What kind of reader are you?

I took an on-line quiz and discovered what kind of reader I am. Here is the result:

What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm You're probably in the final stages of a Ph.D. or otherwise finding a way to make your living out of reading. You are one of the literati. Other people's grammatical mistakes make you insane.
Dedicated Reader
Literate Good Citizen
Book Snob
Non-Reader
Fad Reader
What Kind of Reader Are You? Create Your Own Quiz

Go have a try yourself!

Thanks for reading!

What if you had no reputation?

Philippians 2:5-9 NASU
5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

This passage may not usually be associated with Christmas, but for some reason that is how it comes to me this season. Look closely at the passage above, then read the quote from The Jesus Style by Gayle D. Erwin below.

“Christ Jesus . . . made himself nothing.

“He made himself nothing, he emptied himself—the great kenosis. He made himself no reputation, no image.

“I can recall my father shaking his head and repeating over and over to himself, ‘If only I knew what this meant. There is something powerful here. If I only understood it.’ Maybe that is why this Scripture has glued itself to my mind and equally disturbs me. Reputation is so important to me. I want to be seen with the right people, remembered in the right light, advertised with my name spelled right, live in the right neighborhood, drive the right kind of car, wear the right kind of clothing. But Jesus made himself of no reputation.”

Christmas in America means lots of things to lots of people. For some it becomes a political event that pits “the true meaning of Christmas” against the bias of some against religion. For others Christmas is just another time to visit dysfunctional families and to pretend to get along with each other. For others Christmas is a season that involves incredible profits (or expenses) and lots of activities. For still others Christmas is simply a winter break, a time to regroup for a new year.

I know I’ve left a big group out! There are those who see Christmas as the celebration of the birth of the world’s Savior.

But I want to twist the prism a bit and look at Christmas from a different angle. Almost all of the views above look at Christmas from the perspective of what humans gain from the season. I wonder if we can look at the season as something we can offer to others, a gift of sorts.

This passage from Philippians reminds me that Christmas for Jesus wasn’t about what he would gain. In fact, he lost just about everything! He left the comfort of his Father’s place, he became a tottering, dribbling little baby, he had to learn to talk, to walk, to eat, he left his riches behind for the poverty of a manger, and ultimately he would even become sin, something he had never experienced. As Paul says, he made himself of no reputation.

Imagine what Christmas would be like this year if those of us who follow Jesus would do as Paul admonishes here and have this approach to the season. What would Christmas look like if we didn’t care about what we got out of it?

Ronald Reagan is credited with the saying “There is no telling what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit.”

We don’t like that approach though, do we? We kick against it! I mean, we deserve to be recognized, don’t we?

You came up with the idea that made the company money, shouldn’t you be rewarded? Maybe you found a problem and fixed it, and that fix saved someone’s job. Shouldn’t you be shown gratitude? Maybe you did some kindness for someone you knew couldn’t pay you back, shouldn’t you get credit for that?

Don’t we all think that we should be center stage, center of the world, the most important person in the world?

How many times have you heard “I quit going to that church because MY needs weren’t being met”?

No reputation.

Let that sink in.

NO Reputation!

No fame, no credit, no automatic acceptance, no celebrities, and no place where who you know or what you know earns you admittance.

Jesus made himself of no reputation.

Ouch!

We love our awards, the acceptance of others, the glamour of being “somebody,” or the wonderful happiness of fame, don’t we?

“Don’t neglect me” is the motto of many in our society and our churches.

The motto of Christ and his followers is “No reputation.”

God chooses such people to further his agenda. Will we be involved or do we like our perks too much?

What can you do this Christmas season that will bless others and garnish no reputation for you?
Will we do it?

Thanks for reading!

My Annual Christmas Post

Hey y'all:

Here is a little meditation I wrote about 3 years ago that sums up for me what is the "Mystery of Christmas." I hope you enjoy this rerun!

A little over 2000 years ago, a tiny child was born in the bleakest of conditions. Oh, he wasn’t the only one born in a bad state. In fact, in some ways, he was one of the lucky ones. He and his mother actually survived childbirth and thrived. Still, this story is unique and amazing on several levels.

First, this child would literally change the way time is reckoned in the world. His life and abilities would so impress generations of others that a brand new movement would be created, one that would radically change the very face of the earth (sometimes for good, sometimes for bad). His name would become recognized among the names of the greatest of humans, yet he never forgot his humble beginnings or lost a sense of who he was.

The second thing about this child is tied to the first in that this baby, this helpless lad full of spittle and mush, was born as the very Son of God. When Mary held his little head to her breast, he drank human milk. Yet, he was (and is) the God of the universe. Can you picture this simply ridiculous, yet somehow poetic scene? God, who calls the stars by name, pressed to the human breast for sustenance. Humble, yet almighty, is how most folks would no doubt recall this child.

A little over 2000 years ago, God proposed that the only remedy for the human condition of sin would be if he humbled himself, stepped out of eternity and into human flesh, and suckled at Mary’s breast in preparation for the greatest, most impressive conversion of all. God, in Mary’s arms, toddling around Joseph’s shop, learning to talk, learning to walk, tasting and touching things with human hands. As the Psalmist says in Psalm 139, “such knowledge is too wonderful for us, we cannot contain it.”

God knew that the only way to redeem us was if he did it himself. Haven’t you ever had that thought? You know, the one where you say, “If I want something done right, I’ll just have to do it myself?” Imagine God having that thought about bringing us back to proper relationship with him. Imagine again that the only way he knew he could do that is if he came to earth as a baby. Think of it—how vulnerable the almighty God was at that moment, how paradoxical that the God of all creation had to learn to walk! And why did he put himself in this situation? Out of his inexpressible love for each of us he acted in this manner.

He became insane that we may be sane. He became flesh so that we might walk in the Spirit. He became sin that we might be righteous. He became poor so that we might be rich. He became a toddling, dribbling, helpless babe so that we could become mature humans in the image of almighty God. What wondrous love! What humility and service! How then can anything he asks of us be too difficult?

Lord, in this Christmas season, remind me of your sacrifice and love so that I might be a light shining in darkness to others. May the grace of God and the peace of Christ rule in my family and my life.

Thanks for reading!

God's goodness, our gratitude

Ps 145:8-10 NLT

8 The LORD is kind and merciful,
slow to get angry, full of unfailing love.
9 The LORD is good to everyone.
He showers compassion on all his creation.
10 All of your works will thank you, LORD,
and your faithful followers will bless you.

2 Co 4:11-12 NASU

11 For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death works in us, but life in you.

Today I am reminded of God's graciousness and mercy. He is good to all, not to just a "righteous remnant." Daily Jesus bestows on all of us some kind of goodness and mercy, and we either thank God for it or turn blind eyes away from the light of God's Son.

As Paul says in 2 Corinthians, people's eyes often are blinded by the enemy of their souls so that even when God's Word is read, they have a veil over their eyes and cannot see the truth. Therefore they fail to bless God for the goodness or mercy bestowed.

The godly, however, should not react in this way. They should speak of God's goodness, mercy, mighty works, kingdom, etc. God's people should recognize his mercy and grace quickly and readily. Why? Because God "has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ" (2 Cor. 4:6).

Experience, however, often shows that it is God's very own "chosen" people who ignore or overlook his grace and goodness. Why? Because we have not learned to allow our selves to be given over to death so that Christ's life might be manifested in us.

What is required? 1) Death to the recognition of ourselves as in any way the originator of any "good" in our life--we couldn't produce those things if our lives depended on it (and, in a sense, they do!). 2) Death to an ungrateful or unthankful heart or attitude. Oxygen is as much a gift from God as life, health, riches, etc., but we often complain about our situation using the very oxygen from God that is freely given to us so that we can breath and talk! 3) Grace is needed. 4) The life of Christ is needed--this comes by virtue of God's grace, but we have to accept it. 5) A thankful heart is needed--this requires effort of our own. God will not give it (although he'll be happy to teach us how to obtain one by giving us difficult circumstances through which we can practice gratitude!).

All of this is to say that we all have reasons to be grateful. Perhaps it is time we acted like we were grateful.

Thanks for reading!

What I am listening to at the moment . . .

The CDs playing today are:

1. Need To Breathe

2. Starfield

3. Family Force 5

4. Switchfoot

Thanks for reading!

Where is my zeal? What do I know?

Romans 10:1-4 NASU

Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. 2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. 3 For not knowing about God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Romans 10:1-4 has opened up a new avenue of thought for me. In this passage, Paul notes that the Jews have a “zeal” for God, but it is a zeal that is not accompanied with “knowledge” (epignosis—knowledge or recognition). He goes on to say that the main problem for them is that their zeal leads them to attempt to produce a righteousness within themselves that will appease God; that is, they are “seeking to establish their own [righteousness], they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:3).

Now usually it is here that I missed the argument.

Paul isn’t saying that they were lost because they tried to keep the Law, he is saying that they were trying to substitute their OWN righteousness (one that Paul himself claims to have achieved in Philippians 3:5-6) in the place of God’s dikaiosune. In other words, they were making themselves just and thus expected that God would therefore accept them due to their own righteousness or justice.

