One Final Thought....

...for this year, anyway:

"In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, if any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink."—John 7:37.

Patience had her perfect work in the Lord Jesus, and until the last day of the feast He pleaded with the Jews, even as on this last day of the year He pleads with us, and waits to be gracious to us. Admirable indeed is the longsuffering of the Saviour in bearing with some of us year after year, notwithstanding our provocations, rebellions, and resistance of His Holy Spirit. Wonder of wonders that we are still in the land of mercy!

Pity expressed herself most plainly, for Jesus cried, which implies not only the loudness of His voice, but the tenderness of His tones. He entreats us to be reconciled. "We pray you," says the Apostle, "as though God did beseech you by us." What earnest, pathetic terms are these! How deep must be the love which makes the Lord weep over sinners, and like a mother woo His children to His bosom! Surely at the call of such a cry our willing hearts will come.

Provision is made most plenteously; all is provided that man can need to quench his soul's thirst. To his conscience the atonement brings peace; to his understanding the gospel brings the richest instruction; to his heart the person of Jesus is the noblest object of affection; to the whole man the truth as it is in Jesus supplies the purest nutriment. Thirst is terrible, but Jesus can remove it. Though the soul were utterly famished, Jesus could restore it.

Proclamation is made most freely, that every thirsty one is welcome. No other distinction is made but that of thirst. Whether it be the thirst of avarice, ambition, pleasure, knowledge, or rest, he who suffers from it is invited. The thirst may be bad in itself, and be no sign of grace, but rather a mark of inordinate sin longing to be gratified with deeper draughts of lust; but it is not goodness in the creature which brings him the invitation, the Lord Jesus sends it freely, and without respect of persons.

Personality is declared most fully. The sinner must come to Jesus, not to works, ordinances, or doctrines, but to a personal Redeemer, who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree. The bleeding, dying, rising Saviour, is the only star of hope to a sinner. Oh for grace to come now and drink, ere the sun sets upon the year's last day!

No waiting or preparation is so much as hinted at. Drinking represents a reception for which no fitness is required. A fool, a thief, a harlot can drink; and so sinfulness of character is no bar to the invitation to believe in Jesus. We want no golden cup, no bejewelled chalice, in which to convey the water to the thirsty; the mouth of poverty is welcome to stoop down and quaff the flowing flood. Blistered, leprous, filthy lips may touch the stream of divine love; they cannot pollute it, but shall themselves be purified. Jesus is the fount of hope. Dear reader, hear the dear Redeemer's loving voice as He cries to each of us, "if any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink."

~Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Restless

Switchfoot. Again. This wouldn't happen if John Foreman wasn't such a clever lyricist. This particular song - composition, melody, lyrics - reminds me of U2 (Bono, another brilliant wordsmith). See if you do not agree!

I am the sea on a moonless night,
Calling, falling, slipping tides
I am the leaky, dripping pipes
The endless aching drops of light
I am the raindrop falling down,
Always longing for the deeper ground
I am the broken, breaking seas
Even my blood finds ways to bleed

Even the rivers ways to run
Even the rain to reach the sun
Even my thirsty streams,
Even in my dreams

I am restless, I am restless, I am restless, looking for you
I am restless, I run like the ocean to find your shore
I’m looking for you

I am the thorn stuck in your side,
I am the one that you left behind,
I am the dried up doubting eyes
Looking for the well that won’t run dry

Running hard for the other side
The world that I’ve always been denied
Running hard for the infinite
With the tears of the saints and hypocrites

Oh blood of black and white and gray
Death and life and night and day
One by one by one
We let our rivers run

I am restless, I am restless
I am restless, looking for you
I am restless, I run like the ocean to find your shore
Looking for you

I can hear you breathing,
I can hear you leading
More than just a feeling
More than just a feeling
I can feel you reaching
Pushing through the ceiling
'til the final healing
I'm looking for you

Until the sea of glass we meet
At last completed and complete
Where tide of tear and pain subside
Laughter drinks them dry

I’ll be waiting
Anticipating
All that I aim for
What I was made for
With every heartbeat
All of my blood bleeds
Running inside me
Looking for you

I am restless, I am restless, I am restless, looking for you
I am restless, I run like the ocean to find your shore
I'm looking for you

I can feel you breathing, I can feel you leading
More than just a feeling, more than just a feeling
I can feel you reaching, pushing through the ceiling
'til the final healing
I'm looking for you
I'm looking for you

Save Me Some Cake

A dear member of our church passed away in his sleep last night. His painful battle with cancer is over, and his last earthly breath was a sigh of sweet relief. Up until a couple weeks ago, he was still having family members bring him to church so he could be in the presence of the Lord with God's people. He's certainly got that in spades now!

The thing that made me really smile this morning, though, was the Facebook status of one of his grandsons:

"Congrats, G-pa, you're in Paradise now! Save me some cake! ... Love you, Grandpa."

I'm not sure I've ever heard a better send-off! Maybe today (which is whatever day you happen to read this) it would be good to think for a minute or two about how fantastic heaven will be ~ it might give us a little more energy to endure our battles here below.

The God Man

"Every human father begets a son or daughter with his sin nature. We may not understand completely how this works, but this is the way of the world after the fall. Sinners beget sinners (Ps. 51:5). Always. So if Joseph was the real father of Jesus, or Mary had been sleeping around with Larry, Jesus is not spotless, innocent, and not perfectly holy. And as a result, we have no mediator, no imputation of Christ's righteousness (because He has no righteousness to impute to us), and no salvation." ~ Kevin DeYoung, The Good News We Almost Forgot.

But He is everything Scripture says He is, and He has opened up the way to save forever, completely, and to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him. (Heb. 7:25)

He is the One Mediator between God and man, CHRIST JESUS! (1 Tim. 2:5)

What The Beach Teaches

Took a cruise, went to the beach in Mexico, took some macro pictures along the shoreline in Progreso. Look closely...that's not sand. What you see there are tiny bits of worn down shells.



