tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44764348333698890712024-03-12T18:50:46.346-07:00Escape EscapismFinding Refuge in JesusAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06333517308813862220noreply@blogger.comBlogger103125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476434833369889071.post-92133246730612378872018-03-28T05:45:00.000-07:002018-03-28T05:56:00.460-07:00Is Heaven Really Better than "Infinity War?"<br />
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I had just returned from our Spring
Break service trip when I fired up my computer. I had been mostly
offline, save for a few e-mails and seminary things, and now I was
returning to the world. And when I chose to peruse YouTube for a
minute just to relax; I saw it. The video I had been waiting for.
The new Avengers: Infinity War trailer had dropped. And I lost the
next half hour to it.
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I spent the next few days watching
response videos, combing the interwebs for easter eggs, trying to
find any juicy details that had not yet been discovered. As a
superhero movie fan, and an even bigger fan of the Marvel Cinematic
Universe, I was hooked.
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<br /></div>
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What came next was an odd thought: what
if I die before it comes out? Or what if, for some reason, I don't
get to see it? And then, came a prayer: “Lord, please let me see
Infinity War before I die.”
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<br /></div>
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Now, to be clear, I didn't verbalize
this; I thought it. To the Lord. And then, I disregarded it for a
while. But as we've been studying Exodus for a conference in May, I
realized something about my prayer. I often live in two categories.
Have a comfortable life, or an uncomfortable life. But there's a
third life. A free life. One where I live in light of the fact that
the shackles of death have been broken.
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<br /></div>
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In Exodus 12, we see that God has
conquered Pharaoh. He has plundered the Egyptians. And he has set
the Israelites free. But there's one catch: they must leave in
haste. No waiting. Just go. You're free to go and sacrifice to the
Lord. Now go.
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<br /></div>
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Of course, they go, only to encounter
Pharaoh one last time, and again, God brings them to freedom. But
how does that apply to us? We aren't enslaved to Pharaoh or Egypt.
Is there anything we are enslaved to?
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<br /></div>
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The answer should be simple: sin and
death. Let's focus on the latter part of this, <i><b>death.</b></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
Now, this doesn't just mean death in the sense of when we die. It
means we live in a fallen world. We live where all good things of
God's creation ha</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">ve</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
been corrupted. Suffering, oppression, racism, sickness, evil, it
all exists here. And </span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">H</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">eaven
is where none of that will exist. In fact, in Revelation, God
promises that He will wipe away every tear. So... wouldn't </span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">H</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">eaven,
where perfection will reign and we'll be face to face with the God
who loves us, be better than anything this world has to offer? </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Now...that's
not to say Infinity War shouldn't be watched – I'll be honest, Lord
</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">w</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">illing,
I'm going to see that movie at least twice in theaters. It's the
movie event of my lifetime. And I'll enjoy it thoroughly... unless
the Russo brothers, the film's directors, completely botch it. (I
highly doubt it) But, if I never get to see it, will I ultimately
miss out? If it's a choice between Infinity War, and </span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">H</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">eaven,
wouldn't the answer be obvious? </span></span>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
point isn't that I necessarily have to choose between the two.
Rather, the prayer reveals the heart. Most days, I don't think I
value the promise of a life spent with Jesus face to face, without
suffering, with eternal joy, more than other things. It shows in how
often I make the choice to not share my faith, to not pray and spend
time with God, and pray prayers like, “please don't take me
before...” That's not to say we can't be excited for the events in
our lives. Movies are fun. Sporting events are a blast. And
beautiful things, like marriage, and the birth of a child, or a
monumental birthday, are all great things that God lets us enjoy. </span></span>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">L</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">et
us cultivate a heart that longs even more for the great pleasures
that are before God Almighty.</span></span></div>
<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }</style>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06333517308813862220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476434833369889071.post-81033528862518816322018-03-05T11:32:00.002-08:002018-03-05T11:32:16.098-08:00Are We Lambs Being Led to Slaughter?
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<i>Author's Note: This post has to do
with some pretty deep hurts in my life. I talk about people who have
left me over the years. If you are reading this, and the Spirit
brings to mind that you might be one of those people, please rest
assured that I forgive you, and that more importantly Jesus forgives
you. And would you forgive me if I have sinned in any way that I
have missed? </i>
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<br />
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The first time I encountered Christian
community, I was baffled by how sweet it was. People loved me
because they loved me. People wanted to get to know me. They didn't
care how weird I was or how much I annoyed them. They just wanted me
to be there. When I finally became a Christian, one of the thoughts
I had was, “I have the best friends ever, and nothing will ever
break us apart.”
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<br />
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Fast forward about a dozen years, and
the illusion is shattered. While I keep in touch with some of the
people from that first group of friends, some of us don't talk much.
Others don't like the ministry I work with. Others I don't talk with
at all. And it seems that's been the case wherever I've gone. I
meet people who genuinely love Jesus, or want to engage Him and seek
Him. And I make some great friends. And I lose some along the way.
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<br />
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This isn't a knock on those friends.
This isn't a hit piece. Rather, it's insight into a wounded and hurt
soul, trying to wrestle with the emotions and understand. You see,
<i><b>my greatest struggle</b></i> is being abandoned. It's been a theme in my
life, one that is often a faulty core belief. It's tied into a line
of thinking that goes like this:
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<br />
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“<i>Why do people keep
leaving me? Have I done something wrong? Is there something
fundamentally wrong with who I am? With what I've aligned myself
with? There must be something wrong if everyone keeps leaving. I
must be unworthy. Who could love me? How could God love me? He
also probably looks at me and is ready to walk out too.”</i></div>
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<br />
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The people in the
Roman church once struggled with similar feelings. In Paul's letter
to the Roman Church, he asks them a thought-provoking question: “If
God is for us, who can be against us?”
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<br />
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He
follows it up with another question: “Who shall separate us from
the love of Christ?” After that, he lists about every fear
possible. Every enemy, condition, or circumstance that could get in
the way of Christ's love, followed by a quote from Psalm 44 which
says:</div>
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<br />
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“<i>For your sake we are
being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be
slaughtered.” </i>
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<br />
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If you
look further into the psalm he quotes, you see more insight into the
attitude of the psalmist.
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<br />
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“<i>You have rejected us
and disgraced us...”</i></div>
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<br />
</div>
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“<i>You have made us the
taunt of our neighbors...”</i></div>
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<br />
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“<i>You have broken us
in the place of jackels and covered us with the shadow of death.”</i></div>
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<br />
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“<i>Awake! Why are you
sleeping, O Lord? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever!”</i></div>
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<br />
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Do you
see what's happening? Paul quotes this psalm to a church who has a
similar story to mine, and a similar story to the psalmist.</div>
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<br />
</div>
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“<i>Why are we
suffering? Why are we experiencing conflict? Hatred? Famine?
Persecution? Execution? Have you abandoned us? Are we just sheep
being led to slaughter?!” </i>
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<br />
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NO! In
all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved
us. And he finishes by saying no power, no entity, nothing on earth
or in the heavens can separate us from Christ if we have placed our
faith in Him. This is incredible. Do you see how this
intersects with my story?
</div>
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<br />
</div>
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“<i>Why is everyone
walking out on me? God are you going to walk ou...”</i></div>
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<br />
</div>
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“<i><b>NO! JESUS DIED
ON YOUR BEHALF! I'm not going anywhere! You are my son, you will
never be separated from me, and because of this you are more than a
conqueror! And there is nothing that will change that!” </b></i>
</div>
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<br />
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So, Christian. Are we lambs being led to slaughter? Maybe in this
life. Maybe we have a life of sorrows. Maybe we experience friends
leaving after friends leaving. Maybe we experience legitimate
persecution. Maybe we experience extreme loss, or extreme shame.
But that is never evidence that God has left us. Jesus is proof of
this. So hold claim to the author of our faith, and the giver of
Life.
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<br />
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06333517308813862220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476434833369889071.post-78589525133766869252018-02-27T05:26:00.000-08:002018-02-27T05:26:46.659-08:00Live in the Father's Presence<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }</style>
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I pulled in front of an 18 wheeler with
a small concern. My car had been randomly cutting out on me, and I
would lose control of the steering and my car would stall. It
happened two or three times already, and I was taking it to another
mechanic to figure out what exactly was wrong. As I went to turn
into the mechanic, I tried turning the wheel only to find it was
nearly impossible to turn.
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<br /></div>
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“<i>Uh-oh.” </i><span style="font-style: normal;">I
thought. </span>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-style: normal;">Thankfully,
I was able to pull into the mechanic, my car stopping right in back
of another car in the small shop's parking lot. Out of habit, I went
in, dropped my keys off, and then started walking home (The mechanic
was probably a mile away, so not that far of a walk) when I realized
something. </span>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-style: normal;">God
just happened to allow my car to make it to just the right location,
at the right time, so that I would be protected. </span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Now,
for a moment I reasoned with myself. </span><i>“Come on, Zack.
You think that God is in control of every detail of your life?' </i>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Yes I
do. And if the God I believe in is true, He absolutely got me to my
mechanic safely, rather than being pummeled by an </span><span style="font-style: normal;">18
wheeler. How good is our God? A few seconds earlier, at best I'm
going to the hospital, and at worst, my wife is a widow. </span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">It's a
humble reminder that every detail of my life is in view of our
heavenly Father. My thoughts. My words. My actions. My schedule.
My work. My rest. My relationships. And most of the time, I live
as if He isn't there. Much like getting out of the car and acting
like nothing happened, I routinely live life as if it isn't
miraculous that God is supporting the very breath that I breathe. </span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">And
because of Jesus, I know that the very fact that God is with me
always brings such peace. Why, oh why, do I forget? </span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">It's
moments like these that remind me to praise God and worship Him
throughout the day, knowing that each moment is in His view, and
within His control. He is with me both in the good moments, and He
stands by me in hard moments. He hears me when I speak to Him, and
He knows me when I seek to hide from Him. He is with me as I live,
and He will carry me home </span><span style="font-style: normal;">when</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
I die. Oh would the comforting love of Jesus remind me that God is
forever for me, and would it remind me to live life in light of His
presence, always.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06333517308813862220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476434833369889071.post-90309648187193786632017-12-12T11:08:00.003-08:002017-12-12T11:08:52.933-08:00Never say Never...
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When I graduated college, I was
convinced I would never set forth in a classroom again. I hated
school. I spent 17 years straight taking exams, making projects,
writing papers, and reading endless books, and I was done.
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<br />
</div>
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Yet, when I felt a call into ministry,
the natural question everyone asked was, “Are you going to
seminary?”
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<br />
</div>
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I hated it. For one, I knew that I
didn't want to be a pastor. I had been accepted into DiscipleMakers
as a missionary to college students, and I loved the opportunities
that I had there, so I started to resent this idea that it would be
“better” for me to go to seminary and become a pastor.
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<br />
</div>
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Second, I was just tired of schooling.
I wanted to be in the “real world.” I didn't want to be stuck in
a campus bubble, nor did I want to be stuck in classrooms.</div>
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<br />
</div>
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I vowed that I wouldn't go, not because
I didn't see value in it, but because I thought everything I could
learn, I would by being in the field.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
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It's been nearly ten years since then,
and, much like all other times I've said, “Never will I ever...”
God has gotten the last laugh. Starting January 2018, I will take my
first class at Westminster Theological Seminary in pursuit of a
Masters of Arts in Biblical Counseling. So how did I get from Spring
2008, where I said never, to now, where I'm begging for training?
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1. <b>God's Timing:</b> While I trust
God will use seminary for my good, and will further equip me, there
was a lot of things I needed to learn while not in a classroom. I
needed to learn to master and leverage my emotion for good, rather
than let it control and consume me. I needed to face my fears of
what people thought of me. I needed to crash and burn, and receive
grace upon grace from Christ as I sought to learn from my mistakes.</div>
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<br />
</div>
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2. <b>Further Humbling:</b> With those
mistakes, I learned I knew a lot less than I thought I did, and in
turn it made me more receptive to feedback, more patient to jump in
with an opinion, and more quick to listen. This was very helpful,
because in the past, I needed to prove myself. I had to be correct.
And I was quick to defend any point that I had, because I, often
wrongly, assumed it was contrary to Gospel. I needed humility to
realize that I could learn in any and every situation.</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Proverbs 4:7 says, “The beginning of
wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.”
The past ten years has helped cultivate an attitude (though not a
complete one) of wisdom gathering, rather than prideful
point-proving.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
3. <b>Understanding and Fine-Tuning my
Gifts:</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> One of the great things
about working in campus ministry, and especially with DiscipleMakers,
is that you have to learn so many different skills, even if you're
not naturally good at them. But while I've become a far better swiss
army knife, I've also learned where the Lord has gifted me over time.
I hadn't realized it, but I realized one of my real passions was
counseling. I deeply love digging in with people and helping them
process the junk they have gone through, and there's some natural
giftedness there.</span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">But
with that giftedness, I also see just how limited I am in this area.
