"If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel!. . .For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. . . . I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, . . . ." (1 Corinthians 9:16-23, NRSV)
Paul has a compulsion. He is a person that has been transformed by a life-giving message. Paul is not happy to just sit and revel in the good news that he has heard about God. He has been changed by it. His life is driven by it. His character and identity have been transformed by it. He has been set free by it, but is enslaved to it.
Paul understands Jesus’ radical love. He is willing to do anything to get people to hear God’s transforming message. He is willing to give up his rights, his privilege, just so that some might hear. He becomes a servant to humanity because he is fulfilling his identity and obligation.
That Gospel changes us. Jesus changes us. We can no longer be the same.
So the point is, “I serve people to help save them.” Smokes, that is a hard message. I thought I served people so that I might feel better about myself, or that God might look upon me with favor.
We serve people not because we choose to, but because the essence of who we are has been changed by the love of God and now we are compelled to serve.
Makes me wonder, have I really been changed? Is this my identity?
Monday, January 30, 2006
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Believing is Seeing
"They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him." (Mark 1:22-26, NRSV)
We need a radical reorientation. We need to readjust our understanding of the world and authority. We accept truth from all sorts of sources. We accept a truth that the news media puts out, our friends, books, but we lack the critical skills of discernment.
We walk around in this world, believing what we see. Our eyes dictate to us the truth, even though we know there are optical illusions. In this Mark passage we are confronted with a world that we rather ignore—the spiritual world. In this rational, still mostly modern world that we walk in, we don’t accept that demons and angels exist, at least not in the form talked about in scripture. Why do we trust our ideas—why are our senses our are mode of discerning truth?
Perhaps Seeing isn’t believing, maybe Believing is true seeing. In this passage, Mark doesn’t explain Jesus authority, but only that everyone recognized it as unique and instantly. Jesus’ authority is not based on our senses our perceptions of him. It isn’t based on his history of learning, but it is based on who He is. Whether or not we believe (or see for that matter) we eventually have to come to terms with Jesus’ authority.
Why is that the demons always can see Jesus? We need a radical reorientation of authority and belief.
We need a radical reorientation. We need to readjust our understanding of the world and authority. We accept truth from all sorts of sources. We accept a truth that the news media puts out, our friends, books, but we lack the critical skills of discernment.
We walk around in this world, believing what we see. Our eyes dictate to us the truth, even though we know there are optical illusions. In this Mark passage we are confronted with a world that we rather ignore—the spiritual world. In this rational, still mostly modern world that we walk in, we don’t accept that demons and angels exist, at least not in the form talked about in scripture. Why do we trust our ideas—why are our senses our are mode of discerning truth?
Perhaps Seeing isn’t believing, maybe Believing is true seeing. In this passage, Mark doesn’t explain Jesus authority, but only that everyone recognized it as unique and instantly. Jesus’ authority is not based on our senses our perceptions of him. It isn’t based on his history of learning, but it is based on who He is. Whether or not we believe (or see for that matter) we eventually have to come to terms with Jesus’ authority.
Why is that the demons always can see Jesus? We need a radical reorientation of authority and belief.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Changing our Conversation
“… we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.” 1 Corinthians 8:1b (NRSV)
It is easy to get enamored with ourselves and our ideas. We think we are pretty clever and intelligent. We are arrogant and prideful people…at least I can be. I once heard a statistic that said 90% of Americans believe they are smarter than 50% of people. At least 40% of those people are wrong and if they were smart enough they would be able to figure out if they were wrong or right.
I love this saying by Paul. It is so easy to get caught up with our knowledge with being right in our conversations instead of loving. In our relationships and dialogue with people we are usually more interested in our self than the other person. We even think thoughts like, “was that okay to say?”, “I wonder if this person likes me?” Our lives are all about us. Yet the life of discipleship, the life of following Jesus makes our lives not about us but about Him and therefore about others.
What would it look like in our next conversation with someone if we were more concerned about them and loving them then being right or displaying ourselves
It is easy to get enamored with ourselves and our ideas. We think we are pretty clever and intelligent. We are arrogant and prideful people…at least I can be. I once heard a statistic that said 90% of Americans believe they are smarter than 50% of people. At least 40% of those people are wrong and if they were smart enough they would be able to figure out if they were wrong or right.
I love this saying by Paul. It is so easy to get caught up with our knowledge with being right in our conversations instead of loving. In our relationships and dialogue with people we are usually more interested in our self than the other person. We even think thoughts like, “was that okay to say?”, “I wonder if this person likes me?” Our lives are all about us. Yet the life of discipleship, the life of following Jesus makes our lives not about us but about Him and therefore about others.
