for them. One such theme is that of Jesus' authority. Oddly enough, if you come from a Christian worldview, this seems rather obvious if not purely odd. "Well of course people Jesus taught with authority - He was God after all!" Outside of the Christian worldview, it would seem that Jesus was just a really nice schoolteacher type. Like any schoolteacher worth their wait, he commanded attention: "Listen up boys and girls!"

Surprisingly, I'd say this wasn't the aim. In fact, throughout the gospels Jesus' authority is continually questioned by the religious powers that be purely because they hadn't sanctioned him as a "message approved for all audiences". A couple obvious reasons pop up:

1) Several instances arise where Jesus tells people "their sins are forgiven". The Jewish world knew that wasn't possible unless God gave the green light. Jesus taking it upon Himself to forgive sins was no veiled message to the religious folk of the day. He was staking His claim.

2) Jesus was a carpenter taking on the family trade and coming on the scene for public ministry at an age when those who went to school would've been given the okay to begin interpreting Scripture. Clearly Jesus hadn't jumped through the hoops and that made the teachers of the law rather uncomfortable. In modern day, Jesus walked into the hospital and started performing open-heart surgeries without the medical degree or tenure to back it up.

3) Jesus is interpreting Scripture in ways that were so counter to the rote manner that the Jews were used to hearing. He was packing a punch and they (the crowds and religious leaders) didn't quite know how to respond except to be amazed. This is then why they would resort to asking for a sign. In other words, if he couldn't produce the credentials, he ought to show a sign from God. Thankfully for us, the gospels are plum full of the power that accompanied Jesus' words through miracles. American unbelievers scoff at miracles because A) science can't explain them away easily and B) there's a lack of faith to accept them. Fortunately, if we'd open our eyes to many other nations, we'd see that such phenomena still occurs in our own age.

Jesus came with authority. His authority has the power to change our lives. We need to believe that.

Covey Quotes

2011-02-01T21:52:00.000-06:00

A couple solid quotes from Stephen Covey in his book "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People":

"The more aware we are of our basic paradigms, maps, or assumptions, and the extent to which we have been influenced by our experience, the more we can take responsibility for those paradigms, examine them, test them against reality, listen to others and be open to their perceptions, thereby getting a larger picture and a far more objective view." - p. 29

"We see the world, not as it is, but as we are..." - p. 28

I find these extremely important in the grand scheme of learning how to be self-aware. Until I understand how I see the world and what causes me to see it that way, it is a tall order to change.

Perhaps the most critical piece of the first quote is to "test them against reality". In other words, one must be able to not only see oneself but also have the proper mirror to look into. One must hold a firm grip on reality and that means seeking reality. For some, if not most, that means societal norms, historically accepted principles like "do unto others as you would have done to you", are the measuring stick. I don't disagree. However, the origin of such principles has to be unchanging and therefore can't come from within ourselves - it needs to come from without. This simply is another piece of "all of creation" pointing to its Creator.

A good set of song lyrics

2010-08-06T00:03:00.000-05:00

Song lyrics are like puzzle pieces and occasionally in life you find them fitting in place all too well.

This is The Redeemer by Sanctus Real:

Sometimes I just wanna start over
Cuz everything looks like a wreck
And I need the courage to carry on
Cuz I can’t see what’s ahead

And there are places I’ve wished I could be
Battles I’ve wanted to win
Dreams that have slipped through my hands
I may never be back again

But I’m still a dreamer
A believer
Oh, I lost my faith in so many things
But I still believe in You
Cuz You can make anything new

Sometimes I just wish we could say
All the things that are easy to hear
Ignore the injustice we see
And explain every unanswered prayer
But I’d rather speak honestly
And wear a tattered heart on my sleeve
Cuz in the middle of my broken dreams
Redemption is here

And I’m still a dreamer
A believer
Oh, I lost my faith in so many things
But I still believe in You
Cuz You are the answer
The Redeemer
Oh, I’ve given up on too many things
But I’m not giving up on You
Cuz You can make anything new

I don’t have every answer in life
But I’m trusting You one day at a time
Cuz You can make a weak heart stay alive
Forever
And this is where heaven and earth collide
I lift my hands, I give my life
This is how my weary heart stays alive

Oh, I’m still a dreamer
Still a believer
And You are the answer
The Redeemer
Cuz You can make anything new
Yeah, You can make anything new

Running for a Dream

2010-04-21T12:06:00.000-05:00

I'm convinced all entrepreneurs dream on some level. How else would they catch a vision and start on their journeys? Dreaming is integral to being an entrepreneur but is only a part of it. Don't take my word for it though.

My buddy, Abe Clark, is making one of his dreams a reality right now. Since February of this year, Abe's been running across the U.S. unsupported to support Living Water International's quest to bring clean water to underdeveloped nations. You can check out more here and even take part in the dream here.

In all honesty, I'm captivated all the more by Abe's story because he and I were acquaintances at UW-Green Bay through a Christian org we were involved with. We never shared too many in depth conversations or even hung out other than some regular org gatherings. I didn't know what dreams were cooking in Abe. So when I first heard of his adventure, it caught me off guard. It wasn't because I didn't think he could do it - it was because I didn't even know Abe dreamed big like that. Then again, I should have after finding out that he lived on a sailboat all last summer without much prior sailing experience.

When asking Abe what it was that made his dream reality he said, "Once I get my mind locked on something it is very hard to rationalize with me about if it makes sense or not. I have this idea of what I want my life to look like and I will do anything to get to that point." The difference between dreamers and doers is quite simple. Dreamers choose to stop thinking and just find a way to get it done. They take steps of faith and just get it done.

Abe's advice to dreamers is pretty straightforward: "One thing to remember is that it is YOUR dream for a reason and it will not make sense to anybody but you. Don’t talk about it with people who will bring you down and discourage you. Talk with the people that will help you succeed in your goal. Do your research and make a careful plan. Be aware of the time in your life when this needs to happen and when that time comes put your well thought out plan into motion."

Dream. Plan. Act. Go.

Consumers Are Humans Too!

2010-04-20T08:43:00.000-05:00

As if that weren't obvious but in the land of sales & marketing, it becomes easily forgotten. This is a line I can cross all the time. In the effort of selling products/services, I find myself forgetting that I ought to care for the person I'm selling to. Allow me to elaborate.

The economics principle "opportunity cost" is defined as "the cost of passing up the next best choice when making up a decision". This opportunity cost exists both for the producer and the consumer. Each must decide what cost is involved in a given exchange. But the principle broadly applies to life: if I choose to do the dishes for my wife right now, she'll be pleased with me but I'll miss out on doing something I'd rather do. If I choose not to, I will give up the opportunity to help my wife instead for helping myself.

I'm applying this principle in a different way though. I sometimes see myself interested more in pushing my product just to make the sale rather than being concerned for the person I'm selling to and the relationship. If I take a step back, I should ask myself: What matters most - the profit from the sale or the profit of a relationship? The relationship can provide much more fruit long-term (even if it isn't monetary) than one sale can.

The line I cross is when I become more interested in making the sale than in keeping the relationship. I'm not advocating for not pushing beyond consumers' initial objections to buying. I'm suggesting that sales needs to be done with conscience. I ought to see each prospect as a person and not just an economic unit to increase my profits.

COMING UP: running for a dream

the Monday sputter

2010-04-19T08:19:00.001-05:00

Alright, so anyone that's ever worked a job knows Monday can be shear drudgery. As an entrepreneur, I've found the old adage "if you fail to plan, you will plan to fail" is especially true of Mondays. So often, it feels like I spin my tires on Mondays. I'm not completely sure why but it just seems difficult to get into a groove. Subsequently, it becomes difficult to feel like I accomplished much when the day is done.

I have found a couple things that work though. Before leaving on Friday, I leave a few notes about where I left off and what I need to accomplish on Monday. Then, on Sunday evening, I take a peak at those notes and put it in my mind so I'm ready to go. Generally, I've found lists to be the way I work which is not what works for everyone but it certainly keeps me grounded and focused.

I can't tell you how often I've felt like I waste my days just because I'm going in five directions. Having a daily plan of what I can reasonably accomplish has gone a long way to helping me improve. I haven't gotten it down by any means yet but I'm still working on it.

So what works for you? What habits make you productive? Do tell.

ON DECK: consumers are humans too!

last call

2010-04-18T22:38:00.000-05:00

Alright so I thought Sundays were to be a day of rest. ;) I wanted to share a quick thought after reflecting on a meeting I just attended. I'm blessed to be joining a handful of other men in the ground work talks of a church plant in Green Bay. Our conversation was fruitful in its direction and hopefully now fruitful in action.

One of the men nailed a thought in our conversation that I wanted to post. He stated that this plant must "not just be ideas". Simple enough right? Well, not really. In life, in church, in business, on the home front, etc... I find myself having plenty of good ideas and feeling good about them. Way too often though, they stay in idea-land. Thankfully, the Bible instructs Christians well:

18Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. - 1 John 3:18

Lest we think that words mean love; they don't without hands and feet following what was spoken. Wow, do I need this reminder daily. I could elaborate but I'll leave it there. Action matters. Ideas matter only when they're accompanied by action. In fact, the danger in the verse is to love with words but not with actions which then becomes a lie.

What ideas have you had that haven't fleshed themselves out? Who are you loving with your words and not with your actions? Good food for thought.

SEE YOU TOMORROW!

wordsmithing

2010-04-18T11:05:00.000-05:00

My wife often asks me where I get "all these words" from. Apparently, she thinks I like to "show off" by adding new words into my vocabulary. Like most things, she's right. It's true - I do like to flex my word-smithing muscles once in a while. Unfortunately, they're rather small and nothing to brag about.

