It Is All About Me!

The symbol of our Christian faith is not an empty tomb to celebrate the resurrection, but rather an instrument of torture, suffering, and death. The singular purpose of the Roman Cross was to inflict the maximum amount of pain and agony for the longest possible time – its victims seeking death but not finding it soon enough. All the while the modern culture rarely gives it a second thought, other than using it as a shiny trinket adorned one’s neck. It’s a stark contrast of a faith built on suffering and a pop culture striving to be comfortable.

Why?

In Luke 22 we find Jesus sitting with His Disciples at the Last Supper. He was eager to spend this last Passover with them, to explain the significance of it. He said to them, “I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. Take this (cup) and share it among yourselves; I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes. This (the broken bread) is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me. This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood” (Luke 22:15-20, emphasis mine). The observance Jesus instituted for the church, His bride, is to remember His broken body and spilled blood all done for her… and to do it often.

Why not remembering Jesus by celebrating the triumphs and victories?

You may have heard the saying, “It’s about all God; it’s not about me.” Well, in this case, I do believe it’s all about us… about me, specifically. The symbol of the Cross is a reminder that it should have been me on that cross. I can identify with the Psalmist when he cried out, “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me” (51:3) or when Isaiah confessed, “For our transgressions are multiplied before You, and our sins testify against us; For our transgressions are with us, and we know our iniquities” (59:12). I would even venture to say we may just be viler than those two thieves crucified with Christ on Golgotha that day.

I will remember the Cross today even in midst of His triumph over death for it is because Jesus took my place there so that I can celebrate here… thank you, Jesus, for making it all about me!

That Chicken Is No Chicken!

Unless you have been on a media fast or just returned from an intergalactic vacation, you are no doubt aware of the firestorm Dan Cathy, the president of Chick-Fil-A caused by simply stating that the company’s business philosophy is based on biblical principles. In his interview with Baptist Press (full article link: Guilty As Charged) Cathy said that Chick-Fil-A is not a Christian business because Christ didn’t die for businesses but He did die for people. However he continues, “But as an organization we can operate on biblical principles. So that is what we claim to be. [We are] based on biblical principles, asking God and pleading with God to give us wisdom on decisions we make about people and the programs and partnerships we have. And He has blessed us.”

One of the guiding biblical principles is the restaurant’s founder S. Truett Cathy’s 66-year old tradition of closing on Sundays. It’s a time given to employees to spend quality time together worshiping with their family at church. As far as I’m aware, there hasn’t been one single protest or boycott until the restaurant changes that policy… that’s not to say I didn’t wish for a quick fix of spicy chicken sandwich pulling into their parking lot on my way home from church, forgetting they’re closed. There are no radical groups or city officials demanding that they force their franchisees to open the doors on Sundays or else.

Another guiding principle for the chain is their outstanding customer service, or “second-mile” service as Cathy refers to it, which is based on Matthew 5:41 where Jesus taught in His Sermon on the Mount, “Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.” Again, I don’t ever recall seeing a customer yelling at their employees to stop being so nice and demanding to be treated like dirt.

From its successes the restaurant chain formed the Winshape Foundation (WinShape.org) to provide support from foster care programs to children’s summer camps to college scholarships to marriage ministries in an effort to build and strengthen the family. Once again, there were no media firestorms demanding Chick-Fil-A to dismantle its many programs and ministries… until recently when Dan Cathy affirmed their commitment to support and strengthen families, the biblical definition of the family unit. At one point one journalist (I’ll give him the benefit of doubt) even stated that their biblical definition of marriage is equivalent to spewing hate-filled racial slurs, justifying that just because it’s protected speech it shouldn’t be said in the first place.

Boston’s mayor, Tom Menino was the first to step up to the batter’s box by telling the media he wants to keep the restaurant chain out of Boston because of its support of traditional marriages. I think the mayor has forgotten that it is akin to discrimination based on race, creed, sex, or religious beliefs. Menino later backtracked his rant.

Of course Rahm Emanuel, the mayor of Chicago also jumped on the anti-chicken wagon by stating that, “Chick-fil-A’s values are not Chicago values. They’re not respectful of our residents, our neighbors and our family members. And if you’re gonna be part of the Chicago community, you should reflect Chicago values.” So, Mayor Emanuel not only speaks for the entire city of Chicago on the issue of same-sex marriage but he also is making a moral judgment, meaning he is imposing his own moral view on all Chicago residents. Furthermore Chicago Alderman Moreno has publicly announced that she has blocked Chick-Fil-A’s expansion into the Logan Square neighborhood. I’ve been to Chicago many a times and driving through its streets (all of it before the streets of Chicago looking almost like warlords filled Mogadishu) I have seen many storefronts that I hope do not reflect the “Chicago values,” specifically the adult entertainment shops, strip clubs, and off-track betting… or may be that’s Rahm Emanuel’s vision of the future Chicago?

