One of my favorite genres of literature is suspense. More to the point, there's something about irony that I love. Maybe it's seeing the tables turned, maybe it's seeing the good guys win, or maybe it's the mere fun of it - I don't know. Anyway, this morning I was reading one of the most ironic stories in all of the Bible contained in the book of Esther.
Some of you know the story. Haman is out to get Mordecai because of his intense hatred for all things Jewish-and Mordecai is 100 percent Jewish! Under the guidance of his friends and his wife Zeresh, he has a gallows built that will soon be the means of death for Mordecai. Because of the great honor that Haman is being bestowed with, his confidence is soaring that King Xerxes will grant his request to have Mordecai hung in the morning. Why not?
What of all things happens next? The king is bored and can't sleep and so he has called for the book that chronicles the entirety of his reign as king and he asks for this to be read to him. Perhaps this was much like asking someone to read you the latest Tax Guide - almost a certain way of sawing logs in no time. However, what the king hears is that Mordecai never received the just due he was owed after exposing the plot to have the king killed. The king immediately calls in Haman and asks him what should be done for someone that the king wants to honor. And here's even more irony. Haman gets it in his head that, "of course, the king is referring to me," when in fact we the reader know all along that it's Mordecai that the king wants to honor.
To make a long story short, Mordecai is honored and it's Haman that is ordered by the king to grab the robe and is charged with leading Mordecai through the streets as one of honor. Haman can only go home at the end of the day with his head covered in grief. Thanks to the courage of Esther and Mordecai, the plot against the Jews is exposed and it's Haman that hangs on the very gallows that he himself had built. Now that's irony at its best!
I love it when the dark side is exposed and the good side revels in victory. Herein our very bibles lies such a story. You see, the bad guys don't always have to win.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Winning on Purpose
I spent the morning attending a conference sponsored by our district that was based on John Kaiser's book Winning on Purpose: How to Organize Congregations to Succeed in Their Mission. In fact, Kaiser was there himself. I must say that while his book is filled with great wisdom and insight, he's far better in person. He's funny, conversational, and generally enjoyable to listen to. I'd like to share a couple of insights that came out of the conference.
First, Kaiser points out that our mission as the church is a response to the following question: "Why does our congregation exist?" In turn, one could answer this in one of three ways. First, some churches might (and quit often do) come down on the side that the church is for us. Answering this way is a result of having an inward focus with the result being that the church exists as a "spiritual healthclub" of sorts wherein we pay dues (our tithes) and therefore feel like we should get something back in return (having our needs met). Keep in mind that this is not a salvation issue.
A second way a church could answer this question comes down on the opposite side of the spectrum. Here, we might say that the church exists for others. Having such an approach comes from an outward focus and espouses the belief that the church is for those who aren't here yet. Salvation, the concern for those who don't know Jesus as their Lord and Savior, is of chief concern in the emphasis placed on others.
Thirdly, many churches would answer this question by saying that the church is for both - those in the church and those outside the church. This is seemingly a good answer. It's a safe answer and probably a biblical answer. However, the follow up question to this answer is the following: If the church exists for BOTH, who are you going to serve first? In other words, who gets preferential treatment? Who comes first? The reason why this follow up question has to be asked is because if we simply say that the church is for both, whose going to get the most attention? It's the people inside the church, the current attenders, that squeak the loudest and thereby warrant the most attention. The people outside the church are not knocking down our doors and clamoring for our attention. So, if this happens, and it will if we say BOTH, then in fact we've become inward focused and by doing so, conclude that the church exists for us.
So, this brings us back to the beginning. The church must exist for others first. This doesn't mean that we don't care for the needs of our parishioners. However, it does mean that they aren't served first. In fact, it is they that serve in order to fulfill the Great Commission.
You see, our mission is so important and if we lose sight of it, as many of us in church leadership do, we'll slowly fall into a focus that draws us further and further inward. To do so would be to miss out on God's intended purpose for the church - to reach out to the least, last, and lost. After all, it's not the spiritually healthy that need help, but those who are sick. This is why Jesus came. This is why the church exists today.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Reminiscing
Reminiscing (I think I spelled that right) is something I do on a regular basis. I think this makes me like my dad. He likes to reminisce too. For seven years, our family has lived out of state you might say. We've lived in Kentucky and New Jersey - places that I did relatively little reminiscing in simply because life was so busy that I rarely had time to think on what used to be back home in West Michigan.
But today, living in the same neck of the woods where I grew up, to reminisce is something that I can easily do. As I drive through the parts that I used to frequent as a child, I find myself thinking on what used to be. As I eat at a restaurant that my friends and I used to frequent during our high school years, I can't help but think on times past. Thankfully, for me these were mostly good times and so I'm not hindered by a past that I'd rather forget. As I think on this, I've discovered that what I miss most about those days are the people themselves. I miss my friends, the guys I used to hang out with. In some cases, I spent several years with these friends. And because of this, they and their lengthy history with me is not easily forgotten.
Just today, I made a connection with a friend that I haven't spoken with in probably eight years. Our lives went in different directions after High School and we quickly lost touch. It's great, though, to make contact once again and begin the possibility of renewing a friendship long lost.
I wonder if this is partially what Heaven will be like - reminiscing and hanging out with loved ones that have since departed for a better place. As I reminisce about my Grandma and Grandpa Bouma, and countless others, including my Father-in-Law who never had a chance to meet our five children, I hope so.
But today, living in the same neck of the woods where I grew up, to reminisce is something that I can easily do. As I drive through the parts that I used to frequent as a child, I find myself thinking on what used to be. As I eat at a restaurant that my friends and I used to frequent during our high school years, I can't help but think on times past. Thankfully, for me these were mostly good times and so I'm not hindered by a past that I'd rather forget. As I think on this, I've discovered that what I miss most about those days are the people themselves. I miss my friends, the guys I used to hang out with. In some cases, I spent several years with these friends. And because of this, they and their lengthy history with me is not easily forgotten.
