The Journey for God

Deeper Joy

2011-12-13T14:05:00.001-06:00

Joy comes by many different means. There are things we see and things that we member and things we complete that all give us joy. At this time of the year joy comes through memories, sights and sounds. Most children feel joy at seeing snow, either because school might be cancelled or for the fun of playing in it. This time of the year brings joy to people as they see Christmas lights go up. There are sights we see in nature that give you joy to see whether it is sunset or sunrise, flowering fields or harvest fields, flowing rivers or peaceful clouds, flying birds or running animals. These are ways we find joy in our world. It is our seeing God at work around us. Even when those who reject God feel joy from such beauty, they are sensing God in the world around us. It is about God giving us a good world to live in and we can see his good hand at work in it. Such joy is a response to God, I started with the example seeing Christmas lights. While such joy may be based in the love of presents, it is always a good time to remember our joy is based in the coming of Jesus.

Fame, Infamy and Advent

2011-12-03T19:53:00.003-06:00

From the Pastor's Desk, December 4, 2011
This week two Toronto girls were arrested for beating up a third woman.  They were arrested when the video of the assault was posted on the internet and someone told the police.  Why might it be posted on the internet?  Because our culture tells us to seek after fame.  Now their fame has turned to infamy and probable jail time.  This stands in stark contrast to the story of advent.  Jesus coming into the world by way of an average family (Luke 1:48).  He would at times flee into the wilderness when the crowds were too large or started political aims (John 6:15).  Jesus rejected celebrity for its own sake, rather he focused on the glory of God.  He will, one day, return.  Then He will bring justice and complete the arrival of the kingdom of God.  On that day he will attract the attention of all people and his entrance will be one that no one will miss.  It will be so majestic that red carpet affairs will pale in comparison.  Jesus will attract the fame, yet the key example for us in his advent is not a craving for the spotlight, but humbly living.  So we too should not seek the spotlight, but live the lives given to us by God.

From the Pastor's Desk, August 28, 2010

2011-08-28T08:00:00.000-06:00

In 1 Samuel 16, we read about David being anointed as the future king of Israel. God has said this will be although Saul still sits upon the throne. So the next few chapters will eventually turn into a dance of David becoming a leader and king, while Saul declines. They are interesting stories. Here are some stories that remind us that God is in control. David becomes king at the right time and Saul is deposed at the proper time.

There is something to think about here in our day and age. We are watching the current rash of rebellions sweep through the world. It does not take much research to find that often rebellions come in groups. This last week in Libya, Tripoli fell and Qaddafi is in hiding. He is not fully overthrown yet, he is running from what seems to be inevitable. This is vanity like Saul trying to fight God and stay king. God put Qaddafi in place and Qaddafi has not been a model leader. Now his power is dwindling, it is over. It is best not to fight God, we see that in the life of king Saul.

From the Pastor's Desk, August 21, 2010

2011-08-27T19:24:00.000-06:00

There is a place in this world where theology and the natural world can come to a simple, mutual understanding. There is a legal case in Manitoba where a man is charged for not stopping his wife from committing suicide. It is easy to look at this and say the man is immoral. The way the papers report the story the man bears guilt, but he may not bear legal guilt. It is important to realize that the law can only really tell you what not to do. There are some few things that it can try to force you to do, but these are usually tied to penalties for failure. This man who did not try to stop his wife’s suicide may not be found guilty. The law cannot declare him good only “not guilty”, and that can be a huge difference. As Christians we look at the law and realize that it teaches us about God, but it does not make us holy. No matter how hard we try, failing in the smallest aspect is a total failure as it is written, “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.” (James 2:10) Suddenly the legal system faces the fact that it cannot declare someone good only “not guilty”. Following the laws in life may be right but in the same way they cannot make us right with God, which is a good analogy to share with others.

From the Pastor's Desk, August 14, 2011

2011-08-14T22:11:00.001-06:00

This last week London was turned upside down with riots. The hard part to grasp is why it happened. As we read the reports we here all kinds of conflicting reasons. Bad youth to gangs to simple hoodlums are all reasons offered. Each explanation has some evidence offered but they do not account for competing theories. All these offerings are to support their ideas for how to solve the problems. The difficulty is that the solutions focus on either someone making us better or by getting us to live right and thereby we will act right. Usually making us better amounts to education or some program that provides money. In order to get people to act right people believe that they either need a job or to be part of the community. Most if not all of these answers can be right, but there is a serious faith in these answers to solve all our problems. These same answers create problems for us as well. The reasons this is so is because the world fails to account for sin. Liberals assume all people are good and need to be taught not to be bad. Conservatives believe that most are good and some are bad. As I read the Biblical account I am convinced that all are bad. Sin is an issue for everyone and we all need Jesus. This is the difference and while education, jobs and being part of the community can be a help that supplements the true answer.

From the Pastor's Desk, August 7, 2011

2011-08-07T22:51:00.000-06:00

As I finished reading the latest article about another person responsible for the current economic crisis in the western world, I am struck by how the analysis and expectations amount to a promotion of man to become God. There is a real expectation for the poor man, in this case in charge of the Euro-bank, to be aware of everything and all the consequences. There is a belief that runs through the article, and this is by no means limited to this article, that these problems could have been fully avoided. Yet, few are willing to address the lack of responsibility or justice inside the system. These issues are things that God brings punishment to open our eyes to the sin that entangles our lives. These are the reasons God brought punishment on Israel in her history. Basically, these articles are rejecting God’s hand in the midst of this crisis. They reject that there could be any more causation other than some men whom we demand to be omniscient and when they fail the next day we say the answer was obvious. Yes, we have a responsibility and when the world seems to be crashing around us we need to ask if God wants us to see something as well.