We hear this all the time—“He was a good man, so now he is in a better place.” But the apostle Paul says, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” That is, Christ puts an end to self-achieved righteousness.

The problem isn’t Law, for it is “holy, just, and good” as Paul notes in Romans 6 and 7. The problem is this unholy tendency to justify ourselves before a holy God. Adam did it, Job did it, the Pharisees and Sadducees did it, we all do it.

How does it usually manifest itself in me? In this manner—I get upset when things in life don’t go my way because I “deserve better.” That is self-righteousness talk. We deserve hell. We deserve any misery God chooses to place on us, but the good news is that in his incomparable mercy, God has chosen to give us not our OWN righteousness (which is, as Isaiah says, “filthy rags”), but rather, the righteousness that is the end, the righteousness of God in Christ. This righteousness is attained only by faith in Christ’s faithfulness to accomplish all that God has for us.

Paul’s problem with his own people is that they are zealous to prove themselves, not zealous for God to prove himself. Lord, how like them I am! Christ is the end, it is his honor and righteousness for which I should be zealous. Forgive us, oh Lord, for our pitiful attempts to make ourselves righteous, and grant through the life and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that we should be found righteous through him.

Now back to the issue of “knowledge” in these verses. The word rendered knowledge is epignosis, which carries the meaning of knowledge or recognition. Thayers renders it something like “precise knowledge.”

Isn’t it interesting here that the Jews are described as having a zeal for God that lacks “knowledge”? Notice that it doesn’t say it lacks “faith.” Yet in this same passage Paul adds that Christ is the end of the Law with regards to righteousness to “every one who believes.” In other words, knowledge requires faith/faithfulness.

The Jews described here are faithful to pursuing their own righteousness in an apparent zeal for the things of God, but the best they accomplish is a passion without knowledge, a righteousness that pales in comparison to God’s own righteousness.

In fact, in the verses following Romans 10:4, Paul goes on to compare the two kinds of righteousness mentioned in the first four verses. Righteousness that is known by “faith” results in salvation. Why? It is dependent upon an intimate and precise knowledge of the author of that righteousness; namely, Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Knowledge in this sense can have an intimacy to it, a precision that is almost scary. Like a married couple who finishes each other’s sentences or can communicate an almost physical intimacy by just a glance, so is the intimacy that is called for with Christ. This knowledge is based on faith. Unlike my physical spouse, Christ is not in this room for me to touch, to hold, but by faith (a means of knowing something) I can grasp him, I can hold him, even better, I can be held by him.

God show me how to live faithfully in this knowledge of you, in your righteousness, and forgive me for trying so often to make myself righteous in your sight instead of relying on your faithfulness to me. How slow I am to understand sometimes! How foolish! Now it is clear why Paul “counts all things as manure,” these things cannot make him righteous, they cannot affect his relationship with God at all! Christ is the end of the Law with regards to righteousness, he is true righteousness. Lord, help me to cultivate that relationship with you. Thank you for accepting even me in your grace and mercy.

Like Adam and Eve, we only have one rule to obey—believe in Jesus and confess him. Can we do that, or like our ancestors, will we choose the wrong tree?

Thanks for reading!

A lesson in faith

Lk 17:5-10 NASU

5 The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" 6 And the Lord said, "If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and be planted in the sea'; and it would obey you.

7 "Which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come immediately and sit down to eat'? 8 "But will he not say to him, ' Prepare something for me to eat, and properly clothe yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; and afterward you may eat and drink'? 9 "He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he? 10 "So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.'"

In the passage above the disciples ask Jesus to increase their faith. Notice that they did not ask him to strengthen their faith. They wanted more of what Jesus had already given them.

Jesus responds to this request in a rather unusual way. He tells his disciples that they need simply to do what they have been asked by God to do!

How does that increase faith?

Look at Romans 10:17. Paul says that faith comes from hearing, and hearing comes from the word of Christ. The word "hearing" has a similar root to the word for "obey." It isn't the "hearing" alone that matters, it is the response to what is heard that has an effect (see James 1:22-25). When we learn God's character by hearing and heeding his voice, we increase areas for us to practice (and thereby increase) our faith.

Jesus says in Luke 17 that faith the size of a mustard seed could plant trees in the sea and move mountains! It doesn't take a lot of faith to accomplish something--it simply takes applying faith in the proper character--the character of God!

We are called to strenghten feeble knees and weak arms, but we should increase our faith by learning what God is doing and by faith walking into it. Faith is a gift that says in our heart "God wants to do this--I'll do it with him!"

Our faith needs increasing by learning from God what his character is like and what he wants to accomplish through us. Then we need to do it. When we do it, we will find our faith increased.

Trees will be uprooted and mountains moved.

Will we let God do it in us?

Will you serve God for nothing?

Job 1:9-12
9 Then Satan answered the LORD, "Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 " Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 " But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face."
NASU

Job 13:15
15 "Though He slay me ,
I will hope in Him.
Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him.
NASU

Oswald Chambers--"Faith by its very nature must be tried, and the real trial fo faith is not that we find it difficult to trust God, but that God's character has to be cleared in our minds. Faith in its actual working out has to go through spells of unsyllabled isolation. . . . Faith in the Bible is faith in God against everything that contradicts him--I will remain true to God's character whatever he may do. 'Though he slay me, yet will I trust him' is the most sublime of faith in all of Scripture."

Will a man serve God for nothing?

This tantalizing question is asked by Satan in the book of Job. A great contest has begun, a contest to see the limits of Job's trust in the character and faithfulness of God. In order to win the contest, Jobe would have to suffer the loss of many things, even the loss of whatever sense of God's approval he may have had.

What a test!

How would you do?

Will we serve God without expecting anything in return?

Will we love those around you (even those who don't "deserve" it or who mistreat you)? Will we pray for others, encourage them, live for them, without expectation that they will repay us?

At one point in his ministry, Jesus told his disciples to love on those folks who could not possibly pay them back. In Matthew 5:43-48, Jesus reminds us that we should love those who even despise us, to love them without expectation of love in return. In fact, we are told that doing so is in some sense like God!

The recent news of the slayings of young Amish girls has startled our country. What you may not hear in the midst of all the "horrible" news is the fact that one of the families who lost a daughter have reached out to the parents of the killer. That's right, they have asked them to come to the funeral, to receive love from the community, to receive forgiveness and acceptance. This Amish family is willing to forgive the horrible injustice done to them.

During the latest violent protests of Muslims against the Pope and his statements regarding Islam, a group of Muslims killed a nun. Shot her in the back. Her response as she bled to death? "Forgive them, forgive them."

Will we relate to others with the same spirit? Are we willing to receive nothing for our efforts? No acclaim, no recogition, not even a "thank you"?

Will we be hidden for God or do we want the limelight too much?

Dear God, you alone have the words of life. Teach us to cease our selfish ambitions and to lose ourselves in loving you and loving others. Not a reciprocating kind of love, but an unconditional, no-holds-barred love that remains faithful even when the evidence for faith has ceased. Teach us to love as you loved. Thank you.

For God so loved the world that he gave . . .

Thanks for reading!

The Way Up is Down

Heb 5:8-10 NASU

8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. 9 And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, 10 being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

Mk 10:41-45 NASU

41 Hearing this, the ten began to feel indignant with James and John. 42 Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. 43 But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; 44 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

There is a spiritual secret to God's kingdom in these passages. One that often eludes the Western mind because of our rugged individualism and self-reliance. Simply put, the way to "exercise authority" in God's sight is to humble yourself and serve others. The way up is down.

I don't care what your level of education is, it doesn't matter how high your status may be, if you want genuine authority with others and with God you must learn to serve.

Look at Jesus, our example and the author and finisher of our faith! Even thought he was a "natural born" son of God, he learned obedience by suffering.

Who are we to think we will not necessarily learn obedience in the same way? You can count it as certain that we thick-headed, selfish, stubborn folk will necessarily learn obedience through our trials. And yet there is hope here that we can learn obedience by willful submission of ourselves to Jesus in the service of others.

What a balanced life Jesus lived! He found time for God and time to serve others. He left the riches of heaven to become poor so that we may inherit his riches. He became sin so that we might become righteous. He acted the fool so that we could be wise. He became human so that we could become children of God!

He left his high estate to hang out with us! He set aside his status as Master to wash the feet of a few dumb fisherman, and today he continues to humble himself so that he can love on us.

Philippians 2 tells us that he "emptied himself" and became a servant, and in his humility he showed us that we ought also to humble ourselves.

Are we willing to serve those we least like or appreciate? Are we willing to do for others what we think "ought" to be done for us? Can we lay aside our pride to serve the "least of these" in the name of our Lord who did the same thing for us?

How can we not?

Today's goal--serve someone unexpectedly and without thought of reward. Humble yourself in God's sight. Do something that someone of your position usually would not do.

And when you do, don't expect anyone to run over and thank you for your humility.