Just today, I made a connection with a friend that I haven't spoken with in probably eight years. Our lives went in different directions after High School and we quickly lost touch. It's great, though, to make contact once again and begin the possibility of renewing a friendship long lost.
I wonder if this is partially what Heaven will be like - reminiscing and hanging out with loved ones that have since departed for a better place. As I reminisce about my Grandma and Grandpa Bouma, and countless others, including my Father-in-Law who never had a chance to meet our five children, I hope so.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
How Awesome is Our God
I'm not usually one for blogging my sermons. In fact, I've never done this - mostly because my sermons aren't in manuscript form. Nonetheless, since I had nothing else worthwhile to write this morning, I thought I'd give you the "Big Idea" of the sermon I preached last weekend titled Feeding Your Restlessness.
This is the second in the series that we at The Voyage Church are calling RESTLESS. The series itself is largely based on Bill Hybels and his recent book Holy Discontent. Our goal throughout the series has been to help people see that they were created for reason - that their life has meaning and purpose. Unfortunately, many people end up in places and positions where they are living so far from what they were created by God to do and be in this world that their lives are extremely painful to watch. Simply put, their miserable. Therefore, our hope is that through this series God would begin to speak to them and that people would take the time to listen to what He might be saying.
Having said all of this, last week I preached a sermon about what you do once you've found the passion and pursuit that God has for you in this life. If you know God wants you to be a writer in order to impact thousands of lives, what should you do next? If you know God is calling you to be a stay-at-home mom, how do you develop this passion in your life? The problem here is that many people figure out their God given passion and yet they don't feed it. They begin to back away and eventually the fire and the passion begins to dwindle and soon it's gone all-together and not easily rekindled.
As I worked my way through the book of Nehemiah in preparation for this sermon, I came across something that struck me and became the Big Idea in the sermon. Nehemiah faced a great deal of opposition as he and his fellow Jews began to rebuild the walls in Jerusalem. As they were facing the threat of swords, spears and bows, Nehemiah says these words:
"Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your
homes." (Neh. 4:14)
In the margin of my bible I wrote Nehemiah's statement in my own words: "Move forward despite your doubts." In essence, this is what I think Nehemiah was saying to his people. Keep at it! Keep going despite how scared you are and how threatening the situation may be!
And then, I found these words in Nehemiah 4:20 that jumped out at me. It says, "Whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there [along the wall]. Our God will fight for us!"
Our God will fight for us.
The fact is, God wants us to win. He wants us to discover our God given passion and pursuit in this life. So, if your wrestling with doubts, anxiety, uncertainty, often the best thing you can do is to keep moving forward despite your doubts because your God will fight for you.
This in a nutshell is what I said on Sunday morning - of course I said it far more eloquently (insert laugh track here).
I hope you have found it helpful.
This is the second in the series that we at The Voyage Church are calling RESTLESS. The series itself is largely based on Bill Hybels and his recent book Holy Discontent. Our goal throughout the series has been to help people see that they were created for reason - that their life has meaning and purpose. Unfortunately, many people end up in places and positions where they are living so far from what they were created by God to do and be in this world that their lives are extremely painful to watch. Simply put, their miserable. Therefore, our hope is that through this series God would begin to speak to them and that people would take the time to listen to what He might be saying.
Having said all of this, last week I preached a sermon about what you do once you've found the passion and pursuit that God has for you in this life. If you know God wants you to be a writer in order to impact thousands of lives, what should you do next? If you know God is calling you to be a stay-at-home mom, how do you develop this passion in your life? The problem here is that many people figure out their God given passion and yet they don't feed it. They begin to back away and eventually the fire and the passion begins to dwindle and soon it's gone all-together and not easily rekindled.
As I worked my way through the book of Nehemiah in preparation for this sermon, I came across something that struck me and became the Big Idea in the sermon. Nehemiah faced a great deal of opposition as he and his fellow Jews began to rebuild the walls in Jerusalem. As they were facing the threat of swords, spears and bows, Nehemiah says these words:
"Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your
homes." (Neh. 4:14)
In the margin of my bible I wrote Nehemiah's statement in my own words: "Move forward despite your doubts." In essence, this is what I think Nehemiah was saying to his people. Keep at it! Keep going despite how scared you are and how threatening the situation may be!
And then, I found these words in Nehemiah 4:20 that jumped out at me. It says, "Whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there [along the wall]. Our God will fight for us!"
Our God will fight for us.
The fact is, God wants us to win. He wants us to discover our God given passion and pursuit in this life. So, if your wrestling with doubts, anxiety, uncertainty, often the best thing you can do is to keep moving forward despite your doubts because your God will fight for you.
This in a nutshell is what I said on Sunday morning - of course I said it far more eloquently (insert laugh track here).
I hope you have found it helpful.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Coffee and Church
Honestly, I spend a lot of time in local coffee shops around town. If you play your cards right, the refills are FREE and you can stay there for as long as you want. I'm used to working with noise (i.e. studying at home with children during graduate school) so I'm not bothered by the talking, music in the background or most everything else that goes on there. I can read, prepare for my next sermon, talk on the phone, and meet with others over a nice hot (it must be HOT!) cup of coffee.
In my neck of the woods, there's a coffee franchise that is popping up on seemingly every corner (Beaners which is now Bigbys) and I frequent it often in its various locations. As best as I can tell, there are 4 locations of this franchise within a 3 or 4 mile radius so I have my choice. One has more seating and comfortable surroundings. Another is close to my actual office but the atmosphere is not as favorable. Still another is way too small for regular visits. Today I'm sitting in another location (just opened) that has an interesting smell to it. What I mean is that a Subway is also part of this location. So, when I sit with my cup of coffee, I not only get the coffee smell, I also get the smell of Subway sandwiches. Not entirely bad, but different I must say. Interestingly, one also gets to watch TV at this location and listen to some pretty hip music. However, what I've noticed is that after an hour, the music repeats itself and you hear the same songs all over again - much like a bad radio station. So, while I was initially impressed with the music, I may have to leave soon due to its repetition. But wait...I've got an appointment with someone that just walked in so I guess I'll endure the music a little longer.