From the Pastor's Desk, July 31st, 2011

2011-07-31T08:53:00.001-06:00

This week John Stott passed away. He was a well known pastor and author. He began his ministry in 1945 and while he retired in 2007 (at age 86) he still continued to have a ministry in the world around him. He was serious about his ministry and it showed. He was not undone by immorality. He also never let himself get caught up in the culture of celebrity that we live in. He lived humbly in spite of the huge following he had and the influence of his books. His life was a good example for the rest of the world. After last week with the Norwegian shooter being labeled a ‘fundamentalist Christian’, a label we can now see is completely false, John Stott’s final impact is refreshing. The news had to deal with Stott from time to time and they never found him easy to ridicule or ignore. The articles relating his death from the major news outlets were largely positive. Here was a man who ran the good race and everyone knew it. Here is a man who, in his passing, strengthened the church, not for its loss, but for testimony of his life now over.

From the Pastor's Desk, July 24th, 2011

2011-07-24T08:00:00.000-06:00

This week something terrible happened. A man with some problems, serious problems planned and carried out a very calculated assault. A diversionary bomb to remove security forces and then assaulted a political camp killing, at the last count I have seen, 85. He was upset at the loss of his culture and the growing segment of minorities in his country. Sadly, he is being labeled as a fundamentalist Christian. Though that appears to be a ruse as he wrote calling protestants to become Catholics, the actual facts might be even weirder. One way or the other we are looking at someone who is leaving a mark upon Christianity. Frankly, if he was a Christian I think he did not really understand what the faith is about. Here is a man taking revenge on the political machine in the name of “judeo-christian” culture. While both Judaism and Christianity have helped shape & form our world, the same culture is flawed as it has led to many today rejecting the faith. Our hope for the culture today is what it always has been: the Holy Spirit changing the lives of people through their faith. Anything else is misplaced faith and can possibly lead down some severe and detestable pathways.

Our Culture of Celebrity

2011-05-24T08:00:00.000-06:00

Saturday came and went and I spent most of it with my kids. A nice way to spend my Saturday and the rapture did not happen. I have just read that we can repeat the process in October. I really don't want to endure another build up to further discredit a fully discredited man.

Searching on Harold Camping will produce enough information to realize that from the 80's he was discredited. Now many people I have seen attribute all the commotion he creates to basic greed: the hype generates money. I don't believe that for a minute. Now I am not denying that his ministry is probably receiving a higher income, at least up until Friday, but I do not think that greed drives this false teacher. The article, if accurate, shows an income too low given their activities for him to be skimming. I am sure he receives a healthy salary, but I doubt he is in the same league with the prosperity preachers. Indeed, he is still in charge at age 89 and personally running his own show tells me that he is more interested in control and showing how clever he is.

Read about how he got his date. Multiply 3 numbers together and then square it to get the number of days and then start from his own date to today. This is the kind of math that only makes sense to the poor man that thought it up in the first place. Numerology can be immediately descriptive, but if those numbers start requiring multi-step manipulations - just stop. Here is someone trying to be clever and is convinced he is clever. Kinda like Charlie Sheen only scarier because Harold Camping has a gravitas about himself.

Comparing Harold Camping and Charlie Sheen is not to get a cheap laugh, it was a stark realization I had. They really are not far apart. Both have some sort of charisma about them and built a fan base for themselves. Both were punished and live in denial of that punishment. Charlie by his termination from the network and Harold by his censure at Alameda CRC. Both have used their celebrity to live in denial of the sad reality they live in. Charlie Sheen made his tour and Harold Camping, forbidden to teach in church taught over the radio.

The major issue in the church today is its accommodation to the culture around it. The worship of celebrity of the wider culture has infiltrated the church. A discredited Sunday School teacher with a radio program must know what they are talking about. He is 'famous' why else does he have a radio program. So fame become more important than right standing inside the church. If he did not have such a following this would not have made nearly the story. Granted a number of editors probably ran it to embarrass honest believers, but for all his followers from Christendom at large it is something of a story.

We must realize that this is not just about one deluded man and his duped followers, but about all of us. This kind of problem is really a step or two past the celebrity worship that certain pastors have. Where people pull their books and discuss them as if they were the Bible. All other pastors get held against their favorite pastor as a standard instead of realizing that everyone is different. It comes in our love of conventions and the names at them. Carl Trueman has done a good job of pointing this out here and here. We need to realize this. We need to keep people off the pedestal and on level ground.

From the Pastor's Desk, May 22, 2011

2011-05-23T07:00:00.000-06:00

Yesterday the church received a black eye. We have another shameful episode. A man named Harold Camping had predicted that massive earthquakes would occur and the rapture would happen yesterday at 6 pm. Of course none of it did happen. Even if there was an earthquake yesterday, I would not believe him. Jesus himself said, in Matthew 24:36, that he does not know when his second coming is, moreover, that no man would know. This man has done much that we need to respond to, I have fielded a few questions and I imagine some comments will be coming. The question might come up as to why he is allowed to continue to teach: the answer is he is not. His church in the late 1980’s actually banned him from teaching as he was a Sunday School teacher. The problem is he was in control of a radio broadcast station. He never did stop his radio programs and has been leading people astray ever since. This is not the first time he has predicted the rapture and I imagine he will try again before too long. As we face this we need to be honest and forthright about the facts, he is a banned teacher and fails to understand the Bible.

From the Pastor's Desk, May 15, 2011

2011-05-16T01:07:00.000-06:00

Almost two weeks ago the United States executed Osama bin Laden. He was a known terrorist and figurehead of the group of terrorists known as Al Qaeda. It is a blow to their organization that is clear. It will not finish the problem of terrorism, but it is an important strike. I support the action and believe that it was necessary. Yet, I do not agree with my president in that justice was served. This was an action that is for the safety of millions around the world, however, it was not justice. Bin Laden did not face his accusers and give a plea. The shots fired were not an issuance of justice, but an act of war. We do not see the case properly laid out before everyone. So I appreciate the result for what it is. This leads me to the one issue that I have with this, the jubilant celebration over his death. First, it seems to be a misplaced amount of happiness, especially considering that Al Qaeda will continue on without him. The ‘war on terror’ is not over. Second, this raises some scary questions about the state of Pakistan. Even if the president did not know bin Laden was there, then there is some significant subterfuge occurring there. Finally, this is a man who died. I do not question if it was right to do the act, but there is a man who died. It is right to be happy that the operation happened, but joyous parties makes us not much different from the terrorists. Moreover, he died in rejection of Jesus, which should give us pause in light of eternity.

