“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us…” Heb 12:1
Stories of great men and women are always inspiring, especially ones that are no mere legends. The more true the story, the more inspiring. Such stories show how real men and women can do extraordinary things. Of course, greatness as it may be defined, is a matter of perspective. The most inspiring lives are the ones that speak of incredible faith, love, and hope. Maybe such lives don’t seem at all great in the eyes of the world, but such lives mark greatness as it is defined by the kingdom of heaven. Trials proved genuine the faith they possessed. Their lives bared witness to and gave evidence of a divine power that enabled them in all things.
Inspired by His nature, they sought to emulate Him in their ways. They are truly an uncommon find, a rare breed. They were willing to go where no man or woman had gone before or at least where few were willing to go. And it is this unique trait that makes their lives so inspiring - their willingness to let go of what few others are willing to give up. In this way, their very lives became like a sweet fragrance, an aroma to inhale - they are redolent of something so good, so other-worldly that one cannot help but taste Heaven. Lives such as those of George Muller, James H. Taylor, Gladys Alyward, Amy Carmichael, the Stams, and William Carey - who all left the common path to live for something greater than themselves. Each one carried a torch with them in their race to the finish line, only to give it away to the next person. And that is the legacy they left us - that someone else would come after them, pick up the torch and carry on where they left off.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Crossroads
Down this windy, dusty road
Awaits a path through which most go
The path is bearable, easy and wide
The name of the path is a Wasted Life
Promising easy trials and avoidance of pain
The path offers much for its pilgrims to gain
But off this beaten path another trail lies
It's small, narrow, stark, and untried
This Road Less Travelled will lead you where you want to go
Though where that is, no one knows
The path awards its travellers meaning, significance, adventure, and life
But it comes at a high price-
The price of a lonely life
Yes, pain and sorrow flow mingled down
Along this trying path to some untold crown
And though starting down this path may be easy enough
The real question is will the price be too much?
Though faint whispers of pioneers past
Urge you on to this uncertain path
Will the trials be too much for the soul to take?
Will the burden to press on be too great?
Yes, down this Road Less Travelled you must sojourn alone
But perhaps at the end you will find home
And though the trials and loneliness were indeed great
Perhaps you will feel no regret over the price you paid
Down the Road Less Travelled you will go
Though where it leads, no one knows
Awaits a path through which most go
The path is bearable, easy and wide
The name of the path is a Wasted Life
Promising easy trials and avoidance of pain
The path offers much for its pilgrims to gain
But off this beaten path another trail lies
It's small, narrow, stark, and untried
This Road Less Travelled will lead you where you want to go
Though where that is, no one knows
The path awards its travellers meaning, significance, adventure, and life
But it comes at a high price-
The price of a lonely life
Yes, pain and sorrow flow mingled down
Along this trying path to some untold crown
And though starting down this path may be easy enough
The real question is will the price be too much?
Though faint whispers of pioneers past
Urge you on to this uncertain path
Will the trials be too much for the soul to take?
Will the burden to press on be too great?
Yes, down this Road Less Travelled you must sojourn alone
But perhaps at the end you will find home
And though the trials and loneliness were indeed great
Perhaps you will feel no regret over the price you paid
Down the Road Less Travelled you will go
Though where it leads, no one knows
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Jesus and Religion
Come, follow me,” Jesus said. Matt 4:19
“How does your religion get you to heaven?” It wasn’t the question that stunned me, it was the response. “Actually, my religion doesn’t get you to heaven.” What? The host presiding over the inter-faith dialogues asked him to explain. “Sure, I’ve just never seen a religion save anyone. All religions are great at laying out some basic rules – dos and don’ts – that are good for our lives, but they don’t really provide hope or any kind of eternal security. It seems religions end up causing more trouble than solving any.” Wait – I thought this dude was a Christian! What was he saying?! “So then, how do you get to heaven?” the host asked him confused. “Well, it’s Jesus. He didn’t start a new religion; he came to provide us a model for life and a way to God. Believing in him and following him is the way. He takes us to heaven, not a religion.”
The word “religion” comes from a word that means “to tie up, to bind,” in the sense of obligation. Many people don’t want to become a Christian because they think Christianity is a religion. They are not looking to become burdened or tied up under a bunch of rules – they want to be free. But being part of the Christian religion and following Jesus are not one in the same.
Religion lays heavy burdens on the backs of men, under which they struggle. To the religious leaders of His day Jesus said, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them” (Luke 11:45-47). Jesus didn’t come to start a new religion and lay more heavy burdens on the backs of men; he came to show us a new way entirely – believing in and following Him.
“How does your religion get you to heaven?” It wasn’t the question that stunned me, it was the response. “Actually, my religion doesn’t get you to heaven.” What? The host presiding over the inter-faith dialogues asked him to explain. “Sure, I’ve just never seen a religion save anyone. All religions are great at laying out some basic rules – dos and don’ts – that are good for our lives, but they don’t really provide hope or any kind of eternal security. It seems religions end up causing more trouble than solving any.” Wait – I thought this dude was a Christian! What was he saying?! “So then, how do you get to heaven?” the host asked him confused. “Well, it’s Jesus. He didn’t start a new religion; he came to provide us a model for life and a way to God. Believing in him and following him is the way. He takes us to heaven, not a religion.”
