Misguided Hate
Remember building sand castles on the beach when you were a kid? Big colorful pails, filled with sand and water; You’d dump them over, tap on the top and gently slide it up, hoping it didn’t crumble. I was never really good at it, only being able to build those cylinders from pails and never building anything close to some of those masterpieces you see on tv, but it was still fun to build, sculpt, and play with friends and nearby beach goers.
I’d build competitively against my brother or friends, who could build the best, biggest, or coolest castle. Inevitably, as your back was turned taking a dip in the cold ocean, someone would maliciously come along and step on it, destroying it and forcing you to rebuild.
And so I hear that a mosque is being built within earshot of where the twin towers once stood and thought, WHAT? You come along, destroy my sand castle and then try building one of your own right on top of it? But as I spent time muling it over I realized my mistake. When Jesus calls to a disciple in Matthew 8 He says “Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” In essense don’t be wrapped up in the chaos of this world, or the people consumed by worldly issues but follow Jesus and become a fisher of men. To me that changes the whole outlook of what I should be doing every day and how I should be carrying myself.
When reading the teachings of Jesus he rebuked those who sinned knowingly, spitting in the face of God. But to those who were misguided, confused, and unaware he showed grace, compassion, mercy, and love. He reeled them in with kindness and gentleness, showing a side of humanity people rarely see. And isn’t that how we should be?
If you are a follow of Jesus you certainly believe He is the only way to the Father. A consequence of that is that every other religion is wrong. But do you need to shove it in peoples face? The muslims building this mosque aren’t bad people. In fact, the Bible tells us He loves everyone the same. They don’t know the truth but the way to show them the truth isn’t by alienating them or forcing them out of one particular area.
When my castle was crushed under the foot of an oppressor, getting angry only hurt me and drew out a potential conflict. It didn’t actually solve anything. We as followers of Christ build our houses on the rock. You can crush my castle, you can burn down my buildings, take my clothes, but my foundation will always remain(Matthew 7). I don’t hate America, but I am anti-American. I do desire to shed these me first wants, the glutony and selfishness of American culture. This land isn’t mine, these buildings are not my home. Let them build their idols and let God destroy them. As I wrote last week, who are we to judge? There is only one Judge and it certainly isn’t me.
I’m tired of walking around with a Bible and being painted as a narrow minded hate mongerer. If we walk around with a Bible in our hands shouldn’t we be looked upon as the first person to ask for directions, the first person willing to help in a bad situation, or the person that would show unmitigated compassion?
It’s Real Love
Last week a local newspaper headline began with the words “Bible Thumping Pastor…” A friend posted a status saying to call them and complain over the attack on Christians. Curious, I did a little searching and was able to find the article online and read it. After reading it, it didn’t seem so bad so I asked what was bad and if he had read it. His response: He hadn’t even read the article.
Proverbs 21:23 says “He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.” I have always read that and thought, “don’t call people jerks” or “don’t swear”, but this situation made me realize it also includes speaking inaccurately, and swaying peoples opinions on things I don’t know or fully understand. The comment itself wasn’t bad but swaying someone into believing a lie is, and brings that person to a point of hatred towards another that was unjust.
We don’t need to just watch what we say that is negative but also what we say without factual information. No wonder so many are quick to throw off Christianity as a religion hell bent on attacking anyone who doesn’t share their viewpoints. My goal is to show you what I have is real and true, but not by ramming it down your through and spouting off that all you believe in is wrong. And yet that is how I operated my Christianity for most of my life, and perhaps that is how you have done it, or maybe how you have witnessed Christianity. I’m hear telling you thats not how it’s suppose to be.
My friend often wears a shirt that reads “Love is the Movement”. It’s from a song played by Switchfoot, a mainstream, yet Christian band. It strikes me that love is the way to share Christianity and yet it is the hardest thing to do. Jesus never crammed it down anyones throat, He offered it, as a gift. Today we talk to people like it’s government mandated healthcare and if they don’t take it we’re going to penalize them for it. But if that same person were offered free medicine and a doctor when they were sick, wouldn’t they take it? The words aren’t any different, it’s the approach that needs to change.
