Thankful One

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. - Colossians 3:15


I'm thankful for a lot of things.  Today I am especially thankful that we're part of a glorious Bride, the Church.  We are colorful and varied; and even though our diversity sometimes leads to immature squabbling; as Christians we are all ultimately bound for the same destination.

Whatever place you find yourself in as a part of the Body of Christ, I encourage you today to be thankful for that fellowship.  Not all of my friends are believers, but all of my closest friends are and I am so incredibly blessed by those connections.

Having those close relationships, being able to depend on others, rejoicing together, worshiping together, ministering together, praying, crying, laughing, working . . . all of these things add up to the beautiful togetherness of the Body.  The Church.  That is indeed something each of us can be thankful for.  It is not the only cause for peace, but it is none-the-less, but these connections go a long way in helping each of us to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts.

I know I'm not the only one thankful today, but for oh so many things I am a thankful one.

Author

Image by the pink sip via Flickr

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. -- Hebrews 12:2


I've been thinking a lot about this verse lately.  There are so many great theological implications caught up in it.   However, rather than diving off into some kind of theological discourse or discussion here, I want to share a song I wrote from it yesterday afternoon.


Author

Verse 1

Oh turn the page, a quiet place, write my life

Close the book the Lamb was slain

Words of grace, chapters of faith, all my days

Bought in blood, Oh empty grave

Chorus

Author of the Life I lead

You’re better than the breath I breathe

Higher than the peaks I reach

Brighter than the Lights I see

You’re bigger than the help I need

Stronger than the strength in me

Calmer than calmest peace

You’re louder than the songs I sing

Verse 2

You hold the pen, Oh ink sink in, seal my heart

Write words of light to break my dark

Create in me, the Bride You see, let Love be

A story told for all eternity

Bridge

You wrote me, You made me

I left You, You saved me

God's Kid

As soon as Jesus wasbaptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and hesaw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voicefrom heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” –Matthew 3:16,17

It’s good being God’s kid. I’m not really one that gets extremely wrapped up in the emotional sideof my faith too much; but it’s hard to avoid some pretty strong emotion when Istart thinking about the idea of God looking down at us and being pleased.  Of course, sometimes we fall really short ofpleasing Him.  But it’s a great feelingknowing that because I have given my life and my heart to His service that Hesees my life and is pleased.

If you’ve given your life to Christ He sees you and feelsthe same way.  You’re His son or Hisdaughter and He looks on and says, “I love you, I am well pleased.”

Just a thought to think on next time you’re feeling unlovedor underappreciated.

Hope

People swear bysomeone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts anend to all argument.  Because God wantedto make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of whatwas promised, he confirmed it with an oath.  God did this so that, by two unchangeablethings in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take holdof the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged.  We have this hope as an anchor for the soul,firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where ourforerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priestforever, in the order of Melchizedek. – Hebrews 6:16-20

Bad things are going to happen in this life.  That’s just the way it is.  There’s no way around them.  You can’t close your eyes and pretend theydon’t happen, and there’s no pretending that being a Christian helps you gounscathed through this existence.

However…

The weight of serious tragedy and trial can be endured andin some cases lifted all together by the hope of the Gospel at work in ourlives.  Sometimes life will sink us, ordrown us, or toss us upon against the rocks in some unfair storm; but there isalways a light to shine through the night; there is always an anchor of hopethat holds us when we can’t hold on ourselves.

Forever

Image via WikipediaYesterday I was discussing the various aspects of eternity with a group of students I meet with regularly.  We talked for a good long while and one of the things we lingered on for a bit is the notion of "forever" in relation to us and eternity.

If I'm being completely transparent here I have to admit that eternity in terms of forever-forward is a hard thing for me to comprehend, or even contemplate for that matter.  The idea of endlessness or everlastingness as concerns our existence is just incredibly difficult to absorb.  That is not to say that I don't believe in the eternal here-after.  Rather, it is my acknowledgement that when dealing with this particular line of thought my intellectual reasoning is simply not up to the task.  It is purely a faith issue for me.

My pea-brain understands that biologically there is an end to how long it can exist.  My thirty-one year old body bares witness with this in that I can't quite do some things as well or as quickly as I used to.  Forever, rings to me as something akin to infinite, at least in terms of time, and what are we as mortal human beings if not finite.  In the seas of time and foreverness we exist as but a vapor and a mist caught up in this mortal coil, and yet we are offered eternity.