The word “religion” comes from a word that means “to tie up, to bind,” in the sense of obligation. Many people don’t want to become a Christian because they think Christianity is a religion. They are not looking to become burdened or tied up under a bunch of rules – they want to be free. But being part of the Christian religion and following Jesus are not one in the same.
Religion lays heavy burdens on the backs of men, under which they struggle. To the religious leaders of His day Jesus said, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them” (Luke 11:45-47). Jesus didn’t come to start a new religion and lay more heavy burdens on the backs of men; he came to show us a new way entirely – believing in and following Him.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
The Iron Fist
Lesson number three: Authority is not a bad thing, it’s how you use it…
Authority - can’t live with it, can’t live without it. No one in their right mind would advocate anarchy as the way to go. We all know that if there were no law and nobody enforcing that law, mass chaos would ensue - crime and violence would go unchecked, running their full course. We need the order, protection, and stability that authority brings us. But while we admit authority is necessary, we also often feel it is a necessary evil. Bottom line: you can’t trust authority.
Our recognition of the need for authority is matched by our disdain for it and a ‘don’t tell me what to do’ attitude. Authority is all fine and dandy until it comes knocking on your front door or, perhaps more accurately, on your card window. We disdain authority because to us it limits our freedom and autonomy. Our origins and values as a country lend itself to this perception of authority.
As a camp counselor, having authority and enforcing it was not easy, particularly with the older kids. They don’t want you telling them what to do; authority in their minds is synonymous with control. Why do we have authority over children? Is it because we are better than them? Is it because we are less sinful than they are? No. I came to see that we are given authority to discharge a trust from God, and authority is needed to discharge that trust effectively.
Authority - can’t live with it, can’t live without it. No one in their right mind would advocate anarchy as the way to go. We all know that if there were no law and nobody enforcing that law, mass chaos would ensue - crime and violence would go unchecked, running their full course. We need the order, protection, and stability that authority brings us. But while we admit authority is necessary, we also often feel it is a necessary evil. Bottom line: you can’t trust authority.
Our recognition of the need for authority is matched by our disdain for it and a ‘don’t tell me what to do’ attitude. Authority is all fine and dandy until it comes knocking on your front door or, perhaps more accurately, on your card window. We disdain authority because to us it limits our freedom and autonomy. Our origins and values as a country lend itself to this perception of authority.
As a camp counselor, having authority and enforcing it was not easy, particularly with the older kids. They don’t want you telling them what to do; authority in their minds is synonymous with control. Why do we have authority over children? Is it because we are better than them? Is it because we are less sinful than they are? No. I came to see that we are given authority to discharge a trust from God, and authority is needed to discharge that trust effectively.
Love and Discipline
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Rev 3:19
Lesson number two: discipline should not be punitive or done in anger…
Admittedly, this was the one I struggled with the most this summer. Have you ever found yourself thinking that love and discipline are two separate things? I have. I know many parents would say they struggle to find a balance between loving their child and disciplining them. But, without realizing it, we are implying that love is only warm and fuzzy while discipline is cold and harsh.
Perhaps we define it this way because that has been our own experience. But the discipline of the Lord is very different from human discipline. “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?…Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it…” (Heb 12:5-7,9).
I think we need to redefine the word discipline. The word ‘discipline’ comes from the word ‘disciple.’ Children are disciples - little pupils, if you will. Little pupils of what exactly? Well, of those raising them. When we raise a child, we are ultimately instructing them in the ways of life, or more particularly, our ways of life - our standards, our beliefs, and our way of doing things. We show them how life should be lived. In an interesting way, they are little disciples of, well…us.
Lesson number two: discipline should not be punitive or done in anger…
Admittedly, this was the one I struggled with the most this summer. Have you ever found yourself thinking that love and discipline are two separate things? I have. I know many parents would say they struggle to find a balance between loving their child and disciplining them. But, without realizing it, we are implying that love is only warm and fuzzy while discipline is cold and harsh.
Perhaps we define it this way because that has been our own experience. But the discipline of the Lord is very different from human discipline. “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?…Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it…” (Heb 12:5-7,9).
I think we need to redefine the word discipline. The word ‘discipline’ comes from the word ‘disciple.’ Children are disciples - little pupils, if you will. Little pupils of what exactly? Well, of those raising them. When we raise a child, we are ultimately instructing them in the ways of life, or more particularly, our ways of life - our standards, our beliefs, and our way of doing things. We show them how life should be lived. In an interesting way, they are little disciples of, well…us.
Discipline
Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you (Deut 8:5)
My summer has been a marvelous journey of ups and downs. I spent my summer working as a camp counselor with a local children’s ministry at a nearby church. I have worked with this ministry as a camp counselor several times before, and I always walk away learning something new. This time, I intend to chronicle what I learned. But a brief disclaimer, even as I share my learnings I can’t really claim sainthood. I don’t have it all together in these areas; if anything, this summer I came to see how I fall short of the ideal. As a camp counselor I came face-to-face with my own impatience. Coming into the summer I felt like such a gentle and patient person. Well, I was wrong. My patience and gentleness hit their limits, limits that I didn’t know were there. Children are a sanctifying fire of their own, trust me. But I am sure the Lord will continue to work on such things in me.