There is a cultural war going on in America. While it’s nothing new, there is a movement of doing-whatever-is-right-in-their-eyes where decisions and judgments all come down to how one feels. Of course this is the very anti-thesis of living by a set of moral guiding principles such as what Dan Cathy and millions of authentic Christians are living by every single day. It take courage where people falsely accuses you of being hateful or intolerant when you reject the redefinition of what makes a marriage because we know that marriage is more than just a piece of paper or even a commitment as long as you feel or receive love. The biblical definition of marriage is a covenant made between a man, a woman, and the God who blesses the union. All those who violate it (divorces and gay-marriages) will face the consequences of breaking of the covenant (the opposite of God’s blessing)… and the consequences can affect second and third generations afterwards.

I close by reminding all those who are like-minded Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:11-12, “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

It takes great courage to stand against the current of public opinions, but it is necessary to do so, with grace and respect because when you walk in the Light sometimes you get in the scrutiny of the spotlight. However, when standing firmly on the immutable Word of God, standing under the spotlight becomes bearable. Dan Cathy certainly has proved that and he remains committed by saying, “We intend to stay the course.”

We need more cultural warriors like Cathy… we need more soldiers of the Cross to fight on humanistic and relativistic ideologies, all the while keeping in mind that, “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm” (Ephesians 6:11-13).

All I can say is, “That Chicken is no chicken!” Now go forth and eat mor chikin!

He Is Not Here…

I came across an article from the Christian Post that 5,000 Christians attended a rally to support a Nativity display at a Texas courthouse. It prompted me to blog about my thoughts on Christmas 2011.

First, from my observation we are all so high-strung and easily offended these days. This applies to Christians and non-Christians alike.

Why does the Nativity display at the local courthouse offend the atheists so much? It can’t be their desire to uphold the separation of church and state clause in the Constitution because it contains no such wording. Now there are words on prohibition of government to establish religion, but how we interpret “establishment” today is quite different than how our Founding Fathers defined it. After all, when the first continental congress opened, it begun with a prayer to God. And this prayer was not directed at just any generic multi-cultural “god” but rather the God of the Bible. You won’t mistaken the identity of God when you read the opening sentence of the prayer offered by Rev. Jacob Duché on the morning of September 9, 1774, “O Lord our Heavenly Father, high and mighty King of kings, and Lord of lords, who dost from thy throne behold all the dwellers on earth and reignest with power supreme and uncontrolled over all the Kingdoms, Empires and Governments; look down in mercy, we beseech Thee, on these our American States, who have fled to Thee from the rod of the oppressor and thrown themselves on Thy gracious protection, desiring to be henceforth dependent only on Thee.” This rich, not to mention humble, tradition continues even today. Obviously those who penned the very words of the “anti establishment” clause in the Constitution didn’t see any contradiction with open display of faith on public property.

Why does removing baby Jesus from the town square offend Christians so much? It was this question that led me to ask another (to me a more pertinent) question, “Why do some Christians insist on keeping Christ in the manger?”

Without going into all the amazing and incomprehensible things it took for God to dwell with men cloaked in human frailty, the Christ Child born in that manger was fully divine and yet totally helpless. The Creator of the universe is now wholly depending on Mary, Joseph, and others to feed, change, nurture, love, and protect Him.

Perhaps as a Christian we want to keep Christ as a babe in the manger because He is so small, frail, and nonthreatening. The baby Jesus is someone we can come, greet, and worship on our own terms. The newborn Jesus can’t tell us how to act godly through the Beatitudes. He couldn’t tell us, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” He couldn’t remind us if we choose to follow Him then the world “will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.” The Babe is quite different from the Man.

Don’t get me wrong, it is a great tradition to commemorate the birth of Christ by displaying the Nativity scene. We have several around the house. God’s lavish generosity was displayed in the manger. However, I am thankful that Jesus didn’t remain a helpless baby just like He didn’t remain dead inside the tomb. Instead as the angel proclaimed to the women on Resurrection day, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said.” God’s extravagant generosity was displayed on the Cross and in the Resurrection.