I noticed an interesting corallary today when reading. I was reading James 5 and then 1 Peter. James 5:20 says “Remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the way of error will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” Later in 1 Peter 4:8 Peter writes: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins.” It was sort of shocking to me, i had never read them back to back. The verse in James begs the question, How? And Peter gives us the answer, love. Love turns the sinner. Love sets them free. Love breaks bonds thought to be unbreakable. The love of Jesus is so deep and so wide, it immerses us, covers us, drowns out ourselves and leaves only Him to be seen. Doesn’t that sound more appealing?
“I am no better. Show grace, compassion and mercy”. It sits in the margin of my Bible jotted down in blue ink next to the following passage:
Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister
or judges them speaks against the law and
judges it. When you judge the law, you are
not keeping it, but sitting in judgement on
it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the
one who is able to save and destroy. But you -
who are you to judge your neighbor? – James 5:11-12
I judge before I know the full story, take action before hearing the facts. I make assumptions based on passed experiences and rush to judgement on those who don’t share my views. I’m not being like Jesus, I’m being human. I’m not showing love, but a disdain for humanity, and the seething hate that boils to the surface isn’t going to save any sinner from death but only quicken their pace away from Christianity. Love is the movement, and I need to hop on board.
When Two Worlds Collide
It’s so hard for me to write when things seem to be crashing down. The last thing I want to do when fighting a lion is pick up a pencil when I need a sword. It just seems to be anti-climactic to write something about fighting the good fight, when all I want to do is wave a white flag and ask for a truce for a few days. Some times I just want a break, I just feel so mentally drained. It’s not physical at all, I feel like I could go play football all day or run 5 miles, but my mind is spinning so fast it tires out my entire body. It’s sort of like an overloaded washer. The clothes are in there spinning relentlessly but there’s to much in there and the pressure and weight of it all is pushing on the door, weakening the seal. When it finally gives, water and sopping wet clothes are going to be strewn all over the dirty floor and I’ll have to start all over again.
I heard the line of a new song on the radio which has been stuck in my head: “Maybe that’s what happens when a tornado meets a volcano”. I’m not even sure why it stuck with me, the rest of the song has nothing to do with anything I think about this lyric. I love the awe-inspiring beauty in the destructive forces on this earth: hurricanes, tornado’s, volcanoes, tsunami’s. I began to wonder what would really happen if a tornado really met a volcano. What would win out? Would the heat and explosive fire disrupt the wind forcing the tornado to disintegrate? Would the vortex of the tornado simply suck up the spewing lava rendering the volcano just a meek mountain? Or would the collision just force a peaceful calm? Would everything just stop, like a slow motion replay as such differing worlds collided?
In todays day in age I suppose I could just google it and find a scientific answer, but where would be the fun in that? Imagination is lost on this generation. Yet it is part of what is keeping me going. The thought that maybe the collision of two very different and volatile worlds could stabilize chaos intrigues me. God uses all kinds of things to grab peoples attention and maybe chaos is what I needed right now.
There was a discussion recently in my Bible Study group over the difference between trials and temptations. There isn’t one. The same situation is both a trial and a temptation, its the force behind it that’s different. What Satan is using to bring me to the point of rejection, Christ is using to bring me to the point of complete redemption. I’m reminded of the poem “footprints” yet again. All pissed off that Jesus wasn’t there beside him the man questions Him: “WHERE WERE YOU?! Those were all my tough times!” I feel his pain, the frustration of thinking you’re alone, that you can only trust yourself, that it’s time to do it on your own. Jesus responds, those are my footprints…when I was carrying you.
What a humbling moment. I’m left with this realization that when I “give up” and feel like I can’t go on the world is still moving and taking me with it. And so the question becomes, well how did I get to point B? And it’s at that moment I understand that I was being carried. Whether I wanted to be or not, I was. Whether I recognized that Jesus was doing it or whether I thought I was just plugging along all by myself(like the man in the poem), I was being carried. And that’s the awesomeness of the real Jesus. He loves each of us even if we aren’t loving Him back. He’s still walking beside us even if we ran off ahead of Him, and He’s still carrying us and looking out for us even when we think we’re the only ones looking out for our own well being.