The whole beach was like that. No sand, just tons and TONS of tiny shell bits.
It's becoming a popular theme for me, but I just can't get over the refining influence that trials and time have on us. This is great news for the believer, because, I believe, these are all part of the pruning we must go through...the removing of the dross...the purifying by fire.

You can't sharpen a knife without some serious friction, and you can't become Christlike without suffering. So,

Here's to trials!
Here's to refining fires!
Here's to faith worth more than gold!

As Brooke Fraser sings:

Cheers to the furrows on our brow
To each hard-won victory
Cheers to the losses that grew us up
Killed our pride, and filled our cup

"Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion..." Philippians 1:6

What Do You Do When Your Heart Is Tugging

In July of this year, I spent a week in Haiti with Mission of Hope. Below, you'll find a 3 minute sample of some small town traffic. If you'd rather not sit through it all, at least skip ahead and watch from 2:50 forward to hear some rather vigorous honking. (Yes, that's my mug you see in the last half-second of the video):


Earlier this week I was led by one of those mysteriously captivating internet rabbit trails to a story about the mass graves that were dug after the January 2010 Port-au-Prince earthquake. I was sort of jolted to reality when I discovered that just a few hundred yards into the hills where we had been driving were a number of large burial pits where bulldozers had crudely shoved thousands of earthquake victims to their resting place. The pictures were brutal, and I don't recommend looking them up.

What really impacted me, though, was the sharp reminder of how fresh that catastrophe must still be in the minds of countless Haitians. In all likelihood, some of the people I met there this summer have relatives and friends buried up in those hills. And now I feel mildly foolish for not fully comprehending the nearness of the tragedy while I was there, which is not to say I didn't feel anything. I saw the crumbled buildings and the amputees, but I didn't feel it deeply enough.

But where the devastation of sin is greatest, the light of the Gospel shines the brightest and I can report that God's Church is thriving and growing there. My heart wants to somehow be a part of that, but I'm not sure how. If nothing else, I will at least pray.

Tell Me Your Favorites!

I've read through many books this year, and I have read most of a few books and a little bit of a lot of books. The stack next to my bed (and archive on my Kindle) reveals my literary travels of the past twelve months. Trust me, I'm no egghead and my memory isn't what it used to be, but I believe my life is richer, my walk with God is stronger, and I'm (hopefully) a smitch wiser than I was in January because of what I've read.

But I'm not going to tell you what I read - at least not yet. I want to know what your favorite books are, particularly what you've read this year that you've enjoyed, and even what books you might have in the hopper waiting for their pages to be turned.

Bring on the raves and recommendations!

Putting Potentates In Their Place

We know that all authority is given by God, but not all authorities are godly.

I love this bit from Charles Spurgeon where he gives some perspective of and to men in authority:

"...Too often do they serve themselves or Satan, and forget the God whose sufferance permits them to wear their mimic majesty for their little hour."

Get 'em, Charles....

The thing is, though, we would all do well to remember that human nature will take any ounce of authority and fashion it into a ton of oppression or pride or self-service. It's not just Presidents and Prime Ministers who need to guard their hearts. Pastors, teachers, worship leaders, project managers, shift supervisors and parents must all lead responsibly in the fear of God.

Vice Verses...A Little Resurrection

Jon Foreman, creating his poetry again:

Let the pacific laugh...be on my epitaph.
With its rising and falling
And after all,
It's just water and I am just soul
With a body of water and bone...
Water and bone....

Trembling & Hesitant

"The Christian hope is not simply a trembling, hesitant hope that perhaps the promises of God may be true. It is the expectation that they cannot be anything else than true." ~ William Barclay

There is power and glory in the faithfulness of God that at once shames me (as I see my silly sin and craven fears) and lifts me up to boundless, unspeakable joy. Oh, that I would keep His promises always before me - from what countless troubles I could spare myself and how much more boldly I would serve! My desire is to cease with wistful wishing and walk confidently, not in my own merits, but in the One who doesn't change like shifting shadows and whose years will never end!

The Problem With Stuff

"When we don't have what we want, the world corrupts us with covetousness. And when we do have what we want the world corrupts us with pride." ~ John Piper in Finally Alive

I'm trying hard to be content. I'm trying to be content with what I have and what I don't have. I think this has become somewhat easier as I've grown older, but I still have within me the tension of protecting what is MINE and desiring what I don't have YET. Our basis for contentment should begin with the state our souls. If we would take more time to meditate on the fact that all is well in that arena (assuming we are right with Christ), then perhaps our attachments to other things wouldn't be quite so fierce.

Snow Days

I read this post from Kevin DeYoung last Thursday, and wanted to bring it you now because it encourages an excited expectation of our heavenly home in a way that is fresh and childlike and, I think, just what many of us need.

Heaven Is Your Snow Day

Dear 20 Year Old Me

(Yes, Miss Joni, I stole that title from you, but my content will obviously be from a different perspective...)

If only I'd been around when I was 20. I mean me, the 41 year old. I'd have a few things to say to myself, such as:

*You know far less than you think you do, so stop being so cocky.

*You will always regret THAT stupid thing and THAT stupid thing, etc., so don't do it.

*Stop taking your parents for granted.

*When you become a parent, you will realize how awesome your parents are.

*When you're driving home from the hospital with your first child, you don't need to be afraid that the wheels are going to fall off the car.

*Marriage will not be a gauzy dreamscape like in the movies.

*Marriage will be the most amazing thing you'll ever experience.

*Don't ever be mean to your wife. Ever.

*Don't use that one lady for a realtor when you sell your first house.

*Pray more than you think you should.

*Never let a day slip by without Scripture.

*God is bigger than you've ever imagined.

I wonder what my 80 year old self will have to say?

