Tracy's Thoughts

How Great I Art?

2007-04-10T09:37:00.000-04:00

" But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is the power of God that is called Great." And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic." (Acts 8:9-11, ESV)

Simon was a man after my own heart. It is so easy to get caught up in this world trying to impress people, trying to show the world how great I am. The world is about personal success. The American Dream is about achieving fame and fortune on your own.

I want people to like me. I want people to see how gifted I am. But the reality is my real purpose is to show people how great God is, and how he has gifted all of us to glorify Him. It is easy to get in the way of that purpose.

Lord, Help me to move out of the way. Let your Glory fall on you alone. May my days and nights be spent on giving you the glory and thanking you for your blessings. Lord, I deserve only death, but through your gracious gift I receive life eternal. Let any Glory that comes my way be deflected to you. Let any greatness that comes my way be only a gift from you. May all see you in my life no matter the circumstances.

How Great Thou Art

O Lord my God,When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars,I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout The universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

The Apostle Peter and the Masters

2007-04-09T13:36:00.000-04:00

"And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: "Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all." (Acts 3:12-16, ESV)

Yesterday, as we had family and friends over for Easter dinner, we watch the Masters golf tournament. The room, like most rooms in America, was rooting for Tiger, or perhaps just expecting Tiger to win. But the opposite happened. Zach Johnson, a guy that nobody knew, and had won only 1 tournament before, outplayed the field and even the mighty Tiger Woods.

We were all stunned by his performance, expecting him to fade like everyone else had. We expected him to crumble under the pressure. Then we watch him interviewed after completing the last 18 holes and as he watched Tiger come after his score. Teary eyed, he kept mentioning how Jesus helped him through this day. He kept thanking and praising Jesus. We hadn't won the tournament yet, but he still was emotionally overwhelmed with praise and thanks for Jesus.

The room turned from rooting for Tiger to rooting for this humble Zach Johnson. Then it remember me of Peter, who had just healed the cripple beggar, didn't take any of the glory or credit, but gave the rightfuly glory to his Lord.

Lord, help me to remember to give you the glory. Help me to be a witness and to be bold in the works that you do through me.

Unity in What?

2007-01-24T10:37:00.000-05:00

" For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased."" (2 Peter 1:16-17, NRSV)

What has authority in our life? That is really the question in this postmodern world? Personal experiences are the sole basis for authority in this world. Stories and history are rewritten to accomadate personal experiences and truth. Facts and logic are sidelined as interested but not authoratativie.

The church has gone down this words as well, particularly the PC(USA), long ago we compromised the authority of the Word of God, for the experiences and interpretations of man. In increasing fashion we are experiencing the the outcome of such a decision.

We talk about Unity in our denomination, but what are we unifed about? People say Jesus, but that isn't true, because we debate about who Jesus is and how we know him. We are not unified in our view scripture? So I ask the quest, "What are we unified in?"

Who is it for?

2006-12-19T10:07:00.000-05:00

"Then the word of the Lord of hosts came to me: Say to all the people of the land and the priests: When you fasted and lamented in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted? And when you eat and when you drink, do you not eat and drink only for yourselves?" (Zechariah 7:4-6, NRSV)

What a great question. How easily I forget that everything is done for the Lord--even eating and drinking. I think food and taste is their for my pleasure only, but really it is to glorify God. I don't just eat to nourish my body, but I eat to nourish my body so I may glorify the Lord by doing what he has commanded me to do. Even the manner in which I eat should glorify him. Everything is for him--even eating and drinking. It is hard to give up control.

Ornaments on God's Tree

2006-12-14T09:56:00.000-05:00

Christmas is a time for christmas trees and traditionaly ornaments. Each family has their own special ornaments. My special ornament is the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz. My grammy made it for me when I was a small child. It is getting delicate now- but it still goes on our tree despite my wife's protest. It has always been the first ornament that goes on the tree and it goes dead center so everyone can see the beauty of the tin man--he's shiny!

"Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, gravity, and sound speech that cannot be censured; then any opponent will be put to shame, having nothing evil to say of us. Tell slaves to be submissive to their masters and to give satisfaction in every respect; they are not to talk back, not to pilfer, but to show complete and perfect fidelity, so that in everything they may be an ornament to the doctrine of God our Savior. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ." (Titus 2:6-13, NRSV)

Our action, our behaviors are to be an ornament to the doctrine--the truth of Jesus in this world. We are to be shiny ornaments--like the Tin Man--hanging on God's tree to reflect his glory.

Lord this season help me to shine like the Tin Man and may God's glory reveal himself through me so that people may know the blessed hope of Jesus Christ. Let me be a ornament on God's tree.

The Grace of Slowness

2006-12-05T10:04:00.000-05:00

"The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9, NRSV)

In times of pain it is easy to call upon the Lord. It is easy to ask him to deliver us from this world. We wait anxiously for his return, particularly in advent. However, the Lord's seemingly slowness is really just grace--because he does not want any to perish. He wants all to have a chance to repent and know him.

Lord, may I learn to be slow to anger, to slow grace to the world.

And God Spoke These Words: Fifth Commandment

2006-11-08T14:06:00.000-05:00

"Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you." (Exodus 20:12, NRSV)

The previous commands are concern with Honoring God. This commandment shifts away from God to honoring parents. Although the implication is that by honoring your parents you honor God. The literally and understood meaning is not hat you obey everything that you parents tell you to do--because surely they are fallen just as everybody is. However, you honor them in their old age (you take care of them).

Parents have the awesome responsiblity of representing God to their children. Parents have the responsible to teach and disciple their children in the faith. Children are then given the responsiblity to take care of, honor their parents, when their parents retire, or in their old age. What does that look like in our society? Does that mean shipping parents off to nursing homes? Does that mean providing for their care? What does in mean to take care of--to honor them? One of the questions people fail to answer when their consider what to do with their parents when the get older and need to be taken care of is to ask the question is--do I want to be treated the same way when I get old that I am treating or caring for my parents?

Then there is a promise--a promise of long life. However the promise is not an individual promise of long life--but a corporate promise of residing in God's promised land for a long time. If we as a community honor our parents, God will continue to provide mercy on our community. We get to keep receiving God's gracious gifts. The question is what is God's gracious gift? Mainly mercy and grace! (not material!)

Wiping Away the Tears

2006-11-07T10:08:00.000-05:00

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Revelation 7:13-17 (NRSV)

I find great comfort in this passage. Despite our failings, despite the hardships of this word. God will wipe away the tears. I love holding my children and helping them wipe away the tears and comforting them from the pain of this world. It hurts me as my children are in painful or when the suffer through the consequences of this broken world. All I want to do is hold them and wipe away the tears. It is good to know when it is all said and done, my tears will be wiped away by the embrace of the Heavenly Father.

And God Spoke These Words: Fourth Commandment

2006-10-26T10:09:00.000-04:00

"Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it." (Exodus 20:8-11, NRSV)

Keep the Sabbath--literally a day of stoppage. It is day that we are to separate out from the rest of the days so we can strengthen our focus on God. Every day should be focused on God--but the Sabbath should be a particularly heighten focused on God (and not us). We are to stop the normal things that we do every other day of the week. It is meant as a day of rest from our normal labors, but that doesn't mean it was meant to be lstrict and legalistic stoppage of all work. The Hebrews knew they still had to feed their flocks and such. It is not meant to be a lazy day to hang around and watch football or even be with the family (although those activities could be okay). It is meant to focus even moreso our activities on God.

We are to rest for the normal stresses of the world and relax in the glory of God. The keeping of the sabbath is also the sign that the Lord has made a covenant with us. When we observed the Sabbath, we show the world that we are set-apart (holy) and that the Lord is working in us and has made a covenant with us to bless his world.

And God Spoke These Words: Third Commandment

2006-10-23T09:52:00.000-04:00

"You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name." (Exodus 20:7, NRSV)

What does it mean to misuse the name of the Lord? Most people today, would say that we don't use the name when we swear--meaning we shouldn't use language that refers to Lord, God, Jesus, irrevelantly. While I think this is true--it trivializes this commandment. The direct reference would be using the name of God by swearing an oath in court or to someone. Such as, "Believe in my words, I swear to God, that I tell the truth, and if I am not--may he kill me or punish me." So the basic prohibition in the third commandment is against perjury. Jesus emphasizings this point when he says don't take oaths in God's name, but let your words be the bond (Matt 5:33-37; 23:16-22). Think about the consequences of prophet invoking God's name in his own words. That prophet better be right. Think of the importance and signficance of a preacher proclaiming the word of God. They better be right. It is serious business when you invoke the name of the Lord.

Why is the name of God (Yahweh) so important? God name's signified his essence, and God should not be mocked. We should not use the name of God lightly but respectfully, and fearfully. Yahweh name means "he is" and everything else is not.

Lord, may I approach your name and presence with respect, fear, and awe. I think you that you are present whether I bid you to be or not. Guide my thoughts and words and may the be focused on glorifing you.

And God Spoke These Words: Second Commandment

2006-10-10T09:30:00.000-04:00

"You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them;" (Exodus 20:4-5a, NRSV)

In the first commandment, Yahweh makes it very clear, that he alone is the only God and Lord. He alone is the object and focus of worship. So what is an idol? It is anything that is the focus of our worship. We are natural-born worshippers. Humans have this genetic compulsion and need to worship something. The question becomes what are we worshipping?

Modern people don't really understand the Ancient Near Eastern Idol worship. We believe that this commandment means we cannot have any image or pictures that depict God or heaven realms. That is not the literally or intended meaning of this commandment. Because God even requests that we create an ark and a tabernacle to localise his presence for the people. However, it was never to be understood that we worship the ark or the Tabernacle, but we worship Yahweh alone, who cannot be contained.

ANE Idol worship was the norm for the Israelites and their surrounding cultures, it was easy for them to revert back to this mode of thinking. However, Yahweh radically imposes a covenant and a will upon than that is quite different than the norm of their surrounding society. Yahweh shows them that he wants them to be set apart from the world--Holy.

It is easy to lose focus that God is the provider and the sustainer of all life. It is easy to lose focus and forget that God is presence. It is easy to worship at the alter of normalcy, money, and the desires of my self. Lord help me to remember that you are Emmanuel (God with Us), and that you have a will for us and a desire for me to be set apart. Help me not to be normal, but radically different for you.

And God Spoke these Words: The First Commandment

2006-10-09T10:07:00.000-04:00

" Then God spoke all these words: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:1-3, NRSV)

No other gods. Idiomatically the Hebrew is saying, “you shall have no other gods against me/or in distinction to me.” The point being is that the commandment is not saying there are other gods but presupposes a radical, exclusive monotheism. Yahweh is the only divine God. Even the term gods doesn’t exclusively refer to the God, but supernatural beings including angels.

Yahweh is the only God. He alone is creator, sustainer, and redeemer of all creation. He alone is life and everything else is nothing. His very name defines who he is and implies that everything else is not.

In this first commandment Yahweh is reminding us of his character and the proper order of all creation.

It is so easy for me to lose sight of the magnitude and greatness of Yahweh. He is so overwhelming that it becomes impossible to comprehend, yet he reminds us of the little things He does that we can relate to such as rescuing the Israelites out of Egypt. Yes, that was a little thing for this mighty and awesome God. Big thing for us, little for Him.

The Doing-Being Test

2006-09-25T14:47:00.000-04:00

I have been a little down. The attendance and participation at CPC is stagnating. Somehow, I feel I am responsible. I am responsible to get more people here—to get more people to give—so the church can afford me, the youth director, and expand its ministries. Perhaps, I am failing. Perhaps, I am not qualified for this position. I know better than this—I know this is God’s ministry and God has called me here. But in the back of my mind—I feel I am responsible to do.

I have been preaching about the Exodus and the wanderings in the Wilderness. How God was testing the Israelites to form them into the people he wanted them to be. Perhaps God is testing CPC—he is testing me. I have failed the test. Instead of rely on him, I rely on myself. I feel I must be the doing—instead of just being the child of God he wants me to be—instead of just allowing God to transform me.

That is the thought that hit me. I need to trust and be patience; God put me and CPC together. I (we) need to trust that He is going to provide. He will provide—He is providing.

Value Dependent Calling

2006-09-18T11:12:00.000-04:00

"He said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!" (Luke 12:22-24, NRSV)

It is easy to lose sight of our value—especially as we are so careless with what we value. We value possessions, positions, places, yet the Lord values us. The Lord has chosen us for a reason. He has created us for a purpose. We are to reflect his Glory like the birds in the air, but we are also to reflect the image of God and to proclaim Him to the world. We are chosen to be a blessing to the world. We are to be a blessing like no other. Our value to God is not dependent on who we are but what we are created to be and do. Our value is immeasurable because He has called us for His purpose.

If we weren’t valuable—why would he die for us?

The Constitution within the Constitution.

2006-09-11T15:44:00.000-04:00

The Constitution of the PC(USA) is no longer the constitution, at least according to our Stated Clerk of the General Assembly. Check out this letter from him.

Our Form of Government says it well in G-4.0300d, “Presbyterians are not simply to reflect the will of the people, but rather to seek together to find and represent the will of Christ.”

It is this vision that is at the heart of our Constitution. It is why, in part, it is so important for us to remind Presbyterians that faithfulness to the Constitution is critical as we deal with difficult issues in our life together.

I am particularly concerned about proposals that I hear are coming to some of our presbyteries that are not in accord with our Constitution and its authoritative interpretations (which also have the binding authority of the Constitution itself). I hope, in your role as stated clerks, you will join me in reminding Presbyterians that while dissent and advocacy for change are deeply engrained Presbyterian values, no presbytery by any vote margin has the authority to take actions that are not in accord with the Constitution, or to set aside its provisions.

Among the proposals that are of particular concern to me:

Actions by a presbytery that in essence set aside the assembly’s authoritative interpretation of G-6.0108 and require subscription to all or specific constitutional standards. Examinations are to be conducted based on constitutional standards established by the whole church, but ordination and installation decisions are to be made by ordaining bodies based on whether “the candidate has departed from essentials of Reformed faith and polity” (G-6.0108b). Authoritative interpretations can be changed by new interpretations from the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission or the assembly itself, and presbyteries may send in overtures seeking such change, but presbyteries cannot set aside, on their own, standards clearly specified in an already adopted authoritative interpretation.

The constitution is no longer the constitution. Oh yes, I know the new authoritative interpretation on G-6.0108 is part of the constitution, but at least according to this letter by the Stated Clerk he believes it overrides any previously mandated language in the Constitution. Our denomination would be more honest if we just deleted everything else from the Book of Order (book 2 of our constitution) and just leave new AI as the constitution. (Maybe that will be the FOG taskforce recommendation—that certainly would explain how they can rewrite the whole Form of Government in 18 months or less).

In the mind of the Stated Clerk this new AI limits presbyteries from actually instituted procedures and policies that require officers (or potential officers) to abide by mandate provisions in the constitution. So this new AI makes it unconstitutional to enforce the constitution. So if it is unconstitutional to require all to abide by the constitutional why do we need to abide by the new AI (which is a part of the constitution). It is absurd—but suddenly we have a constitution within the constitution and it is the new AI. I am sure glad all the presbyteries got to vote on this radical change to the constitution (or wait—they didn’t). How constitutional!

The need for Help and workers

2006-08-30T11:12:00.000-04:00

This is PR. He says it stands for Peter Rabbit, but it really stands for Paul Robert, but everyone calls him PR (which is just about the coolest nickname I have heard of). PR is Bob's son, both of these men lived together in Bob's FEMA trailer that is parked at the church. PR tells horrendous story of being evacuated on a bus with little to no money. The little money he did have God told him to give it to people that were more needy than he was.

He recalls the joy of being able to put fresh socks on after days and days of wearing the same clothes. After several months of staying away, PR return to Slidell, to live with his Father and his mother you passed away in May.

PR has been looking for the right job. Since the hurricane, Slidell population has return and swelled to 3 times the amount previously. 3 times the amount because many people are temporarily living in Slidell waiting for the homes or their FEMA trailer in other parts of Louisiana. Despite tripling in population, every business (that is open--some are not or haven't returned). has a For HELP sign out. There are not enough people to work the jobs in Slidell, because the people that uses to live in Slidell and work those jobs are gone (to other parts of the country). So Slidell is left with 3 times the population as before and a smaller workforce. Brothers and sisters, the gulf coast still needs our help!

Mary's Story

2006-08-10T10:41:00.000-04:00

This is Mary (and her in-laws). Mary's house is pictured in the background. Mary's house was a little luckier than most. It stated put. The house behind her, was ripped from its foundation and floated over 200 feet across a canal and onto other houses and vehicles. Below I have provided a link where you can see Mary's neighborhood and the others that are in locations where they do not belong.

Mary saw us outside looking at the damage when she came out with her photo album to talk with us. Little did Mary know and we know what God had in store for us. As we listen to Mary's horrify stories and pictures, we were all gripped by her grief and trauma still 11 months after the fact. Mary lives it everyday. She mourns the loss of her community. The wreckage surrounds her. Her neighbors are gone.

Here is the link to google maps showing her community. http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Chalmette,+LA&ie=UTF8&t=h&om=1&ll=29.946517,-89.956028&spn=0.002208,0.006738

By the grace of God, Mary accepted the Jesus as her Lord a couple of days later. There's a bigger story here, but she is finally on the road to healing. Continue to pray for Mary and her husband (whom we never met)--that she find peace and joy. May she grow deeper in love with Jesus every day and every moment. May more churches respond to the need in LA and gulf coast and spread the love of Jesus to more people like Mary.