Maybe two destructive forces only brings further chaos. Maybe it’s not going to get better for a long time for me. But I’d like to leave it to my imagination and picture my world in beautiful colors. I’d like to see my cup half full and let God fill it up, instead of worrying that I need to fill it up on my own. Removing that stress from my daily life makes living easier. He really can take on my burdens and work all things together for good. I just have to let Him.
Spit on what Defines You
When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?” ~Mark 8:23
One of the defining things about me is the amount of times I’ve been burned. Whether it be a friendship, relationship, co-worker, job. Whatever the situation, I believe it’s safe to say most of us have been hurt by some thing or some one at some point. You can’t help but be shaped by the things with which you’ve come face to face. And so as I was younger, lacking faith and a strong foundation in Jesus, I allowed these events to consume me.
I have plenty of people who have seen the transformation in my life from then to now who could expound on some tales you may have a hard time believing. I was angry, very angry. It fueled my addiction to adrenaline, to danger, and to the hatred of human beings as a whole. You may read that and think that is extreme but without a doubt I hated everyone and if you were in my way or didn’t agree with my view the anger was quick to come to a boil.
Those who I meet now think I’ve always been like this. Some cheery dude with high morals who has never drank or done drugs and has always loved Jesus. Nieve in my actions, sheltered in life, unaware of the real world. So it becomes very tough to talk to them as they tend to believe they can’t relate to me.
I’m not perfect, in fact I’m flawed beyond recognition. It’s hard for me to say that or see it in print as I am a very private person but one must expose themselves in order to gain that which seems unattainable.
When I was younger one of my favorite things to do was take my dads eye glasses and put them on. We got such a kick out of this as kids. It contorted the images in the world, making each appear a little different than they really were. Each of these events in our lives warp our perception of reality just like those glasses. They begin to shape us and take hold of us. Before you know it your walking around angry and full of hatred, you refuse to let others in, you reject the idea that Jesus can change lives. I was there. I’ve experienced this.
I was always told as a warning that if I continued to wear those glasses when I didn’t need to that some day I would actually need them. My view of the world would be so contorted that my eyes would adjust and I would be forced in to seeing through those lenses. The Bible talks about hardening our hearts and rejecting Christ to the point where we will never see the truth, and I think the glasses are a great illustration of that.
This man in Mark 9 was blind, he couldn’t see the world around him. I find it very interesting that Jesus first led him by the hand. The man could not guide himself, he needed help and in his time of need Jesus reached out and put his hand in His and led him. When the world has jaded you, when it’s striped you of the things you thought you knew, when you are hurting, don’t you want someone there to lead you?
Where does He lead him? Outside the city. He doesn’t take him to a crowded bustling city center where there is noise and distraction, but outside the city. I picture this place as quiet and empty. A desert, with nothing around, just him and Jesus. In the stillness he can hear the inflection in Jesus voice. He can hear the sincerity in each word. He can focus on the task at hand. When I’m struggling with something my tendency is to wrap myself up in so many things to distract myself from reality and what Jesus is showing me here is that that is the complete opposite of what I should be doing. I should be taking time to separate myself and spend time with Him. To go to a place of peace and rest with Him and listen. I don’t need to talk, I need to listen. I need his direction.
As they stand outside the city walls Jesus spits on the mans eyes. I love this! He could have just touched him, He could have just spoke the words, maybe kissed him, or anything nicer than spitting but He doesn’t. His eyes were a problem, he couldn’t see. It’s a telling way to deal with a problem. There is something forceful and “in your face” about spitting. And I like the way it’s reflected here. If I have an issue, if something is defining me, holding me back from the place I need to be I need to spit at it. I need to rid myself of it and be done.
“Do you see anything?” Jesus asks. I have this picture of Jesus spitting in the mans eyes and the man wiping the spit away, a little stunned by the action. Wiping it clear as Jesus asks the question he responds, yeah man, I can see people, like trees! He’s excited and maybe he starts walking away thinking wow man, this is cool, I can see. Jesus reaches out and grabs him as he’s starting to leave and says woah, not done yet pal. And as He lays His hands on him again his sight is fully restored. Isn’t that just like us? We finally get to the place where we are seeking Jesus help and He begins to work in and on us and we say SWEET! I can see! And walk away before He’s finished.