In my neck of the woods, there's a coffee franchise that is popping up on seemingly every corner (Beaners which is now Bigbys) and I frequent it often in its various locations. As best as I can tell, there are 4 locations of this franchise within a 3 or 4 mile radius so I have my choice. One has more seating and comfortable surroundings. Another is close to my actual office but the atmosphere is not as favorable. Still another is way too small for regular visits. Today I'm sitting in another location (just opened) that has an interesting smell to it. What I mean is that a Subway is also part of this location. So, when I sit with my cup of coffee, I not only get the coffee smell, I also get the smell of Subway sandwiches. Not entirely bad, but different I must say. Interestingly, one also gets to watch TV at this location and listen to some pretty hip music. However, what I've noticed is that after an hour, the music repeats itself and you hear the same songs all over again - much like a bad radio station. So, while I was initially impressed with the music, I may have to leave soon due to its repetition. But wait...I've got an appointment with someone that just walked in so I guess I'll endure the music a little longer.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Transformation and Bob Roberts
One of the books I've been plugging through lately is a little book (with a big punch I must say) by Bob Roberts titled Transformation: How Glocal Churches Transform Lives and the World. Today, I just wanted to share an insight from this that got me thinking this morning.
Roberts states: "Christianity is about radical change-but we just can't seem to pull it off. Why? Because we have not crossed over from being merely a convert to being a disciple. The biggest challenge today is producing a different kind of disciple."
He then goes on to point out that "right living" doesn't come from more information but from more imitation. In my view, this is a deep and profound insight in a world where we seek to know more and more and perhaps imitate the wrong things and thereby model less and less the Christian life.
When asked whether he was a Christian or not during a conference where he was addressing pastors, Peter Drucker, the popular business guru, explained that the term "Christian" was given to the early believers by unbelievers because their behavior was said to imitate Christ. He then made this rather insightful statement: "For him to call himself a Christian is one thing, but for others to recognize it in me is quite another." For Drucker, Christianity was more than just a label; a religion. It was a lifestyle that should cause others to want to imitate it.
So, here's a question to think about:
Would lost people readily call you a Christian? Why or why not?
Roberts states: "Christianity is about radical change-but we just can't seem to pull it off. Why? Because we have not crossed over from being merely a convert to being a disciple. The biggest challenge today is producing a different kind of disciple."
He then goes on to point out that "right living" doesn't come from more information but from more imitation. In my view, this is a deep and profound insight in a world where we seek to know more and more and perhaps imitate the wrong things and thereby model less and less the Christian life.
When asked whether he was a Christian or not during a conference where he was addressing pastors, Peter Drucker, the popular business guru, explained that the term "Christian" was given to the early believers by unbelievers because their behavior was said to imitate Christ. He then made this rather insightful statement: "For him to call himself a Christian is one thing, but for others to recognize it in me is quite another." For Drucker, Christianity was more than just a label; a religion. It was a lifestyle that should cause others to want to imitate it.
So, here's a question to think about:
Would lost people readily call you a Christian? Why or why not?
Monday, January 07, 2008
Ezra's Study of Scripture
As part of my daily devotional time, I've been reading from D.A. Carson's devotional resource titled For the Love of God: A Daily Companion for Discovering the Treasures of God's Word. There are in fact two volumes in this series - I am using Volume 2. This corresponds to my plan of reading 4 chapters a day in God's Word as I mentioned in my prior post. Quite honestly, this is one of the best devotionals I've ever found. I used it several years back and I'm working through it again this year. While many and most devotionals leave much to be desired, Carson's daily offerings are filled with some great insight and offer much more "meat" than most.
As such, I'd like to comment on what Carson says about my reading in Ezra 7 this morning, looking specifically at Ezra 7:10, which states "For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel." Carson highlights three aspects of this as it relates to anyone that is charged with the responsibility of teaching God's Word on a regular basis.
One, Ezra devoted himself to the study of the Law. Carson rightly states: "There is no long-range effective teaching of the Bible that is not accompanied by long hours of ongoing study of the Bible." I wouldn't argue with this one bit.
Two, Ezra devoted himself to the observance of the Law. Carson points out that while it is easy to study God's Word simply as a means to the end of teaching, to do so misses the mark. Those who study also need to apply what they've learned in their marriages, finances, priorities, values, etc...
Lastly, Ezra devoted himself to the teaching of the Law. Simply put, it's quite easy to get wrapped up in oneself and thereby never share with others what you've learned. However, this too misses the mark. Like Ezra, one needs to also be willing to share with others the truth of God's Word.
I trust that this will help you as you reflect on the power of God's Word to impact not only your own life, but the lives of countless others.
As such, I'd like to comment on what Carson says about my reading in Ezra 7 this morning, looking specifically at Ezra 7:10, which states "For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel." Carson highlights three aspects of this as it relates to anyone that is charged with the responsibility of teaching God's Word on a regular basis.
One, Ezra devoted himself to the study of the Law. Carson rightly states: "There is no long-range effective teaching of the Bible that is not accompanied by long hours of ongoing study of the Bible." I wouldn't argue with this one bit.
Two, Ezra devoted himself to the observance of the Law. Carson points out that while it is easy to study God's Word simply as a means to the end of teaching, to do so misses the mark. Those who study also need to apply what they've learned in their marriages, finances, priorities, values, etc...
Lastly, Ezra devoted himself to the teaching of the Law. Simply put, it's quite easy to get wrapped up in oneself and thereby never share with others what you've learned. However, this too misses the mark. Like Ezra, one needs to also be willing to share with others the truth of God's Word.