Lesson number one: you are never too old for discipline…
I would like to thank junior camp (the 4-6 year olds) for teaching me this lesson. I believe God made this age cute to help keep us from giving full vent to our anger. Their blatant rebellion and open disobedience would warrant greater punitive measures if it wasn’t for their darn cuteness. How can I be angry with you when your cheeks always look like a never-ending game of chubby bunny and your eyes are so googly? Still, they know what they are doing.
As my junior campers and I were walking to the classroom one kid decided to throw his lunch box across the ground, resulting in me announcing a new rule: no more throwing your lunch box across the ground. Of course, even if the urge to throw their lunchbox had never come across their mind, suddenly the desire appeared simply because you said not to. It was like a light when off in this one kid’s head: she said not, so now I want to. That’s when junior decided to test me…he threw his lunch box. And I stopped and stared at him incredulously.
My summer has been a marvelous journey of ups and downs. I spent my summer working as a camp counselor with a local children’s ministry at a nearby church. I have worked with this ministry as a camp counselor several times before, and I always walk away learning something new. This time, I intend to chronicle what I learned. But a brief disclaimer, even as I share my learnings I can’t really claim sainthood. I don’t have it all together in these areas; if anything, this summer I came to see how I fall short of the ideal. As a camp counselor I came face-to-face with my own impatience. Coming into the summer I felt like such a gentle and patient person. Well, I was wrong. My patience and gentleness hit their limits, limits that I didn’t know were there. Children are a sanctifying fire of their own, trust me. But I am sure the Lord will continue to work on such things in me.
Lesson number one: you are never too old for discipline…
I would like to thank junior camp (the 4-6 year olds) for teaching me this lesson. I believe God made this age cute to help keep us from giving full vent to our anger. Their blatant rebellion and open disobedience would warrant greater punitive measures if it wasn’t for their darn cuteness. How can I be angry with you when your cheeks always look like a never-ending game of chubby bunny and your eyes are so googly? Still, they know what they are doing.
As my junior campers and I were walking to the classroom one kid decided to throw his lunch box across the ground, resulting in me announcing a new rule: no more throwing your lunch box across the ground. Of course, even if the urge to throw their lunchbox had never come across their mind, suddenly the desire appeared simply because you said not to. It was like a light when off in this one kid’s head: she said not, so now I want to. That’s when junior decided to test me…he threw his lunch box. And I stopped and stared at him incredulously.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
The Beauty of Obedience
Moses asked of the Lord, “Let me know Your ways that I may know You” (Exo 33:13).
You cannot know God apart from His ways or His commands. Obedience unlocks understanding. If we say we love Him and know Him, yet we do not obey Him, how can we be speaking the truth? Surely, when you love someone you demonstrate your love doing what you know pleases them, not what you know displeases them. Through His commands we can come to know God in a deeper way. Through His commands He will reveal Himself as pure, just, holy, loving, righteous, merciful, and gracious. But without obedience, such knowledge of God will remain intellectual, rather than experiential.
You cannot know God apart from His ways or His commands. Obedience unlocks understanding. If we say we love Him and know Him, yet we do not obey Him, how can we be speaking the truth? Surely, when you love someone you demonstrate your love doing what you know pleases them, not what you know displeases them. Through His commands we can come to know God in a deeper way. Through His commands He will reveal Himself as pure, just, holy, loving, righteous, merciful, and gracious. But without obedience, such knowledge of God will remain intellectual, rather than experiential.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Passion and Desires
Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. John 12:24-25
When it comes to our passions and desires nothing seems cut and dry. It’s like trying to navigate mirky waters - just what exactly is what? But the profound truth remains - everything starts with a desire, whether its doing good or doing evil. Given the tricky nature of desires, I suppose it’s no wonder the Bible notes, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jer 17:9). Of all unruly things in existence, who has mastered the heart? Who has tamed it? For the heart is the seat of a man’s will and desires.
“The greater the potential for good, the greater the potential for evil,” Elisabeth Elliot, wife of martyr Jim Elliot, wrote in speaking on the struggle she and Jim endured as they waited to be united together in marriage. “A good and perfect gift, these natural desires. But so much more necessary that they be restrained, controlled, corrected, even crucified, that they might be reborn in power and purity for God.”
At the crux of every trial and temptation is a struggle between the self and God; we wrestle with God over who will be in charge: us or Him. We struggle between choosing His will or our own. The more valuable the prize, the greater the struggle. Deep down we want to be captain of our destinies, we want to be seated on the throne of our hearts. We are willing to obey, but only if it means we get what we want. We say, “I will surrender to the will of the Lord, but only if He gives me (fill in the blank) in return.” We want to know what’s in it for us should we choose to surrender.
When it comes to our passions and desires nothing seems cut and dry. It’s like trying to navigate mirky waters - just what exactly is what? But the profound truth remains - everything starts with a desire, whether its doing good or doing evil. Given the tricky nature of desires, I suppose it’s no wonder the Bible notes, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jer 17:9). Of all unruly things in existence, who has mastered the heart? Who has tamed it? For the heart is the seat of a man’s will and desires.