From the Pastor's Desk, May 8, 2011

2011-05-14T09:48:00.000-06:00

Mother’s Day one day of the year that we think of our mothers deliberately. Hopefully, we think of them more often than once a year, but today is the important day. While this is a state holiday, I believe that this is something that reminds us of the glory and graciousness of God. His glory in the wonderful mystery of his ordained order: men & women marrying. Why it should work out that a couple was chosen by God to be male & female is beyond fathoming, but it works. Second it is God’s graciousness that we have mothers. The wonderful women who love us and cared for us. Our mothers have been responsible for shaping us into the people we are today. Even if your mother was not there God has had provided someone to take her place. These are lessons about God we see from mothers, but there is more. God also gives us spiritual mothers as well. People who help us to grow spiritually. Often they are the same as our natural mother, but sometimes we have other women that have helped us grow spiritually. So as we thank God today for our mothers we also should look to Him as our provider.

From the Pastor's Desk, May 1, 2011

2011-05-01T08:25:00.001-06:00

I read an interesting article in the NY Times about the earthquake in Japan. In the midst of the devastation there is one village, Aneyoshi, survived intact. Why? They followed simple instructions from a stone erected after a prior earthquake, which advised them not to build beneath it. The tsunami never touched this village, though their fishing boats were lost. There are many of these stones with a variety of instructions on them that relate to a tsunami, yet most of them went unheeded. It is a lesson for us in life. These stones went unheeded because no one remembered the past or they had faith in technology that was supposed to stop the problem. This is a problem for us as well. Too many people suppose they have all the answers when they only account for the weather they have seen. We see this also in the church as well. Many people want to move on to new things and assume that everyone else understands what they do. One thing that we need to realize is that on very few issues to two people agree, even Christians. Moreover, those issues vary from person to person. One lesson is that we should never assume the basic lesson is understood, especially when it comes to the Gospel. Many of the problems in the church today come from assuming that we understood the lessons of the past when we have forgotten what those lessons were about.

From the Pastor's Desk, April 24, 2011

2011-04-25T08:32:00.000-06:00

Easter Sunday, what a wonderful day. In contrast to Good Friday which is filled with the remembrance of the cost, difficulty and ignominy of the cross Easter Sunday carries the hope and blessing of the resurrection. Both of these days carry the message of the gospel. Good Friday helps us to realize the depth of the sacrifice that Jesus made. How deep our sin is within us and how much suffering there was in being crucified. The interesting part is that the crucifixion was not the end for Jesus. He rose from the dead on Easter Sunday. In rising from the dead he put an end to the power of death, though death is not yet defeated. These two days Good Friday and Easter Sunday the Gospel is contained. The horror of Jesus taking our sins and defeating them by rising again from the grave. It is a message that is today, always has been and always will be offensive to human sensibilities. Across all cultures is a desire to be able to save ourselves, to be all that we need. It may work itself out differently in a kingdom rather than a republic, but it is there. The question of what can I do to be saved, yet we have a funny answer: nothing. We are saved by faith. The good lives that Christians live are an outworking of our understanding and faith in the cross. We are not perfect, but as we come together to celebrate these days on the Christian calendar, we come to appreciate the work of Jesus more and so we grow.

From the Pastor's Desk, October 17th, 2010

2010-10-17T08:03:00.000-06:00

This week the 33 trapped Chilean miners were rescued. The shuttle they had to use looked tighter than a coffin, but it worked well. As they emerged from the ground a few things started to come to light. One man’s indiscretion was exposed. How the wife and mistress will be worked out remains to be seen. They have bonded as a group and are going to manage the media as a group. (On a practical level this is the smartest thing I have heard.) Everyone of them came up with a shirt which reads the Lord saves in Spanish. How did they get these shirts? Well it turns out that someone in Campus Crusade wanted to send a copy of the Jesus film to the miners in the ground. An mp3 audio file was sent down and they were able to listen to it. Eventually, they asked for t-shirts to be made and when they were rescued each one was wearing that t-shirt over their coveralls. The story goes around that one even found Christ in his time there and I think that the audio likely played an important role in that story. This is an important story and a good reminder. We need to remember to take care of the whole person. Oh, there were a lot of people doing excellent work insuring that food, water and air were reaching them. Communications were setup. In the end, someone at Campus Crusade took a moment to care for them spiritually. Today we are likely to try only to care for people in their physical needs and miss their spiritual needs. Both go hand in hand, and everyone who watched the rescues would have seen the t-shirts and know about God working in the situation.

From the Pastor's Desk, October 10th, 2010

2010-10-12T23:37:00.001-06:00

This week the CBC reported an interesting, even thought it was over dramatized, story. The title stated that 4 out of 10 first marriages end in divorce. Which is an interesting fact, serial marriages were not reported. The vastly interesting part was that in 2006 for the first time there were more single people age 15 & older than married. This is important to note. First, it changes the way we need to understand our culture. Marriage may be seen as important but it is being put off. There are a number of reasons for this. Often timing and being prepared are listed as reasons. However, no one is ever prepared to be married and marriage interrupts whatever timing you have in your life. In fact, looking at some of the top reasons for divorce include “different values & interests” and “career-related conflict” the problem is obvious. Marriage is expected to fit into your life instead of figuring out what your life is now. As such marriage teaches us about walking with God: our life is not our own. We need to teach and encourage such reflection on the meaning of marriage. Also with this we need to consider well Matthew 19:12, not all people are to be married. While many are not marrying for selfish reasons, there are those who are not marrying because it is right for them not to marry. As Christians we need to remember that Jesus said that some might not marry, indeed he did no marry either. I seem to be saying two different things, the reality is that in this there are no universal answers so we must be discern with care.