Humility grows best when it is not noticed or recognized.

Does that sound too harsh? If Jesus experienced it, should we expect any less?

Thanks for reading!

An oldie from my journal . . .

Several years ago I was in Waco and struggling with my circumstances. Things were not going as I had planned, and I felt that God had all but abandoned me. In the midst of a particularly difficult emotional struggle, I had a dream one night. In this dream, a person that I thought was Jesus came to me and offered words of comfort. When I awoke, I wrote down the words as I remembered them. This is what I remember he said:

My child, if you will die, I will produce the harvest. Do not think that I have forsaken you, nor believe that I am incapable.

I am God.

How can you worship that which is limited and unnecessary? How can you submit yourself to that which is not divine? What need have you for a ministry? What need have you for fame or fortune? When will you learn to be content with me?

How long must I wait to see my dreams fulfilled in you?

I long to hold you in my arms of love, to heal the scars of bitterness, anger, and rejectionn that have trekked across your heart. I have cried tears for you, my child.

I died and live for you.

I love you.

My child, do not surrender the grace of God for the dream of so-called better things in the future. There is no better thing for you than to be in my presence, in my love, in my grace.

How do you think you arrived where you are today?

I brought you to this place. I provided what you need. I love you.

Stand and watch the things I will do for you.

You have often desired the future things now, as though you desired to run before you knew how to walk. Remember, the vision will come and I am not slow regarding my promises. Wait for the fulfillment of the promise, it will not delay.

Will my word return empty? Will it not accomplish what I sent it to do? Is my arm short that I cannot save?

You desire so many things, but only one thing counts, only one thing really matters--your relationship with me.

Your present problems will create growth, not destruction. Your present fire will prove your faith, not harm it. Your situation may seem futile and foolish now, but when the time will come, you will see what I have promised.

Stand firm in the promise I have given. Follow the course I lay out for you.

I have not and will not forsake you. Hold fast to my promise, to my word.

I love you. Grab onto that and let your faith grow.

These words were a blanket of encouragement to me in my pain. I don't think of them as "inspired" like the Bible, but they certainly provided me a sense of comfort. They may have originated in my overactive imagination, but I hope they will help someone else.

Maybe some of you are going through a crisis or a problem that seems to have no solution. Let me say that God is indeed faithful. He does fulfill what he says he will do. He is true to his word. He has proven it to me in more ways than I can say.

He is good. He loves you. He is with you in your fire.

Hang in there! You are going to make it!

Thanks for reading!

How about a song from Kansas?

For those of you too young to remember the great classic rock group Kansas, let me just say that their music defined my generation during our high school years as much as any 70s to 80s rock band. Their songs were majestic in scope and tenor, they were classic tales sung to the tune of an amazing mixture of heavy rock and roll, church organs, and violins. In some ways (to me at least), they were the U2 of my generation. Here is a song that I love from a 1979 album. Kerry Livgren wrote the song. It is entitled "A Glimpse of Home." Here are the lyrics:

When I was very young so many songs were sung
So much wasted time on an uphill climb
But you where always there, a feeling in the air
There was nothing to fear you were so near
Now you are here once again
As I stand in your presence
I can feel the quiet patience of your gaze
Like an old superstition
You are haunting all my dreams and waking days

(Chorus)
All my life I knew you were waiting, revelation anticipating
All is well, the search is over, let the truth be known
Let it be shown (give me a glimpse of home)

There's no resisting you among the chosen few
It's hard to be sure, it's hard to endure
And when I hear your voice
I know I have the choice
To pursue an ideal, something so real
Now I've got nothing to lose
As I see your reflection
All the answers I desire become so clear
Like a page that is turning
I can look into the future without fear

(Chorus)

You're in my rock and roll, you're in my very soul
Though it's heavy to bear, it's a feeling so rare
And it's a mystery, the way it's meant to be
Can we ever know, we're moving so slow
There ain't enough time in the world
As I reach up the ladder
There is something ever higher to perceive
Like a fire that is burning
In my heart I know I surely must believe

(Chorus)

As a young Christian looking for a music to define his spiritual journey, this song became a kind of "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" milestone for me. I can't be sure, but when I heard the lyrics above, I had the distinct impression that Livgren was talking about God/Jesus.

You see, though raised in a good Baptist home and church, I had in my youth become something of a doubter and skeptic. I tried to find reasons to ignore or overlook the Divine in what was around me, and I often came up with my own explanations as to why things happened as they did.

Yet even in my most skeptical moments, Jesus was there, "like an old superstition," haunting my days and my dreams.

I couldn't shake it. I couldn't shake him.

His patience and merciful stare seemed to follow me on matter where I went. His benevolent hand of mercy shielded me, protected me, even promoted me without my request.

He was there, a "revelation anticipating" my gaze, my faith.

One day I surrendered. Realizing that I was surrounded and enveloped by God, I gave in. I said, "Enough! I can't shake you, so I'll join you."

He kindly let me in. He also let me think it was my idea (grin).

This song defined that moment for me--the moment when I came face-to-face with God. He didn't blink. He opened his arms. He hugged me.

His love has overwhelmed me ever since.

My search is over, I have found home. It is in the loving gaze of Jesus.

I love this song. Thank God for music!

Thanks for reading!

What am I listening to today? Thanks for asking!

Here's what is on the old office CD player today:

1. Elvis--30 #1 hits
2. Foreigner--Greatest Hits
3. Styx--Greatest Hits
4. Creedence Clearwater Revival
5. T Bone Burnett--Truth Decay

Yep, it's a seventies kind of day (well, except for T-Bone). Rainy days make me think of my youth for some reason. Go figure!

Thanks for reading!

What's on the CD Player today?

Today is an all Crowder today! That's right, I'm listening to the David Crowder Band in all their glory. On the CD Player at the moment are the following:

1. Can You Hear Us?
2. The Lime CD
3. Collision
4. Sunshine and Sushi
5. Illuminate

Thanks for reading!

The Importance of the Truth

"

Jesus then said to those Jews who had believed in him, 'If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.'" John 8:31-32 (NASU)

"What Christianity taught the world of ancient thought, namely, that all truth is identical with the living mind of God, is forfeited in an age that assigns God and mystery to one realm, and man and rationality to another." God, Revelation, and Authority, Carl Henry

"The apostles knew that the truth of truth, the truth of God, and the truth of the gospel stand or fall together." A Plea for Evangelical Demonstration, Carl Henry

"Truth-famine is the ultimate and worst of all famines. Unless modern culture recovers the truth of truth and the truth of God, civilization is doomed to oblivion and the spirit of man to nihilism." A Plea for Evangelical Demonstration, Carl Henry

Those of us who lay claim to a Christian worldview must of necessity take seriously the idea of and proprogation of Truth.

Truth is the cornerstone of our existence.

In a post-modern world where truth becomes a matter of subjective opinion or spin doctors, we must be ever more diligent to pursue, to know, to embrace, and to live truth.

Jesus says that truth will free us. Of course, he is right. Truth will either provide the framework from which we can address the lies in our lives and (hopefully) find the means to overcome them, or else truth will shine its blinding light of clarity on the dark spot of delusion we try so desperately to hide and will (by doing so) make known our lies and expose our darkness.

Truth will make all things known.

You cannot hide from truth. It will someday expose you.

Truth is like a laser--with pinpoint accuracy it will expose our sloppy thinking and our hidden lies while at the same time searing them off of us (sometimes with bitter results).

The problem is pursuing truth. While most humans will admit that truth is "out there," we may well disagree with a definition of what it is. The Christian says, "God is truth," and I think that is a correct answer. But wait, there's more!

Truth is saying what is real, it is saying of "what-is" that it is. Truth is admitting that reality is real, that there is some kind of objective something or absolute something out there bigger than all of us. Truth is what is real.

We hide in our half-truths, we pretend to be something we aren't, we hide our inadequacies and our failings behind lies we have built up to make ourselves look better.

Then truth walks into the room--The brilliance of the light of truth makes it hard to see at first, but then as our eyes blink back their blindness of our own self-induced lies, we began to see more clearly than we have seen in a while. All of our hidden stuff is exposed, we are known. We are scared.

Of course, if we started off diligently chasing truth and applying its spotlight to our lives BEFORE we lied, then we would not only be used to the light, we would also not have any shadows to hide.

We must start with Truth.

A famine of Truth leads to a society of lies and spin.

Such a place is not a standard of Freedom, it is a dark place of slavery to the lies that bind us.

God, give us men and women of Truth.

Thanks for reading!

How about a note from Richard Halverson?

Hey everyone,

I was reading through some old reprints I have in my possession, and I found the following article from the November 10, 1971 issue of Perspective. The truth of the article is as valid today as it was 35 years ago. The brief article is by Richard Halverson. Let me know what you think of it.

God calls a man . . .

Gives him a vision . . .

Anoints him for its fulfillment.

Obedient to the call in the light of the vision and the power of the anointing--his labors are blessed with unusual results.

Others take notice . . .

Want to get in on the act.