SIN(s)

I know that I tend to grieve and be troubled over specific instances of sin in my life more than I do over the fact that I am truly and fundamentally a sinNER. Of course I realize that being justified in Christ profoundly and forever changes my identity, but I'm thinking that even though it is a wonderful and beautiful thing to be granted forgiveness for individual transgressions, it is an even greater and more amazing thing to be paroled and pardoned for my entire sinful nature. It's not just that the thief is forgiven for stealing, but is also forgiven for being a thief!

"There is a tendency to think that our sins are bigger than our sin - maybe because it's that rare case of language when the plural is smaller than the singular. Sins are those individual acts of rebellion - symptoms of the bigger problem. Our sin is the bigger problem: it's our condition or state which is in hideous rebellion toward a holy and good God. When Christians feel that sins (acts) are bigger than sin (condition), they see evangelism as an effort of moral reform rather than explaining the steps that need to take place to rip our our wicked hearts and replace them with new hearts - that amazing work of God that Jesus called being born again." ~excerpted from Marks Of The Messenger by J. Mack Stiles.

Our Love Saves Us - Blindside

I am a fan of the Swedish band Blindside, and I'm really liking one of their recent songs, "Our Love Saves Us." It's a declaration of hope and commitment in a relationship (marriage, presumably). So, here it is for your enjoyment! (I'm only so-so about the video, but the song is fantastic)

When Nice Is Sin

Sometimes being "nice" in order to not offend can, in truth, be a sin. When we pull a punch or soft-pedal the Truth (notice the capital "T"), we are, in a very real sense, lying. And we are lying to the potential peril of someone's very soul. I think we (at least I) should begin to see Truth and Compassion as the best of friends. If Jesus was ever harsh with the Truth, it was because He could not, would not, lie.

As fallen creatures prone to self-preservation at any cost, it's vitally necessary that our defenses-turned-dungeons be broken down so that we can see the light of truth burning through the darkness.

"Sentimental love bleeds into the Christian mind in a form of niceness. It's easy to confuse nice with compassion, kindness or love. But nice is not a biblical word. Jesus was extremely un-nice at times, because He wanted to go deeply into people's lives, into their sin with the truth, and that's never nice." ~ J. Mack Stiles, Marks Of The Messenger

I Know What Love Is...

For many, many reasons, I can't fathom loving any other woman than my wife. It's not because I'm the perfect husband, but "I know what love is, Jenny." I wonder sometimes if I'm as faithful to my Savior as I am to my spouse. In The Good News We Almost Forgot, Kevin DeYoung writes about the exclusivity of our relationship with God:

"Loving God is like loving your spouse: When you choose your mate, it is to the exclusion of all others. You can't do both. You can't tell your wife, 'Honey, here's my other lover. I really wanted you to meet. I know you'll be great friends. You both mean so much to me.' Your wife will say, 'It's me or her. You take your pick.'"

My Children Have Done Something "Fowl"

My kids love to give goats and soccer balls and especially chickens through World Vision. Today we gave 5 ducks and 2 chickens, which is almost a paltry little thing to us, but will soon mean a daily supply of protein and vitamins for an impoverished family somewhere on the planet. That's cool. If you have children, or even if you don't, please check out the really neat, easy and sensible opportunities World Vision has to help people in need. I promise your kids will get excited about choosing something to give! From rabbits to mosquito netting to water filters to garden seeds to a Mongolian Ger, there are possibilities to bless no matter what your budget is.

Need Of Grace

When I was younger, I had fanciful dreams about my grown up self:

I imagined I would be the trophy husband, perfect, and adored by my wife.

I imagined that my marriage would be one to write books about.

I imagined that whatever children I had would never be caught up in sin or tempted to stray.

I imagined that my ministry for the Lord would be grand and secretly envied by others.

There was an awful lot of ME in me, back then. And not nearly enough of Christ. Now that I've lived in reality for a while, I know that Christ is all, and all that matters. I know that imperfection, failure, and temptation are the featured flavors of nearly every day.

The following prayer from The Valley of Vision is a sigh of blessed resignation and surrender:

O Lord,
Thou knowest my great unfitness for service,
my present deadness,
my inability to do anything for thy glory,
my distressing coldness of heart.

I am weak, ignorant, unprofitable,
and loathe and abhor myself.
I am at a loss to know what thou wouldest
have me do,
for I feel amazingly deserted by thee,
and sense thy presence so little;

Thou makest me possess the sins of my youth,
and the dreadful sin of my nature,
so that I feel all sin,
I cannot think or act but every motion is sin.

Return again with showers of converting grace
to a poor gospel-abusing sinner.
Help my soul to breathe after holiness,
after a constant devotedness to thee,
after growth in grace more abundantly every day.

O Lord, I am lost in the pursuit of this blessedness,
And am ready to sink because I fall short
of my desire;
Help me to hold out a little longer,
until the happy hour of deliverance comes,
for I cannot lift my soul to thee
if thou of thy goodness bring me not nigh.

Help me to be diffident, watchful, tender,
lest I offend my blessed Friend
in thought and behaviour;
I confide in thee and lean upon thee,
and need thee at all times to assist and lead me.
O that all my distresses and apprehensions
might prove but Christ’s school
to make me fit for greater service
by teaching me the great lesson of humility.

And Can It Be

Currently loving this:

Why Star Trek Is So Unbelievable

Multi-level touch screen controls? Got that on my phone.
Phasers? Military is working on that.
Light speed? Sure, theoretically.
An earth where people don't use currency and are basically morally upright? Never.

I love watching Star Trek, and really like that I can watch DS9 on Netflix. Gene Rodenberry's vision was extraordinary, if not a little bit pie-in-the-sky. The problem isn't about the high tech gadgetry and complicated science we've seen from the original series all the way to the present permutations of that futuristic vision.

The thing that will never happen, no matter how much technology advances, is a society that has solved the problems of poverty, crime, racism and religion. Mankind might make a good ray gun, but men will never make themselves good.

