you are too uptight

I know I know, it happened two weeks ago. It's funny, I haven't heard too much discussion about the prize lately and I think it just goes to illustrate my thoughts just that much more. I should preface this by saying as a Christian, most would say that I lean heavily conservative. I didn't vote for the president, but I feel nothing but goodwill towards him. The burden of leadership is not an easy task, particularly for the sincere of heart, which I believe he is. There are probably a plethora of things that we disagree on, but as a Marine I know that I could, and would, give my life for him.

With that at the fore, congratulations to President Obama on the Nobel Peace Prize! I think it is a wonderful and deserved award. It is my hope that the prize money (which you have reportedly donated to charity) is blessed by God and your fame a testament to His glory. This was my initial reaction to the news of this honor being bestowed him.

Unfortunately, there are a good number of critics who can't seem to celebrate another being honored. Funny, just weeks prior a certain Mr. West had to butt in and speak his mind about awards being unfairly given to the wrong person. Ironic, the President's label of West as a 'jackass' was nearly celebrated and universally lauded by all. In a similar event one man was given an award which was immediately criticized by critics everywhere. Polls were done, bumper sticker slogans splashed on the news and people became angry; for what?

More people remember the entertainment award winners (VMA, Oscars, Emmys, etc) for years (generations?) in comparison to the Nobel Peace Prize. Why is it so upsetting that President Obama won a prize that you didn't even know came out in October until 3 weeks ago? Why do you critics care? Is it so difficult to just put your biases aside and congratulate a winner?

Mr. West apologized, but is still considered a jackass by many. Perhaps Mr. West's label should be slapped a bit more firmly on those critics who cannot be humbled into graciously recognizing President Obama's and apologizing for their overtly political and illogical actions.

As for the argument that the President has done nothing; give it rest. He is President of the United States of America. There have only been 44 of them, so I'd say he's in fairly prestigious company. He's done a bit more than you just by getting there and certainly influenced more people. My guess is that you couldn't name one bill that he has introduced and helped pass not for lack of the evidence, but due to a lack of your interest.

All in all, it comes down to this. Stop being so damn uptight, and give your President props. He did what you will never do. (in the 1 in 6 800 000 000 chance that you receive the Nobel Peace Prize next year, congratulations)

1 750 000 000 + Wisdom + Church ≠ Love

There are few things the world talks more about than love. It is a simple word really; easy to spell and even easier to shout! It rolls off the tip of the tongue of young and old alike, the drunk and the sober both talk of it, and a quick Google search reveals 1,750,000,000 results – approximately 1,500,000 more than a search for porn. The word is everywhere, but those who know and experience it are few. And so we search for it. Books are written, seminars are hosted and money flows. Yet all the wisdom of the world leaves us with is emotion and passion; as Pearl Jam laments: “hearts and thoughts they fade; they fade away.”¹

Sadly, professing Christians everywhere have fallen into the same trap. They desire love, but do not know where to look or how to act. To exasperate the matter, they not only desire love; they are commanded to give it. When asked what the greatest of all the laws was, Jesus replied “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.”² Despite Jesus’ sacrifice, many fail to see or understand love, and so Paul exhorts Christians in one of his letters to the church in Corinth:

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love never ends.”³

And so Christians everywhere memorize this verse and act as if they love one another because they read what love is. Unfortunately, they have not reflected wholly on what Paul is saying. The Christians I talk to can always quickly recall that “love is patient; love is kind” but everything else is forgotten. The passage must be taken as a whole, or not at all. The love Paul talks about is on that is counter-cultural and focused on the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection. The great Dietrich Bonhoeffer makes a distinction between human love and spiritual love saying,

“Human love is directed to the other person for his own sake, spiritual love loves him for Christ’s sake. Therefore human love seeks direct contact with the other person; it loves him not as a free person but as one whom it binds to itself. It wants to gain, to capture by every means; it uses force. It desires to be irresistible, to rule. It makes the truth relative, since nothing, not even the truth, must come between it and the beloved person.”⁴

To love someone for Christ’s sake is to love them in a way that is unreasonable and incomprehensible to the non-Christian. In kindness, we put God before those we love, knowing that serving Him is the way in which we serve them. Love does not insist on its own way, it insists on Christ. Bonhoeffer continues, “Because Christ stands between me and others, I dare not desire direct fellowship with them. As only Christ can speak to me in such a way that I may be saved, so others too, can be saved only by Christ himself.”⁵ Christians are to love others focused on their Savior, and hate what goes against God. By hating evil they rejoice in the truth.

Paul’s directive to be patient and kind should not be misunderstood! The two should not be done without truth and a desire to see Christ glorified. Confession, admonishment and discipline are all vital components of truth and, therefore, love. Without those things, any love that is professed is merely an exaggerated form of politeness. Christians are warned not to be lukewarm⁶; but instead understand that their God is a divisive one⁷. Their adherence to the one true God and His will is bound to drive away many, just as showing love to an enemy “heaps coals upon his head.”⁸ Too often Christians do not desire confrontation or disagreement and allow sin to not only creep into their community but also control their own lives. They must find such great joy and hope in the truth that they hate evil and wrongdoing. Without that hatred, they have no love. This is perhaps the most difficult part of loving others. Relationships are built without an understanding of what the purpose or reason for them is. The purpose should be to glorify God, but this is rarely a reality or thought as relationships are usually entered into with a desire and purpose of self-gratification. While gratification certainly is one of the rewards of loving one another as God calls us to do, making it the reason for our relationships leads the type of human love which Bonhoeffer speaks about. Such love is temporal, incomplete and unsatisfying.

