Tuesday, May 18, 2010
I thought about this post for the past 24 hrs
... and scripture still says it best:
Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
- 1 Corinthians 1:26-31
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. [emphasis added]
2 Corinthians 1:3-7
Wow. And scripture says "any trouble" ... not "trouble except those resulting from sin, or the troubles of sinners."
Wow.
When God comforts us in our troubles, it's not for our benefit: it's so we can then comfort others in their troubles ... instead of withdrawing, griping, complaining, accusing and finding fault under every pebble and behind every corner.
Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
- 1 Corinthians 1:26-31
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. [emphasis added]
2 Corinthians 1:3-7
Wow. And scripture says "any trouble" ... not "trouble except those resulting from sin, or the troubles of sinners."
Wow.
When God comforts us in our troubles, it's not for our benefit: it's so we can then comfort others in their troubles ... instead of withdrawing, griping, complaining, accusing and finding fault under every pebble and behind every corner.
Monday, May 17, 2010
The Judas Christian (updated)
We all know about Judas.
Judas was the disciple who betrayed Christ to the chief priests for 30 pieces of silver ... and afterward, realizing what he'd done and the terrible mistake he'd made, Judas hung himself. We all know about Judas because we think of him as the most vilified and evil figure in scripture.
After all, scripture tells us "Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve."
We'd never let that happen, would be? We'd never betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver ... no way.
But we'd do it in a heart beat to date the guy or girl we've got a crush on when we know that person's not a believer; we'd do it to explode in anger and express our outrage because we're not getting our way or because the restaurant server's not delivering our food fast enough to suit us; we'd do it to avoid volunteering at church; we'd do it to flirt with a married co-worker; we'd do it to save on our taxes; we'd do it to catch a little late night porn on the web and we'd sure do it on Sunday mornings when the offering plate passes between our hands.
Thirty pieces of silver?
It's almost enough to make you think we'd betray Jesus ... and do, every day ... just because we think we can get away with it.
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. And you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers!
- Matthew 23:29-32
Judas was the disciple who betrayed Christ to the chief priests for 30 pieces of silver ... and afterward, realizing what he'd done and the terrible mistake he'd made, Judas hung himself. We all know about Judas because we think of him as the most vilified and evil figure in scripture.
After all, scripture tells us "Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve."
We'd never let that happen, would be? We'd never betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver ... no way.
But we'd do it in a heart beat to date the guy or girl we've got a crush on when we know that person's not a believer; we'd do it to explode in anger and express our outrage because we're not getting our way or because the restaurant server's not delivering our food fast enough to suit us; we'd do it to avoid volunteering at church; we'd do it to flirt with a married co-worker; we'd do it to save on our taxes; we'd do it to catch a little late night porn on the web and we'd sure do it on Sunday mornings when the offering plate passes between our hands.
Thirty pieces of silver?
It's almost enough to make you think we'd betray Jesus ... and do, every day ... just because we think we can get away with it.
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. And you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers!
- Matthew 23:29-32
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Rare Prayers
Lord please remove every obstacle in my life that prevents or distracts me from knowing you and from following your will, no matter what it might be.
Lord please expose and reveal my secret sin, because I am powerless to resist it by myself.
Lord please break apart everything that's kept me from hearing your word.
Lord please expose and reveal my secret sin, because I am powerless to resist it by myself.
Lord please break apart everything that's kept me from hearing your word.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Pleasure Principle Christianity
I haven't met every non-believer in the world, but my impression of the ones I have met is that if you asked them "What's the difference between you and someone who claims to be a Christian?" their answers might go something like this:
"They're hypocrites, that's the big thing. Christians make a big deal about church and how important church is but from the churches I've been to, church is all about dressing up, being seen and making a big impression. Churches like to teach don't drink, don't smoke, don't curse, don't have premarital sex, don't go to R rated movies ... which starts making church sound like it's just a bunch of rules against having fun.
"Christians say you've gotta stop sinning and follow a bunch of rules if you want to get into Heaven, but the real reason they want to go to Heaven is because they're expecting to be rewarded once they get there. In other words, they're willing to postpone having fun in this life so they can have fun forever, make up for lost time and get everything they want in Heaven.
"Another thing I've noticed is that for wonderful as they say Heaven's gonna be, when crunch time comes they sure don't seem very happy about finally going there.