Where is your Jesus this Christmas?

For me, this Christmas, I will be looking (with my heart) at an empty manger and hearing the whispered words, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was born in the manger. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said.”

The Boy Always Comes Back for His Girl

This past Sunday I watched a movie with my girls, a love story. Hey, that’s what happens when there are only girls in the house… I think even the TV remote control is female since it seems that’s all the shows we watch! Anyway, it was a typical Hollywood story of boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy finds girl after growing up, boy loses girl again to another boy, other boy turns bad and mistreats the girl, the boy comes to help the girl, boy had to escape from the bad boy but promises the girl that he will come back for her, and finally the boy gets girl and they live happily ever after. I think I just described every single chick-flick ever came out of movie studios.

At one key moment of the movie, the young man had to flee for his own safety to regroup so he could later rescue the girl. Before he disappeared into the jungle he whispered to the girl, “I will come back for you.” The girl held on to that promise as if her life depended on it. She pressed onward, even when faced with danger in the company of bad men she walked with confidence, because she knows he will come back for her. Indeed, he did come back for her in the most dramatic rescue while disposing his enemies.

At the end of the cinematic climax I looked at my daughters and said, “The boy ALWAYS comes back for the girl he loves!” Then I proceeded to explain to them the lesson I taught on Palm Sunday, looking at ancient Jewish wedding custom and seeing it under the light of Christ and the Church.

Unlike our modern day custom, the ancient Jews practiced the Shiddukhin, or arranged marriages. The choice of the betrothed bride was the father’s prerogative (Ephesians 1:4). Both the son and daughter trusted their fathers to do what was best for them. Once agreed upon, finalized with a written contract, the couple entered into the Eyrusin, the Betrothal. Legally they were considered as husband and wife, having all rights as married couple with the exception of the physical intimacy, which was reserved for the wedding night.

The eyrusin period, also called the Kiddushim or Sanctification, lasted for one year. Under the huppah (wedding canopy) the couple exchanged items of value, such as rings and drinks from a cup of wine as sign of seal the betrothal vows. This should give a richer meaning to Matthew 26:29 the next time you read it. At this point, the groom and the bride were legally married, having full rights as husband and wife, with the exception of physical intimacy. Should the groom find displeasure in the bride, he must obtain a certificate of divorce. This option was only available to the groom, and not the bride.

During this time both the groom and the bride were to prepare themselves for the day of marriage. The groom’s responsibility was to make an addition to his father’s house, rooms where he can start a family (John 14:2). The bride’s responsibility was to sew and decorate her wedding garments with the finest and whitest linen she can buy and decorate them with the finest embroidery and jewels (Ephesians 5:25-27; Revelation 19:7-9). Before the groom leaves his bride for the one-year period he would give to her a matan, or the bridal gift (Luke 24:49; John 14:25-27; Ephesians 1:13-14). Its purpose was a pledge of his love for her. It served as a reminder during their year of separation of his love for her, he is thinking about her, and that he promised he will return to receive her into his father’s house one day (Acts 1:11).

When the time came the father gave his blessing (Matthew 24:36-37) and the groom and his groomsmen went to get the bride. As they went, one of the groomsmen would go ahead of the wedding party, blow the trumpet, and shout to declare, “Behold, the bridegroom comes!” (Matthew 25:1-13; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18). The bridegroom indeed came back for his bride and took her to his father’s house. Then the marriage feast begins, with food, music, dancing, and celebrating for seven glorious days.

As we celebrate Easter this Sunday, let us remember that Christ rose on this day to go to prepare for us a place in His Father’s house. He made a promise to His bride, the Church He will come back one day to receive her where they will spend eternally. He has not forgotten her or forsaken her. Remember, in God’s eyes the Church belongs to Christ. Only the Bridegroom can divorce the wife but God has promised that He will never do that in Hosea 2:19-20, “I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, In lovingkindness and in compassion, and I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. Then you will know the LORD.”

So, when you are down and depressed by circumstances of life and the pressures of this world, wondering if Christ will ever return just remember the words of Peter in 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” Keep looking up towards the sky, you might just see Him!

Yes, one thing is for sure… the “boy” ALWAYS comes back for the “girl” He loves!