What would it look like in our next conversation with someone if we were more concerned about them and loving them then being right or displaying ourselves
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Salvation thru Judgment
“Sometimes God saves by judging. . . . judgment is generally a good thing. It means the coming of truth and justice into our deceived and oppressed world.” (Brian McLaren, A Generous Orthodoxy)
We don’t like being judged. I don’t like dealing with the consequences of my behavior. I know my children don’t like the consequences to their behaviors. They dislike the timeouts we give them for not listening or misbehaving. Usually the threat of the timeout changes their behavior. However, sometimes they need the timeouts to be corrected. We find that when we are not consistent with their consequences the more courageous they are with the misdeeds.
God saves us by judging us. God saves us because he is consistent with his judgment and rules. God is not wishy-washy or bends the rules. God rescues us from our deceived and oppressed ways. God also rescues us by forgiving us. He judges then forgives. He sets forth the natural consequences for us allow us to see the untruth of our ways and the world. Then when we turn from our ways (repent) he rescues us with forgiveness.
My favorite part of the timeouts with my children (a process I do not take any enjoyment from) is after they have served their time, they apologized for their actions (usually with the saddest tears) and I get to say, "You know that I love you." Then with their tear-filled eyes they turn to me and they leap in my arms and say, “I love you too, Daddy”
That is salvation, being rescued from the falsehoods of our behavior and being freed by the love by and for our parent.
Thank you Heavenly father for rescuing me time and time again with your judgment and forgiveness.
We don’t like being judged. I don’t like dealing with the consequences of my behavior. I know my children don’t like the consequences to their behaviors. They dislike the timeouts we give them for not listening or misbehaving. Usually the threat of the timeout changes their behavior. However, sometimes they need the timeouts to be corrected. We find that when we are not consistent with their consequences the more courageous they are with the misdeeds.
God saves us by judging us. God saves us because he is consistent with his judgment and rules. God is not wishy-washy or bends the rules. God rescues us from our deceived and oppressed ways. God also rescues us by forgiving us. He judges then forgives. He sets forth the natural consequences for us allow us to see the untruth of our ways and the world. Then when we turn from our ways (repent) he rescues us with forgiveness.
My favorite part of the timeouts with my children (a process I do not take any enjoyment from) is after they have served their time, they apologized for their actions (usually with the saddest tears) and I get to say, "You know that I love you." Then with their tear-filled eyes they turn to me and they leap in my arms and say, “I love you too, Daddy”
That is salvation, being rescued from the falsehoods of our behavior and being freed by the love by and for our parent.
Thank you Heavenly father for rescuing me time and time again with your judgment and forgiveness.
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Listening is Loving
But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, whatever the Lord says to me, that I will speak.” 1 Kings 22:14 (NRSV)
I don’t listen enough and I pride myself on being a good listening. In fact, I am a better listening than most people. Yet, I don’t listen enough. Like most people, I like to talk, I like to share my ideas, I like for people to be interested in me. When we talk we lose sight of who we are. When we don’t listen we often think of ourselves to highly.
We when don’t listen we tune out the voices of truth. We don’t hear what our friends are saying to us about us. How do we expect to hear God when we don’t even listen to each other.
I have been working on listening to my children. It is easy to overlook them and just tell them what to do, instead of taking the time and hearing what they have to say and how they feel. When I take the time to listen they feel valued by me and we began to understand each other better. The problem is that listening takes time and patience. I don’t have much of either. But then it occurred to me that to have time and patience you need love. You need to love the person to give them your time and patience to listen to them.
Micaiah takes listening and speaking seriously. We don’t take our words seriously. We throw away our words, with extreme callous. We should treasure the words we use. I love the idea of speaking only the words the Lord speaks to me. Not that I am a prophet like Micaiah, but it means that I need to listen mor instead of speaking. I need to listen more to God—which means I need to love God more to give Him my time and patience.
I don’t listen enough and I pride myself on being a good listening. In fact, I am a better listening than most people. Yet, I don’t listen enough. Like most people, I like to talk, I like to share my ideas, I like for people to be interested in me. When we talk we lose sight of who we are. When we don’t listen we often think of ourselves to highly.
We when don’t listen we tune out the voices of truth. We don’t hear what our friends are saying to us about us. How do we expect to hear God when we don’t even listen to each other.
I have been working on listening to my children. It is easy to overlook them and just tell them what to do, instead of taking the time and hearing what they have to say and how they feel. When I take the time to listen they feel valued by me and we began to understand each other better. The problem is that listening takes time and patience. I don’t have much of either. But then it occurred to me that to have time and patience you need love. You need to love the person to give them your time and patience to listen to them.
Micaiah takes listening and speaking seriously. We don’t take our words seriously. We throw away our words, with extreme callous. We should treasure the words we use. I love the idea of speaking only the words the Lord speaks to me. Not that I am a prophet like Micaiah, but it means that I need to listen mor instead of speaking. I need to listen more to God—which means I need to love God more to give Him my time and patience.