That being said, there's a wonder about language and the impact a word has on life. Finding the right word to describe is truly an art form. If you don't believe me, just ask this guy. Anytime I have the chance to test out a new word in conversation, I like to let it rip. I'd be remiss if I didn't incorporate that into this blog. In light of that, I'm dedicating Sundays to "word-smithing" day. At the recommendation of my wife, I'll try to post a word from the vocab and share some context. I know - it sounds like a blast and you're now convinced that I never got enough of Sesame Street as a little boy (which is indeed true by the way).

I guess you'll just need to stay tuned for the fun. :) And if that doesn't sound like the way you want to spend your Sunday blog reading, then don't say I didn't warn you.

ON DECK: the Monday sputter

Quotable Quotes

2010-04-17T09:53:00.000-05:00

"Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree." - Martin Luther

I dig Martin Luther, but not just because I grew up learning Luther's catechism and grew up in a Lutheran church. I dig him because he refreshed the ordinary. One of the temptations in the Christian life is to think that true spirituality is only defined in the unseen or in the mind. Subsequently, the common, everyday life gets classified as less spiritual. So, matters of what I eat, what I spend my time and money on, what I do for my job, etc... become detached from the eternal.

Let's take the job for example. There are two ends of the spectrum. One end says if I don't do something really "spiritual" with my work, I'm not really doing something for God. Or, to be specific, a pastor or missionary is a job that is more spiritual than a garbage truck driver. The other end says, it doesn't matter what you do or how you really do it because someday your life will come to an end, God will forgive you, and you'll go to heaven. Both ends are pretty much equal. Both spit in the face of the everyday "ordinary" life by degrading it.

So, how does Luther fit into this? Well, Luther seemed to do a lot to restore the view of ordinary life and godliness. In the quote above, he clearly sees eternal significance in the act of planting his tree despite the ensuing destruction. In other words, if I drive a garbage truck and the world is ending tomorrow, I ought to not leave my work undone but to do it and to do it well. In so doing, I worship the Creator and take part in what I was made for.

There's so many directions to go with this but I'll leave it here. The question of finding eternal worth in life is not something that exists out there in some philosophical concept outside of reality. No, worth is infused in every act done, every word spoken, every idea thought. Everlasting worth is infused when all is done to the glory of the Everlasting God. So, the how I eat, how I work, what I spend my money on, what I use my time for - ALL of life is a giant act of worship. The question then is whom I worship with my life.

The Apostle Paul made this point in the book of Romans, chapter 12, verses 1 and 2:

¹Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. ²Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

The act of worship is displayed in the act of offering one's body - the entirety of one's being - mind, soul, and all. It is seen in directing all to God.

So, Luther's point is made. Meaning and worth is found in the ordinary everyday life - let's not abandon the wonder of that.

ON DECK: wordsmithing

What's in a name?

2010-04-16T08:46:00.000-05:00

Everything.

At least that's what my marketing inclination convinces me of. :)

The name everlasting worth sparked from a verse in the book of Matthew, chapter 6, verse 19-21. Jesus spoke of storing up treasure in heaven and not on earth - alluding to finding worth in things eternal, rather than things temporal. Jesus' statement itself is infinitely deep

The God of the Bible calls out to His people to store up and live their lives for that which won't perish or fade but for that which lasts. Much could be elaborated on here but, in short, the implication is then that we should discover what things won't perish or fade so that we can live for them. Seeking that which has eternal worth is what this journey is all about.

In Christ, we find an eternal, living God revealing Himself through the person of Jesus proving faithful to all the promises of the Old Testament and giving the whole world hope in the living, loving God. That has massive implications for our lives. Specifically, it has implications for the life of the entrepreneur (how he acts and the decisions he makes in pursuing entrepreneurship).

The other aspect of the name is more literal in regards to worth. Many entertain thoughts of running a business for the money (and Jesus had some words for how we are to steward our money) and notoriety. I can't claim to have never had those thoughts. Guilty as charged. With Jesus as the Lord of your life though, He changes the aim. He refines you to not be so short-sighted just pursuing the wealth and fame of this world which, for each human being, only lasts 100 or so years, if that at all. Instead, keeping the eyes on that which has eternal worth, we can use wealth as a means to much greater ends.

The name has personal significance because it's a target. Is my heart aiming for that? Hopefully.

UP NEXT: quotable quotes

What's the point?!?

2010-04-15T18:06:00.000-05:00

I'm long-winded. At least, I have a tendency to be. So rather than give you the long version, here's the short version of what the point of this blog is all about.

A close friend and role model of mine has maintained how hard it is to follow Christ and run a business. I'd love to unpack why he says that but I'll save that one for another time. Instead, this has in many ways motivated me. It is hard - that's true. But, I don't believe it's impossible. In fact, I feel the journey to discover how (im)possible it is may just be worthy enough for me to share (along with some other things). ;)

I feel compelled to share my calling and journey here. At this point, I'm being called to follow Christ through creating and building a successful business. I believe that calling to be significant (but why wouldn't I?). I think it's imperative for those who follow Christ to see business and commerce as not only a means for daily sustenance but as a means of worship. In seeking to glorify God through your work, I think we begin to find worth in everyday life that simply won't perish or fade. And, that's a good thing because it seems all too easy for paychecks to fade quickly. :)

NEXT UP: what's up with the name?

An Unconventional Launch

2010-04-14T12:05:00.000-05:00

In a pursuit to get the ball rolling, my hope is to post daily and start getting some common threads going to fuel dialogue and a following. Realizing full well that I'm completely unqualified yet knowing my passion to share my journey, there is no better time than now. What's ironic is that (re)launching a blog, or any business venture for that matter, seems like it should require some fanfare and hoopla. It doesn't though. Sometimes you just have to bear down, kick it off, and run with the idea. Sometimes it's simply unconventional.

My journey into entrepreneurship really was unplanned. (That's for another day though.) Okay, so a lot of the decisions I make tend to be unplanned so that really isn't new. My quest to re-launch this blog has taken a back seat to other aspirations (er, I should say obligations). But, I can't procrastinate any longer.

There's plenty I intend to share regarding the lessons I've learned about the "art" of entrepreneurship. The process is making me a better man. This blog is going to be all about that. As a Christ-follower and an aspiring entrepreneur, I feel these lessons will be lost on me if I don't share them somewhere. So here they are.

IN MY NEXT POST: there's a point to this blog

Monumental Steps

2010-04-13T22:13:00.000-05:00

My 11-month old son just took his first steps this morning – easily one of the high points of parenthood thus far! He’s been pulling himself up on furniture for over a month now and even standing without support for a couple weeks - so this was the next step (no pun intended). The ironic part was that he had no idea what just happened. It wasn’t like he had planned it out and then successfully executed his plan to walk. He just did it without realizing how monumental his actions were.

What a clear analogy for what happens so often to the entrepreneur. In the midst of striving for success, I’ll completely miss seeing milestones that are truly monumental. Success is elusive. Striving for it is oftentimes pain-staking and never fully satisfying. However, pausing occasionally to reflect on where you’ve come and what has been accomplished can fuel you to continue going forward. So pause and enjoy those first steps. They might be monumental in learning how to walk!

IN MY NEXT POST: my unconventional launch into entrepreneurship

Ctrl + Alt + Delete

2010-03-05T10:18:00.000-06:00

Life requires restarts many times. This blog has been in need of a restart and will be getting one very shortly. In the meantime, feel free to check out some old posts. My life has taken some turns over the past year that have launched me in different directions. The roots still remain though: Christ, my family, and my passion to write to name a few. I hope to incorporate those in this relaunch. Until then, stay tuned!

forgetting to not forget the platform

2009-05-17T23:21:00.000-05:00

I tend to forget that Christianity is built on the platform of a single, historical event: the resurrection of Jesus. And I wonder how many in the world have really, truly explored this mysterious, unprecedented story of the resurrection that has rocked the world for the past 2,000 years. Perhaps, that's why it has lost its kick - it's become a story, somewhat of a fable that gets told from time to time. That's the danger of forgetting its significance. When a man journeys into Christianity, there are so many facets to be explored, so much doctrine to be learned, so much life to be changed, so much growth to be had. Yet, lest it be forgotten, the resurrection is the platform upon which Jesus of Nazareth staked his entire life's claims. This historical event is the reason why Christianity mustn't be left as a religion to be chosen among the menu of so many other religions in the world. No, the resurrection is the reason Jesus of Nazareth can be called Jesus Christ - the Messiah, the Redeemer, the Promised One, the Lord God. It's the silver bullet, if you will.

Coming out of Easter season, this truth has gripped me. Take Buddha, Mohammed, Joseph Smith, whomever, whenever, wherever and measure them to Jesus of Nazareth. Pound for pound, inch for inch, Jesus will be revealed through the historical evidence in the resurrection as the only one worthy of being followed. Why? Because He pinned His entire life's ministry, teachings, validation upon an event that could be and was witnessed. To remember this and to seek out that evidence has been refreshing.

The resurrection is refreshing because it validates Jesus. As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, without the resurrection "faith is futile", we have no hope, and those who believe in it ought to be pitied above all men (1 Cor. 15:17,19). However, if it is true as the evidence points such, it is transformational and monumental.