I trust that this will help you as you reflect on the power of God's Word to impact not only your own life, but the lives of countless others.
Friday, January 04, 2008
More on Reading Your Bible
I thought I'd add a little bit to what I previously wrote on reading your Bible. If you haven't begun to read as of yet, today is a new day for you to get started. As a further help, I thought I'd share with you that plan that I'm following.
This year, I've decided to follow along with the pattern of Bible reading espoused and taught by the Scottish Pastor Robert M'Cheyene. I used this plan about eight years ago and found it extremely rewarding. Robert Murray M'Cheyne (also known as McCheyne) was an early 19th century pastor and preacher. Amongst his legacy is his scheme for daily Bible reading. In its original formulation it takes the reader through the the Old Testament once and the New Testament and Psalms twice per year. This means reading about four chapters a day, taken from different parts of the Bible.
The link for the online version of this plan can be found at the following address:
http://hippocampusextensions.com/mcheyneplan.html
Let me know what you think. It's ambitious for most, but, as Henry Ford once said, "nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs." One or two chapters in the morning, one at lunch and another when you go to bed and you've done it! It's not that tough if you simply build it into your day. Go for it!
This year, I've decided to follow along with the pattern of Bible reading espoused and taught by the Scottish Pastor Robert M'Cheyene. I used this plan about eight years ago and found it extremely rewarding. Robert Murray M'Cheyne (also known as McCheyne) was an early 19th century pastor and preacher. Amongst his legacy is his scheme for daily Bible reading. In its original formulation it takes the reader through the the Old Testament once and the New Testament and Psalms twice per year. This means reading about four chapters a day, taken from different parts of the Bible.
The link for the online version of this plan can be found at the following address:
http://hippocampusextensions.com/mcheyneplan.html
Let me know what you think. It's ambitious for most, but, as Henry Ford once said, "nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs." One or two chapters in the morning, one at lunch and another when you go to bed and you've done it! It's not that tough if you simply build it into your day. Go for it!
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
The New You in the New Year
I'll be the first to admit that I shy away from the idea of making New Year's Resolutions. Yes, I've done it before but in my view there's something phony about it. However, there is one resolution worth making over and over again - that of reading God's Word on a daily basis. Despite how many times you seemingly fail at this, you must try and try again. Keep at it! God's Word is too important for us as Christians to take lightly.
Many of us begin each year with a new and inspired devotion to get into God's Word on a regular and consistent basis. In my view, a goal for all Christians should be to read through the entirety of the Bible each year. However, somewhere in the middle of Genesis, or perhaps we've made it all the way to Leviticus, we begin to labor and breathe hard. The task becomes too big for us and we soon grow disgruntled with it and quickly leave it until the weekend where your bound to get the only dose of it you'll need to get you through the week - Right? Wrong? You need it more than on Sunday mornings.
So, where should one start as they begin the New Year? I would recommend picking up a good devotional that guides one through each day of the week. Most of the time, these are short and inspirational in nature. One of the most popular is Our Daily Bread, which also has a track to take you through the entire Bible in a year. You can find these for free in many locations or by visiting their website at www.rbc.org for the online version. A visit to your local Christian Bookstore will offer you a plethora of other choices, but you will need to be selective to find one that matches your personality and needs.
If you choose to forgo the devotional but would still like to read through the Bible in a year, many recent Bibles put out by Zondervan and others have tracks to help you do this which consists of about 3 or 4 chapters per day of reading.
If your planning on setting your own course, let me suggest that you don't start in Genesis in hopes of making your way all the way to Revelation. It's a tough road and only the most diligent will ever make it. A better way, in my view, would be to daily read two chapters from the Old Testament as well as one or two chapters from the New Testament. You might start in Genesis in the OT while also starting with one of Paul's letters (i.e Philippians) or even the Gospel of John in the NT.
Remember, our source of power as Christians comes from a regular diet of God's Word. So this year, to borrow the American Express adage, "don't leave home without it."
Many of us begin each year with a new and inspired devotion to get into God's Word on a regular and consistent basis. In my view, a goal for all Christians should be to read through the entirety of the Bible each year. However, somewhere in the middle of Genesis, or perhaps we've made it all the way to Leviticus, we begin to labor and breathe hard. The task becomes too big for us and we soon grow disgruntled with it and quickly leave it until the weekend where your bound to get the only dose of it you'll need to get you through the week - Right? Wrong? You need it more than on Sunday mornings.
So, where should one start as they begin the New Year? I would recommend picking up a good devotional that guides one through each day of the week. Most of the time, these are short and inspirational in nature. One of the most popular is Our Daily Bread, which also has a track to take you through the entire Bible in a year. You can find these for free in many locations or by visiting their website at www.rbc.org for the online version. A visit to your local Christian Bookstore will offer you a plethora of other choices, but you will need to be selective to find one that matches your personality and needs.
If you choose to forgo the devotional but would still like to read through the Bible in a year, many recent Bibles put out by Zondervan and others have tracks to help you do this which consists of about 3 or 4 chapters per day of reading.
If your planning on setting your own course, let me suggest that you don't start in Genesis in hopes of making your way all the way to Revelation. It's a tough road and only the most diligent will ever make it. A better way, in my view, would be to daily read two chapters from the Old Testament as well as one or two chapters from the New Testament. You might start in Genesis in the OT while also starting with one of Paul's letters (i.e Philippians) or even the Gospel of John in the NT.
Remember, our source of power as Christians comes from a regular diet of God's Word. So this year, to borrow the American Express adage, "don't leave home without it."
Friday, December 28, 2007
Psalms and Martin Luther
Moving now from the purpose of prayer, this morning I began reading the section in Leonard Allen's compilation The Contemporaries Meet the Classics on Prayer, titled the Psalms as Prayer. Martin Luther, writing in 1528, opens with his views on the Psalter. Here are a few of his insights that I found helpful.