Monday, January 16, 2006
Lord Have Mercy
Jesus I've forgotten
The Words that You have spoken
Promises that burned within my heart
Have now grown dim
With a doubting heart I follow
The paths of earthly wisdom
Forgive me for my unbelief
Renew the fire again
Chorus
Lord have mercy
Christ have mercy
Lord have mercy on me
Lord have mercy
Christ have mercy
Lord have mercy on me
I have built an altar
Where I've worshipped things of manI have taken journeys
That have drawn me far from You
Now I am returning
To Your mercies ever flowing
Pardon my transgressions
Help me love You again
I have longed to know You
And all Your tender mercies
Like a river of forgiveness
Ever flowing without end
So I bow my heart before You
In the goodness of Your presence
Your grace forever shining
Like a beacon in the night
Some songs just stick in your head. May this song be my prayer this week. This song is called, “Lord have mercy” by Steve Merkel. A good version of it is on itunes by Michael W. Smith.
The Words that You have spoken
Promises that burned within my heart
Have now grown dim
With a doubting heart I follow
The paths of earthly wisdom
Forgive me for my unbelief
Renew the fire again
Chorus
Lord have mercy
Christ have mercy
Lord have mercy on me
Lord have mercy
Christ have mercy
Lord have mercy on me
I have built an altar
Where I've worshipped things of manI have taken journeys
That have drawn me far from You
Now I am returning
To Your mercies ever flowing
Pardon my transgressions
Help me love You again
I have longed to know You
And all Your tender mercies
Like a river of forgiveness
Ever flowing without end
So I bow my heart before You
In the goodness of Your presence
Your grace forever shining
Like a beacon in the night
Some songs just stick in your head. May this song be my prayer this week. This song is called, “Lord have mercy” by Steve Merkel. A good version of it is on itunes by Michael W. Smith.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Hearing the Silence
“Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him . . .” 1 Kings 19:11-13 (NRSV)
Elijah heard the silence. It was not in the powerful rock-splitting wind that he found God, it was not in the ground-shaking earthquake, it was not in the blazing fire that Elijah heard God’s voice, but he heard God in the silence.
Elijah flees to the wilderness scared for his life—he is the only prophet left in Israel. The people have turned to other gods. In this solitude God speaks to him not with the might he shows in controlling creation, but in the tenderness of the silence.
Most of us are bothered by the silence. It makes us uncomfortable. In classrooms or meetings, if someone is not talking we get nervous, we squirm in our seats. He feel we need to answer or talk. But perhaps the truth is not in the noise or the answer, but in the spaces between the noise, the spaces between the answers.
We are uncomfortable with the silence because we are uncomfortable in the presence of God—it reminds us of who we are and who He is. We are uncomfortable, because God is the Truth, and we rather build a tower of lies. We are comfortable in the shadow reality of our own truth and not in the Truth of the silence.
Strip away the noise and the untruth around us, so we can hear the silence.
Elijah heard the silence. It was not in the powerful rock-splitting wind that he found God, it was not in the ground-shaking earthquake, it was not in the blazing fire that Elijah heard God’s voice, but he heard God in the silence.
Elijah flees to the wilderness scared for his life—he is the only prophet left in Israel. The people have turned to other gods. In this solitude God speaks to him not with the might he shows in controlling creation, but in the tenderness of the silence.
Most of us are bothered by the silence. It makes us uncomfortable. In classrooms or meetings, if someone is not talking we get nervous, we squirm in our seats. He feel we need to answer or talk. But perhaps the truth is not in the noise or the answer, but in the spaces between the noise, the spaces between the answers.
We are uncomfortable with the silence because we are uncomfortable in the presence of God—it reminds us of who we are and who He is. We are uncomfortable, because God is the Truth, and we rather build a tower of lies. We are comfortable in the shadow reality of our own truth and not in the Truth of the silence.
Strip away the noise and the untruth around us, so we can hear the silence.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Turn up the Signal, Wipe out the Noise
“Send out the signals deep and loud
And in this place, can you reassure me
With a touch, a smile – while the cradle’s burning
All the while the world is turning to noise
Oh the more that it’s surrounding usThe more that it destroys
Turn up the signal
Wipe out the noise” (Peter Gabriel, Signal to Noise)
How do we hear God?
I sometimes get the impression that we view ourselves as the Verizon wireless man? You know the guy that wears the telephone repair suit and walks all around the country asking, “Do you hear me now? Do you hear me now?” We might believe that we can talk to God or at least say we do, but I often get the impression that most of our prayers and conversation with God is in doubt. Deep down we question whether God can really hear us?