They ask the man how he did it (the assumption being that if they did as he did, they would achieve as he achieved).

He begins to analyze what he did--comes up with the methods which were born out of the call, the vision and the anointing.

If enough people ask him how he did it--he'll publish a manual setting forth the methods he used.

Then anybody can buy the manual, apply the methods, and get the same results . . . or so the idea goes.

Somehow the call, the vision, and the anointing are forgotten or ignored or subordinated to the mechanics.

As though God could not do another thing with another person.

As though God had run out of calls or visions or power.

As though God had no new ways to do what had never been done before.

How distinct the servants of God in the Bible! How different their ways of doing things! How incredible their effectiveness . . . When each was himself as God called and envisioned and anointed him to be.

God has not changed. He wants to do the same today with those who will yield to Him, to be led by Him, allow Him to teach them His ways.

"Don't make a principle of your experience, let God be as original with others as he was with you." Oswald Chambers

This article reminds me of another Chambers quote--"Where would you be if God took away all your Christian work? Too often it is our Christian work that is worshiped and not God."

How sad it is that we often enthrone methods and means, and forget the end of all things is to worship God and enjoy him forever.

Where would we be if we were dependent completely on God for our vision?

What would the church look like if we relied on God's Spirit and God's Word more than our methods, our books, or our plans?

Wouldn't you like to see?

Me too!

Thanks for reading!

Some quotes from Carl F. H. Henry

"No treatment of the virtues our Lord taught is adequate which does not assign first place to love. Love is the fountain of the pure heart and the forgiving spirit." Christian Personal Ethics

"Christian love is only half biblical when it deteriorates into a concern only for the souls of men and is indifferent to the needs of the body. What believer ministers to himself only in this way? It is scarcely biblical at all when it degenerates into a mere humanistic concern for the social side of life to the total neglect of the life of the spirit." Christian Personal Ethics

"No society that disregards ethical finalities can long postpone ignominious collapse." The Christian Mindset in a Secular Society

These quotes remind me that the life I have been called to (my "vocation," if you will) is first and finally calculated and determined by love. It starts with the love of God for humanity and culminates in my love for my neighbor created out of a selfish heart changed by the love and grace of God. If there is no love of neighbor in me, then there is likely no love of God.

If I can honestly turn a deaf ear and a hardened heart to the needs (spiritual and physical) of those around me, then I must wonder if my ears and heart have ceased to hear the voice of God or to experience his piercing love and holiness. You see, I cannot love if I have not been loved. John in his first letter says it like this--"We love because he (God) first loved us. If any says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen."

A story about Mother Teresa expresses it like this--when asked how she could show compassion and love to the "untouchables" of India's lowest class, she responded, "I love them because I see Jesus in them. I love Jesus more than anything else."

In a strange twist of "love your neighbor as yourself," Mother Teresa seems to be reminding us that lingering in even the lowest of human lives is some part of the image of God. That image is what I am called to cherish and love. Yes, even if they hate me, I must love them. Respect for human life does not come from an overdeveloped ego or ethic, it comes from recognizing a basic biblical fact--God loves them, so should we.

God does not place a condition on my love for my neighbor. He does not say, "Love him if he becomes Christian."

No, I am to love him even if he refuses Christ.

I am to love my neighbor even if I am ridiculed, even if I am cast out, even if I am persecuted and mistreated.

I must bless them if I have the love of God in me.

Such a life is not easy. It will bring many wounds and scars.

Anyone who has loved greatly will tell you how difficult a broken heart can be. To love another is to risk brokenness.

Oh, the story is not always negative, but neither is it always positive.

We are called to a life of love. Such a life will be founded on the firm conviction of God's love and existence. This foundation of faith provides a foundation of finality to ethics. There are rights and wrongs. Love cannot be one thing to one person and an opposite thing to another. Love is what it is. God's very person and experience with humanity shows true love.

God's love gives (John 3:16). It is not based on what can be received or attained, but is given without expectation of receiving in return. Read 1 Corinthians 13.

We love because he loved us.

Are we willing to risk the dangers of loving others?

Thanks for reading!

Just a quick thought

I was reading some posts on-line from some of my seminary students. One of them mentioned that he had lost a parent in the last year, and that post brought to mind that my own father passed away 2 years ago this month. In May 2005 I wrote a brief essay in honor of my dad. For those of you who haven't read it, go to this link to see what I had to say: Memories of Dad

I'll try to post something new later. I just missed my dad a bit this afternoon.

Thanks for reading.

Currently playing

On the old CD player here at the office are the following CDs:

1. Switchfoot--"Nothing is Sound"
2. U2--"Rattle and Hum"
3. Jennifer Knapp--"The Collection"
4. Foreigner--"Greatest Hits"

Rock on!

Thanks for reading!

Knowledge + Practice = Faith

Philip Jacob Spener in his Pia Desideria laments the condition of the church and notes "the people must have impressed upon them and must accustom themselves to believing that it is by no means enough to have knowledge of the Christian faith, for Christianity consists rather of practice." (p. 95, emphasis his) He goes on to note especially the command to love one another found throughout Scripture.

While I am in no way willing to disagree with Spener here, I want to add one thing to what he has said--we must learn that knowledge is good, but knowledge without practice is dead. We must learn to do what we know. The act of "doing" requires action or movement on my part. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that the very act of putting knowledge into practice is a kind of faith.

Faith in the Bible has the idea of faithfulness behind it. It is not mere consent or agreement, it is acting on something as though that idea or statement was truth itself. Abraham exhibited this when he responded to God by leaving his home and traveling to a new place simply at God's command. The blind man in John 9 exhibited this kind of faith when he went to the pool of Siloam and washed. Simply stated, faith in the Bible means acting on what you know is true.

Peter Lord once said--"We act on what we really believe, all the rest is just religious talk."

I think he is correct.

If I genuinely know that God wants me to do something, not doing it is both disobedience and a lack of faith/faithfulness on my part.

We must remember that our model here is Jesus.

How did he respond to God?

He was faithful in all things. Not once turning away from what was asked. His knowledge was followed by action that showed faith.

Read Hebrews 11.

Every single "hero" of the faith listed in that chapter DID something in response to the knowledge they attained. They acted in faith. They were faithful. Even when they did not actually see the promises realized, they continued to walk in faithfulness since they knew that God would not fail to perform what he promised (see Heb. 11:13-16).

We have the whole testimony of the word of God before us.

We live in an "information age."

We have knowledge beyond our parents and ancestors.

Yet we do so little with it.

We squander our opportunities, we act like what we "know" is not really true. We pretend to be men and women of wisdom, but we act like fools.

We have knowledge, but no faith. Sometimes we have a type of faith, but no action. We are the people to whom James says "Show me your faith without works, and I'll show you my faith by my works."

What do our actions reveal about our knowledge and our faith? By looking at our practice can others discern what we know and believe? If so, what message are we sending them?

God help us to be faithful people!

Thanks for reading!

Charles Wesley: "Depth of Mercy! Can there Be"

Today I wanted to share a hymn written by Charles Wesley. This song often speaks to my heart and reminds me of my utter need for the cross and atoning sacrifice of Christ. May it draw us all closer to our Lord's wounded side.

Depth of mercy! Can there be
Mercy still reserved for me?
Can my God his wrath forbear
And the chief of sinners spare?

I have long withstood his grace;
Long provoked him to his face;
Would not hear his gracious calls;
Grieved him by a thousand falls.

Jesus, answer from above;
Is not all thy nature love?
Wilt thou not the wrong forget?
Lo, I fall before thy feet.

Now incline me to repent;
Let me now my fall lament;
Deeply my revolt deplore,
Weep, believe, and sin no more.

Oh the depth of the wisdom and love of God, that he would continue to bear with fallen humans in patience and grace!

Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

Thanks for reading!

And now, some Oswald Chambers . . .

This material comes from My Utmost for His Highest (p. 305 in my copy):

Your earlier life of faith was narrow and intense, settled around a little sun-spot of experience that had as much of sense as of faith in it, full of life and sweetness; then God withdrew his conscious blessings in order to teach you to walk by faith. You are worth far more to him now than you were in your days of conscious delight and thrilling testimony.

Faith by its very nature must be tried, and the real trial of faith is not that we find it difficult to trust God, but that God's character has to be cleared in our own minds. Faith in its actual working out has to go through spell of unsyllabled isolation. . . . Faith in the Bible is faith in God against everything that contradicts Him--I will remain true to God's character whatever he may do. "Though he slay me, yet I will trust him" is the most sublime utterance of faith in all of Scripture.

And another from Chambers (p. 114 this time):

When once the concentration is on God, all the margins of life are free and under the dominance of God alone. There is no responsibility on you for the work; the only responsibility you have is to keep in living constant touch with God, and to see you allow nothing to hinder your cooperation with him.

Finally, a passage of Scripture and some words from a fellow pilgrim on this topic:

1 Corinthians 16:13-14--"Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be storng. Let all that you do be done in love."