"I guess what it comes down to is that Christians really aren't that much different from everybody else. They're looking for ways to be happy and get what they want, same as everybody else. Christians just think getting into Heaven is the answer and the best way to do it."
---
After Christ was flogged and crucified, while he hung dying on the cross, I don't think promising us happiness in this life or giving us a reason to feel self-righteous about going to Heaven was what he had in mind.
"They're hypocrites, that's the big thing. Christians make a big deal about church and how important church is but from the churches I've been to, church is all about dressing up, being seen and making a big impression. Churches like to teach don't drink, don't smoke, don't curse, don't have premarital sex, don't go to R rated movies ... which starts making church sound like it's just a bunch of rules against having fun.
"Christians say you've gotta stop sinning and follow a bunch of rules if you want to get into Heaven, but the real reason they want to go to Heaven is because they're expecting to be rewarded once they get there. In other words, they're willing to postpone having fun in this life so they can have fun forever, make up for lost time and get everything they want in Heaven.
"Another thing I've noticed is that for wonderful as they say Heaven's gonna be, when crunch time comes they sure don't seem very happy about finally going there.
"I guess what it comes down to is that Christians really aren't that much different from everybody else. They're looking for ways to be happy and get what they want, same as everybody else. Christians just think getting into Heaven is the answer and the best way to do it."
---
After Christ was flogged and crucified, while he hung dying on the cross, I don't think promising us happiness in this life or giving us a reason to feel self-righteous about going to Heaven was what he had in mind.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Prayer's not brain surgery
According to e-How.com a complex craniotomy ("brain surgery") can take up to 12 hours to perform, with more simple brain operations lasting between three and eight hours on average.
That might sound like a long time, but if you're the guy about to get his skull opened for a cranial overhaul, the last thing you want is a surgeon who can't wait to rush home in time to catch the season finale of Dancing With The Stars.
Nor would you be very enthusiastic about going under the knife of a brain surgeon who showed up in the operating room plugged into his iPod, or who set his scalpel down every two or three minutes to send txts back and forth to his pals.
I'm guessing the last thing you'd want is a surgeon who, less than five minutes into the procedure, suddenly got distracted ... with his attention wandering off to focus on how much he hated medical school or remembering just how dull, repetitious and boring brain surgery can be, or how much he wishes he was someplace else doing anything else.
No sir, if you're the guy stretched out on the operating table what you want is your surgeon's complete and undivided attention for the next three to twelve hours ... or however long it takes.
Because when you're hoping for a miracle, it helps to have a surgeon as committed and dedicated to success as you are.
---
Prayer's not brain surgery: the difference is that in prayer we ask and expect God to do miracles, but seems like we're only willing to invest two or three minutes of commitment and dedication before we get bored or distracted ... and then feel that we've done our part and given God our undivided attention.
That might sound like a long time, but if you're the guy about to get his skull opened for a cranial overhaul, the last thing you want is a surgeon who can't wait to rush home in time to catch the season finale of Dancing With The Stars.
Nor would you be very enthusiastic about going under the knife of a brain surgeon who showed up in the operating room plugged into his iPod, or who set his scalpel down every two or three minutes to send txts back and forth to his pals.
I'm guessing the last thing you'd want is a surgeon who, less than five minutes into the procedure, suddenly got distracted ... with his attention wandering off to focus on how much he hated medical school or remembering just how dull, repetitious and boring brain surgery can be, or how much he wishes he was someplace else doing anything else.
No sir, if you're the guy stretched out on the operating table what you want is your surgeon's complete and undivided attention for the next three to twelve hours ... or however long it takes.
Because when you're hoping for a miracle, it helps to have a surgeon as committed and dedicated to success as you are.
---
Prayer's not brain surgery: the difference is that in prayer we ask and expect God to do miracles, but seems like we're only willing to invest two or three minutes of commitment and dedication before we get bored or distracted ... and then feel that we've done our part and given God our undivided attention.
Steering by Committee? The Impossible is no problem
Yesterday I got drafted to help move a friend's boat to another marina.
The boat's engines don't work, and for the past few days the subject of how to move/tow/drag the 40-foot houseboat out of its slip, through the congested marina, down the channel and into its new slip between other vessels ... without playing nautical pinball machine and causing catastrophic damage to every boat between here and there ... became an intense subject of discussion, speculation and fretting.