Instead Christians are called to love endlessly; enabled by the love they have for Christ The passion and love Christians have for God should naturally translate into serving one another. Paul encourages the church in Philippi to serve as Christ who “took the form of a servant” and “humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death.” If Christ is the focal point of love, then service will naturally be a part of acting out the love. Service is often self-righteous and takes a large amount of effort and calculating. “True service is a lifestyle.”⁹ Richard Foster makes the distinction in this way:

“True service finds it almost impossible to distinguish the small from the large service. Where a difference is noted, the true servant is often drawn to the small service, not out of false modesty, but because he genuinely sees it as the more important task. He indiscriminately welcomes all opportunities to serve.”

When Christians love Christ first and then others through that love, they love in a “naïve, unpsychological [sic] and unmethodical”¹⁰ way. The secret as to why and how they love is Christ. As their love for him grows, showing love in that way is an integral part of their life that they cannot shake off or get rid of.

Only through loving the Christ is such a life of love possible. His is a love which requires nothing of the loved; but instead gives the loved an opportunity to love. His love was not motivated by anything his chosen had done or decisions they had made; but was instead pure and endless. John Cobb Jr puts it this way:

“Love is, on the one hand, the only salvation of the spiritual man and, on the other hand, unattainable by his own efforts...We love only because we are first loved. In this way, and only in this way, can the spiritual man genuinely and purely love.”^­11

Christian love is motivated by nothing other than the love of Jesus. A man Christian man does not love his wife and Christ, but instead loves Christ and as a result of that love he loves his wife. The more he loves Jesus, the greater the love he has for his wife. Such love is a purer and more perfect love; it is beyond human understanding and reason. Without placing Christ ahead of his wife, he is unable to love her completely. This is true for all relationships: husbands and wives, neighbors, co-workers and friends. This love is the only love that is timeless and meaningful, and it is because it is rooted in the only unchangeable and perfect God.

Just as God’s service to us drives us to eagerly serve him, so also should Christians serve one another. They must help others and extend love with a “simpleness and humility rather than out of great analysis and calculation which is often motivated out of a desire to glorify” their own self. Failure to love Christ first will result in an unsuccessful attempt to serve one another because the simpleness and humility is lost due to mankind’s natural tendency to glorify its self. This is the greatest way that Christians fail to love and the biggest problem with churches. They fail to love and serve others because they do not love God or understand His love for them.

It should also be understood that part of loving is being loved. Often times Christians enjoy talking about themselves and what they do so much that they deny the reality of their own brokenness and need to live in humility. We forget that Christ “loved the church”¹¹ and that we are supposed to love and serve him in return. Jesus gave himself up for us, expecting us to give ourselves up to him. As one pastor put it, “Jesus isn’t looking for an hour of your time, a day of the week or even your weekend. He doesn’t want your money or your car or your house. He wants and requires all it. He demands your life!”¹² If Christ demands to be served, should Christians not expect to be served as well? Often times they forget that part of loving is allowing others to serve them. This should not be the case, but they should instead freely delight in allowing others to love as Christ does! Love must be given as well as received. This is most evident with persons who are suffering. People like to serve others who are suffering or are disabled, but the down and out are rarely given the opportunity to love and serve in return. In doing this Christians do not love them, but instead hate them! This is one of the many ways that Christians submit to one another as they are called to in Ephesians 5.

We live in an age of Christianity that not only fails to show love, but grossly misunderstands how to love. All of creation desires love more than anything else, and who could know or display love more than those who belong to the Living God? Christians need to wake up and love as it has been revealed to them and as they are commanded to do.

Before the Throne of God Above

Before the throne of God above

I have a strong and perfect plea.

A great High Priest whose name is Love

Who ever lives and pleads for me.

My name is graven on His hands,

My name is written on His heart.

I know that while in Heaven He stands

No tongue can bid me thence depart.

 

When Satan tempts me to despair

And tells me of the guilt within,

Upward I look and see Him there

Who made an end of all my sin!

Because the sinless Savior died

My sinful soul is counted free.

For God the just is satisfied

To look on Him and pardon me.

 

Behold Him there the risen Lamb,

My perfect spotless righteousness,

The great unchangeable I Am,

The King of Glory and of Grace,

One in Himself I cannot die.

My soul is purchased by His blood,

My life is hid with Christ on high,

With Christ my Savior and my God!

Written by an Irishwoman by the name of Charitie de Cheney Lees Smith Bancroft (now that’s a name!) the lyrics of this incredible hymn have been captivating my mind all day – and I hope it continues to for some time!  How much joy can a mind comprehend?  The lord of lies and deceit prods, pulls and pushes me to despair; yet I can consider it pure joy!  Trials and temptations come while he repeatedly beats me, Christ’s assurance is true.  The Righteous One looks on Him and is satisfied with me!

Look at my Savior, my righteousness is not my own, but His.  He is King and has pardoned me, He is unchangeable and I am free.  No tongue can curse me, there is no greater Judge.    My joy is complete, my self overwhelmed!  My God loves and His glory endures, I am made strong in His presence because of the One who lives through me. 