Signs

I recently came across a story of Austin, TX motorists being warned of potential zombies ahead by a portable road sign. Not surprising the sign was hacked by pranksters, likely students from University of Texas in Austin, suspects the Texas Department of Transportation. What intrigued me the most from this story was that, “According to the blog i-hacked.com, some commercial road signs can be easily altered because their instrument panels are frequently left unlocked and their default passwords are not changed. Programming is as simple as type whatever you want to display.“

This got me thinking: what if the sign was altered by someone who intended for evil instead of a prank? Warning of zombies caused quite a stir and a few laughs but no one took it seriously. But what if the sign was altered to cause a traffic detour into an area where carjackers await? In this case, something that was designed to warn you of danger such as “Beware of Alligators,” becomes something that may potentially endanger you.

In these few days into 2011, I have been thinking about signs, those warning signs we come across in life which keep us on the straight and narrow path, directing us to our destination. The Apostle Peter warned Christians in his first general letter, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).” He was cautioning and encouraging believers to be on the alert, paying attention to the signs of danger because there is someone who is interested in destroying you. I have made the following observations so I can apply it in my daily living… and I would like to share it with you.

1. Pay Attention to the Signs – Please be on guard and intentionally look for dangers. This does not mean be paranoid about everything, but rather be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Even in the age of GPS that is accurate within 10 feet of your location, road signs are still necessary. These signs give us a wealth of information when we travel, from rest stops to restaurants to gas stations. I remember seeing a sign while driving from the Midwest to California that warned us the distance until the next gas station was over 150 miles. Even though I had enough fuel to go beyond the posted distance, nevertheless I topped off the tank before I entered the desert. In addition I kept my eyes on the temperature gauge (which is also a “sign”) just to be careful. I had just watched Chevy Chase’s Vacation and I didn’t want to fly off the road into the sand as he did!
2. Seek the Truth in the Signs – Just as a prankster or a hacker can alter the sign when it was left unprotected, please be on guard and use your discernment regarding the signs in life. What this means is that you have to know the source of the warning… is it from God or it is based on emotions such as fear, jealousy, disappointment, resentment, or frustration, or even from the ENEMY? You have to know WHO wrote the text of these signs before you heed the warning. If the WHO is trustworthy, then follow them as if your own life depends on them because it does. Sometimes it is easy (easier?) to discern like the zombies warning. However, there are other signs that are a bit more difficult, especially when they appeal to the emotions and feelings within. God is ready to help you with wisdom and discernment (James 1:5).
   
3. Trust the Message – One thing about warning signs is that they give a warning of what is coming up ahead so there is plenty of time to make preparations, corrections, and adjustments. What that also means is that there might be a period after seeing these signs everything will appear to be normal. STAY on guard!! If you trust the AUTHOR then trust the Message regardless of your feelings or circumstances (James 1:6-8)!
4. Watch for Traps – Conversely, if the signs wants you to make an impulsive decision right now that is appealing to the eyes or pride, then be suspicious. It is most likely a trap. Recently on our way home from our Thanksgiving trip to NC we came across a sign in GA that advertised their pecans are the world’s best. Well, of course I want some of the world’s best. Also Christmas is coming up, our friends deserve the world’s best pecans too! When we pulled into the store parking lot, it was the only building at the exit… scam warning alarm immediately went off. The cost of gas at the station attached to the store was at least 12¢ more than the exits before it. Besides, when I started to think logically, just exactly what are the qualifications of those people who declared these pecans world’s best? Our ENEMY has a trap set for us. While he cannot read our thoughts, he is a keen observer of human nature and student of our behaviors. Be assured that he is out there stalking you. God warned Cain right before he murdered his brother, “sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it (Genesis 4:7).”
   
5. Be Accountable – Sometimes we find ourselves crossing the line, into the danger zone. When you do, stop immediately and don’t give up (James 1:14-16). Back to Chevy Chase’s Vacation movie, if you will recall that they missed the “Road Closed” sign in the midst of looking at the map and ended up flying off the deadend road in the desert and the ensuing disaster. For those who are married, this is not the time for blame or argument, or even dredge up old wounds; but rather it is a time to stick together, keep the channel of communications open, and work together to seek help. If you are single, find someone you can trust so you can walk together. Just remember, nothing good ever came about in horror movies when people split up. They become victims! Don’t become a victim. There is strength in number… but know that it will get rough before it gets better.
   
6. Forgive and Repent – The second thing you must do when you do cross that line is to seek forgiveness and repent. The first and foremost person is God. David wrote after his adultery with Bathsheba became public, “Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak and blameless when You judge (Psalm 51:4).” Next seek the forgiveness of that person you betrayed a trust or offended. Last but not least, forgive yourself. This is easier said than done but we can find rest in the words of Apostle John, “in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things (1 John 3:20).” Of course forgiveness and repentance go hand-in-hand. You cannot have just the one without the other.
   

