Embrace the Tension

Helpful Comments on "Radical"

2012-01-28T12:04:00.000-08:00

David Platt's book Radical (much like Chan's Crazy Love) has seemingly spread like a wildfire through conservative Christian circles. And rightfully so. His urgent call to true discipleship, passionate evangelism, and compassionate missions is a necessary message to our often laid-back, comfortable churches. I was certainly blessed, convicted by his strong words.

However, something hasn't quite sat right with me as I've marinated on the book's message and what it means for a young married (American) guy, pursuing lay ministry in my local church while pursuing a career to provide for my family as well. I've felt that my "ordinary" life was almost condemned by his words. Can I be a career guy with a house and a dog (yellow lab, please), serving my local church and still be a Christian? (Note: I'm still not sure if this is because of Platt's words or my wrestling with them).

Enter in a very helpful review by Kevin DeYoung. DeYoung is careful to highlight the many strengths of Radical while humbly warning of its weaknesses and potential mis-applications. Even better, DeYoung seems to have "younger evangelicals" like myself in mind. He also allows Platt to respond to his criticisms, making this a very helpful and balanced article, one I highly encourage you to read if you've been impacted by the book; if you don't have the time to read the whole thing, I've pasted the most penetrating comment below:

"I don’t worry for David’s theology, but I worry that some young Christians reading his book might walk away wondering if a life spent working as a loan officer, tithing to their church, praying for their kids, learning to love Christ more, and serving in the Sunday school could possibly be pleasing to God. We need to find a way to attack the American dream while still allowing for differing vocations and that sort of ordinary Christian life that can plod along for fifty years. I imagine David wants this same thing. I’m just not sure this came through consistently in the book."

So, is it a sin to be rich?

2012-01-21T13:51:00.000-08:00

In conservative Christian circles, we push hard against the idols of materialism. And rightfully so, since the love of money is "a root of all kinds of evil" and "you cannot serve both God and money" (1 Tim. 6:10; Matt. 6:24). But, I have noticed in our circles (and, frankly, sometimes in my heart) a tendency to look down on wealth as though it were an inherent evil. Sometimes, it seems that we view being rich as a sin in and of itself (even though we'd never say this!)

The Bible is loaded (pun intended) with teachings about money, wealth, and riches. One such applicable passage is found in 1 Timothy 6. In verse 17, Paul tells Timothy (a younger pastor) how to address the rich, by writing, "As for the rich in this present age..." There is no doubt about whom he is speaking. Loaded people. Big wigs. Fat cats. If there ever were a great time to blast the inherent evil of wealth, this would be it! Paul does not teach that riches are sinful; rather, his instruction tells us some of the temptations that arise with having wealth, and how to worship God as a rich person. Let's check out his instruction.

"...charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life."

We can sum up this instruction with 3 simple ways to worship God as a rich person (note that the instruction does not say "Become a poor person").
Be humble, for riches will tempt you to boast in your accomplishments and base your soul's worth on your net worth.
Be hopeful in God, for he gives you all good things to enjoy, including your wealth, but more importantly, your salvation.
Be helpful, for riches tempt you to place value in your portfolio, and not in freely blessing others with the blessings God has freely given you.

Piper once tweeted, "The only difference between a rich person and a poor person is the amount of money they have." And the Bible would agree. It is not a sin to be rich; it is a sin to allow riches to breed pride, self-sufficiency, and selfishness rather than humility, gratitude, and generosity.

God Hates (a certain type of) Religion

2012-01-14T09:55:00.000-08:00

There has been much action in the blogosphere over the spoken word video that claims "Jesus hates religion." I don't really want to get into a criticism of it, as I generally like it and find it impassioned, gospel-centered, and thought-provoking.

This discussion though did call to my mind a passage that rebukes self-righteous, skin-deep, rituals-but-no-heart religion. And from the way God talks about it, you can certainly claim that he hates it.

“What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?
says the LORD;
I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
and the fat of well-fed beasts;
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
or of lambs, or of goats.
“When you come to appear before me,
who has required of you
this trampling of my courts?
Bring no more vain offerings;
incense is an abomination to me.
New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations—
I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.
Your new moons and your appointed feasts
my soul hates;
they have become a burden to me;
I am weary of bearing them.
When you spread out your hands,
I will hide my eyes from you;
even though you make many prayers,
I will not listen;
your hands are full of blood.
Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes;
cease to do evil,
learn to do good;
seek justice,
correct oppression;
bring justice to the fatherless,
plead the widow's cause."
(Isaiah 1:11-17 ESV)

God's contempt for skin-deep religion jumps off the page. He is so "weary" and "burdened" by these religious rituals, gatherings, prayers, and activities that he will "hide his eyes" and "will not listen." "Enough!" God says, "My soul hates this!" God hates religion that is mere lip-service, religion that is all external going through the motions. I find it convicting that God doesn't seem to rebuke their theology, but rather, that their theology has not penetrated their hearts.

Let's not leave these words and judgments from God as something only aimed for Israel, something that he would never say to the modern church. Therefore, it's fitting to ask, what would God's reaction be toward our church activities? Would he say "Why do you even gather? I've had enough of this!"? Would he say, "Stop praying, stop singing, stop taking communion, just stop!!"? Or would he say, as he said to the church in Philadelphia, "I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name." (Rev. 3:8). The last thing I want to be is a gathering that God's soul hates.

Don't judge me!

2012-01-09T22:12:00.000-08:00

Matthew 7:1- “Judge not, that you be not judged."

You may have heard the above verse quoted a time or two. Generally, this verse is used in order to prove the point that we as Christians should not judge others. People may claim that we shouldn't judge sin, we shouldn't judge right & wrong, truth & falsehood.

While it's true that we are not the ultimate judges by any means- God is- you may be surprised to learn that this verse is not teaching that we shouldn't judge at all. Whaaaat?!

Jesus here does not teach that judgment in and of itself is wrong; rather, he teaches that hypocritical judgment is wrong. He goes on to say...

"For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." Matthew 7:2-5

Jesus clearly teaches that, once we've done business with God concerning our own hearts & issues by "taking the log out of your own eye", we then may lovingly help others out by "taking specks out of their eyes." You see, while some people say that we shouldn't judge others at all, others are trigger-happy and judge at the drop of a hat. Jesus abhors both extremes and teaches that we must "judge with right judgment" (John 7:24).

So, we must not always refrain from passing righteous, God-centered,and loving judgment. But at the same time, we must be much quicker to pass judgment on ourselves.

Read Through the Bible in a Year!

2011-12-30T12:03:00.000-08:00

Psalm 119:130- "The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple."

By the time you return to work on Monday, it will be 2012. Typically a time for New Year's Resolutions, and every Christian's time to ~~attempt~~ re-attempt reading through the Bible in a whole year. It goes without saying that resolutions like this are rather empty without, well, resolve. So here's to hoping that you and I make it through God's Word this year.

HERE is a great summary of various reading programs. All certainly have their strengths, so simply choose one and dive into God's Word. This year, I'll be attempting Professor Grant Horner's intense program, wherein I'll read 10 chapters from various genres a day.

Hope this helps, and let me know what you choose!

The thing about Bible Apps...

2011-11-18T18:21:00.001-08:00

When I was in high school, I took my Bible to class. Not only did it serve as a witness to my classmates, but I was able to read and study during downtime (which was very frequent during senior year at a public school). Carrying my Bible around really meant something to me; no one forced me to do so, and the inconvenience of the heavy MacArthur Study Bible was outweighed by the joy of having God's Word with me.

Nowadays, I still carry the joy of God's word with me at all times, but I'm much more efficient and tech-savvy. Instead of the bulky leatherbound, I've got the iPad, and I even purchased the ESV Study Bible App for deep study on the go. If I'm to be honest, I read the Bible more often from pixels than I do from pages. Heck, I make our pastor email me his sermon notes beforehand, so I can view those in 1024x768 too. Honestly, I enjoy it. Bible apps are easy to navigate, my underlining is always precise, my bindings don't get worn out, and I no longer carry 472 half-sheet sermon handouts, tucked in the pages of my Bible.

I'm reading a great book on theology and technology, and it's really causing me to question how technology influences my worldview, and most importantly, my view of God. And I'm not going to sit here and say that using Bible apps is wrong, or that it's more holy to read from a page than a screen. But you know the thing about Bible Apps? Your Bible App is one of many apps on your device. You've got apps on productivity, money, sports, bird-flinging, and navigating. And I wonder, does that setup ever influence the way I view Christ himself? Do I view my life as a device, with several functions and components, and do I view Jesus as only one of those components? Jesus isn't one element of my life; he is my life, and he himself dictates how everything else should be used.

I'm not on a soapbox here, decrying modern uses of technology. I actually think techie stuff can be used for great Kingdom good (printing press, anyone?). But I want to make sure that, amidst the glitz and glamour of the latest slick device, we don't view Jesus as just another app, widget, or update to our life. No, my friend, Christ is your life.

Fear for your Life

2011-10-12T22:11:00.000-07:00

"The fear of the LORD leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm."
Proverbs 19:23

Many of us fear for our lives. What I mean by this is that we are afraid to lose our lives. We fear death, tragedy, sickness, and harm. We hear a noise in the middle of the night, or have a tough time shaking a tricky illness, and fear naturally creeps up into our hearts to some degree. In this instance, we are using fear as a mechanism to protect that which we cherish most, life. Fear in this sense is exclusively a negative term.

In another sense, the Bible tells us that fear is a path to life. A means to an end. The proverb above tells us that fear (not of airplane flights or spiders or tornadoes) "leads to life." The fear of God is the only path to true living. Rather than fearing for the loss of life, proper fear leads to life.

Moreover, those who possess this fear "rest satisfied." What? I remember camping as a child and being terrified that a slithery reptile (the type that happens to be referenced in Genesis 3) would somehow end up in the foot of my sleeping bag as I slept. My fear did not lead to rest; no, no, it led to the lack of rest. However, fear of God, Proverbs teaches, brings us rest. In fact, those who fear the Lord "will not be visited by harm."

Fear is mainly seen as a dark term, an unpleasant emotion. Generally, it takes and does not give. However, we must reprogram our minds when thinking of the fear of God. We see here that the fear of God gives life, rest, and protection.

The Heart: Where it all starts

2011-09-30T09:47:00.000-07:00

Romans 1 gets a lot of bad press, perhaps because it explicitly condemns homosexuality and labels it as "unnatural." However, only 2 verses in Romans 1 explicitly mention this sin (1:26-27). It would seem that the church is missing the big picture by only referencing this chapter in discussions on homosexuality. So what's the rest of the chapter about?

In Romans 1, Paul begins to develop a lengthy presentation on the gospel of Jesus Christ (1:16-17). As you have probably heard, "gospel" means "good news." But there is not much actual good news in Romans 1, as Paul seeks to establish the guiltiness of all mankind (1:18-32). It makes sense, right? We don't really care about good news of a Savior if we don't think we're in danger and in need of saving!

In order to show that all men our guilty, Paul tracks the downward spiral of our sin.
- We knew God, but didn't honor him (1:21).
- We exchanged his glory for the glory of other things (1:22-23).
- God gave us up to bodily impurity (1:24-25).
- God gave us up to rank impurity, specifically, homosexuality (1:26-27).
- God gave us up to an entirely debased mind, leading to loads of sins (1:28-32).

A book could be written on the above. (In fact, many probably already have.) But I wanted to point out where sin's downward spiral begins- in the heart. In this sequence, Paul does not write "Mankind is evil, look at all the bad things they did." No, he writes, "This whole process starts with a decision in the heart to not glorify God."

Romans 1 is not about homosexuality (though it certainly has something to say about it). Romans 1 is really about where sin starts, and where it goes when unchecked and "un-graced." Sin, however "big or "small", start in the heart, when we choose the glory of something very finite over the infinite Glory of God.

"Where I Belong" ... Switchfoot

2011-09-26T22:54:00.000-07:00

'Where I Belong', the closing track from the new Switchfoot album, Vice Verses. It's not exactly a worship song as we know it, but there are very few songs more worshipful. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Feeling like a refugee, like it don't belong to me. Thecolors flash across the sky

This air feels strange to me, Feeling like a tragedy, take adeep breath and close my eyes

One last time

Storms on the wasteland, Dark clouds on the plains again. Wewere born into the fight

But I'm not sentimental, This skin and bones is a rental andno one makes it out alive

Until I die I'll sing these songs on the shores of Babylon

Still looking for a home in a world where I belong

Where the weak are finally strong, where the righteous rightthe wrongs

Still looking for a home in a world where I belong

Feels like we're just waiting, waiting while our hearts arejust breaking, breaking

Feels like we're fighting against the tide

I wanna see the earth shaking, I wanna see a generationfinally waking up inside

Until I die I'll sing these songs on the shores of Babylon

Still looking for a home in a world where I belong

Where the weak are finally strong, where the righteous rightthe wrongs

Still looking for a home in a world where I belong

This body's not my own, this world is not my own

But I can still hear the sound of my heart beating out

So let's go boys, play it loud

On the final day I die I want to hold my head up high

I want to tell you that I tried to live it like a song

And when I reach the other side I want to look you in theeye

And know that I've arrived in a world where I belong

I still believe we can live forever. You and I we beginforever now

I still believe in us together, You and I we're heretogether now

Together now, Together now, Forever now, Forever now

Why aren't you a Christian?

2011-09-26T13:06:00.000-07:00

People claim many reasons for rejecting Christianity. Usually, these reasons fall into 1 of 3 camps.

First, let me note that a decision on Christianity is very unlike choosing one's favorite ice cream. Christianity deals in the realm of true or false, and not in the realm of preference or opinion. Either Jesus is God, or he is not. Both cannot be true at the same time. So one cannot claim that Christianity may be "true for you, but not for me." That doesn't make sense. That's like saying "Gravity is true for you, but not for me." So, when it comes to the question of Christianity, we shouldn't ask, 'Do I like it?', but rather, 'Is it true?' Kapish?

So...why aren't you a Christian? (Or if you are a Christian, use the below to determine why those you are speaking with aren't Christians...)

1. Intellectual- In this camp, you don't believe that Christianity has been proven to be true. You may be open to the evidence for or against it, but you think the evidence is stacked against it. At least, in this camp, you are asking the right question- Is Christianity true? I believe that the evidence convincingly shows it to be so. But at least those in this camp are asking the right questions.

2. Volitional- This camp is for those who don't want Christianity to be true. Regardless of the evidence, there are those who wouldn't believe, because they really don't want someone telling them what to do. If Christianity is true, that means they have to answer to God for how they live and the choices they make. ("Volition" means "the power to make a decision.")

3. Emotional- A third camp rejects Christianity for emotional reasons. They may not like the Bible's teaching on hell, or homosexuality, or gender roles, or predestination. Something doesn't sit well with them, so they refuse to accept it.

Keep in mind that camps #2 & #3 above do not affect the truth of Christianity. I might not like gravity. I might not like the Civil War. My negative emotional feelings, however, do not affect whether these are true or not.

So skeptic and saved alike, keep in mind that in discussions on Christianity in specific (and "religion", "truth", and "morality in general"), the question is not one of opinion or preference. The question is, "Is this true or not? And what does the evidence say?"

Adam & Eve, Fables, and Genealogies

2011-09-22T21:39:00.000-07:00

I interrogate my Bible when I read it. I think it's the best way to learn. Someone really, really smart once said that "the unexamined life isn't worth living." I think the unquestioned faith isn't worth believing. Therefore, I firmly believe that we must question what we believe. Not to be an annoying skeptical guy, but to deepen our faith, to arrive at tough answers for tough questions, and ultimately to know God better. My, is it scary sometimes. But your faith will be better for it.

So I asked myself the question, "Doesn't the story of Adam & Eve seem kind of like a fable? Doesn't it seem made up, possibly a cute and childish Jewish anecdote for how we all got here, and why everything's jacked up? Kinda like Greek mythology a little bit?" (P.S.- I ask myself weird questions like this all the time. Then I usually ask them and ramble about them to my wife. Poor gal.)

On the surface, how do we know that Adam & Eve is no more historical than say, the notable "Tortoise and the Hare"? Besides the typical (yet true) answer that the Bible is God's word, and is therefore true, how do we know?

I'm sure there are several answers better than the one I'm about to give. But the weird thing about Adam & Eve is that the story doesn't just get told in a vacuum. If skeptics kept on reading, they'd realize that Adam had children. And they had children. And this is all recorded. There are in fact 3-4 genealogies in the next few chapters (4:17-22, Gen. 5, Gen. 10 & Gen 11:10-32). These genealogies are retraced in the New Testament as well, linking Adam & Eve and their descendants to real, historical humans that, guess what, actually existed! (See. Matt. 1 & Luke 3:23-38)

Some claim that the biblical accounts of creation are nice, but are ultimately fictional. They would essentially equate the creation & fall of man in Genesis 3 to Aesop's Fables. However, a real reading of the text indicates that the author and his audience entirely took this account to be historical. There's no way around it.

Often times, genealogies are the sections I skip over in my Bible (except to look for funny names). But tonight, they really encouraged me and strengthened my faith in God's Word. Let 'em strengthen yours.

Living in Fear

2011-08-16T12:13:00.000-07:00

It is often taken as a sign of weakness to "live in fear." We claim that we don't want to be afraid, and we don't want our lives to be dictated by something outside ourselves. To fear something or someone is essentially to allow our actions, decisions, and behavior to be shaped by them. We give the ones we fear reverence or respect by considering them in all elements of our lives.

Understandably, we don't want to live in fear of things: people, of illness, or tragedy, or hardship. Heck, one of the most comforting commands in Scripture is "Fear not" (Is. 41:10; Lk. 2:10). However, there is a healthy type of fear...and Jesus commands that we live in it.

Let's set the scene. Jesus has walked with his disciples for several months. They have aided in his ministry and learned from his actions and his teaching. But they have not yet gone out alone and ministered; they have always been physically alongside their Rabbi. In Matthew 10, Jesus is about to send them out...alone. He will not physically go with them, and they will teach, preach, heal, pray, and minister on their own. I imagine they felt a host of emotions: excitement, anxiety, anticipation, humility, and, maybe above all, fear.