He isn’t finished with me. I still continue to walk away every time I can see a little. Don’t let the things of your past(and even your future) define you. Stay steady by leaning on Christ and let Him keep your eyes clear and your hearts full.
Staying in Tune
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD ~Jeremiah 29:11
At one point last year I gave my brother directions for putting new spark plugs in his car. After putting them in his car was running worse than before. Spark plugs now-a-days come “pre gaped” which means the space between for the spark is already set at the right spacing for the car they are made for. I never trust a machine, and so I told my brother to check the gap before putting each one in. I had forgot to mention pre-gapping to him so when he went to buy the plugs and the guy behind the counter told him they were already ready to put in he thought he had scored and avoided one step.
Obviously the gap was off just slightly on at least one of the plugs, causing his car to not run properly. We’re talking about just millimeters between functioning at 100% and undriveable. It’s amazing how the timing can be off just slightly like that and force everything in the wrong direction. Yet when that little plug is aligned to the right specs the entire car runs smoothly.
It can be extremely frustrating when something happens in your life and you don’t understand why. As a small example, I’ve never really wanted to be involved in computers but I’m good at it and its the door the Lord swung open for me. I’ve often been frustrated with my place and how I can use my skills for the Kingdom.
About 6 months ago, in earlier January, I scheduled a trip to visit my friend here in Denver. The Red Sox were playing interleague games against the Rockies and I always enjoy seeing them play in other stadiums. I bought tickets to go as soon as they were on sale. Having a job working from home my plan was to work from his apartment during the day and hang out at night.
Flash forward two months and I lose my job. I have to take another contract in Boston, no more working from home, no vacation time. Not looking good for my trip but I plug on with the anticipation that I will go. As June rolls around and I get more comfortable in my role and with my boss it becomes apparent I will be able to go as planned. Around the same time I got an offer to head to South Africa in October for a couple weeks for some volunteer work with the Lausanne Movement. Super excited, I headed out to Denver for my much needed vacation.
The guy who is to be my boss for my volunteer work sends me an email asking to have a conference call and go over what we need to get me up and running. As I am now in a new time zone I let him know and tell him I’m available any time. Some time later he responds back…he lives in Denver, not far from where I am. What would have been an hour on the phone going over some training turns in to a two hour impromptu meeting at a local starbucks. I was able to meet him, talk about God and the amazing timing, and go over the training. A few times during our time he would show me something and say “we just started this piece, hopefully I can get you up to speed on it.” and I would have to interrupt and tell him I had just done the same thing for another client.
I planned a trip 6 months in advance and the Lord knew I’d be there for a specific reason. He knew I’d be taking that volunteer job, knew my boss would be in Denver, and knew the skills I would need to take it on. I’ve been in “training” for this volunteer position for over two years and never knew it! His timing is perfect, never out of sync. And when you continue walking in His path the roads not always paved and easy but your car runs smoothly.
I’m analytical and constantly wondering what my place is or why I’m doing this particular thing or that particular thing and what affect it’s really having on the overall scope of life and His Kingdom. To finally see pieces get put together; Pieces that have been laid out over such a long period of time causes me to go speechless.
That’s how big my God is.
Clarity Coming Down
but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; ~Isaiah 40:31
I don’t fly very often but when I do I generally fly at night. The atmosphere seems quieter and I usually nod off until we land. On the rare occasion that it is day time, I’ve had the unfortunate circumstance of bad weather and cloudy skies. All this translates in to me not being able to see outside the window and enjoy the view.
Friday as I took an early morning flight to Denver the skies were clear across the country and the weather was beautiful. As I settled down in my aisle seat I realized no one was sitting in my row. I slid over to the window as we prepared for takeoff and watched through the small opening. Ascending through the sky I watched the boats in the harbor get smaller and smaller until they appeared as small specks on the horizon.
Throughout the flight I occasionally peered out the window at the landscape below. Everything was fuzzy. I could see shades of green and tans, and lines which seemed to be roads cutting through the country but clarity wasn’t there. I couldn’t make out the details and intricacies of trees, cars, buildings, or people.
I nodded off for several hours until the pilot came over the speaker to tell us we were about to make our descent. Again, sliding over to the window, I spent the remaining time staring out that little window watching the landscape change. Lower and lower, my eyes became clearer to the world below. I was able to see things for what they were, no longer blurred by distance.