The more I explore and journey with people, the more I realize I'm
stuck. Now, part of this is good. I'm not Jesus. I'm not the Holy
Spirit. I don't have the power, nor the responsibility, to know just
exactly how to access the heart. But I want to know how to be more
effective. I want God to use me in ways that would bring miraculous
healing to the souls and spirits of those most deeply hurting. </span>
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So... with faith
in Christ, I'm doing the one thing I vowed I would never do: go to
seminary. I might be crazy. I might fail. But I trust that God
will use this for my good, and His glory. The fact that I want to go
is a start. After all, He is the one that put it on my heart.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06333517308813862220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476434833369889071.post-45254191227902556742017-08-29T11:32:00.000-07:002017-08-29T11:32:14.142-07:00Beware the Story you Tell Yourself
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In Christopher Nolan's film, “Memento,”
Guy Pearce plays Leonard Shelby, a man who has anterograde amnesia.
He can't remember anything for more than a few moments at a time, so
he records everything with polaroid pictures and tattoos to retrace
his steps. He's looking for a second attacker, who he believes
killed his wife and and bludgeoned him to the point of his amnesic
condition.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
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The big reveal, however, is after he
kills one of the men who had been helping/using him. What we find
out is that days before, this man who had been helping him shared
information that exposed he had been using him. Knowing that he
would forget this in a matter of moments, he wrote on the back of a
polaroid not to trust this man, and tattooed this man's license plate
number on himself, leading him to believe that this man was indeed
the second attacker. He told himself a story that wasn't true, only
to follow it so much that he would believe it as fact and act on it.
It resulted in murder.</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Stories are really helpful. They help
us understand how we interpret life. They entertain us. We long for
hopeful, happy endings, and we long to be affirmed and loved. Sadly,
many of us have encountered huge bumps on the way to encountering our
happy endings. Many of us, in fact, have been mistreated, abandoned,
or wronged. The stain on the story can affect us dramatically, and
for good reason: it wasn't supposed to be that way.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In Genesis 3, we see the beautiful
story of mankind enjoying God in eternal bliss interrupted due to
choosing a deceitful serpent's words over the trusting words of God.
Beauty became chaos in an instant. And from that moment on, as sin
and shame invade our life stories, we tell ourselves stories that are
often more lethal and destructive than the bumps and bruises that
we've encountered in our own personal stories.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
None of us would say we are like
Leonard. For one, we don't struggle with amnesia. And certainly, we
would never murder someone because we believed a lie about them,
right?
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Yet, how often do we forget sin,
brokenness, and God's sovereignty when we are wounded? How often,
when we are busted and bruised, do we seek to destroy with our words?
As hurting people, we can let our the stories we believe lead us
down a destructive path. Much like Leonard of Memento, our hurt and
confusion can lead us to devastating results, all because we
reinforced over and over in our minds a story that is untrue.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
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How do we guard against this?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>We remember God's Role:</b>
Frequently, God puts us in situations that we wouldn't put ourselves
in. He sends Joseph to prison. He allows Satan to take everything
away from Job. He sends Israel to exile. He directs Jonah to
Ninevah. He places the disciples in the midst of a horrific storm.
In all of it, He is seeking to bring about obedience, trust, and
sanctification. No thing that happens to us is due to God turning
His back, rather He is patiently trying to point our gaze back to
Him. He cares far more about our heart than our circumstances.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>We speak God's Word:</b> Psalm 73 is
a great lesson in this. As the psalmist pours His heart out about
how he doesn't understand why the wicked have everything and he has
nothing, He draws near to God. He spends time with God. “You
guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to
glory.” (v. 24) He listens to God's Word, and He speaks it to
Himself.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>We trust God's </b><b>Greater Story</b><b>:</b>
In the midst of the stories we tell ourselves, we must tell
ourselves a better one. We deserve hell. We deserve wrath. We
deserve abject alienation. We hated God. We disowned Him. And
God's response is to come Himself and take on that punishment, so
that He might reconcile us to Himself. The cross is the most
pertinent image of this story, because if the cross is true, and we
trust in Jesus' saving power, there is no sin, no action, no thought
that can cause God to punish us. He can discipline and allow
consequences, He can place us in difficult circumstances and
hardships, but they never communicate God's wrath. Rather, they are
meant to point us to God's love and mercy, that we might draw nearer
to Him. Believe God's Greater Story of the Gospel.
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06333517308813862220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476434833369889071.post-52971888417011546292017-08-07T15:08:00.003-07:002017-08-07T15:08:52.736-07:00God can bring us healing through our hobbies
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<i>Author's Note: This is the last post in a series stemming back from May 1st. To see that post, click <a href="http://escapeescapism.blogspot.com/2017/05/lessons-from-hard-year.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Also, sometime soon, you'll be seeing a guest post in reference to this topic. </i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<i><span style="font-weight: normal;">So,
whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of
God.” </span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">–
</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
Corinthians 10:31</span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
stepped into my pastor's office for my first counseling appointment.
I was convinced I needed help at that point, about a month after
moving back into our home. I had been to the hospital,
anxiety-driven sleepless nights continued to plague me, and I dreaded
stepping onto campus. I felt ineffective in my calling, and I
wondered just how I had gotten to this point. What would God have to
do to help me finally be free of this affliction?</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
expected extra-spiritual advice. What I got was far more profound.
“Have you purchased a fire extinguisher?” </span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">h</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">e
asked. </span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
question confounded me. I was here to talk about the state of my
soul, and he wanted to talk about whether I had bought something.
Yet, to my shame, I hadn't yet. “No...” I replied. </span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Ok...
buy a couple of fire extinguishers, make a fire plan for your family,
and when you feel anxiety come on, go and either work out, or buy a
punching bag, because adrenaline is coursing through your veins and
you need a healthy outlet to work it out.”</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">What?”
I thought. The advice should have made sense, as the physical
always affects the spiritual. But I was so stuck on the “spiritual”
things that I could do (praying, fasting, bible reading, ministry),
that I had never considered that my soul might be helped by normal
life. Of course it made sense afterwards. I'm called to cast my
anxiety on the Lord, but it's a lot easier to do that if I know I
have a fire extinguisher in the house in case of a fire. I'm called
to cast my anxiety on the Lord, and it's easier to do that if I can
utilize the physical effects of anxiety, namely, the adrenaline fuel,
to my advantage rather than my detriment. </span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Now,
that's not to say I should give into anxiety, rather to recognize
that there are ways to wisely combat the level of anxiety and
struggle we have in our lives if we trust the Lord in the normal
rhythms of life. It's good for me, as a husband and father, to love
my family by securing our home with those extinguishers. It's good
for me to steward my body. But is it ok for me to have a break? </span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">That
was the next thing my pastor brought up to me. “Do you have any
hobbies?” He asked. I listed off a litany of them. “I blog, I
read, I keep up with other blogs, I do stuff on campus, I...” </span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Do
you do anything not campus related?” He asked. </span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Nothing
that doesn't make me feel guilty,” I replied. I realized that as I
had gotten knee deep in ministry, I had put undue pressure on myself
to never rest, even if it was what I was thinking about. In
hindsight, it was probably a level of self-righteousness, since I
always was trying to fight against a previous reputation of being
lazy. Rather than trusting Christ, I instead said, “I will always
do something '</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">g</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">odly</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">'.</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">”
</span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Now,
of course, I wasn't actually being </span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">g</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">odly
in doing that. </span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">But
it revealed something to me that I hadn't considered for a long time:
is it ok to do things without it being some sort of ministry? Is it
ok to just enjoy God and what He has created? </span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
answer is a resounding yes! In fact, our entire posture should be
one of FIRST glorifying Jesus for who He is. And how do we glorify
Jesus? By rightly enjoying Him AND rightly enjoying His creation. </span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<i><span style="font-weight: normal;">He
is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible
and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities
– all things were created through Him and for Him.” </span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(Colossians
1:15-16)</span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Jesus,
the image of the invisible God, created all things, and they were all
created for Him. That includes us, and all of what has been created.
As long as we enjoy things the way God intended them to be enjoyed,
we have freedom. </span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Y</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">es,
joyous freedom to enjoy Jesus AND enjoy all of the things He created!</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">So,
I can watch football? YES! I can talk about and enjoy becoming a
better cook? YES! I can play with my kids without making sure I
make some witty gospel connection that day? YES! I can spend money
on a vacation and enjoy good things that God has created? YES! </span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">And
what I found was, as I freed myself up to discover what I liked to do
away from ministry, I found myself loving Christ more, and therefore,
loving people more. I went to a live Ohio State football game for
the first time in four years. I realized I would love to do it
again, but that I don't need to for a while. I discovered just how
much I love cooking. I rediscovered my love for writing fiction, and
I spent more time with family. And </span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">you
know </span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">what's
crazy? </span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">These
were the</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
things that helped </span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">me
</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">heal
more than anything; God's common grace</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
displayed through things I enjoyed.</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">T</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">hat's
not to say we should become captive to our hobbies, rather to see
them as strategic times of worshiping the God who created them! With
that being said, here are a few takeaways:</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">1.
Create space to enjoy hobbies, and share them with others</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">2.
Experiment to find which hobbies you enjoy</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">3.
Praise God for how He's uniquely made you</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">4.
Praise God for how He uses these hobbies to grow your love for Him,
and for others</span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06333517308813862220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476434833369889071.post-50200454363137342372017-07-11T13:38:00.004-07:002017-07-11T13:45:42.403-07:00We Can Persevere through Friendly Fire<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }A:link { }</style>
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Of all the posts I've written in
regards to the six lessons I've learned (<a href="http://escapeescapism.blogspot.com/2017/05/lessons-from-hard-year.html" target="_blank">Find it here</a>), this is
probably both the hardest and easiest one to write. Hard, because
I've learned that good intentions can often be the most painful, and
easy because I know that it's something we've all wrestled through to
some degree or another.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
One of my early coping mechanisms
(though I wouldn't have called it that at the time) after the fire
was just really dark humor. I'd joke about how I would burn things
down, I'd mention “at least you didn't burn your house down...”
after a number of other comments, and other jokes that brought
temporary relief. As I look back, they were probably more cries for
help, saying, “I'm not ok, please engage.” Some did. Others
joked back, and I quickly realized that I wasn't ok with that.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
A similar experience was when I was
overweight. I felt comfortable joking about being fat, but I never
appreciated it when someone joined in the joke. Yet, people would
see it as an invitation, not a cry for help.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
When that happens, it's incredibly easy
to villianize people.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“How could they do that? How could
they say those hurtful things? They just don't get me. They don't
understand. They don't want to understand.”
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The problem is, when you're on the
other side of the coin, it's hard to know where to start. It's a
common issue this side of glory, and one that shouldn't be
surprising. Ever since Genesis 11, where God confuses the speech of
the peoples, there has been misunderstanding and language barriers,
and the language barrier happens even when two people speak the same
language. I tell a joke, the person who wants to genuinely help
thinks, “Oh, he wants humor, that's what I will give him!”
Suddenly, it falls flat, with both parties thinking, “What exactly
went wrong here?”
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Even Jesus, the greatest communicator,
was easily misunderstood.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="en-ESV-23694"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="en-ESV-23695"></a>
“<i>From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must
go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief
priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be
it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned
and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to
me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on
the things of man.” </i><span style="font-style: normal;">(Matthew
16: 21-23)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Jesus
was telling them the truth; </span><span style="font-style: normal;">l</span><span style="font-style: normal;">ife-giving
news that he had to suffer and die, so that He could be raised from
the dead and defeat sin and death forever. But Peter responded
poorly. He told God Himself that he was wrong. He fed Jesus one of
the most deceptive temptations, one in which Jesus could win the
world without suffering. It's so severe, that Jesus calls Peter
“Satan”. This is friendly fire from one of the most influential
men of human history. Peter, the rock of the church, and Jesus calls
him </span><span style="font-style: normal;">S</span><span style="font-style: normal;">atan,
because he wants to care for Jesus, yet he misunderstands Him and His
purposes. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Now we
don't know if Jesus was personally offended, but that doesn't matter.
What matters is Jesus' posture towards Peter afterwards. He
forgives and He entrusts. Peter's mistake doesn't alienate him, but
Jesus calls out the mistake, and draws near. What a response of
grace! And this is what Jesus does throughout his entire ministry.
He's misunderstood, He endures fire both from foes and friends, and
He willingly takes it on, and operates with a posture of forgiveness.
</span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">What
does that teach us? </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><b>1.
</b></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>Believe that i</b></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>t's
okay to be misunderstood</b></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
– Many of us (m</span><span style="font-style: normal;">yself</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
included) can view the greatest sin </span><span style="font-style: normal;">is
to</span><span style="font-style: normal;"> not be understood.
However, marriage has quickly dashed the illusion that I should be
perfectly understood all the time. We must remember that, even when
we are suffering, we will be misunderstood. More importantly, we
must remember that we have a Savior who understands, because He has
been misunderstood by everyone. Including you. (For reference, John
18, the trial of Jesus, is another great example of when Jesus is
misunderstood, and it's to the point of his death.)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><b>2.</b></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>Keep short accounts</b></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
– Recently, a friend had said a comment that he meant for good, but
I took it as offensive. When I couldn't move past it, I brought it
up to him. He was gracious, and responded kindly, and our friendship
grew because of it.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">One
note, when you are in deep suffering, the temptation is to expect </span><span style="font-style: normal;">all</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
people to know how to care for you. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">While
we need to grow and be sensitive to where people are at, we must
remember that all people are finite in their capacity and
understanding. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><b>3.