Understanding this, Jesus exhorts them (and, by extension, exhorts us as well): "So have no fear of them [those who persecute you], for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul" (Matt. 10:26-28)

Jesus' words enter to free them of certain fear. But he doesn't stop there. He frees us from certain fear, but he also subjects us to another type of fear.

"Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell."

Jesus is saying that we all "fear" something or someone. As we live our lives, something is enthroned with power and authority, and we bow the knee each day. Sometimes, we hesitate to speak God's Word, as we fear co-workers, classmates, or our own status. Sometimes, we hesitate to pray for our world, as we fear inconvenience, sacrifice, and time.

The disciples in Matthew 10, on the verge of their first "mission trip" were in the same boat that we find ourselves in. And Jesus' message remains the same. We must live in fear. Not of people, or personal reputation, or pleasure, or status. We must live in fear of the Sovereign One, who gave us life, gave us forgiveness, and who will someday judge us.

"In God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?" (Psalm 56:11)

Christian Funda-terrorist?

2011-07-25T12:37:00.000-07:00

I came across this well-written column on the recent terrorist attack and tragic shooting in Norway. It is certainly unfortunate that this criminal has referred to himself as "Christian." The article explores how "Christian" this sick individual really is. A great excerpt below, and the whole thing HERE. Emphasis below is mine.

Given initial suspicions that Friday's bombing and mass shooting in Norway were carried out by Islamic militants linked to al Qaeda, the way police ended up describing the suspect behind the attacks came as a big surprise even to many security experts: The alleged attacker was called a "Christian fundamentalist."

But experts on European politics and religion say that the Christian fundamentalist label could overstate the extent to which the suspect, Anders Behring Breivik - who has told authorities that he carried out the attacks - was motivated by religion, and the extent to which he is tied to a broader religious movement.

"It is true that he sees himself as a crusader and some sort of Templar knight," said Marcus Buck, a political science professor at Norway's University of Tromso, referring to an online manifesto that Breivik appears to have authored and which draws inspiration from medieval Christian crusaders.

"But he doesn't seem to have any insight into Christian theology or any ideas of how the Christian faith should play any role in Norwegian or European society," Buck wrote in an email message. "His links to Christianity are much more based on being against Islam and what he perceives of as 'cultural Marxism.'"

From what the 1,500-page manifesto says, Breivik appears to have been motivated more by an extreme loathing of European multiculturalism that has accompanied rapid immigration from the developing world, and of the European Union's growing powers, than by Christianity.

"My impression is that Christianity is used more as a vehicle to unjustly assign some religious moral weight," to his political views, said Anders Romarheim, a fellow at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies. "It is a signifier of Western culture and values, which is what they pretend to defend."

"I would say they are more anti-Islam than pro-Christian," Romarheim said in reference to what appear to be Breivik's views.

On the balance of Ministry and Marriage...

2011-07-22T09:39:00.000-07:00

At times, I've heard others (and wondered myself) about the balance and tension between loving my spouse/family vs. serving in ministry. The below story, taken from Gary Thomas' Sacred Marriage, helped paint a very insightful picture for me. Enjoy.

"A campus pastor named Brady Bobbink decided to take Scripture’s admonitions about love seriously. Brady married relatively late in life. He had become well known as a speaker on discipleship and single living, and he was in high demand, with plenty of opportunities to “serve God” through his gift of teaching.

When Brady asked Shirley to become his wife, life changed dramatically. Shirley had two children from a previous marriage, and it wasn’t long before Shirley and Brady began to pray about having a child of their own.

“What would it mean for me to love my wife in this situation?” Brady asked himself. In prayer, Brady made a pledge. If Shirley had another baby, for the first year he wouldn’t accept any outside speaking engagements other than the ones his current position required him to take. Shirley subsequently became pregnant and gave birth to their first boy, Micah.

Months later, Brady received a lucrative opportunity to speak in Singapore. Brady is a student of history and loves to travel. The chance to go to the Far East was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, plus it would give him the chance to teach Christians from another culture.

He excitedly told Shirley about this great opportunity, then remembered his pledge midway through his conversation, and said out loud, “I can’t go.”

Shirley tried to release Brady from his pledge. “Honey, I’ll be fine,” she said.

It would have been easy for Brady to play religious games here. “I certainly could have justified it on a noble idea,” he admitted, “preaching to another culture, but if that had really been my passion, I would have moved there and taken my wife and kids with me.”

Some might think Brady was passing up an opportunity to please God by taking his gospel message to another nation, but Brady realized he could please God by loving his wife in a season in which she needed extra help and attention. To stay home and care for his wife in her need was every bit as much “Christian service” as leaving his hometown to go preach the gospel when he was single.

“To fail to love my wife and kids rightly in the name of loving other people rightly is a sham,” Brady insists.

Sanctifying Silence

2011-07-18T09:21:00.000-07:00

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10

One thing that we tend to lack today is silence. I had a great conversation over the weekend with a friend (who is also a high school teacher), and we were observing how today's teenagers are never just silent (This is true of adults as well). We, as I've written before, always have something to entertain us, always have somewhere to be, something to do, someone to see. This leaves very little silence in our lives, even though silence can be very productive. It allows us to think about deep issues, to pray through things that are troubling or exciting, and to connect with our God. I would go as far to say that a lack of silence in our lives inhibits us from knowing God deeply.

In the above, frequently-quoted verse, two things really stand out to me.

1. We often think of this verse as a "warm-fuzzy" verse. To "be still and know that I am God" conjures emotions mainly of warmth and safety. When we look at the rest of the Psalm, however, we see that we are called to know the God who "has brought desolations on the earth," "makes wars cease," "breaks the bow and shatters the spear," and "burns the chariots with fire." This same God is also "is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble," and "is our fortress" as well. So we see that we are to "know" God in his holy fullness.

2. Notice the order of the commands. "Be still and know..." God commands us to FIRST be still and silent, and then come to know him. I think that order is very critical in our pursuit of knowing Jesus. If we do not obey the first command- "be still"- we will have a hard time obeying the second command- "know that I am God."

Remember, Paul said that the most worthy goal in life is to know Christ (Phil. 3:7-10). And Psalm 46:10 seems to indicate that to know him properly, we must be still and silent. Let's make time in our lives this week for sanctifying silence.

Church Life

2011-07-15T13:34:00.000-07:00

Your life in the church...
People over programs
Lives over locations
Relationships over ritual
Fellowship over formalism...

Content Consumption

2011-07-15T09:41:00.000-07:00

If your life looks anything like mine (and most of America's), you are constantly being presented content to consume. We have genius-phones and iPads and ~~walkmans~~ and apps and a billion ways to read, view, discuss, and consume content. The most popular websites are dedicated to this task as well (think facebook, Google, YouTube). For example, one morning this week, I grabbed my phone (while still in bed), shot off a few witty facebook comments, viewed what my friends were up to, scanned through some headlines via twitter, turned on the British Open and watched a few holes of golf, and texted a few friends with weekend plans. All from the bathroom. We are constantly consuming content.

It has been said "You are what you eat." And I believe that we can tie that principle to the content that we consume as well. You are the data you consume. What you consume is what you worship.

If what we consume is of utmost importance, I need to ask myself is where God's word falls on my list of content that I consume. Is it at the top of the list, constantly receiving my first time, my most dedicated time? Is it in the middle, something I casually tune into when convenient for me? Or does it not even make the list?

You've likely been interacting with content, data, news, blogs, stories, video clips, highlights, messages, music, and "+1's" since you rolled out of bed this morning. Let's make sure that above all else, before all else, more urgently than all else, and more frequently than all else, we consume God's word.

"Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good." 1 Peter 2:2-3.

A Monday Thought

2011-05-16T09:38:00.000-07:00

"...all solid relationships are built on quid pro quo: doing something for someone who, in turn, does something for you."

In reading a business article this morning, I came across the above sentence. It indicates that relationships are give & take; that, you serve someone because you know they will serve you back. This view indicates that love and service to others is motivated by their love or service back to you.

While the above has some practical value in business relationships, it is not the principle of Christian relationships. Love takes joy solely in loving others; not for some favor that may be returned. To modify the above sentence...

"...all solid relationships are built on love: rejoicing in doing something for someone who, in turn, may or may not do something for you."

Ultimately, God is the perfect lover, and true love follows his example. "In this is love, not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 4:10). God's love was initiated not based on our love or service to him. Neither should our love for others be.

Japan, Jesus, and Judgment

2011-03-24T08:10:00.000-07:00

The title of this post will likely remind you of comments made by Pat Robertson (American televangelist) after the Haiti earthquake. He posited that God allowed the Haiti earthquake as judgment over a "pact with the devil" made by Haiti's founders. He also attempted to explain reasons for God allowing tragedies such as Hurricane Katrina and 9/11. He is certainly not the only one to make assertions like this, but he is one of the most prominent (You may read of a few of his infamous blunders here).

When tragedies happen, God-believing humans want to know why such things have occurred. We feel better if there is a specific & known reason for cataclysmic events. The recent earthquake and tsunami is Japan is one such event. We'd, frankly, like to know what God was thinking in allowing such a tragedy to occur.

It is a common thought that if a tragic event occurs, it must be a judgment of God. But that thought process is The Jews of Jesus' time also struggled with such questions, and they also wanted answers.

Luke 13:1-6 recounts, "There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

There were two tragic events that these Jews were wrestling with. 1) Pilate apparently had some Galileans unjustly killed while they were offering sacrifices. 2) A tower in Siloam collapsed, killing 18 people.

While these 2 events were not immediately viewable on YouTube minutes after they occurred, the theological questions that Jesus deals with are the same ones that we deal with in light of Japan. Did this happen because they were being specifically judged? And, what should my response be?

Jesus' response was simple. Tragedies like this do not mean that they were worse sinners than you. You were not spared because of greater intrinsic holiness, since you are all sinners. God will not give humanity specific reasons for why most events like this occur, so don't bother speculating too much. Tragedies like this are meant to remind you, here and now, that the judgment of God is coming to everyone someday. We shouldn't spend time speculating why this happened; rather, we should spend time thinking of God's judgment. Therefore, repent and make yourself right with God.

We have many thoughts and emotions over tragedies like Japan, 9/11, Katrina, Haiti, etc. In addition to our thoughts, prayers, aid, and missions to the suffering, let us also soberly think of the judgment of God, a tsunami coming to all humanity not bound by geography. And also think of the lone way to escape this judgment: the grace and forgiveness of Jesus, bought for you on the cross.

Quick Thought- Truth & Emotions

2011-02-07T13:47:00.000-08:00

Good afternoon.

I just had a quick thought on TRUTH and emotions. In various discussions with friends, sometimes we talk about tough issues- those things we may disagree on. (This conversation could be Christians talking about theology or a conversation with an unbeliever.) What I want to stress is that the way we feel about a topic is not a good test case for the truth of that topic. For example, I may not like the topic of death. However, death is a reality and my negative feelings about death don't change the reality of death.

Same with Jesus. You may not feel great about his claim over your life. You may not feel great about God's standard of holiness. You may react adversely to God's 100% true Word. But those feelings do not change God's truth OR your responsibility to submit to God's truth.

Kapish?

Spurgeon Quotes on the Church

2011-01-03T11:31:00.000-08:00

Below are 2 great quotes from Spurgeon on the church. I hope they edify you. I came across them in Josh Harris' book Stop Dating the Church.

On the necessity of being involved in a local church for Christians...

"I know there are some who say, 'Well, I have given myself to the Lord, but I do not intend to give myself to the church.'
Now why not?
'Because I can be a Christian without it.'
Are you quite clear about that? You can be as good a Christian by disobedience to your Lord's commands as by being obedient?
What is a brick made for? To help build a house. It is of no use for that brick to tell you that it is just as good a brick while it is kicking about on the ground as it would be in the house. It is a good-for-nothing brick.
So you rolling-stone Christians, I do not believe that you are answering your purpose. You are living contrary to the life which Christ would have you live, and you are much to blame for the injury you do."

On the priority of the gospel in the local church...

"Do not go where it is all fine music and grand talk and beautiful architecture; those things will neither fill anybody's stomach, nor feed his soul. Go where the gospel is preached, the gospel that really feeds your soul, and go often."

Becoming a community of disciples...

2010-12-30T11:02:00.000-08:00

I came across this quote in Josh Harris' Stop Dating the Church, a phenomenal little read. The fact remains that Jesus did not merely call us as individuals to be worshipers, evangelists, ambassadors, and disciples, but rather he called us to be a community of disciples. Josh Harris quotes Eric Lane as saying...

"To be a member of a family is to belong to a community bound by a common fatherhood. To be a stone in his temple means to belong to a worshiping community. To be a part of a body means to belong to a living, functioning, serving, witnessing community. Put together, you have the main functions of an individual Christian. Evidently, we are meant to fulfill these not on our own, but together in the church."

Josh Harris concludes...

"He's right. We can't live out our Christian lives on our own. When we're saved from our sin, we become part of something bigger than ourselves- a family, a body, a temple."

On Intentional Living in an "Always Connected" World

2010-12-27T11:39:00.000-08:00

I have been reading this excellent book on how facebook (and other forms of social media) help and hinder life and community. It's called "The Church of Facebook", and the section below highlights how being constantly connected to the internet (and therefore, to one another) can hinder truly living with a purpose.

"There is no such thing as an unintentional life. All of us have, at times, felt like we were drifting through life or wandering aimless. Perhaps that's exactly where we find ourselves this moment. It is a common experience, but it does not mean we do not have intentions. It simply means we are not conscious of our intentions. We are not aware of them, even though they are present and determining the direction of our lives as much as a well-thought-out list of goals. This is what is meant by the old saying, 'Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.' When we are not aware of our intentions, we find that passivity and restlessness (most often in the form of boredom) take root and sprout up like weeds, covering over a clear life path until we are thoroughly lost.

The great challenge in being always-on [i.e., always connected to people and information via the internet, facebook, etc.] is that it rarely enables us to be consciously intentional. More often than not, it thwarts on-purpose living by creating in us a need to respond to what is most urgent rather than what is most valuable. In other words, hyperconnectivity can lead to hyper-reactivity."

Persistent Prayer

2010-12-09T11:13:00.000-08:00

Enjoy the below from John Wesley on being persistent in our prayers.

"Lord, teach us to pray" (Luke 11:1). Immediately after our Lord answered this request of His disciples, He showed them the absolute necessity of using prayer if we would receive any gift from God.

He told the story of a man who begged his friend at midnight to get up and lend him three loaves of bread. Though his friend would not rise and give him because he was his friend, yet because of his troublesome persistence, his friend will rise and give him. Jesus said, "And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given to you."

How could our blessed Lord more plainly declare the means- persistently asking- by which we may receive of God what otherwise we should not receive at all?

"He spoke also another parable, to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not lose heart" (Luke 18:1) - to persevere until they receive of God whatever petition they have asked of him: "There was in a city a judge...and there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 'Avenge me of my adversary.' And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I fear not God, nor regard man; yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her'" (Luke 18:2-5).

Our Lord Himself made the application for those who cry day and night to Him: "I tell you that he will avenge them speedily" (Luke 18:8)."

What a penetrating truth- God doesn't answer lackadaisical prayers; he answers persistent ones.

Loving Jesus

2010-10-07T18:23:00.000-07:00

A group from my church has been reading Francis Chan's Crazy Love. We have recently wrestled with the question, What does it mean to love Jesus? We talk loving Jesus alot, we sing about it in songs, and I know that many of us have experienced it, but how do we define it? Forgive me if the following raises as many questions as it does answers!

As I talk to fellow believers about our walks with the Lord, often time they say things are going well or not well because "I have (not) read my Bible and prayed daily." I often analyze my walk in the same way. Now these are good and necessary spiritual disciplines without a doubt, but we can't say that daily Bible time and daily prayer is the definition or sum of loving Jesus. Also the following verses and comments affect my thoughts...

John 14:15- "If you love me, you will keep my commandments..." This doesn't means that the essence of love is necessarily commandment-keeping. Or does it? It seems that commandment-keeping is a result of love for Jesus. For example, "If I love Kelley, I will pray for her..." Praying for her is not the sum or essence of love, but a result (or proof) that love is present. Maybe, maybe not?

1 John 5:3- "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome." Here it seems that John does equate love for Jesus with obedience/commandment-keeping. However, he adds that this obedience happens in such a way that it is not a burden! What does that mean? True love for Jesus, it seems, is obeying His commands- and being glad to do it! But then, if that's the case, how do we ever love Jesus through trials and hard times that are very "burdensome"?

1 Corinthians 13:3- "If I give away all that I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing." This seems to argue against many definitions I've heard of "agape" love, that it is simply and heartlessly choosing to sacrifice. Paul uses grand examples of willing sacrificial acts (giving away all possessions, giving oneself over to horrible death), but says that those crazy things can be done - without love.

I ask and struggle through all this because I am simply unsatisifed with equating my spiritual walk and love for the Lord with a few daily hoops to jump through. Feel free to comment.

Be Holy (don't just be thought of as holy)

2010-10-01T17:24:00.000-07:00

God tells his people in no uncertain terms to "Be holy, for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16; Lev. 11:14). It is obviously a command that we can't follow apart from God's grace. Nevertheless, it is a clear command for all followers of Jesus to actually be holy.

If you are anything like me, you care about what other people think of you. You and I struggle with valuing man and man's opinion over God and His opinion. In fact, I struggle with wanting people to think I'm holy. If I am to be brutally honest with myself, sometimes I don't care so much about actually being holy- rather, I care that others see me as holy. However, since those around me can't see my heart, my thoughts, and my desires, I can fool them into thinking of me as holy by a few simple tasks. Serve in the church, post a few Bible verses on twitter, and make friends with other holy people. God, on the other hand, I cannot fool with my faux holiness.

When we exhibit this attitude, it disgusts God. Jesus said to the Pharisees, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean" (Matthew 23:25-26).