Firstly, Luther points out the great divide from one end of the spectrum to the next. In other words, we see the saints during both the good times as well as in the bad times. You might say it spans both the best of times and the worst of times.
Luther adds: "Where does one find finer words of joy than in the psalms of praise and thanksgiving? On the other hand, where do you find deeper, more sorrowful, more pitiful words of sadness than in the psalms of lamentation?"
In the end, Luther suggests that the "Psalter is the book of all saints; and everyone, in whatever situation he may be, finds in that situation psalms and words that fit his case, that suit him as if they were put there just for his sake, so that he could not put it better himself, or find or wish for anything better."
And because just about everyone can find psalms and words that fit them, and that seemingly were put there for their sake, the Psalms become that much more valuable to us as we traverse the ups and downs of life.
I know they speak to me and I trust that God's Word will speak to you this day as you read one of the Psalms. Take your pick- there's plenty of them.
Firstly, Luther points out the great divide from one end of the spectrum to the next. In other words, we see the saints during both the good times as well as in the bad times. You might say it spans both the best of times and the worst of times.
Luther adds: "Where does one find finer words of joy than in the psalms of praise and thanksgiving? On the other hand, where do you find deeper, more sorrowful, more pitiful words of sadness than in the psalms of lamentation?"
In the end, Luther suggests that the "Psalter is the book of all saints; and everyone, in whatever situation he may be, finds in that situation psalms and words that fit his case, that suit him as if they were put there just for his sake, so that he could not put it better himself, or find or wish for anything better."
And because just about everyone can find psalms and words that fit them, and that seemingly were put there for their sake, the Psalms become that much more valuable to us as we traverse the ups and downs of life.
I know they speak to me and I trust that God's Word will speak to you this day as you read one of the Psalms. Take your pick- there's plenty of them.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Christmas
I can honestly say that I've never golfed, boxed, or even bowled on Christmas - that is until this year. Thanks to some kind-hearted family members we had a chance to do all this and more this Christmas thanks to our recently acquired Nintendo Wii and the accompanying Sports Pack that includes baseball, golf, boxing, bowling, and some tennis as well.
As part of our family gift from Cara's sister Colleen and husband Mike, we were blessed with a gift that we couldn't have afforded any other way. My children (especially Mitch and Josh) will be forever grateful, I'm sure. It's been a little crazy in the house since. As the pictures show, my daughter even enjoys a chance to take out her aggression on a friendly foe and I'm telling you she's got the skills.
My mother-in-law even got in on the action (bowling) and remarked that she hasn't had so much fun on Christmas in a long time! Wow!
As we celebrate the birth of our Saviour this Christmas, it's great to be around family and friends with little or no agenda. It's great to talk, enjoy a meal together. It's even great to work off some of those Holiday pounds with a fresh dose of exercise. As I write this, I think I'm still breathing hard from all the boxing I did earlier in the day. It really is a work out- no joke!
Friday, December 21, 2007
Bill Hybels and Prayer
Bill Hybels, founding pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, offers the following insights when it comes to the discussion on the point of praying in the first place. In his own words, Hybels says that "to people in the fast lane, determined to make it on their own, prayer is an embarrassing interruption." Still, many of us, and as recent studies have shown, even agnostics and atheists admit to praying when they reach difficult points in their life, are drawn to prayer. Here's why:
First, people are drawn to prayer because most of us understand that the "most intimate communion with God comes only through prayer."
Secondly, people are compelled to prayer because they realize that God's power flows primarily to people who pray.
Simply put, when we work,we work; but when we pray, God works. I don't know about you but I'd much rather have God working on some of the seemingly insurmountable things in my life. I know I can't get through them without his help.
So, know that when we fail to pray and spend time in communion with God, we cut ourselves off from God's prevailing power and ability to do more than we could ever imagine. If you're overwhelmed, overrun, beaten down, and generally feeling defeated, there's one quick way to start feeling better immediately - pray and seek God's help.
Despite our inclinations to do it on our own, God never intended for us to live our lives that way. Let God work and let God begin to change your life. That's my prayer...
First, people are drawn to prayer because most of us understand that the "most intimate communion with God comes only through prayer."
Secondly, people are compelled to prayer because they realize that God's power flows primarily to people who pray.
Simply put, when we work,we work; but when we pray, God works. I don't know about you but I'd much rather have God working on some of the seemingly insurmountable things in my life. I know I can't get through them without his help.
So, know that when we fail to pray and spend time in communion with God, we cut ourselves off from God's prevailing power and ability to do more than we could ever imagine. If you're overwhelmed, overrun, beaten down, and generally feeling defeated, there's one quick way to start feeling better immediately - pray and seek God's help.
Despite our inclinations to do it on our own, God never intended for us to live our lives that way. Let God work and let God begin to change your life. That's my prayer...
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Adoring Prayer
In today's reading from Evelyn Underhill (1875-1941), she argues that at the heart of our prayer life should be adoration towards God. While prayer occurs as two movements (towards God and towards people), the "second will only be well done where the first has the central place." As such, adoration, and resultantly not intercession or petition, needs to be at the heart of the life of prayer. Underhill goes on to say the following: "It is only when our hearts are thus actually at rest in God, in peaceful and self-oblivious adoration, that we can hope to show God's attractiveness to others." When praying, her recommendation is that we spend half of our prayer time in this movement of adoration towards God.
Some questions to think about:
How much more impact would our prayers have if we spent more time getting to know God in this manner? How much better would we know God? How much better would we be prepared to deal with the hills and hiccups of life when our prayer life is bathed in adoration? Think on these things...
Some questions to think about:
How much more impact would our prayers have if we spent more time getting to know God in this manner? How much better would we know God? How much better would we be prepared to deal with the hills and hiccups of life when our prayer life is bathed in adoration? Think on these things...