My joy is in Christ my Savior and my God!  All of you stand and sing, for He is great and worthy of all praise!  O praise Him and know that He is Good!  He has made an end to our sin, and we are free.  Can the joy of that be matched?  Can it be understood?  Is it not so moving or overwhelming that you do not weep with gladness?  Or shout in proclamation?  God is satisfied; are you not?

The God I Worship

The following is an excerpt from a blog (http://vanillatea.blogspot.com/) which frequently raises hoopla in my room due to its many wild theological propositions, embracement of heretics and obvious manipulation of scripture:

---

"The God I worship doesn't cause illness. He doesn't like watching suffering because it's some kind of divine plan.

The God I worship doesn't cause illness; He heals.

He hurts as we hurt. He asks us to heal the hurt of others. He sends His Spirit to empower us to fight brokenness.

Because the world isn't right. And God didn't plan for it to be this way.

So it terrifies me - it terrifies me - when people say, "God gave me cancer", as though they've accepted that.

God didn't give you cancer.

Cancer is part of the world's brokenness. And God wants you to join Him in fighting it.

God didn't even cause your home foreclosure. You know what? You might have put yourself in a bad situation. Or greedy banks might have done something stupid. But the system of economic recession which is hurting people andcontributing to brokenness isn't part of God's plan."

--- 

Ma’am, your god is limited by your desires and understanding, and I beg of you to repent and believe in the God of all Creation, the Unchanging, Holy, Wise and Perfect Lord and Savior.  Your god is false, and you are its prophet.  The Christian God is Sovereign.

You, “you speak as one of the foolish women would speak!”  The Christian God allows and purposes suffering so that He might be glorified.  The Christian God causes illness to “happen so that the work of God might be displayed.” He is so incredibly gracious allowing us (Christians) to suffer in the shadow of all the disciples who have come before.  He wills suffering so that we might be able to understand His will and desire Him more.  We suffer just as Jesus, His twelve apostles, Paul, and all of Christianity has suffered.  We are promised suffering, trials and tribulation by scripture.  The Christian God knows and sees all, bringing suffering, pain and illness and we praise Him for His Sovereignty and Goodness.  The Christian God gives and takes; all we have and are, is for Him.  “Shall we receive good from God, and not evil?”

Praise God for the maturity of those who recognize their suffering as an opportunity to love and worship the Lord! 

God gives suffering.  He allows pain.  God doesn’t need anyone’s help to fight anything; He is almighty!  God’s plan is.  His will is done.  Your god is false; propagated by your evil desires and idolatry of your own morality.  The Christian God is sovereign and planned to use His suffering for our salvation; I’m pretty sure (certain) we can praise Him for the inconvenient “suffering” we endure, for He is “completing a good work in us.”

 

Justice was Denied

“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter

And like a lamb before its shearer is silent,

So he opens not his mouth.

In his humiliation justice was denied him.”

-          acts 8.32

 

“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,

Yet he opened not his mouth;

Like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,

And like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,

So he opened not his mouth

By oppression and judgment he was taken away;

And as for his generation, who considered

That he was cut off out of the land of the living,

Stricken for the transgression of my people?”

-          isaiah 53.7-8

I find it interesting that we demand justice.  We actively petition God with our works, insist that all must be given a chance at salvation because He loves, and assume our righteousness.  Is it so hard to comprehend the extreme cost of the grace that is being given to us?

God demands justice, as a perfect and fair God, He must.  The Christ was denied what was right, and instead took on our sins as His own in an act so scandalous it leaves the angels perplexed.  Jesus was denied the justice that He so rightly deserved – to be glorified and made one with God.  Instead, he was shamed, hated and condemned; separated from the Father.

And so I find it ironic that we desire justice so badly.  The only thing we’ve earned is condemnation!  Hell, eternal death and suffering could not begin to cover my multitude of sins; why would I ever want justice? 

We should be left begging for mercy and praising God’s glory rather than demanding justice from a perfect and righteous God.  Consider our Savior and the torment He endured for our transgressions; do you really want justice?

Cry Out to God!

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!

O Lord, hear my voice!

Let your ears be attentive

to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

 

If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,

O Lord, who could stand?

But with you there is forgiveness,

that you may be feared.

 

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,

and in His word I hope;

my soul waits for the Lord

more than watchmen for the morning,

more than watchmen for the morning.

 

O Israel, hope in the Lord!

For with the Lord there is steadfast love,

and with Him is plentiful redemption.

And He will redeem Israel

from all His iniquities.

 

As the famous sermon goes, “we are sinners in the hands of an angry God.”  An idea wildly unpopular in our society, we love those who love us.  We surround ourselves with false prophets who celebrate our goodness and friends who pretend we are holy.  It’s time Christians get back to the basics…

Who could stand before the one true and holy God?  He commands us in Matthew 5.48 to “be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  Not moral, not upright, not religious – perfect. 

Why don’t we take a step back and quit attempting to justify ourselves before the Living God.  If you continue, you’re stupid and foolish. God does not need your work.  The gifts you give Him were never yours to give.  Everything is His.  If I can see past your prideful, self-righteous sham, I get the silly impression that an all-knowing, all-powerful God just might be looking through it as well.  Give it up.

Cry out to the Savior; place your hope in the Lord! He has given us mercy; His redemption is bountiful and free.  It does not end and it does not waver.  He frees us from all of our iniquities!  He gives us hope, love and freedom.  He intercedes for us, blotting out our seemingly endless transgression.  Waiting for the Lord is so much more satisfying than constantly trying to prove Find comfort and peace in His word and wait for the Lord in peace. 