From the Pastor's Desk, October 3rd, 2010

2010-10-07T22:34:00.001-06:00

This week a study came out that is in some ways not surprising and other ways really disheartening. A simple poll of religious understanding was given. Now the questions ranged across at least Islam, Judaism and Christianity, the people were also asked what they believed. This way you can look at Christians and see how much they know about themselves as well as others and them same goes for Jews & Muslims. Most people did not score well in any religion. The people who tend to score best were the atheists. We need to realize that a large portion of Christians do not understand what their faith is about. In this day and age, an age where people are cutting their moorings to the church and many churches have lost sight of the Gospel, we need to know what we believe. There are many muddled messages messages from feminism and Bible to patriotism and Bible. Adding things over the gospel message is a recipe to create Christians who in subsequent generations do not know what to believe. I would say this is a serious issue today. Actually, I think it is a serious issue for all generations, but today I believe the church, as a whole, is stumbling. For example, another pastor is under accusation of moral failure, this time possibly criminal as well. The church seems to have become enamored with celebrity. Fame is not bad in and of itself, but if the church is not firm in its foundation, it will fall. Unfortunately for us, all we an do is apologize, continue on and do our best to make sure that we understand what it means to be a Christian.

From the Pastor's Desk, September 26th, 2010

2010-09-27T23:53:00.002-06:00

Later today my friend, Clayton Grice, the pastor of Southey Baptist church will come her and officiate the dedication before God of my son Michael. It is a serious step. It is important that we do this and publicly declare that we are going to raise up Michael as a Christian. He will over time come to hear the gospel message and respond in his time. Some look to many other churches that baptize infants for some solace. Some find solace in subconsciously believing the child is saved at that moment, though enough investigation will quickly lead to a person to wonder if that is really so. It is a confusion on what baptism and church membership are. Baptism is first and foremost the admittance into the church by publicly declaring that Jesus died and rose to save you (among others). This is done in mimicking the work of Jesus on the cross. Under the water as similar to the death and burial and out of the water symbolizing the resurrection. Note we are not saved at that moment, but we are demonstrating, putting on a small play if you will, what your salvation means. This is a choice made by the person, not for them at the behest of another. That being said the noble part of infant baptism is that the ceremony should drive home that the parents need to take the child’s spiritual life seriously. For Lynn & I today, we make that commitment without water. Our child will be dedicated before God and we are going to take the charge of helping him to understand the gospel seriously.

From the Pastor's Desk, September 19th, 2010

2010-09-22T00:48:00.002-06:00

When Jesus washed his disciples feet in John 13:1-20 he gave it as an instruction to repeat. Like many things he did this has a deeper meaning. This is done with the disciples and in responding to Peter we learn a key clue. Jesus tells Peter that he is clean except for his feet. We, as Christians, are made pure by the blood of Jesus and his righteousness covers us and makes us acceptable to God. Unfortunately, we, from time to time, sin. Trust me it makes life a living pain when you need to deal with Christians caught in the middle of their sins, especially if they do not realize what is wrong yet. There is something that we need to realize, that we are called to help such people out of such difficulties. We are called to wash feet. Jesus did it symbolically that evening and permanently on the cross. We are called as believers to wash each other’s feet. We need to help each other out of the trap that sin puts us into. It will not feel nice to the one caught in sin, but really were the disciples comfortable when Jesus washed their feet. It will likely take some humility on all sides just as Jesus had to humble himself to do the job of a slave. Yet we have the command of our Lord, an obscured command that would be understood latter. It is also a command that the disciples took seriously. Most of the letters in the New Testament were about resolving issues of sin in a local congregation and when restoration can be completed God is glorified.

From the Pastor's Desk, September 12th, 2010

2010-09-22T00:48:00.001-06:00

This week a certain publicity stunt captured the attention of the media. Really it is mostly a publicity stunt. A pastor of a church around our size declared that he was going to burn a koran, maybe more than one. This caused all kinds of upheavals and responses, but really, it was a nothing story. The issue is that the story happened during a lull in the news. Think about it, with most of North America and Europe on vacation in late summer the news slows down. The difficulty is news services must always have big news (hint they fail on this nearly everyday). So when life is slow you can invent news, but everyone knows that lying is bad, or you can stretch the truth or make something look more important. So this pastor, who a number of people question if he was manipulating the media, gets several hundred interviews. He created his fifteen minutes of fame, and the news media fell for it. Really it is a non issue. I will offer no support for burning the koran. It is not because I want to placate a hypersensitive group, but rather it undermines any attempt to evangelize muslims. To that end I would counsel and even denounce such actions on the basis that it is poor witness. If we are to bring the good news to muslims then burning the koran is a poor way to start. Furthermore, this should not be read as an assent to the protesting muslims, they were out of line, rather just a desire for Christians to think about how we reach out to the world. Muslims in North America is a fact, we need to reach not alienate them.

From the Pastor's Desk, September 5th, 2010

2010-09-22T00:12:00.001-06:00

Stephen Hawking has come out to say that there does no need to be any God. If he was writing a mystery the detective would announce that, “gravity did it.” For this he appeals to a complicated theory of reality, but the question still remains how did space and gravity get there in the first place. Let alone the question that gravity happens with matter so how does gravity function without matter? A serious question as gravity is supposed to have been all that you need to create matter. Serious technical questions aside, Hawking joins a long list of people appealing to science in order to deny that God exists. The difficulty is that the answers are not really answers in the first place. They attempt to place something to act naturally in the first place, like the wind blowing some process started all of creation. The difficulty with this is that it never really answers the question but rather changes the question. For Hawking the question now is, why does gravity and the space it exists in come into being? As Christians we recognize that God created this universe and set us in it. We live in it and it is sufficient for our lives as a testament of God’s love for us. Contrary to a number of scientists when we view the wonder of this world, we see it for what it is: the handiwork of God. The world testifies that God exists. The problem is that too many scientists, though not all of them, lose sight of that fact in the course of their studies. They come to a place where creation, or even gravity, replaces God even if it is a poor replica.