That describes my sinful heart at times. If the outside of the cup is clean, and you think I'm holy, my spiritual mission is accomplished, and my work is done. That is simply detestable. What I must care about is actually being holy before God, regardless of whether others think of me that way or not! I paraphrase an old friend from The Master's College who said, "I'd rather be a holy man with no reputation than an evil man with a holy man's reputation."

How about you? Do you really want to be holy? Or do you simply care that others see you as spiritual? What does it mean to truly be holy before God?

Cultivating Humility in the Morning, Part 2

2010-09-22T08:36:00.000-07:00

More from CJ Mahaney's "Humility" on practices in the morning that cultivate humility...If you missed the first post, find it here.

"The second daily item is this: Begin your day expressing gratefulness to God.

'Thankfulness,' Michael Ramsey reminds us, 'is a soil in which pride does not easily grow.' That's exactly right and we want to cultivate that soil. So from the outset of the day, I want to greet my Savior with gratitude, not grumbling.

It was said of Matthew Henry [famous pastor from the 1600-1700s] that 'he was an alert and thankful observer of answered prayer'; his gratitude for God's mercies was constantly 'sweetening his spirit, and he would often invite others to join him in giving thanks.' If you crossed Matthew Henry's path, you would quickly realize that here was someone taking thankful notice of all God was doing for him, and doing so in an attractively joyful way that was infectious.

How I want that to also be a description of me! Is this your desire as well?

What would happen if I crossed your path tomorrow morning? Would I encounter someone who was an alert and thankful observer of answered prayer, someone who in a pronounced way was grateful for God's many mercies?

We also want to continue throughout the day expressing gratefulness for the innumerable manifestations of God's grace. It's as if God is placing sticky-notes in our lives as daily reminders of His presence and provision. They're everywhere. How alert and perceptive of them are you? Are you a thankful observer of the countless indications of His provision, His presence, His kindness, and His grace?

An ungrateful person is a proud person. If I'm ungrateful, I'm arrogant. And if I'm arrogant, I need to remember God doesn't sympathize with me in that arrogance; He's opposed to the proud.

Let each of us recognize every day that whatever grace we receive from God is so much more than we're worthy of, and indescribably better than the hell we all deserve."

Cultivating Humility in the Morning

2010-09-15T10:36:00.000-07:00

These gems come from CJ Mahaney's "Humility: True Greatness." In this practical little book, he gives a few tips for cultivating humility at the start of each day.

"How we begin our morning often sets the tone for the day. I'm convinced that the most decisive time of our day is very often our first waking moments, because they color everything to come.

The first daily item from my list is this: Begin your day by acknowledging your dependence upon God and your need for God. Purpose by grace that your first thought of the day will be an expression of your dependence on God, your need for God, and your confidence in God.

Sin- especially the sin of pride- is active, not passive. Sin doesn't wake up tired, because it hasn't been sleeping. When you wake up in the morning, sin is right there, fully awake, ready to attack. So rather than be attacked by sin in the morning, I've chosen to go on the offensive. I've chosen to announce to sin, 'I'm at war with you. I know you're there, and I'm after you.' From the moment I'm awake, I've learned to make statements to God about my dependence upon God, and in this way I'm humbling myself before God.

This is simply a strategy for taking control of the thoughts we allow in our mind...Martin Lloyd-Jones asked, 'Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself?' That's profound, and it's true.

Take a moment to review and examine your pattern of thinking from yesterday. Did you spend more time speaking truth to yourself, or was most of your time spent listening to yourself? Most of us spend more time listening to lies than we do speaking truth to ourselves. And the listening process usually starts as soon as we get up. The alarm has rudely interrupted the gift of sleep, and the listening begins. As we stumble through our morning routine, we're not directing the thoughts in our mind- we're simply at their mercy. We entertain complaints about what happened yesterday or worries about what's coming today. We look in the bathroom mirror and assess the damage, then brood over how we feel. We're not in charge of our thinking. We're just there.

But instead, you can declare war on pride by speaking the truth to yourself and set the right tone for your day by mentally affirming your dependence upon God and your need for Him."

Good stuff, eh? More to come from CJ later this week.

Thoughts for a Holiday...

2010-09-06T07:58:00.000-07:00

A few random encouragements to practice on the awesomeness of a holiday!

1. Think about the job you are not at briefly, and thank God for the opportunity to work and support your family.

2. Thank God for extra rest, and remember that he himself set an example of rest by resting after he finished creating (Genesis 2:1-3).

3. Think of the rest we will receive in heaven, and look forward to it with anticipation. There is a rest for the people of God, and we enter it by obedience to Jesus (see Hebrews 4:1-13).

4. The word "holiday" comes from the phrase "Holy Day" and means a "day with special significance." It is a day set apart from all the other days for a special reason. Think of how you, as God's child, must be different and set apart, and be holy.

5. Think of the cultural reason for the specific holiday, and thank God for it. For example, thank God for the ability to work on Labor Day, the protection and sacrifice of soldiers on Memorial Day, our country's relative freedom on 4th of July, and Boxing Gloves on Boxing Day :) Of course, specifically remember his birth, life, and death on Easter, Christmas, and every other day.

6. Redeem the time. What is a way you can serve God, your family, your peers with the extra time off today? Yes, husbands, mowing the lawn or taking out the trash for your wife may be a great way to do this!

7. Grill something.

Droppings...

2010-09-03T19:28:00.000-07:00

Good thoughts on defining church success not by attendance.

Roundtable discussion with 3 studly pastors: Francis Chan, Mark Driscoll, and Josh Harris.

Media influence on teen sexuality.

You can see wildlife at Yellowstone live at this webcam. Kinda cool for dorky outdoors types.

This article on "hip Christianity" is worth a read.

The inevitable happens- Blockbuster plans to file bankruptcy...

You thought homes appreciated in value & cost? What about education costs?

Logical Arguments for God's Existence

2010-09-03T09:19:00.000-07:00

I was sent the above quote from famed atheist Stephen Hawking this week. It is really interesting to me why people will fight hard against believing in the existence of a God, choosing rather to believe that the universe created itself (to quote the non-quite Christian movie "Anchorman", "60% of the time, this works every time"). This quote also reinforced the rationality of a few key arguments for God's existence, in concise poor mann's terms below...

1. The Cosmological Argument- We live in a cause and effect system. The universe had to have a beginning and a cause. Since it is logically impossible for the universe to be eternal, it must have been started at a certain point. Atheists will claim that this was a spontaneous "big bang," but doesn't it seem a touch more rational to believe that an eternal, personal, powerful God chose to intentionally create? Contrary to Hawking's words above, the universe cannot create itself out of nothing, because then the universe would have had to exist before it existed, which doesn't make sense, you know. Indeed, God is the most rational answer to the question of why we (or anything we see) exists.

2. The Teleological Argument- This is the argument for God's existence from the obvious design seen in our world and in our bodies. Not only must the universe have had a beginning, but it had to have a designer. A supreme lawmaker had to write the "law of gravity" which Hawking references; an Eternal Engineer had to create the processes and systems of life, digestion, photosynthesis, reproduction, energy, and give start to those systems; and only a Divine artist (not an impersonal big-bang) could create awe-inspiring landscapes, feelings of love, beauty, and hope, mellifluous melodies, and even the wonders found in vast corners of outer space. Something with such order and beauty demands an intelligent designer.

3. The Moral Argument- Where do we get morals from? Where do we get meaning from? Without a God who created, we have absolutely no logical reason to believe in right and wrong, good and evil. As CS Lewis reasoned, "A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line. What was I comparing this universe with when I called it unjust?" You see, we do have universal morals, values, and meaning. We cannot call rape "evil" unless we know there is real good and real evil. God has given us a "straight line" of morality, so that we can look at rape, murder, and a host of other actions and absolutely call them "evil." The fact that we have right and wrong (in all societies) appeals to a Lawmaker who wrote those values and morals on our hearts.

Many will assume that atheism appeals to science and logic whereas belief in God appeals to "blind faith." Wrong. I choose to believe in God because it is most rational and logical to do so. Belief in God is certainly by faith, but it is not a blind faith. In fact, I would argue that it takes more faith to be an atheist!

As CS Lewis said again, "Atheism turns out to be too simple. If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning."

Addendum- A few apologetics resources I use. There are several good ones out there.

- STR Place (apologetics for students)

- Christian Research Institute

- Christian Apologetics and Resource Ministry

- Alpha and Omega Ministries

Enjoy the bloom

2010-09-01T12:09:00.000-07:00

The above flower is a hibiscus. Her name is Heidi. I bought her for Kelley on future Mothers' Day.

We love our hibiscus because she is so very rewarding. We planted her and watered her and every now and then (like good parents) we re-potted her. And every few days, especially during the warm season, she puts out these huge, gorgeous flowers. And we subsequently stand at our ~~backyard~~ balcony door, pull out the camera and take a few pics.

We never attempt to take credit for the awesomeness of a hibiscus flower. Never once while enjoying these blooms have Kell and I got in a fight over who should get credit for the flower's health. "I watered it last! I made this happen, babe!" "Oh yeah? But if I didn't re-pot it while you were watching baseball, the petals would never be this pink, now would they?" That would be stupid to argue over! We simply enjoy the bloom.

Paul compares the ministry of the church to cultivating a plant. "So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers..." (1 Cor. 3:7-9).

In the life of my church, many people have come to know Jesus as their Savior, sometimes people I have conversations with. I'm sure in your group of friends you have people who are interested in becoming a Christian, or interested in killing sin and committing their lives to Christ more fully. And you know what? We all play a part. It doesn't matter what part you play. You can be an example. You can offer instruction, comfort, teaching, encouragement, and prayers that draw others closer to the Lord. And guess what? You don't need to be a pastor, a worship leader, or an elder to do this.

Do you realize that you are God's fellow workers? It does not matter if you are in front of the church, or befriending people by the donut table in the back (save me a maple bar). What matters is that you work hard and get your hands dirty for the kingdom, and when God moves, step back and enjoy the bloom.

Are we more connected?

2010-08-30T07:27:00.000-07:00

Much emphasis these days is on "being connected." We have instant access to information, communication, and relationships. Sites like Facebook & Twitter (not to mention old-school email) allow us instant communication with our friends & acquaintances. We can see pictures of these individuals, hear stories of the joys & frustrations of their weekends, and see all the annoying things they "like" or "dislike." And all of this can be done from a cell phone on a freeway!

Honestly, sites like Facebook are pretty cool. A great way to stay in touch, to stay connected. But are we really more connected now? Are we better friends? Are we closer to one another because of Facebook and other instant online communication? I say no, not necessarily...

Let me explain. Facebook is a great tool to enhance friendships. But it is a horrible replacement for face-to-face, voice-to-voice relationships. Facebook can give me information on what friends, family, and acquaintances are up to and how they are enjoying it. But the key is what do I do with this information? Do I encourage? Do I pray? Do I serve?

My main contention with Facebook's monopoly on interpersonal relationships is that you cannot fulfill the biblical "one-anothers" sufficiently via Facebook:
- "Love one another" (John 13:35; 15:12; 7 times in 1/2 John).
- "Outdo one another in showing honor...Live in harmony with one another" (Romans 12).
- "Instruct one another (Romans 15:14).
- "Comfort one another" (2 Cor. 13:11).
- "Serve one another" (Gal. 5:13).
- "Bear one another's burdens" (Galatians 6:2).
- "Be kind to one another" (Eph. 4:32).
- "Encourage one another" (1 Thess. 5:11; Hebrews 3:13; 10:25).
- "Do good to one another" (1 Thess. 5:15).
- "Confess your sins to one another" (James 5:16).
- "Show hospitality to one another" (1 Peter 4:9).

I'm sorry, but I do not think that we can fulfill all these commands through online, virtual interaction.

Once again, use Facebook. But use it, not primarily to pass time or be entertained with the pics, comments, and posts of others (very funny at times). Use the information you gain from Facebook to enhance your relationships, fellowship, friendships, evangelism, and to fulfill the above convicting list of God's commands to one another!

I would write a little more, but I think I have a few notifications that I must checkup on...

Apathy- Spiritual Nakedness

2010-08-27T10:06:00.000-07:00

I have noticed in many of my peers a heightened interest in health, dieting, and exercise. There are generally 2 components to getting in shape. First, you have to quit some unhealthy practices, like eating Taco Bell for every third meal or playing World of Warcraft 28 hours a day. Second, you have to start some active and healthy practices, like exercising or playing a sport. If you don't do both of these things together- quitting unhealthy practices and starting healthy practices- the quest for fitness will be greatly hindered.

And it's the same way with our spiritual lives. Following Christ by faith not only means that we stop doing things that don't honor Him, but also that we start doing things that do honor Him.

In my relative few years of counseling and teaching, both at my college and at my church, I have noticed that most of my fellow Christians aren't stuck in any blatant, crazy sin. What I have observed is that while many of have eliminated (or hidden really well) "huge sins" that dishonor Jesus, we also don't practice positive things for Jesus. We are apathetic. Let me explain. Many of us don't have a problem with murders, affairs, monetary fraud, drugs, alcoholism or child abuse. But many of us also don't practice things God's Word clearly tells us to do: evangelism, missions, disciplined Bible Study, giving money generously toward Kingdom work, ceaseless prayer, Biblical confrontation and restoration, helping the poor, or assisting the addict. In effect, we are the person who has stopped eating Taco Bell all the time, but we still refuse to get up and work out. As a result, we are not nearly in as healthy a spiritual condition as we should be. We are an apathetic people, glad that Jesus has saved us from hell, but confused and careless about the tasks we must pursue passionately while on earth following Christ.

The Bible teaches in Ephesians 4:22-24 that followers of Jesus should indeed remove all sins that dishonor Christ- "put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires." But we should also positively pursue Christ likeness- "put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness." If we only "put off" and refuse to "put on", we are spiritually naked, with no change and passion to show the world. Don't be an apathetic Christian. Remove dirty clothes that dishonor Christ, but don't forget to put on clean clothes that bring Him glory.

Droppings...

2010-08-26T07:08:00.000-07:00

Chinese school has a solution to help boys be more like boys.

Apparently, some "global warming" claims are based on faulty thermometer readings. Like, really faulty.

Mark Driscoll's blog post on "Boys Who Can Shave." Very good and moderately funny.

Switchfoot singer Jon Foreman gets forcibly removed by a cop from one his acoustic after show in a Tampa parking lot.

Jon Foreman responds to the police situation.

"Don't Waste Your Life Sentence." Piper's ministry to prisoners who got saved after getting behind bars. You can buy the documentary HERE.

Just a Big Hole in the Ground

2010-08-25T07:08:00.000-07:00

(written previously on that facebook thingy)

Some time ago, I visited the Grand Canyon in Northern Arizona with Kelley. For anyone who has seen this majestic sight in person, he or she can relate to the unexplainable feeling of awe and wonder that fills our finite imaginations at this beautiful sight.

One will often hear in regards to the Grand Canyon the sarcastic comment that it's "just a big hole in the ground." I got to thinking -- that's exactly what it is! When explaining this sight from a standpoint concerned only with physical matter, there is a vast absence of matter that creates a sizable hole in the ground. For miles and miles around the Grand Canyon, there is relatively flat land; yet, strictly speaking, it is just a big hole in the ground.

So what then attracts humans from all over the world to this place? It is not physical matter, it is not science, it is not even history. It is beauty. It is majesty. It is glory. There is an unquantifiable, immeasurable reality of the beauty that our hearts enjoy when viewing a creation so vast, so glorious, so breathtaking, and so awesome in its splendor, that cries out that we were made for a great God. One simply cannot explain our universal attraction to places like the Grand Canyon without admitting that Someone has created natural beauty and deserves to be admired and praised for that creation. Science can attempt to posit the natural causes that formed the Grand Canyon; but science can never explain the beauty, the awe, and our sense of our own smallness when we visit the Grand Canyon.

Not only does the Grand Canyon in its splendor point to the existence of the one true God, but it also points to the GREATNESS of this God. Standing on the edge of a steep canyon wall that reaches downward for thousands of feet into beautifully colored rock makes us realize that we were not created for personal significance, and we were not created to live for ourselves. It's undeniable! We were created to worship and enjoy the only God who is truly significant! Our identity, our joy, our pleasure, our purpose, our lives must come from Him, and our lives must be lived to give Him glory and praise. That is why all humans love places like the Grand Canyon, or the Rocky Mountains, or cliffs overlooking the northern Pacific. We find true happiness, not when seeking to glorify ourselves, but only when we are seeking to glorify this Great God. Are we happy with displaying and enjoying this immensely beautiful God?

No Excuses

2010-08-23T06:48:00.000-07:00

And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.” (Matthew 8:19-22)

In the passage above, we see 2 characters express a desire to follow Jesus. Jesus had been calling disciples to himself with the simple command, "Follow me." Each individual has an excuse for not following Jesus in that moment. One wants to wait until his father dies and he receives his inheritance. One is afraid to leave his hometown. But Jesus demands obedience greater than these examples.

As a follower of Jesus, we too often resemble the characters above. Jesus commands us to follow, and our most frequent response is, "Wait." Many times, we claim that we are trying to "figure out God's will" or say that we are waiting for guidance, direction, or a specific calling from God.

There is nothing wrong with trying to figure out what God wants. But I fear that many of us use this as an excuse to not follow Jesus, like the 2 characters above. I don't recall many of us waiting to watch Avatar or Twilight 12 times until God led us in that direction. When the Angels' game is on, I don't pray to determine whether I should watch or not- I simply watch & cheer (I should probably pray for their mediocre record this year!). My wife doesn't wait for a sign from heaven when Nordstrom Rack is having a sale! Many of us don't wait to see if God wants us to buy those new clothes, or play that new video game, or head straight to the beach at the first sign of a south swell. No, rather, we simply do those things we love to do.