The times may seem hard and your faith may grow weak, but the Lord our God has issued a command,and he is faithful to sustain and to accomplish his purpose. God is looking for some sober minded, firmly planted men and women who do not rely on their own strength but who boldly declare "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Jesus calls for some abandoned people, people who (like Jeremiah, Daniel, John the Baptist, Paul) will forsake houses, lands, families, sisters, brothers, etc. for the sake of the kingdom of God. Individuals who will play out their existence in this mortal realm pointing the Bride of Christ to Jesus and to him alone. Men and women who have a fiery passion for their Lord and God, and whose passion will lead them to suffer any loss, to endure any hardship, to win any victory, or to endure seasons of blessing for the sake of showing others the character of God as revealed in Jesus Christ.

Will you be one of these faithful witnesses?

Will I?

Thanks for reading!

Some quotes for you . . .

"God loves each of us as if there were only one of us." St. Augustine

"For however devoted you are to (God), you may be sure that he is immeasurably more devoted to you." Meister Eckhart

"God's promises are like stars; the darker the night, the brighter they shine." David Nicholas

"[God] is not proud . . . He will have us even though we have shown that we prefer everything else to Him." C. S. Lewis

"It is much more possible for the sun to give out darkness than for God to do or be, or give out anything but blessing and goodness." William Law

Thanks for reading!

How about some Karl Barth?

I know, I know, some of my readers may be a bit shocked to find Karl Barth invading this place, but I wanted to share a couple of quotes from pages 25 and 26 of his The Humanity of God. Barth says:

"Theology is in reality not only the doctrine of God, but the doctrine of God and man. . . . [It stresses] the fact that man's relation to God is based on God's dealings with man, and not conversely."

"When the Christian gospel was changed into a statement, a religion, about Christian self-awareness, the God was lost sight of who in His sovereignty confronts man, calling him into acount, and dealing with him as Lord. This loss also blurred the sight horizontally."

Barth seems to be saying that when we do real theology, we must concern ourself not just with Christian self-esteem or self understanding/identity, but rather we must focus on the reality of God's invasion of our very lives, even his untimely (or is it "timely"?) interventions in the everyday mundane existence of humanity.

Theology is a moot point if God is studied in isolation from his workings with humanity.

When we change Christian thought or preaching toward some kind of boost to the individual Christian's self-esteem, we have really lost sight of true Christianity or theology. Theology has little to do with me. It has everything to do with God and his attempts to work with me, for me, and in me.

Theology makes no sense without Christology, without salvation, without the God of the universe joining his creation as one of them, so that by living among humans he may redeem every aspect of humanity.

Jesus became sin so that we may be the righteousness of God.

Jesus took on the likeness of sinful flesh so that he might comdemn sin in the flesh.

God deals with us by becoming one of us. He does for us what we can't do for ourselves.

If we lose sight of that, our vision becomes blurred and we forget that we are a part of a larger story--God's Story.

I am not the star, he is.

It is not my dealings with God that produce good theology or even life itself. Rather, it is God's dealings with fallen humans that produce so much good and greatness.

God in Christ became one of us, so that he might win us and win for us the prize we lost by our own sin.

God's humanity in Christ thus creates a bond between the divine and human, between man and God that not only gives hope, but a possibility for a good future.

All that is good here in this fallen world is a direct result of God's goodness and dealings with us.

We did not create it, we did not cause it to happen, we cannot make it better.

God is the author and star.

His dealings with us produce more grace, more light, more truth.

Maybe we should let him do his job.

Thanks for reading!

Borrowing grace from others . . .

I'm not feeling particularly inspired today, so bear with me as I take my cues from others who have walked the path of grace before me.

C. S. Lewis says in Mere Christianity:

The real problem of the Christian life comes where people do not usually look for it. It comes the very moment you wake up each morning. All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists simply in shoving them all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in. And so on, all day. Standing back from all your natural fussings and frettings; coming in out of the wind.

Each morning there is a voice calling to us. Do we hear it? Oh there may well be a cacophany of voices in your mind/heart! I know there often is a raucous and rowdy group of them in mine!

"Don't forget your work! Don't forget that review you promised! Don't forget to play with your children! Don't forget to read your Bible!"

The voices vie for my attention even as my mind tries to shake the cobwebs of sleep and regain some semblance of focus. I hear them every morning. As Lewis notes, they rush at me.

What voices call us away from the Voice?

Do you hear him?

God is calling--"come to me, all who are weary and I will give you rest."

"Take my burden upon you."

"All you like sheep have gone astray."

"Come to me. I love you."

The imagery of coming out of the wind is a good one. Lewis reminds us to leave the wind of the voices calling us to busy-ness so that we can stop to listen to the one voice that matters.

God's call matters.

There is something about the call of God that transforms us when we hear it and respond. It isn't what we do, it is the very fact that God in his grace and kindness "called" us, spoke to us, singled us out, so to speak.

As Dietrich Bonhoeffer says in The Cost of Discipleship:

The call of Jesus makes the disciple community not only the salt but also the light of the world: their activity is visible, as well as imperceptible. "You are the light." Once again it is not: "you are to be the light," they are already the light because Christ has called them. They are a light which is seen of men, they cannot be otherwise, and if they were it would be a sign that they had not been called. How impossible, how utterly absurd it would be for the disciples--these disciples, such men as these!--to try and become the light of the world! No. They are already the light and the call has made them so. Nor does Jesus say: "You have the light." The light is not an instrument which has been put into their hands, such as their preaching. It is the disciples themselves. By an amazing act of mercy, they are the light.

When God speaks, something changes. The very call to discipleship changes us.

As in the beginning when God simply spoke things into existence, his Word continues to breathe creative life into the heart of humanity (see John 1). His Word enlightens us, illuminates our dark lives, transforms us into the light of the world.

God speaks, something happens. Light comes into being. Darkness is confused, overcome, ruined.

God speaks, light breaks forth.

God calls, and we become salt and light. Every part of us becomes a testimony to the kindness of God. Every aspect of our life bleeds his kindness, his love, his grace, his mercy, his call.

Oh, and let's remember--He calls us, we don't call him.

God speaks, stuff happens.

Wow!

Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

Thank you for reading!

And now, a song from Jennifer Knapp . . .

This song is "Say Won't You Say" by Jennifer Knapp. I'll let the lyrics talk first.

Chorus:
say won't you say
say that you love me
with love, ever, love
love everlasting
all my devotion put into motion by you

Verse 1:
every morning I
have a chance to rise and
give my all
but every afternoon i find i have only wasted time
in light of your awe
isn't love amazing
i forgot how to speak
knowing you are near and
i am finally free

(Chorus)

Verse 2:
my eyes fear to close
this reckless letting go is
hard to bear
on the edge of all i need
still i cling to what i see
and what have i there?
bred my own disaster
who have i to blame?
when all i need is waiting
to be fanned to flame

(chorus)

Bridge:
yeah, i opened up my eyes
to see you standing there
o, i can barely breathe
o, i can hardly bare
all the love i feel for you inside
i hope you feel it now

I'll apologize up front for the negative feel that you may find in this song. I'm still struggling a bit with my emotions regarding the loss of my friend Steve Huisman. That being said, Steve's spiritual honesty and transparency have been driving me lately to look at my own life. That drive led me to Jennifer Knapp. She sings with an almost pure transparency and honesty. Here's what I get from this song.

We live in a fallen world. That is not an excuse for acting like fallen people, it is simply a truth with which each individual must deal. We are fallen, we live in a fallen place.

Paradise is lost to us.

Eden is a gated community. We are no longer invited.

Yet every morning, God offers to each of us a new measure of mercy. His mercies are new every morning. Like dew on the grass, this mercy just appears. We did nothing to get it, we will do nothing to earn it, we can't even make it happen. It just happens because it is driven by grace.

We wake up. Our world is still gray and lifeless, but on the grass we see this mercy. We see color, we see life, we see possibility and potential.

What do we do with it?

What is our reaction to this fresh load of undeserved kindness dumped on the lawn of our life?

Too often like the song above, we simply waste it. We tread through it with our dirty feet. At the end of the day, we wonder where it went.

The truth is that it hasn't gone anywhere. Even when we drag our dirty feet through the sweet holy dew of God's kindness to us, it still sticks to us. It grabs our shoes and follows us into the world.

God is not a quitter. He keeps pouring out lovingkindness, mercy, grace, and all that good stuff every day. Oh, we try to avoid it. We focus on the darkness of our personal experiences, we look at the drudgery of our lives, we complain about our own fallenness.

Yet even in the midst of that, God is there. Look at the bridge of the song above. Go on, look.

Open your eyes. God is standing there. His love is beautiful, it is breathtaking. He stands there to overwhelm us with his concern for us. He makes the dew of his mercy fall each morning on our colorless lives so that he can bring life and color and joy and holiness to each of us.

It is awe inspiring.

Even in the midst of our darkest moment the light of God pierces through like a laser of truth.

"I am here."

"I am that I am."

"I love you."

"Come to me."

I've heard various permutations of the song "It is Well with my Soul" over the last 10 days since Steve died. May I just say that the song is true. I sit here at my desk and tell you, it is well.