The Folly of my Patience

I waited patiently for the Lord;

He inclined to me and heard my cry.

He drew me up from the pit of destruction,

out of the miry bog,

and set my feet upon a rock,

making my steps secure.

He put a new song in my mouth,

a song of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear,

and put their trust in the Lord.

I cannot stress the strength of my stubbornness and the subsequent despair and destruction that I often revel in.  I often lay claim to the patience that I perfected in the military; but all too often I am merely waiting patiently for the Lord to bend His will to mine.  Thankfully, I can boast of His faithfulness and His perfect record against my foolishness.  His love and grace tear me out of the destruction I grab hold of and beg to stay part of.  My patience is for me, not for the Lord.  My cry is for my will, not His.  Yet he stands me up, braces me and makes me strong.  He bewilders me His overabundant grace, collapsing my will and making me whole.  Songs leap from my mouth delighting to praise Him; they cannot be contained.

 

Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust,

who does not turn to the proud,

to those who go astray after a lie!

You have multiplied, O Lord my God,

Your wondrous deeds and your thoughts towards us;

none can compare with you!

I will proclaim and tell of them,

yet they are more than can be told.

Thank you Lord for giving me godly counselors!  Keep me strong, seeking to love you all my days.  Let me not turn to those who find their delight in pride and lead me to do the same.  My tendency is to Your mercy is never ending!  That others could only know it; grant me the strength to shout in joy and proclamation so that all will hear.  Have mercy on those who hate Your will, oh Lord, make them understand their folly and let their suffering in this world be easy.  May all understand that the wages of their sin is death and turn from their sin.

Sing

Sing to the Lord and praise Him well,

for He has done incredible things!

Marvel at His wondrous beauty and might

for He works out all things for good

His right hand and His holy arm

has given you grace and made His will known.

The Lord has made known His salvation;

and revealed His righteousness to all people.

He has remembered His steadfast love and faithfulness

to the ones He chose before time was.

All the ends of the earth have seen

the salvation of our God.

 

Let nothing contain you; make a joyful noise to the Lord,

break free from your sin and into joyous song,

shout dance and sing the Almighty’s praise!

Sing praise to the Lord!

Let all the instruments praise His glory,

and be joyful before the King!

 

Let the oceans roar! Everything that fills it rejoice;

the world and all who live it in give praise!

The rivers rage with glory;

the hills cannot keep silent before the Lord,

for He comes to judge the earth in righteousness!

-Psalm 98 (paraphrased)

I was asked recently by a friend if I could be a bit quieter when I sing at church; apparently, I was distracting them.  I mumbled a very insincere okay, and begrudgingly put in the sincere effort the next two Sundays to comply from the request I felt should be labeled dubious at best.  The effort was futile though.  How can one keep from bursting from sorrow trying to keep the joy experienced from dwelling on the grace of God? 

The God has blessed us beyond comprehension.  Sinners who wreck and hate what He loves, delighting in our own foolishness before His glory; He loves us!  And we are supposed to be quiet? 

The Lord rules with perfect justice.  He condemns my sin and shows immeasurable grace by giving me the wisdom to discern what is right and good.  Yet I should contain my recognition of His righteousness?

The Creator, who created from nothing, allows me to revel in His creation.  Surely you who has found something more distracting than His beauty can tell us what it is!

The Almighty controls everything.  The ceaseless tides obey His command and not a hair falls from your head without His willing it.  But now you want to control the His praise?

The Savior resurrected Himself.  He was shamed by me and took my condemnation as His own, interceding on the behalf of a wretch!  Somehow, we find it reasonable to tone down our praise?

Rejoice you sinner!  Give Praise to the God; the Ruler and Creator of all things who has exercised His will, plucking your rebellious life from the depths of the greatest despair, who is the Messiah!  Fall down on your knees under the glory of God!  All of creation sings, do not be alone, sing a song!  Sing joyfully and without ceasing!  Let your heart be glad, for even the rocks cry out our Lord’s praise! 

God help our unbelief, our stubbornness and hatred of His glory.  Damn our pride now, so we can know only You.  For You alone are the I Am.  You alone are worthy!

Cheap Grace (part i)

“Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession.”

-          Bonhoeffer

I started reading through Cost of Discipleship this last week after dwelling on what it meant to be a disciple (literally follower) of Christ.  I considered what it meant to follow a leader into battle or even how tracking the enemy was similar to following in the way that you are subject to his every whim; but then I realized we’re supposed to follow the Christ.  The one man who lived and breathed such a countercultural life that our world has argued over him for 20 centuries!

Our Lord certainly preached forgiveness, but he required everything.  We’re told to give up our life to follow Him, and that anything short of everything, is not enough.  Yet we live in a society that demands acceptance.  We demand cheap grace. 

We want to be forgiven without putting off our desires.  Why do Christians think they can preach about the love of Christ and the forgiveness of sins without talking about repentance?  Three quarters of the New Testament is about repenting and turning from our old ways!  When Jesus healed the sick and the blind it was because they had faith and turned from their evil ways.  We are an evil people!  Repent and enjoy the grace of God!

We want to baptize without making it clear that faith and repentance are one and the same.  They do not happen apart from each other; they cannot be separated!  We must hold one another accountable, demanding that Christ is our identity as Christians.  We should see it as encouragement that our brothers and sisters in Christ are willing to discipline us, because only when it is evident that the glory of God is our utmost concern would it make sense for them to demand that we live for and like Christ!  Praise God for the brother who disciplines in the name of our Lord!