Maybe you don't know what God wants you to do with your whole life. Maybe you are torn between being a brain surgeon and kick-boxer, and that's ok. But God has given you today, and he has filled His Word with clear directions about what to do today. Be a light (Matt. 5:13-16). Love your neighbor (Matt. 22:37-40). Love your enemies (Luke 6:27-36). Be holy (1 Peter 1:15-16). Rejoice in the Lord (Phil. 4:4). Give thanks and pray always (1 Thess. 5:17-18). And, trust me, there's more.

No one devours a whole tri-tip in one bite (though some of my college friends could challenge that assertion). And no one lives a whole life in a day. Open God's word, and find a bite-sized portion, and (drumroll please) apply it to your life. Today. No excuses.

Rock

2010-08-20T09:28:00.000-07:00

It is reported that nearly 1 in 10 adults have what is classified as "mood disorders," most of whom are categorized as being "depressed." One of the leading causes of such depression is "trauma and stress." It seems like a reasonable connection. People go through really challenging events in their lives, and they end up in prolonged, relentless states of sadness and emptiness.

I cannot profess to be an expert on depression. I can't say I've ever personally struggled with it, though am very close with some who have. Some Christians would debate on the validity of medications such as antidepressants and otherwise. I don't wish to do that here. Whatever it is, and whatever combinations may cause it, it is clear that a large amount of adults deal with it, and a wide variety of cures & aides are suggested. Whatever the case may be, the largest ammunition humans have to fight their bouts of depression is the truth God's Word. When earthquakes strike, the buildings with firm foundations stand. When lightning & fire ravage the forest, the tall & strong Sequoia trees live on. And I believe there is a solid foundation offered to us in the example of David.

If you or I think we experience "trauma and stress," I'd like to posit that David experienced more. Consider the below:
- David is anointed to be God's chosen King over Israel (1 Samuel 16).
- Saul (the current king AND David's father-in-law!) tries to spear David twice while David is playing music for Saul (1 Samuel 18).
- Saul gives David military tasks, hoping David would die in battle (1 Sam. 18).
- Saul orders his servants and his family to kill David (1 Sam. 19)
- Saul tries to spear David a third time (1 Sam. 19).
- Saul chases David through the wilderness attempting to kill him. David has a chance to kill Saul, but spares his life. This happened TWICE (1 Sam. 24 & 26).
- Wars occur between Saul's family & David's kingdom (2 Sam. 3).
- David's son, Amnon rapes one of David's daughters, Tamar. David's son, Absalom, then murders Amnon for revenge. Absalom then revolts against David's kingdom. Yikes (2 Sam. 13-18).

As you can easily see, much of David's life was covered by the blackness of family drama, fear for his life, and trouble at work. And yet, read below what David himself writes when recalling these decades of drama (read it slowly, and read it a few times).

Psalm 18:1-2- "I love you, O LORD, my strength. 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."

Consider those words: strength, rock, fortress, deliverer, refuge, shield, stronghold. These are words of power and safety. These are words describing the immovable foundation that upheld David's life during decades of drama, stress, and likely depression. Reflecting on those years summarized above, David's conclusion is that a life founded on our unchanging God and his promises is a safe, secure life to live.

Everyone has a rock. Some found their lives on friends, sports, work, money, popularity, hobbies, sleeping, facebook, blogging, reading, self, love, or family. These "rocks" are things we feel we need, that we must have in order to function properly. These are foundations on which we build our lives, and everyone's got one. The question is whether your rock of choice can actually hold you, protect you, and guide you through the good & bad of life. The depression- or a wide variety of other struggles that often plague us- will come, and it may injure us for a time. But God our Rock will uphold, will protect, will sustain. Don't take it from me. Take it from David.

Whether stoked out of your mind this morning or depressed & in the dumps, what efforts are we making to set God alone as our Rock?

The Church: What if no one Yelped?

2010-08-18T07:34:00.000-07:00

When planning an activity, date night, or a visit to an unfamiliar place, I use a few online tools to aid my research. Yelp and Trip Advisor are two of my favorite places to get ratings and reviews on local activities, restaurants, and lodging for wherever it is that I may be going. The websites provide basic info and listings (much like an old school phone book) on businesses: addresses, phone numbers, menus, prices, etc. But the most helpful part about sites like these is the user reviews. A hotel may look like a great place to stay until a recent user review points out the large cockroach infestation. A restaurant looks like the perfect setting for a date night, until a user reports the recent drop to a 'B' rating. These user reviews provide firsthand information and insight so that other users (like me) can make good & knowledgeable decisions.

When I visit Yelp and Trip Advisor, I do so selfishly. I only read others' reviews; I don't leave any of my own. The thought recently occurred to me, "What if no one left reviews?!" If everyone acted like me & didn't leave reviews, sites like these would lose their value.

I figure that many of us church-goers today have the same relationship with church that I do with Yelp. We attend when it is convenient for us, or when we want or need something specific, yet we never offer our gifts, experiences, wisdom, and insight to help other members of the community. We are content to use the church, but we are often too selfish to be used in the church. Yet the church as described in God's Word clearly mandates that all Christians use their gifts to serve the community: "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 4:10-11).

If everyone treated Yelp selfishly & refused to leave reviews to benefit others, no one else would be served. Likewise, in the church, you & I are mandated to not merely show up, but to "Yelp" so that others in the community can glorify God. The church was not set up so that a few select people could carry the majority of the work of service. The church was meant so that "each one" who has "received a gift" could come not only to be served, but to serve. As Paul writes, "For the body does not consist of one member but of many...But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be?" (1 Cor. 12:14-31).

And so I encourage us this morning- how are you "yelping" at your local church? What gifts, talents, experience, and wisdom has God given you so that you can bless others? If you aren't active in your church, what would happen to your church if everyone had the same inactivity?

Droppings...

2010-08-16T10:12:00.000-07:00

A few intriguing news stories and other random selections for your mundane Monday.

- If I were a Lake Tahoe resident, I'd be wondering if a few members of our local church youth group mocked the pastor for his receding hairline. No other explanation for the intriguingly humorous bear invasions reported in this article.

- It's not everyday you hear a young NFL running back (and fantasy football handcuff for Frank Gore owners) call it quits in response to God's call on his life.

- A thought-provoking article on Christianity's efforts to be hip, by Brett McCracken.

- Tongue-in-cheek Christian Guidelines for twittering. Or tweeting. Or whatever.

- If my daughter was bitten by a barracuda, I'd probably react differently than this guy. At least I hope...

- Fried chicken AND red velvet cake batter? Not the best meal idea.

Enjoy!

Big gulps, huh?

2010-08-11T11:41:00.000-07:00

HT: Eric Durso for finding this remake.

If my friends and I had as much % of the Bible memorized as we do the Dumb & Dumber script, we would be very holy people. Enjoy the humorous remake.

Progressive Sanctification and God's Patience

2010-08-10T09:04:00.000-07:00

My wife and I had a great conversation recently on struggling with sin. The question came up as to why God would save His people from their sin and yet somehow allow us to still sin. If I am really a redeemed creature, why wouldn't God make me perfect on Day 1? Why still allow me to sin against him and struggle daily? In my uber-finite human wisdom, it doesn't seem to make much sense as to why our Heavenly Father would allow his children to remain in the self-inflicted muck...

Now, certainly, God's will for me is perfection. Paul said as much: "By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? ... So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus" (Romans 6:2, 12). But why in his great plan does he not immediately remove me not only from sin's punishment, but also from it's practice?

My answer to this question is from some bible inferences & my own experience. (If anyone has biblical support for this specific idea, please pass it along.) We know that all God does is to show his glory and thus receive the praise he is due. This can range from the creation of man (Is. 43:7), the creation of the heavens and earth (Ps. 19:1), to the salvation of mankind (Eph 1:3-14). So we know that God chose to not make us perfect right away and that this glorifies him somehow.

My estimate is this. God certainly had the power to make us perfectly holy right away. But it would not allow him to show the fullness of his discipline and patience that he, as Father, has on us, His children. If I never messed up in my family as a child, I would never have experienced the mercy & patience that sometimes my dad gave me by not dealing out a hefty swat.

It is likewise with our Heavenly Father. Every time we stumble, "he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 Jn. 1:9). We see firsthand the patience of God as he leads us on to holiness, one step at a time. It is a patience that we would not experience in the same way if we were immediately made perfect upon our conversion. No, his patience does not excuse our all-too-frequent-sin- "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?" (Rom. 6:1). But our status as an "already, but not yet, resurrected, fallen man" enables us to experience God in a deeper way, and praise him with a deeper passion, and shine for him with a brighter testimony.

Therefore, we claim with Paul, "But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life" (1 Tim. 1:16).

America's Religion

2010-08-09T07:29:00.000-07:00

In my news updates this morning, I came across an interesting USA Today column that highlights the need for and value of religion in 21st century America. While I will always find intrigue in articles that wrestle with the big questions of life such as this article does, the conclusion is disconcerting.

"Yet as important as community, worship and service are, I am convinced that religion's greatest contribution to society is even greater. Religion makes us want to live."

Essentially, the gospel preached in the USA Today is this. "Truth matters not. Meaning, purpose, and quality of life reign supreme. It does not matter where you find that meaning or purpose, only that you find it. Call it Jesus, call it God, call it a higher power, call it spirituality. Call it what you wish, for it is not consequential what you find, only that you think you have found it."

Sound satisfying to you? Because the Bible tells us that our hearts are deceitful (Jer. 17:9), a statement we have empirically proven accurate over the millenia, I cannot trust that which simply makes me feel good, since it may very well be the wrong thing. Does my warm affection for something make it right, or prove it true? Does my child-like enjoyment of Christmas render the myth of Santa's late night visit a historical fact? No, no, no. What matters ultimately is not our feeling of purpose gathered from so-called religion. But, at the end of the day, the question we must answer is not, "Do I find purpose in this?" The question is "Is what I find purpose in true?" As for Christianity, Paul wrote clearly, "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins...If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied (1 Cor. 15:17-19)." If Jesus isn't true, and if his bodily resurrection wasn't historically factual, you should pity my purpose, not celebrate it.

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life..." He proved this statement by raising from the dead. His death took place in history on this planet, and his resurrected lips bid us to believe. Though his call, his redemption, and his presence in my life indeed brings me a sense of purpose, the purpose is not the ultimate reason why I believe. The truth is.

Get to Give

2010-08-06T12:35:00.000-07:00

Sorry for my all-too-infrequent posts. It's been a busy summer on the road much of the time. Mom, I promise to write more.

I've recently been reading the life of David. The prequel to David's life begins with the birth of Samuel. As you may know, Samuel's mother, Hannah, could not give birth for a long time. Since she was 1 of 2 wives of Elkanah, she felt inferior to the other wife, as thought God had deliberately cursed her (this is a great reason why you should probably avoid polygamy!)

To make an average-length story average-length, Hannah prayed that God would bless her with a child. As part of her prayer, she vowed to God, "If you will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life (1 Sam. 1:11)." In Hannah's case, God granted her request upon the birth of Samuel. Yet she did not merely vow to give Samuel back to God in a spiritual or emotional sense. She actually gave Samuel physically to God. Samuel would live in the temple and serve and worship God alone. This young boy would not live day in, day out at home with his mother. Rather, because God had blessed her very specific request, she made good on her very specific promise, sacrificing the enjoyment of having her son at home with her in order that God and his worship could be furthered.

I ask for a lot of things. But not often do I ask for something for the sole purpose of giving it back to God. I've asked for a job, a place to live, a wife, a car that runs for longer than a few months AND has locks on the doors. But most of my requests are for, well, me. I get the job to pay MY bills. I got the car to drive MY butt around. My requests, though not sinful in and of themselves, are not the same as Hannah's.

Many times, we give to God so that we can eventually get from God. We serve, love, and sacrifice with only our own benefit in mind. Let's think about the things we ask for. Is there something we can request from God solely so we can give it back to Him in order to further his worship? In order to spread his gospel? In order to make his love more known in this dark world? I, all too often give so that I can get. We, like Hannah, must get from God so that we can give to God.

Psalm 18- God is my Rock

2010-06-02T11:17:00.000-07:00

Sermon on Psalm 18 from Sunday, May 30. Sound quality is quiet bad, so if you ever wanted to hear a sermon from my front left jeans pocket, you are in luck. If not, have a great day!

Audio. (Might have to turn the speakers up.)

Passage.

Simply Amazed

2010-06-02T08:02:00.000-07:00

There are a few epic reasons why one would travel to Chino: Flo's Cafe, the Chino Prison, and the annual Chino Airshow. I have been to 2 of those 3 recently. At the 2010 version of the airshow, my dad, brother, and a friend and I enjoyed watching both older & newer planes fly for several hours.

Now, people enjoyed the Airshow for various reasons. Some enjoy the history, some enjoy the physics & science of flight, and some simply enjoy watching cool planes bank over a semi-redneck crowd. My dad is a lifelong employee in the aerospace industry, working for Rockwell (company that designed the Space Shuttle) and Boeing (maybe you've heard of them). He was intrigued by the physics & design of the planes flying. He enjoyed the physics, propulsion, drag, loads, and a bunch of other words that you & I don't care about. I, for one, did not care much for the specifics of the physics. I simply enjoyed getting buzzed by an F-16 or watching the massive C-17 steeply bank over the crowd. I didn't understand everything that went into those planes, but it did not limit my amazement and enjoyment of them.

I find that we can enjoy God and his word for these 2 different reasons as well. Sometimes, we enjoy the truth of his word by digging deep, studying hard, parsing verbs, or reading books written by dead people so we can understand the depth & specificity of the theology contained in passages and books of God's Word. I studied deep and hard throughout my undergrad program, and enjoyed what I learned from digging deep. This is the way my dad enjoyed the Airshow- by understanding and appreciating the physics, science, and bla bla bla, that goes in to flying large airplanes at great speeds.

However, there are also times when we may not dig deep, we may not study hard, but we can see the simple truth of God's word, and though we do not understand it in its entirety, we still stand in amazed worship. (This is the way I enjoyed the Chino Airshow.) Let me give an example. I recently taught on Psalm 18, and came across this verse: "God rescued me, because he delighted in me." David talks about how God rescued him from his many enemies (most notably Saul) on his ascension to the throne as God's chosen King of Israel. And there is enough scriptural support to say that this is how God delivers and treats all his children as well- "He rescues us [from sin, from hell, from trial & temptation], because he delights in us." It amazes me that a holy God can look at a wretchedly sinful mann like myself (and like David the adulterer & murderer) and "delight in me." That is truly a love that is too amazing to explain. Much like a jet going Mach 2, I don't understand the depths or all the implications of the love of God "which surpasses knowledge." But I can still stand simply amazed.

Here's one for the "I suck" moments...

2010-05-27T08:30:00.000-07:00

My wife jokes that after a sermon or Bible Study that didn't go exactly as amazingly as I had planned, that I experience "I suck" moments. I anticipated a deep & passionate response to the study, and at the end it all felt pretty mundane. The comment below from a pastor really helped me to think long term about my all-too-mediocre teaching ministry. Apparently, when "I suck," God still rules! (HT Justin Taylor)

"All is not lost when the after-sermon desert offers no water. This moment may have been meant to prepare some for what they have yet to face. It may be meant to call out to others months from now when they are more heedless or needy than they are today. It may serve as one more evidence of the hardness of one’s heart. It may serve as one more piece in a puzzle God is putting together for another–the picture will not complete for some time, but completeness will not happen without the corner-piece offered by the sermon today. Those who are changed seemingly in a moment by your sermon today have had multiple moments of God’s working prior. Take heart. There is seed there though it lay beneath the ground. Step out into the barren field dear friend, and pray for His rain to fall."

"This is an A & B Conversation..."

2010-05-26T09:09:00.000-07:00

If you went to a real, public elementary school, you undoubtedly were insulted a few times with the following "joke": "This is an A & B conversation, so C your way out of it." Ha. Very funny, I know. If you were to interject your own statement into the conversation of 2 much cooler children, you would be met & subsequently humiliated by this joke.

I find that I need to say this at times in my relationship & communication with God through his word. Let me explain. I get several opportunities to teach the Bible each month (7 times in May alone). This means that I spend a lot of time each month preparing & studying for lessons. This is all good & enjoyable, since I get to do what I love- study God's word- in preparation for these lessons. But...

Since I work a full-time job whose main function is not teaching the Bible, this means that I can be short on time to prepare. So many times I attempt to "kill two birds with one stone" by coupling my personal devotion time with sermon preparation time. I tell myself, "It's still the word of God, right? God's word is still powerful and active in my life, whether I'm reading it for leisure, devotions, sermon preparation, homework, at church, home, school, isn't it?"

It's true, theologically speaking, that God's word can always be effective for its purposes (Isaiah 55:10-11; Hebrews 4:12-13; 2 Tim. 3:16-17). However, when I am studying for a sermon, I am bringing a third party into the conversation. As I read and pore over Scripture, I am not simply thinking about what God demands of me or what he is revealing about himself. Rather, I am thinking how I can package and express His truth to a third party (usually ADD high schoolers). The more I try and couple my devotions with my sermon preparation, the less I focus on the A & B conversation that must be happening.

I grow spiritually from my sermon preparation & study. I really do. I am forced to learn things and express things that I would not normally come across in personal devotion. However, this cannot replace the one-on-one relationship that I so desperately need with my Creator. It would be much like only going on double dates with my wife & another couple, and never ever spending quality time alone. When I've been teaching a lot, and therefore studying a lot, and yet I find myself dry, it is most often because I've never truly been alone, in an A & B conversation with God through His word.

Not everyone reading this is a teacher. So what or who is the third party for you that you too often allow into your conversation with God? Is it leading family devotions? Is it reading your Bible only while at church being taught? Is it reading only in groups of other believers? I fear too often that we I don't have the mind of David, who wrote, "One thing I have asked of the Lord, that I will seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple" (Psalm 27:4). If anything or anyone is getting in the way of this "gazing on the beauty of the Lord," I think our response must be, "Hey, this is an A & B conversation..."

The Shepherd God- Psalm 23

2010-05-02T21:13:00.000-07:00

Sermon preached at Revive Church, Glendora, on May 2, 2010.

Audio.

Bible Passage.