When we put our hope in Jesus and Him alone He takes us to new heights. Here we experience peace about the troubles we are facing. The hectic and often frustrating world seems so far away as we bask in the glory of the Lord. We are soaring on wings like eagles, as Isaiah said. My problems don’t seem so big anymore, but appear like tiny specks on the horizon, fuzzy and hard to make out.
In Matthew 17 Jesus takes Peter, John, and James up the mountain where He is transfigured. Basking in the glory of God Peter blurts out “it is good for us to be here, let us build shelters”. But those shelters don’t get built. While it certainly is good to be in the presence of God like that we are called to be in lights in the world(Matthew 5:14) and so we must come down.
As the landscape was getting clearer staring out that window it hit me that coming down from that high with Jesus gives me clarity in my problems. Sure they are the same size, but I was flying so high He showed me how big they were to Him, which isn’t very big at all. And as I came in for a landing it was smooth and I was safe, just like He promised.
Keep Digging
Make this valley full of ditches. For this is what the LORD says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. This is an easy thing in the eyes of the LORD; he will also hand Moab over to you. You will overthrow every fortified city and every major town. You will cut down every good tree, stop up all the springs, and ruin every good field with stones. ~2 Kings 3:16-19
My pastor used the above passage in his sermon last week and while it wasn’t so much “in passing”, it definitely wasn’t the focal point of his message. Yet, like that piece of sidewalk gum stuck to the bottom of your shoe that you just can’t seem to scrape off, it just keeps sticking in the forefront of my mind. I wonder how many times I’ve read 2 Kings and more notably how many times I’ve just glossed over this as another story about a prophet of God doing prophet things without actually stopping to think about it.
On a side note: I have a tough time with the Old Testament a lot of times and find myself almost reading it like a drone on occasion, with my mind off in la-la land. This sort of hit me hard that there definitely is a wealth of information(which I did know already) there if I take the time to really dig.
If you read through these blog posts you’ll see evidence of a life just like yours. Ups and downs, trials and triumphs and right now is no different. While I’m going through some things on my own, those around me seem to be going through equally hard times. It’s a tough pill to swallow when you want to help those in need but need to take care of yourself too. The stress can be overwhelming and it’s easy to feel dried up and frustrated.
Make this valley full of ditches. A pretty simple statement, monumentally powerful in it’s own right. I’m in a rut, I’m struggling and grasping with issues and the Lord says “Keep digging!” I was reading this passage on the train, jotting down notes as I went, and I wrote “Don’t walk away from the problem, hit it in the face with a shovel!” Extreme? Maybe, but for me the point is you can cower and walk away from the problem or you can hit it with the full force of the power of God. Keep digging!
But digging can be monotonous and tiring. How long do you dig? When does the frustration become so overwhelming that giving up seems like the best and most realistic option? As a typical guy I want the problem fixed NOW, yesterday would be better, but reality tells me these things take time and there are leassons to be learned. Maybe you’ve been dealing with the problem for a couple days, maybe it’s been 30yrs, or a lifetime. Verse 17 of 2 Kings 3 tells me how long to continue and the answer isn’t easy: until it’s complete. He says you’re gonna be dry, you’re gonna be burnt out. There’s going to be no breeze to cool you down, no rain to soak up your problem but your valley will be full of water and you will drink. What a great picture. Struggling and scratching and crawling through a problem when you feel there is no end but keep digging, keep trusting in God and let him fill your valley and reward your faithfulness. Let him quench your thirst, for those who drink of Him shall thirst no more(John 4:14)
Out in Denver they have what’s called the “fourteeners”. It’s a group of 14,000ft mountains in the rockies. Nearly impenitrable most of the year due to heavy snow capped peaks, they are passable for but a few months in the middle of the summer. And maybe thats how you feel, if you just wait it out they’ll be an opening at some point that you can pass on through. Verse 18 spells it out. “This is an easy thing in the eyes of the LORD”. Your gigantic mountain is but a small ant hill to the Lord, trampled under his sandal. There is no waiting needed, don’t sit on your butt and hope for safe passage. It’s easy for Him!