I implore you to look into the resurrection. Research it, seek it out. The evidence demands a verdict. Without it, Christianity is nothing. With it, Christianity stands alone as a light in the darkness - the only platform upon which to stand.

the wonder of motherhood

2009-05-10T14:36:00.000-05:00

Being it is Mother's Day and my wife just joined the ranks of Motherhood with the birth of our first son this past week, here are a couple thoughts. It is so easy to not be grateful for your parents and particularly your Mother. However, I have a new found, deep appreciation for my Mom after watching my wife the past week. Her willingness and endurance through the delivery of our baby spoke volumes of her love for someone not yet born who has no idea what is going on. Without knowing the child and who they will become, the Mother takes a great risk to subject herself to all kinds of pain for the greater joy of loving that child. It seems quite simple but it's much deeper than it appears. Thank your Mom, no matter who she is and what she's done throughout your life; good, bad, or indifferent. Her sacrifice and strength brought you into the world by the grace of God.

worth the while

2009-04-30T23:20:00.000-05:00

this is worth far more of your time and effort to read this link than anything i'd ever write:

http://www.shaungroves.com/shlog/comments/pass_the_biscuits/

don't waver on your convictions. just respond in faith. by grace, my wife and i have been sponsors for several years and it's been a huge blessing.

the man in the mirror

2009-04-23T08:55:00.000-05:00

It amazes me (to a certain degree) that Micheal Jackson nails truth with his song "Man In The Mirror". True change in the world we live in starts with #1. This has to be one of the most frustrating things for all of us finger-pointers. Isn't that our natural inclination - to point elsewhere and not accept the responsibility for what we are able to do? The truth is that we can only change what we control. It all starts with that person you see every morning in the mirror. I need to remember this constantly as I look to point the finger elsewhere.

Selling from the Opposite Side

2009-03-31T12:47:00.001-05:00

Many thoughts and conversations have been cultivated regarding selling in the past several weeks within the confines of my business. The crux of sales, as I've concluded, is understanding your customer and their needs and perceptions. Using that knowledge to your advantage in selling is key. Why? Because as the salesman understands the needs/perceptions, they can take their product/service and apply it to those needs/perceptions. What happens next is the transition from seller to buyer. In other words, the potential customer can come to see their need to buy what is being sold. Why is this so obviously crucial? Plainly, people buy when they experience a want/need. Understanding the person on the opposite side of the table is key

For centuries, the world rejects Christianity for a litany of reasons (chiefly, the world is opposed to God and will not lay down arms). Evangelism has oft become finger-pointing and telling people they're wrong, among other things. If, however, we applied Sales Lessons 101 (i.e. understanding where people are coming from and speaking their language), perhaps evangelism would be more effective. Perhaps, we'd stop being me-centered in our approach. Perhaps, we could meet their objections with compassion and understanding rather than self-righteous vitriol. What's more: the fear of losing ground for the truth is only fear. Nothing is given up for the product by doing this; you're merely reaching them more effectively.

Pretending

2009-02-07T01:10:00.000-06:00

It's amazing what a glass of milk and eating fudge stripe cookies at 1 a.m. will do for the mind. Apparently, it's awakening my blogability (yep, that's a new word so mark it down). For anyone out there reading, I decided to take some time away from posting because in the greater scheme of things I find myself too quick to speak rather than listen. So, in a place where I'm speaking, I decided a pause was needed. Nonetheless, if you've hung with me this far, let's endeavor a little more.

A good friend of mine has deep conviction when he speaks of his relationship to God. I honor the way he speaks about God's will. He does it with conviction, in a way that I yearn to know. When I speak of God's will, the comments are all too often ONLY timely (around Christian friends, when I'm in a crucial decision-making time, etc...). His conviction tells me that he's thinking on God's will much more often than when it's convenient. While delving into discerning God's will right now would be fun, I'd rather share a word on conviction.

Why do I have so little of it? Why do my words and actions often display a lukewarm affection to the truths that I claim to lay hold of? I believe in God the Father, the risen Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit given as a seal of the promise of eternal life. As the Apostle Paul wrote long ago, our faith is hung by a historical event of the resurrection. Down through the ages, the conviction of things hoped for has led many (and yet all too few) a man to lay aside his will for God's. Am I just pretending? Do I speak about the Lord as though He were real OR because He is real? Does this risen Jesus give me peace that passes or peace that never ends? Will my own words betray the very Truth that's been revealed? May it never be!

As I close out this post and another week, I can't help but reflect on the life of a woman of faith who just passed on to the other side of eternity. With her family as witness this week, she lay on her death bed still contacting beloved friends who hadn't accepted the precious gospel message. I can't help but admire her conviction. Deeply. When will we stop pretending about our eternal nature? This life is not all. In fact, it's only the beginning. Where then does my conviction lie? I want to speak with a tone of deep conviction and not be ashamed. No more pretending; this is for real.

Lord, open my heart, mind, soul to your great Truths. Let me never stray but grow deeply in my love for You and my neighbor. Grant that I may walk in deep conviction of Your truth and Your will. For Your Glory. Amen.

P.S. I intend to alter the layout/direction of the site in the future. How near that is; you'll have to stay tuned. It should be fun though...

Godly Decision Making

2008-11-22T23:42:00.000-06:00

Thought I'd share a few points from a talk on Godly Decision Making at a men's conference two weekends ago. There were 8 points about making a decision followed by an accompanying question. A couple of these cut right to my own heart more than the others. My comments are in red

1. Decide who you'll become, before you decide what you will do
I find this to be so hard to focus on because it takes a reflective, humble heart
Question: AM I pursuing who I am becoming as much as what I'll do for a living?

2. Decide how I can best advance God's kingdom and fulfill the Great Commission (Don't wait for a call when you have a command)
How often I struggle to hear God's voice when He has already spoken and is calling for obedience
Question: What can I do to maximize my contribution to the Great Commission?

3. Decide that life is not about you (Just because you're good at it, doesn't mean you should do it for your life)
Dreams of success and being honored for that success are squashed when you realize that you're one tiny piece of the puzzle; even though I have significance - God can use another just as easily
Question: Am I willing to go anywhere and do anything for Him?

4. Decide to do the difficult
This is like when Jesus says to love and pray for my enemies. It's easy to love those whom I love but what about those whom I have a hard time loving. Yet, Christ says, "Go and do likewise"
Question: Am I willing to do the difficult for the Lord? Is He worthy?

5. Decide not to be held back by your earthly father
This has many caveats to it but mainly, will I trust God to take care of me if I forsake all others to follow Him?
Question: Do you believe God the Father will take care of you?

6. Decide not to be ruled by the almighty dollar
I was the rich young ruler hearing these points up until this one at which time I was cut to the heart and knew that I failed here and everywhere else. I had to re-visit everything else after this one
Question: Is money controlling my decision more than the Kingdom of God?

7. Decide to pray your brains out
See above comment for #6
Question: Have I exhausted my prayer muscle in this decision?

8. Decide to live by faith
Ditto
Question: Is there risk and trust in God in my decision (Do I tell God "I love you" but then not trust Him?)

Bonus Question: What will be the story told about me? What will be my Great commission, world-changing, heroic story?
While sometimes these questions bug me because the focus seems to be about me and it sounds a little too dramatic, it still begs an answer. How will I seek first His kingdom now, today, so tomorrow He might receive the glory when my life is reflected on?

I hope these bless you as they did me... Which question hits the hardest for you? Let me know - leave a comment...

Piper on Worship

2008-11-10T23:13:00.001-06:00

I've been wrapped up in a lot of John Piper's writings lately. In reading Desiring God, here are a couple snippets that have stuck out to me regarding true worship of God:

"Worship is authentic when affections for God arise in the heart as an end in themselves...
If God's reality is displayed to us in His Word or His world and we do not then feel in our heart any grief or longing or hope or fear or awe or joy or gratitude or confidence, then we may dutifully sing and pray and recite and gesture as much as we like, but it will not be real worship. We cannot honor God if our 'heart is far from him.'
Worship is a way of gladly reflecting back to God the radiance of His worth. This cannot be done by mere acts of duty. It can be done only when spontaneous affections arise in the heart. And these affections for God ar an end in themselves. They are the essence of eternal worship. Saint Augustine said it like this: The highest good is 'that which will leave us nothing further to seek in order to be happy, if only we make all our actions refer to it, and seek it not for the sake of something else, but for its own sake.' " - p. 92

"It is not man-centered (to say that our emotions are ends in themselves) because the emotions of our worship are centered on God...
Whoever thought he was glorifying himself and not the Grand Canyon when he stood at its edge for hours in silent awe?" - pp. 94-95

Find the true heart of worship by taking joy in God, the only One worthy and able to fill you without end.

a tribute to Pastor Manuel

2008-10-22T00:16:00.000-05:00

(Pastor Manuel is on the left)

In the spring of 2005, God sent me on a journey to Thailand for a week to do tsunami relief work. While the work was meaningful, ultimately the experience and a particular friendship came out of that trip that have forever changed me. Today, I reflect on that friendship.

I met Pastor Manuel Prudenciado while at our work site. Manuel was from the Philippines and was also there to bring hope and help to the devastated coastlands of Thailand. During that brief few days, Manuel and I shared several encouraging conversations about our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. That week, I experienced a new understanding of fellowship in Christ. In Christ, I understood that we are truly part of a family that knows no boundaries. Men from different parts of the world with completely different lives who speak different languages can come together and, in Christ, share a deep fellowship. After leaving Thailand, Pastor Manuel and I exchanged e-mail addresses and have kept in contact by e-mail ever since. While I let the time in between e-mails grow much longer than I should have, his e-mails were always an encouragement to my day and spurred me on in my faith. He often shared his prayer requests and praises with me as well as where he had been sharing the gospel most recently. From his e-mails, I was challenged to trust in Christ and walk by faith. He was a man driven by his saving faith in Jesus Christ. Because of that, he counted the costs and journeyed to other villages to spread the gospel message with those who hadn't heard or didn't believe.

I was informed early this week that Pastor Manuel went to be with Christ on Friday. He passed away after collapsing from a game of basketball. His wife, Lani, and family need your prayers. As with any passing, the loss of a loved one is difficult to bear so please pray for their comfort. But, this is not the final word. No, in Christ, there is only gain for those who pass from this life to the next. Manuel has gone to be with his Lord and Savior. I pray that I may let his example be an example for my life. I appreciate his friendship and brotherhood. Though a world apart, this man affected my life. May God receive the glory!