Jamaal and His Ice Cream Truck

2006-08-07T14:29:00.000-04:00

This is the ice cream truck. One afternoon in the middle of Chalmette, amidst the deserted buildings and houses, we heard the pleasant and inviting sounds of an ice cream truck.

An electronic female voice would yell "Hello" from the truck after the familiar ding-dong cart song would play.

At first it seemed really odd to have an ice cream truck in Chalmette, but eventually it made perfect sense. Amidst all this chaos people need to be reminded of the normalcy of life. They need to be reminded of the simple joys--like Ice Cream.

I spoke to Jamaal, he is a from Jordan, where his wife and children live year-round. Jamaal spends 8 months of the year selling Ice Cream and sends all the money back to support his family. Jamaal has a open heart and soul. Our physicall witness to him about Jesus softened his heart to the gospel. He stated that most people are christians in this country but they don't act like it--He saw that we were acting like it--by responding with our time and energy in helping the people of Louisiana.

We gave Jamaal a bible and prayed with him. My prayer for Jamaal is that one day he can say that Jesus is Lord, and he brings his family to the Lord, and he can bring a revival to his home country of Jordan.

Jamaal also asked us to pray for Lebanon.

The Cake Ministry of Joshua

2006-08-02T10:35:00.000-04:00

This is Bob. Bob works for the City of Slidell Department of Public Works (the Water Department). He assured us the drinking water was okay. I still hesitated to drink it. Slidell was were the eye of the Hurricane Katrina hit. Bob had to stay in the city and ride out the hurricane. His sons and wife were evacuated. Bob lost his house. His FEMA trailer doesn't sit on his propety by his house, like most people. His trailer was deliever to the church and so now he lives at the church. He hopes to be able to soon move his trailer to his property and rebuild.

A couple of months ago, Bob lost his wife in a fight with cancer. Yet, Bob still has ability to keep going, but when you talked with him, you can hear and see the pain that he still carries from the devastation of the hurricane and the loss of his wife.

Joshua is ministering to Bob here by allowing Bob to sit and feed him cake and ice cream. God used the littliest one on our trip to help people. Joshua joy and smile can break down the biggest barriers and burdens in people. It is amazing to see how God works.

" And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28, NIV)

This Doesn't Belong Here (and Neither do I)

2006-08-01T10:17:00.000-04:00

This house doesn't belong here. It actually belongs about a block away, over a canal. The water and the storm surge knocked it off its foundation and moved it across the canal onto a different street, onto another house and a truck. This house still hasn't been cleaned or gutted. It remains as it was since the storm--with all its possessions, family albums, children toys, heirlooms scattered inside covered in filth.

11 months after the fact--nothing has changed. I have no idea where the owners of this house are.

I am kinda like this house. The storms of life come and go in my life. They flood my soul, contaminte and ruin the insides. Sometimes those storms come violently or sometimes the slowly rise and carry me across the canal onto the wrong side of the street. My soul doesn't belong here, I wasn't created for this street called Earth. I was created for streets paved with Gold. God wants to restored my house. God wants to tear down my life and rebuild it perfectly so I can live where he intended us all to to live (with Him).

Help me Jesus on this journey with you. Help me become the new creation that you have started in me. Let me die to the old being--let me live in you and with you.

Serving with our children

2006-07-31T10:45:00.000-04:00

It is amazing how many people heads turn or question our decision to bring our children on mission trips--particularly to the Gulf Coast. However it is the best way that we believe we can disciple our children. We want them to see the passion that drives us and we want them to learn from the earilest of age that we are called to Love Jesus and serve him by loving others. This picture is of Andrew, our 4-year-old, hammering in a nail. Now our children are limited physically what they can do--but were excited when they could help out and talked about serving on the mission team.

The greatest moment for us as parents--is when Andrew sat in the back seat with his mom asking questions as to why the people's houses were broken and then came up with a simple plan of helping everyone out. Basically it can be summed up as this (1) We can house everyone in our home until the homes are not broken, (2) We can fix all their homes.

The Faith and Love of a Child. May we all regained that Love.

Chalmette Seafood Reaturant

2006-07-27T11:44:00.000-04:00

This is a picture outside the Seafood Resturant that we cleaned and gutted in Chalmette, LA. The whole crew isn't in the picture, but that pile is all ours.

Some of the worst smells came from this place as it was a time capsule and hadn't been touch since the hurricane hit. Countless houses upon houses (and businesses) are like this in gulf coast still.

The story behind this business, is the owner of the land was a member of the church that we were staying at in Slidell, LA. (Slidell is where the Epi-center of Katrina Hit. The owner didn't qualify for any help from FEMA or his insurance, but can't afford to do the clean-up himself. He has been drawing on his retirement funds to pay for the mortgage on that land. The mortgage was paid by the owner of the seafood restuarant. However, what happened in Chalmette is that the Oil Refinery down the street forget to empty its tanks, so 4 square miles in Chalmette (which is a densely populated area) was covered with oil. So the EPA is saying that they need to make the area green space. Some resident have a class-action lawsuit against the oil company, but others took teh $25,000 bribe that the Oil company made right after the Hurricane hit. The whole think is downright crooky and evil.

No one is helping this people. The church needs to step up and send more people to ministry to those that are still down there. We need to respond by spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ with our words and our deeds. We need to go down to the gulf coast because we Love Jesus and Jesus is moving in the people, they are ready to respond to his message of Truth.

Growing Closer to Jesus thru Judgment

2006-07-10T11:56:00.000-04:00

"For what have I to do with judging those outside? Is it not those who are inside that you are to judge? God will judge those outside. “Drive out the wicked person from among you.”" (1 Corinthians 5:12-13, NRSV)

"you are to hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord." (1 Corinthians 5:5, NRSV)

Judging is such a negative word these days. But what would we do without judgment. What would we do if everybody could do what they think is right in their own eyes? What if we lived a in culture where people were not allowed to judge at all. We couldn’t judge a person’s behavior, a people’s behavior. We just had to tolerate. Well, we know that is just absurd.

Judging has it’s place in the world. Paul here frustrated with the church in Corinth demands that they stating judging within their ranks in order that people that have fallen into sin may be transformed. We are to judge carefully and with respect to our own sinfulness to help others and ourselves be saved.

Judgment is part and parcel with Jesus’ message of salvation.

It is hard for me to think of judging as a part of the journey of one’s salvation. However, if deadly behavior isn’t pointed out, how is the person going to know what they are doing is wrong or separates them from the living God. If there are no consequences, how do we learn and grow.

Perhaps I need more people in my life judging me to help me grow closer to Jesus.

FAQ on the PUP

2006-06-30T21:57:00.000-04:00

Below is the text of FAQ that the Office of the General Assembly put out about the PUP Report and its effect on the church. I have decided to post this with my comments intermixed. My remarks will be inside the parenthesis.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Actions of the 217th General Assembly (2006) on the Report of the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church

What did the 217th General Assembly (2006) do?
(Screw everything up—create constitional crisis and massive disunity) The General Assembly retained the ordination standards and lifted up the historic responsibility of
governing bodies to examine rigorously each and every candidate for minister, elder, or deacon, considering whether they are qualified and called, and whether they adhere to the essentials of Reformed faith and practice. (although later they say that nobody knows what the essentials are—and how can anything be an essential if none are stated as any!)

So what’s different now?
The standards of the church didn’t change; it is the spirit that has changed. The action encourages a more pastoral approach (they mean an approach that is more aligned with their theology of inclusiveness and ignoring scripture) to ordination and encourages governing bodies to do thorough work in examining individuals for office.

What was the Theological Task Force created to do, and how did their report do that?
The task force was appointed in 2001 to address deep divisions in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The unanimous report (although split at the GA) of the twenty Presbyterians on the task force from all over the country, representing the full breadth of the theological spectrum (somehow representing the full breath of theological spectrum is a higher moral good than actually representing the Truth), models hope for the church moving forward together in unity. (Strike 1—our unity is not based on how we get along, but in Jesus and the Truth of His scriptures). Obviously, the fifth recommendation (concerning ordination standards) has received a lot of attention. But many may not realize that the first four recommendations of the report, adopted almost unanimously by the assembly, carry enormous significance for the future of the church.
Those four recommendations are:
• that the Theological Reflection section of the task force report—a very strong faith (very strong is a little overkill—I would say almost adequate) statement about God’s love and salvation made known to us in Jesus Christ, and about our call to proclaim the gospel—be commended for study;
• that every Presbyterian would witness to the church’s visible oneness, avoiding division; (once again visible oneness is a high priority regardless of our invisible or not so invisible deep rooted division on the issues of authority of scripture and whether revelation is now closed).
• that every governing body, congregation, and group of Presbyterians engage in processes of intensive discernment through worship, community building, and study;
• that the General Assembly consider exploring the use of alternative forms of discernment (meaning we try to hood-winking and manipulate the process so everyone does what we want them to do) preliminary to decision-making, especially when dealing with divisive issues.

Will gays and lesbians now be ordained?
(If OGA has anything to say about it—they will be) Presbyteries and sessions have been reminded of their historical responsibility to examine candidates for ordination and decide, on a case-by-case basis, about a person’s qualifications for ministry. The constitutional standard in the Book of Order (G-6.0106b) requiring “fidelity in marriage between a man and a woman” or “chastity in singleness” remains in place. (But the constitutional standard of abiding by a “shall” statement as been thrown out the window). Each governing body will be required to decide if a departure from a standard of faith or practice represents a violation of an “essential” of the faith. Governing bodies have been encouraged to strive to honor one another’s ordination decisions (here is the trust argument again—we just need to trust each other—no matter if you agree of that other’s decision are contrary to scripture or our constitution). Still, these decisions continue to be subject to review by higher governing bodies. (That will be decided by the GAPJC—and I wouldn’t hold my breath on this one).

What are the “essentials”?
The General Assembly has never had a list of “essentials,” and, except for a few years in the early twentieth century, has always explicitly maintained there can be no list. We have a confessional foundation, and it has always been the responsibility of ordaining bodies to determine what tenets of faith are “essential” and to make decisions about ordination and installation accordingly. (plus if we have a list people might have to abide by some essentials which we don’t think are essentials. The question that remains is abiding by the plain meaning and language of the constitution an essential of reformed polity? I think it is—therefore a Governing Body cannot disregard a “shall” statement).

Are congregations going to leave the PC(USA) because of the assembly’s actions?
Hopefully not (and if they do we are going to take their property). A few have said they are considering departure, but most have indicated they will stay and work to reshape and renew the denomination. The report the assembly approved was intended to bring a new spirit (the Holy Spirit wasn’t good enough apparently) to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), in which individuals who disagree deeply about important issues can still participate faithfully together as disciples of Jesus Christ. The assembly’s actions will make it possible for all Presbyterians to not merely stay together, but to strengthen one another’s faith and ministry, honoring God, who alone is Lord of the conscience (God is more that just Lord of the conscience—He is Lord of all and forgives us even when our conscience sins).

What will this mean to congregations?
The intent of the General Assembly was that all governing groups—sessions that govern
congregations, as well as presbyteries, synods, and the General Assembly, which are made up of ministers and elders—will be empowered to bear with one another in Christian love, to exercise discernment, and to proclaim Good News in a new day of unity and faithfulness. In particular, nominating committees and examining bodies are called to a rigorous and thorough examination of every candidate for church office, discerning the totality (except we now can ignore their sex life—because that really doesn’t impact a person’s faith or ability to serve) of their faith, theology, and practice, and making wise decisions about those who will lead the people of God.

If I sound over cynical—well because I am on this issue. The PUP report is a disastrous for the PEACE, UNITY and PURITY of our denomination and has made us less Presbyterian and more congregational in our polity and really now our theology (which means we are closer to become Unitarian).

To read the full actions of the 217th General Assembly on these recommendations, go to http://lespcusa.
org/Item.aspx?IID=129& . To read the report of the Theological Task Force, go to
www.pcusa.org/peaceunitypurity.

GA: Wednesday Evening

2006-06-21T23:33:00.000-04:00

Montreat Historical Foundation
The assembly voted to close the Montreat Historical Foundation that has records and archives of evangelical mission work of the southern church. COGA (Committee of the Office General Assembly) has decided to close Montreat and move some (not all) of the archives to Columbia Theological Seminary. Marge Carpenter, former moderator, and evangelical told a story when the churches merged and about a promise that was made by the northern church that we would keep the Historical foundation. I don’t know much about Montreat, but by just watching the proceedings it appears COGA is using a very heavy-hand to close Montreat. Having talked to supporters of Montreat they stated that they have raised enough money to keep it operating and have a plan for the future. They also claim that some of the records will be lost and taken back by families and churches. If you lose the history of the church you forget your history or even worse you can rewrite your history. There are already attempts to rewrite or reinterpret our history (see Adopting Act of 1729 and PUP report recommendation 5).

Late-Term Abortion
Praise the Lord! The assembly voted by 76% to take a stand for the viability of children. Here is the position the Assembly took for the church (there was amendment made on the floor that added pastoral care advice, but I didn’t get the word–it was good though):

We affirm that the lives of viable unborn babies–those well developed enough to survive outside the womb if delivered ought to be preserved and cared for and not aborted. In cases where problems of life or health of the mother arise in a pregnancy, the church supports efforts to protect the life and health of both the mother and the baby. When late-term pregnancies must be terminated, we urge decisions intended to deliver the baby alive. We look to our churches to provide pastoral and tangible support to women in problem pregnancies and to surround these families with a community of care. We affirm adoption as a provision for women who deliver children they are not able to care for, and ask our churches to assist in seeking loving, Christian, adoptive families.

This General Assembly holds this statement as its position on a Christian response to problems that arise late in pregnancies. We find it to be consistent with current General Assembly policy on Problem Pregnancies and Abortion (1992), and supersedes General Assembly statements of 2002 and 2003 on late-term pregnancies and abortion.

Many horrific remarks we made from the floor advocating that the women’s right to choose superceded the right of life of the baby. Some of the remarks are so painful that it just hurts her soul deeply. Thank the Good Lord we are taken this positive step to protect children.
There were other overtures that would have taken a stronger Pro-Life stand, but this is a good start.

Last Post from the Front Lines
It is 10:30pm and there are just starting the social justice and issues committee. I am going to bed as I have to leave early in the morning. So this will be my last blog entry from Birmingham.

GA: Wednesday Afternoon Plenary

2006-06-21T20:59:00.000-04:00

Property Trust Clause
The assembly voted not to change the property trust clause overwhelming (although they struck a comment down). Which means the Presbyteries hold all church properties in trust. The proposed changed would have shifted the ownership to the local church. People fear that if we give ownership of properties to churches (which put their own money to build and maintain the properties) churches might leave. So in reality we are no longer a church that is connect theological, constitutionally (because of recommendation 5), but we are connected by our money (property and pensions). Hmm–I think we got that backwards.

FOG taskforce
Well you know I was opposed to a rewrite of the Form of Government, however it was approved by the assembly with a no objection vote. There was a amendment that was added that OGA had to release the rewrite and advisory handbooks by September 1, 2007 to allow the Presbyteries to review and discern the matter. The committee moderator stated that there would be no objection to a timeline. No objection! There are going to be able to form a taskforce from across the country and completely rewrite the form of government in 14 months? That my friends is impossible–unless OGA has maybe already written it.

Korean Synod
A formation of a non-geographic Korean Synod was referred to the office of OGA. There is precedent for such matters as we have created non-geographic presbyteries for Koreans. However, I would be surprise that the OGA would recommend this in the future.

E-Link Presbyteries
An overture to create non-geographic or (E-Link) presbyteries based on like-mindedness or theological unity was disapproved (not surprising). Some were thinking this might help churches deal with the controversy of Recommendation 5. Meaning that some conservative churches in more liberal presbyteries could avoid being in situations where their presbyteries ordain practicing homosexuals. This idea intrigues me, but I am sure this issue will come up again at other GA’s.

Israel Divestment
Wow! The assembly voted 94% to reverse the Israel Divestment decision at the 2004 General Assembly. The resolution was an excellent document that started off with an apology (a real one) to Jewish Community and Presbyterian Community. This is a big deal.

Per Capita
The assembly disapprove an AI that would have made per capita (church tax based on membership size) with a no objection vote. Some churches have withheld their per capita in protest over policies and theology of their presbyteries and the denomination offices. This disapproval confirms what the GAPJC has ruled.

Dinner
You won’t believe this but it is true, I had dinner with a reporter from Alaska that is on the trail of Bigfoot.

GA: Wednesday Morning Plenary

2006-06-21T15:52:00.000-04:00

Confusing the Plain Meaning of Words

AI on G-6.106b
Overture 04-02 from Presbytery of Mississippi was disapprove (by a close margin) in committee, however a minority report has this proposed authoritative interpretation:

"The 217th General Assembly (2006) of the PC(USA) hereby confirms that the requirement for fidelity and/or chastity as set forth in Section G-6.0106b of the Book of Order plainly prohibits practicing[, unrepentant] homosexuals, adulterers, or anyone engaged in [sexually immoral conduct] [unrepentant sexual relations outside the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman] from being ordained and/or installed to church office whether as deacons, elders, or ministers of the Word and Sacrament."