With the Lord you will take down every wall Satan has built up. You will tear the very fabric of possibilities. Supreme confidence is yours as you walk in the shadow of His wings. Verse 19 then confirms this. You will overthrow the fortified city, cut down the trees, and stop up the springs! That power is the Lords.
There is a beaver dam in Canada which can be seen from space. It’s nearly 2,800ft long and they estimate the beavers started working on it sometime in the 1970’s. That’s a looooong time to be trying to plug a hole. Yet they don’t give up and keep on filling it in. It wasn’t built in a day and whatever struggle your entagled with won’t be instantly fixed. The blueprint is there in 2 Kings 3: dig. keep digging, allow the Lord to fill you, recognize that it’s easy for Him, and move in step with Him as you take down the walls. Hit that thing in the face with a shovel.
Impassioned Prayer
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. ~Psalm 147:3
Lord, I don’t understand.
My heart is heavy and my eyes burn. I hear the rain falling outside my window and wonder why it’s falling on everyone. Will it stop?
I’ve always known that pruning was painful and I’ve seen some light pruning over my years but nothing like this. Your shears are cutting deep and further back than I’ve ever seen. Many it seems are falling prey to the pleasures of this world. You’ve pruned and they’ve withered and fallen away.
Satan has tricked us, each in our weakest point, in to believing there’s nothing better. He’s drawn on our selfishness and brought us to places where our desires are fulfilled. When will You call them back home? Will You call them back home?
I’m a broken man, a man who sees no place here for his head. I’m not who You need me to be. I’m afraid. Yet You call me to something greater. Why me?
I have only known some for a short time but my heart breaks as though I have known their love for years. My heart gets attached so quickly and I wonder how You deal with millions breaking Yours. The ache makes it worse. I can’t sleep at night as I wrestle with the confusion.
What is your plan? What is the goal of all this? I know I can never understand all that You are or all that You are doing, but it can’t hurt to ask.
You’ve given me gifts I don’t deserve, blessings without strings and I’ve come to be humbled. Please pour me out. As my roots strive to grow deeper help me to withstand the pushing and pulling. Help me to bear fruit in all seasons. Give me strength to help others even when I feel lost and empty myself. Use me as you see fit and restrain my lips from grumbling and complaining. I commit myself to Your will. I am wholly Yours.
Lord, I don’t understand. I don’t understand what you are doing inside of me. I don’t understand why everyone seems to be falling apart. But I trust You. In the midst of all this chaos, I trust You. Thank you for listening to me in the middle of the night when no one is around.
Amen.
Confusing Peace
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus ~Phillipians 4:7
I saw it in her eyes as I slowly made my way down the line at the wake. It’s not something you can really put your finger on, not something that you can tell someone how to get or explain when you see it. I can only quantify it as “You know it when you see it”. Her eyes weren’t empty. She had just lost her son at 17 to a terrible disease but there was life still there as our eyes met.
For someone who has witnessed this themselves, and has taken part in this peace, the words that come out next aren’t the words that someone at a wake would normally hear. They are no longer words of condolence so much as words of thanks, praise, and adoration. Words that acknowledge a God who knows what He is doing and a place that transcends anything here on earth.
I’m certainly not saying she wasn’t sad or didn’t miss her son. I’m not saying I wasn’t sad about missing my friend. But the peace of God surpasses understanding and I could spend 5,000 words trying to explain it here and not do it any justice.
Some know I am going through a few major trials right now, things I thought I’d never deal with. And it’s not easy. What ever problem you are dealing with in the moment certainly seems like the biggest and impossible to overcome. But I realize that what needs to be leaned on is the Word of God. Proverbs 3:5 tells me: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”. And so I try, every day, to trust a little more.
With each finished trial comes a little more trust in the Lord for all things, a little more understanding of my place in this world, and a little more realization that He always has my best interest at heart.