"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. - 1 Corinthians 15:55-57

a treat from C.S. Lewis on praise

2008-10-14T22:40:00.000-05:00

from "A Word about Praise" in C.S. Lewis's Reflections on the Psalms:
(I encountered this in the book Desiring God and thought it very true)

But the most obvious fact about praise - whether of God or anything - strangely escaped me. I thought of it in terms of compliment, approval, or the giving of honor. I had never noticed that all enjoyment spontaneously overflows into praise unless (sometimes even iv) shyness or the fear of boring others is deliverately brought in to check it. The world rings with praise - lovers praising their mistresses, readers their favorite poet, walkers praising the countryside, players praising their favorite game - praise of weather, wines, dishes, actors, motors, horses, colleges, countries, historical personages, children, flowers, mountains, rare stamps, rare beetles, even sometimes politicians of scholars. I had not noticed how the humblest, and at the same time most balanced and capacious, minds praised most, while the cranks, misfits and malcontents praised least...

I had not noticed either that just as men spontaneouslyh praise whatever they value, so they spontaneously urge us to join them in praising it: "Isn't she lovely? Wasn't it glorious? Don't you think that magnificent?" The Pslamists int elling everyone to praise God are doing what all men do when they speak of what they care about. My whole, more general, difficulty about the praise of God depended on my absurdly denying to us, as regards the supremely Valuable, what we delight to do, what indeed we can't help doing, about everything else we value.

I think we delight to praise what we enjoy becaus the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation. It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful the are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed.

In praising God, we find the consummation of our happiness in Him. What a delightful truth!

Piper quote

2008-10-14T16:55:00.000-05:00

Here's a quote from a talk by John Piper called "Undoing the Destruction of Pleasure":

"Christianity is about getting people off of sofa’s, out from in front of soap opera’s, on the streets, and in India, and in El Salvador, and in the ghetto’s, and in the universities; where there are people who don’t know God, are throwing their lives away either trying to make lots of money, or have lots of sex, or go to lots of parties, or whatever your thing happens to be – just get in to the games of Internet – and that’s not what it’s about! The most deep and satisfying pleasures now and in the age to come are in giving your life away to make people happy in God!"

hope

2008-10-13T21:34:00.000-05:00

Maintaining hope takes perspective. In recent days, weeks, months, years, the U.S. has seen what I would call some tumultuous times. In my relatively short life, I recall thinking in high school about the defining times of my parents and grandparents generations. World War II and Vietnam shaped their youth and young adult lives in ways that seemed so distant to my own reality. In high school, (prior to 9/11) it seemed like our generation had yet to be tested like its predecessors. Yet, standing here in 2008, we are in the midst of or on the precipice of similarly trying times. Warnings of a second great depression with a stumbling economy, radical Islamic growing and striving for its own terrorist purposes since and before the atrocity of 9/11, tense times in the Middle East, the moral decay of our own nation, over a million unborn children aborted each year, poverty-stricken nations crying out for relief and aid, and the list goes on. The weight of the world and its problems are beyond heavy clouding the light of hope. How can hope not be snuffed out? Daily I am conflicted with losing hope or trusting in that which perishes and fades.

Generations before have passed through these dark times to somewhat calmer, collected times. And still we know that the cycle of history is repeating itself. While we may be tempted to put hope in the comfort of good times, that soon changes when the times shift. Yet, it is in these times where eternal perspective can root out the darkness and spur the Christ-follower on. It was in the tumult and depravity of this world, that Christ entered and through the cross has accomplished the greatest defeat over sin, death, and Satan. Evil, as prevalent as it may seem, has and will continue to be sequestered by the cross of the Lord Jesus. Jesus glorified God the Father through the darkness of the cross. Let us keep our eyes fixated on Jesus, the Hope beyond all Hopes, when the days grow dim. This world and all it has to offer will disappoint and leave us wanting. Yet God our Heavenly Father has prepared the Way of Hope through Jesus Christ. By His Spirit, the Christ-follower is held fast to this Hope.

seeking answers, not just asking questions

2008-09-18T00:21:00.000-05:00

I've found that many will raise questions, but few will truly seek answers. There's a sense of contentment it seems in raising a good question and leaving it on the table. It bids the question of whether a person raising questions truly seeks the answer. Look all over - at work, in communities, at schools, in political administrations - people are raising questions, but are they really wanting to know the answers?

When it comes to God, I believe many will pose questions as smoke screens to prevent the feeling of guilt for not really caring about the answers. There is a fear of whether someone may have THE answer or not. If the true answer is given, it presents responsibility. A person can no longer sit in limbo guiltless with an answer. I have an answer, I must respond.

the power of a praying person

2008-09-11T23:04:00.000-05:00

In the book of James in the New Testament, a verse states, "the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective". And from the book of Matthew, Jesus says to "ask and it will be given to you, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened to you".

The play between these two verses is amazing for the simple reason that we are called to do something and reminded that God, who is faithful is listening. These are not mere words. No, they are truly living and active - seen rightly through the eyes of faith in the testimony of my own younger brother. God humbled me this week as I saw my younger brother (I can still remember the day he was born and I first held him as a little 4 year old myself) share the story of how God has redeemed him to a life of everlasting worth. I'm humbled because for years leading up to this day I've prayed for him, all too inconsistently and unfaithfully. Yet, God who is rich in mercy, has called him. I'm reminded of the power of trusting in God to work His good plan, even when light doesn't seem apparent. He has given my brother an inspiring story of finding ultimate satisfaction and joy in knowing the Everlasting God who is forever faithful.

Simply, God is faithful and reminds me in small ways of His faithfulness yet again. To Him be all glory!

challenges & faithfulness

2008-09-10T23:39:00.000-05:00

The daily challenges, large & small, can become overwhelming at times. What amazes me is that if you step back and simply observe the intricacies of life and the world around, you can inherently sense a grander scheme taking place. I had a conversation with a friend today who happens to be asking some big questions about life. This challenges me because in seeking to answer, there is always a need to check myself. Is this what I believe? And, again, as I reflect and ponder life, I can't help but see the fingerprints and evidence of a glorious Creator - one who is still acting in time and history. And then, as I survey Jesus - the man crowned Christ, the Messiah, I cannot help but see images of that grander scheme. A scheme of a God who is faithful to His creation despite His creation's unfaithfulness. His faithfulness left heaven to enter this world as the one true God and true man to prove His faithfulness on a bloody cross. So, when challenges seem to leave me feeling "bloodied", I'm reminded of a great God who is eternally faithful. My questions and challenges are overshadowed by the cross. And even though questions and challenges can drive us away from God, we need to be reminded of His faithfulness. And, if you don't know the measures of His faithfulness, you need not look far. Simply survey the life and words of Jesus. If you don't know this Jesus, seek Him. If you do, seek Him more. He is faithful.

from Piper

2008-08-30T00:24:00.000-05:00

Very thought-provoking...

http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Articles/ByDate/2000/1515_The_Goal_of_Gods_Love_May_Not_Be_What_You_Think_It_Is/

Enjoy!

habitual action

2008-08-28T00:42:00.000-05:00

At a workshop on investing today, one of the speakers talked about the process of forming habits. He surmised that Beliefs lead to Action which leads to Results which reinforces/changes Beliefs. He argued that Knowledge and Beliefs can be misconstrued as the same thing and they are not. His contention was that Knowing doesn't lead to Action. His main case was that we've all done something we know we shouldn't have. Interesting. So, how does one bring knowledge to belief? This leads me to wonder how this applies to other areas of life. I'd have to say belief emanates from the heart while knowledge exists in the mind. Would you agree?

joy in repentance

2008-08-25T20:50:00.001-05:00

After reading the 8th chapter of Nehemiah, one should have clarity about repentance. Unfortunately for me, this clarity brings a cup of cold water to the face, metaphorically speaking of course. Nehemiah has just finished rebuilding the city walls of Jerusalem in the face of scrutiny and threats; believing and following God's call to do so. He then gathers all the people together and Ezra the priest brings the book of the law before them. He and a few others read and explain the law to the people. What happens next is quite intriguing. From verse 9, chapter 8:

"Then Nehemiah...and Ezra... said to all the people, 'This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.' For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law."

What strikes me is that I would have had the same response. These people were returning to the law that had been given to their ancestors so long before. There was a deep sense of conviction over their unfaithfulness. God had granted the completion of the walls to the dismay and disbelief of the nations around them. God's fingerprints were on the situation. Suddenly, they were turning back to where they should have been. Naturally, the guilt and shame of disobedience and lost time gripped them causing the sorrow to come out. However, instead of weeping, they were to "not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength(v.10)". Did you catch that? Because this day is holy to the LORD God, the proper response over their guilt was not mourning or weeping but rather joy in God.

This strikes me because in my life centuries later, my response is often the same as those people. When confronted with my sin, moping in self-pity over spilled milk seems to be the most fitting response. Rather, if repentance is true, God calls us to joy in Him. Why joy? Joy because, like the beggar who has just found an eternal storehouse of bread, there is no more looking for forgiveness. Searching finds its end in the One who grants complete pardon. Not only that, the Great God of Heaven grants His Spirit to the penitent. He renews them to be His people. No more crying over spilled milk. Take joy in Him and His mercies.

judging

2008-07-12T00:18:00.000-05:00

1"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

3"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?

Matthew 7:1-4

34"A new command I give you: Love one another.