</b></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>Be honest </b></span><span style="font-style: normal;">–
When you are hurting, you need to share and speak openly. First, we
must do this with Christ. A good friend of mine reminded me that
Psalm 88 is hopeful, not because of its content (it ends by saying
“darkness is my closest friend”</span><span style="font-style: normal;">)</span><span style="font-style: normal;">,
but because the psalmist is crying out to the Lord. Second, find a
friend or two who you can really trust, and you are willing to fight
with. People who you can share deeply your most raw emotions and
frustrations (including your struggles with how you've been treated),
as well as people who you can fight with and forgive when they don't
understand. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><b>4</b></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>.
</b></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>Tell people how they
can help you</b></span><span style="font-style: normal;"> – A friend
of mine recently told me how a comment I made wasn't helpful, and
they were longing to be affirmed instead. This completely changed
how I thought to care for this person! Good friends want to know how
to better care for you.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><b>5.
Remember, not everyone is meant to help you through this specific
season</b></span><span style="font-style: normal;"> – There are some
people that I've stayed away from during this season. That's not
because I don't love them, nor will I avoid them forever. But
without humility and grace on both sides, sometimes space is what is
needed. And that's ok. Not everyone needed to know how I was
struggling with things. Jesus all ready knows. And He will provide
exactly who you need to help walk alongside you. </span>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06333517308813862220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476434833369889071.post-85640587584104426142017-06-26T12:01:00.001-07:002017-06-26T12:01:36.071-07:00We can find Joy in God Alone
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<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<i>All authority on
heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make
disciples of all nations...” – </i><span style="font-style: normal;">Jesus
(Matthew 28:18a)</span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
above quote is the verse that our ministry's name comes from. We are
DiscipleMakers because Jesus commanded us to make disciples. I'm
passionate to see young men and women give up everything to follow
Jesus, because that's what he calls every Christian to do. But what
happens when you give that call, but distractions get in the way? Or
a certain lesson isn't sinking in? Or someone really struggles with
a particular passage of scripture? </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">For
me, the answer was simple: “Work harder.” </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">I
went to campus more, spent more time thinking about ways to help
students grow, considered all sorts of different strategies. Even
when I was spending time with family, I was checking my phone,
thinking about how I could reach students differently. I would watch
movies feeling guilty, thinking </span><i>'maybe I should be on
campus right now.'</i></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">For
the record, the guilt was produced on my own. It's easy </span><span style="font-style: normal;">in
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">this day and age to blame
other</span><span style="font-style: normal;">s</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
for how people make us feel. It's the cultural norm. But no one in
DiscipleMakers told me to think and act this way. No one expected me
to work 24/7 on campus. No one expected me to eat, breathe, and
sleep campus ministry to the detriment of myself and my family. The
problem was far more internal. I wanted people to think I was good
at my 'job.' I wanted to be recognized as a good campus minister </span><span style="font-style: normal;">t</span><span style="font-style: normal;">o
my students, to my teammates, to my supporters. </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">God
was gracious to me to give me a wake up call. </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">After
we moved back into our home, I found myself unable to sleep. Part of
it was I kept imagining the fire. But there was something else
keeping me awake at night. It was the dread of a new semester
coming. Dread, not of the students, or the preaching and teaching of
the Word, but of failure. </span>
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<i>What if it all falls
apart?” </i><span style="font-style: normal;"> I thought. </span><i>“What
if all I am is just some fraud, who was never really cut out for
ministry? What if I'm just the black sheep who will always be a
failure?' </i>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">It
was </span><span style="font-style: normal;">that </span><span style="font-style: normal;">thinking
that led me all the way to a panic attack the first day of classes.
I was so underprepared for the beginning of the semester, that the
normal fears and anxieties were amplified to the point where I
couldn't push them to the side any longer. And I landed in the
hospital. </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">I
wondered for a while what had happened. How could I have let this
happen? </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">For
one, I failed to realize the first part of Jesus' call to make
disciples. </span><i>“All authority has been given to me...”
</i><span style="font-style: normal;">Who has authority? Jesus.
Who's mission is this? Jesus. Who calls me to this mission? Jesus.
Exactly when did the mission become all about my personal success
and failure? </span><span style="font-style: normal;">And when was my
personal success defined by results? </span><span style="font-style: normal;">When
was ministry defined by what I produced? </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">It's
through this whole thing that I re-learned an important lesson.
Ministry is an outflow of the one who has all authority. The more I
am in awe and wonder of Christ, the more I'm compelled to do
ministry. The more I love God, the more joy I have regardless of the
state of our ministry. And the more I love God, the more I want to
see Him move in the lives of others, and the more I trust Him to move
in the lives of others.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">This
past Fall was a great example. I was more limited than I had ever
been. I was on campus less, recovering more, and wondering, “what
is going to happen?” What happened was student leaders had more
ownership, more young students were excited, and disciples were made.
We had our </span><span style="font-style: normal;">larg</span><span style="font-style: normal;">est
first-year class ever, more investment in the bible, and more and
more people clamoring for discipleship. </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">And
as I got back on my feet, I realized how much I wanted these people
to find joy in God. Not in their progress. Not in their discipling.
Not in their bible study skills. In God. His character. His
majesty. His holiness. His power. His mercy and grace. </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">I</span><span style="font-style: normal;">f
God is our joy, the pressure of </span><span style="font-style: normal;">results</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
seems to fade away. We trust God when He says to take sabbath rest.
We </span><span style="font-style: normal;">trust</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Him </span><span style="font-style: normal;">in our rest</span><span style="font-style: normal;">,
knowing that He is working in our waiting. And </span><span style="font-style: normal;">when
it's time to work, </span><span style="font-style: normal;">we </span><span style="font-style: normal;">work</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">by</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
faith, believing that He is Lord of the Harvest. </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Have
you believed Jesus' words, “It is finished?” (John 19:30). Have
you believed that Jesus' “yoke is easy, and his burden is light?”
(Matthew 11:30) Have you believed </span><span style="font-style: normal;">when
God says,</span><span style="font-style: normal;"> “</span><span style="font-style: normal;">I
am </span><span style="font-style: normal;">the Lord. I have spoken,
and I will do it.” (Ezekiel 37:14). Have you believed “The Lord
is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom
I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my
stronghold?” (Psalm 18:2) </span><span style="font-style: normal;">Have
you believed that He, “has put more joy in my heart than they have
when their grain and wine abound?” (Psalm 4:7)</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">We
can </span><span style="font-style: normal;">rejoice when we have
positive results</span><span style="font-style: normal;">. But it is
greater still to find joy in our great God, who can be our joy even
when our results are lackluster. He will always allow us to find joy
in Him, if we seek it. Despite our circumstances, our results, and
our condition. </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06333517308813862220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476434833369889071.post-56927823162836714032017-06-20T13:15:00.002-07:002017-06-20T13:15:13.525-07:00We Can Find Rest in God's Scriptures
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We all sat in the dining room, primed
for a weekend of fun. To confirm our geekdom, me and six other men
travelled to Bethany Beach for a board game trip. That's right. We
went to the beach, so we could play board games. One of my friends
suggested we do a short devotion each day, and I was up to lead
first. And I was nervous. “We're here to play board games,” I
thought to myself. “Are the rest of the guys really going to want
to be in the Word?”
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This was a dumb question. Yet, it's a
question we ask ourselves all the time, whether it's in private or
public.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
What astounded me, however, was how
these short devotion times became hour-long bible studies that deeply
rocked us to the core. After our trip, there was no denying that
there was one highlight for each of us during the trip: exploring the
riches of God's Word, and growing more in awe of Him and His
character.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Though I was surprised, I really
shouldn't have been. God had been confirming both the beauty of His
Word and the therapy it brings throughout one of the most difficult
seasons of my life. Yet, how often do we forget this? God's Word
routinely speaks to how it is the source of life, and how it confirms
God's authority and reputation:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<i>Blessed is the man who walks not
in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor
sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the
<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, and on his law he
meditates day and night.” </i><span style="font-style: normal;">(Psalm
1:1-2)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<i>I Am the LORD; I have spoken, and
I will do it.” </i><span style="font-style: normal;">(Ezekiel
36:36b, 37:14b)</span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">And
not only is it the source of life, but </span><span style="font-style: normal;">all
of </span><span style="font-style: normal;">it trains us in
righteousness:</span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="en-ESV-29854"></a>“<i>All
Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for
reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the
man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” </i><span style="font-style: normal;">(2
Timothy 3:16-17) </span>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The scriptures
bring rest because they make promises that are kept. They reveal to
us a God who is all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving, and all-just.
They reveal to us a God who is big enough to hope in, and a God who
is big enough to deliver on His promises. They help us discover a
God who is so complex that we could never fully understand Him, yet a
God who is willing to reveal Himself enough to know Him personally,
enjoying that we can discover Him for all eternity. They help us
live in tune with God's desires, they give us wisdom when we feel
lost, and they give hope when it seems like the world is burning down
around us.
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The scriptures are
not just wise writings, they are the words of God, and they reveal
who God is. And that God is the one we hope in. We hope in Him when
things are bleak. We hope in Him when life is good. How do we know
this? Because God's Word shows us how people praise Him in those
seasons, and in every season in between!</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<i>On the day I called, you answered
me; my strength of soul you increased.” </i><span style="font-style: normal;">(Psalm
138:3)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<i>Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.” </i><span style="font-style: normal;">(Psalm
51:1)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<i>Praise the Lord! Praise God in
his sanctuary, praise him in his mighty heavens!” </i><span style="font-style: normal;">(Psalm
150:1)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<i>O LORD, God of my salvation; I
cry out day and night before you.” </i><span style="font-style: normal;">(Psalm
88:1)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Whether
we have full happiness, we see answered prayer, or when we see our
hearts mired in sin or when it seems all hope is lost, we see the
scriptures dictate that our minds, our hearts, our prayers, our hope
should be pointed towards God. And the only way that we can even do
that, is because the scriptures reveal to us Jesus. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<i>And beginning with Moses and all
the Prophets, he (Jesus) interpreted to them in all the Scriptures
the things concerning himself.” </i><span style="font-style: normal;">(Luke
24:27)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Why
can we rest deeply in God's Word? Because His Word is what points us
to God Himself. He is the object of our faith, and our hope.
Whether you're on vacation, or at work. In peace time, or during
war. During deep trauma, or times of refreshment. Rest deeply in
God's Scriptures. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06333517308813862220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476434833369889071.post-923774250039099612017-06-05T14:17:00.002-07:002017-06-05T14:17:25.722-07:00We can Flourish in God's Church
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“<i>Marry the church.”
</i><span style="font-style: normal;">– Brian Seay </span><span style="font-style: normal;">(DiscipleMakers
Staff)</span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
My heart
sank as I looked over my lawn. It had grown for nearly three months
without much maintenance, and resembled more of a wild field than a
lawn of a homeowner. It was one of what seemed like an endless list
of things I had to get done, without an end in sight. Yet, the day
we moved back into our home, a number of people rushed to our home to
help. In fact, with the yard alone, we had three people who took
shifts to mow it. After numerous hours, we finished, and it, along
with nearly every other task, was done.
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“It's
amazing how belonging to the church brings much help, I can't imagine
what it's like for someone who isn't in it,” one of the people
remarked. It was a staggering comment, and one I haven't forgotten.
It reminded me that there are benefits to being an active member of
the local church, and it's this: you're a part of a family. And
healthy families involve each member seeking to love each other.
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">That's
not to say that church members shouldn't love non-church members,
rather, there is a different love that can only exist within the
church, and that's for many reasons. One, we are unified by the Holy
Spirit which dwells within us. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">Two,
our love for Jesus trumps all other objects of worship. That
includes people, possessions, and more. That's why Jesus says in
John 13:35, “</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">By this all
people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one
another.” </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">The church is a
family. And not just any family, it's the family of God. And the
family of God loves one another. </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Now,
you might be asking, “why don't I feel the love?” </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">It's
a good question, and one I've asked often. As I've gone through the
</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">past</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
year, let me give </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">five</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
reasons why you may not feel the love of the church.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">1.
</span><b>You expect more from the church than Christ himself: </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
often expect that people should know how to care for me, and when
they don't, I distance myself. I </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">too
often believe that I should be perfectly understood, and if I'm not,
they don't care. This is not only untrue, it's not fair. The
church, while meant to care for one another, is not meant to be
Jesus. Jesus understands perfectly. Jesus cares perfectly. And
Jesus is sufficient in his care. Part of that care is him working
through the church. The church, however, is not Jesus. We must not
put our hope that people will care for us perfectly, because people
are both sinners and limited in their abilities. </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">2.