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” - John 4:13,14

 In times when I begin to seriously consider the nature of forever and eternity my humanity has great difficulty.  Rarely is there a greater opportunity for my faith step up.

Blogs by others

• Thirsty (countingmyblessings.typepad.com)
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Today

Image via CrunchBaseWhat does your day look like today?  Mine is busy.  Reeeeaaaally busy.  It's that good kind of busy that I often look forward to it, but that doesn't make for any easier of a day, just one that I will most likely enjoy more.

I couldn't even begin to tell you how often I open Twitter on my iPhone to see people railing about how terrible their day is.  It's no different on facebook either.  Some people are just always endlessly whining about something that has ruined their day.

Lately I've just started removing those people from my news feed.  I'll either unsubscribe, unfollow, or just block someone that is always whining.... always.  There are a few people I went to high school with that are especially like this, and it sort of serves to remind me why I didn't really care to be around them way back then.  Of course, there are several newer acquaintances that get the sharp side of the unfollow-axe too.

My days are usually fairly busy and even though I know I'm probably not always Captain Happy (Jamie would probably be quick to agree) I don't have time today to sort through all the incessant moaning and complaining.

Today is too short to fill it up with ill-influencers, negative news, and rotten-egg attitudes; plus, today is probably better than you think it is.

Beauty Happens

Image via WikipediaI've been laying here tonight trying to wind down from an incredibly packed day. Campus Church was great tonight. We had a wonderful turnout and I was just replaying all the awesome God-things that took place in my life over the last twenty-four hours.

As I was reading though 1 Chronicles 10 Jamie snuggled up to me in her sleep. She was already at that point in her rest where she didn't even really realize what she was doing. Something in her just knew its warmer, safer . . . better, in togetherness.

I was nearing the end of the chapter and glanced over...and just looked at her. My beautiful, tired, sleeping, wonderful wife. It was enough to just make me want to write.

(Pardon my mixed tenses. The writer in me says, "don't do it," but the storyteller says, "go on," and it seems he has the stronger voice at 12:45 a.m..)

It has nothing all to do with what I've been blogging lately, but it has everything to do with this crazy lens through which I see God. Remember? I'm the guy that gets convinced of the awesomeness of the Almighty by the poetic yumminess of a grilled-cheese sandwich.

Paul often wrote of God revealing Himself through the wondrous beauty of creation. David and the other Psalmists couldn't get enough of it. Neither can I.

Be it a snowy Rocky Mountain summit, an Arkansas Fall, an East Coast dawn, or my Enchanting Bride, God's Beauty is everywhere. I see these things He created and I see His creativity lovingly lavishing His goodness upon my senses and soul.

He doesn't have to bottle it or manufacture it. Neither does God must need give forth great effort or expense to craft all these things of beauty. Beauty itself, and the ability to recognize it, like Him, simply is.

Because He is. Because He is Good. Beauty Happens.

Yesterday

This weekend I started a line of thought and was planning to conclude it over the weekend.  After thinking on it quite a bit more I've decided to expand the idea and spread it out over a few more days.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONXp-vpE9eU]

How often have you gotten bent out of shape about something that happened yesterday?  Yeah, I know.  What people say and do sometimes can crush us.  What we say or do has just as much power to devastate as well, others or ourselves.  Are you still paying for past mistakes?  Does someone you know regularly throw those mistakes in your face?

Yesterdays are incredibly important, but maybe not for the reasons some of us would like to think.  Mistakes we make can serve a purpose by offering opportunities to learn more about ourselves.  If we have been wronged that becomes a teaching tool for us to become wise and wary, not weary, but we must take great care not to cross over into bitterness or wholesale skepticism in regards to others.  The past can be something for us to draw inspiration from because of the good things that happened as well.

 

Triumph is a catalyst for encouragement. 

 

What could be more triumphant than rescue by a loving God that can be neither touched by mortality, influenced by space, nor swallowed by eternity... but I don't want to get ahead of myself.

Change

Sit incredibly still for the next 4.3 seconds. Try it. Do your dead-level-best to stay exactly the same as you are for the next week. Impossible. You can't even stay just as you are or even where you are for the next 0.0001 second.

Our bodies are finite physical beings. We exist within the confines of this physical space around us.