From the Pastor's Desk, August 29th, 2010

2010-08-30T13:04:00.000-06:00

“The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.” - John 1:9

When Jesus came into the world he came as the true light. He is the light of truth and understanding. With this understanding comes hope. He is the light that drives away fear. In the face of the larger world and the march of time, our lives become pale and insignificant, however, that is part of the hope found in the gospel. Our lives find true meaning. In becoming part of the kingdom of God we have meaning and hope. Certainly, this enlightenment is not the sort the world craves. The world wants to have meaning like letters carved into a tree. These letters last for years, but one day the tree falls. It is a natural process. Our lives when lived selfishly, are the same. We may find a way to make our name out live us and for a few many years past their death. The hope and enlightenment we have in Jesus is that our meaning is found with him as our Lord. In following Jesus we become part of a grander scheme. Certainly we become lesser, but our place is in something grander. We belong to something more than our community, our province or our nation. It helps us to understand our place within these places, and it helps us to respond to what happens to us. Too much of what we see in our world today is an attempt to find meaning in a world where meaning is lost. It is an attempt to ignore the true light and try to make light on our own.

From the Pastor's Desk, August 22, 2010

2010-08-22T08:00:00.001-06:00

The financial difficulties in our world today produce all kinds of pressures. These pressures force ideas to the surface that would have laid hidden. I read one article this week talking about getting more women working as a way to solve the recession in Europe. (If jobs are hard to come by, how do these women find work?) They are talking about using laws to encourage more women to work. This implies, and they were rather direct about this, that the worth of women is seen in their money making capacity. While this is worthy of considering in its own right, I want to encourage everyone to think about people in different ways. This world compares people primarily based on their income. If you make more then you are worth more. This is an unbiblical way of looking at people, male or female. We are more than mere cogs designed to make money. We are fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters; friends and neighbours. We all have many hats we fill and our value is not based on the number of roles we have. Our value is seen before God. Our value comes from the fact that we were created by God and created in his image. For that reason alone we do not ask who is worth more, because as we are all in the image of God we all have great worth. This is why Jesus became a man and suffered for us. Whether he suffered physically or suffered a few disciples who consistently got things wrong, he came to us. It speaks of our worth. It reminds us that we should look at our fellow human beings as more than just assets, but as a reflection of God. Whether they like it or not, everyone is made in God’s image.

From the Pastor's Desk, August 15, 2010

2010-08-15T08:00:00.000-06:00

After having delivered a few meals on wheels last week, I discovered a certain article in my weekly reading. It began by presenting a lady in Japan whose father died and she did not report it. For three decades. Part of this story is about people abusing pension checks cashing them, but that is not all of the story. Part of the story is about families unable to care for their aged. Many of whom get lost or fail to get care, often at times because their children are too old to care for them. It is a sad place to be. A people who are stuck in a place where they cannot keep up. They are in a place where they do not know how to ask for help. It is a classic problem for many who feel trapped and forced into a situation they can not cope with. So older parents wander off and go missing. They are not reported as missing, some may cheat the system and others just let everything quietly fade away. As I think about our response to this, I realize that this is a fundamental shift in Christendom. We are not alone. It is a failure to understand what the Christian life is all about if we do it alone. The church is called to fellowship together, in good times and bad times. We stand beside each other. Certainly, we do not let people fail their responsibilities, but we do assist each other in our times of need. The people of Japan need to find a way of assisting each other in coping with the elderly as people age and cannot do it themselves. As Christians we need to model the way for them, may our missionaries have new inroads addressing this.

From the Pastor's Desk, August 8, 2010

2010-08-14T18:34:00.000-06:00

Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, "You have today covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who have this day saved your life ... Now therefore arise, go out and speak kindly to your servants, for I swear by the LORD, if you do not go, not a man will stay with you this night, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now."

2 Samuel 19:5-7

King David is a man of many failures. Indeed the insurrection from Absalom comes from a failure of David to confront sin in his family. Therefore, after much manipulation and intrigue the great fight ends with Absalom dead and David upset about it. It is not to say that his death was right, and Joab will pay for it. However, it is the path that he took. It is a potential and natural outcome of insurrection. David's grief made his own followers feel as if they were the evil ones, whe they supported the God ordained king. David was about to drive away all his followers because he could not be the father he should have been. It almost cost David his kingship. Without the advice of Joab perhaps it would have. Leadership is about standing up and doing what is right and necessary. It is not about hoping problems will go away. There may be times when patience is required, but there are times to act. Had David acted before Absolom killed his brother, all this would have been different. It is a lesson for our lives and whether we bring grace or punishment, mercy or justice; either way we are not ignoring the problems around us.

From the Pastor's Desk, August 1st, 2010

2010-08-06T12:38:00.002-06:00

When I travel to Edmonton and I have time I try to touch base with a number of people. One friend has been having some trouble in ministry. It was not all his fault and it has something to do with the personalities involved. Currently, he is working through a response and things are going well. Hopefully, this will all be behind him soon. This is important for Christians to do; we seek reconciliation. Though the two people may be in different churches, indeed now some 20 hours drive apart, they are seeking reconciliation to undo the past errors. Jesus said in Matthew 5:23-24, “So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” Reconciliation is of primary importance. Just pause to remember that part of what Jesus did on the cross was to reconcile humanity to God. Reconciliation starts with God and often is worked out in our lives to the glory of God. These two friends are serious about fixing their problems and it is right. I wish that all Christians were that way. Recently, another famous Christian, who fell from leadership due to gross immorality and general hypocrisy, has returned to the pulpit. He did not complete his reconciliation and the entire move reeks more of a media savvy spin doctor rather than a humble leader. It is sad and rather poor witness as the news is, rightly, having a field day with it.