</span><b>You</b><b>r</b><b> local church is struggling in the areas
that you need to flourish: </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Speaking
of limitations, it's very possible the local church you are a part of
struggles in areas that you need care in. That's hard. The
temptation is to blame, to grow bitter, or to abandon. Depending on
the care you need, it might mean leaving that local body to go to
another that can better fit your needs. Or, it might mean
stepping up to help it flourish in its areas of weakness. If it's a
matter of care where you are in deep depression or anxiety, it might
be good to find help in a place that might be better suited to help
at that current time. </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">3.
</span><b> You're fearful to let people walk with you based on past
experience: </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">I'll speak more on
this in a future post, but people make mistakes in caring for people.
This cultivates fear and bitterness if it goes unaddressed and, for
many of us, leads to isolation. Don't fall into that trap.
Isolation is a great way for the flesh, the world, and </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">S</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">atan
to bring more destruction. Open up to one or two people, and then
more over time. And have grace for people when they make mistakes in
caring for you. </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">4.
</span><b>You're there to be fed, not to serve: </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Too
often, I think of the church as an institution to meet all my needs.
But that's not what the church is. The church is a family, not an
institution. And families serve one another. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Ask
yourself, “am I here to be solely a consumer?</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">”
</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">If the answer is yes, t</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">hen
t</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">here's an opportunity to
repent, </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">and </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">move
towards your spiritual family </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">with
the heart of a servant</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">(</span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">As
an aside, sometimes </span></i><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">there
are seasons where you might need more care, and you're not in much of
a position to serve. That's ok. You can serve by </span></i><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">helping
people know how to better care for you, </span></i><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">which
in turn will strengthen you for future service</span></i><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></i><span style="font-weight: normal;">)</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
5.
<b>You're there to serve, not to be fed: </b>On the other side, it's
easy to become the savior. I'll do all the ministry, and all the
work, and I'll meet with all these people. But we forget that this
family has one savior, and it's not me, nor is it you. Remember that
as we serve, we also must allow Christ to serve us through the
church. If you are in need of love and care, it's not bad or wrong
to ask. In fact, it's good and right for us to share our weakness,
so that we can bear one another's burdens.
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As the
quote above states, we should be compelled to “marry the church.”
To marry means that we enter into a covenant. It's not a
contractual agreement, but rather a commitment. We commit to being
part of the body of Christ, both in it's joys and sorrows, in its
strengths and its weaknesses. We are to be a part of it, to serve in
it, and to rejoice in it's building through the work and power of the
Gospel. And as we do that, not only do we see its beauty, but we, and the church, will flourish. We see that God is
wise to bring unique people, with unique gifts, with unique passions,
together to band as one family serving one another in hopes that we
might bring more in the fold, and bring God glory. Do you see it? Do you see its beauty?
Are you in awe of what God is building?
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Before
you critique or distance yourself from the church, ask yourself this
question: am I missing out on how God is establishing and building
his church because I'm over-focused on its faults?
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Don't
miss the messy flourishing of God's church. Don't miss the opportunity to flourish within it. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06333517308813862220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476434833369889071.post-33621737302748257682017-05-22T10:35:00.001-07:002017-05-22T10:35:09.846-07:00We can Trust God's FaithfulnessOn August 22nd, I sat in a hospital bed wondering what was happening to me. I woke up at 3:30 AM with chest pains, panicked that I might be suffering a heart attack, and drove myself to the hospital (in hind sight... if I were actually suffering a heart attack, this was probably a bad idea.). The ten days prior I couldn't sleep, flashbacks continued to invade my mind as we moved back in to our home. While our house, and our once-torched kitchen, looked like new, it couldn't erase the memories. Details continued to pile up, between getting the house organized, starting a new semester, connecting with our team, I felt trapped. And as I sat in that hospital bed, even though the doctors reassured me that I was ok, I knew something was wrong. I felt like I was in real danger.<br />
<br />
When we think of God's faithfulness, we tend to think of how He has helped us. He brings resolution. For three months, I saw God's faithfulness. I saw it in four families offering their homes to our family. I saw it in my mom and dad, grandparents, friends, and even the Red Cross offering us financial gifts. I saw it in our premium insurance coverage which, when first purchased, I had to be talked into buying. We were brought meals, we got all new furniture and our kitchen looks better than ever. We traded in amateur paint jobs for professional ones, new carpeting and appliances that we didn't have to pay for to upgrade. <br />
<br />
It was clear through all the blessing, God was faithful to us. <br />
<br />
But what about when things don't resolve? What do you do when everything seems covered, but your soul is downcast? What about when it's fractured? <br />
<br />
Before our first large group meeting (when we lead students in a time of worship and preaching of God's Word) I was printing outlines for the students, and the printer wouldn't work, and something in me snapped, and I wept for nearly 15 minutes straight. This was after my episode in the ER.<br />
<br />
<i>"What is wrong with me?"</i> I thought. <i>"God... where are you?" </i><br />
<br />
Was God unfaithful by leaving me in a spiritual desert? Or was He faithful to bring me there?<br />
<br />
<i>"And a voice came from heaven, 'You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.' The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan..." </i>(Mark 1:11-13a) <br />
<br />
This passage is about Jesus. Jesus, who was confirmed to be God's beloved Son, is propelled into the wilderness one verse later. He's there for forty days, tempted by Satan. Now, in other gospel accounts, we know that part of the reason He's there is to be the better Israel. <br />
<br />
But there's still a reaction to how these verses go. On one hand, he's called beloved and Son. The other, He's propelled out. What? If God is faithful, how could He do that to His own Son? How is that faithfulness? Isn't faithfulness about protection and safety? <br />
<br />
Later in Mark we see that's not the case, as Jesus is unjustly tried, and then crucified. How was God faithful there? <br />
<br />
The obvious answer is the resurrection. The salvation of humanity from sin and eternal damnation by grace through faith in Christ. And God is glorified through it. <br />
<br />
How is God faithful in bringing us in the desert? By making us see Him as more beautiful. More precious than gold, greater than any treasure we think we have. <br />
<br />
Consider Job. He lost his wealth, health, possessions, and children. His wife told him to abandon God, his friends falsely told him that his calamity was his fault. And as Job demands an answer from God, God responds not by answering his plea, but reminding him who He is.<br />
<br />
<i><span class="text Job-38-4" id="en-ESV-13798">“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Job-38-4">Tell me, if you have understanding.</span></span><span class="text Job-38-5" id="en-ESV-13799"></span></i><br />
<i><span class="text Job-38-5" id="en-ESV-13799">Who determined its measurements—surely you know!</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Job-38-5">Or who stretched the line upon it?</span></span><span class="text Job-38-6" id="en-ESV-13800"></span></i><br />
<i><span class="text Job-38-6" id="en-ESV-13800">On what were its bases sunk,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Job-38-6">or who laid its cornerstone,</span></span><span class="text Job-38-7" id="en-ESV-13801"></span></i><br />
<i><span class="text Job-38-7" id="en-ESV-13801">when the morning stars sang together</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Job-38-7">and all the sons of God shouted for joy?</span></span>" </i>(Job 38:4-7)<br />
<br />
Now, before we forget, God loved Job. Job was a righteous man in God's sight. And He let Satan take everything from him to prove he wouldn't renounce God! In other words, Job was a faithful, righteous man. And God knew that! That's why he was selected for torment. And as Job cries out for 37 chapters, God comes and responds, and He doesn't say, "wow, Satan put you through a lot. Maybe that was harsh." No! He challenges Job. He asks him, "where were you...?" The point obviously being "Job, you weren't there when I created the world, when I created its very foundation, when I put the stars in the sky, but I most assuredly was, because I was the one who did it." <br />
<br />
The miracle of Job is not that Job's fortunes are restored. It's that Job's sight is elevated to see the grace and mercy of God in that He would take away everything so that He might hold fast to the greatest treasure, God Himself.<br />
<br />
<i><span class="text Job-42-1">"Then Job answered the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> and said:</span></i> <br />
<div class="poetry top-1">
<div class="line">
<i><span class="text Job-42-2" id="en-ESV-13925">“I know that you can do all things,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Job-42-2">and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.</span></span><span class="text Job-42-3" id="en-ESV-13926"></span></i></div>
<div class="line">
<i><span class="text Job-42-3" id="en-ESV-13926">‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’</span><br /><span class="text Job-42-3">Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Job-42-3">things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.</span></span><span class="text Job-42-4" id="en-ESV-13927"><sup class="versenum"> </sup></span></i></div>
<div class="line">
<i><span class="text Job-42-4" id="en-ESV-13927"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>‘Hear, and I will speak;</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Job-42-4">I will question you, and you make it known to me.’</span></span><span class="text Job-42-5" id="en-ESV-13928"><sup class="versenum"> </sup></span></i></div>
<div class="line">
<i><span class="text Job-42-5" id="en-ESV-13928"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Job-42-5">but now my eye sees you;</span></span><span class="text Job-42-6" id="en-ESV-13929"><sup class="versenum"> </sup></span></i></div>
<div class="line">
<i><span class="text Job-42-6" id="en-ESV-13929"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>therefore I despise myself,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Job-42-6">and repent in dust and ashes.” </span></span></i><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Job-42-6">(Job 42:1-6)</span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Job-42-6"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Job-42-6">Look at Job's response. It's one of awe, awe of God's character, His wisdom, and His holiness. And in v. 6, we see the beauty of what God does. If you have a bible, there's a footnote over the word repent. And the word could be also translated as "am comforted." While he despises himself, he is <i>comforted</i>. Why? It's because he has seen God, convicted of his narrow-sighted view, and now sees God more appropriately. He's no longer concerned with what he's lost, but with his view of the God of the universe. </span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Job-42-6"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Job-42-6">This is why God was so faithful to put me through this journey.</span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Job-42-6"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Job-42-6">"God, what about my home?" </span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Job-42-6"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Job-42-6">"God, what about my reputation?"</span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Job-42-6"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Job-42-6">"God, what about my ministry?" </span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Job-42-6"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Job-42-6">"God, what about my friends that I seem to be losing?"</span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Job-42-6"><br />"God, what about my family, are they disappointed?"</span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Job-42-6"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Job-42-6">"God, what about my emotions, my sleep, my comfort?" </span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Job-42-6"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Job-42-6">"God, why won't you answer me and deliver me?!" </span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Job-42-6"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Job-42-6"><i><b>"Because I am the Lord, and I don't answer to anyone. Your hope is in earthly things, I'll strip them away. Your hope is in how great your ministry is, I'll make you see the crushing weight of it. Your hope is in sleep, I won't let you. Your hope is in what people think, I'll show you how futile it is. Why? Because I am the Lord, and I am what you need." </b></i></span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<br /></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Job-42-6">Obviously, that isn't from the bible. It's not a prophetic word that I received from God. It's my application from the hard season. God has been deeply faithful to me. Why? Because my joy has become far more rooted in knowing Him. Knowing His wisdom, His glory, His beauty. </span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Job-42-6"><i><b> </b></i></span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Job-42-6">It's why we can trust God's Faithfulness. Even when our circumstances are in the tank. Because God is always moving us to see Him as our greatest need. Our greatest desire. Our greatest hope. And He's willing to do whatever it takes to get us there, even if it means putting us in the desert.</span></span></div>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<i> </i> <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06333517308813862220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476434833369889071.post-39584583525727741392017-05-01T14:18:00.004-07:002017-05-20T06:57:56.672-07:00Six Lessons from a Hard Year<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }</style>
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May 2<sup>nd</sup>, 2016, the day that
sparked a whole slew of difficulty and hardship. The fire uncovered
deeper issues of pride, anxiety, and shame, and moved me through
really painful conflict with dear friends. Now, a full year later,
there is much to rejoice over. Our home has been restored to us. We
have a new perspective on a number of different areas of life and
ministry. And our love for Christ is higher.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
There were a number of lessons I
learned, each one I will expound upon in future blog posts. This is
more an overview of those lessons.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Here are six lessons I learned from a
difficult season:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1. <b>God is faithful, in both small
and big parts of life</b>: When the fire first hit, my neighbors
were outside to bring fire extinguishers. Hours later, the red cross
showed up with disposable toiletries, a $500 pre-loaded visa gift
card, and two mickey mouse stuffed animals for my boys. My parents,
grandparents, and friends gave us money, gift cards, and so many
other things to care for us. Our insurance company was absurdly
generous with us, giving us a dining stipend, paid for the
replacement value of the house, and kept us in the loop the entire
way. A number of families let us stay with them for the duration of
the time we were out of the house, never leaving us without a bed,
shelter, or food.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
When I suffered from the anxiety and
depression caused both by the trauma and underlying things that had
gone unaddressed in my heart, God provided wise, compassionate,
Christ-loving men and women to walk alongside our family.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
2. <b>The church is </b><b>amazing: </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
don't mean this in terms of our local church (though, Winfield
Baptist is pretty great). I was astounded to see the church
universal surround us with love, mercy, and generosity. When we moved
back into our home, so many people came to help. It was great.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">What
was </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">greater was how, as I
invested more in the church, my soul continued to stir with praise
and joy. There were many times I didn't want to get out of bed and
lead my family to go to church. I saw it as drudgery. A chore. An
extension of work. As I immersed myself more into the community, God
was faithful to remind me that I was there not only to be a blessing,
but to be blessed by my eternal family, as we all worshipped the
eternal God. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
3. <b>The scriptures are both our
greatest counselor and our greatest comforter: </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
can't tell you how often the scriptures have come alive to me in this
season more than any other. I read about feeling shame, and I </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">was</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
encouraged how Jesus has cared for MY shame. I s</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">aw</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
how the psalmists cr</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">ied</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
out for relief, and I found myself crying out to God for my relief
soon after. I routinely found myself </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">weeping
or finding joy and encouragement in ways I had not enjoyed before or
as frequent</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">ly</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">.