John 13:34a

Do I consider the other person before I look to cast judgment on them - the type of person they are and why they are that way? I mean, do I truly think of another before I lash back with a thought or a statement that judges that person. Jesus teaches a powerful message here; the measure we use for others shall be the same measure we receive. How would I judge myself? I would want to see beyond the skin into the experiences and the reasons why another is the way they are, why they say what they say, why they do what they do. This is of utmost important because we begin to see others before we see ourselves. Humility beckons this way of relating to others. This, however, does not delay or call off judgment by any means. Rather, it is precautionary. Judgment can be a fiery flame that can burn another. We must first filter it with compassion and understanding. WE MUST SPEAK THE TRUTH and SPEAK IT IN LOVE. (Ephesians 4:15) In doing so, we fulfill the new command Christ gave us: to love one another. So then, may the God who has mercifully given His own Son in my place of judgment on the cross, grant that I may look in the mirror first. Let us love by looking into others' hearts and seeing beyond haphazard statements and actions before we judge.

self-absorption

2008-06-11T23:38:00.000-05:00

So, is it just me, or do I always feel that I'm my own center of attention? Perhaps by even asking if it's "just me", I've answered my own question. What ever happened to the idea of finding oneself by losing oneself? How do I lose myself when I'm seemingly always focused on me? Thoughts?

a birthday reminder

2008-06-09T07:56:00.000-05:00

As I opened up my Bible this morning, I "just happened to" read Psalm 39. I believe God has a clear message for me today on my birthday. From Psalm 39, verses 4-7:

4"LORD, make me to know my end
And what is the extent of my days;
Let me know how transient I am.
5"Behold, You have made my days as handbreadths,
And my lifetime as nothing in Your sight;
Surely every man at his best is a mere breath. Selah.
6"Surely every man walks about as a phantom;
Surely they make an uproar for nothing;
He amasses riches and does not know who will gather them.
7"And now, Lord, for what do I wait?
My hope is in You.

Let me know how transient I am. As a kid, I used to imagine what it would be like to "be grown up". It seemed so far away and hard to imagine. Now, as I look back, I understand with fullness the inerrant words of the Psalmist. If these couple decades have passed with such expediency, how can I not expect that my life will only continue as such?

So, today, I give thanks to God. He speaks in amazing and profound ways. And my response to Him ought to be two-fold. First, I ought to repent for I have sought to amass riches apart from God. I have not sought Him first in my life. I have put my hope in many different places which have and will ultimately disappoint. I am thankful when reminded that my hope must be in Him - the One who is everlasting. Thanksgiving is the second part of the response because His grace and mercy are simply overwhelming.

May He grant us clear eyes to see that this life will pass away. May we know how transient we are. May we seek what is not.

indifference

2008-05-31T16:12:00.000-05:00

"I don't care what we do/what we eat/where we go." Fill in the blank. Such statements are uttered out of my mouth to my wife on a constant basis. My response usually always is one of indifference. Why? Because I truly could go either way and I'm too lazy to get off the fence. While this may not be as big of a deal when it comes to what's for dinner, it is a problem as we look at relationships and our attitudes. Consider the effects of indifference in three types of relationships.

You've seen its effects on parents who are indifferent towards their children. They act as though they care not that the kids are their own flesh and blood. We could go on and on with examples here of parents whose indifferent attitudes towards their parental responsibilities have adversely effected their children. Yet, how many times, if the tables were reversed and we were to look in the mirror, have we shirked our own duties as children because we feel indifferent towards our parents?

Indifference in a marriage can be a killer. Imagine the conversation. "Honey, I love you." Response: "Sweetie, you know, I've been thinking I could really take or leave you." Ouch. You know that this may be unsaid but oftentimes spouses' actions towards one another take on the attitude of the second response: indifference.

Lastly the attitudes towards a relationship of faith in God. The majority of people in the world acknowledge faith in a god or a higher power. Yet, those same people are indifferent towards that god. How many in the U.S. attend church a couple times a year just for tradition's sake? How many are indifferent about why they're even there? How dangerous is it to claim faith in God and be indifferent about that faith?

When I search my heart, I don't desire to be indifferent. I want to be driven by passion for what I believe. If we search our hearts, I'm certain we'll find this to be true in all of us. Yet, our lives are oftentimes lived indifferently.

The interplay between the first two types of relationships and the third are analogous. In Christianity, God is called our Father because we have been adopted as children into His family through faith that Jesus Christ is His true Son, the One who came to redeem humanity from its rebellion against Him. Jesus is said to be the groom and the bride is the Christian Church. His passion and love for the world caused Him to live fully committed to the Father to give His life on a cross and God raised Him three days later as the conqueror of sin, death, and the devil.

Whether or not you have faith in Christ, don't be indifferent towards Him. Seek the truth. God is worthy of far more than our indifference. In fact, He hates our indifferent attitudes. May we take stock of the true life Jesus offers and may we not respond with indifference.

a tale of two loves

2008-05-09T14:45:00.000-05:00

And someone came to Him and said, "Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?"
And He said to him, "Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments."
Then he said to Him, "Which ones?"
And Jesus said, "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER; YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY; YOU SHALL NOT STEAL; YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS; HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."
The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?"
Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."
But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.
- Matthew 15:16-22

When I reflect on this passage, there are a number of truths that seem to stick out. First, that all men have an inclination to seek the "golden key" to live forever. As the Scriptures report, the rich young ruler approached Jesus seeking "what good thing" he could do to obtain eternal life. As the conversation unfolds, we learn that he wasn't truly seeking what was necessary, instead he wanted a golden ticket that he could hold onto while he continued to live his own way. How do we know this? Look at his response. Is it absurd to assume that he expected Jesus to tell him, "actually, I really don't know why you're asking because you've done everything that needs to be done, so take heart, you've already obtained it". How he must have been caught off guard by Jesus' response! Jesus uncovered the dishonesty of his heart when he points out that he wasn't truly seeking the Good because he wasn't after God. Why? Because he clearly ignores that part of Jesus' statement yet pays attention to the second part when he inquires of "which" commandments he needs to keep. As Jesus lays out the commandments, I wonder why he didn't add "Love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, and mind" or "you shall have no other Gods besides me" or "remember the Sabbath day". It becomes clear why he doesn't. The man did not love God.

Instead, Jesus summarizes his list with "love your neighbor as yourself". And the man responds so abruptly, doesn't he? It's as if he was mentally checking off each item as Jesus said them. What follows next is the amazing thing. Jesus' words pierce his heart and expose his true position. The rich young ruler loved his possessions and his life more than he loved his neighbor. And, as the gospels would lay out for us, Jesus teaches us that loving the LORD God is evidenced by loving our neighbor. Ultimately, Jesus shows us that loving God is seen through following Jesus, the Way to the Father. The reality was that the young ruler didn't really love God because he didn't really love his neighbor. He loved his life and treasured it more than God because he walks away grieving Jesus' words.

In our modern age in the United States, this passage of Scripture rocks my reality. Why? Because I myself approach God with many of the same intentions. I seek eternal life but I'm unwilling to submit my entire life to Him. In this, I expose my sinful intentions. Knowing that Christ emptied himself on the cross out of love for my salvation, I still love the world. He bids me leave behind that which I would treasure more than Him to come follow. This is a daily call to leaving behind my self-seeking ways. There is no treasure greater than Christ and His Kingdom. The "key" to the kingdom is humble repentance of my selfishness and daily dying to myself to follow Him because He is all that is worthy. He is more worthy than possessions, than riches, than power, than fame, than being the king of my own life.

The call to me and to you is the same as it was to the rich young ruler. Do you love the things of this world more than Jesus the King? Do we approach God looking only for a free pass to heaven and eternal life while still desiring to live the same pursuing our own ends? May we be careful to not answer abruptly lest we join the ranks of the young ruler.

change that lasts

2008-04-16T22:55:00.000-05:00

So, I've been thinking about change recently. Change is difficult. We get into habits and it is hard to break those habits. I believe wholeheartedly that to change there has to be a reason. And not only that, but that reason has to provoke our will to act to make the change.

For instance: getting physically fit. I find this to be quite challenging. While I'm not completely unfit, I've noticed some dangerous habits forming. One is that I'm not using self-control when I eat and with how much I eat. Furthermore, I've noticed that my discipline to exercise seems to be next to none. Why is this? I think I have plenty of good reasons; honoring God with my body, taking care of myself for my family, preventing future problems, directing people to the beach (if you know what i'm saying...and you do...), etc... What is interesting to me is that I keep putting it off. It's as if the reasons are good but they are not good enough for me to re-prioritize my life to accomplish the goal. So, I continue in this cycle of not only affirming the goal (getting fit) but of realizing that I haven't gotten there and it seems that I'm further than I was before simply by virtue of time passing.

What frightens me is how this thought process can bleed into the other areas of my life and affect me. How often have I been given reasons to do good and follow Christ and yet I fail to change?

Karl Marx said, "Philosophers have only interpreted the world differently; the point is, however, to change it." What an interesting comment from a controversial figure. While I enjoy the philosophizing of life, I find it fruitless if it doesn't bring some type of change for the better (which I'm sure is debatable, but you get my drift). So, I would have to agree with Marx.

A final thought; each Sunday one of the many reasons we gather at my church is to hear God's Word and respond by saying "Yes" (not necessarily audibly). This "Yes" is to affirm that we've heard and, difficult or not, it is our call to respond and follow. I find that I am saying "Yes" in my mind. The question is: are my hands and heart ready/willing to make the change? What say you?

impact

2008-04-14T22:35:00.000-05:00

John R. W. Stott -
"How can we have so many people claiming to be born again and yet have so little impact on society?"

This quote is quite provoking. Thoughts? How does one measure the impact he has on society?

amazement

2008-04-01T22:34:00.000-05:00

We read in the Gospel accounts of a man unlike any other. His legacy is supreme. His legendary life echoes and speaks across history. It is utterly amazing to think of the rise and fall of many great and evil men and nations before and after him and yet He stands towering over their legacies.

In the 8th chapter of Matthew, this man, Jesus, is sleeping in a boat with his disciples amidst a furious storm. His disciples are fearful (an understatement if it were me in the boat). They wake him up and 'He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.'