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Richard Foster and Prayer
I've been a big fan of Richard Foster since discovering his timeless classic Celebration of Discipline in my early adult walk as a Christ follower. Here's a few thoughts from Foster about prayer:
"Of all the spiritual disciplines prayer is the most central because it ushers us into perpetual communion with the Father."
"To pray is to change. Prayer is the central avenue God uses to transform us."
Foster then adds that for those early explorers of the Christian faith, prayer was "no little habit tacked onto the periphery of their lives; it was their lives."
If nothing else, may these words from Foster serve as a reminder that we too need to make prayer the main business of our lives. To pray is to change and I want to be changed and live the transformed life. How about you?
Shall we pray...
"Of all the spiritual disciplines prayer is the most central because it ushers us into perpetual communion with the Father."
"To pray is to change. Prayer is the central avenue God uses to transform us."
Foster then adds that for those early explorers of the Christian faith, prayer was "no little habit tacked onto the periphery of their lives; it was their lives."
If nothing else, may these words from Foster serve as a reminder that we too need to make prayer the main business of our lives. To pray is to change and I want to be changed and live the transformed life. How about you?
Shall we pray...
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
The Purpose of Prayer
I've been reading from a book on prayer that brings together a compilation of different writers - both old and new. In case you're interested, the name of the book is titled, The Contemporaries Meet the Classics on Prayer and was compiled by Leonard Allen. As I read this, my intent is to share random thoughts, quotes, and other helpful expressions as I encounter them. I trust that this will prove beneficial to you the reader as it has been for me.
Today, I have a couple of quotes and thoughts from Ole Hallesby (1879-1961), the Norwegian Lutheran pastor whose most famous work is Prayer and Temperament and the Christian Faith.
In answering the question, Why should we pray?, Hallesby makes this statement: "When he grants our prayers it's because He loves us. When He does not, it is also because he loves us." I think this is extremely helpful to those of us that get all bent out of shape when God is seemingly quiet and our prayers are unanswered. This reminds me of the Methodist mantra, "God is good all the time, all the time God is good."
So, regardless of what you may or may not be experiencing, know that God loves you deeply. In the words of one of my favorite all time songs, "Don't Stop Believing," but keep praying knowing that God has an intense desire to hear from you more and more.
Today, I have a couple of quotes and thoughts from Ole Hallesby (1879-1961), the Norwegian Lutheran pastor whose most famous work is Prayer and Temperament and the Christian Faith.
In answering the question, Why should we pray?, Hallesby makes this statement: "When he grants our prayers it's because He loves us. When He does not, it is also because he loves us." I think this is extremely helpful to those of us that get all bent out of shape when God is seemingly quiet and our prayers are unanswered. This reminds me of the Methodist mantra, "God is good all the time, all the time God is good."
So, regardless of what you may or may not be experiencing, know that God loves you deeply. In the words of one of my favorite all time songs, "Don't Stop Believing," but keep praying knowing that God has an intense desire to hear from you more and more.
Friday, December 14, 2007
30 Minute Meals
This past Monday night, my wife and I embarked on a new journey of sorts - putting together a meal for the entire family in 30 minutes.
The week before, our kids were having a fund-raiser at the local Barnes and Noble. Because of this, we bought some books to give as Christmas presents and also thought that it would be nice to purchase a book for ourselves as well. Because I'm a big fan of Rachel Ray, I had to have one of her 30 Minute Cookbooks. After all, when you have a family the size of ours, who wouldn't want to be able to put together a meal in 30 minutes.
Now understand I'm not a cook but I know I can follow directions (at least when I take the time to read them). However, making a meal completely from scratch is a bit challenging. For one, finding all the ingredients is a chore. Being someone that normally stays out of the kitchen, I had to wait until Cara made it home before I could gather all of the ingredients necessary. Then there is the language barrier. Let's just say that Rachel uses some words that I've never heard of before. Then there was the dicing, slicing, shredding, and peeling that needed to be done. Needless to say, there was no finishing this meal in the 30 minutes I had hoped for. I got started at 4:30 that afternoon and the meal was complete and ready for consumption at 6:30. So, the name for my new cookbook will be titled "How to make a 30 Minute Meal in 2 Hours."
Thankfully, the story has a good ending. The meatballs we made were huge and very delicious. Despite my son Zachary's admission that they looked "disgusting," he actually tried them and promptly declared them "delicious." Hearing that made the two hours in the kitchen worth the wait. The next time we try one of Rachel's 30 Minute Meals, we'll attempt to break the 2 hour barrier. I'll keep you posted...
The week before, our kids were having a fund-raiser at the local Barnes and Noble. Because of this, we bought some books to give as Christmas presents and also thought that it would be nice to purchase a book for ourselves as well. Because I'm a big fan of Rachel Ray, I had to have one of her 30 Minute Cookbooks. After all, when you have a family the size of ours, who wouldn't want to be able to put together a meal in 30 minutes.
Now understand I'm not a cook but I know I can follow directions (at least when I take the time to read them). However, making a meal completely from scratch is a bit challenging. For one, finding all the ingredients is a chore. Being someone that normally stays out of the kitchen, I had to wait until Cara made it home before I could gather all of the ingredients necessary. Then there is the language barrier. Let's just say that Rachel uses some words that I've never heard of before. Then there was the dicing, slicing, shredding, and peeling that needed to be done. Needless to say, there was no finishing this meal in the 30 minutes I had hoped for. I got started at 4:30 that afternoon and the meal was complete and ready for consumption at 6:30. So, the name for my new cookbook will be titled "How to make a 30 Minute Meal in 2 Hours."
Thankfully, the story has a good ending. The meatballs we made were huge and very delicious. Despite my son Zachary's admission that they looked "disgusting," he actually tried them and promptly declared them "delicious." Hearing that made the two hours in the kitchen worth the wait. The next time we try one of Rachel's 30 Minute Meals, we'll attempt to break the 2 hour barrier. I'll keep you posted...