</span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
4. <b>God, not ministry, must be my
primary joy: </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">One of my reasons
for anxiety this past year was the feeling of having to do
everything. It crushed me. But, as I placed my hope and joy in
Christ, the weight of my own expectations, and the perceived
expectations of others, faded and gave way to the compelling pleasure
of my Heavenly Father.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
5. <b>We must have grace for those who
fail to love us well: </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">This is
so hard. But it's necessary. While the church was so great, I was
often hurt by friendly fire. At times I was admonished when I needed
encouragement. At times I needed a listening ear rather than an
instructive tongue. At times, I needed someone who mourned with me,
rather than a casual joke to artificially lift my spirits. Those
were hard moments as I tried to move past deep pain and trauma. But,
there needs to be grace. And as I loved, forgave, and believed the
best, those hard moments became teaching moments for me and others,
as well as an opportunity to remember that God is growing all of us
to become more and more like Him.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
6. <b>Hobbies are necessary: </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">It's
so hard to believe that hobbies are ok, because of all the commands
in scripture to be deliberate and intentional. Yet, I believe the
scriptures hold those commands in line with our need to rest from
work, and part of that rest is enjoying the creation that God has
made! I still haven't found all of my restful hobbies, but I know
that most Saturdays, my soul was rejuvenated by faithfully choosing
to use my smoker to make pulled pork and watch football. My soul was rejuvenated
as I traveled, and my soul has been rejuvenated as I have made time
to spend with family and friends.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">God
uses hard seasons to draw us closer to Himself. And in the midst of
this season, He has not only taught me to love Him more, but also
that joy is to be found, even in the midst of hardship and chaos. </span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06333517308813862220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476434833369889071.post-51303373461714480602017-04-24T13:03:00.002-07:002017-04-24T13:03:35.395-07:00The Greatest Treasure
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I was in Minneapolis for a pastor's
conference in January, and one of my favorite preachers and authors,
John Piper, was set to preach. I was very excited. His influence
through his writing and preaching has impacted me ever since coming
to Christ, and I was going to have the opportunity to hear him preach
live.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
He came to the podium for the first
main session, began to speak, and for the next 45 minutes, I heard a
very forgettable sermon. In fact, it was so forgettable, I don't
remember the text he preached from, nor do I remember the main point.
I don't even remember sub-points.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I was surprised. As a growing
preacher, the key things I always make sure to do is go back to the
text, have a clear main point, have a clear flow of thought, clear
sub-points, etc. And here was a preaching veteran, and I couldn't
remember any of them.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Now, the point of this isn't to tear
John Piper down. In fact, the most memorable moment of the
conference came from that very talk. It was John Piper's joy itself.
He spoke about God and His Glory, His Gospel, His Godness, His
Holiness, and Piper was awestruck. He loved God. He treasured God.
So much so that I could hear it in how his voice changed, how his
eyes watered, and how his face brightened when he spoke about Him.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
He wasn't here solely to tell pastors
how to do their job. He wanted them to be refreshed by the most
beautiful and woundrous entity, the one who is everlasting hope and
joy.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I shouldn't have been surprised. His
book “Desiring God” is devoted to the idea that the chief end of
man is to love God and ENJOY Him forever. But it was a sight to see
Piper genuinely reflecting his true treasure. It made me wonder, how
often do I stop at theology and doctrine without allowing it to
impact my soul?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
How often do I read my bible, pray, or
do evangelism and discipleship because I treasure Christ?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
How often is my goal to get people
believing the right things, without pointing them to the pleasure of
knowing the right person?
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The great thing about Piper is that he
loves good doctrine. He loves the bible. He loves the mission that
God has given us. But that's all driven by his passion to love
Christ more than all other things. It drives his study, his
preaching, his prayer life.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
To be clear, his passion is not driven
solely be emotion. I believe it's driven by priority. The priority
of spending time with God, of learning about God, communing with God,
giving things up for God, because He is worth it.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Where is our treasure? Is it in God?
Or in what we can get from Him? Do we treasure being right? Do we
treasure possessions? Or do we treasure our creator, savior, and
redeemer?
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Start with what you truly believe. Do
you believe God is your greatest source of joy? Are you cultivating
that joy with reading God's Word and prayer? Are you serving Him by
sharing the Gospel with others and making disciples? Are you giving
faithfully and cheerfully to God's Mission?
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Treasure Christ. Treasure Him above
all else. Treasure Him with your mind. Treasure Him with your
heart. Treasure Him with your actions.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
He is our great joy, our greatest
reward. Are you missing out?
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06333517308813862220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476434833369889071.post-77305150494035902812017-04-10T12:35:00.001-07:002017-04-10T12:41:56.498-07:00Why Do We Hate Grief?<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }</style>
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Twelve percent. That was the Rotten
Tomatoes score that the movie “Collateral Beauty” received. Of
course, I found that out after I spent my $1.59 to rent the movie so
my wife and I could watch it. “How on earth could a movie with
Will Smith, Helen Mirren, Keira Knightly, Kate Winslet, and Edward
Norton score that low?” I pondered. Those aren't just good actors,
they are the best of the best!
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
After we watched it, I could some of the reasoning behind its low score. The story and dialogue weren't great. It was
clogged with too many characters, each with their own deep struggles,
and yet it was a fairly sappy and predictable. And, while the actors
are GREAT actors, the writing doesn't aid Winslet or Norton in their
performances. In fact, a good majority of the film feels pretty
forced. Despite this, I still don't understand how this movie
received one-fourth of the positive rating that Power Rangers got (I
say that both as a Power Rangers fan, and as someone who LOVED the
movie).
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Then, I wondered if part of the
struggle was not solely in its cinematic elements, but the content
itself. The plot follows Howard (Will Smith), who was a charismatic
advertising executive that lost all zeal for life after his
six-year-old daughter died. His friends and co-workers (Norton,
Winslet, and Michael Pena) are concerned that they may lose their
jobs, and on the surface, seem selfishly motivated to get Howard to
lose his voting share. They then hire an “acting group” (there's
a not so subtle twist) to help him process and hopefully be back in
his right mind to lead their company. They pose as Love, Time, and
Death, three characters that Howard wrote to in the beginning of the
film, and as they come to Howard, they help chink away at the deep
suffering he had held within himself for three years.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Part of the story, however, comes when
each of these “actors” engage the three friends, revealing that
they all are also wrestling with forms of suffering. A father
doesn't know how to engage his estranged daughter. An older, single
woman feels like she's running out of time to have children. And a
family man with a newborn finds out he has terminal cancer. Love.
Time. Death. Predictably, they are changed by their encounters with
each actor's portrayal of those three things. Unpredictably, I was
moved by all three to the point of tears. More on them later.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
While the movie could easily be accused
of being too simplistic in how it handles grief, I considered a
counter-point. Grief is so complex and hard, that we often don't
know how to handle it. So we don't. We pour ourselves into other
things. We say all the right things. We ignore the pain by numbing
ourselves with sin and escapes, we hide our weakness and seek to
cover it with insufficient coverings. I might even suggest that we
avoid or criticize movies and stories that deal with grief, so we
don't have to actually grapple with it.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Will Smith and Helen Mirren, who
portrayed 'Death,' illustrate this with one interaction. As she
speaks to the grieved character, he fires back, using the simple
statements that were said to him as ammunition. One by one he fired,
each from a broad spectrum of religions and worldviews, including
Christianity. He ends by reeming her out for stealing his daughter,
and not trading his life for hers.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Grief is raw. It's hard. And, as a
Christian, it's easy to logically reason through his anger and why
Christians say what they say. And yet, there's something about his
grief that deeply resonated. Grief is not solely about getting the
right truth. It's moving towards that truth in the midst of the deep
mess, pain, and sorrow. It takes one step towards the right person,
and sometimes it's hard to find what that first step is. At times,
it's reminding yourself of what's true. In others, it's learning to
share your deep, raw emotions with God. That's what we see in the
Psalms. Psalm 88 ends with an amazing accusation against God. “You
have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me.” How could he say
that against God? Yet, it's in the bible. There's no resolution.
Why?
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Because grief is a hard journey to wade
through, and God wants to meet you in the mess. Unfortunately, the
best way to miss God is to not be honest with ourselves about how
much pain and sorrow we are actually grappling with. We're too
fearful of sharing our deepest scars with God and with others. And
sometimes, we really just don't want to do the hard work of walking
alongside someone who is deeply grieved, because it's messy,
unexpected, and takes time. And, if we're honest with ourselves, we
don't want to confront the darkest things within us, and sometimes,
we don't want to see the darkest parts of other people.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Thankfully, Jesus not only helps us see
it; He endured it too. Because of His endurance, it gives us access
to the God who is the greatest refuge for our pain. I love the song
“Sovereign Over Us” by Aaron Keyes. Here's what it says:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“There is strength
within the sorrow<br />
There is beauty in our tears<br />
And You meet us
in our mourning<br />
With a love that casts out fear<br />
You are working
in our waiting<br />
You're sanctifying us<br />
When beyond our
understanding<br />
You're teaching us to trust</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Your plans are still to
prosper<br />
You have not forgotten us<br />
You're with us in the fire
and the flood<br />
You're faithful forever<br />
Perfect in love<br />
You
are sovereign over us</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Even what the enemy means
for evil<br />
You turn it for our good<br />
You turn it for our good and
for Your glory<br />
Even in the valley, You are faithful<br />
You're
working for our good<br />
You're working for our good and for Your
glory.”</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We hate grief. We hate
being in it. We hate seeing people in it. But we should expect it.
And we should run to God with it.
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Will Smith's last
interaction is with Keira Knightly's "Love." At the end
of their conversation, after Will Smith accuses her of betraying him,
she responds by saying, “No. I was there in her eyes (his
daughter's), and I'm with you now in your pain.”
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
What's greater about our
hope is that we aren't waiting on a cosmic emotion. We are waiting
on the God who embodied love, and demonstrated His devotion to the
point of greater grief. He stands with us, and is with us both in
our joys, and our sorrows. He helps us re-interpret it. He reminds
us He is with us in the midst of it. And He encourages us with a
hope that won't fade; Himself.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06333517308813862220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476434833369889071.post-34441465684399044342017-03-27T17:09:00.001-07:002017-03-27T17:09:58.459-07:00Escape to the Suffering Savior
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<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“I can't take much more of this,” I
uttered after Heather and I checked out of the emergency room a week
ago. I was in the hospital more times than I could count. A dear
friend of mine had to have surgery after a part of his body once
again failed him. After that, plus multiple visits to the ER and
urgent care with my own family members, I was exhausted.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I desired relief. I desired peace.
But hard moments continued to come. These ER trips added to a season
of significant hardship. The exhaustion gave way to a rushing wave
of anger and shame as I was reminded again of the all that I have
been wading through. Trauma, broken relationships, unmet
expectations, a surrounding culture that seems to hate anything
Christian day by day. Add to the indwelling sin that so easily
entangles, it feels like each day is another tidal wave coming to
sweep me off my feet. I plead to God, pleading that He would at
least let me catch my breath.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Why would you do this to me!? Don't
I deserve a reprieve!”
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It was about that time that I read this
in the book “Experiencing the Trinity,” by Joe Thorn:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<i>As a Christian you
can not only expect affliction, but you can also expect a kind that
is unique to the people of God. You will suffer for your faith and
face many obstacles in following Jesus. And in all of your suffering
you are called to look to Jesus in His suffering not only for how it
saves you, but also how it guides you.”</i></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
How did
Jesus suffer? He was mocked and scorned. He was falsely accused,
corruptly tried, and unfairly judged. The immortal, everlasting God,
was subject to human frailty. And then He underwent His Father's
wrath for the sins of all mankind...none of which He committed.
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">And
how did Jesus respond to that suffering</span><span style="font-style: normal;">?
He did not seek retribution against His enemies. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">He
didn't repay an eye for an eye. And</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
He didn't curse God. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">He
trusted Him to the point of death. Why?</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">Because He knew that God's
plan to defeat evil, sin, and ultimate suffering would win out. </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This
challenges my soul. I had a rough week or two. It's been compounded
by a rough 10 months. Jesus gave up heaven. He gave up eternal
comfort. He paid every cost imaginable. He suffered in every way.