Try as we might to sit still, the reality is that our bodies are resting upon a planet that is in constant motion traveling through a solar system and galaxy that are in continual state of flux. We are not still.

We may persist in our foolish stubbornness trying to remain the same for months, days, or moments; but our flesh is dying, building, producing, and processing. It is changing...always.

We throw ourselves into so many things out of a vain sense of legacy, wishing to be remembered for some daring deed as a lofty legend of some sort. But as concerns this mortal coil there is an end. There can be no mortality without end.

I'll conclude this line of thought tommorrow.

Politicians and Providence

Have you ever griped about a politician?  I know have. Often.  It’s hard not to whenthings seem to be going haywire on a regular basis.  Griping and complaining about the things wedon’t like or agree with is a healthy part of our American political process,but it shouldn’t end there.  If all weever do is bicker about it, then we aren’t actually engaging in the process, weare only highlighting the problems… or adding to them.

As responsible citizens we should engage in the solutionprocess by carrying out our civic duty and voting.  Communicating our frustrations and desires toour elected officials through healthy channels is key.  However, as believers we should take it a stepfurther and actually lift our leaders up in prayer on a regular basis.

For because of thisyou also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to thisvery thing. – Romans 13:6

God is sovereign.  Ifa ruler is in power it is for a reason. We may not agree with their decision making process, and it might be contraryto everything we believe in; but we must continue to hold to the truth that Godis sovereign.

Yes, I will probably continue to grumble and complain when Isee elected officials do something ridiculous. I will also do my part by pointing those complaints to politicallyreceptive parties, and I will continue to vote; but I will also lift up thoseleaders in prayer, even as I disagree with them.

*For a great study on the sovereignty of God check out the Book of Daniel.

Need?

During my study time yesterday I was reading Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer. In one of the chapters he talks a bit about the dangers of the secularization of the Church due to people's changing perceptions of God. The following are some thoughts I typed up on my phone while mulling it all over.

As our perception of self increased, our perception of God decreased. Where once men worshipped , wept, and trembled before the Awesomeness of The Almighty they now malign and mock the mere mention of His name. And the Church? We, His bride, purchased with the immeasurable bride-price of sacrificed Deity...we beg and plead people to take Him and accept Him, as if He is the one in need of us.

God needs none of us. Indeed, even, God does not need. As Tozer puts it, "need is a creature word" and can never describe the Creator.

However, we often vex ourselves, most unnecessarily, by thinking we're doing God some great favor by begging people to "accept" Him. The plain truth is that we are the ones in desperate need of acceptance. We need His sovereign love and grace to repair the damage our sin caused to the God-man-relationship.

Lord, help us not to think You need us. Help us to show others how desperately we all need You.

Text It

Matt Kennon is a terrible singer. He sings with that kind of phony country twang that is worse than irritating, but his song The Call hits on a truth that is absolutely exceptional. The song tells several stories about people poised to make some life altering, or ending, decisions whose situations are drastically changed by the influence of a friendly phone call.

There is a great truth to be discerned from this simple idea; honest encouragement is powerful.

In the past when I would send out my monthly newsletter I would attach small post-it notes to a number of the outgoing letters. It was never anything overly profound or lengthy. Usually it was more along the lines of "I just wanted to say thanks" or "thinking about you today." Even so, I heard back from several people about how those little personal notes brightened their day.

Fast forward about eight years and here we all are in a world where world wide communication borders on instantaneous and the socialization of media and information is the norm. How might that former snippet of encouragement look in a world where a phone is barely used for talking and paper mail is old-hat? Text messages.

Several times lately I've had stray thoughts of dear friends cross my mind, seemingly out of the blue. It had become my regular practice to lift them up in prayer when this happens, but also, to text them, let them know they're on my mind, and try to offer some sincere encouragement.

I like how Hebrews 3:13 puts it, "but encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today..."

Encouragement is powerful, and in this modern age of communication it is just a few key stokes away.

Greatest Expectations

Just nine short weeks ago I had a birthday.  It was a fun day spent with people I lovedoing some of the things that I really enjoy.  This morning I was thinking about how much mylife has changed in these last two months.