From the Pastor's Desk, July 25, 2010

2010-07-29T20:50:00.000-06:00

As a Christian I recognize that the key to understanding our world is the Bible. Many faiths tell about a god or gods in some way. Some talk about us becoming like gods. Others deny that gods or even reality is important. Most religions have a person or people telling us about God, but only Christianity has God becoming man. It was recorded and testified to and understood well by those who were with Jesus. That testimony is in our Bible. While we may be able to talk about God in a general sense outside the Bible, it is only through the Bible that we know God. While some may say that all religions are seeking God, and there is some truth to the claim, all others fail at several junctures to rightly understand who God is. It is only through Jesus that the message of salvation can be understood. This is true even for the time before Christ. Take time and read Hebrews chapter 11 and into the next two verses of chapter 12. The saints of the Old Testament looked forward to something: Jesus the messiah, the author and finisher of our faith. Our Bibles demonstrate this clearly. From the beginning with promises of salvation to come, each time the promise is fleshed out more and more, until Jesus’ ministry, death and resurrection, and the apostles working out that ministry: our Bibles carry the message of salvation. They are indispensable to bringing the gospel and understanding it more each day.

From the Pastor's Desk, July 18th, 2010

2010-07-20T00:48:00.000-06:00

I received a letter from Publisher’s Clearing House. Regardless of the details, it reminds me that this world operates contrary to the gospel on so many levels. Indeed, the writer of Hebrews wrote, “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” (13:5 ESV) We need to remember that our world is subtle. It takes very little TV exposure for the hold of marketers to appear. How many commercials do we remember and sing along with? Few commercials seem to be against the gospel, but ultimately the majority are. We need to be content with what we have, and that is not easy in a society that is filled with gadgets, doodads and toys. Our lives are promised to be easier and everything will simpler with more in our lives. That alone is a lie: our lives are anything but simpler. The simple refutation is above, we need to be content with what we have. This does not deny that we may need in the end to buy something, however, why are we buying it? Are we focusing on our things more or on Christ? Our contentment and happiness should never come from junk, but from Jesus. As was written in Hebrews our contentment is based in the promised Jesus gave to never leave or forsake us. What more can we possibly need. Certainly there are essentials, but more and more these days we need to ask what truly are our essentials. I write this on a computer is it essential, no. Contentment is not good for capitalism, but it is part of the gospel. It makes us different from the world and that is good.

From the Pastor's Desk, July 11, 2010

2010-07-11T08:00:00.002-06:00

For those who may not know Wilf and Loyn were an older couple in the church I pastor. Loyn had an accident on July 6th and passed away from complications at the hospital on the 7th. Probably 6 hours after she died, Wilf passed away at home due to health reasons. Pray for their 3 children. All are fully grown with families, but prayer is always good.

We have seen rain upon rain. Some of us have driven by to look at the path of devastation from the tornado. This week another kind of rain fell in our lives. When we face the deaths of fellow Christians, we should have a different attitude. An attitude that comes from knowing that God will raise them. It is a response like a long goodbye. Indeed it is a long goodbye, the only difficulty is that it is longer than any other. The disciples of Jesus referred to believers as being asleep, knowing that when Jesus returns we will all be together. This does not mean that Christians run around with some naive, if not pathological, happiness when someone dies. It is right to miss them. It is right to realize that the blessing God has granted us in Wilf & Loyn has been taken from us. We are right to be sad and grieve, however, we do not despair as if they will never be seen again.

This is the blessed hope of 2 Thessalonians 4:13, “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.” Paul writes directly about this, and at the second coming we all, Christians dead and alive, will receive new, perfect bodies. We will be together again. Paul does not say never grieve, however, he points out that our grief is a different kind of grief. We must be careful, grieving a loss is a right attitude. Utter despair for such a loss is wrong. So we take time and encourage one another so that each of us may be faithful even in sad times.

From the Pastor's Desk, July 4, 2010

2010-07-04T08:00:00.000-06:00

This week I found an interesting article in the New York Times online. It was entitled Save a Whale, Save a Soul. It was about the new rules in place for whale hunting. Of course, there are those who want to hunt whales and those who do not want them hunted. I am not going to weigh in on that topic but one interesting point was made in the article. The reporter summarized a group of scientists writing:

As these scientists see it, the evidence is high and mounting that the cetacean order includes species second only to humans in mental, social and behavioral complexity, and that maybe we shouldn’t talk about what we’re harvesting or harpooning, but whom.

Now I do not trust everything a reporter says about scientists, but this has a ring of truth and is a conclusion some have been moving towards for some time. Basically, they are calling whales and dolphins persons. They feel that the standard rights afforded to people should be afforded to these creatures. The key issue for us is whether this is right. A number of good arguments can be made for not whaling, but whales are not people. That is contrary to the Bible. Whales were not made in the image of God. This does not give us the right to destroy them as we are custodians of this world, not masters of it. The quote implies that killing a whale is akin to, if not fully murder (last line I quoted above), however, the prohibition on murder applies to those made in the image of God. This is an example of how the world twists creation and puts it in a wrong position, such that it is equal to if not more than us.

From the Pastor's Desk, June 27, 2010

2010-06-27T08:00:00.000-06:00

Currently the Harper government has the unenviable task of hosting the G8/G20 conferences. It is going to be a rough go with protests planned outright and in secret. Some people plotting to use violence at these events as well. The protesting is a mixed bag. Some of the concerns are valid, but others are not. Indeed, it is well known that certain people follow these events around for the sole purpose of being part of a riot. Their desire is to smash windows and be generally destructive in ways they cannot be in normal life. Many of these protesters hold to values that are against Christian ethics. For many the idea of a person being wealthy is a sin, which is a true joke as most protesters are upper class themselves. While some decisions are made at these conferences that are unethical in the way they affect the poor, the opposite treatment is not right either. While Jesus walked the earth he met with rich and poor, respectable people and societal outcasts, never showing any favoritism among them. His addresses and rebukes were different for each because our temptations to sin are different for different people. Few rich people are tempted to shoplift, while the rich are more likely to ignore the needy. Inside and outside the conferences are people who need to hear the gospel and understand how it works in life. Such knowledge is not easy or quick, but takes discernment. These are people who need to realize that real power is not in an economy, but in the cross on which Jesus died.