And finally, we want to have communion without confession.  We want to have communion without even recognizing our sins, saying that Christ came in love without judging.  God is our judge!  Who are we to ignore our trespasses against the Almighty God?  We think we can participate in communion, without considering our sins that put Him on the cross?  Him, the Perfect Intercessor!

Jesus, the name above all names, was nailed to a cross after being bloodied, beaten and battered.  His flesh was torn from His body, blood flowed from His pores from the torment and they shoved thorns onto His head to comfort Him.  He was thirsty, and was given sour wine.  He cried out, and was mocked.  He loved, and was denied.

You think grace is free?  You fool!  You’re dead in sin, and have been raised up to life through the death of the holy and perfect Intercessor!  It cost everything; repent!  That grace was not given so you could embrace your identity and celebrate your uniqueness.  It is for the glory of God, a jealous God who demands not your thoughts or your actions.  He demands everything; you must give up your life!

Stop living like a child, afraid of those who love you and want to see you redeemed.  Quit mocking the Savior who begs you come and enjoy life.  Praise the Lord above with sweet songs and the best of what you have.  Do not be comforted by the liars who distract your from the pain of your sin. 

You cannot worship the grace of salvation from God that comes free and without repentance.  It doesn’t exist

Before Everyone

I will tell of your name to my brothers;

In the midst of the congregation I will praise you:

You who fear the Lord, praise him!

All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him,

And stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!

For he has not despised or abhorred

The affliction of the afflicted,

And he has not hidden his face from him,

But has heard, when he cried to him.

From you comes my praise in the great congregation;

My vows I will perform before those who fear him.

The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied;

Those who seek him shall praise the Lord!

May your hearts live forever!

-          Psalm 22.22-26

 

Throughout life we all endure trials and suffering, begging God to have mercy on us and help us to understand His will.  Too often the difficulty of this life turns our cries into groans and curses.  We hide from the glory of God and the grace of Christ, forgetting what He has done.

But we worship the God, the one who doesn’t turn our back on us.  Our prayers and cries are heard, they are not meaningless.  We cry out, and are heard.  We curse Him, and He stays true.  There is nothing fair; grace is a tragically undeserved thing!

So praise Him!

Praise Him at church, praise Him at home!  How can do we hold ourselves back?  Let us vow our love and unity with Christ to everyone, declaring His righteousness, His love and His power!  Suffer, and suffer well; because it is all for His glory that we are being sanctified.  It is by grace that we can suffer for Him.  If we love Him we will praise Him before everyone.

How can we keep from singing?  He is Lord, be glad!

Stubborn and Aggressive Usurpers

“Men have now by nature, no peace within their hearts, for God is crowned there no longer, but there in the moral dusk stubborn and aggressive usurpers fight among themselves for first place on the throne…  Our Lord referred to this tyranny of things when He said to His disciples,

‘if any man will come after me, I let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it.’

-          Matthew 16.24-25

“… it would seem that there is within each of us an enemy which we tolerate at our own peril.”

-          A.W. Tozer

One of the greatest things for me living in community has been the realization of confession and the way it allows me to realize and give up my idols.  Reflecting on our own idols and what is most important to us is difficult; but the rewards are endless.  The joy of communion with our God is unmatched.

It is vital to our soul and spiritual health that confession to one another is constant and those around us give admonishment tempered with scripture and love. 

“You who are younger, be subject to the elders.  Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, be submissive to one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble”

-          1 Peter 5.5

If we are unable to confess our sins to one another, we suffer from pride.  As for myself, that pride was - and continues to be - one of the greatest things to ever try and overcome.  Finally finding my identity in Christ after all those years of refusing to humble myself before others and bow before His will made me realize the suffering I was really going through.  Being free in Christ and knowing I have been redeemed and He is working in me to complete a good work, I have confidence in confessing my fears, my shortfalls and my rebellion.  Doing so helps me realize how my sin affects others and keeps my steps firm.  I’ll lie to myself, because I’m quick to forgive my own pride and selfishness.  I’ve found others aren’t so quick to celebrate my hate towards them and my Savior.

Being aware of the importance of submission also helps us realize what we hold dearest to our heart.  The sins I struggle to tell others about and want to keep desperately hidden are the idols that need to be broken down the most.  Often times my heart and mind scream at me, “it’s no one else’s business!”  How far from the truth could that be?  Our Lord knows all!  If my sin can be known in His absolute Glory and Perfection, then how could I be ashamed to tell a fellow sinner who violates the law in the same way?

Furthermore, particularly to those who are closest, isn’t it our duty to love freely and without shame?  If we are so private that our grievances against them – regardless of how small they seem to us – are not discussed openly, then how are we actually in community or loving?  Are we not allowing our pride to control our relationships?

Our God created this world and saw that it was not good for man to be alone, without a suitable helper.  We need one another.  It is not enough to try and confess our sins to God alone.  We lie, cheat and are lazy.  We do it to our God and others, but we succeed the most in doing it to ourselves.

We must give up our selfishness and bend our knee to the Christ.  We must crown the living God.  If you refuse now, you will be forced to eventually.  Every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess.  Don’t make it hell, ‘suffer’ through the pain of enduring that scandalous grace you’ve been given now!  Deny yourself and stop tolerating your idols.