The main argument for this interpretation that it makes it evidently clear what many already thought was evidently clear the meaning of fidelity and chastity clause. The argument against was that recommendation 6 of the PUP report which was approved (although be a split vote) is that we strongly encourage not to make any additional authoritative interpretations to G-6.106b. The ACC stated that this AI still didn’t sufficiently address "self-acknowledge practice". Bizarre, suddenly sin requires self-awareness or agreement that actions are sin. So the bottom-line is that the ACC is saying if you don’t agree with God than it is okay. Sin is sin whether you acknowledge it, agree with it or not.

Jack Rogers, former moderator of the GA, and author of an unbelievably poor scholarly work on homosexuality and the bible (see http://www.robgagnon.net)/) claim that we are in a period of discernment in regards to this issue and shouldn’t vote to change our standards. Period of discernment?! What! The church historical has been crystal clear on this issue, and the church recently has spoke loudly in increasing numbers in this issue. We have discerned and studied. Furthermore Jesus has spoken on this issue.

Not surprising the minority report was defeated. The assembly is in fatigue on this issue–sort of like my YAD Fatigue Syndrome.

Further PUP Reflections
As I read more and more the amendment recommendation 5, I am convinced that this strengthens the position that the church (and governing bodies) cannot ordain/install anyone who does not comply G-6.106b, because any standard in the form of government must be complied with in accordance with paragraph D.

The problem that is embedded in PUP recommendation 5 is it inherently confusing and contradictory even among itself. Paragraph C.2 says that governing body can decide if someone has departed from the essentials of reformed faith and polity. But paragraph D now saws governing bodies must comply with the constitution in its decisions and examinations. So the question that is before the church and eventually the GAPJC is: Does complying with the constitution standards an essential of reformed polity (and faith)? Reformed polity being based on connectionalism, living in a covenant community and agreed upon constitution, it would seem complying with the constitution is an obvious essential. Particularly a standard that is expressly stated and pointed out in G-6.106b. In other words will governing bodies be allowed to ignore "Shall" (mandatory) language in the constitution?

My brothers and sisters in the renewal movement believe this open the doors for ordination of people outside the context of fidelity in marriage and singleness. I agree that it has the potential to do that, however, I take the stance (a more optimistic I realize) that nothing has change, although the perception is that it has change. Nothing has changed until the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Counsel decides it and this AI is tested. So hold onto your horses people the disunity of the church will be turned up a notch. So much for Peace, Unity and Purity.

One of problem with this denomination is that people twist words to mean what they want them to mean instead of their obvious plain meaning. So unless GAPJC twists plain meaning of words (a possibility)–nothing has changed (hopefully).

My (our) role (mission) is to continue to proclaim the Gospel and Truth of Jesus Christ loudly to this denomination and for the World. God’s way is the way of proclamation of the Good News of Jesus in word and deed.

Restricted Giving Administrative Fee
The assembly just approved to get rid of an 5% administrative fee on all restricted mission giving. The administrative fee was to funding staff positions and other costs. This is a good thing, because most people assume you give restricted monies for a particular mission that the GAC is not going to skim from the top.

Ordination Standards & PUP Thoughts

2006-06-20T20:47:00.000-04:00

Well, good news. The assembly defeated the attempt to delete G-6.106b (The Fidelty in Marriage and Chastiy in Singleness standard). It was soundly defeated by at least 70% (don't remember the exact number. Recommdation 6 of the PUP stated that we should not eliminated the standard (at least this year). So the main agrument on the floor was that we should trust each other and not vote to change the standards. I am so tired of the trust agrument (see several blogs below).

Here is PUP report section D. (as amended on the floor):

d. Whether the examination and ordination and installation decision comply with the constitution of the PCUSA, and whether the ordaining/installing body has conducted its examination reasonably, responsibly, prayerfully, and deliberately in deciding to ordain a candidate for church office is subject to review by higher governing bodies.

I will tell you that my prayer this whole week is that God will show us the way and He would work in what seemed like impossible circumstances. I think that amendment and lack of opposition to it might be God's way through this General Assembly. Know we juswt have to proclaim louder Jesus and the Truth. During the dicussion and vote during the PUP report--my particularly prayer was that God would reveal His glory.

Thank you Jesus for showing us the way of repentence. Thank you for calling me to follow you even onto death (so that I might live in you). Lord, help me to die more each day to myself. More of you, less of me. More of you, less or me.

GA: PUP REPORT

2006-06-20T17:58:00.000-04:00

Pieces, Unitarian, Plurality Report
Well the PUP report passed (although amendment with a unified vote of 57% to 43%. The line was added to recommendation 5 that stated by, "examination and ordination and installation decision complies with the constitution." The ACC stated that this wouldn’t alter the intent or meaning of recommendation 5, however, I think it explicitly states now higher governing bodies can challenge not only the process of ordination but also the decision. The GA in closer votes (both 55% to 45%) decline to delete 5 and to refer it to the presbyteries for the further discernment.

Bottom line here is that this report will not bring peace, unity, or purity to the church but rather throws us into chaos of localized disunity. I proposed that it should be called The Pieces, Unitarian, Plurality Report. Because the effect of the adoption of the report throws this denomination into pieces, takes it a step closer to a Unitarian and Plurality model of accepting all theology and behaviors.

What was amazing was the double-talk in the comments by taskforce. They stated that this report will not change our constitution but is a different way of doing. It is a new way but really an old way that we already have done. So it doesn’t change anything but it is new way of living out. What?!

I find it particularly outrageous that this radical change (and make no mistake by defining standards as aspiration is a radical change to the constitution process) is not being allowed to be done in the constitution manner of allowing the whole body (the presbyteries) to decide. I know Authoritative Interpretation (AI) are not decided by presbyteries which is why changing the intent and plain meaning of the constitution is duplicitous. These kinds of radical changes need to be done by changing the words of the constitution not the AI.

The reality is all this will be played out in a court case when the first presbytery ordains a person that defies the constitution standard (which now is just aspiration) of living in fidelity in marriage and chastity in singleness.

YAD Fatigue Syndrome (YFS)
I am coming down with a not so rare disease at GA. It is YAD (Youth Advisory Delegates) Fatigue Syndrome (YFS). This happens when a endless line of YADs get up and give a unprepared and unreformed, unbiblical plea to the assembly. One of them on the assembly floor stated that, "God is sovereign but can’t work through this conflict" What? Would someone please send an overture to help relieve YFS. Unfortunately there is no known cure for YFS.

GA: Tuesday Morning Plenary

2006-06-20T12:43:00.000-04:00

GA's F-Word
If you have been following, you know that the GA’s F word has been "Father". The F-Word has been deleted from scripture and prayers throughout this general assembly. Good news today is that the opening prayer of the plenary ended in "Father, Son, Holy Spirit." And the during the installation of Executive Director of GAC they used "one Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all"–if you remember at the beginning of the week their changed and "Father of all" to "Lord of all." Yahooo! It is odd that I can get excited about actually quoting scripture and using God’s name correctly (or at least how God has given them to us).

No much excitement this morning as the PUP report was moved to this afternoon because of the length the assembly took on floor nominations for various positions on the GAPJC and ACC (and other committees).

Please join me in prayer this afternoon and remember God works in the impossible. I know that He will show the way no matter what we decided. Our purpose will not change--our purpose to glorify God in all things and all the time.

The Worship of Self

2006-06-20T01:01:00.000-04:00

And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."" (Mark 1:11, NRSV)

I went to the Women’s Ordination celebration tonight–excited about learning about the history and celebrating this important event in the life of the chuch. However, I was hit over the head with twisted scripture and propaganda that was inappropriate at such an event.

They used several times this verse in Mark 1:11 (excepted restated it something along the lines we us, or these women, you are well pleased). Yikes! Twisting the words of the Father to the Son at The Baptism to make it somehow refer to us. Take about idol worship. They are some in our denomination that worship the SELF. And this theology of the self plays out in our social justice policies, our polity, the PUP report, the standards of ordination, the theology of the trinity, and abortion issues. The underline ethos is the we are the chief end. It is all about us.

The Truth is just the opposite it is all about God–always has been and always will be.

In addition there were several references in the drama-liturgy about how we ordain women and how one day we will fully incorporate more people to be ordained (a not so subtle hint for the hope of homosexual ordination).

So disappointed that I could no longer celebrate in this women’s ordination celebration as I was sick of the propaganda and twisting of scripture--I walked out.

As I was walking out I ran into my former pastor and another friend--we walked out at the same time for the same reasons. When we got back to the convention center I got to see on the big screen the climax of a baptism celebration that looked horrible like a pagan ritual. If I didn’t know any better it looked like they were worship the baptism font or the water. (And I am a person that is willing to do some pretty funky things in worship).

So here is my celebration of women’s ordinations–in my own little part of the world–I want to thank God for my wife. For providing me a partner that completes me, that helps me grow, that pushes me closer to Jesus. I want to thank Jessi for loving me, loving our children, and really just for tolerating my brokeness. I want to celebrate her as she will be ordained as an elder this coming Sunday.

GA: Afternoon Plenary

2006-06-19T19:02:00.000-04:00

Had a very inspiring lunch, which Gagnon reminded us of the cost of discipleship and giving over are whole life to Jesus, even our sexuality. The call of Jesus is inclusive because it is given to all, but cost of following Jesus is giving up everything even our life. He also mention that Jack Rogers has decline to debate him in person. Let me tell you I would pay top dollar and travel great distances to be attendance at that debate. Meanwhile....back to the plenary floor.

Sexuality Curriculum
The assembly approved without debate to instruct General Assembly Counsel and all PCUSA entities to use the biblical and confessional teachings that sexual relationships belong only within the bond of marriage of a man and a woman as the standard for the development of any future materials. This is fantastic but what it does imply and what is true is that our current sexuality curriculum doesn’t adhere to that standard and affirms many forms of sexuality and expressions, even though GA’s have instructed them to change it. So in essence the assembly affirmed that sexual relationships only belong with the bond of marriage of a man and a woman. Alleluia–but will they remember this when they vote on PUP and G-6.106b.

Abrahamic Heritage
The overture on Abrahamic Heritage was reduced to this in committee
"Affirm the current mandate of the Office of Interfaith Relations to promote the common effort of Christians, Muslims, and Jews to work together for peace, justice, and righteousness."
This is seemly innocuous but betrays the biblical witness. Peace, justice and righteousness are not secular endeavors and matters that can be achieved in this world with the witness and action of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is His peace and his righteousness (justice) that we pursue, not some inherit sense of justice that resides in humans (which there is none–because we are totally depraved).Yet, only 29 commissioners voted against this overture. Surely this overture is better than what it initially said regarding that we worship the same God as Muslims and Jews, but it is still wrong. Don’t get me wrong I am all for loving Muslims and Jews (and anybody else for that matter), and believe that we as citizens of God’s Kingdom need to live out and demonstrate peace and justice in this world. My hope is that one day, that the Church is such an effective witness that Muslims and Jews come to accept that Jesus is the Sovereign Lord of all and for all. This is just another step of dumbing down our theology and becoming more and more unorthodox.

Parliamentary Procedures
There have been numerous complaints from commissioners about the speed in which the business of the assembly is taking place and they feel they are unable to speak on matters or make amendments to issue. I also think some of the commissioners haven’t properly prepared themselves on the materials (meaning reading them before had and organizing their material) and don’t know the parliamentary procedures. I sure the moving between LES and paper materials isn’t helpful to them either. Anyway–I am getting annoyed with all the complaining.

GA: Monday Morning Plenary

2006-06-19T12:50:00.000-04:00

Breakfast Saga
In the continuing and exciting saga on whether on not if I will have breakfast took a drastic turn this morning as I actually enjoy a well-rounded breakfast–and yes it included bacon.

Changing Doxology
After the installation of the vice-moderator, we stood and sang the Doxology, however, "Father, Son, & Holy Spirit" were abstracted from the text and, "Triune God,"was inserted. This may not seem like a big deal, but it is just the continued changing ethos of this denomination. Their (OGA or whoever in charge) reluctance to refer to God as Father is blaring. We should affirm that God is Triune, but we need to affirm that God names himself as The Father (not like a father), Son, and Holy Spirit. The church is forgetting that God has spoken and He has revealed his name. BTW–we will be dealing with the Trinity paper later this morning (coincidence?)

ecclesia reformata semper reformanda
There was a pleasant overture that was approved to amend (actually, just add a footnote in the BOO) the Book of Order (G-2.0200). The ACC recommend that we change the translation to the exact meaning of the latin phrase to, "the church reformed, and always to be reformed." They way it used to be read (the church reformed, and always reforming) is used by many progressives to push their agendas to radical change the theology and the historical tradition of the church. So a simply thing, but I find joy in this clarification, and may I never hear "the church reformed, and always reforming" again.

Trinity Paper
Well, the Trinity Paper passed although amended in committee and on the floor. The vote to refer the paper for further revisions lost by 51% to 49%. Referral would have been fantastic. However, all is not lost. The amendments in the committee and on the floor made the paper more tolerable. The biggest amendment was to receive instead of approve the paper. This is a good thing because "receive" is the weakest language in Robert’s Rules–the strongest would have be adopted and then approve. The problem is that according the Office of Theology they will produce liturgical materials for the church with these alternative Trinitarian formulas (such as we experienced this morning changing the doxology). Bottomline another step in the direction away from Truth and one Faith.

Trust Language
I have heard over and over again in committees (particularly PUP) and now just on the floor (mostly by YADs) how we just need to "Trust" each other. Argghh.. It makes me sick–are we not suppose to think for ourselves or are we just to accept anything the committees of OGA gives us. One of our main reformed theological underpinnings is that we are totally deprave (all of us). That is why we have a form of government and polity that provides accountablity and room for many voices to affirm (although a majority can still be wrong in the eyes of God.). Please stop the language of "Trusting" each other.

Off to lunch to hear Rob Gagnon. Yummy on both accounts.

PUP Update & Birmingham Declaration

2006-06-18T20:05:00.000-04:00

PUP Report Update
Some hopeful news, a motion was made that was closely defeated to refer the PUP report to the Presbyteries for 2 years of discernment. This is a great idea, and will most likely be a minority report on the floor of the assembly. This makes amazing sense because so many commissioners and presbyteries are confused on the ramifications on the PUP report. In addition, the assembly is so split on the issue, by definition we can achieve Unity if we are divided on this issue.

"Indeed, there have to be factions among you, for only so will it become clear who among you are genuine." (1 Corinthians 11:19 NRSV)

Heard this piece of the Word of God at a dinner today. What a amazing call to Evangelicals to stay in this denomination and be willing to fight and suffer for the Truth of Jesus Christ. Our witness could bring not only this denomination the Lord, but those outside of the Truth. Jesus, the Way, will show the way to all. He works in the impossible. May Evangelicals proclaim loudly in Birmingham that Sovereign Lord Jesus is the Way, The Truth, and the Life. May Jesus be our declaration now and forever.

Worship Revival

2006-06-18T14:22:00.000-04:00

Today is a good day--but again I missed breakfast--and I love breakfast food the most. Especially Bacon. Everything is better with bacon.

Where to Worship and Where not to
Had to decide on Worship services today, I was interested in hearing our new moderator, Joan Gray speak at Mountain Brook Presbyterian Church, but ended up going to a Renewal Network Worship led my PRMI (I think that stands for Presbyterians Reformed Ministries International). The led a great worship and a sermon that was preached by Parker Williamson, of the Lay Committee.

Parker is reknown for being controvesial and sort of a trouble maker. I enjoyed the Lay committee publications and Parker's take on the denomination. I have never meet our heard Parker before but he was a very good speaker and preaching and he really broken down the theology and ethos of the PUP report in tangible ways. I was thankful for the Spirit of Christ that continues to overwhelm me and encourage me amidst the choas and heresy of this denomination.

I refuse to participate in any of the worship services of the denomination because of the preaching and rhetoric that is spoken, plus the insistence of misquote scripture and underline postmodern ethos that our experiences in the foundation truth.

Slow Business
Today is a slow day, the PUP will be finished up in the committee and the mostly a day of rest, reflection and planning for the plenary sessions.

The plenary sessions decide on the business. All the YADs and TSADs (Youth Advisory Delegates and Theological Students Advisory Delegates) will no longer have vote on the plenary floor. This is a good thing because YADs make up 25% of the committees and lean heavily to the left. For the most part they are incredibly frustrating to watch in committee, because they have no understanding of polity and reformed theology. Worst of all, there rely heavily on their emotions instead of logic and Truth.

Old Faces, New Brother and Sister
During the worship service I sat next two people from Southern New England Presbytery (my presbytery) whom I knew, but didn't know they were Evangelicals. One of them is the commissioner from our presbytery and the other was a person that I served on a taskforce in our presbytery. However, I didn't realized that she and her husband were evangelicals. Praise God for sending Evangelicals from our presbytery. May the Lord unite us when we get back home.

Revival
I can't emphasis enough with you the fire that God has put in my heart, and the sense of the power of the Holy Spirit that has been given to me. I haven't felt the presence of the Spirit upon me this much since I first accepted Jesus in High School. Before any of the meetings, God has filled my heart with the Joy of His Truth and His love. Whatever upons with his apostate denomination God has sent revival in my heart. My prayer is that is carried over to my family, my children, and the church and community that I serve.