“The greater the potential for good, the greater the potential for evil,” Elisabeth Elliot, wife of martyr Jim Elliot, wrote in speaking on the struggle she and Jim endured as they waited to be united together in marriage. “A good and perfect gift, these natural desires. But so much more necessary that they be restrained, controlled, corrected, even crucified, that they might be reborn in power and purity for God.”
At the crux of every trial and temptation is a struggle between the self and God; we wrestle with God over who will be in charge: us or Him. We struggle between choosing His will or our own. The more valuable the prize, the greater the struggle. Deep down we want to be captain of our destinies, we want to be seated on the throne of our hearts. We are willing to obey, but only if it means we get what we want. We say, “I will surrender to the will of the Lord, but only if He gives me (fill in the blank) in return.” We want to know what’s in it for us should we choose to surrender.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Hell's Best Kept Secret
When we preach the gospel, are we adequately preparing people for the Christian life?
"Why do 80-90% of those making a decision for Christ fall away from the faith? What is the principle that Spurgeon, Wesley, Whitefield, etc., used to reach the lost? Why has the Church neglected it? Don't let anything stop you from listening to this incredible teaching."
http://www.livingwaters.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=2:hell\'s-best-kept-secret&Itemid=305&lang=en
"Why do 80-90% of those making a decision for Christ fall away from the faith? What is the principle that Spurgeon, Wesley, Whitefield, etc., used to reach the lost? Why has the Church neglected it? Don't let anything stop you from listening to this incredible teaching."
http://www.livingwaters.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=2:hell\'s-best-kept-secret&Itemid=305&lang=en
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Searching for Treasure
It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;
to search out a matter is the glory of kings. Prov 25:2
Knowledge and wisdom are priceless. “Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her” (Prov 3:13-15). People have commended me as one is both wise and knowledgeable, and while I do not deny that I do indeed have the spiritual gifts of knowledge and wisdom, I do not feel that I am somehow special and worthy of such praise. I appreciate the sentiment, but I was not born with an innate gift for knowledge and wisdom, rather, I learned them. They did not come naturally to me. What did come naturally to me was a hunger for the knowledge and wisdom of God, but only after asking the Lord to give me that hunger.
Anyone can be wise and knowledgeable in the Lord. What it comes down to is how much you value truth. It has been my own experience that knowledge is not something that falls into your lap, you have to seek it out. However, I do not believe truth is far from any of us. It is not in God’s nature to withhold good things from those who ask Him. “Indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Prov 2:3-6).
to search out a matter is the glory of kings. Prov 25:2
Knowledge and wisdom are priceless. “Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her” (Prov 3:13-15). People have commended me as one is both wise and knowledgeable, and while I do not deny that I do indeed have the spiritual gifts of knowledge and wisdom, I do not feel that I am somehow special and worthy of such praise. I appreciate the sentiment, but I was not born with an innate gift for knowledge and wisdom, rather, I learned them. They did not come naturally to me. What did come naturally to me was a hunger for the knowledge and wisdom of God, but only after asking the Lord to give me that hunger.
Anyone can be wise and knowledgeable in the Lord. What it comes down to is how much you value truth. It has been my own experience that knowledge is not something that falls into your lap, you have to seek it out. However, I do not believe truth is far from any of us. It is not in God’s nature to withhold good things from those who ask Him. “Indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Prov 2:3-6).
Sunday, May 1, 2011
A City with Walls
“And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will” (2 Tim 2:24-26).
In my early college days, I was known among my friends as the truth-teller. Now that title might sound good, but trust me, it’s not. I was opinionated and passionate, blunt and direct. Everything was black and white. And since it was black or white, I had to be right, I couldn’t be wrong, there was no gray. It was everyone else who was wrong. That meant that I had the right to present the truth to them in a forceful way. I would argue with them until they would see things from my-point-of-view. Can you guess how that worked? It didn’t. You can’t argue someone into the truth.
What struck me when I first read the above passage is that it is within the context of being right. Nevertheless, it instructs us to gently rebuke or correct those who oppose us, in hopes that they will come to see the truth and repent. Even when we are right, it does not give us the right to present the truth in such a way that shows a disregard for the feelings of others. We must communicate the truth in a way that is honoring and gentle, preserving the dignity of the other person. “Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions” (Prov 18:2). We are not merely to air our own opinions, however right we may feel they are; we are to seek to understand where the other person is coming from because the communication is not one-way, it is two-way.
In my early college days, I was known among my friends as the truth-teller. Now that title might sound good, but trust me, it’s not. I was opinionated and passionate, blunt and direct. Everything was black and white. And since it was black or white, I had to be right, I couldn’t be wrong, there was no gray. It was everyone else who was wrong. That meant that I had the right to present the truth to them in a forceful way. I would argue with them until they would see things from my-point-of-view. Can you guess how that worked? It didn’t. You can’t argue someone into the truth.