No, my circumstances have not changed, I still miss my friend. But my blinded eyes are opened, I see God and his kindness standing there. He takes my breath away. He cares for me. Yes, he even cares that I hurt.

It is well. As I bury my head into my Father's shoulder and let out that cry that has been welling up for some time, I know. I know. It is well.

As my Father takes me in his arms and loves me as only he can--I know. It is well.

As he brushes my tear stained face with his kind and gentle hand, as I look into his loving eyes, as I hear his calming voice--I know that it is well.

God loves me. He cares. It will be okay.

Hang in there. By God's grace, you're going to make it.

Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

Thank you for reading!

In memoriam . . .

Steve Huisman.

Most of my readers will not recognize that name, although a few may think they know it.

Steve was a very good friend of mine. In fact, he was one of the best friends I ever had.

Steve died on Monday in a plane crash. He was flying a plane in Florida that encountered some mechinal problems and crash landed on Davis Island. Steve died when the plane hit a home and caught fire. His co-pilot and the one person in the home survived.

I don't want to dwell on how Steve died. I want to describe how he lived.

Steve was a man that seemed at times to operate on an almost visceral level of honesty. He was unafraid to admit exactly how he was feeling and what he thought, especially when those thoughts and feelings pertained to his own spiritual status.

Don't misunderstand me, he was not a negative person. He was just quick to recognize his own fallenness and struggles. And by his honest admission of his fallenness, he elicited from others a confession that often bordered on sacramental.

Steve was my hero.

I would never have completed my Ph.D. if not for Steve Huisman. He was working on a correspondence course when he called me one day. He asked how the dissertation was going, and I confessed that I was struggling and didn't think I'd finished. Oh, my lovely wife was gently prodding me, the members of the dissertation committee were doing their part to help me out, but I just was not motivated.

Steve had a great thought--"Leo, how about we call each other at 6:00 a.m. to update each other on our projects. It will be good for us and provide a source of accountability."

Promptly at 6:00 the next morning, he called me.

For about two years after that my early morning conversations with Steve were opportunities to admit my fears and my failures as well as times to rejoice in milestones and accomplishments. He never judged me when I had a bad day or week. He gently encouraged me to press on. He laughed with me when something funny happend, he celebrated with me when things got done. He walked with me, and by being there he pushed me to finish.

When I graduated with my Ph.D., I neglected to tell him how much his encouragement had meant to me. Two weeks ago he called me here in VA. He was in FL and just wanted to talk. We talked about an hour about our families, our lives, our Lord. We laughed, we kidded each other, we prayed for each other. He told me that he wanted my wife to speak to his wife. As we were passing the phones, I cleared my throat and said, "Steve, I wanted to tell you how much your friendship means to me. You were God's instrument to help me finish my dissertation. I never adequately thanked you for that." I told him all the great things I loved about him--his acceptance, his honesty, his gentleness even when he corrected me or pushed me to discipline, his gut level love for other people that was evident in my life. I sang his praises, I think I embarassed him.

I told him I loved him.

Little did I know it would be the last time we would talk on this earth.

Steve went to be with the Lord in that plane crash Monday, but he left an awful lot of good stuff behind. His life is still having an impact on others even though it has ended. His diligence to serve God and others has left the world a better place. His love for his wife and children have instituted a legacy that will no doubt bear great fruit. His ongoing desire to be the best he could be for God's sake continues to motivate those who knew him to a deeper intimacy with God through Christ.

Steve was not a Bible scholar, but his life exemplified a clear understanding of the biblical call to follow Christ. He was a friend. He was a godly man.

I miss him.

God, how I miss him!

I hate this fallen world of ours, but I know that it isn't home. Not completely. It is a way station. None of us are on this earth forever.

I still miss Steve.

41 years is not enough. I only knew him about 13 or so of those years.

He was a tall drink of water, a missionary kid with a love bigger than the world. He was the kind of guy you could trust to watch your most prized possessions. He had my back, he was my mighty and marvelous comrade. He helped me slay dragons and rescue damsels.

Now I have to contemplate life without one of my wing men. Steve loved flying only slightly less than he loved God and his family. He loved to be in the air.

Someday, I'll look up in the air and see him coming with Christ. It will be the ultimate flight, and it won't surprise me to see Steve acting as the pilot.

Death has invaded my life again. I can't imagine how his wife and four children feel. I feel like I've been punched in the stomach, like I've lost something that cannot be replaced.

I can almost hear Steve saying "I'll call you in the morning. You're going to make it! Hang in there!"

Thanks Steve, for all you gave us. Thanks to God for sharing Steve with us for 41 years.

I'm crying now and feeling like I'm rambling, so maybe I better stop.

Live today like you have no tomorrow. Hug someone special and tell them you love them. Life is fragile, my friends, but God is strong. God is still in control, even though the world seems to spin crazily out of orbit.

Hang in there! With God's help, we're all going to make it!

Thanks for reading!

Time for some quotes . . .

"The intellectual decision most urgently facing humanity in our time is whether to acknowledge or disown Jesus Christ as the hope of the world and whether Christian values are to be the arbiter of human civilization in the present instead of only in the final judgment of men and nations." Carl F. H. Henry

"The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles but to irrigate deserts. The right defense against false sentiments is to inculcate just sentiments. By starving the sensibility of our pupils we only make them easier prey to the propagandist when he comes. For famished nature will be avenged and a hard heart is no infallible protection against a soft head." C. S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man, pp. 13-14

"Until quite modern times all teachers and even all men believed the universe to be such that certain emotional reactions on our part could be either congruous or incongruous to it--believed, in fact, that objects did not merely receive, but could merit, our approval or disapproval, our reverence or our contempt." C. S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man, pp. 14-15

"A theological thought can breathe only in the atmosphere of dialogue with God." Helmut Thielicke, A Little Exercise for Young Theologians

"The more seriously I take (God), the more completely I shatter myself against him." Helmut Thielicke, I Believe! The Christian’s Creed

What can I add except--Amen!

Thanks for reading!

What's playing?

On my CD player today are the following:

1. Stryper--To Hell with the Devil

2. U2--Greatest Hits 1980-1990

3. David Crowder Band--Illuminate

4. Foreigner--Greatest Hits

Yep, it's a rockin' kind of day.

Thanks for reading!

And now a word from Fanny Crosby . . .

This afternoon as I took a walk, the words to the old hymn "Draw Me Nearer" kept running through my head. I thought I'd look them up and share them with you. Here they are:

I am thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.

Chorus:

Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
To Thy precious bleeding side.

Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the power of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.
(Chorus)

Oh, the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God,
I commune as friend with friend!
(chorus)

There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.
(chorus)

I like the images here--clear and concise.

But there is a problem with this song, one that many of us don't notice right away.

When we think of communion with God, or drawing "nearer" to Jesus, we tend to think of some pastoral or sweet scene. You know what I mean, a place where little lambs romp and play, a scene of little children being helped across a bridge by the kind and gracious Jesus, the joyful scene of a type of lovers' rapture as beloved stares deeply into the eyes of the lover.

But that isn't the picture in Crosby's song . . . not even close.

The nearness she longs for is the nearness of Christ's suffering and death.

Yeah, you read that right--go back a reread the song if you don't believe me. Go on, I'll wait.

Done? Okay, did you see it? Crosby is more concerned with Colossians 1:24-26 or Philippians 3:8-11. The latter passage finds Paul longing for the knowledge of Christ in three areas--the power of Christ's resurrection, the fellowship of his sufferings, and being like him in death.

Doesn't that seem backwards to you? Don't we tend to present those events in the other direction? You know--first Jesus died, then he rose again, then he gave his church the Spirit of God.

Yet Paul actually lists them backwards, and Fanny Crosby follows his lead.

For Paul there is some kind of joy or great reward in working backwards in this event. We receive the wonderful gift of new life, the resurrection power of our God. Then we get to become like Jesus in our sufferings, to share his fellowship in that awful and yet joyful area (cf. Hebrews 12).

There is something to be said for suffering, for drawing close to the wounded Healer, to the slain Lamb, to the One who became poor so that we may be rich. We must not forget that intimacy with this crucified Jewish rabbi, with this martyred Messiah, involves the possibility of blood on our clothes. It is messy. In fact, friendship with this suffering Servant may well entail suffering for us.

Paul understood that, Fanny Crosby understood it. Do we?

Will we embrace it?

Do we really want to draw nearer to God by means of the bleeding side of his Son?

That's heavier than I expected. I'm going to leave it there.

Thanks for reading!

A quick quote . . .

In a tribute to Pastor Ralph Williams, Dr. William L. Lane makes the following comments:

Pastor Williams embodied the plaque that hung on the wall of his study:

"When the Lord looks me over
he will not judge me
by the degrees I have earned
or the awards I have won
but by the scars I have incurred."

May the battlewounds of your youth show your diligence to our Lord! Bill's did, and he had a larger impact on my life than he could have ever known. Bill passed away a little over seven years ago after a long battle with cancer. I pray that I can somehow live up to the example of discipleship and scholarship he so diligently displayed.