Into the FOG of the PCUSA

2006-06-18T01:02:00.000-04:00

Into the FOG
Well, the day started without breakfast again–but I was so excited to get the day going, I didn’t even worry about it. You know I am having fun, when I can skip because. My fun is that I really feel God’s Spirit running through me. A fire of revival is starting in me like I haven’t feel before. I believe that revival will start in this denomination (at least it is starting in me). Alleluia

The Polity committee deliberated the issue of creating a FOG (Form of Government) taskforce (which I testified against). The first 15 minutes of the committee was taken up by Clifton Kirkpatrick, the Stated Clerk of the Church, who used his bully pulpit to tell the committee how important it was to pass the FOG taskforce. The next 15 minutes was given to Mark Tammen (professional Pharisee) who did the same thing. Then the ACC took 10 minutes to reiterate the same thing. Most overtures get an advocate that gets to speak 5 minutes, but the OGA (Office of the General Assembly) gets as much time it wants. The moderator of free rain of the committee. Frustrating Listening to the comments of committee members, it sound like most didn’t have an understanding of historic Presbyterian Polity, yet alone have read the Book of Order. The main argument of the OGA is that our polity has hinder our evangelism and church growth. So somehow our declining denomination is the result of our polity. Hogwash, perhaps it is the our church doesn’t proclaim Loudly that Jesus is Lord and live in the orthodoxy and orthropraxy. Anyway, the Taskforce was approved, which means it 2 years they will present a rewritten Form of Government to be approve by the 218th GA and then the presbyteries. So there is time to pray and defeat it.

Abrahamic Heritage
The main thrust and concern with Overture 07-01 was defeated and pretty easily. It took the committee awhile to handle this overture, but they eventually delete the points that we worship the same God as Jews and Muslims. The also didn’t affirm that we had a common Abrahamic Heritage. What they did pass was that we need to work together with Jews and Muslims for peace, justice and righteousness. Tolerable, but I still contend that our basis for peace and justice in this world is the righteouness of God. Jesus is the source of reconciliation and justice in this world. We start by proclaiming Jesus as Lord and then serve his mission of justice and love in this world. Oh well

G-6.106b (Ordination)
I got to the Church Orders committee just in time to see them vote 30-28 to disapprove deleting our ordination standards and erasing the authoritative interpretations. Which means the committee is recommend (albeit by a close vote) to the plenary floor not to delete our Fidelity and Chastity Standards. This is great news, however, it will still be a close vote on the floor next week.

Lost some ground, on the Definitive Guidance, the motion to remove some language from the 1978 Definitive guidance passed by 1 vote, however the committee did pass to send out the original definitive guidance to presbyteries for study.

PUP Report
It looks pretty bleak with the PUP report. Recommendations 1,2,3 were accepted, 4 had a minor change, and 5 (local option for presbyteries to ordain homosexuals) looks like it will be accepted as is (with a few minor insignificant changes). The evangelicals on the committee worked their butts off, making motions, amendments, substitute motions all to defuse the report. At one point it look like 5 would be defeated completely, but the momentum shifted. Right now the committee will deal with 5 at 1:30pm tomorrow and decide to keep the main motion or the helpful substitute motion–mostly likely 5 will be accepted.

From my perspective the taskforce and the ACC dominated the committee. From the comments on the community they did not fully understand reformed theology and polity are were rely solely on the opinions of the taskforce. The main argument that kept coming up to accept 5 was that we need to Trust. That drove me crazy because that is so anti-presbyterian. Our polity is based on one of main theological assertions of the total depravity of man. We are all sinners are not to be trusted, therefore we set up an accountability system of checks and balances in our polity.

Israel Divestment
Wow! This was a huge victory. The majority report that came out of the community removed the divestment language from the last GA action. So divestment is off the table. Even better, the minority report has even stronger language to rescind all of the last action of the General Assembly. So basically that means Israel Divestment is out one way or the other.

Social Issues
On an odd note, the social issues committee defeated an overture that would condemn suicide bombers. So apparently we are a denomination that supports suicide bomber as a act of protest. Can’t quite figure that one out.

Trinity Paper
Yikes, this is the worst news, the Trinity paper was passed with a few helpful amendments, but still is a horrible flawed and incorrect document. Sometimes, I looked around at all the people here and I can’t believe some of the comments that come out of people’s mouth and some of the issues we have to address. We have to defend the trinity amongst our supposed brothers and sisters. I thought we did that 1800+ years ago.

The Sabbath
Tomorrow this is a break for the Worship in the morning and some committees are done, but PUP will go out in tomorrow afternoon, please offer your prayers. Remember all the issues are official yet, until they are decide on the Assembly floor–right now we are just in the committees.

Revival
I am so thankful for the gifted and laying on of the Spirit upon me, and the peace in my heart. God is really blessing me amidst all the chaos and heresy. I don’t know what path God has for this denomination but I feel that he is setting me afire down a path of revival for Him and His Kingdom.

Fruitful Friday

2006-06-17T00:35:00.000-04:00

Got to sleep in this morning (until 7:30), however, the day took off from there–so much so that I forget to eat breakfast. I realized this only at lunch time after I woofed down my lunch. I was nervous about testifiy before the committees. I am not sure why I was so nervous, and stand up in front of people all the time, yet somehow, I was nervous about standing before these committees.

Seeing thru the FOG (Revising our Constitution)
The first committee I stood before was the Church Polity (the committee I served on 2 years ago). I spoke out against 05-11 and there various amendments. The thrust of the overtures was to create a "FOG (Formation of Government)" Taskforce. Here are the main thrust of my arguments:

Brothers & Sisters, our constitution and particularly our Form of Government is not the problem. The problem isn’t that Form of Government is too complicated. The problem resides that we are moving away from it in our practice and the theology behind it.

GA after GA (and countless commissioners) have poured their blood, sweet, and tears into the formation of our constitution and Book or Order. Let us not cast aside, what is a good and functional document–a Form of Government and constitution–a document that is loaded with thoughtful reflection and discernment. This is a document which drew me to be a pastor in the PCUSA.

A small group of individuals that form a taskforce will not produce a document that has spent decades and decades of discernment.

Is this taskforce really going to produce a compelling and unified Form of Government, or will we have to spend decades and decades fixing their omissions and oversights. The taskforce will either produce a rewritten Form of Government that is not altogether different than what we already have (which would be a waste of time) or it will produce a Form of Government that is radically different and has not had the benefit of years of tweaking and common discernment.

We don’t need to spend our time, resources, and energy on revising the Form of Government. We need to spend our time and resources fulfill and living out the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our denomination is not in a decline because of our "structure and institutional impediments" in our form of government. Save yourself energy and time, save the energy and resources of future GA’s and commissioners that will have to fix and correct the FOG taskforce omissions but I urge you to defeated this overture and please do NOT create a FOG taskforce. The last thing we need is another taskforce. Thank you.

There were many people that spoke out against this overture. The committee will deal with it tomorrow morning and the forces (COGA, ACC, etc) of denomination are going to try to shove this overture down the throats of the committee and the assembly.

One God, Three Faiths? No!
The second committee I testified after lunch was Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations. I testified against 07-1 on Affirming the Abrahamic Covenant with Jews and Muslims. I was still nervous, however, I felt more empowered and confident in what I was doing. Here is my written testimony:

Brother and Sisters, I urge you to disapprove this overture on Affirming a common Abrahamic Heritage. I have spent time in two different ministry locations ministering and dealing with Muslims and Jews in different contexts. I want to affirm that we need to build bridges with all people, but we must not throw the primary confessions of our faith, namely: Jesus is Lord.

We do not worship the same God as Muslims and Jews–and they would agree with that statement. We need to affirm there is one God, but that God has revealed himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jews and Muslims deny the Lordship of Jesus Christ. They deny Jesus. When you deny Jesus, You deny God.. Same God? No! If you deny Jesus, you deny God, you deny how God has chosen to reveal himself to the world.

I encourage you to read the full section in the Confession 1967 that they overture quotes in their rational. 9.42 states futher that The gift of God in Christ is for all men. The church, therefore, is commissioned to carry the gospel to all men whatever their religion may be and even when they profess none.

Brothers and Sisters, Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God (Colossians). He and the Father are one (The Gospel of John 14 & 17)

The gospel of Matthew tells us to , "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness." Righteousness more properly could be translated as Justice. The foundation of peace, justice and righteousness in the world is based on who Jesus is and what he has down for us. The theological underpinnings of justice for us is Jesus. We need to seek justice and peace in the world, but we do it in the context of Jesus and our mission in the world.

We need to build bridges so we can be like Paul on Mars Hill and carrying out the gospel to all people whatever their religion. But this is NOT the overture to accomplish our mission in the world. We are sent to proclaim that Jesus is Lord and confess it with our lips (Romans 10).

I urge to vote to disapprove the overture 07-01 on the Abrahamic Heritage. Let us be a denomination that with that holdups the Gospel of Jesus Christ, The Lord and Savior.

Church Orders Committee (Marriage Issues)
I floated to observe the church orders committee and their discussion on several overtures affirming the practice of sexuality only in the context of a marriage between a man and a women. All three of this overtures fail to get out of the committee. The closest one lost by 4 votes. Did I mention that Rob Gagnon (www.robgagnon.com) is on this committee. It is the foremost expect on the Church, Bible and History of views of sexuality. He is such a powerful speaker that when we speaks on issues and challenges the assumptions of other committee members they do not even engage his agruments. He even challenges and overwhelms the ACC (the Advisory Committee on the Constitution–who are the supposed advises on the Constitution). It is a hoot to watch him engage in the dialogue and debate of this committee.

I am a little discourage about the actions of the committee, however, the assembly can reverse the decision of the committee next week. Basically what happens is all the overtures get set to several different committees (which the commissioners are broken into). The committees deal with all these issues and makes a recommend to the whole assembly, who then makes the official decisions. 95% of the time the Assembly will agree with the committee, but at times the do not. So there is still hope. The good news is that a horrific substitute motion was defeated in the committee which stated that we need to affirm all sexual desires and orientations.

Social Issues
I am sitting in the social issues committee waiting for my dinner partner and listening to them debate whether we should take a stand on credit card companies predatorily practice on college students and campus. The good news is I got to catch up on my blogging material–otherwise snorefest!

Professional Pharisees
As I sitting in another committee waiting for them to discuss the Per Capita (church tax), Mark Tammen, Associate Stated Clerk, and in charge of the constitutional office just referred to himself as, "a professional Pharisee." Those were his words and said it in the context of the GA procedures committee relected him as Associate Stated Clerk. He said it jokingly, but I don’t think truer words could describe the Office of the General Assembly (OGA). Pharisees were people that had it partially right, but where they fell short was their application of the Law. Jesus had to recenter and rebuke the Pharisees. (On a Side Note, Tammen is one of the main forces behind the idea FOG taskforce which I spoke against earlier in the day).

Per Capita
The Baltimore Overture asks that GA mandate sessions pay per capita. The history of per capita is it always is voluntary, but important. More accurately the overture gives each Presbytery the power to mandate sessions to pay per capita. Per capita is the church’s tax on each church, which is determined by the number of members each church has. The overture advocate basically stated that his proposal is local option of each presbytery in regards to per capita. If this overture passes it would shift the power of the a church’s finances to the presbytery instead of the session of the church. This is subtle change in historic ethos of the Presbytery church. What is next, control of the decisions of the session by the presbytery, particularly who a session ordains or a congregation chooses as its elders? The ACC (Advisory Committee on the Constitution) representative stated that the GA decision can bind a presbytery on per capita, and a presbytery should then be able to bind a session to pay per capita. Would that same logic apply to ordination standards for presbytery. Can the GA bind the presbyteries on standards? I hope so, but the ACC in its agreement with the PUP report says the exact opposite in regards to ordination standards. Great news, the committee overwhelming defeated the overture.

Les Strikes Back
The computer system LES reared its ugly head several times during the day. During the Polity committee it went down several times. At one point, a resource person asked me to turned off my connection because there were too many wireless connections and it was straining the system. Which then exclude me from the committee business–because LES was the only way I was accessing the information. Can you say Open Meeting Policy? Eventually LES failed completely and the committee switch over to paper. I will say when LES is operational it is pretty slick way of distributing information, although I do like paper versions to take notes.

Partial Birth Abortion
Got word today that the health committee approved a statement against partial birth abortion. This is fantastic news! It was a close vote, but the margins over the past years have been swaying against abortion. We will have to wait to see what the plenary will do with this overture, or if there is a minority report.

What I learn today from God.
Trust that God. I believe wholehearted that God is going to reveal his way and path for us even in the most impossible situations. So when things look the bleakest-God finds a way. I have felt the Holy Spirit working deeply so far at GA–in me personal and in the community. We need to pray fervantly for protection against the evil one as he will attack, especially when the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is being proclaimed.

Prayer Requests
-Protection from Evil for GA
-God continue to show the way
-empower the commissioners to be bold and seek the Truth
-Saturday is a big day for committees, a lot of important work will be done.

DeVinci, LES, & a New Moderator!

2006-06-16T00:52:00.000-04:00

Dinner
The afternoon was spent in the Word and reuniting with some old friends. I went to dinner at DeVinci’s. It was a great Italian restaurant. I had the spicy rope sausage and the best garlic loaf (not bread, it was a loaf. I asked the server if she knew why the spelled DeVinci with an "E" instead of an "A", she said she didn’t know but that she thinks it has to do with some different dialect in Italy that the owner belong to. However, since the Da Vinci Code movie she has been asked that question several times. I then asked if she had read the book. She said she had, but that she is reading Angels & Demons (the prequel) and says it is even better. Everyone says that–let’s be honest–I am not reading it. I then tried to engage her in a discussion of what she thought of the book. She didn’t understand the hoopla–it is fiction. Although when I pushed her, she still accepted some of the underline lies that Dan Brown sets forth in his book as historical fact. Anyway–it was a great dinner.

Right now, I am in the plenary session, the GA will be electing the moderator of church for the next 2 years.

Problems with LES
And LES strikes for the first time. LES is the computer program in which all assembly business is put on. There are no printed reports given to commissioners. The GA is dealing with the consent agenda which is a mass approval of many business items (which most people don’t read). Sometimes sneaky things pass through the consent agenda (I don’t know of any items this time). One commissioner complain that they couldn’t access LES. After taking a poll of whether commissioners could access LES 55% said they couldn’t. So half of the voters couldn’t access the information that was before the Assembly. This is a dangerous and a reason to call into question all actions that this GA takes unless the system is fixed. I love technology but this is a reckless use of technology with many commissioners who are not computer savvy. We should not sideline the collective judgment of our church because some people are not computer savvy.

15 minutes later--The second vote on ability to access LES is 22% cannot access but the consensus is that LES is slow and not responsive. I would concur with that assessment even when I use it during off-peak hours of the assembly. The consent agenda was just passed even though 1/5 of the assembly couldn’t assess the documents.

The beginning of disunity in regards to PUP
A overture was made by Presbytery of the James to deal with the PUP report (Peace, Unity, Purity) to deal with the recommendations independently of each other. The stated clerk and the committee of bills and overtures voted to not send the overture to any committees because this overture was not of a substantive matter, but a parliamentary procedure that the GA should do if it wished to deal with the report in such a manner. The motion is approved by an 80% margin (hope that is not a sign of things to come).

Another compliant about LES is made by a commissioner.

Rick Ufford-Chase just stated that we need to bear with LES, because, "it is important experiment." I wonder if the PUP report is an "important experiment" (experiment is the words that PUP members describe their proposals) as well.

Election of the Moderator
The good news is that the commissioners will not need LES for the election of the moderator. Because of delays the moderator just broke the assembly into singing a round of "Swing Low Sweet Chariot," and "I want to sing, I want to shout." Okay-dokee!

Tim Halverson: "Truly Reformed! Truly Evangelical! Truly catholic!" Halverson platform is based on a vision of discipleship, mission and growth (I am not sure what he means about growth). He talks the talk about evangelism and proclaim Jesus Christ. Halverson claims he is a centrists not with his views, but with because Jesus is the center. Halverson is liberal evangelical(?)

Joan Gray: "Polity is not to save us!" Joan stance is more about healing and learning to be a church amidst our differences. Learning to deal and live in conflict. Trusting in God and lifting up the role of elders. Her agenda is to lift up, empower and equip elders. Joan is an author of one the main polity books for our denomination. Joan is an conservative evangelical.

Kerry Carson: Status quo has lead us to status decline." Agenda is to focus on Great Commandment and Great Commission. Loving each other–going the extra mile for each other to experience renewal. The church compare to a roller coaster–hang on to Jesus when we fear. Believes that the best days of the PCUSA are ahead of us. Kerry is a conservative evangelical.

My money is Halverson at this point. Most energetic and unique presentation.

Deborah Block: Block is former moderator of the Covenant Network. Her platform takes about the day of Pentecost and being united by the Spirit. She tells a few stories about "experiencing" the spirit and it being unifying. (Experience is the post-modern foundation for truth) She has Pentecost vision of the church, diverse and focused on mission.

My money is still on Halverson.

Now for an hour of questions. I think it would be more interesting if the candidates had to answer in the form of a question.