We are indeed living in treacherous times and there are traps all around us. Heed the caution from Peter, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Your alertness in the spiritual realm will help you to navigate through the troubled waters so that this time next year you can say 2011 was the most rewarding endeavor yet! Bon Voyage!

Happy New Year!

Worthy

This week as I was studying Matthew 10:24-39 for my lesson on Sunday, the word “worthy” in verses 37 and 38 struck me hard. The Greek áxios used by Jesus literally refers to a scale balance used by merchants in the marketplace in His day. It is used to judge the worth as in its inherent value. For example, it you were to purchase 2 pounds (libra) of wheat, on one side of the scale will hang an official weight of 2 pounds certified by the Roman government. Then the merchant will place wheat in a bucket on the other side until its measure balances out the standard weight.

With this in mind then the Matthew 10:37-38 passage comes alive, “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” The love spoke of here is the phileo love, a love of earthly relationship. Jesus implied that if our agape (unconditional) love for Him is not above all earthly relationships then we are not worthy of Him. The mental picture Jesus painted for His twelve disciples (and to us) was that He being the standard weight is to be far superior (or more) than the sum of all others, so that no matter how much you put in the “bucket” it will never balance out the standard.

In our modern busy life, we try to balance so many things, things such as career and family, working late and taking the kids to soccer or baseball practices, church and recreation, needs and wants. The list can go on and on. The trick is to balance this life we are given… or is it?

Certainly Jesus was implying that He is to be placed far above all. The scale of our life is not to be in balance at all but to be tipping towards Him and Him alone. This seem kind of against everything we were taught and thought, doesn’t it? But let me suggest a different perspective. If the scale of your life is tipped towards the Savior, then you can pile on trials, difficulties, pains, heartaches, disappointments, mistakes, sicknesses, and whatever else you can think of into that bucket and it will NEVER weigh down the standard measurer. It will never be in balance. Perhaps this was the picture Jesus had in mind when He said His burden is easy and light. To consider Jesus above all then is to give Jesus “permission” to interrupt our lives and plans to conform to His.

The overwhelming question that bombarded me is this: Is HE worthy of it all to me? If He truly is, then what have I to forfeit when I give Him all of my life. Just something to think about…

Stuck!

In the last few weeks I have been stuck… stuck in a writer’s block. As a joke I decided to blog about being stuck. Ironically it got me out of being stuck. Actually, it triggered me into thinking about being stuck.

Recently my connect group (aka Sunday School class) begun a study based on the book Radical by David Platt. Last Sunday I taught the chapter titled “How Much Is Enough?” The focus passage was from Matthew 25:31-46. You might be familiar with it where Jesus taught that when we all appear before Him on Judgment Day He will separate the sheep from the goats. I made the following three interesting observations:

1. Everyone will appear before Christ, whether they have been saved by grace through Christ or they have rejected Him all their lives. There is no avoidance or appeal process. The decisions made in this life will be actualized in the one to come. It only makes logical sense that for those who have rejected Christ as their Lord and Savior in this life to spend eternity away from Him. Why would or should Jesus force someone to spend eternity under His Kingship if they refused His Lordship here on earth. That would be an infinitely cruel thing to do. C.S. Lewis once said that in the end there are two types of people, those who said to God “Thy will be done,” and those to whom God says, “your will be done.”
2. The “sheep” were oblivious to Jesus’ presence because they had been meeting the needs of the afflicted, not because they knew they were serving Him by doing so. Rather because they served Jesus, it was natural for them to meet needs.
3. The “goats” were looking for Jesus’ presence so they can show Him their faithfulness by meeting the needs of the afflicted. In reality those who do not meet the needs of the afflicted are not Christ-followers. This is not to say that Jesus made it our prime objective to eradication of poverty. As matter of fact, God recognizes that we will always have the poor and the afflicted in this world (Deuteronomy 15:11 and Matthew 26:11). The central issue is and always will be salvation. What good is it to eliminate poverty and starvation if on that Day of Judgment these same well fed people went to their eternal destiny in Hell to suffer everlasting torment?