I actually think it is the opposite? I think God is the Verizon wireless man, and he is constantly on the phone with us, and with His supernatural wireless connection asking us, “Do you hear me now? Do you hear me now?” God is speaking to us constantly. His life-changing breath/spirit is whispering in our ears awaiting to tingle them, if we just remove the distractions in our life. God is sending out his deep and loud signal to us, yet we turn on the noise and distractions of this world.
Look at all the noise we put into our life. How often are we in the car without the radio, at home without the television on? We now walk around with mobile phones filling any potential quiet moments with more noise. We don’t take the time to turn the noise off and listen to God. It is no wonder that most of us struggle to hear him, we are drowning out His voice.
Turn off the noise. Turn up God’s Signal
And in this place, can you reassure me
With a touch, a smile – while the cradle’s burning
All the while the world is turning to noise
Oh the more that it’s surrounding usThe more that it destroys
Turn up the signal
Wipe out the noise” (Peter Gabriel, Signal to Noise)
How do we hear God?
I sometimes get the impression that we view ourselves as the Verizon wireless man? You know the guy that wears the telephone repair suit and walks all around the country asking, “Do you hear me now? Do you hear me now?” We might believe that we can talk to God or at least say we do, but I often get the impression that most of our prayers and conversation with God is in doubt. Deep down we question whether God can really hear us?
I actually think it is the opposite? I think God is the Verizon wireless man, and he is constantly on the phone with us, and with His supernatural wireless connection asking us, “Do you hear me now? Do you hear me now?” God is speaking to us constantly. His life-changing breath/spirit is whispering in our ears awaiting to tingle them, if we just remove the distractions in our life. God is sending out his deep and loud signal to us, yet we turn on the noise and distractions of this world.
Look at all the noise we put into our life. How often are we in the car without the radio, at home without the television on? We now walk around with mobile phones filling any potential quiet moments with more noise. We don’t take the time to turn the noise off and listen to God. It is no wonder that most of us struggle to hear him, we are drowning out His voice.
Turn off the noise. Turn up God’s Signal
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Word of the Lord in your Mouth
So the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.” 1 Kings 17:24 (NRSV)
The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah. 1 Kings 17:16 (NRSV)
If you say so. And here it is again. The verbal power and truth of God’s words. What God says happens. It doesn’t possible happen it happens. That is power of using the verbal word to create, sustain and destroy. It reminds me of the movie, “Dune” where the people are on a quest to learn the one word that has this power of life. When they master it, they win. It brings new meaning to the child rhyme, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Well, God’s words are more power than sticks and stones. And we know that words do hurt and they do comfort as well.
Words are so important. Let us not use them flippantly or causal, but carefully and reverently. My hope is that others may know that we are men (people) of God because the word of God in our mouth is true. My desire is that we can recognize the Word of God in other people. That we can be people that know when we hear the Truth and strive for it. If God says so, it will be.
The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah. 1 Kings 17:16 (NRSV)
If you say so. And here it is again. The verbal power and truth of God’s words. What God says happens. It doesn’t possible happen it happens. That is power of using the verbal word to create, sustain and destroy. It reminds me of the movie, “Dune” where the people are on a quest to learn the one word that has this power of life. When they master it, they win. It brings new meaning to the child rhyme, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Well, God’s words are more power than sticks and stones. And we know that words do hurt and they do comfort as well.
Words are so important. Let us not use them flippantly or causal, but carefully and reverently. My hope is that others may know that we are men (people) of God because the word of God in our mouth is true. My desire is that we can recognize the Word of God in other people. That we can be people that know when we hear the Truth and strive for it. If God says so, it will be.
Monday, January 09, 2006
If You Say So...
Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” Luke 5:5 (NRSV)
If you say so. Peter had heard the reports that whatever this man said came to be. Peter, a fisherman knew what he was doing, he knew there was no fish in the lake, but he also knew the reports of Jesus. So his response was, “if you say so.”
I don’t think we really believe Jesus. We really don’t believe what he says is going to happen. Even though we have all the evidence that everything he vocalizes happens. Do we really trust Jesus to fulfill his promises and his commands to us? He says go be fishers of men, but yet we hesitate to fish—to share our faith with people. Do we trust Jesus that people will respond, and he will catch men?
May our response to Jesus be like Simon Peter’s, “If you say so.”
If you say so. Peter had heard the reports that whatever this man said came to be. Peter, a fisherman knew what he was doing, he knew there was no fish in the lake, but he also knew the reports of Jesus. So his response was, “if you say so.”
I don’t think we really believe Jesus. We really don’t believe what he says is going to happen. Even though we have all the evidence that everything he vocalizes happens. Do we really trust Jesus to fulfill his promises and his commands to us? He says go be fishers of men, but yet we hesitate to fish—to share our faith with people. Do we trust Jesus that people will respond, and he will catch men?
May our response to Jesus be like Simon Peter’s, “If you say so.”
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