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">He
was tired. He was weary. His friends betrayed him. His enemies
slandered and imprisoned Him. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">His
body failed him. </span><span style="font-style: normal;"> His Father
judged Him. And He responded in sinless perfection, so we would not
have to suffer the same wrath that Jesus took on. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">He
is the one we look to in the midst of suffering.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This
doesn't mean we minimize our pain. Far from it. Rather, we ask
Jesus to carry our burdens for us. We rest in His loving arms
knowing that He is our refuge, our shelter in the midst of pain and
hardship. And when things get harder, we plead all the more for
help. All the more for relief. And we press in, finding joy in
knowing the Savior in the midst of deep trials.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I hope I
don't have to visit someone in the hospital again very soon. I hope
I can catch up on lost sleep. I hope my relationships will be
restored. I plead for God to transform the hearts of those who hate
Christianity from dead hearts to ones that live vibrantly. But even
if those things don't happen now, I can rest assured knowing God has
won. The victory is assured. My suffering is temporary. Because of
this, we can move forward in faith. Call out to Jesus, and give Him
the burdens and suffering you are carrying.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06333517308813862220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476434833369889071.post-73387948900113571812017-03-20T12:20:00.000-07:002017-03-20T12:20:04.649-07:00Lessons from a Homeless Man
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<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
His name was C.W. It stood for Car
Wash, which I'm not sure if he meant as a joke or if that was his
actual name. I met him while serving with The Philadelphia Project,
a ministry devoted to sharing the Gospel through mercy and meeting
the needs of the community. Our ministry has partnered with them
over the past couple years for Spring Break, and this year we had the
opportunity to make sandwiches and hand them out to the homeless,
hoping we could talk with them, feed them, and minister both to their
hungry bodies and their even hungrier souls.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Something that stood out to me as I,
and a number of students, engaged with C.W. was what he didn't do.
He never complained. He wasn't angry at his lot in life. No, he
was, at least on the surface, very joyful. <span style="text-decoration: none;">It
surprised me, that he seemingly had so little, yet in an hour and
fifteen minutes of conversation, when I prayed over him, I didn't
know what requests he had for me to pray for him. He never told me
</span><span style="text-decoration: none;">what I could pray for,
other than what he was thankful for. </span><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The second thing that stood out to me
was how much he knew. He had a ribbon around his neck; he had won a
dance competition when he was younger. As I asked him about it, he
started rattling off all kinds of stories, and then shared not only
that he could dance, but he could play music too! He knew all sorts
of instruments, including a number of woodwinds as well as the drums.
He told me about the bands he played with, the dancing he did, and
everything in between.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
When we went to pray with him, he
shared a number of spiritual things with me. Some were good, some
not so much. I'm not sure he was a believer. But I was amazed by
how much he knew, and how much he had taken in. And as I prayed with
him, the Lord worked in me, because I started to consider some things
about myself that I hadn't previously.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
One was my prejudice towards the
“marginalized.” I'm not sure anyone would look at me and call me
a man who pre-judges. But as I think about all the times I have
walked past a homeless person, very rarely have I considered them an
actual person. To me, their identity is homeless. They have always
been homeless, and it's probably their fault that they are homeless.
But that's not true. While it may be their fault of why they are in
the predicamint they are in (partially or fully), it's not everything
about them. They may have suffered tragedy or have suffered the sins
of others that landed them in their situation. They have stories not
just of how they landed where they are, but they have stories about
who they are and what they love. They have joys, memories, and
dreams.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Second, and what's more, these <b>people</b><span style="font-weight: normal;">
are human souls. They </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">are</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
made in the image of God. They are worthy of dignity. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">And
it's our privilege and duty to love our neighbor, whether they live
in the rich mansion or are walking the streets. We are called to not
show partiality. A soul is a soul. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Third,
this man, just like anyone else, needs a savior. And I am not him.
Sometimes it's easy for us as privileged people to think it's about
us reaching down and rescuing the weak and hopeless. I realized
quickly that wasn't the case. In fact, I learned more about myself,
and my need for a savior, than anything else in the midst of my
interaction with CW. He didn't need my pity. He didn't need my
generosity. He and I need the same thing, a savior who can save from
both the penalty of sin and the dominion of it. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Consider
how you look at people. Who </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">are
</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">the people you look at and
consider nameless? The ones who you identify only with a word, like
'homeless'? Have you considered lately that they are men and women
made in the image of God? </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">That
these are the people, much like the bleeding woman in Luke 8 and the
Samaritan Woman in John 4, who we often disregard yet Jesus moves
towards? </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">How
can you image Christ and move towards the marginalized? How can you
think like Jesus and remember that they have the same dignity and
value to God that you do? </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Lastly,
how can we remind ourselves that Jesus became homeless and a wanderer
for the very sake of giving us an eternal home and hope? That truth
should motivate us to engage all people not only with physical food,
but the spiritual food of the Gospel.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06333517308813862220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476434833369889071.post-42044939326478298422017-03-06T13:04:00.001-08:002017-03-06T13:23:19.939-08:00How to Love a Sports Fan (Or anyone who Loves something you don't)<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }</style>
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<i>For though I am free
from all, I have mad</i><i>e</i><i> myself a servant to all, that I
might win more of them. </i><i>To the Jews I became as a Jew, in
order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the
law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those
under the law...</i><i>” </i>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
(I Corinthians 9:19-20)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Gospel is the most important
message to communicate to people. It is the message that, while we
have broken God's heart and are deserving of God's perfect justice
and wrath, He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for our sins so we might be
reconciled to Him and declared righteous in His sight. It's
important to communicate that to our friends who are lost, and it's
important to communicate that to one another, because we are never
beyond our need for the overwhelming grace of Jesus Christ.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Just don't start sharing about the
Gospel on 4<sup>th</sup> and 1 on what could be a game-altering play.
At least not with a passionate fan of the team playing.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Of course, I'm somewhat joking
(emphasis on <i>somewhat</i><span style="font-style: normal;">)</span>.
We never want to shy away from opportunities to walk through open
doors to minister the gospel and point one another to Christ. And
sometimes, for those of us who follow Jesus, the call of sports
idolatry is a real thing. Sometimes I need to shut off the TV and
love my wife, play with my kids, and put their needs before my wants.
But sometimes I think we try to force doors open rather than seek to
help open those doors through how we relate to people.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I was recently watching a football game
that I really was excited about, and invited friends over to watch it
with me. And here we were, sitting on the couch, and play after play
was another deep, provocative question that had nothing to do with
football.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In seeking to serve him, I missed a
number of pivotal moments in the game, and rather than including these friends into
something I enjoy, it became less of an opportunity to welcome these
people into my life, and more of an opportunity to entertain
questions that I didn't really want to think about until after the
game.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Now, I need to constantly lay down my
life. But it gave me a thought. When we are seeking to minister the
Gospel, sometimes we put ourselves in this mode of, “I need to ask
this person questions all the time, because this will love them.”
That may be what you want to do, or it may be what you feel pressured
to do. However, sometimes the best way to love a sports fan is not
to ask a bunch of questions, even about the game. Instead, it's a
great opportunity to enjoy something that is loved by that person.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is true with anyone we want to
love. There is a time for deeper questions. Sometimes it does
present itself while a person is sharing their loves with you.
Sometimes, we force the issue, and we actually miss an opportunity to
actually help open a door to deeper conversation.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
With that being said, here are a few
ways to love a sports fan:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1. <b>Don't expect a lot of initial
conversation</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> – </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
person wants to watch the game WITH you. They don't want it to be
background noise to conversation. To us, it's the main event, much
like a long-anticipated movie. It doesn't mean you can't have the
occasional thought or question, but also be sensitive to different
moments within a game. Timeouts and commercial breaks are good to
figure out how serious the fan is, and what they want or don't want
to talk about. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">2.
</span><b>Don't rely on the other person to explain every aspect of
the game </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">– </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">In
general, I love explaining things about football. So asking
questions is good. But answering the same question about why there
is a holding call gets hard, or why the uniforms are that color,
or... you get the picture. Take five minutes to get a little handle
on some of the rules, the teams that are playing, and who the star
players are. If someone who knows nothing about football comes to me
and says, “I hear that JT Barrett is a pretty good QB,” my
excitement to share something that means a lot to me goes through the
roof, and trust is instantly built. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
3. <b>Let them
share their excitement about specific plays, players, or moments that
they remember </b>- Sometimes, we have
very specific memories, because we love our team. We can feel like
we are part of the team (for good and for bad). Letting us share our
memories is not meaningless, you're actually getting to know a part
of our soul. It's something the Lord has allowed us to love.
Sometimes we love it too much, and there's a conversation for that
later. But letting us share about these seemingly meaningless
memories actually gives you a picture of some of the great joys and
sorrows of being a fan.</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
4. <b>Marvel when
God opens doors to deeper conversation </b>– As trust is built, and
as you become a 'sports fan' to another sports fan, it really builds
trust to deeper conversation. When Heather waits to talk to me about
my frustration until after the game, I'm much more apt to share and
confess that I may have been hoping too much in my team. When others
take the time to enjoy a pasttime that I've enjoyed for the entirety
of my life, it deepens trust to talk about spiritual realities.
That's a work of God, and we should marvel when God uses something as
trivial as a football game to minister to the soul.</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is true of
every passion out there. If someone loves art and music, invest in
what they love. If someone loves to cook, be willing to be their
assistant for a day. If someone loves coffee houses, go with them to
their favorite and try their favorite thing on the menu.
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
And consider your
loves. What are the things that people can do with you that will
deepen trust?
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06333517308813862220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476434833369889071.post-2016348957295474692017-02-27T14:05:00.001-08:002017-02-27T14:07:20.825-08:00God's Gift of the Scale<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }</style>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I had just gotten to the gym locker
room when I realized I hadn't weighed myself in a while. The last
time I weighed myself, I was at 165, which is around the top end of
how much I want to weigh. I had been tracking calories somewhat
faithfully, though I knew I had thrown in a couple (ok... maybe more
than a couple) of cheat days. But overall, I felt like I was eating
at least somewhat healthy, I was exercising, and my fitbit kept
telling me I was under my calorie goal nearly every day.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
So, consider my shock when, only four
weeks after weighing 165, I tipped the scales at 171. How in the
world did I gain six pounds in only a month?
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
What came next was an uncovering of
different fears and anxieties.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“What will people think of me if I
keep gaining weight?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“What if I end up back to when I
weighed over 200 lbs?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Am I not changing at all in my
struggle with gluttony? Is God even working in my heart? Am I even
a Christian?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Am I going to have a heart attack
and die?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I wish I could say I was joking about
these fears and anxieties. I wish I could say that I logically
pulled out scripture and knocked each one of these down with the
timeless truths of God's Word. But that's not true. Instead I went
inward, and tip-toed the line of self-loathing and despair.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
What was interesting, however, was when
I shared this struggle with a few people, the response was
corrective.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Zack, you're not fat, you don't need
to worry.”<br />
<br />
I appreciate the sentiment. However, they missed
the point of why I was struggling with my weight. They missed the
fears and anxieties. I think, honestly, we miss the greater beauty
of God's use of the scale, at least in my life.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The scale has served often like the
dashboard lights of a car. It tells you if something might be
wrong. However, it doesn't tell you <i><b>w</b></i><i><b>hat</b></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
is actually wrong. A check engine light could mean a </span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">whole
</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">host
of problems. But to determine the problem, you need to go to an
actual mechanic. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The scale can indicate a number of things. But it can't tell you
what's wrong, and in fact, it can't even tell you if something is right! But if you look deep enough, it helps you perform a heart diagnostic. And if you're
like me, and your emotions come easy to the surface, the scale can
help identify different fears and struggles that reside in the deep
recesses of our hearts.
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One weight measurement, and I can identify a few things as I thought
through all of the emotions.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
1. I have been running to food a bit more as I've been sad, and I
need to continue to remember Christ in the midst of sadness.</div>
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2. I need to repent of my worry over my life, and trust that God, in
His infinite wisdom, will do me good all the days of my life, and the
lives of my wife and children.</div>
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3. It reminds me that my identity is not in the number on the scale,
nor the image I see in the mirror. I am made in the image of God,
and I was made a son of God through the blood of Jesus. Because of
this, I am of infinite value to Christ, regardless of my weight and
body image.</div>
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<br /></div>
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4. I can rejoice that God has made a tool that can help me manage my
health, as well as one that helps expose my fears</div>
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<br /></div>
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5. There is grace for today, so today, I can examine how I can honor
God with my body in how I eat and exercise.</div>
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Maybe you're like me, and you are
easily consumed by a number. Maybe that number rattles in your head
all the time, and you believe it defines you.
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It doesn't. Especially, not if you
were bought by the precious blood of Christ. So, instead of fearing
the number on the scale, praise God for a tool that helps us manage
our health, expose our fears and anxieties, and may we cling to
Christ as we understand more about what we fear.