When September began I was firmly entrenched in all theawesomeness that goes with the hectic activity of fall semester startup as acampus missionary.  I was building greatrelationships, meeting awesome people, planning exciting activities, and awashin all the social buzz surrounding each of these things.  I had just returned to school to continue myeducation by pursuing a master’s degree in multi-media journalism.  In the realm of entertaining hobbies, thingswere looking more than chipper as several of my favorite stories were due tomake big screen appearances or hit DVD; and the holiday season for video gameenthusiasts was poised to blow the mind of every digital junky that owns acontroller.

And then…

Three days after my birthday Jamie walked into the room witha little white bag and handed it to me. Inside was a pregnancy test. Results? Positive. 

In the days since she handed me that little bag a lot of stuffhas gone through my mind.  This morningas I was reflecting on these things I was drawn continually to just how myexpectations for this next year, and life in general, were forever changed by asimple little white bag.  It reminded meof the verse I put in my block in our high school annual my senior year.

However, as it iswritten: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived whatGod has prepared for those who love him" – 1 Corinthians 2:9

When September began my mind, my heart, and my soul wereengaged in all the great things that I have come to treasure, love, and expectabout my blessed life.  As November dawnsI see that my expectations were great, but God’s expectations are the greatest.

Everyone. Everywhere. Everyday.

I once heard a pastor that I have a tremendous amount of respect for give a lecture on his thoughts concerning evangelism. If you read the title of this entry, then you already have the gist of what the pastor I speak of had to say that day.

Everyone. Everywhere. Everyday. This means that anyone you cross paths with, at any location, or at any moment, could be depending on you to share the Gospel with them.

I do a lot of teaching about how to talk to people about Christ. Not all people you share the Gospel with will require, or need, to hear words from you. In fact, some will be impacted much more if you just live it out authentically in front of them. There are, however, those that need to hear someone put into words their reasons and results from living a life with Christ. Because of this, we need to be willing to share the Gospel with everyone, everywhere, everyday.

Life = Fair? No.

The good things we do as the Church, we do as a result ofour compulsion to love people as Christ loves us.  The social justice movement is all aboutfairly distributing stuff.  It always hasbeen.  Trace it all the way back to theroot ideas as espoused by Thomas Aquinas.

Should the Church being doing good in this world? Withoutquestion. But who defines what that good is? Or how it's done? Only God candefine that or charge His people with carrying it out. James 1:27 and Isaiah1:17 are great things for the believer to strive for, but as believers we readand interpret those passages through our regenerated souls. We shouldabsolutely be trying to help people in any way we can as long as it does notcontradict the Gospel. However, the rampant declarations of a great deal ofsocial justice proponents today have little to do with doing good deeds asdefined by the only document that can accurately define good deeds.

Today’s evangelists for social justice do not have thehighest good on their hearts or minds. For the last several years every time I hear, read about, or see socialjustice being proposed it is an attempt to promote it as good based on thetenets of equality and entitlement for all people, especially the have-nots, inevery facet of life.  It is theideological promotion of fairness across the board.  It is a pipe dream.

Life is not fair, and never will be.  For the secularist thinker life will never befair no matter their station, provision, or vocation because there will alwaysbe someone who’s idea of fairness does not equate their own.  To the Christian I say life will never befair because Christ died to spare us; both from what we deserve, and what weare entitled to.

Social Justice = Mission? No.

What is the mission of the Church?  Some would have you believe that the Church’s mission is to champion the cause of social justice.  Those who believe this are fundamentally flawed in their thinking, but they are not alone.  God did not become incarnate man to bring about a “fair” distribution of wealth, a universal healthcare system, or fix any of these other social issues.  Even so, folks falling on the other side of this heated debate would do well to realize that neither did He did suffer and die on the cross to make you a shiny new Republican. Until a political party exists that stands solely on the platform of the Cross of Christ, you will not find any human political agenda that stands on equal footing with the mission given to the bride from the Bridegroom.

The Church as a relational embodiment of the human connection to our Holy God does not exist to champion the escalating catastrophes of political pandering.  Social Justice, when you boil it down to its barest essence means “getting what you’re due.”  In other words, it is the idea that all people should get what we deserve, or have a right to.

The basest thoughts of social justice are an attempt to offer up this ruse in a positive light, but, at the core, is the thought that all men are deserved of something.  Indeed we are, for since that day in the Garden when Eve was deceived and Adam followed her unto willful rebellion all we have been owed was all that our race had bought into.