I think it is so easy to get caught up in reading the Bible in a manner in which it becomes like any other fairy tale, Disney story, "Lord of the Rings" novel, etc... The awe and mystery of the acts contained therein are so distant from our perception of reality in 21st century America. We read it as if it were fictional though we all profess belief in a God powerful to create the universe we live in.

So, did you catch what just happened?!? "...he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm." WHAT?!?! I have NEVER seen ANYONE rebuke wind and waves and they obey. Good thing the disciples weren't freaked out... Verse 27 describes their reaction: The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"

Not to make this too comical but can't you hear Chris Rock saying this line? Almost in disbelief, the fear must have gripped them. This leads me to the point. I read this and so often glaze over it. If I believe this to be true, then where is my sense of sheer amazement? Amazement that the God who created and has authority over all His creation came down as a man to save me, the worst of sinners. He performed so many miracles that the gospel writer John tells us they were too numerous to mention (ch. 21, v. 25); so numerous he notes that there are probably not enough books in the world to contain them. I've become like the child whose watched his favorite Disney movie four thousand times; it doesn't move me any longer.

I don't know the tone or inflection of Jesus' voice when He spoke those words and quieted the wind and waves but I don't think it matters. His actions shout loudly across and above time itself. His legendary voice cries out to you and I. His life, death, and resurrection are deafening to our inattentive hearts. Where is our amazement?

response

2008-03-24T22:00:00.000-05:00

I'm often troubled by how people respond; in general, to me, to the world they live in, to their own lives, to life in general. I'd love to go down a philosophical path with the idea of responding but I won't. Suffice to say; cause and effect, action and reaction, message and response are innate truths in life.

Recently I've been thinking on a parable that Jesus taught. You'll find it in the books of Matthew 13 and Mark 4. He tells the story of four types of soil, a sower, and his seeds. Upon each of these soils, the sower sows his seed. What Jesus dictates is how each of the soils then responds to the seed. The first soil is hard (perhaps a path trampled down) and the seed does not penetrate. The second soil is rocky so while it accepts the seed, the product is that it springs up quickly but whithers soon thereafter with the sun scorching it. The third takes root but with time dies out amidst the thorns and briers that it grows into. The fourth soil grows and bears fruit thirty, sixty, a hundred times what was sown. So, as the gospels go on to record, Jesus explains what is behind the parable. Essentially, if I were to boil it down, it would come down to response. Each soil takes the same seed but has a different final outcome.

I've been convicted by this idea of response. Oftentimes, I would love to believe that I respond to life, and specifically God and His Word, by producing fruit. I rarely consider how often I am the other three. If the soil represents the heart of man and how we respond to God's voice, I fear I am anything but the fruit-bearing soil. What I fear is that I've become hardened to receiving the same seed and I only seek to receive new seed. Instead, I ought to be patient in letting the seed take root in my heart and produce fruit. I wonder how often I take steps to produce fruit of the seeds of truth which God plants in my heart. My prayer is that the soil of my heart will stay soft to the seeds that God plants.

Specifically, in Mark 4, verse 9, Jesus says, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear". We have the mind, the heart, the soul, literally the ears, but do you have the tenderness and desire to truly respond? Do you want to hear? Do you want to change?

What's so good about Good Friday

2008-03-22T22:50:00.000-05:00

I'm posting the following because I thought it was so poignant at this time of the year. Thanks to my buddy Ryan for writing this and sharing it. I hope it blesses you as it did me:

On the day after Passover, nearly 2,000 years ago, the man Jesus of Nazareth was betrayed by one of his close friends and handed over to the Roman authorities to be executed. Though he had done nothing wrong, a mob accused him and incited riots calling for him to be crucified. Over the course of that day, Jesus was questioned, beaten, spat at and then flogged. All the while he remained silent and did not raise his voice against his oppressors.

Unsatisfied with his humiliation, the mob pressed for his crucifixion, and it was granted to them by Pontius Pilate. He was publicly crucified that day, having been beaten, flogged, and finally suffering what has been called the cruelest method of execution mankind has ever devised.

This event was prophesied by David, the King of Israel, 1,000 years beforehand (before crucifixion had even been invented) and also by Jewish prophet Isaiah some 800 years beforehand:

Psalm 22:14-16

"14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
it is melted within my breast;
15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
you lay me in the dust of death.

16 For dogs encompass me;
a company of evildoers encircles me;
they have pierced my hands and feet."

and Isaiah 53:4-11

"4 Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
9 And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities."

On Christ was laid the sins of the world. He made atonement for sin, that is, he paid the punishment for sin that we have all stored up for ourselves. "The Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all".

Jesus knew why he was sent into the world. Though he was innocent, he knew that he was to bare the sins of many. He told his disciples this before it happened, and told them that he would rise again on the 3rd day. He did this willingly, in perfect obedience to the Father, with the intention of saving sinners:

John 10:10-11,17-18

"10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep...17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

Praise God! He has offered us peace through Jesus Christ, who willingly offered himself up as a sacrifice before God, even as he came into this world to do.

Do not let this pass over your ears without understanding. No man stands righteous before God, but Christ, having kept the law perfectly, has paid for our sin with his own precious blood. He was deemed by God as an acceptable sacrifice.

Forgiveness for every offense to God you've ever done is offered here in Christ. Salvation from the wrath of a just and righteous God is offered here in the sacrifice of Christ. God has sent Christ into the world to save sinners. This gift is offered to everyone without distinction of race, gender, social class, or anything else. He who made you has offered you peace.

I am in complete awe of Christ's sacrifice. He has shown how much he loves us in his incredible sacrifice. And he has triumphed over death by his resurrection on the 3rd day, Easter. I worship him for this, he is my God. And by faith in him, I have been forgiven by God and reconciled to him. By his stripes I am healed.

the apathetic horse

2008-03-05T08:44:00.000-06:00

A year or so ago, I was privileged to join one of my closest friends for a number of months as he trained some friend's horses twice a week. I knew nothing about horses, and still don't for the most part. However, I was able to learn how to ride them. What an experience. It's an amazing feeling to be riding an animal with such brute force galloping at full speed. My friend has a gift and is patient with these stubborn, apathetic animals. Naturally, horses need to be trained, just as with any animal for that matter. It's quite interesting how difficult it can be to get them to do what you want them to do. It takes a lot of patience and diligence. There is a need for constantly prompting the horse to trust you and get him to do what you want. On their own, they seem content to not be with you.

Psalm 32:9 reads: "Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding, whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check, otherwise they will not come near to you." What astounds me is the truthful parallel that is made. Horses and mules have no understanding and thus need prompting to come near to you, hence bit and bridle.

I was cut to the heart as I read this and realized that this is largely how I relate to God. Oftentimes I keep Him at a distance living for my own purposes and not His. I live for my glory and not His. I realize that it takes much prompting for me to draw near to the God and Father of Jesus Christ, even though I've tasted His grace so much. When He has freely welcomed me to come and walk in this new life He offers, I many times do not draw near. I tend to live in a state of hiding from God. I choose apathy.

Prior to this verse, the Psalmist declares "how blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven" and how when he "kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away". But, when "I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide... and You forgave the guilt of my sin." The Psalmist realizes that God desires a broken heart and desires us to draw near to Him each day. God bids us near. I know there are many reasons why I tend not to come near. Ultimately, it seems to be fear or guilt for what I have done or for what I might have to change or do. That is where the beauty of this Psalm lies; God bids us come as we are and HE forgives. It is HE who will do the work of restoration. And I illustrate my lack of understanding when I don't come near. I say that I believe His plan is great and glorious yet I so often return to my own plan. What gets me is that He keeps drawing me near. His grace bids me to lay aside my apathy so I may understand following Him is where true life exists.

God, may I daily be restored in Your grace. When I am prone to be apathetic and need your prompting to come near and when I show my lack of understanding for Your grace, Father, still draw me close. Teach me Your ways and let me see that you invite me to Your table freely. Awaken me from my apathetic ways. Amen.

proper sentiments toward prosperity theology

2008-03-05T08:27:00.000-06:00

a friend passed this onto me; it resounds with truth; please watch:

neat forward

2008-02-26T12:00:00.000-06:00

This was forwarded to me by my mother-in-law. I'm not much for forwards but I thought this was put together pretty well. So, I pass it along...

"Let me explain the problem science has with Jesus Christ." The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand.

"You're a Christian, aren't you, son?"

"Yes sir," the student says.

"So you believe in God?"

"Absolutely."

"Is God good?"

"Sure! God's good."

"Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?"

"Yes."

"Are you good or evil?"

"The Bible says I'm evil."

The professor grins knowingly. "Aha! The Bible!" He considers for a moment.

"Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?"

"Yes sir, I would."

"So you're good...!"

"I wouldn't say that."

"But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't."

The student does not answer, so the professor continues. "He doesn't, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him How is this Jesus good? Hmmm? Can you answer that one?"

The student remains silent.

"No, you can't, can you?" the professor says. He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax.

"Let's start again, young fella Is God good?"

"Er...yes," the student says.

"Is Satan good?"

The student doesn't hesitate on this one. "No."

"Then where does Satan come from?"

The student : "From...God..."

"That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in this world?"

"Yes, sir."

"Evil's everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct?"

"Yes."

"So who created evil?" The professor continued, "If God created everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil."

Without allowing the student to answer, the professor continues: "Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?"

The student: "Yes."

"So who created them?"

The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question. "Who created them? There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized.

"Tell me," he continues onto another student. "Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?"

The student's voice is confident: "Yes, professor, I do."

The old man stops pacing. "Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?"

"No sir. I've never seen Him"

"Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?"

"No, sir, I have not."

"Have you ever actually felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter?"

"No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't."

"Yet you still believe in him?"