Joyful Humiliation, Joyful Exaltation

2010-04-28T08:35:00.000-07:00

Sermon given on Philippians 2:1-11 at Good Shepherd Church in Glendora, Sunday, November 8, 2009.

Audio.

Bible Passage.

Paul's Teammates- Roll Call :: Colossians 4:7-18

2010-04-28T08:29:00.000-07:00

How does one preach a sermon from a passage where Paul simply communicates greetings? Find out here! Final Sermon preached in Colossians series at Revive Church Glendora.

Audio.

Sermon Outline HERE.

Bible Passage.

The Freedom that isn't Free

2010-04-25T09:09:00.000-07:00

I have recently re-watched one of my favorite movies, Into the Wild. It is a story of a young man named Chris, recently graduated from college, who is seemingly obsessed with the idea of adventure of being free & isolated in "the wild." Though he has a family who misses him, and though he makes many friends who admire & love him along his journey to Alaska, he spurns their friendship for his adventure. For those who haven't seen it (but should), the movie portrays a very happy character once he reaches his destination- an isolated, beautiful location in Alaska. However, as time goes on, the loneliness sets in, and he wishes to be back in community. His wishes are denied, as the early spring creek he had crossed is now a rushing river, literally trapping him in the wild. To ruin the story further, he dies, thinking of the people he loved.

This movie, based on a true story, intrigues me for many reasons. I can relate to many aspects of the protagonist's life: an affinity for the outdoors, a recent college graduate, and, heck, our fathers both make a living in the aerospace industry! But more than that, Chris had an obsession. He dreamt long and hard about the freedom and vibrancy he would experience if only he were left alone, away from society, out in the wild. Yet, when he had finally achieved this "freedom" which he sought, it became a master to which he yielded his life. He had convinced himself that happiness lay in his idea of freedom; but his idea of freedom, he soon realized, wasn't really free, but just another form of slavery.

I wonder how often we do this with our lives. We fixate our minds on our ideas of freedom, happiness, pleasure, comfort, and purpose. We work hard for popularity, for money, for pleasure, or for possessions. We create false ideas of freedom and happiness by saying "I will be happy when ________________." Or "I will finally be free if _________________." Yet, even if you've lived as long as I have (which isn't very long), you soon realize that your idea of freedom or happiness really doesn't deliver in the long run. Sure, money can thrill us for a season, but soon we realize that Jesus' words ring true- "one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." We place our hope in pleasures, in power, and in life going exactly according to our plan. But soon, Solomon's conclusions when he tried the same thing come back to haunt us- "Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun."

Not many of these things I have in mind are "evil" in and of themselves. Heck, even in the movie, the idea of a trip into the wilderness can be a great thing! (If that were a sin, shoot, my dad would take Paul's title of "chief of sinners"). But when we fixate on them- a trip into the wild, getting away, happiness, sports, sex, popularity, promotions, possessions- the small creek in spring turns into a raging river in the summer, and our souls become trapped and dead. The only freedom that really is free, comes in drinking of the water that Christ gives. When we place our Creator's desires above our own temporal ones, we live as we ought to live. And though his desires for us feel like slavery for a time, in the long run, we realize that "his commandments are not burdensome" and true freedom has been found!

RAMBLE: Christianity, Experience, and The Bible

2010-04-18T09:08:00.000-07:00

We live in a sensual culture. Everywhere we turn, our senses - usually all 5 at once - are being stroked & stimulated. The art & aim of every entertainer, producer, & advertiser is to enhance our experiences in order to secure our approval. We as humans (especially as sensual, existential 21st century Americans) live our lives with much attention & focus given to experience, feelings, & emotions. Often times, it is not the content of an event/story/etc. that affects us. Rather what is most important is how the event made us feel...

Consequently, there is a danger that we face as Christians in the 21st century. Heck, I think this is a danger that Christians faced in the latter 1st century. I notice at times a recurring & frightening habit creeping up, not only in the lives of churches, but in my own life. There are moments & seasons when, gulp, I live & experience my so-called "Christian walk" with the Bible at arm's distance from my heart. The inevitable result of this neglect of God's Word is not an ultimate rejection of my faith (I still believe in the gospel, I still attempt to live a God-honoring life, etc.) Rather the result of neglecting a steady diet of God's word in my heart is much more subtle...I begin to analyze my Christianity & my "spiritual walk" based solely on my experiences. I begin to form my theology based on my independent emotions. In short, I myself become the standard of my own life.

The fault that I see with this is not strictly with emotions, experiences, & feelings. These are God-given faculties that we use to know & serve God. However, apart from the Bible, we don't know Jesus. Apart from the Bible, there is no "Christianity." Apart from the Bible, there is no foundation for what to believe & what not to believe. Apart from the Bible, there is no idea of how to worship or Whom to worship. Apart from the Bible, there is no clear standard for right & wrong. Apart from the Bible, there is no hint of any exemplary attitude of humility & worship that we should live by...The Bible is God's revelation of himself...It is the way he has chosen to communicate with humanity! Apart from it, there is no communication with our creator & savior...

So...why am I content to live day-in & day-out apart from God's word? Why am I content to allow my experience, emotions, and personality to become the standard by which I live?

The apostle Peter would not allow this in his life, nor in the lives of the churches he shepherded. Consider a few simple thoughts from a stunning passage in 2 Peter 1:16-21.

1. The story of Jesus is true. Peter makes it very clear that the Person we follow is worthy of following, because he really lived, really died, and really rose again. He says, "We did not follow cleverly devised myths...but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty" (2 Peter 1:16). Peter & the disciples knew Jesus is God because they saw him live...in real, actual, time-space history.

2. Peter had crazy experiences following Jesus. In order to further prove the reality & historicity of King Jesus, Peter refers to the experience of seeing Jesus transfigured gloriously on the "mount of transfiguration" (see Matthew 17:1-8). He talks of this experience emphatically by saying, "we ourselves heard... for we were with him on the holy mountain" (2 Peter. 1:18). I imagine the experience of seeing Jesus' transfigured into glory caused chills down Peter's spine. I imagine it was an incredible "high" to gain a peek of how glorious Jesus will appear to us in heaven. Yet, Peter did not stop his "breakdown" of the story there...

3. Peter says that God's Word is more trustworthy than his own experience. I'm not making this up. Peter writes, "And we have something more sure [than our crazy experience], the prophetic word..." WHA??? Peter claims that the word of God is a more sure foundation for his daily life as a Christian than his own emotional & dramatic experience with Jesus.

So, what's the point? Peter sums up and writes, "You will do well to pay attention to God's Word as to a lamp shining in a dark place..." There exists much uncertainty about truth in our world, and even in our own hearts. Yet the answer is not to hang on to a shallow Christianity, one that is interpreted by emotions, cliches, movie clips, and experiences. Rather, because the Bible is true, our entire lives should be committed to what is revealed in God's Word. Peter walked with Jesus, saw a transfigured Jesus, denied a convicted Jesus, and spoke with a resurrected Jesus. Yet after all those highs & lows (and the emotions that accompany them), his message was simple- above all else, cling to, worship, obey, and follow Jesus through the Word of God, written and preserved for you.

A Community Transformed- Colossians 3:5-17

2010-03-15T11:31:00.000-07:00

Audio and Handout for a sermon I preached on March 14, 2010, at Good Shepherd Church in Glendora, CA. This was part 6 in a 9 part study in the book of Colossians done with my brother and our friend Drewbert.

Audio

Handout

Ministry...Defined

2010-03-09T08:55:00.000-08:00

Part of a sermon I recently preached with much mediocrity...

It's nice to get insight from professionals. I know I sure would like it if Kobe helped me with my jump-shot, if Tiger helped me with my golf swing (and nothing more...), or if James Cameron helped me with my science-fiction, graphics-heavy movie-making. Surely, they would reveal secrets, processes, and tips in order for one to greatly improve in their line of work, right?

As Christians, we are all ministers. We are all servants. We are all equally members of the body of Christ. That means that regardless of job or occupation, we each have community responsibilities to minister to one another. My dad works for Boeing, which is, by the way, NOT a church! Yet he is a minister there & everywhere. And so am I. And so are you. Fortunately for me & you in our efforts to be ministers and servants with a biblical foundation, an expert minister divulges some of his vision, his secrets, and his goals in Colossians 1:24-29. The apostle Paul tells us clearly how he ministered, what he ministered and why he ministered. It gives us a clear and simple definition and guideline for our ministry!

1. The Method: A minister practices joyful sacrifice.

Paul says in Colossians 1:24 that he "rejoices in his sufferings for your sake..." Paul suffered- physically, spiritually, and emotionally for the churches that he ministered to. Yet he did not do what I do when I suffer- have self pity as I pout and whine. Rather, he claims that he "rejoiced." This is because simply, he cared more about the good that he was bringing into others' lives by being a conduit of God's grace. Much like the Olympic athletes that we recently watched, Paul sacrificed everything for the reward and crown of helping others come to know Jesus and live like him. For an Olympic athlete, the gold medal justifies the painful workout routines, the strict diet, and the stringent schedule that one must practice. These athletes rejoice in their sufferings because of the reward. Same with Paul, and hopefully, same with us!

2. The Message: A minister focuses on spiritual realities.

In 1:27, Paul claims that his main message is earth-shattering- "Christ in you, the hope of glory." I could chew on this truth for awhile. The foundation for Paul's ministry was his message that by faith Jesus is personally in each believer, giving a new identity with which to stand for truth, fight the powers of the world, and defeat sin. The spiritual reality that each person now has a completely new nature in Jesus permeated Paul's entire vision and ministry. Sadly, it seems many ministries that we receive and give in our churches don't possess the same vision. We focus on how to become a better parent, sibling, spouse, dog owner, bowler, singer, etc. without focusing on the fact that our holy Savior himself occupies each one of our lives.

Consider a ridiculous example for one minute. Cesar Millan is more commonly known as "the Dog Whisperer" & has a ridiculous ability to train the craziest of, you guessed it, dogs. He takes the most wild, aggressive, and disobedient canines (dogs, for the layperson) and shapes them into an obedient and perfect pup. If I claimed that I had "Cesar Millan in me," what would one expect of me? You would, obviously, expect that I would possess similar abilities and talents as Cesar. You would expect that my dog would be a perfect pooch, obeying my every command. You would expect that I would have the abilities to train your wild dog...

Similarly, the spiritual reality of "Christ in you" that formed the foundation for all of Paul's ministry should have a radical impact in our lives. Frankly, we should possess increasingly similar attributes and characteristics to Jesus himself, right? Knowing that this power resides in me and every believer formed the vision for Paul's ministry.

3. The Mission: A minister’s goal is Christ-like maturity.

Once Paul lays the groundwork of how he does ministry & what he focuses on in ministry, he establishes his mission for ministry- "to present every man mature in Christ" (1:28). What is our goal in relationships? Is it fun? Is it avoiding loneliness? Is it companionship? Not that any of these things are wrong, but our main goal, as Paul's was, should be to make those around us more like Jesus. This type of loving ministry can only be done by relying entirely on the strength, wisdom, and guidance of Jesus Christ (1:29).

Let me finish with one example very close to my heart. This last baseball season, the Angels again played the Red Sox. In the 9th inning with runners on, down by 1 run with 2 outs, Vlad Guerrero came up to bat. He had not played well in pressure situations in the past. At this point, it was his turn and his turn alone. He could have complained that someone else was better for the job...He could have created excuses for why he couldn't get the job done. But, regardless, fate had it that he and he alone was the batter up, and nothing could change that situation. He had no choice but to give it all he had and swing for the fences. (And, yes, he delivered).

Here's what I tell my students often...I tell them that they may be the only "pastor" or the only "Jesus" that some of their friends and family ever taste! We each have a responsibility to be faithful to the call to minister to those in our lives. Oh yeah, we can complain that someone else is better for the job...we can argue that maybe we will get around to it when we have more time. But you and you alone are up to bat. No use in complaining or making excuses. God has given you the job. And he will give you the strength.

2 Books for Religious People...

2010-01-05T07:48:00.000-08:00

Ah...Christmas break was nice. I hadn't gotten to do much leisure reading until the holidays, both out of my lack of desire to spend money on books, and my lack of time to sit with my coffee and read aforementioned books. I turned my attention to 2 books by author I'd never read before, and each book sent a convicting message to my all-too-legalistic and self-righteous heart.

The Prodigal God by Tim Keller

This book is a great look at the Parable of the Prodigal Son- or as Keller calls it, "The Parable of the Two Lost Sons." One son is lost in his hedonistic pursuit of worldly pleasure, and is saved by the father's overwhelming love. However, the older son is also lost. He hates the fact that the younger, wayward brother gets graciously accepted back into the family. He thinks that, because of his perfect behavior, he has a right to demand whatever he wants from his father.

I imagine that this is a pitfall for many, especially those who grew up in the church. God is gracious on the wayward- those who have crazy "drinking-smoking-cussing-sexing-rebelling" testimonies. But he is equally gracious on the prudes and self-righteous- those who have "prideful-self-centered-arrogant-moralistic-religious" testimonies. Both fleshly sins and sins of self-righteousness are despicable to God, and both must be forgiven by his grace.

Crazy Love by Francis Chan

This book is a straight shot to the gut. Simply stated, if God has been so gracious, so loving, so sacrificial, so radical in His love for us, why are American Christians mostly so lukewarm? Why do we seem to care about our own comfort and security more than the things Jesus talked about- radical love, real sacrifice, desperate prayer? Christians are supposed to be obsessed with Christ no matter what. So why aren't we? Maybe because we are not taking Christ's words literally...Check out this work- it is sure to convict.

What Wise Men Do

2009-12-21T13:52:00.000-08:00

Christmas is a fun time of year. You get to dust off old Christmas decorations, buy red candles for your coffee table (first married Christmas), take some time off work, and buy gifts for those you love/like/know/dislike. But my favorite part of Christmas is.....dusting off the Bible characters that get neglected the rest of the year! Obviously, the Christian community (and American society, to some degree) more specifically recognizes the so-called "Christmas Story" during this time of year. It is without further adieu that I bring my voice to the table with the characters that have occupied much of my thinking this year, ah yes, the Magi ("wise men", to the layperson).

I give a hat tip to my professor, Dr. Varner, and you should read his very much more informative posts on the Magi here and here. He notes that the Magi were a special sect of religious men in the Persian society. They were not "kings" as the familiar song states, nor were there necessarily 3 of them (the Biblical text gives no number). It is also very likely that they did not journey to Judea ignorantly. In Daniel 2:48, Daniel himself, a Jew in captivity in the east, was referred to as the leader of the "wise men." Therefore, it is likely that the wise men of Matthew's gospel had access to his Messianic prophecies and had expected the birth of the Jewish Messiah (Daniel 9:24-27). It is probable that they traveled several hundred miles and arrived up to 2 years after Jesus' birth. (Note that Matthew 2:11 tells us that they entered the "house" and saw the "child"- not "infant".) Lastly, the Bible text notes that they followed "his star," which was very likely God's Shekinah glory leading them to Jesus, the Messiah. If it were a real star (aster in Greek is a general word that could refer to any celestial appearance), it does not make sense why it would disappear, then reappear directly over the house where Jesus resided.

What strikes me most about this story is the two searches for the Messiah. The wise men have been searching for the Messiah, and when they see the toddler Jesus, they worship him. They give him gifts. They sacrificially bow down to Jesus as King. These Gentile worshippers, in some sense, fulfill the promise given to Abraham in Genesis 12- "In you all the families of the earth will be blessed." Yet along the way to the King of Kings, they stop and ask King Herod for directions. King Herod thus embarks on his own search for the Messiah. His reaction upon hearing of the Messiah's birth was not the humble, worshipful, and sacrificial reaction of the wise men. Herod, because he saw Jesus as a threat to his reign, his kingdom, his agenda, and his plans, tries to kill Jesus. Here we see the first of several murder attempts on Jesus' life. Jesus came to die. This was his explicit purpose from before the foundations of the world (1 Peter 1:19-20). But it would happen at his timing, not at the timing of the arrogant and selfish Herod the Great.

When I read the juxtapositions of these reactions, I cannot help of thinking of our own individual reactions to Jesus the King. Though most our culture assumes there are several inconsequential reactions to Jesus, there are really only two reactions, both of which are eternally consequential. One reaction stiff arms Jesus, viewing him as a hindrance to our selfish plans and desires for our lives. He claims to be King of all, but we do not allow him to be king of our own kingdoms. If we won't accept him as King, he will not be accepted as forgiving Savior alone. This reaction leads to futile living, and, ultimately, it leads to judgment. But the other reaction is quite different. The wise men sacrifice their time, money, and convenience. The wise men freely give their gifts. The wise men rejoice exceedingly at the presence of their Savior. The wise men worship the King. What will our reaction be?

Those I honor, in the eye of the Tiger

2009-12-03T07:46:00.000-08:00

Obviously, the partially shocking news regarding Tiger Woods' hidden life is now world-wide headline news. And millions upon millions have given their opinion, mocked him or defended him regarding his actions, his injuries sustained in his "car accident", and his "apology." And I don't wish to comment much more on his situation, but these events did trigger something in my mind...

As someone who teaches regularly, I am always looking for comparisons, analogies, and examples, both positive and negative. And selfishly, I wish that some examples came out sooner so that I could have used them in a past lesson! A few weeks, I taught my high schoolers Psalm 15. It is a Psalm that describes the character of people who are close with God, those who "dwell on his holy hill."

In verse 4, David states of those who are close with God, "in their eyes a vile person is despised, but the honor those who fear the Lord." When news like Tiger's story breaks, which unfortunately happens all too frequently, it gives me an opportunity to analyze whom I honor, and to whom I grant my admiration. Sure Tiger can hit a golf ball far (and straight!) and Kobe can do things on the basketball court unimaginable to my stiff white self, but my admiration of such athletes and other celebrities must stop there. According to the verse, "a vile person" must in some sense be "despised" by followers of Jesus. We must rather, "honor those who fear the Lord."