Highlights of the Moderator Q&A:
-Carson(white guy) stated that he knows what it means to be a minority. Yikes!
-Block had a weak and blurred answered regarding upholding Jesus is the only path of salvation.
-Block stated that if a gay person meets the standard of ordination in the Book of Order then the presbytery must ordained them (unfortunately–they standards won’t allow them).
–Halverson stated that his dreams was to ordained homosexuals–but he feels that a biblical case hasn’t been made yet to ordained him and the church does not have an overwhelming consensus on this matter. Halverson stated the issues was about Biblical interpretation.
-Gray stated that she has learned to be uncomfortable with her position of not ordaining homosexuals.
-Carson stated that he can’t because the scripture doesn’t allow it.
-Halverson upset that only 2 overtures of 140 deal with Evangelism.
-Carson asked the assembly if we are ready to receive missionaries from other countries to help us to spread the good news in our neighbors. Are we ready? Are we willing (what a great question).
-Robert Gagnon (author of The Bible and Homosexuality Practice) asked the question about recommendation 5 of PUP report. His question was a better answer than the moderatoral candidates. All I have to say is Robert Gagnon for moderator.
-Halverson agrees with PUP only if is the overwhelming majority of the Assembly (no chance of this!)
-Carson doesn’t agree with it, but would be willing to accept it if the whole church were to vote on it (meaning if it wasn’t Authoritative nterpretation).
-Block doesn’t see how the Kenyon case (women’s ordination) is connected with the PUP report (really-it is pretty clear connection).
-The last question to the candidates was what picture would they draw to describe the PCUSA in 2-4 years.
-Gray stated that it would be a heart ablazed
-Carson stated that it would be hands holding it each up.
-Block said it would be diverse handprints
-Halverson said it would be a windmill because it has a strong foundation and does something (mission).

Why they wouldn’t say a cross?

1st Vote
Block-28%
Carson-22%
Gray-28%
Halverson-22%

2nd Vote
Block-32%
Carson-14%
Gray-41%
Halverson-14%

3rd Vote
Block-31%
Carson-4%
Gray- 62%
Halverson-4%

It is a good thing I am not a gambling man.

Joan Gray is new moderator and she is evangelical and conservative. She stated in the interviews that she doesn’t support ordination of homosexuals and she doesn’t support the PUP report. This is unbelievable. Although, the moderator doesn’t have much say and doesn’t always indicate the way the GA is leaning. However, this looks to be a good sign. My prayer during this process is that God would pick the most unlikely, that he would pick the candidate that would rise up and lead this denomination and God would show this Assembly and the world that He is working. Alleluia–God is amazing. Gray was that candidate. Most people that Block would win easily.

Well, it is midnight. Day 1 down, and I am official sleep deprived already.

Here in Birmingham: Teddy Bears and Pet Murphy Beds

2006-06-15T12:03:00.000-04:00

Well, I am here. Staying at the Holiday Inn, however, I don’t feel any smarter.

The plane ride was uneventful, although a little too bumpy for my pleasure. I did learn that apparently Detroit is on the way to Birmingham from Hartford.. On the first leg of my journey I was perusing through the AirMall magazine and found a Murphy Pet Bed. That is right a murphy bed for your dog. I laughed out loud and thought to myself who would buy one of these things and what dog would ever sleep on one. Most dogs I know rule their owners house, and sleep everywhere except their designated bed. Well on the second leg of my journey, I was sitting next to a lady who open up the AirMall magazine, and when she spotted the Murphy Pet Bed, immediately announce that she needed one, and wondered if she could build one herself. So apparently the Murphy Pet Bed has a niche market that consist of gullible pet owners.

I arrived late at night, didn’t get to bed until midnight and then starting my day at 5:30am. Yikes! I already feel overwhelmed with the amount of issues that need to be dealt with. Our denomination needs intercession and prayer. I signed up to testify in front of committees on two issues, the Abrahamic Heritage issue, and the FOG taskforce (I will speak more about this later).

My roommate is nice, he is a older pastor from Florida, although used to live in New Hampshire. He has a car so that is helpful, because the Civic Center is about 10 minutes away on Freeway from our hotel. This morning as I jumped into his car (literally jumped, he has the biggest SUV–I’ve seen)–there was a teddy bear grasping the steering wheel. He introduced me to CB (Chauffeur Bear). Apparently CB likes to drive, but isn’t allow to drive in the streets because he doesn’t have a license or at least won’t provide one when asked. So CB gets to drive around in parking lots when we are not there. I am not sure how he does this, because George (my roommate) takes the key with him. So I guess CB hotwires the car. I was relived to hear that CB wouldn’t be driving us, because I didn’t particularly feel safe with him driving–I think it is the blank look in his eyes, or that he never blinks that makes me nervous.

Identity Thief: Knowledge from the Spirit

2006-06-13T10:13:00.000-04:00

"But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God’s except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God." (1 Corinthians 2:9-12, NRSV)
Our relationship to God can be tricky. But the mechanics of it are really quite simply. It is about God. We are not able to know God unless God reveals himself to us. God doesn’t just reveal himself to us in the visible form of God in the Son, Jesus, but he reveals himself in our hearts with His Spirit. We cannot know God unless God has given us His Spirit to know him. We cannot know God unless God reveals himself to us

So what does that mean? Does it mean that my salvation is not dependent on me? Yes, salvation and knowing God is dependent on God alone. The Father gives us His Spirit to confess that Jesus is Lord so we may glorify the Father.

We can’t know anyone unless they allow themselves to be known. We can get information about people and details about them, but to know them they must reveal themselves to us. We can’t steal the knowledge of a person, nor can we apprehend the ability to know God unless God allows us to know Him.

Perishing Thought

2006-06-12T12:59:00.000-04:00

"But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”" (Mark 4:38, NRSV)

Questions are fantastic. You can learn a lot from questions even when they are the wrong questions or have the wrong premise.

The disciples wake Jesus up and wonder if they care if they are perishing? Since the creation of the world that has been God’s concern, that we are perishing. The purpose that He entered into this world is so that we won’t perish. That is why Jesus is there with the disciples so they and the rest of the world won’t perish, but live with him forever.

Struggling Hearing God's Voice

2006-05-24T07:35:00.000-04:00

Andrew was had one of the most honest and intellectual questions lately. He told me that he was frustrated because he knows that God can hear him, but he can’t hear God’s voice. The first time he shared this with me last week, my heart sank—I don’t want my child struggling to find God’s voice—I don’t want him to struggle with his relationship with Jesus. But it is such a fantastic question.

Previously, I told him that God was talking to him whenever there was a lightning storm. God’s voice came in the thunder and is saying, “I love you Andrew”. That seemed to calm him during the storm. Yesterday—he said as we went over the question again—he knows he can hear God’s voice in thunder but is frustrated that he can’t understand it.

How many of us know God talks to us, but are frustrated that he can’t understand him or can’t hear his voice (or are unable to recognize his voice between the noises of this world and our life). If the naiveté of a 4-year-old is struggling with this concept, how much more are we?

Yesterday, I think I had a break-through with him. I told him God speaks in many ways to us—particularly through the Bible (God’s words). However, what sparked his interested is that I told him that sometimes God speaks to me through him (Andrew) and vice-versa. He liked that idea, so I think is mulling that over. But than he asked, how can I hear God’s voice when he is in my heart. How do you answer that question? It seems to me that answer that question is the question itself. If God is in your heart—your life is transformed to respond to God and to be directed by him.

Lord, may you grant Andrew and Joshua the ability to hear your voice. May they hear you speak and recognize your words. May they be faithful children to you. May they grow deeper in love with you.

Joy vs. "Like"

2006-05-23T14:14:00.000-04:00

"constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. . . . dare to speak the word with greater boldness and without fear. . . . Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel," (Philippians 1:4, 14, 27)

Joy. I often lack joy—the joy of knowing the good news; the joy of being in the good news; the joy of sharing the good news. It is not about the reward of seeing people respond to the good news. The joy is being in the good news.

Why do we in our culture fear sharing, particularly verbalizing the good news? It should be joy. Yet, we feel it as a burden. We don’t want to offend. We don’t want to be disliked. We rather have people “like” us then to bask in the joy and glory of the good news.

Imagine if God was more interested in people “liking” him than loving him—or being just. Imagine Jesus more interested in being like than willing to die on the cross.

Absolute Truth of Scriptures

2006-05-22T10:11:00.000-04:00

"I (Jesus) have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world." (John 17:14, NRSV)

"Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth." (John 17:17, NRSV)

"“I (Jesus) ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word," (John 17:20, NRSV)

Truth can be a slippery thing in today’s world. People don’t like it when we assert something is absolute or certain or as truth. Ironically, have you ever listen to how many people use the word, “absolutely.” Even people that are relativism use the word, “absolutely” in their conversations. I challenge you to listen for that word. It is astonishing how much you will hear it in everyday conversations.

I think most people use that word because they feel they need to overemphasize their position, or they really don’t have a good defense. There seems to be an insecurity with people in regards to the commonness of the usage of “absolutely.” I have tried to limit my use of the word. Not that I don’t believe in absolutes or truth, but when I use the word, I want people to take notice and realize that I really believe what I am saying and I don’t take casually the absoluteness of the Truth.

In Jesus’ pray for this disciples and the church just before his arrest, he talks again about the given of the word. Jesus has given us the good word—the word that is Truth. The word is not casual or common, the word is from God and this word is like no other word—it is life-changing. In the beginning of his gospel, John points out that Jesus is the Word, and the Word is God. Here, John continues along this theme but also develops they idea, the Jesus has given us himself and his message—his word, so we may proclaim Him, the Word to the world.

Jesus declares the Word as Truth—previously John identifies Jesus as the Word, and Jesus identifies himself as the Truth. Beyond just the obvious declaration that the absolute Truth is personified, Jesus states that it is the message that he is given the Apostles to proclaim is the Truth.

The scriptures (the Bible) that we have today are the Truth, not because we declare them, but because they are the testimony and word that Jesus handed down to the Apostles. The scriptures get their authority not from the church, but from Jesus—the Truth, who hands the responsibility and word (message) to his Apostles.

Simply put Jesus is the Truth. Jesus is the Word. Jesus passes the Word which is truth to his Apostles. His Apostles proclaim the Word is Truth to the World. Eventually they write down the Word (the message) which was given to them by Jesus in the Scriptures. Therefore the Scripture that we have being inspired by the Holy Spirit—is the Word and the Truth. I that I declare to you is Absolute.

The In-Between Places

2006-05-18T09:59:00.000-04:00

"Christ in you, the hope of glory. It is He whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ." (Colossians 1:27b-28, NRSV)

"Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord and not for your masters," (Colossians 3:23, NRSV)

The task of discipleship—Paul takes serious is role as a shepherd. He goes into communities to proclaim Christ, build relationships, build up leaders, and then He continues to shepherd them with letters when he is away (even when he is in jail).

Paul states his tasks as (1) proclaiming, (2) warning, (3) teaching—but the goal is to present everyone mature in Christ. This means that it is a process. Maturity just doesn’t happen—it takes someone to point you the way to maturity. It takes effort and time by the shepherd to lead someone to maturity.

We miss that in the church today. Most churches view discipleship or church participation as individualistic. It is up to the individual to find what they need or maturity. We are told to go to Sunday school, Sunday service, read the bible pray—well, who is making sure that we do those things, who is present us. And conversely—who are we presenting. Discipleship is about community.

Discipleship (leading someone to maturity) doesn’t happen in Sunday school, bible study, prayer, or service, it happens in the spaces in-between those things. All those things are helpful and important and certainly a part of discipleship, but true maturity comes in the in-between spaces. The life on life encounters with a mentor (shepherd, discipler).

Then Paul tells us to put ourselves into the task as if we are doing it for the Lord. Dive in wholehearted into the task that God has given us. The task of making disciples, the task of presenting people mature in Christ.

Santification: The Will of God

2006-05-16T10:04:00.000-04:00

"For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you." (1 Thessalonians 4:3-6, ESV)

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-22, ESV)

I have a little mantra that I give to my flock over and over again about the will of God. The universal will of God for everyone is quite simple. Love God! Love Neighbor! Tell people about Jesus! Okay, that really is an over-simplification, but I think it communicates the point clearly.

The most important thing we need to do in our life is to Love God, glorify him in all things. The Westminster Shorter Catechism stands it wonderfully in the first question, “What is the chief end of man? Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” This is end game: the glory of God. So therefore in order to glorify God we love each other and our neighbors. We show God’s love in this world. We allow Holy Spirit of God to work through us to demonstrate this love. And the best way to love this world is to share the good news that Jesus Christ, who was crucified, is risen. We need to tell people about Jesus so they to might understand the purpose of life is to glorify God.

It is a cute little mantra and I think helps people understand some difficult concepts and moves them away from the distracting and sometimes paralyzing question of “what is God’s will for my life?” The answer, of course, is to glorify God.

I love what Paul says in his letter to the Thessalonians as we expounds more fully on the will of God for them. Paul writes an encouraging letter to the community of faith—basically thanking them for keeping the faith and being an example of love to the community. He further encourages them and points out the God is not done with them yet. That God’s will is to continue to perfect them (sanctification) in this life so that they can further glorify him. God will continue to work in them to move them away from evil and the lusts of this world. Then Paul states clearly do not quench the Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that is wanting and doing this work in us—let us not get in the way of God’s will of sanctification for us.

Let us not get in the way of God’s will for us. Let us not get in the way of God’s work. Instead let us join in it by rejoicing always and praying without ceasing.

The folly of Belief Righteousness

2006-05-15T10:50:00.000-04:00

"Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel," (2 Timothy 2:8, NIV)

"You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 2:1, NIV)

Jesus, raised from the Dead—this is the good news. What I love about Paul is his unrelenting reliance on the grace of God. Paul emphasizes over and over again it is all about what Jesus (God in flesh) has done and will do. It has not about us, but a dependence on God alone.

We cannot earn our salvation, we cannot earn a relationship with the Holy God, but we can receive it when it is freely given. We cannot not even choose to accept it, unless God allows His Spirit in us to accept His grace (what? Does that mean I cannot choose to accept Jesus?) Well—basically yes. We cannot choose, because we are unholy. The gift of God is about what He does, not what we do. Therefore works righteousness is not just a matter of trying to do the right things to earn God’s approval and salvation—but belief righteousness is someone trying to believe in the right things to earn salvation.

Keep in mind—orthodoxy (right thinking) is important. But God’s grace is just that grace. We don’t suddenly believe the right beliefs—God works through us to accept him and confess Jesus with our lips. We are transformed by the Spirit to confess the Truth of Jesus Christ and receiving the Good News that Jesus is raised from the dead.

It is not about what we believe, but who resides in us and what he has done for us.

This doesn’t mean all beliefs are equal—far from it—there is only one Truth and He is Jesus. We just don’t earn our salvation by believing it, we are given it. That is grace!

Pay Close Attention

2006-05-09T12:39:00.000-04:00

Reflections on 1 Timothy 4:12-16 (NRSV)

12 Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

I have used this verse often with the youth of the church, but this phrase from Paul to Timothy is used in the context that Timothy is given pastoral responsbilities over people. Timothy was young, but he was a man that was gifted and ordained by God to serve the people. His calling was to set an example for the all believers in his speech and his conduct—His WORDS and DEEDS. I have heard several times in the past 7 months references regarding my youth—I receive those comments, but hope my life is an example to believers (not a life of perfection, but a life of repentance).

13 Until I arrive, give attention to the public reading of scripture, to exhorting, to teaching.

I love this command to Timothy. Read the scriptures first and foremost. Read them publicly. The proclamation and reading of the scriptures God will use. People need to read the word in order to believe it. Then we are to exhort, urge them, encourage them to believe and follow the Good News—it is a matter of urgency. Lord, help me to be a pastor and friend that reads the scripture aloud and proclaiming the urgency of following Jesus.

14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands by the council of elders.

We are given gifts and are affirmed of those gifts by the leaders of the Church. Lord, help me not to ignore or downplay my gifts, but develop them and use the for your glory.

15 Put these things into practice, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress.

Lord, help me devote myself to the gifts that you have given. May I use them for your Kingdom and your glory. May people see my development not to glorify me or for my praise but for yours and that my life may be an example to follow.

16 Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers.

This passage took me back the most. It gives me permission to pay attention to myself—to care for myself. I need to be diligent to my life and the teaching that comes from me—and then the reward is not just for me, but for those that hear me. I have been entrusted with the message of salvation. Lord, may I be diligent and pay close attention to my life and teachings so that people may fall deeper in love with you.

The Sacrifice of Praise

2006-05-08T08:24:00.000-04:00

"Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God." (Hebrews 13:15-16, NRSV)

It is interesting that the offering of praise to God is compared to and stated as a sacrifice. Literally a sacrifice is something that had to be given up—killed—in order to pay the debt. We are to give something up—kill it—in order to praise God. More so we are to do it continually!

What do I need to sacrifice? What do I need to let die in my life (I think this is more metaphorically—I don’t need to kill an animal or person—but something in my life). What do I hold on to that constricts my praise to God?

Then the very next sentence says to not forget to do GOOD and share what I have. So not only am I to sacrifice something to praise God, but a part of my sacrifice is my security and resources to help God—because that is pleasing to God.

Word and Deed aren’t separated biblically. To praise God, we need to proclaim Jesus with our lips and our actions—and it is (at least should be) a sacrifice for us. So if my life doesn’t seem sacrificial perhaps I am not proclaiming God or praising Him?

Lord, Teach me what it is that I must sacrifice to praise you. Help me to confess your name and to not neglect what is good and pleasing to you.