Scripture is clear that we're wicked to the core, and we've proven to ourselves over the centuries that whether we're stamping cuneiform characters in clay or use a text to speech app on our smartphone, our hearts haven't changed. We might be smarter, but we're no better. I'm convinced that people confuse technological advancement with morality, but men are just as they always have been: depraved and in need of a Savior outside of themselves.

The only time we'll see everything set right is in a renewed heaven and earth, where wickedness and unrepentance (and those who practice such things) will be forever taken away. And beaming from one place to another will be easy.

Murmuration

And God smiles....

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

Altars For Sinning

In preparing to preach to our teenagers about the need (present & urgent) for repentance, I was reacquainted with this startling verse of Scripture:

Though Ephraim built many altars for sin offerings, these have become altars for sinning. Hosea 8:11

The truth of the matter is that our very hearts which we at first offered to God openly, freely and exclusively can become places where vile worship occurs, places where we affectionately caress the sins we've come to cherish. Altars for sinning. Large or small, the idols have to go and the altar needs to be cleansed. Let's make this a day for repentance and renewal.

Worship That Rocks...Not What You're Thinking

I pastor teenagers. Some folks call that a "Youth Pastor", but that can carry certain connotations I'd rather not be associated with. I'm to shepherd and disciple these young people, and with God's help, I'm doing my best to fulfill that calling...and I'm digressing.

I pastor teenagers, and you wouldn't believe what some of their favorite songs are. Among the songs they clamor for and request more often than anything else when it comes to our times of worship are: Come Thou Fount, How Deep The Father's Love For Us and Before the Throne of God Above.

I know, I know, it sounds ridiculous, but these are really teenagers (I've checked their I.D.s) and they have a real hunger for truth. And they love to sing it loud.

Another thing that's so neat about this group is that they're just as happy singing these songs with our full band and fancy lighting or just sitting around on a concrete floor with an acoustic guitar.

I'm sure they could be fed a steady diet of marshmallow-Jesus-fluff and wouldn't know any better. At least at one time. Now they now what Truth sounds like. And they know that declaring Truth in song is God-honoring, edifying, and powerful.

Sovereign Grace songwriter Bob Kauflin has some great thoughts on modern worship, and they're worth noting (here's the blog where I found these comments):

"...Bob lamented the worldly ‘rock concert’ culture that has infected congregational singing in many churches around the world. We see that influence, he pointed out, in a number of disturbing trends:
■People value the power and effectiveness of the performance over the participation of the congregation.
■People value musical skill (and good looks!) in musicians over character and biblical understanding.
■People value musical experiences over word experiences (that is, experiences which are a response to the truth, not simply a response to the power of the music). Music doesn’t really change people; it’s the word of the Bible and the Spirit working through it that changes people.
■People value singer-songwriters over pastors as the people who write our songs. Songs should be written by people who are theologically deep and driven.

Bob also sharply criticised the idea that somehow music brings us into the presence of God; or that music is a way of bringing God down to us—as if ‘God enters the building’ or ‘shows up’ when we start to feel the emotional power of the music.

Bob said lots of other helpful things, such as the central thesis of his first talk: that singing is not a peripheral or unimportant aspect of our church meetings that deserves little thought or quick delegation, but instead is a very significant way in which a pastor leads, feeds, cares for, protects and sets an example for his flock. Singing is an important ministry that can be powerful—for both good and ill. He was urging us as leaders and pastors to take that responsibility seriously.

There were plenty of other worthwhile points made. In no particular order:
■that singing involves the head as well as the heart;
■that singing has a ‘vertical’ aspect (towards God) as well as a ‘horizontal’ aspect (towards each other); this is nicely captured in Ephesians 5:19—”addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart”;
■that we need to balance the already and the not-yet in our experience (we don’t yet see Jesus face to face, and yet we do respond to him now with a “joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory” as 1 Peter 1:8 puts it);
■that we need to hold in healthy tension (as the Bible does) both the transcendence and immanence of God; that is, not lapsing into over-familiar, Jesus-is-my-boyfriend kind of songs, but also not missing the fact that God has invited us to draw near to his throne of grace.

What Gap Are You Standing In?

Text from a friend a few nights ago, when the day had been particularly difficult for a variety of reasons: "Hey man you were on my mind. I thought I would ask how I can pray for you."

My response, after wide eyes, dropped jaw, and a little contemplation: "Wow. My heart is heavy. [My deep concern went here.]. Wow again. :) Thanks."

His response: "I am in the gap brother."

You have no idea what a profound lift (hmm...oxymoronic?) that was for me. This is not the first time a brother in Christ has told me that his heart was moved to pray for me. I believe the Holy Spirit will prompt us on behalf of our fellow believers if we're paying attention, and that it's not only appropriate to pray, but to tell them we are doing so. The encouragement that accompanies that is unbelievable. What it tells me is that God has not cast me and my problems aside, but is actually enlisting others to wrestle on my behalf.

So let's all pay attention today, shall we?

"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2

A Thought On Adoption From Packer

"What is a Christian?" asks J.I. Packer. "the question can be answered in many ways, but the richest answer I know is that a Christian is one who has God as Father."

Why is this the "richest answer?" Because of how it comes about: through Divine adoption (I am not ignoring the work of Christ's redemption, merely taking time to focus on one facet of that whole glorious process).

An adopted child is chosen, and they are chosen when they're still too young to understand what's happening, and certainly far too young to begin to comprehend the intentional, directional love that motivated their adoption. Children aren't adopted on the basis of their abilities or desirableness, but on the basis of the love of the parent, in spite of the child's background or difficulties. It's a rescue - with permanent implications.

"Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever." John 8:35

Just Like Moammar

By now you've likely seen photos of a deceased Moammar Gadhafi. You may have even viewed the videos of the men who captured him cheering and chanting hysterically while parading around his broken and soon to be lifeless body. People hated Gadhafi because he was the stereotypical evil dictator. They wanted him dead and they finally got him. This is what we (human race) do with brutal tyrants and evil men: we call for their execution and rejoice at their demise.