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06333517308813862220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476434833369889071.post-47794278839158489972017-02-13T10:30:00.000-08:002017-02-13T10:30:18.873-08:00The Return of an Old Friend<i>Author's Note: I wrote this back at the end of August. My hope is that, if anyone out there is wrestling with depression, PTSD, anxiety, or anything like that, that this would be an encouragement to your soul. This is my fairly raw processing, so while I firmly believe that the Gospel is our greatest hope against depression, I am not endorsing that solely belief will make the feelings go away, only that they ground our hope in a firm foundation. </i> <br />
<br />
There are so many lies I've believed in my lifetime. You see all those shows where something catastrophic happens, they rebuild, transform whatever was wrong, and then they are all smiles at the end. They ride off into the sunset, happily ever after. That's what I thought would happen for us. We moved back in nearly 2 weeks ago. I felt I hand handled this whole thing rather well, the fire that is. I was sad, sure, but I had faith in Christ. I had hope. I was secure. <br />
<br />
Now? I've never been more terrified in my life. <br />
<br />
I have my office in my bedroom now. As I work in it, the scene flashes before me frequently; running into the same room to grab what I could before the fire potentially claimed everything. The same bedroom that now taunts me with the reminder that I was foolish with my life that day, and could have cost my wife her husband and my children their father. <br />
<br />
When I turn on the panini maker, or the oven, or even the keurig for coffee, I wonder if it's going to be okay. One sizzle, one crackle of oil, or the sound of burning liquid ignites my senses. "Am I going to do it again?"<br />
<br />
I thought campus would be an escape. What a mistake. Every person asks, "how was your summer?" My answer? About as good as it can be for a guy who lit their kitchen on fire. No one really knows how to respond to that one. I know they try. I really want to be gracious. Jesus has grace for me.<br />
<br />
At the same time, I want to scream. I want to cry. I want to punch through a wall, anger running through my veins. And then the apathy, lack of emotion paralyzing me to the point that every detail feels like a 100 lb weight that I've been asked to move from one end of town to the next. This all seems new, yet vaguely familiar.<br />
<br />
Oh... I remember you. I remember you, Old Friend.<br />
<br />
I remember the first time I met you. I didn't want to believe you were there, but you were. I was fundraising full-time, trying to finish so I could get on campus and provide for my soon-to-be wife. For a season, it felt like I would never get there. I turned to familiar vices, food being the predominant one, leading to weight gain that only left me with more apathy. I thought I was just being sinful and foolish. While both of those were true, I didn't realize you were there with me.<br />
<br />
I met you again a couple years later. I was a punk. Young in ministry, seeking to prove to everyone I could hack it. God was gracious to remind me that those efforts were fruitless. Nothing I did worked. I didn't want to do anything, didn't want to fail, didn't want anyone to think I was a nobody. You walked alongside me, trying to scream out to me, to point me to my need. As I reached out to Jesus, slowly but surely you let go, like a mother who was training her child to slowly gain independence. I thought the pain you brought was far, far away. <br />
<br />
But you came and went. Moments in time that reminded me that I was in need of Christ. It was as if you were dropping by for a short visit. I wish your visit were brief now. <br />
<br />
It's the busiest season of our ministry. We have to get our home ready. There are tons of decisions to make. Conflicts to resolve. And you came in unannounced, like you always do.<br />
<br />
Sometimes, Depression, you feel like a horrible friend. Why would you come now? Why not in the middle of the summer, when I had time to feel like I can't move? Why now, when I need to be at my best, when I need to be rested, not sitting in a hospital bed wondering if I'm having a heart attack? Why now, when I'm supposed to be the example of holiness and Godliness to my students, my family, my church? And how long will you stay? I'm begging you to leave. <br />
<br />
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why have you allowed this awful friend to stay by my side? Why won't you take this thorn in the flesh! Why won't you stop my tears from flowing so freely!? Please, Lord, I'm begging for relief! Don't you realize that this friend is hurting me?! Don't you realize what he's doing?<br />
<br />
I can't feel safe in my own home, I can't feel safe in crowds, is there anywhere that I can feel safe!?<br />
<br />
"My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9)<br />
<br />
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling." (Psalm 46:1-3)<br />
<br />
Maybe not. But I can rest securely in the arms of Jesus, holding me as everything falls apart around me, and even within me. If there's anything that I can know about this old friend, it's that he drives me to cling to the one who can carry me through the storm, as painful as it may be.<br />
<br />
You drive me to my knees, and you force me to rely on Jesus better than any other. You force me to keep moving even against my lack of will, and, even more so, you force me to lie down and rest, that I might reflect on the glorious truth that there is nothing about me that God would have chosen, yet did so anyway. He loves me, and I know because He proved it with His dying breath on the cross.<br />
<br />
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<i>"Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders</i></div>
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<i>
Let me walk upon the waters<br />
Wherever You would call me<br />
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander<br />
And my faith will be made stronger<br />
In the presence of my Savior." </i></div>
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<i>-- </i>Hillsong United "Oceans"</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06333517308813862220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476434833369889071.post-1295474047138955092017-01-30T12:08:00.000-08:002017-02-06T11:33:19.532-08:00When Pain Screams<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }</style>
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“<i><b>When there's pain, it
screams.” </b></i> At best, it was a summary statement. Something
to help make a point of a strategic discussion we were having about
our ministry. Yet, I paused to ponder it. <i><b>“When there's
pain, it screams.”</b></i> Now... to be honest, I probably didn't
remember it correctly word for word. But it resonated deep within my
soul.
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<br /></div>
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In our culture it is easy to overlook
deep pain. We see it clearly in the response to the
protests. Rather than ask, “why are they so upset that they would devote time, energy, and emotion to this?” We say, "stop protesting" and "do
it our way". When people are grieving, we can overlook their
grief and give sharp rebuke for how they are missing things. We
misdiagnose, misapply, and, I think if we are honest with ourselves,
we are hasty to fix the “problems” so we don't have to deal with them anymore.
</div>
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<br /></div>
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That's not to say that we should ignore
sin or bad behaviors, but rather, recognize that when there is
screaming, it's because there is often legitimate pain. And when
there is legitimate pain, the initial need is not a correction in
behavior. The need is to walk alongside, to empathize, and then fix
our eyes on the God who is big enough to heal.
</div>
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<br /></div>
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There are three things from the
scriptures that have helped me as I think through dealing with pain:</div>
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<b>1. It's ok to not have immediate
“progress” → </b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> This is not
to say that we shouldn't move through pain to deeper faith. Rather,
it's ok if it's not on our timetable. Psalm 88 ends like this, “You
have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me; my companions have
become darkness.” Why would the psalmist end there? Why isn't
there any resolution? It just ends hopelessly.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">I
think it's because the psalmist understands that it's ok to be in a
season of struggle, doubt, and sadness. It's not an ending of
faithlessness, rather one that says, “I know that the Lord is with
me even when I feel like all hope is lost.” The fact that's a song
meant for praise and worship in the temple says so, because it's a
communion with the Lord. </span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>2. Know that Jesus cares about our
circumstances → </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">In Luke 8, we
see Jesus heal a woman who was bleeding for 12 years. The
implications are overwhelming. She's an outcast, would be outside
the temple, and would have numerous societal disadvantages. Jesus allows
her to come up from behind, hidden, for her to have healing. While
Jesus exposes her later (to restore her hope further, by having true
faith in Christ, not just her healing), He knows that this woman had
little to no contact for 12 years, and the way He heals her is to let
her touch Him. He begins to restore her circumstances, healing her,
letting her touch Him, and even concealing her until the time was
right. He cared not just about her salvation, but also her deeply
traumatic circumstances.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>3. Know that contentment comes by
coming to God and seeing His Glory → </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
story of Job is a case study in misunderstanding suffering. Job
loses everything and his friends blame his sin for the calamity that
has befallen him. When God shows up </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">(in
chapter 38!), He doesn't rebuke Job's friends (yet), nor does He
apologize for what has happened to him. He reminds Job of who HE is.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-weight: normal;">Where
were you when I lad the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you
have understanding. Who determined its measurements – surely you
know! Or who stretched the line upon it? </span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(Job
38:4-5) </span></span>
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<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Job's
response to the Lord is shocking. While his pain hadn't subsided, he
finds an odd contentment in 42:6, saying he repents in dust and
ashes. The note about his repentance is that it could also mean he
is comforted. What comfort? It's the comfort of knowing more of the
fullness of God, that He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good.
And that even in the midst of the hardest storms, He is in control.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Pain
is hard. Sometimes it feels uncontrollable. And that's ok. Be
honest about your pain. And, if you're listening to someone in pain,
don't judge. Ask. Understand. Care. Then look to Jesus, the one
who went through the deepest pain. In Him, you will find the one who
can perfectly understand, and in Him, you will find the God who will
rock you to the core, leaving you comforted in the midst of any pain. </span></span>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06333517308813862220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476434833369889071.post-32875431365592037962017-01-09T12:27:00.000-08:002017-01-09T12:28:10.660-08:00Three Resolutions for 2017I have a long history of making New Year's resolutions. And if you're anything like me, they often go strong for a couple weeks, maybe even a couple of months, and then are slowly forgotten. However, it is good to set goals. And I want to set goals again this year, but in a different way. My hope is to target more root issues, and find good evidences to confirm that I have been addressing those root issues. I hope that this is an encouragement to you all, and I will probably have more thoughts on each of these things throughout the year.<br />
<br />
<b>1. Live a healthier lifestyle</b><br />
This is a broad goal. But I needed to make it such, because in years past, my goal was simply to lose weight. Some years, this failed miserably, and others, I nailed it. But as I'm getting older, I'm realizing that I not only want to lose a few pounds, but I want to change my eating habits so that I can have more energy throughout the day, and wisely plan to live a longer life (if the Lord allows). This starts with what's on my plate, but also extends to exercising. How will I do this? <br />
<b> </b><br />
-<b> </b>I will not give in to the fear of missing out of a food item when I go to a restaurant, and tell someone what I plan to order in advance<br />
- I will seek to live within my calorie limits on my fitness app every day<br />
- I will workout no more than 5 times a week, and no more than 60 minutes each time<br />
- I will remind myself of the Gospel when I fail<br />
- I will remember that God is the creator of every good and perfect gift, including all food and beverages.<br />
<br />
There's a lot in here, some of which I am going to expound upon in future posts. But the point is this: I've often found that my whole day revolves around how many calories I can eat. So I would have wild swings in how much I worked out, often trying to run enough so that I could eat a huge burger at Red Robin with countless refills of fries. There's nothing wrong with running, and nothing wrong with Red Robin's huge burgers... except for the fact that too many of them will clog your arteries! Instead, I want to remember that God gives limits and boundaries to actually give freedom, and be thankful for those boundaries. I also want to remember that even grilled chicken and vegetables are blessings from God, and if I'm honest with myself, I really like them even though I often would rather pick the burger and fries. <br />
<br />
There's also a fear of missing out, which I just don't need to give into. More on that later.<br />
<br />
<b>2. Spend More Time Thinking Strategically</b><br />
If I'm not doing something, I can often wrestle with guilt. But when I don't plan ahead and think about what I should do, I really wrestle with overworking, and then I end up not getting the most important things done, and I burnout. Both of those are not honoring to Christ! <br />
<br />
So, I want to spend more time each week thinking about my priorities as a Christian, husband, father, missionary, and member of my church. Some of the things I hope to implement are:<br />
<br />
- Spend at least a half hour planning out the week on Monday. Once a month, take an hour to think through the month, evaluate priorities and goals, and help course correct<br />
<b>- </b>Be involved in a small group and sunday school at my home church<br />
<b>- </b>Do not miss date night. Ever. (unless somethin... NO, EVER) <br />
- Take at least one day off each week, and do something to rest and re-energize my soul, this includes not answering my phone, not checking e-mail, and reading books that are non-ministry related.<br />
<br />
One caveat: Obviously, if there is an emergency, I will miss date night. But, how often do you and I feel like something is an emergency when it clearly is not? <br />
<br />
<b>3. Choose to pursue Jesus through prayer and His Word regularly and frequently, rather than other comforts</b><br />
As I look around me, I find myself more desperate and dependent on the Lord than ever. Yet I often don't come to Him until I feel deeply overwhelmed. I frequently choose comforts, yet still end up overwhelmed. I want to find rest for my soul, and so I want to remind myself that there is no greater rest that to rest in the person of Christ.<br />
<br />
- Wake up each morning with Heather and spend time praying the Psalms together<br />
- Listen to scripture during morning workouts<br />
- Use car time and walking time to pray, rather than to listen to music<br />
- Pray for people, situations, world events, and circumstances as they come to mind.<br />
<br />
I'll elaborate more in future posts as to why these three things, but I am hopeful that this is an encouragement to you all. It's good to desire good, Godly change in areas of our life. And the New Year is a good opportunity to "reset." However, my hope can not be in changing in these three areas. In fact, my only hope to change at all rests in the power of the Spirit that dwells so richly in me. And that only comes from believing the Gospel, that Jesus died so I could live, and walk in newness of life. My prayer is that, even more this year, that I would walk more deeply with Him in grace and truth. Would He empower you to do that as well.<br />
<br />
Happy 2017!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b> </b> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06333517308813862220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476434833369889071.post-16823797737056994272016-12-22T13:32:00.001-08:002016-12-22T13:43:38.707-08:00A Broken System<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }</style>
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“<i>You can't legislate
the human heart” – Matt Chandler</i></div>
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It was
the moment all college football fans had been waiting for. Who would
get to be in the third annual college football playoff? Who would
obtain the right to play for a national championship? The debate had
raged for weeks on end, and one thing was very clear: there were more
deserving teams than there were spots.