God Penetrating our Hearts

2006-05-01T11:22:00.000-04:00

"Then they prayed and said, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen." (Acts 1:24, NRSV)

"And God, who knows the human heart, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us;" (Acts 15:8, NRSV)

"(and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”" (Luke 2:35, ESV)

"But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a child and put him by his side" (Luke 9:47, ESV)

"He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?" (Luke 24:38, NRSV)

God knows us. However, he doesn't just know us--he knows our thoughts--he knows our emotions--he knows our deepest desires and thoughts. He can see through our exterior images of ourselves into the depths of our heart.

We usually use the term "heart" in reference to our emotions or non-logical, irrational side of our soul. However, in the times of Jesus and jewish culture, the heart was the center of the soul and body where the rational mind met up with the emotional center of the body (the groin). Therefore the heart was not only the rational thoughts of the person, but the emotional entwined with them.

God doesn't just know our desires, we knows our thoughts. We knows how we rationalize and what we want.

Knowing this about us, he doesn't turn away and just condemn us for our thoughts, we engages us with compassion and challenges us to move beyond them to his will. When the early church went about the business of trying to replace Judas and get another 12th Apostle--the used the criteria of own's heart. Our human perception of a person can only go so far--but God penetrates through that boundary (our boundaries) and sees into the soul--the heart of a person.

The Apostles didn't desire to pick a replacement, the desire to seek God's will and have him pick the replacement.

How can we apply that process to our leadership style? Do we seek out God's will or our heart? Do we allow God to move in our lives or do we stiffle him with our issues and doubts.

May I be a person that allows God to penetrate my heart and seeks his will.

No Other Name is Given Victory!

2006-04-24T10:09:00.000-04:00

"When they had made the prisoners stand in their midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?”" (Acts 4:7, NRSV)

"let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead." (Acts 4:10, NRSV)

"There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.”" (Acts 4:12, NRSV)

Peter and John are being questioned by the chief priests and the scribes because of the healing they did to a lame man and for proclaiming that Jesus is the Resurrection of the Dead in the temple. The accusers have the audacity, as they did with Jesus, to ask them by what power or name did you do this action? It is a great question—a question that they probably don’t want answered.

Peter answers them by saying it is Jesus, who know they guy you killed, the guy God raised from the dead. What a strong statement—Peter basically says how dare you ask—look at what you have done—you kill—we bring life and healing to people. You kill, God brings life—not much of a contest.

Then with further confidence, he declares that there is salvation (eternal life) in no one else! No other name under heaven.

We lack the confidence of Peter—we are given a relationship and saved under the only name under heaven. Being a follower of Jesus is not just being a member of another religion. The Apostles and Jesus himself state this is only under Jesus’ name. Being a follower of Jesus is an exclusive claim, an exclusive faith—that is openly inclusive for all to proclaim.

Bottom line, others (religions, faiths, people) can only bring death, but Jesus, who is the resurrection and life, brings victory (exclusive victory)!

Exact Imprint of God

2006-04-20T11:01:00.000-04:00

"Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs." (Hebrews 1:1-4, NRSV)

In that past month I have had numerous conversations with people who misunderstand the trinity—or what the Triune God is about. Now that is not all that surprising to not understand the trinity: three persons in one God. It is a mystery and beyond human logic. I don’t expect people to understand it. But I have had several people (church goers included) misunderstand who Jesus is.

One encounter with a person claimed he understood that Jesus was God’s son, but not God. This person wasn’t a Jehovah’s Witness, he was raised in a church that proclaimed the trinity—he had just missed the point. He had missed the point that Jesus is God. That Jesus is the creator, that Jesus is the sustainer, that Jesus is the redeemer. Jesus is the heir of all things and is the all in all.

I love this phrase in the opening of the Book of Hebrews; He is the exact imprint of God’s very being. We have the image of God, but Jesus has the exact imprint—He is God in the flesh. Jesus has inherited all things, included the name of God which is, “I AM”, therefore everything else is “I AM NOT”

When we are relationship with Jesus than “WE ARE” when we are not in relationship with God in the Flesh “WE ARE NOT”.

Lord Jesus, help me to release who you are, help me to abide in you, because everything else is NOT in comparison to you.

The Gospel of Judas

2006-04-13T10:47:00.000-04:00

There was been a lot of hoopla about the new released Gospel of Judas. National Geographic did a big special on Sunday, most of the major media outlets have covered it. Instead of reproducing a lot of the comments about the Gospel of Judas, I thought I just link you to a good blog about it.

Ben Witherington: The Sad Truth about Judas

Witherington has several posts responding to the Gospel--all of them which you should read.

The bottomline is this 1 document written by Gnostics some 300 years after Jesus and Judas, doesn't reveal anything about what the early church believe and knew about their relationship, but reveals only what a heretical group that formed 100 years after the earlier church believed.

The New Motive

2006-04-13T10:38:00.000-04:00

"Little children, I am with you only a little longer. . . .‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”" (John 13:33-35, NRSV)

The new commandment? Loving one another doesn’t seem like a new commandment. Wasn’t loving your neighbor as yourself essential to the Law for Israel? Love isn’t new, but the motive behind love is new. We don’t love each other to benefit each other. We don’t love our neighbor because it does them good for us to love them. We don’t love each other because it makes us feel better about ourselves or somehow is a good work for us. Rather we love each other because Jesus loves us. Loving each other is a response to the Love that Jesus gives us. Loving each other is a way of glorify our Lord.

So what is the type of love that Jesus shares with us. Just prior to this “new” commandment Jesus realizing that the Father has given everything into his hands (wow! Everything is in the hands of the Son—that is trust!) turns to his disciples and washes their feet. He serves them. The love that Jesus shares with us is one of a servant—one that goes above and beyond to care for each other. We in turn must serve each other and the world.

The new commandment of love is really a new motive to respond to Jesus’ love—which is ultimate expressed on the cross. Now that is going above and beyond to serve—dying on the cross.

Refusing the Help we Need

2006-04-12T08:47:00.000-04:00

Sometimes we just refuse help. No matter how dire the circumstances or how painful it is, we just refuse help.

Last night was one of those moments. Andrew, who is suffering through a poking-of-the-eye-with-the-toothbrush injury refused to take his eye ointment. The night before we woke up several times in the night whimpering and putting a cloth to his eye. Nevertheless it made for a miserable night for all of us. After taking him to the doctor, and the doctor thinking that he just irritated the eye and nothing was wrong, prescribed an eye ointment. Last night after the fury of his birthday (which was a grand event) Andrew refused to take his eye ointment (his being over-tired didn’t help the process). It took over 30 minutes of calming him down and bribing him, until eventually we had to overpower him and give it to him by force. He refused his eye medicine even though he was complaining about his eye.

People are like that. Sometimes we just don’t want help, even though, we know we need it, even though we know we are suffering, we refuse to take the help. People are that way with Jesus all the time. This world is full of death and suffering, and when you open up the doors for people to see Jesus they refuse the only help they really need.

Pray for Andrew to be open to receive the help he needs for his eye, and for people around us to receive the help that Jesus offers to them.

Proclaiming Death

2006-04-06T15:50:00.000-04:00

"In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes." (1 Corinthians 11:25-26, NRSV)

The words of Institution of the Lord’s Supper—we say them so often, they seem to roll off our tongue or pass through our ears without a second thought. But when I read them, hear them, or say them, they also seem to strike me as odd. “This cup is the new covenant in my blood”, “you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” Those are odd things to repeat and hear over and over again.

It is interesting that Paul states that when wee participate in the Lord’s Supper we are in the action of proclaiming. By taking the Bread and the Wine as a community we are making a proclamation to the word. I usually don’t think of my participation in the Lord’s Supper as proclamation but I think of it as a way to remember and reflect on what Jesus has done for me. But yet, Paul clearly states it is a proclamation not an act of remembrance. By participation we are standing on our soap box to the world and proclaiming—proclaiming what?—proclaiming the Lord’s death. (?)

Whoa! Doesn’t it seem like we should be proclaiming his resurrection, his victory over death. That is such an odd thing to say, we proclaim death…

Well, we do proclaim death. The path of following Jesus is death. Death to this life, death to sin, death to slavery, and our ambitions and lusts— but in that death is true life. A life of servitude to our king, a life of freedom, a life of joy, an life that is everlasting.

In our proclamation of death we proclaim true life in Jesus.

The Lord is on my side

2006-04-03T09:54:00.000-04:00

"With the Lord on my side I do not fear. What can mortals do to me? The Lord is on my side to help me; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in mortals. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in princes." (Psalm 118:6-9, NRSV)

How often I forget that the Lord is on my side—He is walking with me. With that knowledge and relationship it should be easy for me to walk confidently in this world, not with arrogance, but with a trust knowing that God has a plan and purpose for me and my family.

Yet, I feel I protect them from the world. I feel I can guard them. I forget that God is at my side and theirs and he loves them more than I do. Hard to imagine that someone can love my family more than me, but thankful that He does, because I don’t do a great job of loving them all the time.

Lord, help me to not fear, but trust in you and recognize that you are at my side.

Suffering Obedience?

2006-03-28T13:22:00.000-05:00

"Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered;" (Hebrews 5:8, NRSV)
Does this make you uncomfortable? He learned to be obedient thru suffering. Does that mean I have to learn obedience thru suffering? I really don’t like suffering. I would prefer to live without it.

The book of Hebrews gives us a picture of a human Jesus. Not a sinful Jesus, but one that suffers with us and for us. Jesus is just like us in that he doesn’t like to suffer, but does so because he knows what He has to accomplish. If I know the price I would have to pay to achieve the things that I want would I be willing to suffer for it, or do I just want everything handed to me on a silver platter (okay, it doesn’t have to be silver—it just needs to be handed to me)?

The problem with that statement is “to accomplish the things I want”; it should be accomplish the things the Father wants. Jesus didn’t suffer because he wanted to or that it was His plan, but He did so because it was the Father’s plan and he obeyed his Father.

Lord, help me to obey you and to follow your plan so that I may glorify you in all things—even in my suffering.

The Demand of Grace

2006-03-23T15:00:00.000-05:00

"Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls." (James 1:21, NRSV)

How often I forget the Word that God has implanted on my heart? I take it for granted. I do not realize the power it has for this world and for my life. It is not a magical power that the words hold onto themselves, but the truth and the reality of the One behind the words that bring them power. The Word of God implanted in my soul has the power to save souls, has the power to heal people from the misery of the friendship of this world.

"But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves." (James 1:22, NRSV)

James immediately reminds that we must respond to this implanted powerful word, the gift of God. The power of the Word demands a response of action—of doing. Because I have received this word, the generous gift that saved my soul, I am to spread this word through my actions. I am to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, act justly, and spread this saving and powerful word to all those that have ears.

Grace demands action. God’s grace for me demands my action for Him and His world.

Grace or Works?

2006-03-20T11:23:00.000-05:00

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life." (Ephesians 2:8-10, NRSV)

Paul seems confused. One hand we are told that we are saved by grace and not by our works, yet on the other hand we are told we have been created for good works. Which is it, Paul?

The answer is both. Paul is very clear, we cannot be saved by our works, and there is nothing we can do to earn salvation. Paul compares it to death. In our sin, we are dead—by definition dead people cannot do anything. However, only by the gracious and generous will of God can we be brought back to life. We do not earn this new life, we can’t we are dead—we unable to do anything.

However, once we created in new life in Jesus—He has a plan for us—to do good works. Not our own works, by God’s purpose and works. We are to be his hands and feet in his word. We have been created for a purpose—we have been saved for a purpose. Not for our glory but for God’s glory.

Grace or works? The answer is we have been saved by grace to do God’s good works.

Patience is Love

2006-03-16T13:44:00.000-05:00

"But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:8-9, NRSV)

"and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation." (2 Peter 3:15a, NRSV)

I am not known for my patience. I wish I was but I not. I get aggravated by having to standing in lines and wait. I get frustrated when my computer doesn’t respond to every click and command right away. And forget about delays on the internet—waiting for something to download. Things can’t be fast enough for me.

I get impatient with my children too. Frustrated how long it takes them to listen or follow a simple command. Instead of just being in the moment with them, and helping them accomplish the task, I throw up my hands and let out a grunt. (a noise by the way my sons have learned to mimic when they get impatient—one of the traits you wish they wouldn’t learn). So in my impatience I teach my kids to be impatient.

God is patient. That is just who He is. He cannot not be patient. But His patience is for our benefit. He is patient because he loves us, not wanting any to perish. He gives us time to respond and repent. He gives us time to respond to His love. God is patient because He loves. Being patient with someone is loving them. Yikes, I have got a lot to learn.

Lord, my I be a father that is patient with my children, and my I be a child that sees the love and patience of my Heavenly Father. Thank for you loving me and waiting for me.

Why I Have a Velvet Elvis

2006-03-14T10:10:00.000-05:00

I am not particularly a fan of Elvis—he is a little before my time, but I have been influenced by his fans, namely one of my pastors who was a big Elvis fan, and had a handful of sermons that he would preach about Elvis on the anniversary of his death.

As a long-time youth minister, you collect things—particularly items that make kids thing you are cool or just a little bit off (you want to keep kids on their toes). Well, one day, a good friend found an old Velvet Elvis in a garage sale and thought it would be a hoot to give it to me.

Part of me hangs it on the wall of my Pastor’s Study just because it is funny. Part of me hangs it on the wall to offset the other elements of ego on the wall (diplomas and such). Part of me hangs it on the wall to start conversation with people—it is a good ice-breaker. But mostly, I hang it on the wall to remind me of the mission God has given us

So how can Elvis, the King, remind me of God’s mission for me?

"Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, “Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things." (Acts 17:22-25, NRSV)

Did you know that Elvis Presley made more Gospel albums than Rock albums? Did you know that Elvis came from a family that was deeply religious—Pentecostal background—and the hip movements and gyrations he performed on stage he learned and in his church growing up? Did you know that Elvis often would perform “How Great Thou Art,” during his concerts, and that after the end of all his rehearsals and recording he would make people sing a hymn with him. Did you know that just before he died he made a promise to make only Gospel albums for the rest of his life.

Yet, the church pushed Elvis away, instead of clinging on to a person that had the ability and ear of so many people, the church railed against him and condemn him.

While Elvis Presley was a teen cataclysm with millions of American girls screaming at the sight of him, his own church viewed Presley's gyrations on stage as an affront, labelling it the Devil's work and a mocking of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Presley records were condemned as wicked and Pentecostal preachers thumped their pulpits with Bibles, warning congregations to keep heathen rock and roll music out of their homes and away from their children's ears (especially the music of "that backslidden Pentecostal pup, Elvis Presley"). People who decades later would be considered part of the religious right spoke out vigorously against Presley including Cardinal Spellman. In its weekly periodical, the Roman Catholic Church added to the criticism in an article titled "Beware Elvis Presley."[1]

What if the church instead of pushing Elvis away, latch on to him and used his arena of influence to further spread the gospel? Imagine a church this isn’t afraid of a few warts and is willing to be all things to all people. Imagine a church that is more interested in spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ, than its own public appearance.

The Apostle Paul on Mars Hill did just that. He wasn’t afraid of learning the culture or engaging it. In fact, Paul thought it his mission to learn and engage the culture so that we may engage people with the Gospel.

The picture of Elvis is a reminder of the failure of the church to grasp onto the opportunities that God provides. So often we put things into boxes of sacred and secular, instead of realizing we are all in the secular box in which God is trying to make sacred.
Let us not depend on our own wisdom and plan, but let’s see how God works and join Him in His plan—even if it might include someone as outrageous as Elvis.

[1] Wikipedia.org

Opportunities for Communion

2006-03-06T10:10:00.000-05:00

I just watch a video of a guy that set up a folding card table in different public places. He placed himself in a mall, outside a fast food restaurant, in a public market, a park, outside a subway entrance. On this table, he placed a bright pink piece of paper that read in Bold black letters, “COMMUNION”. In addition he placed on the table a loaf of the best smelling and tasting bread that you could buy. He had broken the bread into two pieces. Next to the broken bread was a clear wine glass filled with the best wine that he could buy. This gentleman sat behind the table in a chair wanting for people to engage this visual peculiarity. This man was offering communion, he was inviting people to a relationship with Jesus.

In the video, most people walked on by without even noticing the table, some look at him, but didn’t even slow down. Some people slowed down and smiled, but kept walking by. Some people even hovered a bit, but never got too close to engage. Some even stop to talk to the person, but when offered the bread and wine, refused. Then just one person eventually engaged the person, took the bread and wine and thanked the man.

What a fantastic image of what God has done for us. There God is at the fast food place, the mall, the public park, everywhere we go, offering all of us a relationship with Him—a chance to commune with Him. How many of us engage this offer and accept it freely as it is freely given.

Let us be a people that engages in every moment and let us be a people that commune with God.

Jesus is Yahweh

2006-02-23T10:28:00.000-05:00

"You shall keep all my statutes and all my ordinances, and observe them: I am the Lord." (Leviticus 19:37, NRSV)

"because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9, NRSV)

"For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake." (2 Corinthians 4:5, NRSV)

God likes to make his point clear. It really isn’t that complicated. In Leviticus 18 & 19, God states some of his ordinances and commands and after almost each one, He repeats, “I am the Lord,” or “I am the Lord your God.” It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that God is trying to say that He is Lord, everything else is not, therefore, listen to me, obey me, and worship me alone.

The Hebrew word that is translated to LORD is literally Yahweh, the name God identify himself as to Moses. He is known God. He is not distant or unknown. He is Lord and God that has acted and engaged Israel personally. Breaking down the Lord’s name further it appears to be a compound word that is formed from the phrase, “I am” and, “He is.” That is amazing. God’s name literally means I am, therefore implicating everything else “Is Not” at least in comparison to Him.