Interesting how we did that to Christ.

Paraded in purple, wearing thorns, wounded grievously, ridiculed, dazed and utterly shamed, Christ was led to his execution by us (humans). And thus we showed ourselves to be evil, tyrannical and brutal.

Christ was innocent. Gadhafi was most certainly not. Nor am I. I'm not as bad as Gadhafi, but I'm bad through and through. There's not a part of me that I can offer up to God and say, "See, this part is still innocent!"

They had to make up charges against Christ. The charges against Gadhafi were piled high over his head, and the wheels of justice ran right over him - chewed him up and spit him out. I'm in an even worse spot apart from Christ...

Now imagine if that was Christ in those photographs and videos: bloodied, reviled and ridiculed (It's all so uncomfortable to watch). The shame, contempt and awful spectacle Christ endured was . . . yours and mine.

What a thing my Savior did. Christ stood in the crosshairs of justice so that we could boldly approach the throne of grace. But it doesn't end there...Jesus is alive!

Grudges And Scaffolding

"Bear with each other, and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Colossians 3:13

I've been harboring a grudge. Or at least a bad feeling. Well, I'm not sure I've been "harboring" it, or just trying to figure out what to do with it. Here's the story:

Well over a year ago, when I was yet a member of our local school board, we had to make some really tough decisions regarding budget cuts for our school distirct. One of these decisions involved the closing of one our district's buildings and consolidating students and offices into the remaining buildings. Subsequently, we searched for an occupant who could make use of our empty space and provide us with a little bit of cash flow. There were a few options for prospective lessees, but only one really made sense. As it happened, there was a bit of controversy involving this entity, albeit completely unfounded.

At one point in our decision making process, I had a brief and unexpected run-in with a brother from a neighboring church. What I thought would be a conversation between two believers turned out to be a veiled threat from a City Council member to a School Board member. Sorry, I won't give you the details...

Let it suffice for me to say that from that moment forward, my attitude toward this man changed. I was...baffled, confused, disappointed and stumped. Did he really say that to me? How could he? He's a sensible Christian man! Months after the incident, I still found myself avoiding this man when I saw him in our little town. All I could do was ask the Lord for help. It wasn't right, this thing going on in my heart.

Fast forward to the present. Along with my work in ministry, I work off and on for a friend as a roofer. Guess whose home I replaced the roof on last week? Uh-huh. There was no way around it. There was face time with the man I really didn't want to ever face again. However, there wasn't any discussion about what had been said so long ago. That had been a hit and run, and he might not even remember it. But God had arranged another meeting for the two of us. This fella was going to install new fascia and guttering on his home after we finished with his roof, and happened to wonder out loud where he was going to find some scaffolding to do the high parts. Well, I have access to some scaffolding and found myself offering to arrange for its procurement. I even volunteered to help him put it up.

So, somewhere between him pulling into his driveway with a pickup bed full of scaffolding and the two of us installing the final cross piece 20 feet in the air, we chatted, and the Lord did something in me. And for me. I learned that my brother wasn't a mean-spirited pharisee after all. I learned he was a normal guy - a thankful guy, a humble guy, a good father. He's a guy saved by grace who still does stupid things now and then, a whole lot like the guy I see in the mirror every morning. I still can't explain the uncomfortable conversation the two of us had in the past, but I don't care to. That grudge has sailed away and sunk.

NOT From Yourselves

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God." Ephesians 2:8

Antecedents are important. They make all the difference in the world, like in this classic church bulletin blunder: “The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind, and they can be seen in the church basement Friday afternoon” Yikes.

The "they" in that sentence is obviously meant to refer to the used clothing the ladies have donated. The humor here makes the proper antecedent clear.

However, in a sentence like Ephesians 2:8, I've observed folks connecting the pronoun "this" with "grace" instead of the proper antecedent, "faith." First of all, it doesn't make any sense that "grace" would be something "from ourselves" or would be something we could conjure up on our own behalf. Second, Greek grammar clearly indicates that Paul's intent was to show that "faith" is the gift (this I understand from men smarter than myself).

This makes an important soteriological point. If this is true (and it is!), then from the very beginning salvation is from God, acting monergistically (without our help) and giving us the very faith that is required in order to be saved. That just floors me. Praise be to God for His indescribable gift!

Everyone Who Calls

We must not confuse paradox with contradiction...

Too many people have convinced themselves that the doctrine of election and the urgency of evangelism are incompatible and can do nothing other than butt heads. There are those who skirt around the clear Scriptural teaching of election and try to redefine it because, in their minds, an incomplete (or twisted) understanding of this powerful truth has confused the issue for them.

Some contend that the doctrine of election seems to do away with the love of God, making Him out to be cold and calculating. However, I read in Romans that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Others say that the doctrine of election keeps people out of heaven! Untrue. God's saving purpose in election has actually opened heaven's doors for any and all who would believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Without God's sovereign initiative we would all be utterly and justly lost, for none would choose him on their own.

It is not intellectually dishonest to believe that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved and at the same time believe that all who are appointed to eternal life will believe. Scriptures that affirm these two simple and separate truths are myriad.

The doctrine of election and the mandate to evangelize are not mutually exclusive. They are merely two different aspects, or facets, of God's redemptive plan. As Spurgeon said, "Look to Jesus and believe on Him, and you will prove your election instantly, for as surely as you believe, you are elect. "

Who can adequately explain this mystery? Not me. All I know is that when I take time to consider it, I'm filled with wonder and awe and worship and gratitude.

Slow Down Jesse!

Never had I seen a more perfect example of poor leadership. This past weekend a ministry group in our church comprised of 30 teenagers was gathered at our weekly meeting, and between extended periods of sitting, I thought it might be a good idea to burn off some pent-up energy and I enthusiastically organized a round of Extreme Follow The Leader. I chose Jesse as the leader (whose name has not been changed, since he's not innocent....) because I knew he'd have the proper vim and vinegar to be at the front.