I’m glad God loves me too much to give me what I deserve.  In terms of theological thinking (thinking about God) receiving what we deserve would be a nightmare.  Salvation itself is God providing for us undeserved—unobtainable grace.  Freely.

Some would squabble that I am dodging the issue, but I would argue that this is actually the issue in its truest form. God created. God said it was good. Man ruined it. What do we think that we deserve?

Paul wrote that the only good religion was taking care of widows and orphans.  I wholeheartedly agree, Christians should uphold the finest examples of selflessness and love, but the purpose of the Church is not good religion.  The purpose, indeed the mission, of the Church is to go to the entire world, preaching the gospel, and making disciples.

Go everywhere.  Preach the gospel.  Make disciples.

Who do you think you are?

When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: "When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, 'Friend, move up to a better place.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." -- Luke 14: 7-11

The average Joe would more than likely agree with the idea that many people who find themselves in leadership positions in this day and age arrive to their position not due in any part to merit or worthiness. Sure there are some, but they are far and away outnumbered by those who have climbed the ranks due to charisma, personality, and their willingness to appease others in authority.

News flash! Self-centered personality driven leadership is old and ineffective. Take a look at the political arena today. People squabble over stupidity and the media jumps on it like a basset hound on a pork chop. People have lost faith in leaders of all kinds.

Politicians are constantly the source of jokes and bitter stories, and for good reason. Ask almost any common man or woman a few simple questions and it will not take you long to realize that most look on this nation's leadership with a skewed perception. We are almost numb to the idea that our leaders are self serving. That mentality has penetrated almost every walk of life we endeavor ourselves to.

However, there is a reason that these positions often harbor the moniker "public servant". Isn't it time people in places of leadership started truly serving those under their authority.

This might speak to more than just folks in the political arena.

There's a problem!

Bill Hybels said this to a group of church leaders:

"If you went to the airport, and there were no airplanes landing, and there were no airplanes taking off, you'd say, 'There's a problem!' If you went to the train station, and there were no trains coming and no trains leaving, you'd say, 'There's a problem!'

So why is it that we can be a part of churches that go on year after year with almost no truly unchurched people coming to faith in Christ and with very few people really becoming more Christlike, and yet think there's no problem. Friends, if that describes your church, 'There's a problem!'"

By it's very nature and purpose, the church ought to be a contagious place that is spreading the Christian faith to more and more outsiders. In fact, there ought to be an epidemic of people trusting in Christ. Why isn't this happening?

Hope - C.S. Lewis

"Hope is one of the Theological virtues. This means that a continual looking forward to the eternal world is not (as some modern people think) a form of escapism or wishful thinking, but one of the things a Christian is meant to do. It does not mean that we are to leave the present world as it is. If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next. The Apostles themselves, who set on foot the conversion of the Roman Empire, the great men who built up the Middle Ages, the English Evangelicals who abolished the Slave Trade, all left their mark on Earth, precisely because their minds were occupied with Heaven. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. Aim at Heaven and you will get earth 'thrown in': aim at earth and you will get neither." -- Page 134; Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis

Kirk Cameron's Happy Birthday Picture

Happy B-day Kirk!

You may or may not have heard about the recent viralexplosion surrounding Kirk Cameron’s birthday picture.  In almost every circumstance or situation itis being called “Kirk Cameron’s Sad Birthday” or something to that affect.

If you don’t know who Cameron is, he was the teen star of the1980’s television hit Growing Pains.  The show enjoyed a prosperous run on ABC andsince its finale Kirk has moved on to pursue a career more in line with hisvalues and beliefs.  He is now theco-host for the TV show Way of the Master.

The picture that is gathering so much attention was snappedby a coworker at a small, private, office party for the 41 year oldactor-turned-evangelist.

I guess what catches me so off guard, and prompted me toblog about it, is the fact that pretty much every news outlet reporting on thisis talking about it in a negative light. It calls me to point out the true sadness in this situation.  The media keeps hammering on his fall fromstardom and all of that kind of thing, but he made his decision to walk awayfrom Hollywood years ago.  He lives ahappy life, is a successful minister, and has a nice nuclear family.

Of course these days, society and media do not measuresuccess by joy, but by dollar signs and attention.  I wonder, who’s life is full of morecontentment, Kirk who is living the life he chose, doing the things heenjoys—or someone like Lindsay Lohan and Charlie Sheen, who’s Hollywood successhas driven them to such a self-destructive lifestyle.