In Christ Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found;

He is my light, my strength, my song;

This cornerstone, this solid ground,

Fird through the fiercest drought and storm.

What heights of love, what depths of peace,

When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!

My comforter, my all in all –

Here in the love of Christ I stand!

Birds

 “Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they?  And which of you by being anxious can add on cubit to his stature?”

-Matthew 6.26-27

“You see, He is making the birds our schoolmasters and teachers.  It is a great and abiding disgrace to us that in the Gospel a helpless sparrow should become a theologian and a preacher to the wisest of men, and daily should emphasize this to our eyes and ears, as if he were saying to us: ‘Look, you miserable man!  You have house and home, money and property.  Every year you have a field full of grain and other plants of all sort, more than you ever need.  Yet you cannot find peace, and you are always worried about starving.  If you do not know that you have supplies and cannot see them before your very eyes, you cannot trust God to give you food for one day.  Though we are innumerable, none of us spends his living days worrying.  Still God feeds us everyday.’  In other words, we have as many teachers and preachers as there are little birds in the air.  Their living example is an embarrassment to us.  Whenever we hear a bird singing toward heaven and proclaiming God’s praises and our disgrace, we should feel ashamed and not even dare to lift up our eyes.  But we are as hard as stone, and we pay no attention even though we hear the greatest multitude preaching and singing every day.

“Look what else the dear little birds do.  Their life is completely unconcerned, and they wait for their food solely from the hands of God.  Sometimes people cage them up to hear them sing.  They get food in abundance, and they ought to think: ‘Now I have plenty.  I do not have to be concerned about where my food is coming from.  Now I have a rich master, and my barns are full.’  But they do not do this.  When they are free in the air, they are happier and fatter.  Their singing of Lauds and of Matins to their Lord early in the morning before they eat is more excellent and more pleasant.  Yet none of them knows of a single grain laid away in store.  They sing a lovely, long Benedicite and leave their cares to our Lord God, even when they have young that have to be fed.

“Whenever you listen to a nightingale, therefore, you are listening to an excellent preacher.  He exhorts you with this Gospel, not mere simple words but with a living deed and an example.  He sings all night and practically screams his lungs out.  He is happier in the woods than cooped up in a cage, where he has to be taken care of constantly and where he rarely gets along very well or even stays alive.  It is as if he were saying: ‘I prefer to be in the Lord’s kitchen.  He has made heaven and earth, and He Himself is the cook and the host.  Every day He feeds and nourishes innumerable little birds out of His hand.  For He does not have merely a bag full of grain, but heaven and earth.’

“Now, since the birds have learned so well the art of trusting Him and of casting their cares from themselves upon God, we who are His children should do so even more. Thus this is an excellent illustration that puts us all to shame.  We, who are rational people and who have the Scriptures in addition, do not have enough wisdom to imitate the birds.  When we listen to the little birds singing every day, we are listening to our own embarrassment before God and the people.  But after his fall from the word and the commandment of God, man became crazy and foolish; and there is no creature alive which is not wiser than he.  A little finch, which can neither speak nor read, is his theologian and master in the Scriptures, even though he has the whole Bible and his reason to help him…”

-          Martin Luther

Mmm, how can you not love the reformers?  Reading this I cannot help but wonder what else could be added besides my guilt, shame and silliness and the subsequent grace, beauty and greatness of my Lord.  How can we keep from singing praise?

To God be the Glory

To God be the glory, great things he hath done!

So loved he the world that he gave us his Son,

Who yielded his life, an atonement for sin,

And opened the life gate that all may go in.

 

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,

Let the earth hear his voice!

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,

Let the people rejoice!

O come to the Father through Jesus the Son,

And give him the glory, great things he hath done!

 

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,

To every believer the promise of God;

The vilest offender who truly believes,

That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

 

Great things he hath taught us, great things he hath done,

And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;

But purer, and higher, and greater will be

Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.

Humility

I listened to a wonderful sermon on Sunday regarding humility.  I found it difficult to really focus on the sermon as much as several key relationships I have developed and struggled to listen to the sermon as much as wonder what those people were thinking of the sermon.  It’s frustrating to listen to a sermon that way, all the while knowing that the sermon is just as – if not more – applicable to me.  I hope the sermon was a blessing to those persons, and it is internalized rather than applied to others in the same way I immediately did.

After writing and expanding on several points in the sermon that stuck out to me, I was relieved to realize that just pondering about them exposed a lot of my own faults and forget about the others mentioned in the first paragraph.  I thank God for His grace and mercy that even though the sermon was focused on people in leadership, its relevance to all Christians is clear.  I hope my summation of the points is as helpful to you as it was for me to work through them.

Practicing humility often includes turning your critics into your coaches.  Often times our critics raise concerns about us and how we act.  We may not agree with them, but it is extremely beneficial to try and examine ourselves through their context and understanding.  When we respond with anger and saying, “I’ve been doing this since I was a teenager and I don’t have to answer to anyone,” we should be wary of ourselves and question; what is more important, our pride or our humility?   We should not assume our critics are trying to control us; rather they are concerned for our well being and seeing well come from us.  Why else would they have anything to say?  It is true some take joy in judging others, but is it not worthwhile to consider their words rather than repay their evil for evil?  Let us be humble and upright, concerning ourselves with the critiques of others and holding the glory of God close to our heart.