Friday, December 07, 2007
How's Your Prayer Life
It's often been said that by looking at a person's checkbook, you can tell what kind of things that person values and holds out as important. I think the same could be said about how we spend our time.
In doing some strategic reading for a series on prayer that I'd like to do at some point in the late spring or early summer, I was reminded how easy it is to forget about the importance of prayer in one's life. Jim Cymbala, in his book Breakthrough Prayer says that one of the major ways that Satan has his way with us is by keeping us out of God's Word on a regular basis and keeping our prayer life mostly non-existent. It's Satan that makes us feel busier than we really are and it's Satan that creates as many barriers throughout our day in order to keep us from spending time with God. However, if we truly valued prayer and it's significance for our lives, we wouldn't let Satan have his way with us.
Prayer is so powerful and reading God's Word is so beneficial to our spiritual well-being that we shouldn't take it lightly. I, like most of you, know how hard it is to get into God's Word on a regular basis. I am challenged by time constraints and a busy life. However, if we knew how powerful prayer could be in our lives, would we be so complacent? And this complacency can be directly attributed to Satan. He knows that prayer works, that it makes a difference. He knows that prayer can move mountains. This is why he makes it so difficult for us to spend quality time with him. In light of this, please take five minutes right now and pray. Pray for a desire to know God more intimately. Pray that God would remove those barriers that keep you from coming to him on a consistent basis. If an apple a day can keep the doctor away, perhaps our daily prayer walk with God can keep Satan away as well.
In doing some strategic reading for a series on prayer that I'd like to do at some point in the late spring or early summer, I was reminded how easy it is to forget about the importance of prayer in one's life. Jim Cymbala, in his book Breakthrough Prayer says that one of the major ways that Satan has his way with us is by keeping us out of God's Word on a regular basis and keeping our prayer life mostly non-existent. It's Satan that makes us feel busier than we really are and it's Satan that creates as many barriers throughout our day in order to keep us from spending time with God. However, if we truly valued prayer and it's significance for our lives, we wouldn't let Satan have his way with us.
Prayer is so powerful and reading God's Word is so beneficial to our spiritual well-being that we shouldn't take it lightly. I, like most of you, know how hard it is to get into God's Word on a regular basis. I am challenged by time constraints and a busy life. However, if we knew how powerful prayer could be in our lives, would we be so complacent? And this complacency can be directly attributed to Satan. He knows that prayer works, that it makes a difference. He knows that prayer can move mountains. This is why he makes it so difficult for us to spend quality time with him. In light of this, please take five minutes right now and pray. Pray for a desire to know God more intimately. Pray that God would remove those barriers that keep you from coming to him on a consistent basis. If an apple a day can keep the doctor away, perhaps our daily prayer walk with God can keep Satan away as well.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Your Real Life Goliath
In our Men's Group last night we were talking about the story of David and Goliath - perhaps one of the most famous and well-known passages within all of Scripture. A couple of observations from this story that I think are eye-opening.
David had very little that he carried into battle. He had his staff, 5 smooth stones, and a sling-shot of sorts. On the other hand, Goliath had a sword, a spear, and a javelin. I don't know about you, but if I'm betting (not that I would), I'd bet on the guy with the sword, spear, and javelin. Not to mention that he was also a "Giant Philistine Champion." Still, the story ends rather unexpectedly as David comes out the victor and ends up killing Goliath.
As we wrapped up our discussion, we talked about some of the "Goliath's" in our own lives. I think it's safe to say that we all have them. Some of us face emotional giants like depression and loneliness. Others of us have physical giants such as illnesses and handicaps. Still others of us suffer from behavioral giants such as addictions and other hard-to-break habits. And since we all have them to some degree or another (some of us more than one), how do we deal with them? What are some possible strategies for facing these giants?
May I suggest that David offers us some incredible insights, here are two:
One, he is fully confident in God. Despite the fact that Goliath looked incredibly large and scared every other Israelite to death, David knew that his God was much bigger than Goliath was (see I Sam. 17:26). We too have a God who loves to defy the odds when we allow him to be part of the battle. It sets the stage for miracles and other supernatural and unexplainable phenomena to occur. Good things happen when we put our faith, trust, and hope in God. It worked well for David and it can work well for us.
Secondly, David entered the battle "in the name of the Lord Almighty." We too should enter confidently into the battle against our giants by relying upon the Lord God Almighty to guide us and direct us along the way. Way too often, we go into battle all-alone and try to fight off these giants by ourselves and under our own power. I can tell you from experience that this won't work and that you're giant will never truly go away.
So, whatever your giant may be, face your Goliath head-on in the confidence that God will be at your side to direct you in the way that you should go.
David had very little that he carried into battle. He had his staff, 5 smooth stones, and a sling-shot of sorts. On the other hand, Goliath had a sword, a spear, and a javelin. I don't know about you, but if I'm betting (not that I would), I'd bet on the guy with the sword, spear, and javelin. Not to mention that he was also a "Giant Philistine Champion." Still, the story ends rather unexpectedly as David comes out the victor and ends up killing Goliath.
As we wrapped up our discussion, we talked about some of the "Goliath's" in our own lives. I think it's safe to say that we all have them. Some of us face emotional giants like depression and loneliness. Others of us have physical giants such as illnesses and handicaps. Still others of us suffer from behavioral giants such as addictions and other hard-to-break habits. And since we all have them to some degree or another (some of us more than one), how do we deal with them? What are some possible strategies for facing these giants?
May I suggest that David offers us some incredible insights, here are two:
One, he is fully confident in God. Despite the fact that Goliath looked incredibly large and scared every other Israelite to death, David knew that his God was much bigger than Goliath was (see I Sam. 17:26). We too have a God who loves to defy the odds when we allow him to be part of the battle. It sets the stage for miracles and other supernatural and unexplainable phenomena to occur. Good things happen when we put our faith, trust, and hope in God. It worked well for David and it can work well for us.