So I honor those people. I honor my wife, who spends her days off school & work doing laundry, decorating, and cleaning (her favorite) just because "I want to give you a nice place to live." I honor my parents, who unselfishly raised 4 kids to learn God's word, live for Jesus, and love one another. I honor my pastor and family who, for some insane reason, allowed dozens of high schoolers to take over their home on a regular basis in hopes of building relationships and impacting their lives. It worked. I honor my RD, who sacrificed any notion of a comfortable life (or private dating life!), chose to move back into an all-male college dorm in his late twenties to help guide confused and seldom responsible men to honor Christ even in their young age. I honor Russ & Ann, a married couple at my church who seemingly have dozens if not hundreds of younger couples pass through their doors (and eat their food) in seek of counsel and love each month. These and more are the people I revere in my heart. They maybe can't mash tape-measure home runs, or hit fall-away jumpers in the NBA (though my dad can put the Space Shuttle in space, and that's kinda cool). They probably won't help push a product via endorsement. But they have skills in the arena that counts for eternity.

Obviously, many will critique & bash what Tiger and others like him have done, and deservedly so. My encouragement to us is that we also take time to "honor those who fear the Lord." These are the people whose posters I want hanging up in my garage. (That is, when I have a garage.)

How can you be humble and still "Love yourself"?

2009-11-09T10:09:00.000-08:00

"You shall love your neighbor as yourself." -- Jesus, Matthew 22:39

Yesterday I taught on humility from Philippians 2:1-11. I was convicted by Paul's repeated urges to consider others more important than ourselves and to look out for others' interests above our own. I was then reminded of a devotional I heard a few weeks ago, that, sadly, I have heard several times. The main thrust of this devotional was that we must learn to "love ourselves" in order to be effective in this world. The above verse from Matthew was cited. "How can we love our neighbors as ourselves, if we don't first work on loving ourselves?"

Obviously our culture has much to say about self-esteem, self-confidence, self-trust, self-worth, self-love, self-self-self-self. But it seems to be that Jesus here is assuming that we already love ourselves. Our hearts are self-inclined naturally. We always seek good for ourselves, since we think that we do not deserve pain, suffering or wrong. Consider in the verse above that Jesus does not command us, "You shall love yourself." Rather, the explicit command is, "You shall love your neighbor." It seems that in our arrogance we love ourselves so much we want to see it commanded by Jesus, so we force it into the text! (...fail...)

Which answers my question, "How can you be humble and love yourself?" No, humility can self-love cannot co-exist. Self-love is the root of sin. Eve saw that the fruit was good for her. Cain was angry because he felt that he deserved better regard. And on it goes. Sin comes from self-love, and holiness comes from God-love.

I do not claim to be an expert in the social sciences (or an expert in anything, for that matter!) Any thoughts on self-esteem, self-love, self-worth?

"Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life" (John 12:25).

Evangelism...On purpose!

2009-10-28T11:09:00.000-07:00

These are the notes to a message I recently gave. God recently convicted me about my lackadaisical approach toward being a light. I, as are many men my age, am a committed sports fan. The month of October is a time of great joy, or great idolatry for a sports guy. Baseball playoffs take place, the NBA and NHL seasons start, and college, pro, and fantasy football are all in full swing! As I was on my way home from Game 2 of the Angels vs. Red Sox series, unbelievably excited after an intense Angels' victory, God brought Colossians 4:2-6 to my mind. Why isn't our evangelism as passionate as our hobbies- sports, TV shows, etc.? Why do we not plan for it the way we do other priorities in life? Hopefully the few points from Colossians 4:2-6 below help...

1. Pray Consistently- Paul says, "Continue steadfastly in prayer..." We must ask God to save & forgive those around us, since he is the one who has the power to do it. I do not ask my mother to fix my leaky head gasket; while she may offer heartfelt sympathy, fresh coffee, and warm cookies, she does not have the power to fix the head gasket. I ask Dad, since he has the power and ability to repair cars. We pray and ask God, because he has the power. We pray for open doors, we pray for the right words to say, and we pray for salvation.
2. Plan wisely- Paul says, "Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time." As I moved out from under my parents roof to a massive apartment with my new wife, I studied and research and planned everything. I read up on health insurance plans, researched every apartment complex in the area, read consumer reviews to make sure I got a decent car, found the best way to budget & save my money, read up on every possible credit card available to me, etc., etc., etc. Why do we plan for "important" things in life- investments, healthcare, retirement, vacations, but do not "plan" for when and how we will talk about Jesus to those around us who need Him?! Too many times, I sit with family & friends who need Jesus and simply wait for an opportunity. That attitude is far too passive. Sometimes a door will be opened, but other times we must kick it down.
3. Speak Graciously- Paul says, "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt..." If God's grace was water, our words must be a hose; we deliver grace. We speak grace when we tell of what Jesus has done; we speak grace when we meet human needs of comfort, correction, and encouragement. But we cannot simply speak the right content. I believe Paul wants us to be compelling in how we discuss and share the grace of God. He says our speech is to be "seasoned with salt." We must be tasty in a distinctive and compelling way. Think of how Jesus reasoned with unbelievers- "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and yet lose his soul?" Make your evangelism provocative, piercing, and compelling.
4. Live Contagiously- After "seasoned with salt", Paul says the result of this kind of lifestyle- "that you may know how you ought to answer each person." If we are answering them, they must be asking. Do you live in such a way that those around you ask? Why do you have hope in you? Why do you devote time to God's word, to the church, to prayer? Where does your comfort come from? Though the gospel is still "foolishness" to the world, people will be drawn as we live the lives that God designed for us.

Go get 'em! On purpose.

To Hell or not to Hell?

2009-10-19T09:30:00.000-07:00

After nearly puking up my last few years of meals upon listening to Brian McLaren talk about "hell", I started to wonder, what exactly is hell like? We all have an image in our minds (or at least I do) of perpetual burning and flames, etc. But what does the Bible say? My list is in no way exhaustive, so feel free to add in the comments below. There are some verses/passages that I recall, but couldn't find.

First off, let me say that hell indeed does exist as a place of punishment. Jesus spoke about it over. and over. and over. Furthermore, there would be no urgency to accept the forgiveness of Jesus unless there was also a consequence for not doing so.

"Fiery Furnace."- In Matthew 13, Jesus twice refers to hell as a "fiery furnace." Once, he says that the "weeds" ("sons of the evil one") will be thrown into this furnace, just as real weeds are. Then he says that the angels will separate the evil from the righteous and throw the evil into a "fiery furnace." I'm not sure how literally this image should be taken, but I am sure that it speaks of real punishment, and that it is not pleasant.
"Lake of Fire." At the end of Revelation, the "beast", the "false prophet", the devil, "Death and Hades", and anyone not written in the book of life are all thrown into the Lake of Fire.
"Flame"- In the parable of Luke 16, the rich man in the "place of torment" says that he is "in anguish in this flame," referring to hell.
"Gehenna"- When the New Testament says "hell", it is normally this Greek word, gehenna. Traditionally, this is the valley outside of Jerusalem where much of the waste and refuse- possibly including dead bodies- were thrown.
"Outer Darkness/Weeping and gnashing of teeth."- Three times in Matthew, Jesus describes hell through parables and says that the evil will be cast into the "outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth." Once again, this image differs from the ones above, but it is 1) for the evil and 2) not pleasant.

Will hell be a place of flames? The biblical images in my very non-exhaustive list are definitely "fiery." What may be unclear in the imagery is clear in Paul's explanation- "They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed..." (2 Thess. 1:9-10). And, what the Psalmist says is true for all men- "For me it is good to be near God!" (Psalm 73:28) What is clear is that hell is eternal separation from God and punishment by God, and to be near God in relationship with Him is our greatest good! It is not my focus to scare or to be a downer, but to motivate my own all-too-often-jaded-heart.

King Context! Finding the Familiar when You Least Expect It

2009-10-09T11:21:00.000-07:00

There have been a few times in my life when, while running around town for one thing or another, I run into my mom, relative, or a good friend that I hang out with alot. And it is a pleasant surprise. I have a conversation with someone close to me, when it was unplanned, in a place and at a time when I didn't expect it.

At times, I also find the same pleasant surprises when conversing with God's Word. There are so many Bible verses that I, as someone raised 'in the church', knocking out my AWANA memory verses like Torii Hunter's HR last night, don't value or understand as I should, because I am "so familiar" with them. Because I have memorized a verse apart from it's original context, it's meaning becomes clouded to me, and the impact it should have is minimized. We must take Greg Koukl's advice to "never read a Bible verse." When you 'find the familiar' verses, passages, and stories in context, we can benefit more specific, impacting meaning. Let me give a few examples of what I mean.

Philippians 4:13- "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Most of us have heard this verse a jillion times, or at least seen it on Tim Tebow's eye black. Many of you are so familiar with this verse, I probably didn't even need to write it! Yet as I was reading through the whole book of Philippians a while back, I came across this verse unexpectedly, and I noticed the meaning of this verse in context. Paul writes, "I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content...I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need..." When he says he can do "all things" with Christ's strength, he is specifically speaking of our ability, with Jesus' strength, to be content.

Lamentations 3:22-23- "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." A great hymn, many cute house decorations, and even a coffee mug, have been made with this verse as inspiration. But as I read through Lamentations, and did not expect to find this verse, its meaning hit me in a more powerful way as I read the context. Jeremiah, explaining his grief at the capture of Jerusalem, tells us that he "has forgotten what happiness is...has become the laughingstock of all people...is the man who has seen affliction under the rod of God's wrath." Furthermore, he says that God "has shut out my prayer...is a bear lying in wait for me...drove into my kidneys the arrows of his quiver." No doubt, the grief he felt was incredibly deep, incredibly painful, and left him on the brink of hopelessness. Yet he says that God's mercies are "new every morning." The black context brings out the bright, shining beauty and complexities of this well known verse.

There are many more examples of this in my life. I come across a great verse or passage that I am too familiar with, and it's true meaning hits me in a new way, because it came at a moment and in a context where I didn't expect it. This is the benefit, brothers and sisters, of reading God's word for yourself. Devotionals are great, blogs (even this one!) have some use, and sermons can be awesome soul-food. But the side-effect is that we hear snippets of individual verses outside of their context, and thus deprived of their full meaning and power. Therefore, let us not deprive ourselves of feasting on God's Word for ourselves. You, even you, the AWANA All-Star, the Bible major, the leader of a friggin Bible Study may be surprised at the impact you may find! (I speak to myself).

Principles for dealing with "Bible Contradictions"

2009-09-29T14:35:00.000-07:00

Below are just a few of the principles I keep in mind when people bring up alleged contradictions in the Bible. It may be one of the most common excuses people use against the Bible. If you have not encountered this argument yet, you certainly will soon (that is, if you are Jesus-like and evangelistic and actually talk to and befriend non-Christians!). The below are NOT ways to solve every contradiction; rather, these are just a few things that I keep in mind. If you have any other notes of interest, please feel free to comment!

1. Contradictions should be analyzed on a case-by-case basis. There is not one simple cut and dry answer that will refute any "contradiction." Every tough issue in the Bible may be affected by several other topics: ancient manuscripts, linguistics, translations, historical context, cultural context, etc.

2. There is always a good answer- IF you study and think about it! I have been faced with some very tough issues in the Bible, both in my Bible classes and "out on the street." I have always been able to read, think, and study, and find a very sufficient answer or explanation. Ask pastors or teachers, ask Bible professors, read some books or good websites, or actually read the Bible in its context!

3. Alleged 'Contradictions' actually give more reason to believe the authenticity of the Bible. Imagine that you are answering an essay question for an exam at school. If your essay was exactly the same, thought for thought, as your friends, the teacher can reasonably assume that you cheated, copied off each other, or at least studied the exact same notes together. However, if you both give good, solid answers that give the same "jist" of facts and ideas, but you write with different words, phrases, order, and structure, you teacher can assume that you both are reporting the same true answer of the same true fact in a different way. She (or he!) would have no reason to assume foul play.

Likewise, when people bring up 'contradictions in the Bible,' often times it is a merely that one gospel author recorded the events in a different order, or a slightly different way, or with a few extra tidbits either included or left out. These variations in the stories give us great reason to believe that the authors of the New Testament were simply recording the facts of history that they witnessed and were impacted by!

4. Contradiction or different point of view? As I mentioned above, alleged contradictions are often just different points of view of the same event. Kind of like one person describing your face from the left side, while another describes from the right side.

5. It's OK to say, "I don't know." Sometimes, I have seen my professors or teachers faced with very tough questions, and they say, "I don't know, but I will find out for you." I have answered the same way at times. If you honestly don't know the answer to a tough Bible question, the best thing to do is to (drum roll please...) say that you don't know! But use that opportunity to go and learn about the issue.

6. How does this issue affect the story of the gospel? Many times, you can sense that people are bringing up alleged contradictions and questions, but they do not really want answers or real, unbiased discussion. So, I think it may be wise to ask, "Even if this issue is a contradiction, how does that affect the historical event of Jesus' resurrection?" Get to the point. I don't want to spend our time debating about very minor issues if someone is only using those issues to dodge the real question, "Who do you say that Jesus is?"

Preaching and Monkey Bars

2009-09-25T10:40:00.000-07:00

This one may insult your intelligence. Or compel you to insult mine.

Why do we focus so highly on preaching in our churches? Pastors spend hours a week preparing and studying and praying, and our churches spend nearly half of their Sunday mornings listening to God's Word being (I hope) accurately taught.

It is clear that preaching is a primary focus of the church. I won't document it here, but from Acts 2:42-47 to the Pastoral Epistles, it is clear that churches should preach God's word, and Christians should listen and feast on God's truth. My first thought is, "Isn't it strange that God set things up this way for his church? Sitting and listening on a Sunday?" A second thought is, "What is the purpose and effect of regular preaching for our churches?"

Paul said to Timothy, "Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers" (1 Timothy 4:16). Now it is clear from the context that much of Timothy's congregation ("hearers") were believers. Certainly, some weren't, but many were. Yet Paul's encouragement is that Timothy persist in his teaching so that he "will save" himself and those who listen! While I won't get into the "Can I lose my salvation issue here" (You can research that for yourself here), it is notable that Timothy is encourage to preach so that all his hearers (and himself) would be saved!

We need God's grace everyday- without it, we would each certainly "make a shipwreck of our faith" and turn away from Christ. It is only the beauty of his grace that keeps us. And a hose that he sprays his grace out of is faithful, inspiring, passionate preaching of His word.

This thought literally enters my mind at least weekly. I envision my life as a trek through a long line of monkey bars (you don't need me to tell you how these work do you?) I grab daily onto God's grace, cling for dear life, and swing to the next promise, truth, revelation, conviction that God uses to hold me up day in and day out. Preaching is God placing a 'monkey bar' in front of us on a regular basis. We need grace, we need truth to sustain, we are losing momentum and ready to fail, and we need truth to hold onto. So God, through pastors like Timothy (and your pastor!), presents truth to you on a regular basis to sustain you and keep you held up by his grace.

As Jeremiah wrote, "His mercies (aka 'monkey bars') are new every morning."

The Link- Theology and Holy Living

2009-09-10T09:17:00.000-07:00

Just a few verses that connect knowedge of God & correct doctrine (aka 'theology') with practical living. These are motivation for me to know my Bible better...

1 Timothy 1:9-11- "The law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted."

POINT- Sinful living is contrary to correct doctrine/theology.

1 Timothy 6:2-3- "Teach and urge these things. If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness..."

POINT- Correct doctrine/theology accords with godliness.

Ephesians 4:13-16- "until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."

POINT- "Knowledge of the Son of God" is equated with "mature manhood." Maturity ("no longer be children") is equated with doctrinal/theological stability (not carried about by "every wind of doctrine"). We are to grow to Christlikeness in every way. All this knowledge and maturity, theological/doctrinal AND practical, results in practical fruit- the body "builds itself up in love."

Titus 2:9-10- "Slaves are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior."

POINT- A well-behaved worker/slave is "decorating/adorning" themselves with doctrine/theology.

Hebrews 6:1- "Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity..."

POINT- The author views theological development as "maturity" in one's life.

2 Timothy 3:16-17- "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 competent, equipped for every good work."

POINT- Scripture (correct knowledge of Scripture is called 'theology/doctrine'!) is profitable for equipping you with "every good work."

Believing Correct Theology & Doctrine- Don't Injure your Heart!

2009-09-04T09:23:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know, I went to a conservative Christian college (The Master's College) and majored in Biblical Studies. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there, especially the community I developed in the dorms. Undoubtedly, discussions would arise on many topics- funny movie quotes, sports arguments (most of which were better than your local sports talk radio!), or stupid prank ideas (we once gave a false fire evacuation of our dorm at 2am. During the crazy Socal wildfires that were within miles. Not a good idea.). But theological discussions were a unique part of my college experience, and a part that has carried on into my "real adult" life.

Now, many issues are "gray areas" and are definitely to be handled with grace. But ultimately, the Bible must be our authority. What God's word says, goes, no questions asked! One issue seems to hinder some (myself included) from accepting what the Bible seems to clearly say-the "practicality" of believing certain doctrines that are hard to accept.

For example, let's say that the Bible clearly teaches something hard to accept- that God is sovereign and in control over "all things," including the salvation/conversion of humans. And let's say that I (or another in your life) bring up clear passages of Scripture to show this to be true (Romans 9, for example). If someone is not inclined to accept this teaching, I have come across (and myself have given) a few responses listed below:

- "Believing this is not a matter of salvation, so it doesn't matter what I believe about God's sovereignty, the end times, etc."

- "This doctrine does not affect how I live my daily life, how I parent, how I act at work, etc."

- "Well I don't think God would do that in that way. That doesn't seem fair."

These any many other unexpressed reasons have prevented me from accepting what God is saying in His word. And maybe, the reasons are relatively true at times- adhering to "Calvinism" or "Cessationism" or "Premillenialism" or "any-other-ism" is not a matter of salvation at all. And, forgive me if I'm wrong, but I have not killed any sin lately with the sword of "literal 6-day creationism" in my hands! So these reasons may seem true and valid on the surface. But...