"Yes."

"According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?"

"Nothing," the student replies. "I only have my faith."

"Yes, faith," the professor repeats. "And that is the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only faith."

The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of his own. "Professor, is there such thing as heat?"

"Yes," the professor replies. "There's heat."

"And is there such a thing as cold?"

"Yes, son, there's cold too."

"No sir, there isn't."

The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain.

"You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called 'cold'. We can hit up to 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than the lowest -458 degrees. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it."

Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like a hammer.

"What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?"

"Yes," the professor replies without hesitation. "What is night if it isn't darkness?"

"You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word. In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?"

The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a good semester. "So what point are you making, young man?"

"Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed."

The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time. "Flawed? Can you explain how?"

"You are working on the premise of duality," the student explains. "You argue that there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it."

"Now tell me, professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?"

"If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of course I do"

"Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?"

The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going. A very good semester, indeed.

"Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?"

The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided.

"To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, let me give you an example of what I mean."

The student looks around the room. "Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor's brain?" The class breaks out into laughter.

"Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the professor's brain, touched or smelled the professor's brain? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all due respect, sir. So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?"

Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable.

Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers. "I guess you'll have to take them on faith."

"Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with life," the student continues. "Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?"

Now uncertain, the professor responds, "Of course, there is. We see it everyday. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil."

To this the student replied, "Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God.

God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light."

The professor sat down.

excerpt from "Jesus Without Religion"

2008-02-17T14:32:00.000-06:00

From "Jesus Without Religion" by Rick James:

First century Judaism took the connection between the spiritual and physical so concretely that those with such diseases were automatically labeled as 'sinners.' Thus to heal someone of blindness or leprosy intrinsically carried the meaning of spiritual forgiveness and moral cleansing. With that in mind we'll close this section with the haunting question that Jesus asked a man who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.

When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, 'Do you want to get well?' (John 5:6)

"Do you want to get well?" I should think the answer would be rather obvious, but seen through a spiritual lens, as this man perhaps would have, it's anything but rhetorical. I mean, if you could be healed of lust or greed or anger or pride or lying, would you really want to? Just like this crippled man whose identity was defined by his disability, our lives too are arranged around such moral furniture and would look quite different without them. And what if 'getting well' spiritually meant a painful amputation of a beloved habit, the denial of a personal passion or the death of a dream? Would you still want to be well? When the patient is our souls and not our bodies, everything changes. The issue is no longer 'Can Jesus heal?' but 'Do I want to get well?' And that's perhaps the better, more gospelesque, question to take with us from Jesus' miracles.

the heart of the farmer

2008-02-07T21:59:00.000-06:00

The whole process of a plant growing is a phenomenal mystery. While I won't attempt to explain it biologically, there are a couple observations that really become clear. First, this process requires patience. Second, this process requires commitment. Without patience, the farmer becomes restless waiting for the harvest to come. The farmer desires the end result while not wanting to bear the burden of the "in-between". Can a farmer really be a farmer without understanding the process of growth? Growth innately asks for patience. True growth requires time. It also requires commitment. The farmer must not be shallow in his commitment. There will be days of drought and days of rain. There will be weeds and pests that try to destroy the crop. However, through it all, the farmer must be persistent. He must believe that fruit will come with his diligence and tender care.

So, why the observations? Am I becoming a farmer? Literally no; but, figuratively, I wish I had the heart of a farmer.

Over the past several years, I have had many close relationships with other Christians. These relationships have been the soil for good conversations to take place about many topics of faith. One of the chief topics has been how to share this everlasting hope with those who don't have it; what the Bible calls evangelism and what many non-Christians sneer at. For the non-Christian, it is often times perceived as someone pushing their beliefs on someone else. Rather than being viewed as kind and giving (a person trying to share hope that they have with others seems rather loving in principle), it is viewed as inconsiderate. I can't help but take the blame for non-Christians feeling this way. Let me explain why I'm at fault.

In the 1st book of Corinthians chapter 3, the Apostle Paul wrote to a church having many issues. One of the first issues he addresses is the fact that some in the church are drawing up faction lines based upon who their "church leader" is, per say. Some claimed to follow Paul, while others claimed to follow Apollos (a different leader). Still others followed someone else. Paul reels everyone in by realigning them to the truth that they can't follow mere men because a mere man did not die for them. It was Jesus of Nazareth, true God and true man, who gave His life. Furthermore, he states that these mere men were simply instruments for God to use to plant, water, and harvest the seeds of faith in men's hearts. Therefore, he states that it is no man who causes the growth but God alone.

At this point, if you're like me, you're probably saying "Amen" or some other form of agreement. But, it isn't so easy. You see, Paul lays out a deep truth about how Christians ought to relate to those around them and how they out to be mere servants of God.

So, why the farmer analogy? Well, Paul uses it and if we take from the previous observations and what he's said, I think we can learn great lessons. If we consider ourselves servants, and moreover farmers, of the eternal hope that God gives us through His Son Jesus Christ, then we would have the most precious hope to give to others. However, in this selfish age of instant gratification, we do not act like farmers. We expect to pass along a memorized song and dance to every non-Christian so as to produce the end product of having them become a Christian. In this, we display our ignorance. By no means am I suggesting that we don't share the gospel message. What I am suggesting is that we rethink the manner and the means by which we do so.

If we apply the observations of the farmer and Paul, we see that our duties change depending upon the circumstances. Some that we encounter may be simply needing seeds to be sown which may or may not grow into fruit. Some have had seeds and those seeds need to be watered, and again, that may or may not produce the fruit. And some, may be ripe for the harvesting. Thus, this process requires that we be wise, discerning farmers. It also requires patience and commitment.

We must be patient with others, after all God is continually merciful and patient with us, and we know the truth of the Gospel. Our patience must be embodied by the way in which we ask questions and listen to others. I am not good at this. I'm too anxious to sow more seed when really the seeds may have been planted, I just need to draw out those seeds with a caring, listening heart. Furthermore, we must hasten to be slow to speak and quick to listen (a good Proverb). In doing so, we save the time we would waste saying things that need not be said. Instead, we listen to a person's heart and they speak to us about their hopelessness, if we can allow them to get to that point.

We must be committed. For the farmer to truly see growth, he must commit to the plants and the process. This is very difficult. We want results; and we want them now please. But, are we willing to be committed if they don't come? Will we commit to loving the unfaithful? What about the unwilling? Is this not what God has done for us? Perhaps, if we remain committed, people will see that we won't ditch them when they don't "convert". Perhaps, they will see that our hope is so great that we'll love them anyways.

The hope of the farmer is an everlasting one. His hope is deep-rooted in his heart. He discerns what plants need before giving them to much water or doing something to hinder their growth. He hopes for their growth to ultimately be fulfilled and produce fruit. But, he also realizes that it might never happen. Hope is bigger than that chance of never seeing fruit though. You see, if he never held onto the hope that there might be growth, he wouldn't patiently commit to the process and the opportunity would die right from the start.

The question is: will we, as Christians, adopt the heart of the Everlasting Farmer, the great God who loved us while we weren't producing fruit; who still loves us when we fail to produce; who gave of Himself everything so that we might have life? Will we be real farmers, sowing, water, waiting for the harvest even if we're never around to see it? Or will we quit?

fear of believing

2008-02-02T01:36:00.001-06:00

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously
give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.

-Marianne Williamson

What a beautiful statement. The amazing thing about this is how point blank truthful it is. I realize day in and day out that my belief systems drive my actions. I say I believe one thing but I struggle to act on those beliefs. Case in point, as a BELIEVER and follower of Christ, I hear his words in the 8th chapter of the gospel of John, when He says, "if the Son sets you free, then you are free indeed" and say that I believe this is true. Jesus Christ, the man from Nazareth, who lived a sinless life according to the Scriptures, bore man's sin upon the cross, and rose again to set us free. Through faith in Him, we have been made alive so we have been set free from our dead souls. He has the power to set us free in every way imaginable.

Yet, why is it so difficult to persist in apathy. I believe it is in part because we fear what power might be unleashed in our lives. This is the power to not be enslaved to our own selfish ambitions but to be free to love God and love others. I fear how truly big God is and how small I am. In my world of false beliefs, I can keep God at a distance and control my destiny (or so I think). If I believe in God, there is no telling what awesome occurrences might take place. I might be free to love my wife, my family members, my friends, my enemies. I might be free to stop judging others. I might be free to stop dreaming so small with the life God has given me. Do you believe God has stored up greatness in you? Not the greatness that would come through your own self-achievement. Oh no, I mean the GREATness that would come about by the sheer surrender of your will and faith that the Creator of the Universe has a plan that He can take your body/mind/heart/soul and use it for.

Perhaps, before we jump to the conclusion of saying we believe in something, we ought to consider the fear that holds us back from truly believing it. What reservations are causing you to believe? Maybe you struggle or even deny the existence of God. Maybe you can't overcome the magnitude of destruction in the world and how a "good" God is compatible. Maybe you are caught in a persistent cycle of habitual sins and don't know your way out. Or, maybe you are blinded by your own apathy afraid to arouse true belief in your heart. Belief breeds action on many levels. The question is not: "do you believe?" The question is: "why don't you?" Will you survey your real fears? I know I must. Jesus spoke a harsh reality when he said that wide is the gate that leads to destruction and narrow is the path that leads to life. Belief is not easy. We fear the cost of true belief. What does God want to do with your life? If you still have breath in your lungs, His mercy is being poured out on you as we speak. Let us learn what it means to really cast aside fears and believe.

out of the depths of apathy

2007-12-31T18:28:00.000-06:00

Dictionary.com defines apathy as the absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement. Images of a lifeless body on a hospital bed seem to come to mind when I think of the word apathy. While this may seem drastic, I would suggest that apathy is the silent killer of the soul. When we reach the point that passion, emotion, or excitement are not only absent but that we suppress them when we feel them coming on us, we know that we are close to flat-lining.