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How do
we determine the spots? Conference Championship? Record against top
25 teams? Overall record? Strength of schedule? The irony of it
all was that, depending on who you rooted for, you could make a
stellar case for your team, while poking holes in every other team's
argument...except Alabama. As everything unfolded, I found myself
realizing one of the struggles of all the arguments: they were too
simplistic. You couldn't just argue for conference champions,
because the system was designed to all ready leave one of them out.
You couldn't just argue for overall record, because not everyone had
a great schedule. And yet, most arguments included only pieces of
the whole picture, which presented a problem because it was trying to
bring simple objectivity to a system, and sport, that has been
relegated to subjectivism. It's the only sport in which wins and
losses aren't necessarily counted as simply wins and losses.
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In some
ways, it's a helpful picture of the laws we employ to reign in the
human heart. A system is put in place to help us know what is the
right thing to do. “Put the best four teams in!” Or, in the
case of our laws, “Do what is right and good! Let people live in
freedom!” And yet, we find ourselves often scrambling. In the
case of the college football playoff, three years in and we still
haven't escaped controversy. In the case of our government, we find
ourselves constantly at war with one another about how to perfect the
system. Why?
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It's
because legislating the human heart, while essential in our current
world, is an ineffective way of changing it. And according to Jesus,
we all need change. In fact, in Jesus' view, we need a complete
overhaul.</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="en-ESV-24477"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="en-ESV-24480"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="en-ESV-24481"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="en-ESV-24482"></a>
<i>And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear
me, all of you, and understand: There is nothing outside a person
that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out
of a person are what defile him.” And when he had entered the house
and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. And
he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you
not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile
him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?”
(Thus he declared all foods clean.) And he said, “What comes out
of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart
of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder,
adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander,
pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they
defile a person.” </i>(Mark 7:14-23)</div>
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We often look to the law to
see how not to be bad. And as we look at the world around us, it
occurs to us that something isn't right. “People are breaking the
rules! People are dying! People are hurting! Maybe we need new
rules!” Jesus says, “Listen, the rules don't tell us what not to
do, they expose that what's in us is an innate desire of what not to
do!” In this passage, they are concerned about food making them
unclean. But Jesus is saying, “Look, the problem is not what you
put inside you, but what is all ready residing in you. When you look
at the law and find that you are breaking it, it's not what you have
done that shows your evil, the law is merely proving that we have
been evil the whole time."
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It's not to say that we
should do away with the law, Jesus doesn't. Rather he helps us see
why we need it. It shows us our need for a savior, not a need for a
law to show how good we are. The law was never intended to be a
proving ground, but a mirror. When we use it as such, we make the
law into a broken system that it was never meant to be.
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College football's playoff
system may never be perfect. However, the human heart can be. But
not by the law. The heart can be healed and transformed by the God
who sent Himself to die for His people. May we not give into the
broken system of a saving law, but rather give ourselves to the
saving one, Jesus Christ.
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06333517308813862220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476434833369889071.post-43972090083078106582016-11-01T12:52:00.001-07:002016-11-01T12:55:41.521-07:00Grace, Restoration, and Eggplant Parmigiana Over the past couple months I have found cooking therapeutic. In fact, one of the things I've enjoyed the most has been using my electric smoker. Ribs, pork shoulder, brisket, and wings have all been fun experiments. I've enjoyed making pancakes for my kids more than usual, and I've enjoyed having folks over for the meals I cook. But there was one meal I dared not try to make.<br />
<br />
Eggplant parmigiana. It's one of my favorite meals. But I didn't want to make it. At least, not since the house fire. After all, that's what I was making when our kitchen caught fire. I didn't want to deal with any of the fears or flashbacks. "What if it happens again?" I thought.<br />
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God, however, thought it was time to face the fear. I shared at a church presentation, and made an off hand comment about how I haven't cooked eggplant since. A kind woman came up to me after the service remarking that it was such a shame that I wasn't making eggplant, since she had just picked 16 eggplants from her garden.<br />
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It might be silly, but I knew this was from the Lord. I took two eggplants, went and got the same brand of sauce and fresh mozzarella that I was going to use the last time, and I took the plunge. The waves of fear and anxiety weren't as crippling. The flashbacks (yes, they still came) didn't knock me off my feet as they once had.<br />
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It's a small picture of the restoration that's guaranteed by the grace of Christ. The fire, while destructive, could not take away my hope for all time, because God is bigger. He is better. And He has proven that He will make all things new in the person of Christ. I may have fears. I may have new things that come in and disrupt my life. But God will ultimately use those things to grow me more into His likeness, helping me to overcome fear with Christ-focused faith. Eggplant parm, believe it or not, once felt like a noose that would suck the life from me. Now? It's a sign of remembrance. The Lord was faithful to me and my family, and has continued to do so, bringing us closer to the finished product He has promised to make us.<br />
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The fear that once consumed, the anxiety that once crippled, is slowly subsiding. Grace not only comforted me. It also restored me. <br />
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This is a picture of the effect of grace in the life of a believer. Grace gives us the hope of salvation and forgiveness through faith in Christ. But could you imagine if it stopped there? Could you imagine if I was destined to a life of vicious flashbacks and never-ending fears only to be covered by a veiled band-aid of "Jesus loves you" with no hope of transformation? Ephesians talks about this change throughout the letter.<br />
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<i><span class="text Eph-4-1"><span class="chapternum"></span>"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called..." </span></i><span class="text Eph-4-1">(4:1)</span><i><span class="text Eph-4-1"></span> </i><br />
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<i><span class="text Eph-4-17">"you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds." </span></i><span class="text Eph-4-17">(4:17)</span><br />
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<span class="text Eph-4-17"><i><span class="text Eph-5-1">"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.</span> <span class="text Eph-5-2" id="en-ESV-29290"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." </span></i><span class="text Eph-5-2" id="en-ESV-29290">(5:1-2)</span> </span><br />
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<span class="text Eph-4-17">The first three chapters of Ephesians are all about who we are because of Christ. Chapter 4 starts a stirring call: Walk in the life God gave you. Part of that is trusting that God does and will heal, as hard as it may be, as long as it takes. I will not always be crippled by fear, weighed down by anxiety, or defeated by sin. Instead, we as believers will be carried by grace to become the men and women that God had always intended us to be. </span><br />
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It may be as simple, and silly, as getting to make eggplant parm once more. It might be finally having the courage to share Christ rather than giving into fear. It might be choosing to love someone, rather than let your insecurities get the better of you. It might be, for right now, trusting that God will carry you through in the midst of grief and suffering that you just have no idea how to navigate. Wherever you are, you can know for certain, God's grace will not just comfort you. It will change and restore you, bringing us to our best state when we are with God in heaven. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06333517308813862220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476434833369889071.post-69598326337398202292016-10-11T13:55:00.001-07:002016-10-11T13:55:22.675-07:00Why would you cut off your hand?Imagine you contracted a deadly infection. It started at your hand, and you had mere seconds to cut it off before it spread to the rest of your body, hollowing you out, killing you. In World War Z, the character Segen is bitten on her hand by a zombie. Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) immediately cuts off her hand, saving her life. She was desperate, so Gerry did the unthinkable. And while she no longer had a hand, she retained her life. <br />
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In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says something that we often gloss over: "If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away." (Matthew 5:29)<br />
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One sentence later, He utters another extreme statement: "If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away." (Matthew 5:30)<br />
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His rationale? "It is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell." (Matthew 5:30)<br />
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If you're just reading this, it's easy to gloss over the extreme measures that Jesus says we should go to to get rid of sin. Get rid of your eye? Your hand? And for most, it probably would have been their dominant features.<br />
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Some of us might hear it and think, "Yes, I'm going to be more moral." Others might think, "That's dumb." Both sides miss the point.<br />
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Notice Jesus' rationale again. It is better to lose one part of your body than to lose your whole body to hell. He's using a metaphor here. It begs the question, when would you cut off your hand? When would you pluck out an eye? Much like Gerry Lane helped with Segen, you would do it when it was the only way to save your life.<br />
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Jesus is comparing sin (particularly lust) to a disease or an infection similar to gangrene. Gangrene infects one part of the body, and if you don't kill it before it spreads, it eventually kills you. Sin does the same thing. Sin is in our hearts. And if we let it reign in our lives, it will eventually deaden our senses, deaden our morality, and will destroy our souls. But if we kill it, our lives flourish, because we stop the infection.<br />
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But how can cutting off our dominant hand or our dominant eye, improve quality of life? It improves it by saving it from sin and death, and the fires of hell. It may be extreme, and it may hurt in the short-term. But it proves profitable in the long run.<br />
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So what does it look like to kill sin?<br />
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<b>First, look to the cross</b>: The way to a new heart is not changing your behavior. It's by receiving a heart transplant. The Gospel not only saves us from hell, but it transforms us because it replaces a heart of stone with a heart of flesh.<br />
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<b>Second, observe where you are tempted</b>: There are certain videos on youtube that I just can't watch. They aren't explicit. They aren't sinful in and of themselves. But they contain language and images that sometimes are unhelpful and tempt me towards the road of sin, and influence my thoughts. <b>I</b> <b>need to observe these and other times where I might be tempted, so that I can do the next step.</b><br />
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<b>Third, make a plan, and fight</b>: So think about when you're tempted. Confess those to someone you trust (probably helpful if it's someone who is the same gender, if it has to do with sexual sin). And get specific. Download a filter, get rid of your app store, disable social media if you have too. Refuse to watch movies with specific language or content (IMDB's parental guide is a great resource!). Cut off anything that might lead to sin.<br />
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<b>Fourth, see how God gives you life, and praise Him</b>: It's amazing, that when you stop lusting, you can start loving. You can see people as souls, instead of objects. You can praise Him for His design of life, and people, and attraction, and love. Killing sin will be painful at first. How could it not, if it's as extreme as cutting off a limb? But it's so we might find more joy in God, and in His creation. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06333517308813862220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4476434833369889071.post-26197995206619957562016-10-03T14:15:00.000-07:002016-10-03T14:15:08.696-07:00The Maturity of those who MournBack in high school, I was at a memorial service for the son of one of my former principals. The officiant, I believe he was a rabbi, began to ask for good memories of the son, when the father's voice bellowed, "My son is dead, I don't need good memories." <br />
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Pain and suffering often come, and our knee jerk reaction is to try and fix it. As I've gone through the fire, people have given me the "silver lining" constantly. <br />
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"At least your family wasn't hurt."<br />
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"At least you'll get a new kitchen."<br />
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"Be thankful for what you do have."<br />
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All of those things are true. And I think, at times, those words were helpful. But more often than not, I hated them. It felt like an inconsequential, "look on the bright side," when all I could feel was sadness and frustration. I wanted to weep, and I wanted to be wept with. <br />
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As I look at my own life, and how I've responded to those who suffer and are in pain, I wonder how frequently I've done the same to others. It makes me wonder why I seek to fix the pain and cheer people up. I can't begin to understand the hearts of others, but I can certainly discern my own. And, if I'm honest with myself, I think I don't weep with others because it's too uncomfortable. I want to escape the pain of weeping, so fixing it becomes the better option. And if I fix the problem, not only do I not have to weep, I can pat myself on the back for being a good person! <br />
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However, Jesus, the perfect and most mature man to ever walk the earth, knew that humans were more complex than that. He would know after all, He was with God the Father in our original design. In John 11 we see a captivating scene. Jesus receives word that his friend Lazarus is sick. Instead of going to him immediately, he stays an extra two days. The text even says that Lazarus' illness was for the sake of God's glory, which means his delay was intentional so that God would be praised. <br />
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So, Lazarus dies. Jesus then finally comes to raise him from the dead, four days after his death. Martha meets him first, and Jesus tells her truth, that He is the resurrection and the life. He shares what's true. However, He doesn't do the same with Mary. He gets to her and asks where Lazarus has been laid. And when he goes to see the tomb, he weeps! Jesus, the God of the universe, the one who knowingly let Lazarus die just so he could raise him from the dead so that he might be glorified, weeps! Why? <br /><br />
Tim Keller says it this way: "To show that He was a perfect man." Keller added this afterwards, "In this we see that the most mature are those who weep, and those who weep with others." <br />
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This profoundly changes my understanding in how I love those who suffer. While Jesus ultimately "fixes" the situation (which, He is the only one who really can when it comes to death), He doesn't neglect grief or mourning. He enters into it. He feels the anguish and agony. Even when He knows the truth. Even when He has the power to fix everything. <br />
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May this be an example to those of us who don't have that power. <br />
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If I've learned anything through grief, it's that the most valuable and beautiful times are not when someone just tells me that good times are ahead, to be thankful for something, or anything else like that. It's when someone has chosen to get into the pit with me, listen, and mourn. It's then that I am far more open to truth and grace, because someone has manifested it in how they've approached me. <br />
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But, praise God, because even in our most imperfect attempts to love, there is a savior who embodied love to us. He didn't just weep, but He went to the grave. Even when we are loved imperfectly, we have a perfect lover who stands with us, and a perfect redeemer empowering us to become like Him to those who mourn. <br />
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