When I sent these 30 young people out into the wild blue that surrounds our church, I quickly realized my mistake, and instantly learned a handful of valuable lessons about leadership.

Jesse hit the gravel running. He's a 15 year old boy - what else would he do? Despite my pleas for him to slow down for the sake of the rest of the group, he was off at warp speed. What I imagined would be 30 teens enjoying a fun five minutes of jumping, climbing and animated silliness, turned into about six boys racing around the parking lot and the surrounding fields while everyone gave up the pursuit.

Hm. OK, we were just playing a game and it was really all kind of funny how it went down, but there were some obvious conclusions to be drawn:

Lesson #1. Leadership should not be entrusted to those who do not comprehend the purpose of the mission.

Lesson #2. Leaders should not lead as if those following them are exactly like themselves.

Lesson #3. Leaders should look back once in a while to see if anyone is still following.

Lesson #4: Leaders are allowed to make course changes, but not until everybody is up to speed.

That's not a comprehensive list by any means and there's plenty of room for changes due to special circumstances, but I think these basic rules have a wide application. Next week, we'll parse out the particular lessons to be learned from "Duck, Duck, Goose!" (Just kidding...)

"Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." 1 Corinthians 11:1

All Of Your Promises Tell Me It's True

Just enough time today to share a sweet song that deftly describes one of God's sweetest promises. Scott and Christine Dente put out a handful of albums in the 90s that were full of fresh and creative music and super solid, intelligent lyrics. To me, their music still sounds brand new. Scott's guitar playing is fantastic and Christine's voice is ... NICE.

"Nothing's Gonna Keep Me From You" is an encouraging song about God's faithfulness and the assurance believers have in His secure hold on us. (Think John 10, Romans 8, et al.)

Nothing's Gonna Keep Me From You

Sometimes life makes me crazy
Can't make sense of what my eyes see
All that I can hold on to
Is Your hold on me

And the only hope I know
Is the love that won't let go

Nothing's gonna keep me from You
All of Your promises tell me it's true
Nothing's gonna keep me from You
No matter what I'm going through
I won't be afraid
I know I'm on my way

Some things are worth waiting for
Many times I have heard it said
All the trials of a lifetime
Can't compare to what lies ahead

And the only hope I know
Is the love that won't let go

Nothing's gonna keep me from You
All of Your promises tell me it's true
Nothing's gonna keep me from You
No matter what I'm going through
I won't be afraid
I know I'm on my way

Accessibility Accentuates Everything

Who remembers libraries? How about phonebooks? Yeah me neither.

Actually, that's not true. In spite of the powerful technology I carry around in my back pocket, I still utilize these quaint resources from time to time to look something up. Which kind of brings me to the intended topic: the effects of accessibility.

There's no need to do a lot of explaining. If you're reading this blog post you most likely own a smart phone or have a blog of your own or have a very active Facebook account - or all three. You're fairly savvy, cyber-speaking, and you are more than well aware of what it now means to have the world at your fingertips. You're probably also aware of how this accessibility to EVERYTHING seems to only accentuate the influence of everything. It's culture gone hyperbolic.

Take your pick: politics, pornography, shopping, music, social interaction, preaching, teaching, complaining & gaming. All of these and millions more topics, broad-spectrum to niche-like, are brought front and center with a simple search.

It's old news, but nevertheless, my point is this: If you're blogging or posting or Facebooking or tweeting or Skyping or publishing, or whatever you're doing online, be a force for good and for God (Hmmm...sounds familiar). Never before has influence this extraordinary been handed to so many ordinary people. It's a big world, made small by technology, so get out there and start influencing.

A Voice With A Love For Words

Preacher, teacher, Bible study leader - when you read aloud from God's Word, don't read it as if it were a newspaper or a set of assembly instructions. Break free from the constraints of margins and hard returns and the fear of hearing your own voice! Scripture is living and active - please, try to sound as if you yourself are living and active when you read aloud!

This summer a friend of mine gave me the book "Cry, The Beloved Country". It really is a beautiful book. The story is set in mid-20th century South Africa and hovers in general around the social struggles in that part of the world as apartheid was beginning to emerge, but specifically around the conflict of a devout man as he seeks to be reconciled to his lost son in Johannesburg.

Sitting in a church service, the main character Kumalo listens as his new-found friend and fellow priest Msimangu begins to deliver his message:

"Misimangu opened the book, and read to them first from the book. And Kumalo had not known that his friend had such a voice. For the voice was of gold, and the voice had love for the words it was reading. The voice shook and beat and trembled, not as the voice of an old man shakes and beats and trembles, nor as a leaf shakes and beats and trembles, but as deep bell when it is struck. For it was not only a voice of gold, but it was the voice of a man whose heart was golden, reading from a book of golden words. And the people were silent, and Kumalo was silent, for when are three such things found in one place together?

'I the Lord have called thee in righteousness
and will hold thine hand and will keep thee
and give thee for a covenant of the people
for a light of the Gentiles
To open the blind eyes
to bring out the prisoners from the prison
And them that sit in darkness
out of the prison house.'" (Isaiah 42:6-7)

Have we not all heard before, at least once, someone reading the Holy Scriptures with such love and passion? Was it not something that stirred us up as the inspired Word was honored and elevated in such a way? When you have the opportunity to address others and read from the Bible, love the words you're reading.

Imitation, Flattery, and All That

If imitation is flattery, these pieces are some pretty superlative compliments (and hasn't God inspired some amazing music???):

Earth Beneath Your Shoe

Phil Keaggy sings, "There's a road I like to walk, when the morning is brand new, and the only sound you hear is the earth beneath your shoe..."

There actually is a place I like perambulate of a morning. It happens to be an old abandoned highway that used to lead down into a river valley and run through a little town named after a Delaware Indian chief. In 1966 the river was dammed, the valley flooded, and a lake created. (The town was relocated before this, of course.) That town is the place where I now live, and the old highway leading to its ghost is still there, but now it's shrouded in trees and overgrown with brush and it trails off into the lake in lumps of broken asphalt.