What struck me when I first read the above passage is that it is within the context of being right. Nevertheless, it instructs us to gently rebuke or correct those who oppose us, in hopes that they will come to see the truth and repent. Even when we are right, it does not give us the right to present the truth in such a way that shows a disregard for the feelings of others. We must communicate the truth in a way that is honoring and gentle, preserving the dignity of the other person. “Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions” (Prov 18:2). We are not merely to air our own opinions, however right we may feel they are; we are to seek to understand where the other person is coming from because the communication is not one-way, it is two-way.
Friday, April 15, 2011
The Mystery of the Kingdom
“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matt 6:10
When you think of a kingdom, you may be thinking in terms of its modern definition, which is a defined territory. However, that is not how the kingdom of heaven or kingdom of God is defined. A kingdom in ancient times represented a sphere of reign and influence. When we ask for God’s kingdom to come, we are asking for more of His rule and reign, where His will is done “on earth as it is in heaven.” God has full and supreme rule in heaven. But the earth is different. God’s solution was to entrust mankind with the task to subdue the earth for Him (Gen 1:28).
When you think of a kingdom, you may be thinking in terms of its modern definition, which is a defined territory. However, that is not how the kingdom of heaven or kingdom of God is defined. A kingdom in ancient times represented a sphere of reign and influence. When we ask for God’s kingdom to come, we are asking for more of His rule and reign, where His will is done “on earth as it is in heaven.” God has full and supreme rule in heaven. But the earth is different. God’s solution was to entrust mankind with the task to subdue the earth for Him (Gen 1:28).
Friday, April 8, 2011
Like Father, Like Son
Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. John 5:19-20
What comes to your mind when you think about God? What immediately pops into your head to describe Him? AW Tozer once said, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”
Children learn from their parents. What they see mommy or daddy do they will do too. It’s the nature of the parent-child relationship. Children by nature do not act independently of their parents. Of course, that begs the question: How do you see Your Heavenly Father? What do you see Him do? Because what you see your Heavenly Father do, you will do also.
What comes to your mind when you think about God? What immediately pops into your head to describe Him? AW Tozer once said, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”
Children learn from their parents. What they see mommy or daddy do they will do too. It’s the nature of the parent-child relationship. Children by nature do not act independently of their parents. Of course, that begs the question: How do you see Your Heavenly Father? What do you see Him do? Because what you see your Heavenly Father do, you will do also.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Against All Hope
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. Rom 4:18-21
Have you ever tried living without hope? It’s a strange dilemma. Either you hope and you hurt, because hope means you have not yet received, or you lose hope and your heart begins to die slowly. Do you hope against all hope or decide it’s hopeless? Elsewhere in scripture it says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” I guess when you put it that way, we all have faith in something, even if it’s not in God. Because you can’t just not hope, for without hope you die inside. So then the question becomes, where do you put your hope? What do you put your faith in?
You could put hope in your spouse, in your friends, or in your dreams for the future. It isn’t always obvious what you have put your faith/hope in until you hit an obstacle to that hope becoming a reality. When faced with an obstacle, feelings of anger and anxiety emerge. If you put your hope in your dreams for the future, what happens when you hit an obstacle? You will start to become angry and anxious because you have so much on the line.
Have you ever tried living without hope? It’s a strange dilemma. Either you hope and you hurt, because hope means you have not yet received, or you lose hope and your heart begins to die slowly. Do you hope against all hope or decide it’s hopeless? Elsewhere in scripture it says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” I guess when you put it that way, we all have faith in something, even if it’s not in God. Because you can’t just not hope, for without hope you die inside. So then the question becomes, where do you put your hope? What do you put your faith in?
You could put hope in your spouse, in your friends, or in your dreams for the future. It isn’t always obvious what you have put your faith/hope in until you hit an obstacle to that hope becoming a reality. When faced with an obstacle, feelings of anger and anxiety emerge. If you put your hope in your dreams for the future, what happens when you hit an obstacle? You will start to become angry and anxious because you have so much on the line.
Monday, March 7, 2011
When Past and Future Meet
But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” And God said, “I will be with you….”…“What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you’?”…Moses said to the LORD, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”…But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.” (Exo 3:11-12, 4:1,10,13)
Have you ever felt like God can’t use you because of your struggles and weaknesses? Or that you’ve messed it up too big to do great things for the Lord? Good news! God is not looking for people who are self-sufficient and have it all together. He is actually looking for broken individuals who can hubmly admit they are weak. Seem counter-intuitive? Welcome to the kingdom of heaven.
Moses was filled with fear and self-doubt. Moses tells God that he simply is not qualified for the task. What if the Hebrew people don’t believe him? What about the fact that he is not a good speaker? I don’t know about you, but that is not the Moses I learned about in Sunday school. The Moses I learned about while being nestled comfortably on the floor and stuffed with teddy grahams was a fearless leader. You know - the one who parted the Red Sea and performed all those miracles. The truth is, Moses was a courageous leader, but it was a growing process.
Have you ever felt like God can’t use you because of your struggles and weaknesses? Or that you’ve messed it up too big to do great things for the Lord? Good news! God is not looking for people who are self-sufficient and have it all together. He is actually looking for broken individuals who can hubmly admit they are weak. Seem counter-intuitive? Welcome to the kingdom of heaven.