However, the nagging issue (and thus the title of my blog) for the “sheep” is that often we are stuck in between knowledge and application, much like the picture you see here. Jesus said that His sheep hear and follow Him, and He knows they individually (John 10:26-29). This hearing implies Jesus the Good Shepherd (John 10:11) is speaking… there is a good reason why He did not refer to Himself as the Good “Goat-Whisperer.” If the Shepherd is indeed speaking, what is He saying to you? Hearing implies more than just receiving sounds, but rather it penetrates the heart of a person and allows it to mold the person. The following is the obvious and inevitable result of genuine hearing.

Are we in the position to listen when the Good Shepherd speaks so we can act upon His command? In order to do so, it means we must be in close proximity of the Shepherd. Goats can also hear but their problem is in the following. They are stubborn and independent, but there is one way to get them to follow; to dangle something they desire in front of them and they will follow even to their own destruction.

I am painfully aware that usually a lesson is just a lesson if there are no practical applications… it is just an intellectual exercise. In effect as sheep we end up looking like the one pictured… stuck going from knowledge to application. I venture to say that the reason we are “stuck” is because mostly we are trying to “muster up” activities on His behalf. Essentially we are trying to draw attention to the Shepherd to look our way so we can prove how dedicated we are to Him. However, I have come to realize that He is consistently speaking to us. We don’t have to come up with the “what” if we only listen and look for opportunities He already placed before us… that somehow intersect with our passion. I don’t know how that works, but then again, we rarely know how God works other than He does amazing work. The trouble is at times we act more like the goats than sheep that we are and we miss both the hearing and following… we are stuck!

That is where I have been these last few weeks. I was more interesting in the doing instead of the hearing and following… why “doing” isn’t even on the list. However I am there no longer. Today I am positioning myself next to the Good Shepherd so when He speaks I am ready to act. Where are you in His pasture?

 

Caught (In An Unguarded Moment)

One of my favorite bands back in my high school days was The 77’s. Yeah, you probably have never heard of them. They were one of the pioneers in Christian punk rock genre in the early 1980s. One of their songs from the All Fall Down album was titled Caught In An Unguarded Moment. While what happened to me last night (or was it early this morning?) does not reflect the lyrics and stories in the song, the title was certainly apropos. Before we get to what happened, I will set up the scene leading up to it.

Recently I taught a 10-week Bible Study series on Christians’ Spiritual Battle Armor (Ephesians 6:10-20). If you are not familiar with this passage, it is Paul passionately imploring Christians to put on their whole spiritual armor as God had given each one so they can resist the schemes of the Devil. Paul then used the various pieces of the Roman armor as metaphor for each aspect of spiritual protection God has given to believers. There is the belt of Truth, the breastplate of Righteousness, the shoes of the preparation of the Gospel of Peace, the helmet of Salvation, the shield of Faith, the sword of the Spirit, and Prayers that ties everything together. During the 10-week study we went through in detail the purpose and application of each piece of the panoply. One thing I have learned is that when I teach or learn to walk more rightly before the Lord, I invariably get tested by Him.

So, my testing came last night. As many of you are aware, I have been commuting from Florida to Pennsylvania, just north of Philadelphia for the past 12 months after accepting a new job assignment. It was supposed to be a short-term commute until we sell our home. However, because of the horrific housing market, we were unable to sell our house in Florida and make enough money to pay for a new one in Pennsylvania. All the while, the extensive travel and absence became unhealthy for my family and our relationship. Therefore I took a voluntary layoff in early March. Well, that layoff will become a reality in 22 days, 18 hours, and about 36 seconds… and counting. It was the right thing to do as my family is far too important to me to be gone 50% of the time. Annette and I prayed about it and had complete peace over the decision.

Then Panic came last night, right into my Hampton Inn hotel room. In the past three months while there were moments of concern, I had been for the most part stoic about the whole thing. I had complete faith in God to be our Provider, and I still do. However, yesterday in the darkness of the night while lying in bed, unable to sleep, all of sudden I felt heaviness on my chest and my mind racing with raging thoughts. I felt like a kid with A.D.D. after drinking a 6-pack of Red Bull.

I was caught in an unguarded moment by Panic and he attacked me relentlessly and mercilessly. I have never been to a place where I faced unemployment without any real prospect before me. I was caught in an unguarded moment with my spiritual armor hung in the closet. Truth was not girded about me, the helmet that guarded my mind was not strapped on, the shield of faith leaned against the wall, and I didn’t even know where I laid my sword of the Spirit. What was worst was that in the darkness the size of Panic was magnified. Looking at it I could not tell where Panic ended and his shadow begun.