As I walk along that road, I often try to imagine it when it was still being used (I see my dad driving his old Chevy down that road). In places you can still discern the yellow lines down the center. I'm sure the folks that used that road never imagined it would one day lay among the trees, hidden and deteriorating like a lost bit of rope.

And that's just the thing with us humans, isn't it? We tend to imagine that the way things are is the way they'll always be. Our highways, our homes, even our nations. But a quick look around should tell us plainly that this is just not so. Every grey, aging and abandoned home I see sitting in the middle of a Kansas field used to be a place where people lived, loved, ate and slept. It was their reality. And I'll bet they thought it would last forever.

Someday my own home will be in ruins, my address forgotten, my existence a faintly whispered memory. But, thank God, the changes I and every believer look forward to have a far better prospect than that!

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure." ~ 1 John 3:1-3

A Wise German Preacher

Of late my schedule has been erratic, my life hectic and my writing sporadic. Ergo, this repost from one year ago today.

So you preach a sermon or teach a lesson and nobody blinks. It's a weird feeling - of amazement, astonishment, disappointment and frustration. Delivering a timely, Biblical, powerful message and having little or no response from the hearers is sort of like standing near the check out lines at Wal Mart with a sack full of 20 dollar bills, offering them to anyone who wanted one (or five, or six), and having people ignore you. It doesn't make sense, and it can really mess with the mind of the preacher!

Well, having experienced this phenomenon several times through the years, I've come to realize that as one fulfilling the teacher/preacher role, response isn't up to me, although it would be easier if that were my only responsibility. I mean, I could preach pure fluffy nonsense and then whip people into an emotional frenzy and feel like they responded to the message. Speakers - even preachers - do that all the time.

As it turns out, I have an even tougher job: to rightly divide the Word of truth, and to proclaim it as if I were speaking the very oracles of God. Oh, and don't forget that little word of encouragement from James 3:1.

All of this is a bit reminiscent of John MacArthur's Theology of Sleep. It's really a great piece of wisdom to grasp. While reading a biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer lately, it seems he had learned it early on as a pastor and preacher:

"He took the idea of preaching the Word of God extremely seriously and wouldn't have dared to speak his mere opinions from the pulpit. He also knew that a word might be delivered that had come straight from heaven and be rejected, just as the messages of the Old Testament prophets had been rejected and just as Jesus had been rejected. The prophet's role was simply and obediently to speak what God wished to say. Whether or not the message was received was between God and His people. And yet to preach such a burning message, and to know that it was God's Word for the faithful, who rejected it, was painful. But this was the pain of the prophetic office, and to be chosen by God as his prophet always meant, in part, that the prophet would share in God's sufferings."

He Shatters And Cuts

What heavy thoughts have you had lately?

"My child is wayward; what did I do wrong?"

"My bills are mounting, my income is decreasing."

"I've prayed for them so long, my passion has drained away."

"My marriage is unexpectedly difficult."

"My health issues are an affliction, they destroy my joy."

"I'm struggling so much with my sin, will it ever end?"

Today I am thankful that my God, my Redeemer, shatters doors of bronze as if they were kindling and cuts iron bars as if they were match sticks. The impossible, suffocating situation you may find yourself in today cannot defeat the saving purpose of the Almighty.

"For He shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron...Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD." Psalm 107:16, 43

Severely Merciful

Moreover, the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day when the LORD binds up the brokenness of his people, and heals the wounds inflicted by his blow. Isaiah 30:26

It is a fact that our heavenly Father disciplines us when we sinfully stray. At times I've been aware that it was happening in my life, but I'm sure there have been other instances in my life when His blows have gone unnoticed, either because I've been to dull or He was working mysteriously, behind the scenes, to bring me back around.

The great thing is that the blows He deals out are the wounds He binds up. See, this is like the loving and attentive earthly father who chastises the disobedient child, yet faithfully tucks him safely into bed the same night. Sometimes the earthly father withdraws his affections for a time so that the child knows for sure his displeasure. But withdrawal is not equal to abandonment.

Yes, sometimes God is distant, but He is distant in order to ignite our hearts to passion once again. He has yet to throw up his hands in disgust to say, "What am I going to do with this kid?" He continues steadily, faithfully forming us.

I think if preachers (including me) would preach these lessons on the folly of sin and the faithful wounds of the Father more often, we might spark an earnest love for and willing obedience to Jesus. It's humbling, and even a little bit frightening, to ponder such things: that our Father is strong and stern and zealous regarding what is right. But He is equally earnest about raising up His dearly loved children in the likeness of Christ.

God Speaks French....et al...

It is good for us to be reminded that God's native language is not English. I'm convinced that there are actually people here in the U.S. who think that God celebrates the 4th of July, when the only country God really favors is Israel. And graciously, the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ is open to people of every nation, tribe and tongue! I don't know what language we'll use in the new heavens and new earth, but I'm pretty sure a lot of us will be in for a refreshing dose of diversity on that day!

And they sang a new song, saying,
"Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation,
and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth."
Revelation 5:9,10

Restless Evil

"No human can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison." James 3:8

It's the spillway through which the heart overflows, like a dammed up lake at flood stage, and there's a crazy man with an itchy trigger finger in charge of the "on" switch! Think of the potential damage millions of cubic feet of water could do if turned loose. But if that water is contained, it destroys nothing. Think of how much more damaging our thoughts become when they are transformed into words that flow off of our tongues.

But why is it so easy to sin with our words? I think it's because we justify ourselves so readily and we refuse to believe that what we have to say would be unacceptable. I've justified reckless words before with that kind of thinking, and then regretted it. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit is teaching me to be slower to speak and quicker to listen and then to say "...only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29

Shelter Me

I just have to share this song. You'll recognize it if you watch "Sons of Guns" on Discovery Channel, but you really need to hear the whole thing. Composed by Buddy and Julie Miller and performed here by Tab Benoit, "Shelter Me" drips with Scripture and oozes Bayou Blues out of every measure.