Moses was filled with fear and self-doubt. Moses tells God that he simply is not qualified for the task. What if the Hebrew people don’t believe him? What about the fact that he is not a good speaker? I don’t know about you, but that is not the Moses I learned about in Sunday school. The Moses I learned about while being nestled comfortably on the floor and stuffed with teddy grahams was a fearless leader. You know - the one who parted the Red Sea and performed all those miracles. The truth is, Moses was a courageous leader, but it was a growing process.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
A Heart of Stone
“The LORD said to Moses, ‘When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.’” Exo 4:21
Why would God harden Pharaoh’s heart? Seems rather unloving, doesn’t it? I mean if God directly intervened that would mean He created evil in Pharaoh’s heart. Is God the author of sin? Yet it is written, “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.” (James 1:13-14). So what gives? God did not actively harden Pharaoh’s heart; He hardened his heart passively.
How can God do so passively? He gave Pharaoh over to his sin, the sin that was already there in his heart. In regards to mankind, it is written, “Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts…They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised…Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done” (Rom 1:24-28).
God gave Pharaoh over to his sin and removed His hand of restraint. Have you ever heard the saying “Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely”? Think of the men in history who have had absolute power - Hitler, Stalin, etc - and think of how corrupted they became. In a way, you could argue the sin in their hearts had already been there, having absolute power merely allowed for the expression of it.
Why would God harden Pharaoh’s heart? Seems rather unloving, doesn’t it? I mean if God directly intervened that would mean He created evil in Pharaoh’s heart. Is God the author of sin? Yet it is written, “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.” (James 1:13-14). So what gives? God did not actively harden Pharaoh’s heart; He hardened his heart passively.
How can God do so passively? He gave Pharaoh over to his sin, the sin that was already there in his heart. In regards to mankind, it is written, “Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts…They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised…Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done” (Rom 1:24-28).
God gave Pharaoh over to his sin and removed His hand of restraint. Have you ever heard the saying “Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely”? Think of the men in history who have had absolute power - Hitler, Stalin, etc - and think of how corrupted they became. In a way, you could argue the sin in their hearts had already been there, having absolute power merely allowed for the expression of it.
Friday, February 4, 2011
H-E-Double Hockey Sticks
“And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done…The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.” Rev 20:12-15
I would like to attempt to explain something that is I know many find very difficult to understand: why a good and loving God sends people to hell. This post will not make sense unless you’ve read my previous post. Therefore, you should prolly read that before proceeding. Ultimately, God cares for us and values our affection, therefore He is Jealous. He wants our heart, and He is not willing to share first place. First, we must recognize that God does go to extremes to show His love for us. His love goes against nature - when someone betrays you, do you die for them? Do you go to them to attempt reconciliation without them coming to you first? Well, God did. He went to extremes in His love and wants reconciliation, it is His heart.
I would like to attempt to explain something that is I know many find very difficult to understand: why a good and loving God sends people to hell. This post will not make sense unless you’ve read my previous post. Therefore, you should prolly read that before proceeding. Ultimately, God cares for us and values our affection, therefore He is Jealous. He wants our heart, and He is not willing to share first place. First, we must recognize that God does go to extremes to show His love for us. His love goes against nature - when someone betrays you, do you die for them? Do you go to them to attempt reconciliation without them coming to you first? Well, God did. He went to extremes in His love and wants reconciliation, it is His heart.
Jealous Love
“Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” Exo 34:14
Is God a selfish God? Is His love for us self-interested and self-motivated? The answer to that question is both yes and no. Confusing? Let me explain. Have you ever been in love? If so, then you would know that when you love someone you want to do selfless things for them and make that person happy. But you also want that person to love you back and enjoy you. You want them to be devoted to you. You want them to love you back.
Yet, love opens you up to do more selfless things for that person that you don’t normally do. You love them for their own benefit, but let’s not lie, when you love you do it also for your own benefit. We like how love makes us feel and we like feeling good about ourselves when someone loves us back. Made in God’s image and understanding that, is it so surprising at that we do crazy things to have love? We need to be honest. When we chase after love we are not doing it for a hundred percent sefless reasons; we want love for our own benefit. We can’t live without it. We’ve got to have it.
Is God a selfish God? Is His love for us self-interested and self-motivated? The answer to that question is both yes and no. Confusing? Let me explain. Have you ever been in love? If so, then you would know that when you love someone you want to do selfless things for them and make that person happy. But you also want that person to love you back and enjoy you. You want them to be devoted to you. You want them to love you back.
Yet, love opens you up to do more selfless things for that person that you don’t normally do. You love them for their own benefit, but let’s not lie, when you love you do it also for your own benefit. We like how love makes us feel and we like feeling good about ourselves when someone loves us back. Made in God’s image and understanding that, is it so surprising at that we do crazy things to have love? We need to be honest. When we chase after love we are not doing it for a hundred percent sefless reasons; we want love for our own benefit. We can’t live without it. We’ve got to have it.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Looking in the Mirror, It Ain't Always Easy to See
“You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves as in the day of feasting.” James 5:5
I know what it is like to live a self-indulgent life. It is a life where you are at the center. Living self-indulgently means you give in to every whim and desire. Most of us would probably claim not to live self-indulgently. But indulgence does not always look as extreme as it sounds. Where does most of your money go? Do you spend most of your money on yourself? Do you indulge yourself in how you eat? The truth is, you could be handling your money responsibly by not overspending yet still be self-indulgent - because it’s all spent on yourself. And America’s increasing obesity rate would suggest that we are indulging ourselves “as in the day of feasting.” Self-indulegence is not easy to see in the mirror. In America, we are so used to seeing the way we live as “normal” that we may not detect what living self-indulgently means.