Thanks for reading!

How much is this blog worth?

I haven't checked the worth of this blog since I discovered a few months ago that it was worthless. Here is the new data:

My blog is worth $564.54.
How much is your blog worth?

Who would have thought that my blog would be worth something? Wow!

Thanks for reading!

40

U2 has a song by this title. The words to that song are pretty much taken from Psalm 40. Psalm 40 is written to encourage the readers to remain faithful in the midst of trials. For those of you taking exams or facing other hard times this week, here is Psalm 40 from the New King James Version. May God grant you the grace to remain faithful in your trial!

Ps 40

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry. 2 He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps. 3 He has put a new song in my mouth — Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the LORD.

4 Blessed is that man who makes the LORD his trust, And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. 5 Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works Which You have done; And Your thoughts toward us Cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered.

6 Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require. 7 Then I said, "Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me. 8 I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart."

9 I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness In the great assembly; Indeed, I do not restrain my lips, O LORD, You Yourself know. 10 I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth From the great assembly.

11 Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O LORD; Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me. 12 For innumerable evils have surrounded me; My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up; They are more than the hairs of my head;Therefore my heart fails me.

13 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me; O LORD, make haste to help me! 14 Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion Who seek to destroy my life; Let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor Who wish me evil. 15 Let them be confounded because of their shame, Who say to me, "Aha, aha!"

16 Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let such as love Your salvation say continually, "The LORD be magnified!" 17 But I am poor and needy;Yet the LORD thinks upon me. You are my help and my deliverer; Do not delay, O my God.

Thanks for reading!

Have you no scar?

Here are a couple of poems that have often given me encouragement and motivation when in the midst of hard times. For those of you experiencing final exams or other hardships, these poems are for you.

"Hast Thou No Scar?" Amy Carmichael

Hast thou no scar?
No hidden scar on foot or side or hand?
I hear thee sung as might in the land,
I hear them hail thy bright ascendant star.
Hast thou no scar?

Hast thou no wound?
Yet I was wounded by the archers,
Spent and leaned me against a tree to die.
And rent by ravening beast that compassed me,
I swooned.
Hast thou no wound?

No wound, no scar.
But as the master must the servant be
And pierced are the feet that follow Me.
Yet thine are whole.
Can he have followed far who had not wound nor scar?

And finally, a little encouraging poem from Samuel Rutherford:

It cost Christ and all his followers sharp showers and hot sweats,
Ere they went to the top of the mountain.
But still our soft natures would have heaven coming to our bedsides while we are sleeping,
That we may go to heaven in warm clothes.

But all who came there found wet feet by the way,
And sharp storms, that did take the hide off thier faces.
And found tos and fros and ups and downs,
And many enemies along the way.

I like to read these poems to myself when I am tempted to complain. They seem kind of harsh to read, but they remind me of William Law's admonition "Whenever you find yourself disposed to uneasiness or murmuring at anything that is the effect of God’s providence, look upon yourself as denying either the wisdom or goodness of God." God's goodness is sometimes inscrutable, especially in the hard times. God has not asked us to suffer as much as we sometimes think, and that is why I like to remind myself with these poems. It reminds me to be thankful for the "easy" way that my Lord has led me.

Let me end this post with an anonymous encouragement--"Remember, after every winter is a spring. After every spring is a summer. After every summer is a fall."

Remember that even the life of a Christian contains cycles. You may be going through a hardship today, or you may (like me) have it relatively easy. Either way, let's remember that our ancestors in the faith faced even worse. Our way is not easy, but God is good. Hang in there!

Thanks for reading!

From Philosophy class . . .

Well, what can I say? The past few days in philosophy class were definitely interesting. We talked about the concept of sex. Yes, you read that right. Ouch! That is one of those subjects that I often find intriguing and embarrassing. I mean, God knows I've made my share of blunders in this area, and today I even talked about how I had misused the gift God gave me. Ah well, life is interesting, and I wanted to add some thoughts to my blog about class.

I realize that in whatever context we deal with the issue of sex, there will no doubt be controversy, condemnation, and embarrassment. We are all fallen people, after all, and who among us likes to admit our specific area of fallenness? Nonetheless, I think Peter Kreeft is correct that we in America haven't done the hard logical thinking required to explore this mystery and this monster. We have made this amazing gift into a merely selfish act, a mere recreational pursuit of personal pleasure. The secret to great marriage (and sex therein) is to unlearn this selfishness. It isn't about me! Just like Jesus' death and resurrection wasn't about him, but about loving us and giving his life in our place, so also this expression of our love within the commitment of marriage should be focused on what is best for the other person. We should seriously consider what is good for our spouse, and (even though I don't always do this) we should seek to do that thing, to love in that way, to lay down our own stuff for the benefit of another.

Isn't that in a sense the greatest good, the highest love in all areas? Putting the needs of another before your own? Isn't that the example of service that Jesus portrayed?

Ouch, that is difficult. Of course, we have made sex so common that (as the character says in Kreeft's book) we have made ourselves free from sex. We reduced it to merely human size. It is no longer a treasured possession, it is a recreational sport. Sad, isn't it? Yet even when we participate in it within this paradigm, something inside us screams "It isn't supposed to be like this! It isn't supposed to be common!" That is the voice of reason. We should listen to it on occasion.

I don't mean to sound like I am denigrating or belittling anyone out there who (like me) have found themselves behaving poorly in this area. God knows most of us don't need more guilt over the deal! What I am trying to say is that we need to return to a rational, godly mindset on the issue. We need to ask the tough questions, do the difficult thinking, pursue with gusto the truth in this matter. Sex is part of all of us. We ought to learn the truth about it so that we can live in truth and not perpetuate the lie.

Well, I've probably said enough. I will add in conclusion, I'm glad I found forgiveness. I'm glad I learned. I'm even glad that my Father is patient in his training and discipline in this area of my life. He loves me with all my sins and failures. He loves me when I succeed. He forgives me and applauds me as needed--and that's a good thing! Whew, this topic is heavy, I think I'll put it down now.

Thanks for reading!

And now, a song from Forty Days . . .

Here's a song I was listening to on the old CD player that I really enjoyed.

"Quiet" by Mark Warren, Joel Warren

Walk into a crowded room, into a faceless sea
I feel right at home
Remember not to look to close so they won't see through me
They can never know that there's a voice inside my head
Inside my mind
If I could find that secret place
A place to hide

Chorus:
It would be alright if I could stay there for awhile
It would be alright if I could steal the quiet
Deep down I have a need that I cannot deny
It would be alright

I sense you there across the room
A blinding light stills me where I stand
I didn't think you'd come this soon
If I may, if I might find out where I stand
I didn't plan to leave you out for all this time
I took for granted you were here
But if you don't mind

Chorus:
It would be alright if I could stay there for awhile
It would be alright if I could steal the quiet
Deep down I have a need that I cannot deny
It would be alright

I don't know why this song speaks so strongly to me. I think it is the whole idea of stealing quiet.

Finding a center.

Hunkering down for a moment of peace in a world of white noise.

Brother Lawrence said, "To be with God there is no need to be continually in church. Of our heart we may make an oratory, wherein to retire from time to time and with Him hold meek, humble loving converse." (The Practice of the Presence of God)

Sometimes we need to retire, to separate ourselves into a sort of solitude just to be in the presence of the One who really matters. Thomas Kelly in A Testament of Devotion calls this the process of centering on God. It is the discipline of finding a place to be, a place to just sit with Abba and simply to breathe.

If we make time for this practice, for this centering, for this laser like focus on what really matters, we may well find that God often appears in those times in ways we may not have expected. As Evelyn Underhill notes in Practical Mysticism:

"Because mystery is horrible to us, we have agreed for the most part to live in a world of labels; to make of them the current coin of experience, and ignore their merely symbolic character, the infinite gradation of values which they misrepresent. We simply do not attempt to unite with Reality. But now and then that symbolic character is suddenly brought home to us. Some great emotion, some devastating visitation of beauty, love or pain, lifts us to another level of consciousness; and we are aware for a moment of the difference between the neat collection of discrete objects and experiences which we call the world and the height, the depth, the breadth of the living, growing, changing Fact, of which thought, life, and energy are parts and in which we 'live and move and have our being.'"

I think that sums up the second verse of the song--sometimes we are just jolted out of our contemplation, out of our busy-ness, out of our mundane existence, and then we have a clarity we have not experienced and maybe cannot adequately express.

We see.

We see HIM.

We get IT.

I need the quiet. I need to get it. I need to crawl into my Father's lap and be shocked into an awareness of how interconnected my world is to His, how his grace overflows in every aspect of my existence, how completely all encompassing is this One called God.

Steal the quiet.

Get in God's presence.

Be jolted into the reality of this great grace which sustains us all.

Thanks for reading!

Time for some 70s music and comment!