At 12:30 AM, after over an hour of struggling, unable to think my way out of a wet bag, I called for reinforcement… I picked up the phone and sent Annette a text, asking her to call me in the sliver of hope that she would be awake. I was not optimistic since we usually fall asleep on the couch by 9:30. But the phone did ring with her specially ring tone. As it turned out Bethany could not sleep so Annette had been up with her. [Coincidence? I think not!] What a wonderful helpmate she was where she prayed right over the phone for me… and it was no mere coincidence that the phone call was “dropped” in the middle (thanks a bunch, AT&T, you were the tool of the Devil last night!). She called back to finish the prayer and I slipped right to a deep slumber within a matter of minutes after hanging up. She was my Wonder Woman who came to the rescue by reminding me to put on the whole armor of God! The next time I opened my eyes, Dawn had chased away Panic.

I know Panic is still lurking about even now. However, with God’s armor properly fitted on and with my Wonder Woman by my side, I am ready to face him mano a mano. He may bruise me and he may even make me limp a little, but all I can say to Panic is, “Bring it on! You and the rest of your pals.”

Aim (a Little Higher… Ask for the Sky!)

My birthday has crept upon me this year. In a few weeks I will celebrate my 45^th. My kids have asked what I wanted for my birthday. In a funny way, I have no idea… I have become the father where his children lament, “What do you buy for a dad who has everything?” Oh, don’t get me wrong I still have lots of “wants” like may be a nice HDTV for the bedroom (but I only need a 24” one), an Apple iPad (but I only need a 16GB WiFi model), and the list goes on and on. It has been so long since a time when I “wanted” something and have to wait for someone else to give it to me I haven’t given a thought to asking for anything. In my own financial self-sufficiency I just go out and buy whatever it is I wanted… I mean, needed.

Now that I have to think about asking for a present for my birthday it spurred me into thinking about the time Jesus telling His disciples to ask their Heavenly Father for gifts. You may be familiar with the passage in Matthew 7:7-11 where we find the words of the Lord, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”

What most Christians will probably say the moral of the story being that even earthly fathers who are “evil” in a spiritual sense, i.e., are not followers of Christ will not withhold good gifts from his own children, how much more will God, being our good Heavenly Father will give to us better gifts than them. That is a great truth, but I believe here is the point that majority of us miss, or at least for me since I have never heard of it before until I read the book Radical by David Platt. What kind of gifts should I ask for?

To get a more complete picture of this illustration from Jesus, we need to take a look at the same passage from a different perspective, this time from Luke. In Luke 11:9-13 we find Luke giving us more clear insight about this gift we are to ask for, “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”

DO YOU SEE IT?!! (Okay, if you didn’t see the emphasis I added then you need to have your eyes checked.)  If not, read these two passages again side-by-side.

As a typical Christian I have too low view and focus of things. I settle for the average, the typical. Oh I can try to be pious and attempt to have a high-view of God but in the end unless my aim is a little higher I will never rise out of my point of reference. We see the beauty (not to mention the greed) of “asking” and “receiving” for the gifts. There is an entire culture in American Christendom (there is a huge difference between that and the rest of the world as I found out, but that’s another blog for another day) based on heretical teaching of the “health and wealth” prosperity gospel. Without naming names let’s just say some of the most popular TV preachers are amongst these heretical teachers. The emphasis of this prosperity preaching is God loves you so much that He wants to give you gifts and to blessed you beyond your wildest dreams; but it is because of your lack of faith that you do not have a mansion to rest in or a Mercedes to drive in. The measure of your wealth and health is directly proportional to your faith. However, these are not the gifts Jesus told us to ask for.

While we are asking for comfort He is ready to give us the Comforter. While we are asking for morsels to satisfy our never-ending appetite He waiting for us to accept His invitation to His banquet. While we are mesmerized by shiny little trinkets He is ready to give us His vast inheritance. While we are asking for security He is ready to give us His promise of eternity. Beloved, we have been asking for gifts when He already promised to give us the Giver of all things, Himself.

“Why is He doing this?” was my first thought. Am I so special that God wants to bless me? Or if you are more pious than me you might exclaim, “God loves me so much that He gave Himself to me.” While that He loves so much is technically true but love was not His motive. So what is His motive for being such a generous giver?

The answer is found from another author with another insight. John the beloved disciple of Jesus wrote in John 14:12-14, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.” AGAIN, DO YOU SEE IT?!!

So let me ask you (and myself included), “What are you asking for?” If it is in things and feelings that are only temporal, let me encourage you to aim a little higher… ask for the sky!