What I believe is at stake in believing correct theology is the health of the spiritual muscle known as your "heart." Let me illustrate. In this article here, the cause for many bodily injuries related to exercise is determined to be "degenerative conditions." What this means is that your body accumulates tension in bones, joints, tendons, etc. over time, and eventually, the smallest action (like sneezing) causes an injury. A second cause of exercise-related injury is doing an exercise wrong. You may "curl" alot of weight, but you are also killing your back over time by performing the curls with the improper fashion! These improper actions overtime harm your muscles.

Likewise, our heart is our most important muscle. What is at stake in believing correct & biblical theology is the health of our heart. The primary function of our heart is to submit to God and His word. This means that when we "work out" our muscle correctly in regards to believing biblical doctrine, we are strengthening the very muscle that must submit to God when temptation arises. But when we reject a hard teaching from God's word because "it is not a matter of salvation," we are weakening the heart- we are performing "curls" in the wrong way and harming our muscle! We desire to strengthen our hearts to submit to God's word. If we brush off God's Word in the area of biblical theology, we are more likely to brush off God's Word when temptation comes our way! Is there something biblical that we either ignore or reject? Is there a topic that we are inclined to steer clear of, because it's "too hard," "too controversial," or "too deep"? Or do we strive to align both our actions and our beliefs under the authority of God and His Word?

So, my encouragement to you and to myself is to "guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the issues of life" (Proverbs 4:23). We want to be believers, as the Psalmist says, who "incline our hearts to perform your statutes forever, to the end" (Psalm 119:112). May we not 'exercise' our hearts in a harmful area just because we can't see or feel the effects now. We may be injuring the most important muscle God has given us.

Counting the seconds vs. Counting the cost...

2009-08-29T15:16:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, as I was driving home from the beach, I thought, "I wonder if Tiger is winning the PGA Championship." Then I immediately thought of several ways that I could obtain this information within seconds, even though the tournament was being played 1,903 miles away. I could flip on the radio, and 710 ESPN will have updates every 20 mins or so. I could hop on the internet on my phone (while hiding it from cops) and quickly get this information within seconds.

Often times, when it comes to obtaining information, we are impatient when cell service is bad, the internet is down, or the TV has bad reception (yes, I still have a "rabbit ears" antenna!). We 'count the seconds' until we can obtain this information. In fact many successful industries make it their sole purpose to make the world smaller, to make you and me more "connected" to anyone and anything from anywhere.

I really do love this. I love that I can follow the Angels from Chino, even if they're playing in Chicago. I love that I can communicate instantaneously with great friends in Israel, England, Australia, New York, Texas, Washington, and basically any other location. However, I have seen in myself and in those believers around me a tendency that our "information age" has created. Everything is so simple, so efficient, so "google", so instantaneous- except spiritual growth. I can get you any information you may need in seconds (though if you ask me to do it for you I will send you a snide link to www.lmgtfy.com). But you or I cannot be like Jesus in seconds. We cannot learn the intracacies of God's Word or God's character in seconds. We cannot successfully evangelize to our friends in seconds. We cannot kill our sin in seconds. We cannot counsel each other through trials in seconds. Spiritual growth, discipleship, pursuing Christlikeness is something that bears fruit in years. It is a grand task for which we must count the cost.

Much of my spiritual struggle in my pursuit of Christ in post-college days has come because it is not easy, it is not "efficient" on the surface, and it doesn't always grant instant gratification. I also see many peers and fellow church members who seem to think that sanctification should be structured more like a Google Search or a Starbucks Drive-Thru.

But I humbly remind myself and you that we must count the cost. We are giving our lives to Jesus, and he is taking us on a journey of knowing him and becoming like him. You should pursue him this second, but results may not appear for you this second. His plans and his ways are much grander and much bigger than we can imagine. True commitment causes a pursuit of Christ, a study of His word, a commitment to church & discipleship to last for decades, not seconds. May we not allow our "counting the seconds" culture destroy our "counting the cost" discipleship.

"Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’"

Google Homepage & Idols of the Heart

2009-08-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

(HT- David Powlison's "Idols of the Heart and 'Vanity Fair'")

In the Bible, God's people are often rebuked & even mocked for practicing idolatry. "They are turned back and utterly put to shame, who trust in carved idols, who say to metal images, 'You are our gods'" (Isaiah 42:17; see also Psalm 115:4-9). What is ridiculous is that man would bow down to a material object which he created and give it worth, glory, and exaltation as God!

It may sound foreign in both time and culture, but the rebuke of idolatry is not simply aimed toward the physical bowing of the knee to a scuplted idol. Ezekiel 14:1-8 indicates that the problem of idolatry is in the heart of man. In this passage, Israel's problem was not simply a physical action; rather, the 'idol' controlled the desires, emotions, and volitions of their heart (Ez. 14:3- "they have taken idols into their hearts..."). Likewise, you and I in 21st century America (or wherever you may be reading this from), take 'idols into our hearts.' Oh, these idols are never false gods of other organized religions- we are far too sneaky for that sort of thing! Rather, our idols- our functional gods- are those priorities which govern the use of our recourses- time, energy, money.

Ken Sande (www.peacemaker.net) defines an idol this way- "An idol, as we have seen, is any desire that has grown into a consuming demand that rules our heart; it is something we think we must have to be happy, fulfilled, or secure. To put it another way, it is something we love, fear, or trust." If we love, fear, trust, demand, need something/someone to the point that it governs your time OR you need it to be happy, you and I have created an idol. Do you need to be respected? Do you need to be praised? Do you need to be in shape, to have comfort, to be served, to play video games, to follow sports, to ____________ (fill in the blank)? Congratulations, you and I are in the same boat of idol worshippers!

One professor once told me, "It is easy for me to see what you worship. All I need to do is follow you around for a week, and look at your bank statements!" The way we spend our time & money is telling to what our hearts truly value.

Now, as I've thought about this recently, I have begun to analyze my own life (2 Cor. 13:5). When I open a new page my internet browser (Google Chrome- very good), Google Homepage gives me links to all my most visited pages. Seeing as I spend alot of time at a computer and on the internet, this should be a great indicator of what I value, right? Below is the Top 9, with categories in parentheses-

- Free Fantasy Baseball on ESPN (SPORTS- 2nd place in my league though!)

- Welcome to Facebook (Social)

- Mint.com (Financial)

- Gmail (Social/Spiritual)

- ESPN Homepage (Spiritu...I mean SPORTS)

- ESV Bible Online (Spiritual)

- Embrace the Tension (my blog, spiritual)

- Arrowhead Credit Union (Financial)

- MLB Baseball Scoreboard (SPORTS)

One can see the breakdown- 3 SPORTS; 2 Financial; 2 Social; 2 Spiritual. Uh Oh. Based on the above, with the resource of the internet, I seem to give great value (aka 'worship') to sports, social life, and my money. Sure, Jesus is thrown in there, but apparently he is not running the show. (I can also predict that the baseball links will probably change to football in a few weeks, but that doesn't solve the problem now does it?) It seems, sadly, that Jesus is important to me, but is he my God? Meaning- does he dictate what I do and how I spend my time, or do other interests, priorities, hobbies, and values?

My point is this- don't kid yourself. God is all, and he must be worshipped above all else. We've all got some repenting to do, and google homepage provides some great analysis to help you do it!

Jesus embraced the tension! (clarified)

2009-08-21T08:57:00.000-07:00

We (the Christian church- particularly the conservative evangelical, semi-educated) go around and around debating the whole Calvinism/Arminianism topic. Often times, however, our comments and thoughts do not have feet, cannot be applied or lived out, and therefore offer minimal impact to our lives and do little for the progression of the gospel. Interesting juxtaposition I found in Matthew 11. Jesus affirms the sovereignty of God in saving people and awakening their hearts to the gospel, yet turns around and offers, pleads, and sincerely begs for all men to come to Him, leave their burdens, and be saved! Most of us would run from, or try and philosophize (that's not a word) this theological 'tension'- Jesus embraced it. Read on:

"At that time Jesus declared, 'I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.'”

Jesus here affirms two truths that usually create "theological tension" in our minds.

- 1) God reveals or hides his gospel sovereignly to those he chooses.

- 2) Jesus gives a legitimate invitation to "come to me" to anyone who is willing.

These two truths may be in tension in our finite minds, but it must not prevent us from embracing these great facts from God's word and applying them to our lives!

Wisdom from the dead Buddha

2009-08-17T21:52:00.001-07:00

This morning, I read an inglorious little quote from Buddha on the side of my 'Good Earth' tea bag. The Buddhster says, in some of his last words (before he died and was buried and stayed dead like the rest of mankind- that was for free!) according to tradition, "Doubt everything. Find your own light." Um, forgive me, Mr. Buddha, for perhaps taking your words too literally, but if I am supposed to 'doubt everything,' as you claim, should I not then doubt my ability to 'find my own light'? I'm just saying....

The sad reality that truly brings me great sadness is that many who bite the glittering lure of this self-glorifying advice soon see the "Light of the world." And Buddha would surely acknowledge now, that Jesus' glory and worth is what we should not doubt.

Thoughts on Lust Part 2

2009-08-06T07:26:00.000-07:00

I wrote the below in response to a question I got from a good friend about the last post. How do we do it? By grace, yes. And I pray there is grace enclosed in the below...Once again, these thoughts have undoubtedly been gathered from God's word, and counsel I've received from godly guys. If I used something one of you said to me once, don't get mad that I plagiarized, praise God that your counsel stuck with me!

Matt. 5:27- "I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart..."

Remember that what Jesus is talking about is looking at a girl with the purpose of lusting. That means looking at her and thinking about acting on the attraction. The attraction or presence of initial temptation is not wrong, since that's the way God wired us, but thinking on how you would fulfill that desire is sinful. Now practically speaking...

- REPLACE- Eph 4 tells us to "put off the old man...put on the new man"...What we need to realize is that you can never simply stop doing/thinking something sinful. You need to "replace" the sinful action with a "Godward" action. For example, turn the temptation into an opportunity to pray (it's funny how talking to God will chase away many a temptation!) Say, "Jesus, thank you for making women attractive. Please help show me how to serve the girls around me in a brotherly way so I can honor you and them, like you told me to in 1 Tim. 5:2. I thank you for my future wife and pray that I can honor her the best way possible. Thank you for the gift of sexuality and please help me to only act on it in accord with your word." You have just turned temptation into thanksgiving.

- RELOCATE- Make sure you are never putting yourself in harm's way. I never struggled with porn, but I knew which TV shows would have hot/semi-dressed girls on them. I knew that my Surfer magazine would have a few such ads. When I defeated my sin was often times when I didn't go near these areas of known temptation. We have enough temptation that simply comes up, we need relocate to avoid the ones we know clearly about! This principle applies here- "Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned? Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched?" (Prov 6:27-28). If you go into areas of known temptation, odds are, you will be scorched.

- REVERE- I literally think to myself, "What if Jesus comes back right now? Would I want my Lord and Savior to return to me thinking about that? Aren't there better things to be doing when the teacher walks back into the class than imitating her or stealing her answer keys?" True reverence for Jesus chases sin away. Often times, we don't just need a behavior change; we need a heart change that leads to a behavior change. A heart that bleeds Bible, that thinks lofty thoughts of Jesus, is a safeguard against giving in to quick temptation.

- REFLECT- Defeating lust is like marinating meat (no pun intended). You must let the ribs sit in the marinade for awhile so that the tasty goodness sinks in. In the same way, when you are tempted, act slowly. For me, God's promises may not "work" the first time I tell them to myself. I need to let my heart sit in the marinade of His word for awhile before I can "taste and see that the Lord is good" (Ps. 34:8). Don't act quickly. The best thing to do when temptation arises is slow your emotions and thoughts down and just reflect.

- REHEARSE- Your heart is a muscle and it must be worked out. When you first start running, lifting weights, or exercising, your muscles hurt like crazy, and you can't stand it. You almost want to quit (I usually do and go sit on the couch!) In the same way, spiritually, realize that your heart is a muscle, and defeating lust is not easy at all! It will require so much discipline, and will hurt like crazy alot of the time. But you must keep going. Many guys have problems because its too hard, and they think it should be easier. But it's not easy. Not at all. Real men don't give in to lust because it's too hard. That's wimpy. Real men conquer lust (with Jesus' power).

- REALIZE- That there is victory in Jesus. You can defeat your sin in His strength (the same power that rose Jesus from the dead is in you!) Don't buy into the lie that it cannot be done.

Thoughts for young men on lust...

2009-07-28T15:59:00.000-07:00

"Your enemy the devil prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."

In my time walking with fellow young Christian men as an RA and in the local church, the struggle with lust seems to be a constant issue in someone's life. Being still a young man myself, I have listed several principles, in no particular order, that have helped me fight lust, and have helped others as well.

1. Sometimes you can't make it on your own. I have no idea what Bono was talking about in this U2 song by the same title, but I know it's true when it comes to lust. Actually, we can't ever make it on our own. What dudes need is a constant web of support from other godly guys.

2. Don't fake it. Hey the Bible (and even Jesus) knows that you're a sinner. And guess what- most people around you know it too (in fact, we are all pretty hideous in our own right). So when you fake it and pretend that things are going well, you just end up screwing yourself in the end. The message of the Bible when it comes to community is- I'm a sinner, you're a sinner, no surprises there. Now what are we, together, going to do to fight our sin? Boom shaka.

3. Take God at His word. There are some unbelievably scary things that the Bible says about lust. Let God's words soak in to your heart like hydrogen peroxide to an open wound, and sting you and kill all unholy thinking in you. Below is a little list of verses that I let speak to me over the years:

- Looking at a woman with lust is the same as having sex with her (Matthew 5:27-30) and bringing Jesus in the room to watch you do it (1 Cor. 6:15-17).

- Jesus says that a consistent lifestyle of unchecked lust means that you're not a child of God and you will be sent to hell. Do you feel the flames of hell when you're tempted? You should (Matt. 5:30)

- Lusting is acting as if you don't even know Jesus (1 Thess. 4:3-8). It is also giving the finger to the woman's future (or current) husband AND your future/current wife.

- Lusting is an inhumane & animal-like action that treats a woman like an object, not a person. I drool over ribeye, not over women (except my hot wife)...(Jer. 5:8).

- God looks at lust as if you were looking/acting at your sister (esp. if she's a fellow believer). My 2 sisters are both dating dudes right now (AC/DC) and the standard of living to all women who are not your wife should be "Would I be cool if I walked in on someone doing this to my sister? What would make me want to shake that guy's hand instead of ring his neck?" (1 Tim. 5:2).

4. Correspond your actions with REALITY. Porn/lust is easy because the women you look at aren't real. They never nag, never have a bad hair day, and never wake up on the wrong side of the bed. They're not real.

5. Live radically. Jesus says you should pull your eye out if it causes you to sin. His point is that you should live so radically and care about holiness so much, that you will sacrifice anything to please God. Not have internet in the house? On my phone? OMG that's so radical.

6. Don't kid yourself. Sexual desire is not wrong. Acting upon or fulfilling that desire in anyway on anyone or anything that is not your wife is hellishly (made that up?) wrong. Don't rationalize your sin by saying it's just one look, or you didn't actually do anything, or that every guy does it, etc, etc, etc. Don't make excuses. Be honest, ask God for help, ask your bros in Christ for help, and kill your sin.

7. Um, no, you haven't arrived. The moment you convince yourself that you have finally defeated your sin is the moment your sin begins to defeat you. If an army doesn't think there is a war, they are very susceptible to an attack. Keep your head on a swivel, because temptation is coming.

8. Do what Jesus did. In Matt. 4 & Luke 4, Jesus rid himself of temptation by appealing to God's word. Have a game plan for when temptation arises (hmmm...) What promises of God will you cling to? What lies is Satan telling you? How can God's word trump the lies of Satan? I always cling to Psalm 83:11- "No good thing does God withhold from him who walks uprightly." The lie of lust is often "You are missing out if you don't look/think/act. You are missing out on pleasure...." God says "No good thing are you missing out on if you follow my Word." If I believe that, it's a done deal, and I'm running out of the house of temptation naked like Joseph.

9. There is a way out. Take it. NOW! God says that there is always a way out in temptation (1 Cor. 10:13). However that "way out" may be at step 2 in the process of temptation. Sometimes, I asked God, "Why wasn't there a way out like you promised?" He said, "There was. It was just at a point far earlier than you expected, and you turned me down." Some of you do not need to go online alone at midnight. Your "way out" is before you turn the computer on. Some of you do not need to watch a movie alone in your room with homegirl. Your "way out" is before you closed that door. That being said, there is victory in Jesus. That's why he came and died for you- to make you holy (1 John 3:5!)

10. Worship God. Be Happy. Every practical struggle with lust comes down to an "idol" that you are desiring. It may be pleasure. It may be control. It may be comfort. It may be safety. The problem is that when you bow down to that god and let lust be the tool that your idol uses, you never actually get what you wanted. Maybe you struggled with porn because it is a relationship without rejection- power button, click, click, click, and you feel accepted! However, God has met all your needs in Christ. Need pleasure? Be satisfied in relationship with God and hang out with him (Phil. 3:8, Psalm 73:25-28, Psalm 27:4, Phil. 4:4). Need comfort? God is called the "God of all comfort" (2 Cor. 1:3). Need safety and security? God is your rock and refuge (Psalm 18:1-2). Need acceptance? How amazing that God has given you Jesus and accepts you as his child, not because of you, but because of Jesus! (1 John 3:1). Need control? No you don't! You need to relinquish control to the One who has promised to meet all your needs in Jesus (Phil 4:19). He also has said that nothing happens to you unless it is for your good and his glory (Rom. 8:28). So put God on his throne.

On Thanksgiving!

2009-07-20T07:27:00.000-07:00

Last night, when my head hit the pillow after a tiring weekend in the heat, I literally said out loud, "Thank you Jesus for my bed." This set off a chain of thoughts about thanksgiving and reminded me of something I had written before, pasted below for your edification, enjoyment, and evaluation!