Secondly, David entered the battle "in the name of the Lord Almighty." We too should enter confidently into the battle against our giants by relying upon the Lord God Almighty to guide us and direct us along the way. Way too often, we go into battle all-alone and try to fight off these giants by ourselves and under our own power. I can tell you from experience that this won't work and that you're giant will never truly go away.
So, whatever your giant may be, face your Goliath head-on in the confidence that God will be at your side to direct you in the way that you should go.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
What I'm Thankful For
As Thanksgiving is only a few short days away, I thought it very relevant to share my laundry list of things that I'm thankful for:
My beautiful wife Cara that I met nearly eighteen years ago - it was love at first site.
My son Mitchell, although strong-willed and stubborn like his mom and dad, is growing into a young man that will someday make a great lawyer or salesman but probably a basketball player.
My son Joshua, although quiet mannered, is compassionate and seeks to go out of his way to help others. A future pastor in the making - I think.
My son Zachary, who is a literal ball of energy and whose enthusiasm for life is contagious. His karate skills aren't bad either.
My daughter Joy, whose love for candy reminds us of the joy-filled days of a child. It also reminds us that we better brush her teeth really well.
My daughter Hope, whose smile can brighten even the most hopeless of days.
For all of this, I'm thankful.
My beautiful wife Cara that I met nearly eighteen years ago - it was love at first site.
My son Mitchell, although strong-willed and stubborn like his mom and dad, is growing into a young man that will someday make a great lawyer or salesman but probably a basketball player.
My son Joshua, although quiet mannered, is compassionate and seeks to go out of his way to help others. A future pastor in the making - I think.
My son Zachary, who is a literal ball of energy and whose enthusiasm for life is contagious. His karate skills aren't bad either.
My daughter Joy, whose love for candy reminds us of the joy-filled days of a child. It also reminds us that we better brush her teeth really well.
My daughter Hope, whose smile can brighten even the most hopeless of days.
For all of this, I'm thankful.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
The Word is Life
As a pastor, I'm reminded that we should not take the Word lightly. It has far more power than we might think. An old professor of mine, Dr. Ben Witherington highlights this in his most recent book The Living Word of God. He summarized his findings in a recent blog. It's worth checking out so here it is.
The Word as Sacrament
Traditionally, Protestants have recognized only two sacraments—baptism and the Lord’s Supper. There has been some debate about this amongst the more high church Protestants, but basically the position has been the same throughout recent church history. What is interesting about this view is that it overlooks the Protestant theology of and about the Word of God. While ‘de jure’ baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the Protestant sacraments, ‘de facto’ there has always been another one, and in fact one that has been seen and believed to have a far more regular and enduring effect—namely the Word of God.
The term sacramentum in the Latin has had various definitions over the ages of church history but perhaps the most familiar one is ‘an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace’ or more simply, a means of grace. If a sacrament is a means of grace, by which is meant a means of divine influence and change in a person’s life, then surely the Word of God and its proclamation, reading, hearing learning, memorizing is a sacrament. We just don’t tend to call it that. Consider however what is said about the Word of God in the NT at various junctures. The Word of God is seen as something living which dwells richly in the believer once received, probing and changing the person inwardly.
For example, Paul referring to his preaching of the Good News in Thessalonike in one of his earliest letters says this—“And we constantly thank God because when you received the Word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as it actually is—the Word of God which is at work in you who believe.” (1 Thess. 2.13). Paul is not talking about consuming communion wafers or getting wet, but he is talking about a means of grace that is at work in a person’s life.
Or consider the famous passage in Heb. 4.12—“for the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any two edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing life breath and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” What is especially interesting about this passage is once again we are referring to oral proclamation of the Word and its reception into the inner life of the person, and notice that what is said about the Word here could just as easily be said about the role of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life (cf. e.g. what is said about the spirit in Jn. 14-17 or 1 Cor. 1-4 and elsewhere).
So much is the Word of God seen as a living and active thing in the NT, that Luke can actually speak about the ‘Word of God’ growing or increasing (Acts 6.7; 12.24) by which was meant it affected and infected many people and the church grew. Christians are exhorted in Col. 3.16 to ‘let the Word of God dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another’. In 1 Tim. 4.5 speaks of the consecration or sanctification of all things including food by means of the Word of God and prayer.
Much more could be said along these lines, but this is sufficient to establish that the Word of God is not only seen as a living thing, its proclamation is seen as something that changes things, including people, indwells them and saves, sanctifies, and illumines them. This surely makes the Word of God and its proclamation and reception a sacrament on any normal understanding of the term.
This in turn brings me to a crucial point. At least in the
I do not say this because I think we should neglect the other sacraments. I say this because we actually need a more sanctified view of the Word of God. The Word of God, when faithfully preached and openly received is far more than just preaching, or a good life lesson, or an edifying discourse. It is the unleashing of God’s transformative power in the human life. In short—the Word does things to the recipient that the recipient might well be unaware of at the time, much like taking a medicine the effects of which take time to be noticeable. There is of course a corollary to this-- the less one consumes the Word, the less grace, the less spiritual health, one is likely to have. In an age of Biblical illiteracy even within the church, it is no wonder that the church is sickly and open to all sorts of false teaching and its bad spiritual effects.
And there is more good news. Ever since Tyndale, the Word of God has been available to all and sundry English speaking persons. The Gutenberg revolution prevented it from simply remaining something chained to a pulpit. The Word of God can be self-administered as a sacrament, or it can be received from others. It is not something that can or should be controlled by clergy, dispensing it out as they deem appropriate. No, the Word of God has been unleashed from clerical control, and there is no turning back now.
This brings me to a crucial point. Every Christian needs a more sacramental, and sanctified life than they currently have, even if you are in a church that downplays the traditional sacraments. There is one thing you can do about that every day—add more Word to your diet! I promise it will be beneficial in many ways. Unlike Special K, Special W (the Word), really is special.
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