Opinions varied: one estimate concluded no fewer than seven people ... to fend off, steer and handle lines ... would be required aboard plus two tow vessels (my own ill-advised suggestion was to contract a helicopter to pick up and relocate the boat). Bear in mind that the boat is 40 feet long and the space between adjacent vessels is 50 feet, leaving just 10 feet of wiggle room between success and lawsuit.
In the end, the boat's owner hired a professional tugboat captain to do the job ... and he showed up in an open top single engine runabout. He arrived at the appointed time, tied two lines to the houseboat, turned his boat around and began backing the houseboat out of the slip. Huh? What about waiting for the other five volunteers to show up and lend a hand?
Never mind that there were just two- not seven, of us aboard ... he didn't care. Oh, did I mention that the wind was gusting the 10-foot tall houseboat sideways at 25 mph ... with a strong current flowing perpendicular to the marina?
No problem. Twenty minutes later the houseboat was safely tied in her new slip ... without a scratch ... and by then eight of us (including wide-eyed onlookers) stood on the dock dumbfounded, shaking our heads at what we'd just seen. We'd witnessed the impossible happen right before our eyes.
We'd seen one guy use a boat barely bigger than a bathtub move a two-story houseboat through a crowded marina, across open water in a 25 mph wind and then back the houseboat into a slip just 15 feet wide. Beside a $600,000 trawler.
No problem. No drama. No yelling, no screaming, no second-guessing, no blame, no excuses and no fault-finding.
Tugboat captains? Those guys are good.
---
Funny how the captain didn't show up and start doing the job by asking everybody for their input, suggestions, advice and for their opinions. Neither did he say, "The first thing we need to do is form a steering committee."
My friend's boat would still be tied in its slip if he had.
The boat's engines don't work, and for the past few days the subject of how to move/tow/drag the 40-foot houseboat out of its slip, through the congested marina, down the channel and into its new slip between other vessels ... without playing nautical pinball machine and causing catastrophic damage to every boat between here and there ... became an intense subject of discussion, speculation and fretting.
Opinions varied: one estimate concluded no fewer than seven people ... to fend off, steer and handle lines ... would be required aboard plus two tow vessels (my own ill-advised suggestion was to contract a helicopter to pick up and relocate the boat). Bear in mind that the boat is 40 feet long and the space between adjacent vessels is 50 feet, leaving just 10 feet of wiggle room between success and lawsuit.
In the end, the boat's owner hired a professional tugboat captain to do the job ... and he showed up in an open top single engine runabout. He arrived at the appointed time, tied two lines to the houseboat, turned his boat around and began backing the houseboat out of the slip. Huh? What about waiting for the other five volunteers to show up and lend a hand?
Never mind that there were just two- not seven, of us aboard ... he didn't care. Oh, did I mention that the wind was gusting the 10-foot tall houseboat sideways at 25 mph ... with a strong current flowing perpendicular to the marina?
No problem. Twenty minutes later the houseboat was safely tied in her new slip ... without a scratch ... and by then eight of us (including wide-eyed onlookers) stood on the dock dumbfounded, shaking our heads at what we'd just seen. We'd witnessed the impossible happen right before our eyes.
We'd seen one guy use a boat barely bigger than a bathtub move a two-story houseboat through a crowded marina, across open water in a 25 mph wind and then back the houseboat into a slip just 15 feet wide. Beside a $600,000 trawler.
No problem. No drama. No yelling, no screaming, no second-guessing, no blame, no excuses and no fault-finding.
Tugboat captains? Those guys are good.
---
Funny how the captain didn't show up and start doing the job by asking everybody for their input, suggestions, advice and for their opinions. Neither did he say, "The first thing we need to do is form a steering committee."
My friend's boat would still be tied in its slip if he had.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
"The world's got so many problems today, I don't think anybody's got all the answers."
The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.
- Zephaniah 3:17
- Zephaniah 3:17
The Name Blame
I still notice the times when I meet another believer and the first question is, "What religion are you?"
Baptist? Catholic? Episcopalian or Methodist?
Why do we do that?
Is it easier categorizing and looking for the things we've chosen to divide us, instead of asking our new friend, "So what's Christ doing in your life?"
Baptist? Catholic? Episcopalian or Methodist?
Why do we do that?