I know what it is like to live a self-indulgent life. It is a life where you are at the center. Living self-indulgently means you give in to every whim and desire. Most of us would probably claim not to live self-indulgently. But indulgence does not always look as extreme as it sounds. Where does most of your money go? Do you spend most of your money on yourself? Do you indulge yourself in how you eat? The truth is, you could be handling your money responsibly by not overspending yet still be self-indulgent - because it’s all spent on yourself. And America’s increasing obesity rate would suggest that we are indulging ourselves “as in the day of feasting.” Self-indulegence is not easy to see in the mirror. In America, we are so used to seeing the way we live as “normal” that we may not detect what living self-indulgently means.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Longings
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” Prov 13:12
Longings of the human heart run deep. It’s amazing the things men will do just to have what their heart longs for. Longings imply a lack, therefore they are accompanied by pain. The trouble with longings is figuring out what to do with them. What do we do with longings? To relieve this ache, men will do almost anything. Longings test the heart in a way nothing else can.
Some of us take matters into our own hands to fulfill our longings. Sarah wanted a child desperately. God had promised her one. “God just needs a hand,” she probably thought. After all, she couldn’t very well just wait around and expect God to drop what she wanted in her lap. God would help her only if she helped herself. She wasn’t getting any younger. She was getting older, already well past the age of being able to have a child. The women around her already had children. Perhaps she believed God would give her a child, but this whole idea that she should wait on Him to make it magically work out didn’t make sense. Life doesn’t work that way. So she decided to give God a hand and urged Abraham to sleep with Hagar so Hagar could be a surrogate mother.
but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” Prov 13:12
Longings of the human heart run deep. It’s amazing the things men will do just to have what their heart longs for. Longings imply a lack, therefore they are accompanied by pain. The trouble with longings is figuring out what to do with them. What do we do with longings? To relieve this ache, men will do almost anything. Longings test the heart in a way nothing else can.
Some of us take matters into our own hands to fulfill our longings. Sarah wanted a child desperately. God had promised her one. “God just needs a hand,” she probably thought. After all, she couldn’t very well just wait around and expect God to drop what she wanted in her lap. God would help her only if she helped herself. She wasn’t getting any younger. She was getting older, already well past the age of being able to have a child. The women around her already had children. Perhaps she believed God would give her a child, but this whole idea that she should wait on Him to make it magically work out didn’t make sense. Life doesn’t work that way. So she decided to give God a hand and urged Abraham to sleep with Hagar so Hagar could be a surrogate mother.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Communion
“Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” Matt 20:22
As humans we tend to often become upset with God about our suffering or the suffering we see in the world. Although He did share in our suffering by becoming human and experiencing the sorrows of a human life, we want to know that He shares in our personal suffering. We question Him, wanting to know why He doesn’t care about our suffering more or share in it.
Although, upon asking God this I received an interesting reply. Why don’t you share in My suffering? God has a tendency to answer a question with a question. He did that to Job. Jesus did it with the Pharisees. What’s more, His questions tend to silence anything else you could possibly say in protest. You may come to God with the intention of questioning Him, but He throws it back onto you. If you are like the Pharisees, when this happens you will probably walk away (Matt 21:23-27). The other response of course, is taking it to heart.
As humans we tend to often become upset with God about our suffering or the suffering we see in the world. Although He did share in our suffering by becoming human and experiencing the sorrows of a human life, we want to know that He shares in our personal suffering. We question Him, wanting to know why He doesn’t care about our suffering more or share in it.
Although, upon asking God this I received an interesting reply. Why don’t you share in My suffering? God has a tendency to answer a question with a question. He did that to Job. Jesus did it with the Pharisees. What’s more, His questions tend to silence anything else you could possibly say in protest. You may come to God with the intention of questioning Him, but He throws it back onto you. If you are like the Pharisees, when this happens you will probably walk away (Matt 21:23-27). The other response of course, is taking it to heart.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
You Can Only Hear a Whisper When You Listen
“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Jer 33:3
I believe God speaks. I dont think it’s for a select few who are super religious. I don’t know if it comes in an audible voice, at least that’s not my experience nor anyone else’s that I know of. How does God speaks? I don’t like putting God in a box, but I believe He speaks very clearly in His Word. I also believe God can speak outside His Word through people, circumstances, and impressions. I believe God will speak to each person in a specific way if that person is willing to listen.