As if God wasn’t personal and known enough in the Old Testament, he makes himself more visible in Jesus. Jesus is Lord is repeated over and over again. It is the simplest confession and gospel that we are told to proclaim. It really isn’t complicated. Jesus is Yahweh. Jesus is Lord. It doesn’t get any clearing than that.

No Words are Adequate

2006-02-21T10:44:00.000-05:00

"“Teacher, this is wonderful!” Peter exclaimed. “We will make three shrines—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He didn’t really know what to say, for they were all terribly afraid." (Mark 9:5-6, NLT)

Sometimes it is best not to say anything at all. A lot of us have this need to always say something. Particularly in times of need, we feel we need to tell people that it is alright, or to give people advice with a difficult situation.

Have you ever come across something so beautiful—so stunning, that it leaves you speechless? A majestic mountain range, a sunset over the horizon of the ocean, a child being born—no words are adequate. Any words spoken in those moments—take away from the beautiful—sometimes I think we are supposed to just take it all in.

I think that is what our relationship with Jesus should be about. We lose sight of his glory, of who he really is, we personalize him so much that we forget that his glory and majesty are blinding. Instead of talking, or feeling the need to do something, we should just come before Jesus, bow and listen. Listen to God, Listen to Jesus. Let’s just take Jesus and his glory all in—let it consume us.

Tombstone of D.L. Moody

2006-02-16T10:17:00.000-05:00

Took a trip with several other pastors yesterday to the gravesite of D.L. Moody and his wife in Northfield, MA. Here is what their tombstones read:

Dwight Lyman Moody
1837—1899
Feb. 5—Dec. 22
“He that doeth the will of God abideth forever.”

Emma C. Revell
1843—1903
July 5—Oct. 10
“His servants shall serve him and they shall reign forever and ever.”

May we be people that do the will of God by serving Him.

Show & Tell

2006-02-14T17:12:00.000-05:00

My oldest son had Show & Tell today. It was his first one. The teacher gave him this purple basket to bring whatever he wanted to show and tell. He had the whole weekend to consider what to bring. I kept asking him, "what do you want to bring?". His response was, "Whatever I want to bring" (with a look of disgust that I would even ask the question. When I would push him further, he said he would decide the day of. However, he was excited about being able to share something of himself to his friends and his teachers. You could tell he was putting some serious thought as to what would be the best thing to bring. When I would give him suggestions he would ponder it and then say, "No, I will decide."

It got me thinking about how I share my faith with people. God has given me the opportunity to Show and Tell every day and every moment, yet I usually don't take the opportunities God gives me, and I rarely take his advice on what to share--let alone how to share it. I think I tell God, "No, I will share whatever I want--I will decide." The reality is God has decided for me. He wants me to share the Good News that He came into this world, that his Kingdom is being ushered in by His Son, Jesus (God Himself), and that He died on the cross for us, and that he defeated death by rising from the grave. Even better yet, He will come again. That is the news, he has commanded me to share, yet I ignore his suggestions.

Andrew eventually decided. He brought his stuffed birds that have a similarity to their real-life counter parts and make the actually bird calls of those birds. He knows all their names. He eventually decided and took the suggestion of his father that the birds would be a good idea. (I need to go home and find out how the show and tell went).

Heavenly Father, may I be a person (may we be a people) that listen and obey your commands (suggestions) and show and tell the world you (and your good news).

The Church vs. Dunkin Donuts

2006-02-13T13:02:00.000-05:00

Open for Business. We had 18 people for service yesterday. Not bad considering there was a blizzard. I was surprised anyone showed up, I was expecting no one. However, I thought it was important that I be at the church in case anyone did show up.

I don’t like the idea of canceling church due to bad weather. I made it safely, if I couldn’t I would cancel. However, I also don’t expect people to risk themselves to make it to service—so I didn’t expect anyone to show.

I have this sense that someone should be here on Sunday regardless of the weather. Sometimes I feel that people come to church as the last resort. Maybe they are depressed, deeply hurting, whatever their circumstances—I want them to know someone loves them and cares for them.

My resolve to have service was strengthened as I drove to church and saw Dunkin Donuts open. Surely if Dunkin Donuts can be open during a blizzard so can the church. So we had 18 people, more than most churches. God blessed us yesterday.

The Pain of Equality

2006-02-09T21:40:00.000-05:00

“It’s annoying but justice and equality are mates. Aren’t they? Justice always wants to hang out with equality. And equality is a real pain.” Bono at the National Prayer Breakfast.

Equality. It is not a word or concept that I think much about. I think about Justice, I think about doing good for people- sometimes even do good for people. Jessi and I tithe faithfully to all sorts of organizations including our church. But I usually don’t think about Equality.

But then Bono’s words hit me. Of course it is about equality. You see the problem with my charity is that I often don’t equate myself with the people I am giving to. To be very blunt—I think I am better than they are.

Somehow I believe that I am responsible for all my wealth, my family, my job, all my blessings. The reality is everything is a gift from God and all of humanity is in the same boat. There really is a fine line between me and the poor, the sick, the criminals. That line is grace. The reality is though I am not better, and I just more privileged and therefore have more of an obligation to reach out to the rest not with charity but with equality. Not just giving to them, but being with them, seeing myself as one of them. Seeing them how God sees them.

Then I got to thinking about all the issues of the world that are caused by people thinking they are better than other people. The list is long.

Check out the rest of Bono’s speech at http://www.data.org/archives/000774.php

The Neverthelesses

2006-02-07T09:54:00.000-05:00

"He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done. Nevertheless the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places." (2 Kings 15:3-4, NRSV)

"He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, just as his father Uzziah had done. Nevertheless the high places were not removed; the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places. He built the upper gate of the house of the Lord." (2 Kings 15:34-35, NRSV)

There always seems to be a Nevertheless. When things are going well there always seems to be someone to remember you of a “Nevertheless” in your life. What is a Nevertheless? A Nevertheless is one of those things that lie deep within your heart. No matter how good, how righteous, or how successful you are there is always something dark in your heart—perhaps it is your motives. There always is something we neglect to do or repent from. As long as we are broken and exist in this world, we will have the Neverthelesses in our life.
There just always seem to crop up at the most inopportune times. Most people don’t get to experience my Nevertheless but I do. I know the secrets of my life and the desires of my heart—it usually is to glorify myself and not God.
Look at the Kings of Israel, even when the do what is right in the sight of the Lord, they have a Nevertheless.
Nevertheless, God still forgives a repentant heart. Hey—look a Nevertheless can be good too. Nevertheless God can forgive our Neverthelesses.

Cheers of Children

2006-02-06T09:08:00.000-05:00

Children are wonderful. As I was watching my Seahawks self-imploded in the Super Bowl last night, and discouraged not because the Steelers won (but the Seahawks really lost the game), my children put the whole evening in perspective.

Andrew and Joshua spent the afternoon baking and cooking with Babci. Andrew kept running in and showing me what they were making for Super Bowl Night (his two fists raised in the air as he states, “Go Seahawks”). Both of them maybe watch 10 plays but they would send cheers into the air for the Seahawks every once in awhile, lifting my spirits up. Andrew would watch my reactions and that mimic me. It is hard not to put a smile on my face with the positive and innocent cheers of a child.

So perhaps it is not whether your team wins a Super Bowl, but whether or not your children share in the joy of watching it with you.

Gospel Driven People

2006-02-01T15:15:00.000-05:00

"And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.”" (Mark 1:36-38, NRSV)

Have you ever felt distracted? Have you ever had that feeling deep down inside you, knowing you are not doing what you are suppose to be doing? It is easy to get distracted in life. To go down a career path, to live your life they way people expect or the way the world wants you to live it. Life in this world is distracting—I think that is the point.

This world is full of distractions and rabbit holes. The question for us is how far are we going to go down one. It is like the movie the matrix, where the world itself around us is a façade to distract us from the true reality.

People wanted to distract Jesus from his vocation—his calling. They wanted to be a part of him as the miracle-man, the one that healed everybody. Jesus’ ministry wasn’t about healing—it was about proclaiming the good news. Healing was a means to an end for his ministry.

Jesus’ ministry is ours. He has given us this ministry of proclamation. We are to be His heralds in this matrix-world. Let us not be distracted from this mission. Let us be Gospel-Driven people and not Distracted-Driven People.

Compulsion to Proclaim

2006-01-30T08:48:00.000-05:00

"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?

Believing is Seeing

2006-01-25T11:34:00.000-05:00

"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.

Changing our Conversation

2006-01-24T12:40:00.000-05:00

“… 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

Salvation thru Judgment

2006-01-19T10:41:00.000-05:00

“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.

Listening is Loving

2006-01-17T13:31:00.000-05:00

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.

Lord Have Mercy

2006-01-16T12:22:00.000-05:00

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.

Hearing the Silence

2006-01-12T09:47:00.000-05:00

“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.

Turn up the Signal, Wipe out the Noise

2006-01-11T15:06:00.000-05:00

“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

Word of the Lord in your Mouth

2006-01-10T11:14:00.000-05:00

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.

If You Say So...

2006-01-09T11:39:00.000-05:00

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.”

Deep Thoughts from a Dentist Chair

2005-12-22T12:53:00.000-05:00

I just came back from the dentist today. I haven’t been in awhile. I had several thoughts that occurred to me while I sat in that torture chair for 45 minutes.

(1) Trust: Why do I trust this person that puts instruments in my mouth that sound like she is excavating a mine shaft? One of the main struggles of being human is trusting in the sovereign God. Yet, I willingly and without much hesitation trust this person, whom I only met 5 minutes ago to drill, scrap my teeth. I can’t see what she is doing and as far as I know she could be planning to pull my teeth out one by one or carver her name into my teeth. Yet, I struggle to trust God, the creator and sustainer to run my life.

(2) Faithfulness: I always have the best intentions before and after I go see the dentist. A couple of days before I go on a strict regime of brushing/flossing my teeth just like they told me to do the last time I visited. After taking a brow beating about the state of my mouth, I pledge to brush softly and in little circles, to floss daily, and treasure my teeth for the gifts that they are. How long does that pledge last? It is like when we go on a retreat or pledge to God, I will be faithful and study your Word everyday. How many times do we make pledges to God with the best intentions but fail to keep.

(3) Stewardship: God has graciously and generously given me these teeth, yet I fail to be a good steward of them. I don’t take care of them and treasure them for what they are and allow me to do. What if I didn’t have my teeth? Life would be different. I need to be a better steward of the resources God has given me, therefore allowing me to generous give of myself.

(4) Justification: It is one of the best feelings have your teeth professional clean. They smooth, the look shiny and they feel shiny. There is a confidence you gain from having the freshness and healthiness in your mouth. Yet, no matter how hard and how diligent I clean them at home; they never feel the way they do after the dentist. It is that way with sin, no matter what I do; I can never take the stain or remove my sin. I can make it look marginally better, make it look and smell more socially acceptable, but it is only through the professional cleaning of Jesus that any of us are able to have that smooth and refreshing feeling of being clean by the blood of the lamb. There is a confidence and freedom after been cleaned by Jesus.

I had no idea that my trip to the dentist would be so fulfilling this morning. I should go more often.

The War on Christmas

2005-12-20T11:40:00.000-05:00

The war on Christmas has been on the news lately (particularly Fox News). There is a sense of outraged that Christmas is being banned from American and that Christians are being forced out of the public arena. Here are examples of the battlefield around the country:

In Illinois, state government workers were forbidden from saying the words “Merry Christmas” while at work
In Rhode Island, local officials banned Christians from participating in a public project to decorate the lawn of City Hall.
A New Jersey school banned even instrumental versions of traditional Christmas carols.
Arizona school officials ruled it unconstitutional for a student to make any reference to the religious history of Christmas in a class project.
Attorneys are working to educate library officials in Memphis about the unconstitutionality of their exclusion of Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the wise men from a nativity scene.
Teachers at a Georgia elementary school reportedly were told to nix any religious pins and refrain from referring to a party as a “Christmas” party, while the local district has censored certain religious Christmas songs from its “winter” program.
In Dodgeville, Wisconsin, Ridgeway Elementary School's "winter program" has changed the name of "Silent Night" to "Cold in the Night." Sung to the tune of "Silent Night," the lyrics include: "Cold in the night, no one in sight, winter winds whirl and bite, how I wish I were happy and warm, safe with my family out of the storm."

Perhaps we should be concern with this “war”. But you know what I am more concern with is the Church proclaiming Christmas to the people of God and the world. Since Christmas falls on a Sunday this year, many people and churches are faced with the dilemma of upsetting the family idolatry/consumerism of Christmas morning vs. keeping Christmas a holy day remembering God’s greatest gift. Seriously, what is the Churches telling the world about Jesus if we crumble under pressure and let Christmas become secularized.

Instead let’s be a people that redeems Christmas from the culture and celebrate what God has done and is doing for us. Are we willing to sacrifice some family traditions and secular customs to focus ourselves with our words and actions on Jesus at Christmas.

God is Giving

2005-12-19T14:42:00.000-05:00

I love giving gifts particularly if I know the person is going to be excited about it. There is a joy about getting the reward of satisfaction knowing that the person loves the gift. I dislike (or yes, maybe even hate) gifts for the sake of gifts. It is amazing how easily we fall into the trap of giving gifts because it is Christmas and we ought to give a gift to that person. We ought to give to people because they have a need. We ought to spend time with people because we love them. I would rather spend the time with people that spend the time running around making sure I have the right gift for them or any gift for that matter.

The focus of Christmas quickly becomes how much I can give instead of how much God has given us. This frenzy of gift-giving is the anti-thesis of what Christmas is all about. It is not about our righteousness or worthiness to do the right things or to do anything, but it is about God’s generous and abundant love for us, that GOD GIVES himself to us.

This season let’s not worry about what we are giving, and what we are doing, but let’s focus on what GOD has GIVEN, and what GOD is DOING.

God doing is own thing.

2005-12-15T12:29:00.000-05:00

‘If your heirs take heed to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail you a successor on the throne of Israel.’" (1 Kings 2:4, NRSV)

"Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards,not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God." (1 Corinthians 1:26-29, NRSV)

God does things differently. I mean really, if I was writing a story or planning to motivated a people, I wouldn’t do it they way God has done. He allows the people of Israel to try to do it they way. He allows them to try to be the King of God’s Kingdom (that phrase seems funny, to be the King of what is God’s). God didn’t want to established his throne with anybody else buy himself, because He alone is King. But he goes along with our plan, he allows us to see how it is going to work out. He allows us to live out the natural consequences of our choices.

So even in David’s remarks to Solomon as he passes on the Kingdom. David tells Solomon that if he leads the people to be faithful and if they are faithful after him, than your throne will last forever, and your family will always have succeed the throne. This is so comical, because not even Solomon can keep hold of that promise. And the history of Israel’s Kings is one of failures with a glimpse of faithfulness.

God does things differently doesn’t He? So God knew all along that our plan was going to fail, but he had the patient to see it out. Then he finally decides to put an end to it and to regain the throne that is rightful His all along. Does he send a mighty and powerful King. No, He comes as a humble baby, born with animals, poor and outcast. The King comes as what is low and despised in the world. This mighty and powerful God comes as a baby. Yet, we should be still should be frighten—because one day this babe will be the judge.

God does things differently doesn’t He? I mean wouldn’t you come as a might and powerful King, backed by a mighty and powerful and take the throne of this World by force. I wouldn’t come as a helpless baby—a helpless poor and seemingly insignificant baby.

In this season, let’s be thankful that God does things differently.

Distorted Mirrors

2005-12-13T11:24:00.000-05:00

I went to look at a Nursery school today. I don’t know if I am overly-protective, or overly sensitive but I have not been impressed with Nursery schools. I am supposed to send my child to these one of the schools where they don’t seem equipped to handle or nurture my child.

Beyond my over-protectionism, I was horrified with what I saw. This nursery school was created by the church that it resides in as an outreach to the community. And as I listen to the Nursery school director and asked him about teaching the faith in the school, she seemed like that was a crazy question. They don’t integrated faith into the school because it is an outreach. Huh? What kind of outreach is that? She stated very confidently and proudly that they celebrate all faiths, all traditions, and all families. If this was a secular school, I would have understood this philosophy, still might not want my child to go there, but understood it nevertheless. But this was a church based nursery school.

Basically the outreach they are doing is telling everybody that everything is okay. Instead of pointing people to the Living God and Truth of Jesus, they are holding up a mirror to people and telling them okay. Except the mirror they are holding up isn’t a mirror that reflects reality, it is a mirror that reflects falsehoods and lies so that people aren’t offended by what they look like.

Is the church too scared in this world to identify what we look like? Are we too scared and frightened to see what is actually in the mirror of this world to react? Or are we courageous enough to stand in the light of God and see the true reflection of who we are, and allow God to transform us into who He wants us and has created us to be.

If the church is giving up the Truth, who will preserve it?

Needless to say, Andrew is not going to that nursery school.