I just love the grittiness of the way Tab plays it, especially that nasty Tele guitar solo, and by nasty I mean sick, and by sick I mean awesome. Be sure to have a close look at that lovely Telecaster when you watch the video, and let me know what you think of the song.

That's Not An Excuse

Today I want to make an ancillary point from Scripture about something near and dear to my heart. Actually it's good for my heart: exercise.

I've heard people dismiss exercise while citing 1 Timothy 4:8 "...for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come."

That's not a directive to ignore your health, it's an encouragement to NOT ignore your spiritual health. So, no doctrinal point is made about physical exercise, but this passage should certainly not be used to dismiss a daily jog.

Like I said, this is no doctrinal directive, but the passage does say that bodily training (exercise) is of some value. Regular physical activity helps control body weight, improves mood, combats and helps prevents all sorts of physical ailments, boosts energy levels, promotes better sleep and can actually be fun! Besides, you can't serve God if you're dead or laid up in bed.

This isn't a hill to die on (although one could possibly die on their way up a hill if they are not in good shape), but I believe that some form of regular exercise is a fantastic addition to this earthly life. Unlike godliness, which has value for both this life AND the next, physical exercise will only benefit you here, but it WILL benefit you.

You may already have a solid regimen like I have, and you know firsthand the benefits it brings to your body and mind. If, however, you are predominantly sedentary, please consider going for a walk this evening after dinner. Use the time to pray or listen to music or a sermon or just to soak up some quiet. You don't need a gym membership (unless that works for you), just get out and shoot hoop for a while or do those situps and pushups before bed or jump on a trampoline or pick up those dumbbells or ride bikes with your kids or borrow your neighbor's P90 DVDs or hoe the garden or hike the Grand Canyon in bare feet - whatever it is, get your heart pumping and your lungs huffing as often as possible. Oh, and please start eating better.....

Keeping An Edge, or, Help I'm Too Insulated!

I told myself I'd always remember. I prayed that the Lord would keep the burden heavy in my heart. However, here I am nearly a month past my experience in Haiti and I'm a bit disgusted with myself that my heart doesn't ache and break the way it did while I was there. Things are wayyyyy too comfy here in my hometown. I have clean water, air-conditioning and the rare mosquito I encounter doesn't carry any deadly disease. I want to keep that keen edge of compassion, even while I'm so safely insulated here in North America.

However (again), my heart is still more broken than it was and my conscience more tender. I took my three steps forward and the one back, but I'm still ahead of where I was and I guess that's the thing that is important. By the grace of God Haiti and her people will remain in my prayers, and I will remain a supporter of Mission of Hope.

Meanwhile, when I need a reminder, I'll just have a look at these eyes.

Taking A Large Enough Margin

I have a friend who recently underwent cancer surgery that required the removal of 3/4 of his esophagus and 1/3 of his stomach. It was critical that the surgeons removed enough of a margin in the tissue to ensure that no cancer was left behind. IOW, if the bad stuff is 2 inches long, remove 3 inches, just to be sure. This sort of practice doesn't work if you're building a house, but when you're dealing with something dangerous, such precautions are a necessity.

It reminds me of the Hebrew laws prescribed in Leviticus 13 and 14 pertaining to cleansing from spreading molds. No chances were taken in those cases. If the mold was in a piece of fabric or the wall of a house, a very meticulous process was started by the priest which included examination, isolation, cleansing and removal. Further examination and isolation were then performed to make sure the mold didn't return. If it did, more drastic measures were taken.

I think the implications are clear for believers in dealing with indwelling sin. When it's discovered, it should be confessed and not hidden. The matter should be taken to our High Priest and through careful examination, isolation and cleansing, the sin can be removed - not just forgiven, but removed. Catch my meaning? The goal is eradication. If, at a later time, the sin should reappear, a larger margin must be taken and more drastic measures introduced in order to mortify sin's presence in our lives. A larger margin might need to be taken; if there are parts of our lives that tend to lead us closer to sin, that aren't necessarily sinful in and of themselves, they might need to go as well.

The Eyes Of Haiti

Here's a visual for you...

The Difference Between Knowledge And Experience

Have you ever seen the Grand Canyon? Let me put that another way: have you ever been to the Grand Canyon?

Last weekend I visited the Grand Canyon in northern Arizona for the first time. I've been a lot of places and seen a lot of fantastic sights, but never have I laid eyes on anything as incomprehensible as the Grand Canyon. Seriously. It was impossible to even begin to take it in.

Before my visit, I could tell you how long and wide the Grand Canyon is. I could tell you about the Colorado River at the bottom and how John Wesley Powell explored it. I could tell you about all the amazing photographs I've seen of the Canyon.

But it wasn't until I looked over the Canyon rim and even hiked below the rim and into the Canyon that I realized the full grandeur, danger, scope, ferocity, beauty and reality of this geographical marvel. Everything I thought I "understood" about the canyon before just sort of shriveled up and was replaced with the real thing. Besides being confronted with the immensity of the Grand Canyon, I was also delighted with detail: every color, the flora, the shapes, the shadows, the thousands upon thousands of awe-inspiring sights.

In just the same way, there are untold numbers of people who know much about God. They've heard stories about Him while growing up, they've read about Him in books (even in His own book), they've formed opinions about Him and many can talk for hours about Him. But all of that is rubbish until they experience God personally. Up until that point, the human heart misjudges God. Man believes that God is smaller than He is, and that He is able to be contained within books of religion and philosophy. Natural man doesn't understand what the fear of the Lord really means, and misses completely the wonder of the multiplied mysteries of His ways. However, when a human soul finally sets foot on the canyon rim of God's reality, their life is forever changed.