Why does God speak? God speaks because He isnt hands-off with the world He created. I don’t believe He created the world and sat back to watch it. He speaks because as Creator of this world He longs to be known. He speaks because He cares. God is very involved. Chances are, you don’t doubt that God can speak; if you’re like me, you struggle with doubting that He will speak. But if we dont believe that He will speak then we will overlook, ignore, or explain away the times when He actually does. I’ve noticed that those who live with a profound awareness of God throughout their day are in a position where to hear from God the most.
I believe God speaks. I dont think it’s for a select few who are super religious. I don’t know if it comes in an audible voice, at least that’s not my experience nor anyone else’s that I know of. How does God speaks? I don’t like putting God in a box, but I believe He speaks very clearly in His Word. I also believe God can speak outside His Word through people, circumstances, and impressions. I believe God will speak to each person in a specific way if that person is willing to listen.
Why does God speak? God speaks because He isnt hands-off with the world He created. I don’t believe He created the world and sat back to watch it. He speaks because as Creator of this world He longs to be known. He speaks because He cares. God is very involved. Chances are, you don’t doubt that God can speak; if you’re like me, you struggle with doubting that He will speak. But if we dont believe that He will speak then we will overlook, ignore, or explain away the times when He actually does. I’ve noticed that those who live with a profound awareness of God throughout their day are in a position where to hear from God the most.
The Mask
This entry will be different from my usual entry. I normally do not watch a lot movies. Very few movies speak to me, which may explain the lack of interest. But I do think if you look at a person’s favorite movies, you can learn something about who they are as a person. The movies that mean something to them reveal their heart. My roommate who wants to be a teacher loves the movie Freedom Writers, which is about a teacher who inspires her students to overcome racism and hold tight to the future ahead them, regardless of their background. Because indivudals are unique, movies that speak to each person differs. What speaks to you will not necessarily speak to me. Therefore your favorite movie will not be my favorite.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Silence and Solitude
“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Luke 5:16
Silence and solitude are good. Though we may often avoid and even fear them, silence and solitude are needed in our lives. The reason why we try to avoid them is because we associate them with loneliness. And when silence and solitude are combined together the sense of aloneness, or loneliness, is even more powerful. So during our long drives in the car we will continually play the radio or listen to music. At home the television is on in the background. And as we walk places, we plug in our ipod headphones and listen to the latest tunes. We don’t want to feel lonely, so we try to busy ourselves with other things to fill the time. And to avoid silence, we constantly surround ourselves with noise.
Silence and solitude are good. Though we may often avoid and even fear them, silence and solitude are needed in our lives. The reason why we try to avoid them is because we associate them with loneliness. And when silence and solitude are combined together the sense of aloneness, or loneliness, is even more powerful. So during our long drives in the car we will continually play the radio or listen to music. At home the television is on in the background. And as we walk places, we plug in our ipod headphones and listen to the latest tunes. We don’t want to feel lonely, so we try to busy ourselves with other things to fill the time. And to avoid silence, we constantly surround ourselves with noise.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Love, Dating, and Break Ups
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.” Prov 3:5-6
I would like to address something that seems predominant among Christians, something that bothers me because it seems so wrong. I would like to address it without condemnation. I am not one of those people who likes to say its my way or no way. Sometimes matters are not black and white and I realize there are exceptions to the rule. I do not want to focus on a behavior, but on the heart behind it. So to address this issue, I think Elisabeth Elliot, wife of martyr Jim Elliot, puts it in the best terms:
“Hearts do break. The same hearts are breakable over and over again. Letters come in from couples who were engaged or very nearly engaged. One of them suddenly informs the other that they must break it off. The reason given, one which is thought to obviate all argument and dry all tears: ‘It is the will of God.’ This is in some cases an honest explanation. Perhaps one has come to a new place of surrender to the Lord and discovered that he or she has made a serious mistake. Sincere Christians make many a mistake, and surely it is better to rectify it than to proceed as though no mistake had ever occurred. The engagement must come to an end. Better now than after the wedding.
There is another possibility. The person had not sought God from the beginning. He or she entered into a relationship carelessly, with no thought of self-offering, prayer, or waiting for a word from God. It was self-willed and irresponsible.”
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.” Prov 3:5-6
I would like to address something that seems predominant among Christians, something that bothers me because it seems so wrong. I would like to address it without condemnation. I am not one of those people who likes to say its my way or no way. Sometimes matters are not black and white and I realize there are exceptions to the rule. I do not want to focus on a behavior, but on the heart behind it. So to address this issue, I think Elisabeth Elliot, wife of martyr Jim Elliot, puts it in the best terms:
“Hearts do break. The same hearts are breakable over and over again. Letters come in from couples who were engaged or very nearly engaged. One of them suddenly informs the other that they must break it off. The reason given, one which is thought to obviate all argument and dry all tears: ‘It is the will of God.’ This is in some cases an honest explanation. Perhaps one has come to a new place of surrender to the Lord and discovered that he or she has made a serious mistake. Sincere Christians make many a mistake, and surely it is better to rectify it than to proceed as though no mistake had ever occurred. The engagement must come to an end. Better now than after the wedding.
There is another possibility. The person had not sought God from the beginning. He or she entered into a relationship carelessly, with no thought of self-offering, prayer, or waiting for a word from God. It was self-willed and irresponsible.”
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