P.S. To my girls… since I don’t wear ties or dress up anymore, how about a nice t-shirt with your beautiful smiles on it? 😉

What Am I Supposed to Learn From Trials & Tests?

(This was originally written on January 11, 2009)

Since last March (2008) when Malachi our second prematurely born son was born I wondered what the point of another test or trial was all about. I questioned what the point of the lesson was beyond what I have already learned from Jordan’s premature birth and death just a few years prior. Many of my family and friends also made similar comments as we went through the victories and defeats of Malachi’s struggle for 5 months. Then the happy homecoming turned sad farewell in a brief moment of a week. As Christ-followers we are taught to not ask “Why?” but ask “What?” as in “What I can learn from this tragedy?”

So, the question that was hounding me for the last few months until recently was “what am I supposed to learn from trials and tests of life?” After all I witnessed God’s hand at work in Jordan’s life for the 15 months that he was with us. While I cannot compare the two tragedies as they are different, I would say that through Jordan I learned my trust in Christ was a well placed trust. Through it all, I can honestly say that even after Jordan’s death I can still say that God is a merciful and compassionate God.

However, when Malachi came along last March (on Good Friday as a matter of fact) I must be honest in saying that I was disappointed with God. I even told Him that I was. After all I/we did learn my/our lesson with Jordan. We took precautionary measures during Annette’s pregnancy by doing a weekly ultrasound since her 20th week of gestation… and yet, at the 24th week, God allowed Malachi to come into this world. I remember thinking that things “should” not get worse but better (Jordan was born in the 26th week of gestation). I felt that God was obligated… no He owed me a healthy son after Jordan– because I HAVE learned my lesson to place my trust in Him. After all Abraham GOT to keep his son Issac after his testing. “Where is my ram?!” I demanded.

While I have not visited The Shack yet to find God (I don’t even have a shed), I KNOW He is not sitting there in a dingy shack and patiently waiting for me to come to Him. He was active in seeking me and revealing Himself… through His people. He was in the hospital, He was in my neighborhood, He was in the hearts of His people. In the pursuing months after my initial disappointment I relented. I worked through it to the point I had to ultimately surrender and say to God, “I don’t understand it but I will submit to Your will. Your will be done.” Nevertheless, I still struggled with what it is that I am supposed to learn from all this.

Then shortly after Malachi’s untimely death in August, I don’t remember how long after, I came to the realization that there is NO specific lesson to learn from this trial… and it is okay! (Take note that I am not saying it was without purpose). I suppose you can say that in itself is a lesson, in a convoluted way, but I was referring to a specific lesson that teaches me the character or attribute of God. I truly did not learn anymore about God than what I already learned before… and that is truly the point of trials and tests, as the thought took shape and formed completely in a recent correspondence with a friend. I wrote that just as tests in school was not designed to teach me a lesson but to reveal how much I LEARNED during class time, God’s tests are designed to REVEAL what I truly believe (the HEART) about His character based on the years of knowledge accumulation (the HEAD). After all my BELIEF about God shapes how I THINK, in turn affects the way I FEEL, which ultimately manifests in the way I ACT. Our actions always follow what we truly believe. The toughest road to travel is the road from the head to the heart.

Therefore trials and tests reveals my BELIEF, or in most cases UNBELIEF. In my disappointment with God (in this case it was both a FEELing and an ACTion) in effect what I was saying was that even though intellectually I know God is JUST, I really don’t BELIEVE He is because I got a raw deal, twice.

We have been doing a verse-by-verse study of the Book of James for the last year. Furthermore my pastor started an in-depth expository look into the same book last Sunday and for the next several Sundays. James wrote in the beginning of the first chapter, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” (James 1:2-3). So the ultimate goal of trials is to produce endurance. That is what trials and tests do, they reveal what we truly believe. They serve to reinforce the right beliefs and offers opportunity to correct the unbeliefs. (Beliefs always ends in the character or attribute of God, i.e., who God is).

Ultimately tests produces endurance over any and all circumstances. It affects how I view my world and how I am to act through my belief about God. Is God not sovereign and compassionate and just? Since He is all that and more then I can rest and have peace in midst of the storms of life. No, this is not a license to have a flippant and cavalier attitude towards trials and tests. It is quite the opposite. It is saying that even though the world is weighing me down, I WILL trust the Lord to take my burdens and walk with me step by step along the way until we reach Zion in this pilgrimage… where I can finally rest and play with my boys, something that has been postponed in this present world.

Yes, that is what I am supposed to do with trials and tests.