Is it easier categorizing and looking for the things we've chosen to divide us, instead of asking our new friend, "So what's Christ doing in your life?"
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Nightime Christian, Daytime Believer
Remember the difference between Nighttime Guy and Daytime Guy?
Nighttime Guy is the one who likes to stay up late, party and have a good time. At 2am, Nighttime Guy will see the clock and say, "No problem! You've got plenty of time to sleep, so keep the party going."
But Daytime Guy is the guy the alarm clock wakes up the next morning at 7am after just three hours of sleep. Daytime Guy sets his alarm because he's got to shower, shave, fix breakfast, drive and be ready at work by 9am.
The one thing both guys have in common is that they both live inside the same guy.
--
We live in a culture that practically screams at us, "You have a RIGHT to be Happy!" And because we seldom hear anything convincing to the contrary, lots of people embrace that right ... and therefore feel entitled to do whatever it takes to make themselves happy.
Thing is, "Happiness" is temporary and refers to a current state of mind: a person can be blissfully happy at 10am but then feel perfectly miserable by noon ... while nothing of lasting or permanent consequence has happened in-between. He or she is still exactly the same person; the only difference is that they just don't feel "Happy" any more.
Christians who're focused on spending their lives in pursuit of Happiness are like Nighttime Guy. Because they feel entitled to a lifetime of happiness, they empower themselves to bypass the Commandments, ignore Scripture and indulge in sin if that's what they think it'll take to finally reach "Happiness" ... but somehow Happiness always remains one more elusive step away.
The believer who wakes up and arrives at work to surrender, worship and obey is like Daytime Guy. His days are spent focused on work ... and his happiness is found in the joy of serving and living for the resurrected Christ.
Nighttime Guy is the one who likes to stay up late, party and have a good time. At 2am, Nighttime Guy will see the clock and say, "No problem! You've got plenty of time to sleep, so keep the party going."
But Daytime Guy is the guy the alarm clock wakes up the next morning at 7am after just three hours of sleep. Daytime Guy sets his alarm because he's got to shower, shave, fix breakfast, drive and be ready at work by 9am.
The one thing both guys have in common is that they both live inside the same guy.
--
We live in a culture that practically screams at us, "You have a RIGHT to be Happy!" And because we seldom hear anything convincing to the contrary, lots of people embrace that right ... and therefore feel entitled to do whatever it takes to make themselves happy.
Thing is, "Happiness" is temporary and refers to a current state of mind: a person can be blissfully happy at 10am but then feel perfectly miserable by noon ... while nothing of lasting or permanent consequence has happened in-between. He or she is still exactly the same person; the only difference is that they just don't feel "Happy" any more.
Christians who're focused on spending their lives in pursuit of Happiness are like Nighttime Guy. Because they feel entitled to a lifetime of happiness, they empower themselves to bypass the Commandments, ignore Scripture and indulge in sin if that's what they think it'll take to finally reach "Happiness" ... but somehow Happiness always remains one more elusive step away.
The believer who wakes up and arrives at work to surrender, worship and obey is like Daytime Guy. His days are spent focused on work ... and his happiness is found in the joy of serving and living for the resurrected Christ.
"Urgent Urgent, Emergency?"
When we finally get around to praying, have we noticed that it's usually because we've run into a situation that feels like an EMERGENCY?
"Lord, I've got a big problem."
"Oh Lord, please get me out of debt."
"Our Father, send me a man."
"Dear God, what I need is a plan."
Always so urgent when we speak, and ask God to drop favors in our laps.
Not quiet so urgent in-between, when everything seems to be going our way. When we're paying attention to our will, and not to our Father's.
What we miss is that the answers and the solutions have always been there before we need them.
We're just not willing to listen to God ... not even when the consequences of our choices lead us to seek him in urgent, emergency-style "Lord please fix things!" prayer.
"Lord, I've got a big problem."
"Oh Lord, please get me out of debt."
"Our Father, send me a man."
"Dear God, what I need is a plan."
Always so urgent when we speak, and ask God to drop favors in our laps.
Not quiet so urgent in-between, when everything seems to be going our way. When we're paying attention to our will, and not to our Father's.
What we miss is that the answers and the solutions have always been there before we need them.
We're just not willing to listen to God ... not even when the consequences of our choices lead us to seek him in urgent, emergency-style "Lord please fix things!" prayer.
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