Those who are humble enjoy preaching and practicing repentance.  Repentance is something I have mentioned before in my writing, so I will not delve too deep into it now.  Suffice to say however, it is not beneficial to merely preach it.  It must be practiced, particularly towards those we love the most and those whom we lead.  We cannot give up when we fail, but continue trying.  I am a sinner, wrecked by the fall and I continue to do that which I know I should not; but if my response was to give up, I would continue to live in sin and forget my Redeemer.  We have the power, through Christ, to overcome our laziness.  Pray to Him for strength, meditate upon His goodness and go forward with the desire to do right.  We will not continually succeed, but that is no reason to run farther into sin.

Those who are humble enjoy submitting to Godly authority in and out of the church.  There is no question in my mind that submitting to the church is a reasonable and good thing to most Christians.  Too often however, we refuse to submit to anyone outside of what we consider to be an authority in the church.  We are eager to set ourselves up as Kings and refuse to submit.  We loathe the idea of submitting to one another.  I think scripture calls us to something more.  It is not enough to merely be willing to submit to Godly authority, we should actively seek Godly authority and enjoy receiving counsel.  We should enjoy trying to submit to one another in love, honoring those who are important to us.

Humility leads to the enjoyment of learning at least as much as teaching.  Give up your pride, you don’t know everything.  If an opportunity comes to learn and examine yourself, it is good to take it. What could be more frustrating than a Christian who thinks their knowledge and understanding of the Gospel is complete?

Enjoy Jesus’ glory more than theirs, their churches or their traditions.  It’s not enough to want to glorify God; we have to glorify God more than ourselves.  Our boundless pride, the perfection of our church and the trenches we’ve dug with our traditions should be negligible when compared to the love we have for the exultation of the one God.

Love

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil.

For you are with me;

Your rod and staff comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,

And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

This is a wonderful declaration of our God’s love and his provision for us that most children learn early on in Sunday School.  It is often read and quoted without thought despite the noblest intentions.  As I noted in my earlier entries, I really want to focus on community and what it looks like to love.  I think too often we claim to love people, without loving them at all.  We merely have an interest in them and what they can offer us.  I’ve brought it up before, but this interest in others is not community, it is affinity.   Should a Biblical community not serve one another in the same way as our Lord serves us?  It is with this, that I think it beneficial to consider Psalm 23 as a way we are called to love.  Do we really love?

Do we do all in our power to make sure those around us are not in need or want?  Are we really a friend to others if we do not even want to try to care for them abundantly?  It is not enough to say we are there; we must be there, pursuing and loving despite the discomfort and difficulty.  My God comforts me despite my attempts to refuse him, providing in great excess and bringing me great joy.  Do we do that for others, or allow them to help us?  Do we give wise counsel, or seek it?  How often do we make life good for others?  And what about those we say we love? 

We will fall short, but that is certainly no reason to give up.  We will turn others away, but we can’t use that as an excuse to keep them far.  We should be repenting to one another, doubling our efforts to love those we claim to love.  Shouldn’t we be the most free around them?  The more we love, the more our desire should be to treat them as our Lord treats us.  We cannot get down on ourselves for failing and shirk the responsibility that comes with love.  Rather, we must be upright and true.  If we cannot do that, we do not love.  I hope we all will consider the way we love and desire others and treat them right.

Fear

I wrote the following a while back, questioning how I understand fear. I do not feel as though I have presented an airtight thought or one that is completely correct doctrinally.  But I do think the way we fear is not always correct, and I hope this raises a few questions.

Fear is an interesting thing. It definitely is not something that we want to live in constantly, because fear comes from our sinful nature and is a result of the world around us.

I particularly find comfort in 1 John 4.18 where we are told: (I start at verse 16b)

"God is love.  Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.  In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will confidence on the Day of Judgment, because in this world we are like him.  There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."

I interpret this to mean that God made us with fear when it says, "The one who fears is not made perfect".  But the best part is the addition of, "in love", because it shows just how much God loves us.  If God hadn't created us without any fear, what would stop us from living a life for ourselves?  Why would we ever think about God?

Without fear, there is no need for salvation by human reasoning.  Christ would've come to deaf ears and blinded eyes.  Without fear, we have no order.  Laws would be broken, lives would be shattered, and we would have no reason to care. I would dare say that fear, and our instinctual understanding of it, is where our conscience comes from.  Why would we have a conscience if we had nothing to fear?  Without fear we would be depraved in a totality beyond comprehension.

As we learn in James, demons have fear:

"You believe that there is one God.  Good!  Even the demons believe that - and shudder"

We know that Satan is also a demon, so logically, he also has fear.  If Satan can be so depraved and reckless, with fear, what would a creation look like without fear?  This thought is frightening as best!

Fear truly is a gift of God which keeps us thinking of His will during times of struggle or temptation.  He gave it to us out of love and it is something I am inclined to cling to.

One dialogue that people often remember from the C.S. Lewis’ work, "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe" is when Lucy asks, "Is he... safe?" and Mr. Beaver responds, "safe?  Of course he isn't safe!  But... he is good.”  Lucy asks this question wondering if she is to fear Aslan or not.  The answer, of course!  But, he's good.  This is the same thing with God.  We should shake in our skin every time we consider disobeying one of God's commands.  I think we forget what God is!  And yet, there is nothing better to describe Him than the word, God!  It is humbling to consider His even the words that we describe Him with.  A proper understanding would instill such a mind paralyzing fear -beyond understanding - and yet, somehow it doesn't.  Our lack of fear is disturbing.