From the Pastor's Desk, June 20, 2010

2010-06-20T08:00:00.000-06:00

Today is Father’s day. It is important to have this day as it is one of the key institutions under attack by our culture today. The attack is not coordinated and altogether organized, though a few may try to do so, but it is a subtle assault on how God has created us. God designed families to be a father and a mother both equally important and yet fulfilling different roles. While a family may function broken, it is best whole. The key assault upon fathers of comes as an assault on their competency, especially on television. Men are portrayed as overgrown boys, if not fully incompetent. Rare is the father figure who is able, indeed often if the man was removed there would be fewer jokes but no other real consequences for the show. God created us to be male and female, husband and wife, and in that working something about him is displayed. Conversely, when that reality is undermined something that can be displayed about God is muted. (It cannot be destroyed only hidden.) The reality is that anything that can point to God must be undermined in one way or another for society to function without God. Let us not kid ourselves, our culture wants to live without God. Undermining the family one easy way to do just that, thus a life lived ignoring God becomes easier. My sermons this month will deal with this at various times, but Father’s day brings this to the fore. So why is Father’s day important, because it reminds us that fathers exist and are important. It brings back into play our understanding of God the Father and our inability to be God.

From the Pastor's Desk, June 13, 2010

2010-06-13T08:00:00.000-06:00

This week I am assisting with the Legion services for flag day. We will be decorating the graves of those who died in the service of this nation. Now I do believe in the historical baptist doctrine of the separation of Church and state, and I believe that this is important. God has given us the government that we have. The service of these men and women to Canada is a significant and important contribution. The function of the state is to provide justice and the ability to follow God. Other details may vary, God uses kings, prime ministers, presidents and dictators. Each one will have to answer for their sins, some much more than others. Serving the state is a good thing, in so far as it does not contradict your faith. I would never allow a politician to make a statement in a service. I will not make political pronouncements (I am tempted to say never, but the history of Germany would make me a fool) from the pulpit. In all things the church is there to help people follow God through his son Jesus, it is not here on earth to help us follow a political party. Talk with me on the side and I’ll tell you where I stand. All of that said, coming together to respect and remember those who died to maintain this country God has given to us is a good thing. It acknowledges the goodness in the Canada in which we live and the sacrifice of others made for this country so we can worship today.

From the Pastor's Desk, June 6, 2010

2010-06-06T08:00:00.000-06:00

Armando Galarraga and Jim Joyce are not household names for most people. The former is a baseball pitcher and the latter is an umpire in the same. Both have been relatively low key in their careers until last week when Joyce made a mistake that cost Galarraga a significant milestone: he should have pitched a perfect game. Afterwards, a number of things happened, like the fact that Joyce’s family got harassed needlessly over a mistake, however, this is where the story changes from normal. Joyce apologized when he saw the replay. The next day both were playing in another game and Galarraga gave Joyce the player roster and shook his hand. Forgiveness came to the situation.

I don’t know if either of these men are Christian, but hey have done as we should do. We should be in the business of bringing forgiveness into the world. As our sins were forgiven, so we forgive others. The power to forgive comes from realizing the deep truth of our forgiveness in Jesus and his work upon the cross. Moreover, as we bring forgiveness into the world it become part of our testimony and a clear outworking of our faith. It is sad that so many fans cannot find a way to forgive Joyce and sadder that they target his family, but the bigger picture is a better picture. Our sports obsession may be over the top, but sometimes something good happens.

Running the Course

2010-06-04T12:36:00.000-06:00

And he said, "Take the arrows," and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, "Strike the ground with them." And he struck three times and stopped. Then the man of God was angry with him and said, "You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Syria until you had made an end of it, but now you will strike down Syria only three times."
2 Kings 13:18,19

The order was simple to shoot the ground. He was already pronounced a victor in the verse prior, but his descendants will not be completely victorious. All for the reason that he did not complete the job. The first arrow he fired, in verse 17, symbolized his coming victory over the Syrians. The following arrows would measure the level of defeat of Syria ultimately achieved by his offspring. Yet the king was not that serious, three was the minimum arrows to fire and be obedient to the prophet (2 arrows is a slightly different word in Hebrew). Had he been serious and fired many arrows, especially as he already knew that the arrows symbolized military victory, what would the future have held for Syria?

In our own lives we need to follow through our own tasks. Each person has a vocation and calling in their life. There will be trials and objectives and goals. It is important to look at these and not do the minimum, which is really tempting, but to do the work to its fullest. Martin Luther is quoted as saying that if you were a christian shoemaker then it is your responsibility to make the best shoe possible. This is true for all christians in any profession. One of the worst things we can do is be like the king and do the minimum required work.

From the Pastor's Desk, May 30, 2010

2010-05-29T17:36:00.001-06:00

Last week an important news article appeared in the papers. It appeared in many news sources under different titles. You should always beware when a reporter talks to a scientist as thy rarely communicate well with each other. One report said they created a “synthetic cell”, another claimed they created a cell and several claimed that life was created. This is important as many atheists will point to this as poof that God does not exist. The problem is that they are wrong. The headlines are misleading. It is proof of nothing except the patience and skill of the researcher. I will not elaborate on this, but it is a big step technologically and it deserves that much credit.

Why is all this wrong? First, what was done was more like cheating on a test rather than taking the test honestly. The cell was a cell that was alive, killed and revived with a new nucleus. Creating the cell from scratch is much, much harder. The new DNA is not really new, it was made by machine from a known organism. None of the genes were created only copied. So nothing was truly done to create life. Second, any experiment that proves God does not exist has failed because an experiment has a creator, just like the world has a creator. Not that scientists are God, but that experiments are not random chance.