Today I've been listening to a set of CDs containing the greatest hits of the 70s. A two disc set is given over to "one hit wonders." One of those "wonders" got my attention today. For those of you over 30, see if you remember this song:

Sometimes When We Touch - Dan Hill

You ask me if I love you
And I choke on my reply
I'd rather hurt you honestly
Than mislead you with a lie
And who am I to judge you
On what you say or do?
I'm only just beginning to see the real you

And sometimes when we touch
The honesty's too much
And I have to close my eyes and hide
I wanna hold you til I die
Til we both break down and cry
I wanna hold you till the fear in me subsides

Romance and all its strategy
Leaves me battling with my pride
But through the insecurity
Some tenderness survives
I'm just another writer
Still trapped within my truth
A hesitant prize fighter
Still trapped within my youth

And sometimes when we touch
The honesty's too much
And I have to close my eyes and hide
I wanna hold you til I die
Til we both break down and cry
I wanna hold you till the fear in me subsides

At times I'd like to break you
And drive you to your knees
At times I'd like to break through
And hold you endlessly

At times I understand you
And I know how hard you've tried
I've watched while love commands you
And I've watched love pass you by

At times I think we're drifters
Still searching for a friend
A brother or a sister
But then the passion flares again

And sometimes when we touch
The honesty's too much
And I have to close my eyes and hide
I wanna hold you til I die
Til we both break down and cry
I wanna hold you till the fear in me subsides

I was listening to this song today after having a conversation about small groups and relationships. How appropriate that Providence (or was it "sheer luck") established that this song would be keyed up on my car's CD player! Let me explain.

One of the things I have been learning as a disciple of Christ is the importance of authentic and reconciled relationships. In our fast-paced, computer based, and out of touch society, we tend to define "relationships" by the number of times we e-mail, page, or voice mail our friends. We get in the habit of having "contact" without coming into contact with anyone! We have "friends" that we never seem to encounter physically. How do we call that "relationship"?

What I love about this song is the honesty about relationships. Read the lyrics again. Go ahead, I'll wait right here.

Done? No, no hurry, I'm still here.

Okay, got it? Good. Here are the ideas that caught my attention today. Dan Hill reminds us that relationships work best when they are founded on honesty and presence.

Yes, presence.

Oh, many of us have honesty down (although in some cases our claims to "honesty" are just an excuse to be insulting--right?), but how many of us have the issue of "presence"? Do we even know what it is?

Look at the chorus--Dan Hill sings that he wants to hold on until his fear subsides, he wants to hold on until both he and his girl break down and cry. What's he saying?

He is there. . . he is with her . . . he is present.

How does it relate to being a Christ-follower? Let me illustrate by telling a story.

In Luke 24, a couple of guys have left Jerusalem to walk home after a disappointing series of events including the trial and wrongful death of Jesus. They are depressed, bummed, disappointed. They had thought that Jesus may be the One who would set things right. Now he is dead. Done in by one of his own disciples and killed by the religious leaders and political tyrants of the day. In this depressed state of mind they take a walk.

I picture them walking along silently--just being there with each other. As they continue their depressed journey, a stranger approaches. This guy doesn't seem to understand the significance of recent events. He is clueless. Even more importantly, he is Jesus, but the depressed walkers don't recognize him.

As they walk, they relate the series of happenings to the hidden Christ. They spill their guts about their disappointment, their sadness at the death of Jesus. They express their doubt regarding the report of a few women that Jesus' body was missing from the tomb. They are too busy with their disappointment to buy the idea of resurrection.

Then Jesus speaks.

He doesn't say, "Oh gee, you guys have had it rough. Man, I'm glad I missed all of that."

He doens't put a band-aid on their gaping chest wound.

He pulls out the scalpel of God's word (see Hebrews 4:12) and performs heart surgery.

Jesus takes their broken hearts into his surgeon's hands and works on them.

As Jesus talks to them, they approach home in Emmaus. The depressed fellows are feeling much better now, so they invite the still unknown Jesus into their home.

They sit down at the table to eat. Eating is an intimate act of sorts. They are expressing friendship to this stranger.

Then Jesus breaks the bread, offers a blessing, and the guys look up and see the resurrected Lord where a stranger had been (is that what the author of Hebrews meant about entertaining "angels unawares" in chapter 13 of that letter?).

Jesus was there.

He was present with them, but they did not "see" him until they ate with him, until they got honest, until they recognized his presence there.

What do you think tipped them off?

Was it the prayer? Or the way Jesus broke the bread?

Whatever it was, the presence of Christ was expressed in that honest moment. Here's the point:

When followers of Christ get together in honest relationships focused on reconciliation (see Matthew 18:12-20), the presence of God is practically guaranteed.

So, here's what attracted me to this song--the idea of being in relationships that help me see the real me and the real you. Relationships of such honesty and reconciliation that we just keep at them until the fear disappears.

We all have been hurt at one time or another in relationships. It may have been a dating situation, or at home, or at church, or at work.

We have all endured the brokenness and pain that comes from being human.

Why not look for authentic relationship that gives an invitation to the presence of Jesus?

Why not be there for each other?

It is a high standard, but if Jesus did it, how can we say no to an attempt?

Be there.

I'm going to try.

Thanks for reading!

An oldie from my journal . . .

I wrote the following in my journal on December 20, 2003, but I read it this morning and wanted to share it. Here ya go:

We humans make lots of excuses for our behavior or for our “petty” failures (read—SIN), but deep in our own hearts we all know that only one thing matters. Only one thing is of utmost importance in life. Yes, in our honest moments, in those times when we aren’t looking out for number one or getting the “break” we believe we deserve, in those times of utter clarity and reason, we know. Oh do we know!

Yet we are so fearful of giving voice to it, aren’t we? We are so afraid to admit the one thing that is genuinely important.

What is that thing? It is the smile of acceptance, that is what we all long for in our deepest hearts.

Why do different groups clamor for "rights"? They want acceptance. Deep within the heart of every human being is a groan, an ache, a holy desire for acceptance. Admit it, you just want someone to accept you, warts and all.

Yet in those awful moments of clarity, another truth stands out like a beacon. We are all (in some sense, at least) utterly unacceptable. It is the inheritance from our ancestors Adam and Eve, and it is the result of our own foolish choices. We have blown it, failed, let someone down, sinned, screwed up, been a disappointment, embarrassed the family or the company.

In short, we are sinners. We all know it.

Who has the unmitigated gall to claim complete perfection on his or her own right? No one who is honest. And yet, in spite of these two seemingly opposite desires and truths, we are ashamed (or is it afraid?) to admit it. We know it in our hearts, but we pretend that it isn’t important. Why is that?

Well, I don’t pretend to have all the answers (even in those moments when I think myself perfectly capable of searching out the depths of the universe and explaining them!), but I can say this much--we have this desire and this fear because God put it there. It is in our humanity. It is part of us.

The Psalmist prayed many times, “God let me not be ashamed.” Wasn’t he saying what is particular to all humans? The long version of this statement for most of us may be put this way--“Lord, don’t let me be found out. Don’t let the truth of my sin or failure be made known to others. Let me be accepted.” This attitude is endemic to all humanity, it is part and parcel of the nature of sinful humans.

And God has an answer for it.

When he came searching for Adam and Eve, he said, “Adam, where are you?” He was LOOKING for Adam, the human he loved. It was Adam who hid from God out of shame. It was Adam who claimed to be unacceptable. God never said that. In fact, God judged Adam’s act, but showed mercy to Adam.

Do you see it yet? God accepts you! As Jeremiah says in chapter 17 of his prophecy—“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” Oh, but don’t stop reading, he also says, “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind.” The Lord is greater than my heart (1 John 5). He knows what my heart ought to look like, and if I am his child through Jesus, he has given me a new heart, a good heart, a pure heart, an unashamed heart!

God accepts us. He accepts me. He is not ashamed of me. I do not embarrass him. Do I believe it? In my moments of spiritual clarity I think I do.

Satan wants us to continue on in the false idea that somehow we don’t measure up. Oh, there may be some truth to that, but it is a partial truth. The rest of the good news is that Jesus did for us what Adam could not. Jesus did for us what we cannot do for ourselves. We measure up because Jesus measures up.

Is God ashamed of Jesus? No, a thousand times no! He also cannot turn aside his loving gaze from the fruits of his Son’s sacrifice and ministry.

Yet, we continue to trust in our humanity, our abilities, our own flesh to measure up to God. As Jeremiah says:

Jer 17:7-8
7 " Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD
And whose trust is the LORD.
8 "For he will be like a tree planted by the water,
That extends its roots by a stream
And will not fear when the heat comes;
But its leaves will be green,
And it will not be anxious in a year of drought
Nor cease to yield fruit.”
NASU

Trusting in flesh will get fleshly results, but trusting in God will yield godly fruit.

Lord, teach us to trust you in all things. Teach us to live out of hearts fully alive to you. Give us authentic experiences with your grace, your love, your acceptance of us. Help us to grow in grace until we literally ooze the very character of Jesus out of every pore of our lives. For the furtherance of your kingdom, teach my heart to live this truth.

Thanks for reading!