By definition, I must believe that fear was in perfection before the fall.  The only thing to fear was a pure, holy and perfect God, and what a wonderful fear to have.  It would drive us to worship Him, even if we were perfect, because He is still the ruler of all.

What we experience today and our understanding of fear is not good though.  I don't know that it is actually fear, but more of a gross perversion of what God intended which doesn't deserve the same word.  Unfortunately, my brain fails to bring up a more fitting term.  What we see today is people ultimately afraid of themselves.  The fear to love, work, play because they are afraid it will not benefit themselves. They fear to fear God (or, following God) because it would harm their own person. This fear and self worship is magnified by the money-driven world we live in.  It is exploited with pathetic horror movies and twisted so that we fear living without amenities.  This type of fear is wrong, and depressing.

Going back to First John, we see read that "Perfect love drives out fear." So why fear still a good thing - because, as humans, we are incapable of perfect love.  There will always be an element of fear in us, until we are made perfect, through Christ.  God does not, and cannot fear, because He is good and He is perfect love.

Changing

Why does it take so long and why is it so frustrating?

We are Christians; does our joy not come from doing right?  Can we not see how miserable the things of this world make us?  We bubble with the excitement of the possibility of fun, all the while brooding in our sin and becoming more and more depressed.  How can evil have such a hold on our hearts?

Get away from us Satan!  You cursed spirit!  You have no power, you have been made to bow, and you will bow before the Messiah.  Damn you and our sinful nature.  May their wills never come to pass!  God forgive us and help transform our hearts to your will obediently and with insurmountable joy!  Tune our hearts to sing your grace, proclaim your wisdom and celebrate in your glory!

 How can we feel such excitement about that which we know is evil?  Why can we not see how depressed we become even looking towards evil and how does the excitement continue? 

Empower us Lord, we do the things we do not want to do!  Grant us the strength to serve you today, the wisdom to discern right from wrong and the willingness to obey you.  We know what your will is, but we hate the way it challenges ours.  Change our desires Lord, they are ruining us!

God, I need to be encouraging to others.  I don’t know what that looks like.  I’ve never been encouraged, only affirmed.  Now, I do not even affirm!  I know it is necessary Lord, help me change.  Don’t let me become so sickened by sin that I despise the joy of overcoming it!   Bless my efforts at trying to understand encouragement and help me to remember my own sins.

I often want to avoid issues that I know I am sin in, despite the pain and depression that the sin causes; I have no desire to deal with it.  How often do I see this happening in other people, yet fail to minister them appropriately?  On that note, what is appropriate?  What finally causes that change apart from Christ granting the grace to see our sin and depression?

The chasm between our will and God’s perfection is so vast and great; I am in awe that He could love such a wretched people.  I can’t stop wondering why our praise to Him is not bursting out at every chance.  Would it be so wrong and harmful to shout in acclamation?  Why are we subdued about everything related to Christ?

Let’s praise God for His deliverance!  Let’s thank Him for His blessings!  Every good thing comes from Him!  Let all of nature, the rocks and streams, mountains and valleys sing! 

God grant us the strength to worship you and do what is right!  Help us take joy in the realization of your grace and love.  I despise the shame I feel of being in your presence, it can only be natural that anything apart from you would be shamed!  You alone are Holy!  What is anything that you are mindful of it?  Nothing compares to you!

God, forgive us

We have not known Thee as we ought,

Nor learned Thy wisdom, grace and power;

The things of earth have filled our thought,

And trifles of the passing hour.

Lord, give us light Thy truth to see,

And make us wise in knowing Thee.

Lord I know there is nothing else that can satisfy me, please keep my life simple and clear.  My life is incomplete without learning about you.  I want to know your wisdom, understand your grace and marvel at your power.  Make everything outside your will disappear, I beg you, I want to love you.  Help me live to love you.

We have not feared Thee as we ought,

Nor bowed beneath Thine awful eye,

Nor guarded deed and word and thought,

Remembering that God was nigh.

Lord, give us faith to know Thee near,

And grant the grace of holy fear.

God make me whole.  I’m rash, proud and rude; please, keep me from myself.  I want to glorify you, help me fear your law, make me aware of your presence.  Grant me the desire to know your sovereign will and revel in it.

We have not loved Thee as we ought,

Nor cared that we are loved by Thee;

Thy presence we have coldly sought,

And feebly longed Thy face to see.

Lord, give a pure and loving heart

To feel and know the love Thou art.

My heart longs other things; I don’t try to love you.  I make no effort, yet your grace abounds.   Only your glory is satisfying, encourage me to strive for you.   I want to ache for you even when I’m not meditating or praying.

We have not served Thee as we ought,

Alas, the duties left undone,

The work with little fervor wrought,

The battles lost of scarcely won!

Lord, give the zeal, and give the might,

For Thee to toil, for Thee to fight.

I serve myself and forget your law.  I fail your people and hate them.  I don’t know how to love, change my heart.  Give me passion and help me forget myself.  I want to live for you.

When shall we know Thee as we ought,

And fear and love and serve aright?

When shall we, out of trial brought,

Be perfect in the land of light?

Lord, may we day by day prepare

To see Thy face and serve Thee there.

When will I love you when times are good?  Why can’t I love without suffering?  Make me pure and give me grace.  Mold my heart and change my song I want to praise you and be made whole.