Some thoughts on gratitude to our God...

It seems interesting to me that often times when we are tempted to complain, be discontent, to not be joyful, we persuade ourselves into contentment and thanksgiving with comments like, "I have nothing to complain about," or "I have so much to be thankful for," or even, "I'm not impoverished in a third world country, what am I so down about?" Furthermore, it is interesting to me in my own prayer life and as i hear others pray that we pray with such gratitude, "Lord, we have so much to be thankful for: healthy bodies, a solid family, great education, great friends, good weather, nice clothes, and you provide food for us as well. Thank you Lord." Now these comments and prayers are completely innocent on the surface, but what can they possibly imply about our joy? Let me ask a question to myself here- Ryan, do you think that if you didn't have a healthy body or great family and friends, that you would indeed then have NOTHING to be thankful for? Or do you think that if you were impoverished in a third world country, you would indeed have something legitimate to complain about?

Too often in my own thoughts and prayers, I make God's physical blessings the ground of my joy and gratitude, and not God himself. I actually think that if I was poor or unhealthy, then indeed i could complain and be ungrateful. You see, my health and clothes and friends and education must not be the grounds of my joy or my thanksgiving. What should be then? God and God himself. Take this whole world, health, prosperity, friends, family, talents, freedoms, education, and leave me with Jesus and I will be more satisfied with only Him. I would, at that poor and lowly physical condition, still have nothing to complain about and everything to rejoice over and give thanks for. As the Psalmist writes, "Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none that I desire on earth besides You. My heart and my flesh may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever" (Psalm 73:25-26).

The Sermons of our Culture

2009-07-09T09:02:00.001-07:00

I nearly cried watching Michael Jackson's funeral the other day. And not because I will miss him, nor because of his daughter's tearful farewell, and definitely not because of my sore back thanks to my moonwalk attempts. I was heavy-hearted, not by the death of the king of pop, but by the dishonor given King Jesus.

Our culture is constantly preaching messages, through commercials, songs, movies, articles, and through the funeral the other day. The name of Jesus was referenced, heaven was spoken of, and yet the service closed with the message that, "We are the world," truth is relative, and let's accept all worldviews as equally valid (regardless of their correspondence with history, reality, etc.). Much else can be said, but my main concern is that the real, actual, living, historical Jesus is sharply misrepresented. The natural man affirms loudly and loves the big themes, for they make him 'feel' peace- "God is love," "We are all God's children," "Jesus gives hope and peace..." However, we detach these 'big themes' from the 'smaller' details, questions, and answers that make these big themes true! Jesus is peace! But how do we get that peace in light of our sin? God is love! But what does that love consist of, and what changes does it cause in our lives? The peace of Jesus & the love of God mean nothing if they don't answer questions and solve problems related to the plight of my soul and the glory of God. We want to affirm big, feel-good themes, but we want to detach them from reality, detach them from history, and therefore detach them from any real significance beyond a sound-bite.

I have thought of several biblical & Christian observations & responses to this example of a widespread issue that the church must face and engage in:

- Apologetics is a must-study for every Christian. You do apologetics on your couch.

- We are now a post-Christian society.

- We must have our minds ready for battle every day. Holy living starts with holy thinking.

- I'd rather ride a bumpy road to heaven with Jesus, than take a smooth one to hell without him.

- How does our Christian theology actually affect our morals? Does it?

- Is your day in, day out, faith based in history?

- What is your answer for the hope that is in you?

- Do all religions really lead to God?

- In our culture's worldview, who gets punished or goes to hell? Does anyone?'

- Can you explain what the "love of God" actually & practically means?

- What are your emotions when God & his word are disregarded? Are you hurt, heavy, & sad?

- Do you have love for the non-Christian? If so, how do you show it?

What other reactions do you have?

Sad Day

2009-06-23T17:04:00.000-07:00

Something sad happened to me (in me?) today. I was perusing a church's website and was reading their vision, doctrine and mission statement. There, they mentioned something along the lines of "we want to be a church who...loves homosexuals..." The first thought that I had was, "Wow, I wonder if this church is solid..."

Undoubtedly- Jesus is the God who inhabited earth, attended parties, and was reamed by the religious elite for hanging out with & loving the prostitute and the tax collector. If it were God's plan for Jesus to physically walk the earth today, he would be reamed by the religious elite for being around & loving the homosexual.

Now, I am not faulting my thinking, nor am I faulting the church's wording on their website. But it is sad that we have gotten to a point in our church culture and our culture as a whole, where something biblical and Christ-like ("loving homosexuals") has been misinterpreted by the world and by many 'christians.' It is to the point where I read something that Jesus would have done ("love homosexuals"), and I wonder if they really mean something Jesus would not have done ("approve of the homosexual lifestyle"). The same phrase- "love homosexuals"- can apply (and has been applied) to an act that is God-honoring or to an act that is God-disgracing.

This is the world we live in. I didn't create this challenge or ask for it. But we must accept it- walk like Jesus and love the outcast. And be prepared to embrace the tension from the liberal (for condemning the sin) and from the self-righteous & arrogant legalist (for really, truly loving the sinner).

Tension- Worry vs. Wise Planning

2009-06-09T09:23:00.000-07:00

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 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 a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

Jesus here literally tells us not to worry about the most basic needs of life. Specifically, don't worry about your basic needs in the future, because your heavenly Father will provide them. Yet I know that I am still supposed to be a wise & good steward of the money I receive, as well as be a provider of my family, lest I be viewed as an unbeliever (1 Tim. 5:8). I love this passage, yet it is so hard to think through properly and to live out biblically. As a young married couple, just starting out paying my own stinking bills, saving, tithing, etc, these things are on my mind more than ever. Should I get life insurance? What is the best way to save my money for a house? Do I need to own a house? Should I start saving for retirement? But more important than my job, my paycheck, my distribution of my (ahem, God's) money, is my trust in my God. Yet if I am to not worry about my most basic needs 1, 2, 5, 10 years from now (according to Matt. 6 above), yet I am supposed to be a good steward of money and a provider for my family (1 Tim. 5:8), where should my wise planning end and my trust begin?

Jesus loves homosexuals too much to let them be

2009-06-01T07:41:00.000-07:00

I wrote the below in response to (sadly) another article on a Christian pastor who affirms homosexual marriage.

It is sad to me that in the Christian community the media portrays 2 prominent positions on the issue of homosexual marriage: 1- We are hateful, primitive bigots who are too narrow minded to allow homosexuals "equal rights" to marry. 2- The mature, accepting, loving "Christians" who openly affirm the homosexual lifestyle and homosexual marriage (as in this article here). Can the media not be fair and see that, maybe, just maybe, many conservative Christians do indeed love, accept and affirm homosexuals, while disapproving of their lifestyle? Jesus himself loved and hung out with prostitutes and tax collectors, accepted the person, and commanded repentance from the lifestyle. And I do not disapprove of the homosexual lifestyle out of hatred and prejudice; rather, biblically, we disapprove of the lifestyle because we 1) love God and His word; 2) love the homosexual individual and do not want him/her to injure himself/herself by perverting the gift of sexuality that God has given; and 3) because we love mankind and society as a whole, and (rightly) view homosexuality as a perversion of true humanity that, if perpetuated, cannot lead to societal maturity and positive "progression." This has been preached time and time again through the media- that a person IS a homosexual the same way that some people are black, others are tall, and still others have brown eyes or large feet. Comparisons are constantly made to the civil rights movements of decades past, and it is assumed that homosexuality is no longer a matter of moral choice, but rather a matter of amoral preference, or a matter of identity. While there may be factors from one's upbringing or psyche that make homosexuality appealing, this inclination DOES NOT MAKE IT RIGHT! Does a bitter person who is inclined to murder or violent acts of anger get the green light due to sinful inclination? Does the person who is inclined to lie due to the example of his parents get a free pass? If we allow our sinful inclinations to become our identity, we are in dire straits, my friends. To be sure, God allows people to do as they choose; but as a Bible-believing Christian, my conscience is bound and my love for you is strong. In the same way that I would never let my child place his hand against a running chainsaw, or dip the electronic in a sink full of water, my love for you will not allow me to smile at a lifestyle that will grieve our God, harm your own soul, and harm mankind and society at large. I can do no other, because I love you!

*There are many other issues to discuss here- the role of gov't in defining marriage (& other societal values), the heterosexually sinful, the "separation of church & state", etc. Please comment or raise valid questions!

I love Piper, but I also love to laugh...

2009-05-16T14:14:00.000-07:00

Hey so I just heard of this new thing called "Twitter." And while I won't "tweet" (apparently "tweet" is the verb form of "twitter"?), I have perused to see what some famous people are up to...

So I searched for a John Piper twitter (right after I found Shaq's, and then Driscoll's- 2 funny men), and I found one. But it was a fake one. Hence the name "Fake John Piper." Now while I admire Piper greatly and his vision, writing, and preaching have really influenced me, I am not above a good laugh from time to time. This Twitter "tweets"witty, sarcastic updates from a mockery of Piper's perspective. Consider the "Bio" listed on the page- "God is most glorified in me when I am most Calvinist in him." Now, that's simply funny. See more below and then check out the Twitter and tell me what you think!

- Phone peddler just asked if I had a retirement plan. I said yes. It's called "death."
- Don't waste your swine flu!
- If I had a TV right now I would be torn about the judges' decision to save Matt.. [American Idol reference, fyi]

What show do we put on?

2009-05-08T08:34:00.000-07:00

Lyrics for Jon Foreman's song "Instead of a Show"...written from God's perspective to His hypocritical people. (check the song out above, very convicting) Any thoughts on why we as Christians overlook many who 'have no hope at all'? What would God say to us, or to our church about this matter? He spoke to Israel about it many times (Amos 5:21-24), and what would he say to me & you?

I hate all your show and pretense
The hypocrisy of your praise
The hypocrisy of your festivals
I hate all your show
Away with your noisy worship
Away with your noisy hymns
I stomp on my ears when you're singing 'em
I hate all your show

Instead let there be a flood of justice
An endless procession of righteous living, living
Instead let there be a flood of justice
Instead of a show

Your eyes are closed when you're praying
You sing right along with the band
You shine up your shoes for services
There's blood on your hands
You turned your back on the homeless
And the ones that don't fit in your plan
Quit playing religion games
There's blood on your hands

Instead let there be a flood of justice
An endless procession of righteous living, living
Instead let there be a flood of justice
Instead of a show
I hate all your show

Let's argue this out
If your sins are blood red
Let's argue this out
You'll be one of the clouds
Let's argue this out
Quit fooling around
Give love to the ones who can't love at all
Give hope to the ones who got no hope at all
Stand up for the ones who can't stand at all, all
I hate all your show

Life together...and death apart?

2009-04-22T22:05:00.000-07:00

My sweet growing church just started a new series on biblical church and biblical community called "Life Together." This reminded me of one of the most challenging, encouraging and frightening verses to me on the importance of this topic.

Hebrews 3:12-13- "Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin."

FIRST, note that it is the responsibility of the community of believers to watch out for all other members. Not in a judgmental, nosy, gossipy way, but in an attitude of love, and care. The responsibility of the community is to make sure that no one has an "evil, unbelieving heart..."

SECOND, notice what the community should do to ensure the health of its believing members. "Exhort one another." Now, observe the relationship between these two clauses. The first clause ("exhort...") brings about the result of the second clause- "that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin." A causes B.

A- "Exhort one another." This is the command.
B- "that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin." This is the result/purpose.

The astounding implication here is that if we are not encouraged by fellow members of the church, we will be hardened. If you take away A, you will lose its result, B. Without encouragement, you and I will both grow hardened and deceived by our sinful tendencies. We all have weaknesses, blind spots, and tendencies, and we will indeed rationalize our sin- "You win every argument you have with yourself," as my old Dean used to continually say. So true.

The second implication is that your encouragement of others is crucial & necessary for them to avoid being deceived by sin and falling away. We truly gain 'life together,' but death apart!

Now, for those who may argue that we should 'mind our own business' and that encouragement and intimacy like this is 'nosy,' I would argue the following- Encouragement is loving. When I proofread your term paper and point out your grammatical and spelling errors, do I not have your own good in mind? When a climbing partner points out the dangers of the path his partner has taken, isn't he looking out for his buddy's best interest? Shoot, when you point out my open fly or the cream cheese on my face before the job interview, isn't that an act of love for me? In the same way, encouragement, correction, and instruction are not invasive, but life-giving acts of love.

How critical encouragement is to the health of our faith! And so I ask us the following...
1) Are you encouraging those in your lives? They need it to keep their faith!
2) Have you placed yourself in a position to receive consistent encouragement from others? How do you respond to their encouragement?

My encouragement to you- don't die away from the pack.

Art and Accuracy in Analogy

2009-04-17T10:57:00.000-07:00

I love analogies- often times I don't remember whole sermons or messages, but I remember the analogies, verbal & visual, that paint the picture of the message for me. However, as a learner & occasional teacher, I must beware of the accuracy of analogies.

First, analogies are meant primarily to illustrate the truth explained. But the truth must be shown to be true, scriptural, etc. Consider the following example (off the top of my head!)

"Imagine water. When water runs down a hill, or my driveway, it takes the path of least resistance. If something is in its way, it simply changes course, follows gravity, and ends up at the bottom of the hill, as far as it can go. In the same way, God wants you and me to take the path of least resistance..."

Now is what I said about water true? Yes. But when compared with God's message it does not explain the truth of how God wants us to live. The Bible tells us to be like Jesus, who endured the cross. Therefore, though my example is true in real life, it does not accurately connect to a truth about God.

While my example was drastic and obvious, many others are less so. What's my point? When you learn from the great teachers God has given you, make sure your head is down, fixed on and learning from your Bible and not simply an ornate analogy. Make sure that the truth of the Bible is explained and understood, and the analogy is a super-sidekick that colors the truth, not distorts it. And when you teach, do not rely on analogy alone to explain- make sure that the God-given tool of analogy fits the truth of Scripture, instead of morphing Scripture into your clever analogy.

Analogically speaking, just some "food" for thought...

What I love about Hockey

2009-04-13T17:14:00.000-07:00

Keep reading! Don't stop just because I said "hockey" you Americano estupido!

Yes, Spring is here, and you know what that means! Allergies, Daylight Savings Time, and Hockey Playoffs! Hockey is not my #1 favorite sport (football and baseball take the cake), but it is definitely up there. Why? Well, for starters, when you have a father nearing half a century who still plays ice hockey weekly, it's hard not to get addicted. And second, there are so many intriguing and hilarious elements of the sport that make it, well, unique, among normal team sports. See below.

The Penalty
Basketball has fouls, football & golf have 'penalties,' and in soccer they hold up colored cards while people whine (sounds juvenile to me!) But in hockey, you do something wrong (a "penalty") and they take you out of the game for 2 minutes. Now I know some soccer buff will respond that something like that happens in soccer, but, c'mon, when you have 11 guys, half of whom are standing around, it's not as big of a deal. In hockey, they take away 20% of your movable players! And if one of the remaining 4 players commits a penalty, he's gone too, and you're 2 men down!

The Penalty Box
Directly related to the above, when you do something wrong, they put you in a box by yourself (plus one guy in a suit who opens the door for you) on the other side of the rink. That's hilarious.

High-Sticking
If you hit another player with your "high" stick, you get a penalty (2 minutes). However, if the other player is injured (which means 'if he is bleeding') your penalty is raised to 4 or 5 minutes long, at the ref's discretion! The presence of blood generally determines the severity of the penalty, a rule unlike any other sport!

The Playoff Beard
Many teams or sports have superstitions or traditions (the rally cap, the rally monkey, a cute little cheer), but rarely are these traditions universal within the sport. In hockey, no matter your team, age, or ability to grow facial hair, the players will not shave until they are eliminated from the playoffs. Which results is several large, burly, hairy men playing hockey with a few quick skinny guys with approximately 7 hairs on their face. Classic.

The Playoffs
Every sport is affected by referees, which usually is unfortunate. However, no team sport is less affected by referees than the NHL playoffs- I think they forget their whistles. It is absolutely brutal. If you don't know what I mean, the Ducks open the playoffs Thursday night against the Sharks. And there will be blood. Side note- In almost every other sport, players incessantly complain about 'bad calls' or 'fouls.' In hockey, players generally shake their head, spit, and go to the penalty box (see above!)

The price received vs. The price paid
Basketball players play 82 games and speak of fatigue down the stretch. Baseball players play 162 games and speak of the 'dog days of summer.' NFL has only 16 games! They got nothing on hockey! In each sport, the players are paid through the roof. In hockey, a star may command a $8 million salary (compared to the $20 million salaries of the NBA, MLB, etc.) However, those who are in higher paid sports do not nearly pay the same physical price as a hockey player. I mean, where else do you see a guy drop down and take a 100mph puck off his leg 2 times within 10 seconds, limp off the ice, and make 1.5 million a year? Over 82 games? That's right, nowhere!

These intriguing tidbits are what makes hockey a man's -or at least a mann's - game...

Long Overdue?

2009-04-09T22:55:00.000-07:00

So I start...not start thinking, growing, and changing, but start writing my thoughts, growths and changes in concise, catchy, and hopefully not too confusing ways...for the world to read! Or at least my wife, a few friends, and my mom :)
So what do I mean? Why do I define the virtual extension of my heart, my very identity (aka-"my blog") as I do? Embrace the tension. To invite, to not fear, to never back down, explain it away, wimp out, or compromise- that's what I mean by "embrace."
But tension? As an "already, but not yet, resurrected, fallen mann" I face tension everyday. I face theological tension when the infinite God communicates and my finite mind struggles to comprehend. I face emotional tension when the melodies of my heart are far more majestic than the whispers of my life. I face social tension when the way things are pales in comparison with they way things ought to be- politically, spiritually, economically, socially, etc.
As the switchfoot song states-
"Welcome to the fallout, welcome to resistance
The tension is here, the tension is here
Between who you are and who you could be
Between how it is and how it should be..."

So 'the tension is here'- and to be the man God wants me to be, I refuse to ignore it.