The Eyes of our Heart

2005-12-12T10:41:00.000-05:00

"He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, yet not with a true heart." (2 Chronicles 25:2, NRSV)

"He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God; and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper." (2 Chronicles 26:5, NRSV)

"So Jotham became strong because he ordered his ways before the Lord his God." (2 Chronicles 27:6, NRSV)

"And Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced because of what God had done for the people; for the thing had come about suddenly." (2 Chronicles 29:36, NRSV)

It is hard to miss the point in the story of all the kings in Chronicles. Be faithful to God, follow Him alone. It hits you over the head like a hammer. You even start to wonder how did the people of Judah and Israel miss it. Could they not learn the lesson of history of stay faithful and true to the Lord instead of turning to their own ways and false gods.

It is easy to shake our head at other people’s faults and failures, but it is hard to recognize our own. Our broken hearts and broken minds easily stray from God and his purpose. They easily stray from our divine creator and his destiny for us. I can understand Judah and Israel, because I am so easily marvel at other people’s ability and even my own—that I forget to recognize God in the moments of my life. It is God that provides makes things good for those that love Him.

Then even when we are doing right on the surface for God, our hearts can be in the wrong place. I love the first quote that I posted today about King Amaziah that he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but he did it without a true heart. How true that is: I am such a reluctant giver. I am such a reluctant lover of God in my heart.

I am reminded this morning that it is only through God that we are able to accomplish anything. Our job is to focus on Him. Our mission is to have a true heart that seeks to Love Him. Only then we will do what is right in the sight of the Lord, and only then will provide for us his immense blessings.

My prayer this morning for all of us is from the song by Paul Baloche:
“Open the eyes of my heart Lord
open the eyes of my heart
I want to see you
I want to see you”

Thinking Outside Our Community

2005-12-07T09:05:00.000-05:00

“Likewise when foreigners, who are not of your people Israel, come from a distant land because of your great name, and your mighty hand, and your outstretched arm, when they come and pray toward this house, may you hear from heaven your dwelling place, and do whatever the foreigners ask of you, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that your name has been invoked on this house that I have built." (2 Chronicles 6:32-33, NRSV)

Thinking outside the box! Does this surprise any of us. That Solomon, the great wise Solomon, prayed for foreigners of Israel to know God. We often think that evangelism or spreading the Good News of God is only a New Testament (particularly, Paul thing). No, not really at all. God has his sights on everybody since before the creation of the world. The reason that Israel is God’s chosen people is not because they did anything special or deserve to be chosen, but because God chose them to bless everybody. That is the essence of the covenant with Abraham: To bless the world. So here it is again, after Solomon has completed the temple, he turns and prays to God. He asks for God’s mercy when the people turn and sin; he even states that he knows that they will (6:36, there is no one who does not sin). Then Solomon even asks when foreigners turn and repent and come to you, be merciful to them and give them what they want.

That is thinking outside of you community. We have the greatest news, that God came down to earth to reside with us. He is not contained with a temple, but He walked among us and still is present with us. We are called not to keep them information that news to ourselves or within our own community be we are called to bless the world with that news. As Isaiah puts it we are to cry out to the world that Jesus is Lord!

“When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, and then they pray toward this place, confess your name, and turn from their sin, because you punish them, may you hear in heaven, forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send down rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance." (2 Chronicles 6:26-27, NRSV)

Even Solomon puts in his prayer asking God if the people confess his name. That is the whole ball game right there: confessing God’s name. Confessing that Jesus alone is Lord and Solomon opens it up just as God did from the very beginning to people outside the chosen community.

“because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9, NRSV)
How eager how we to share that Good News? If Solomon, who was the wisest person, who God was with (1:1), had it in his heart to share the good news with foreigners, with strangers, why do we struggle with this? If we are to be viable (what a lame word that is), if we are to be life-giving, life-sustaining, we are to tell (verbal) about Jesus. Why do we hesitate with such wisdom? Let us starting thinking outside our community, outside our church. In doing that we become the people, the church that God has created us to be.

One last comment this morning: Look at Solomon’s question below.

“But will God indeed reside with mortals on earth? Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built!" (2 Chronicles 6:18, NRSV)

God’s plan is even better than that Solomon! God decided not just to reside with mortals in the temple on this earth. God doesn’t to be one of us, to walk with us, to know our world through our eyes. We have a God that not only resides, but walks with us.

God's viabilty vs. Us

2005-12-06T11:19:00.000-05:00

"King David said to the whole assembly, “My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced, and the work is great; for the temple will not be for mortals but for the Lord God." (1 Chronicles 29:1, NRSV)

"Take heed now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary; be strong, and act.”" (1 Chronicles 28:10, NRSV)

"David said further to his son Solomon, “Be strong and of good courage, and act. Do not be afraid or dismayed; for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished." (1 Chronicles 28:20, NRSV)

I am no King. I certainly am not Solomon, nor do I pretend to be. But these words were encouragement for me this morning. One of the themes in scriptures particularly 1 Chronicles is that when God is with you, who can be against you. Good things happen when you are faithful and worship God in all things. The key is walking with God allowing him to be with you.

Even when David allowed Satan to stand up against Israel (1 Chronicles 21:1); David decided to count his blessings seemingly for his own glory and not God’s, David was quick to repent and even recognized that God’s mercy is greater than any human’s.

In this time as we try to establish Christ Presbyterian Church to be more “viable”, we need to define what does “viable” mean? Does it mean that we have enough money? Does it mean that we don’t have to worry about reaching out to our neighbors because we are do alright by ourselves. Or does it mean having God with us. We are not viable because of anything that we do. We are viable because of who God is. We need to learn a place in this world and in relationship with Him. We need to see his sovereignty in this world and to worship God and give God the glory for all things. Being viable means loving God and serving this world. If we do that…if we “Be Strong and Act” with the confidence that “God is with us.”—then we will be viable because God is viable. Viable really isn’t a strong enough word for God is it?

Dream Out Loud

2005-12-05T12:09:00.000-05:00

"When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream." (Psalm 126:1, NRSV

"I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." (Isaiah 61:10, NRSV)

And you can dream, so dream out loud. . . .
In dreams begin responsibilitiesAnd I can love, and I can loveAnd I know that the tide is turning 'round (U2, Acrobat)

God’s goodness cannot be imagine. God’s grace is not even the stuff of dreams. When God’s grace and salvation are generously spread over us and His creation, it will only be like the things we dream of. We an only begin to dream of his greatness and his sovereignty. The good news is that it is even better than our dreams.

Each night, when I put my boys to bed, I gave them a blessing that goes something like this: “May God protect you tonight. May you fall into a deep sleep and dream of God’s Kingdom and may you fall deeper in love with Jesus.” I wonder if my boys really do dream of God’s kingdom, I hope they do. I hope God provides them with those glimpse and dreams so that they do fall deeper in love with Jesus. When we experience his grace and presence in our lives, when we experience is Kingdom come now, he can’t help but fall in love with Jesus. And the cream of it all is that our dreams don’t even compare to the reality of His Kingdom.

I love the song Acrobat from U2, it is one of my favorites, and would be and my must have album—not many would include this song. But I love the line about dreaming out loud. God has given us the ability to dream and imagine His Kingdom coming, and our responsibility is to dream out loud. Dream so people can hear our dreams and experience just a little bit of the reality of God. I am not sure that is what they meant for this song, but it is what I get out of it.

May we be a people that God protects, that dreams out loud so the world can experience the Truth and reality of God. Come Jesus, come!

Best Laid Plans

2005-12-01T13:38:00.000-05:00

"Because you did not carry it the first time, the Lord our God burst out against us, because we did not give it proper care.” So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel." (1 Chronicles 15:13-14, NRSV)

Intentions are not good enough. Sometimes we have the best intentions or the best laid plans, but sometimes they are not enough. David was turning the people back to the Lord compared to Saul’s regime. He intended to bring back the Ark of the Lord, however, in his zest he forget the rules with the ark. He forgot that only the Levites were allowed to carry it. However, Saul was persisted, he made a mistake, and then he corrected it. He then brought the Levites in and had them sanctify themselves before he attempt to retrieve the Ark again. It worked the second time not because of David’s good intentions or plans, but because he was obedient.

I think at times at church we have good intentions, but we are not obedient to the process. We are obedient in keeping God the center and focus of our universe. He only becomes a part of the process instead of the process. We become more enamored in what we have planned and what we are doing (or what to do) than what God has plan.

Can we be a people that are repentant and correct our behavior when we realize that we haven’t been obedient to God’s plan and timing or will we push ahead with our plans?

Then in chapter 16 we get the bottom line of our task and God’s plan for us:

"Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Tell of his salvation from day to day." (1 Chronicles 16:23, NRSV)

Seems so simply—point people to Christ. Can we start by point ourselves to Christ!

A Voice Say Cry Out!

2005-11-30T16:30:00.000-05:00

A voice says, “Cry out!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” (Isaiah 40:6 NRSV)
What should I cry? This took me by surprise this morning. If I accept the premise of the question, then I accept that I should be crying out for something. If I should be crying out for something, what is my current situation in which I need to cry out from?
What should I cry? Help! Come Jesus! Those seem like relevant things to cry out in my life. It is easy how quickly I am geared to be self-centered. I just assume that I should be crying out for myself. Instead of crying to and for someone else.
That is just it. I should cry out for the benefit of others. I should cry out for the injustices in the world. I should cry out for those that can’t cry out. I should cry out for the Lord. In Isaiah 40, that is the bottom line. I (we) need to be crying out on the highest mountains the good news of Jesus Christ. The good news that God’s judgment is coupled with his grace; that God is going to tear through the heavens and personally intervene in my experience—in history. We need to proclaim and cry out to people the Good News that Jesus has come and will come again.
Lord, help me to cry! Help us!

Faithfulness in Advent

2005-11-29T11:08:00.000-05:00

"So all Israel was enrolled by genealogies; and these are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. And Judah was taken into exile in Babylon because of their unfaithfulness." (1 Chronicles 9:1, NRSV)

"So Saul died for his unfaithfulness; he was unfaithful to the Lord in that he did not keep the command of the Lord; moreover, he had consulted a medium, seeking guidance," (1 Chronicles 10:13, NRSV)

"And David became greater and greater, for the Lord of hosts was with him." (1 Chronicles 11:9, NRSV)

"Then the spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the Thirty, and he said, “We are yours, O David; and with you, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to the one who helps you! For your God is the one who helps you.” Then David received them, and made them officers of his troops." (1 Chronicles 12:18, NRSV)

Okay, I get it—it is about faithfulness. But whose? Does God depend on our faithfulness to do his work? Does he only work through us or for us when we are faithful?

The mighty work and favor of David is not because of David’s might, but God’s might. Yet, David was faithful and devoted and walks with God. Our faithfulness matters. The question is: are we faithful because allows us to be faithful and are we unfaithful because God hardens are heart? I think the answer probably is yes and no. Yes, in some ways that is probably true. No, because that is not our experience or at least they way we should perceive our life.

That question is almost relevant. What we are to take away is that we are called to be faithful and when we are God works for us (really for him—because we are only do his work when we are faithful). So how can we be a church or a people that is faithful? Is God with us or are we being put into exile?

Faithfulness is rooted in being the people that he calls us to be: mainly Loving God by Loving our Neighbor. Faithfulness is recognize God an focusing on God in all things. In this Christmas season (which really is Advent season) the world or moreso Satan is attacking the truth and distorting our focus. Instead of focusing on the importance of preparing our self for the once and future King we are allow ourselves to be deceived by the glitz and hurriedness of the secular season of Christmas. What if we were a people that was faithful to the Word of God and live out the Advent season of our lives: Preparing the Way for the Lord.

The Call of a Waiter

2005-11-22T11:02:00.000-05:00

From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who works for those who wait for him. Isaiah 64:4 (NRSV)

I dislike waiting. I am not very patient. Amusement parks annoy because you have to wait in line for hours to go on a 3 minute or less ride. Waiting on the internet or a computer is perhaps the most frustrating. Or waiting in traffic—there is no escape. Waiting in can be so painful and challenging.

Yet, there it is…God works for those that wait for him. Yikes! You mean I have to be a waiter (check out this play on words—God calls us to be waiters: being a person that waits for him, and that serves other people). You mean the thing that I struggle with the most is what God is calling us to do—to wait!

Do I wait for his will to be revealed? Do I wait to see what God is doing? Do I wait patiently for him and allow him to do the work or do I just do it.

The call of being a waiter. Argghh. However, The promise is great—He works for us that wait for him.

Lord, help me to be a waiter—to serve your people and to wait for you to work. Grant me patient.

Potter and the Right Path

2005-11-21T10:58:00.000-05:00

I went to see Harry Potter last night. I have to admit I am a Potter junkie. I can’t get enough of the stories and movies. Every time a movie or book comes out, I rush to read through it all and then go through a period of withdrawals. Good movie, but it strips a lot from the book for the sake of time. If you haven’t read the book (which are they any people out there) I don’t see why you would see the movie.

Anyway at the end of the movie, Professor Dumbledore (the father, wise figure) tells Harry, “we have two choices now, one that is right, and one that is easy.”

Which path are we going to take? The easy one or the right one. It seems hard to determine which is the right path for us to take. However, it isn’t really hard to determine which path is easier. I am not saying that the easy path is always wrong, but at times it is how we escape because the right path is too difficult.

In our culture today, we avoid conflict—at least living in the conflict. We are pretty good at entering into conflict and creating conflict, but we are not very good or eager to live and process through that conflict. It is easier to avoid it and just demonize the other side of conflict, instead of trying to reside and reconcile in the conflict.

The right path is difficult, it is counter-cultural. The right path takes us down a road that seems impossible or too difficult. The right path leads to God and is led by God.

Does Jesus identify with me?

2005-11-16T07:24:00.000-05:00

Ezekiel 34:16 (NIV) I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.

Matthew 25:40 (NRSV) And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’

Does Jesus identify with me? He clearly identifies himself with the hungry, the thirsty, the strangers, the naked, the sick, those in prison. He lists all those people as his family. But does he identify with me? Am I a member of his family? Am I one of those people that he would stand by and say I am like this. In Matthew and Ezekiel he clearly identifies with the poor and the forgotten in society. However, I’m not necessarily one of those people. I don’t really identify with those people. There are different from me, and I feel awkward around them. How can the King of Kings be one of them?

That is the question, yet from the very beginning, Jesus (God with us), identifies with the humble of the world. He entered this world in a stable; in a feed trough for animals with the only visitors initially were shepherds. He entered this world in the lower class and he left this world alone, dying on the cross.

Isn’t that the problem for most of us. It is not that Jesus doesn’t identify with us, it is that we don’t identify with Jesus. We don’t get what Jesus is all about. When we start seeing how Jesus sees the world, we start entering into his will and identify with the people that he does. We can look at the homeless, the hungry and hear their stories and realize they are not that different from us. Really the only difference is a thin line of grace. The sin of my arrogance is to believe that I have what I have because of myself and not because of the grace of God. Yet, even with God’s graciousness he identifies with the have-nots. It is not that we are different than the poor and the down-trodden; the problem is that we are different than Jesus.

Lord, help me to have your eyes, so I can see the world that you do. Help me to have the eyes of your heart, so that my heart may break for this world like yours does. Help me to use my hands and feet so I can serve the world that you serve. Help me to identify with you and your family.

Little Faith

2005-11-15T11:17:00.000-05:00

Little faith. Sometimes I feel like I have little faith. Doesn’t God hear me, doesn’t he know what I desire. I cannot move the mountains with my faith, but Jesus says in Matthew 17, if we had the faith of the mustard see we could. How big is my faith then? How big is our faith? Do you really believe God is working in our lives? Do we really believe God has a plan and purpose for Christ Presbyterian Church? Will God bring revival to this church and to this community?

Lord, help my unbelief. Help me ignore the enemy at the door. Help me to ignore the distractions that Satan is putting before us. Help me to hear your voice. Help me to have the faith bigger than a mustard seed. Help me to let go of my will, so your will can consume me.

Lord, Come! Come and bring revival in our hearts so your name can be proclaimed.

Quotes from the Men's Retreat

2005-11-14T16:36:00.000-05:00

“Relationship with God is a Journey not a destination.”
“Our purpose is intertwined with our personhood.”
“Sin is life destroying and life controlling”
“Surrender….take your life out of your hands.”
“Be a person in love with God’s presence.”
“God didn’t call me to be a success but to be a son (child of God)”
“God doesn’t need my help to run my life…”
“Live out today with the prospect of tomorrow not the past”
“If it is possible, I don’t need God…God dwells in the impossible.”
“What you cannot change, you must control, if you cannot control it, eliminate it.”
“God is moving away me from myself”
“What we know we must preach…we don’t have the luxury of being wrong”
“Does the Gospel with you or me?”
“What is trying to damage my relationship with God?”
“Jesus doesn’t want to be the center of my life, he wants to be my universe.”
“When it is beyond my ability, worship Him.”
Thanks Dwight!

Day with Thomas and my Boys

2005-11-14T16:08:00.000-05:00

The imagination is amazing thing. My boys love Thomas the Tank Engine. This past summer Jessi and I discovered that a real (minus the talking) Thomas the Train tours the country and pulls passengers around. We knew it would blow Andrew and Joshua's mind to actually take a ride on Thomas. The past several weeks I had been giving hints to them, foreshadowing the actually event happen. I would say something like, "wouldn't it be great to ride in a train." and, "wouldn't it be great if Thomas could take us."
I believe God does this for us. He has dropped hints foreshadowing his great wedding banquet for us. He has joyful played with us letting us know what abundance is to come.
When the days seem long, when we seem to have had enough, may we remember the promises and covenant God has made with us, and await for our Thomas ride in the sky.