A lot of Christians feel like the peace mentioned in Phillipians 4:7 is a right, that they should just have it because they asked God in to their heart one day. The verse is used a bit out of context far to often, when we only read it and not the verses that wrap it. Before it, in verses 4-6 it says: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Rejoice in the painful trials you face(1 Peter 4:13). Notice that the verses don’t say “When going through a trial God pours peace all over you like hershey syrup on ice cream”. It says “everything, by prayer and petition”. All He wants is for us to seek Him and when we do, He brings us comfort that is unexplainable. I’ve glossed over one piece of this chapter often, “The Lord is near”. How often I get in to a trial and Satan convinces me the Lord is somewhere else, busy with someones bigger problem. But the more talking I do to the Lord, the more peace He pours on me and the closer I am to Him and He to me. He is the grace and peace which cover me.
Secondly, the verses after 4:7, Phillipians 8-9 say: “if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” He says hey you know what, don’t be anxious, talk to me about everything. And after you are done put what I say in to practice as well. Don’t sulk and get caught up in earthly pleasures that can bring quick satisfaction but think about things that are excellent and praiseworthy. Think about things which bring glory to Me.
Out of all that, the peace of God will be with you. It is not a gift you just get, but it is free. If you abide in Christ, if you talk to Him, and if you keep your mind on the things of God, that peace will come. It will look odd to others, it may even feel odd to you. As you soak in it you’ll be glad you followed the entire command of Christ in Phillipians 4: 4-9. I know for me, it’s helping a ton.
Lausanne Open Forum
On Tuesday night I was lucky enough to attend on of the 12 open forums across the country hosted by the Lausanne Movement. If you don’t know about Lausanne you can read more about how it was formed on their about page. These “12 conversations, 12 cities” were set up to generate awareness of the upcoming CapeTown 2010 Congress. This is the third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelicalization.
Headlining the panel included singers Derek Web and Sara Groves, author Os Guinness, and the co-founder of Bloodwater Mission Jenna Lee
Some times you feel disconnected from reality in your desires. Amongst some close friends and in a Bible study I attend there is talk of getting out within our communities, about going through this world “to heavy” and on needing drastic social change. But at least for me there is this overwhelming sense that we’re traveling this road alone. From a distance it certainly appears that other issues are taking precidence such as wars, immigration, and laws. To hear Christian panelists from around the country speak on the very desires our small groups have been talking about was confirmation and a new connection that we aren’t alone.
There were a couple of great points I’d like to mention:
- Materialism and the gifts of God
- The younger generation
- Community
“America has confused what God’s gifts are.” -Jena Lee Jena went on to say that the people she would speak to in Africa feel pity for us because when it rains, they know it’s from God, and when they harvest crops they know they are from God. Meanwhile, we sit here in America and complain when it rains and take it for granted that we can go to a store and by all the food we want.
The subtler things are doing us in, it’s not the larger issues Os Guinness added. And Sara Groves mentioned how we’ve perfected the comforting of ourselves in America. It’s true that we as Christians really focus on this really big topics but fail to address smaller things that are slowly eating away at our foundation. We’ve become comfortable and complacent in our lives, happy where we are and content to just “go to heaven”.
Don’t get caught up in generationalism.” -Os Guinness I think this was one of my favorite points of the night. This idea that young people aren’t ready or intelligent enough to lead the way. He went on to say that we aren’t listening to the younger generation on innovative ways to create change and advance the Kingdom. I couldn’t agree more. It’s time to pass the torch and face the fire. Enable this younger people and empower them. Their ideas matter and each of them can change the world but we tend to discourage them by not listening in our ignorance rather than building them up and challenging them to make a difference.
Grab hold of how others see Jesus so you can grow and understand Him more. -Sara Groves This point struck me in that if you read between the lines, what she is really saying is “embrace each other, you need each other”. I took this away as the main point driven home throughout the night. It was mentioned over and over again. We desperately need to start working together, but also trusting each other, sharing with each other, and confiding in one another. We have no chance of growing individually if we cut ourselves off from everyone.
A great point made by Os Guinness as things wrapped up was this: “In modern society there is nothing harder than genuine community”. I would take it even further and say that Satan has so individualized us and saturated us with ipods, and tv shows and me first mentalities that community is almost impossible to harness. I believe in our hearts we want it but when we get close and things get tough we severe the tie and we have to start all over. We aren’t willing to risk much but want to reward.
All in all I had a great time, and learned a lot from hearing their different view points. If you can get out to one of the other open forums I highly suggest you do. It was well worth it.