I was recently at a plasma donation center donating plasma (go figure) when I was reminded of the preciousness of my senses. As I typically do, I was busy reading a book when I happened to look up and as I scanned the room, I noticed one of the other donors in particular. His eyes were closed while he was lying there on the cot. I was struck by this because I was explicitly told not to sleep while donating or I would be kicked out. Then it dawned on me that this man was not sleeping nor purposely closing his eyes. Shortly thereafter, he finished his donation, arose from his cot and began to walk out. He was blind.

A sense of sympathetic sorrow rose up in me as I began to think about what this man was missing out on. I felt urged to get up from my cot and help him to the door. I was quickly reminded that he has probably lived like this for quite some time and didn't need my assistance. What surprised me is that gratitude was now awakened in me for the blessing of vision that I have forgotten daily. I don't know if this is what happens for you but this is a common occurrence for me when I witness those "less fortunate" than I. When it comes to someone who is without a physical capability that I have, something inside jostles me and reminds me of what I have been given.

St. Paul the Apostle wrote in the first chapter of Romans:

18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

24Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

Man is prone to apathy. Though we recognize the awe and splendor of the created world around us, we deny the Creator. We suppress the truth. We live apathetically. Paul uses the imagery of light and darkness in describing our apathy. Our hearts become darkened as we turn away from truth and embrace lies. This is the picture the Bible paints of apathy. When we suppress unemotional living and laziness, we choose darkness.

What beguiles me is that I would know something and still deny it. I wake every morning with the knowledge that I am a physically healthy individual. I have been blessed. Yet, I choose to ignore the blessings by not actively being thankful. Oh yes, I have the occasional experience where I am reminded. Worked over by the sympathy, I tell myself that I must never forget what I have been given. Returning to the image of the lifeless body; it seems like these moments are like the body being given a breath of air. The body grasps for more because for those moments it realizes that its been lifeless. It realizes how great life is, yet the breath disappears. So it is with my fervor, it eventually subsides.

Recently, while reading a book by James Montgomery Boice called "Foundations of God's City", I came upon a gem of a statement. Arnold Toynbee, the great English historian, said "Apathy can only be overcome by enthusiasm, and enthusiasm can only be aroused by two things: first, an ideal which takes the imagination by storm, and second, a definite intelligible plan for carrying that ideal into practice."

If I could mine the depths of this statement, I would. Much is said about climbing out of the depths of apathy. I believe it not only incorporates that fervor and enthusiasm that brings life to the lifeless body, but it provides the key to keeping that life. Toynbee properly directs us to "a definite intelligible plan for carrying that ideal into practice."

Is this not what arouses any of us from apathy; an ideal? We live within the confines of non-ideals. When we realize that we are lacking and we accept the mundane; we choose apathy. I choose apathy when I choose to ignore what I've been given. I choose apathy when I suppress the reality of God in this world and in my life. I choose apathy when I choose not to seek God and His kingdom daily. God's kingdom is the highest ideal of life.

Herein comes the problem. I realize these things but I return to apathy often. This is where Toynbee introduces the idea of a plan. Just like a commander of a battle, we must see the ideal and derive a plan to bring that ideal to fruition. This is perhaps why the Apostle Paul would write to the Thessalonians that they should "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus".

If we would center the ideal of living passionately and fervently for our Creator around a plan in our daily life, we might begin to experience the life we were meant for. Rather than take comfort in experiencing the mere moments of life, I need to order my life in such a way that I can regularly be reminded of His grace. If I think of how I might give thanks in ALL circumstances, I can begin to see light in the darkness that apathy is. Let us then pursue God's ideals, hold fast to them, and with a sound mind and heart devise plans to carry these ideals out in our life. Perhaps, in these steps, His grace will lift us out of the depths of apathy.

everlasting worth.

2007-11-30T10:44:00.000-06:00

Have you been to the movies lately? If you walk in hungry and expecting to get some popcorn, you better prepare to empty your wallet of any cash. I think the people who set the prices for food/merchandise in airports have infiltrated movie theatres. $5 for a small soda; are you kidding me? I almost feel cheated just looking at the price on the wall. Clearly, its not worth it.

Worth is inherent with life. Humans desire a life of worth like the very air they breathe. We think, speak, and act for the things which we deem worthy of our thoughts, speech, and actions. If it were not so, we wouldn't know the difference between whether or not something had meaning. Is this not part of the greater equation of finding meaning in life? Are we not seeking a life of meaning and worth? In the daily events of our lives, this is clear. We sleep because we know it is worth our time. We eat and choose our food because it has worth for our nourishment and/or our pleasure. We choose careers because we find worth either in the career itself or in the benefits of having such a career, be it money, honor, or pleasure. We choose to spend our time on that which we believe is worthy. And when we think, say, or do that which we feel has no worth, there is a sense of guilt that seems to come over us. This guilt cries of emptiness. It is much like the feeling I get from staring at the movie theatre menu and seeing $5 for a small soda. I feel ripped off.

If it is true that humans pursue a worthy life, how does a person then determine true worth? We seem to be able to measure worthiness just like I sense that getting a small soda at the movie theatres is not worth $5. In the 7th chapter of his 1st book on the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle makes an interesting observation: "Now we call that which is in itself worthy of pursuit more final than that which is worthy of pursuit for the sake of something else, and that which is never desirable for the sake of something else more final than the things that are desirable both in themselves and for the sake of that other thing, and therefore we call final without qualification that which is always desirable in itself and never for the sake of something else."

In this text, Aristotle was going after what it meant to have a good life. I don’t believe its mere coincidence that he ties goodness and worth together. He illumines a deep truth about the pursuit of worthiness. There are differing levels of worth and only that which is worthy of pursuing “in itself” is most worthy. An example would be that we pursue a college degree so that we can have a career so that we can provide for a family so that we can have a good life. This good life is what Aristotle points to as the pursuit most worthy in itself. This serves simply to show that worth is inherent within all of life yet there is a worth which exceeds all others.

Where Aristotle and many others stop the journey is with the “good” life as the final test of worthiness. Yet, how do we describe the good life? Who defines goodness? Can it be found in a mortal man’s observation or do we need something transcending our own experience to point us to that worth which is everlasting.

While careers, food, entertainment, degrees, friends, family, possessions all have worth and can bring it to our lives, a question must be asked. Is this worth going to last? Is it final? Blaise Pascal said, “There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which can not be filled by any created thing…” In this we find that everlasting worth must be found in that which is everlasting.

From Psalm 145, “Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.” Pascal completed the above quote with, “… but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus.” God is an everlasting God who made known His everlasting love and faithfulness through Jesus Christ. The Psalms declare His kingdom as the only one which endures; it is more final than any other.

When we seek worth in life, let us seek it in the Everlasting God. May we find that He is altogether worthy. Do you feel empty? Ripped off? Maybe you have yet to find the One who is eternally worthy? Maybe you have found Him yet you continue to feel empty because you keep trying to fill the emptiness with things that are unworthy. I know this is a daily struggle for me. In our lives, let us not settle for the emptiness that comes from living for things that are unworthy. Rather let us strive after the God who has everlasting worth.

Giving Thanks When Thanks Seems Unworthy to Be Given

2007-11-20T10:41:00.000-06:00

Well, here's the first post. My hope is that this might be an opportunity to share and discuss thoughts. So, first, thank you for taking the time to read this. I won't make any promises but I'm hoping to post to this a couple times a month with different discussion topics.

It would seem important to describe why the title "everlastingworth" for a blog. I'll save that one for next post so you have to come back.

Onto the good stuff: in the spirit of the coming holiday of Thanksgiving, it seems necessary to share a thought on that. So, here goes.

As a little fella, my parents taught me that saying thanks was important after something was given me. I quickly learned that saying thank you was not simply a way of obeying my parents but also a courteous way of expressing gratitude and appreciation for even the smallest of niceties in life. I seemed to inherently pick up an attitude of gratitude after I'd received something that I wanted. However, I never thanked my brothers for slugging me in the arm. I also learned that if someone gave me salt when I wanted pepper, it wasn't worthy of a thank you. I am inferring that there is a sense of something being worthy enough to even receive a thank you. And how do we measure that worthiness? It tends to be done in the midst of circumstances and based upon my own desires.

So, in a time of year when I tend to ponder what I've been given, I begin to think of what I am thankful for, what is worthy to be thankful for, and if I am truly thankful. I'm reminded of a verse in the New Testament book, 1 Thessalonians, which says "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." I think this verse is difficult to swallow when I think of all that has been given in my life which I haven't wanted. Moreover, when I consider that I've brought on many circumstances because of mistakes I've made, I find it hard to be thankful for those mistakes and the consequential circumstances. This is the dilemma I have with this verse. It seems that not all circumstances in life are worthy of thanks. Yet, I find the command to be just the opposite. And, as I step back and survey my life, I can't help but be thankful for the many circumstances that I've been in. Despite the pain and hurt caused by circumstances, in the long run these things have proven to make me who I am. Instead of having an ungrateful heart, I find that turning and giving thanks for all things leads me to appreciate life.

Ultimately, displaying thanks for circumstances is an act of humility. When I give thanks, I am responding to something that's been given. It is humility which recognizes that I am in need if left to myself. At the very root of life, I need air, food, shelter, and love. Though I have conceptions about what I may need for life, I ultimately realize that I am in need. That admission leads me to realize the need to be thankful for what has been given. When I give thanks for that which may seem worthy or unworthy of thanks, I am living in God's will. Why is this? I honor God as the Giver when I give thanks in all circumstances. This is perhaps why we see the Psalms of the Old Testament littered with the phrase "give thanks". For in this, we praise and worship God as the Giver who is worthy of our thanks.