For those two reasons, I do not fear this at all. It just shows that few people really understand what science does. The larger question is should this be done? What possible ramifications are there? Is there reasonable control or are we just thinking we have full control? Does this really account for all the variables or only the few they want?

From the Pastor's Desk, May 23, 2010

2010-05-25T11:29:00.002-06:00

This is Pentecost Sunday, perhaps what is the most forgotten day on the church calendar. There are four days which we ought to remember: Christmas, Good Friday, Easter and Pentecost. Each celebrates something unique. Christmas celebrates God sending Jesus into our world. Good Friday is our remembrance of Jesus’ crucifixion. Easter is the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. Finally, Pentecost is a celebration of the Holy Spirit’s arrival. The Spirit is our promised helper and guide, lest we be left stumbling around trying to understand how to live our lives. With out the Spirit we are at a serious disadvantage in understanding God, so the Holy Spirit came.

This is another proof that God cares for us is that the Holy Spirit came to us. God has not left us powerless in this world but sent his spirit to guide us. We are not left scratching our heads trying to figure out how to be good, when the Spirit is made available to us. (That last sentence is put very simply and more could be said.) It is a day that is not thought about a lot. Partially, because the Spirit always moves according to the will of God and today the movement of the Spirit is not always like that of the first century church. Moreover, I cannot help but wonder if some of the real charlatans of the church today help keep us ashamed because they are frauds who manipulate emotions by using the language of the Holy Spirit. To the contrary we should celebrate and remember Pentecost, it marks the first evangelistic sermon and really the birth of the church. There is a lot to celebrate.

From the Pastor's Desk, May 16, 2010

2010-05-18T12:06:00.001-06:00

I read an interesting report about an article that appeared in the New York Times. The article was about babies and that research suggests that babies have an innate sense of morality. This is actually huge news as it runs contrary to a worldview that rejects God. For those who reject God, morality is taught by our families and culture. We, of course, must recognize some of this is true. While theft is recognized as bad, copyrights and the rules surrounding them are a cultural invention. They are not necessarily bad, but not always intuitive either. The big issue here is that there does exist a morality that is very basic and immediately available to infants. What this should draw to our attention is that God exists. While it is not an infallible proof, it does point to God’s existence. Other religions may or may not claim the same understanding and I am not going to address that issue today. So how does teach us about God?

Remember that from the beginning we were created in God’s image. Look at Genesis 1:27, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” It is also important to remember that one of God’s defining traits is justice. As we are in God’s image we understand something of justice. We are appalled by injustice. We desire to see justice done. This study points to our sense of justice coming to us before we were born. It is a reminder that all people are made in the image of God. This is not a perfect proof. I cannot point to this and say that because babies innately know morality: the Bible is true. But I can say that this points to God and it matches what I would expect from the Bible and that is good.

From the Pastor's Desk, May 9th, 2010

2010-05-13T18:36:00.001-06:00

Our society is marked by being one that is always changing. Even in the places everyone thinks as never changing great changes happen. Farming is not the same today as it was a generation ago. Today, I do some of my work with the help of high-speed internet,. I want to focus on something that has and is changing our world, the telephone. Yes, it has been around for years, but few people have ever considered what it does to them. This is something I read this week about the telephone, “For some reason humans decided it was socially acceptable to ring a loud bell in someone else’s life and they were expected to come running, like dogs.” Unfortunately this is often true, and as the quote indicates it is actually rather rude. The phone service is a wonderful thing but it also can undermine our lives. It can easily make others around us feel less important. This starts to become a bigger issue when you consider cell phones. A device that can be carried anywhere and interrupt us anytime. They can undermine our ability to pay attention, especially when texting is an option. The difficulty I see with this is that it undermines community. As Christians, we are to live in community and to take our community seriously. I am not saying that anything we create is inherently bad or evil, but rather that we need to carefully consider anything that we use and how we use it. For my family we do not answer the phone when we eat, when I am at church I do not carry my cell phone, with which I receive fire calls, because I know what is important. I would like to encourage everyone to think through how such tools are used by us and how they can change our lives.

From the Pastor's Desk, May 2, 2010

2010-05-01T22:25:00.000-06:00

The world is changing, it always has been and will be. Seasons, erosion, death and birth are all reminders that few things in this world are permanent. Unfortunately, most people seek their contentment in this transient world. We see this in the ways the economies of the world are floundering. As Christians we need to watch out for this in our own lives. The apostle Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 6:8, “But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.” We need to be content with what we have and enjoy it. Perhaps one of the biggest problems in this society is our desire to have things done quickly. We then look at everything we do as a chore to be dispatched.

This week I read an interesting article online about this fixation with speed and our eating habits. Eating is becoming less of a social activity and more of something we must get done quickly so that we can do something else. You see it in the rise of fast food and how often people eat out. While some people might point out that the small town I live in has no fast food, we need to be careful lest we fall into the same trap. Becoming too busy is an easy thing to do, meals become less about building family and more about getting elsewhere. We can feel it in how busy we are and how much time we spend driving places. If Paul was writing Timothy today, I dare say that this would have been an issue on his mind. Being content to eat what we have leads us to a place where we can enjoy what God has given. What we have received we should be content with and not gloss over them in favor of something else our hearts desire.

From the Pastor's Desk, April 25

2010-04-24T23:02:00.002-06:00

Everyday I look at the various headlines and see any number of stories. Of course, just because some reporter wrote a story does not mean you have to read it. Sometimes interesting points are made, like one article from the New York Times looking at Europe during the grounding of the airline flights. For as much as Europe tries to act like a single country it is not. Indeed, Iceland is the brunt of some brutish jokes in Europe. The various people behave differently in different countries. Train & bus operators were on strike in France while the airplanes were grounded, however, the Italian counterparts chose not to strike, though they were scheduled to strike, to be kind to those stranded. It is a reminder that no matter how hard the world tries it cannot create unity. The differences are significant and potentially dangerous.

This should remind us that a key part of the Christian message is unity among believers. Jesus prayed in John 17 that we would have unity. Indeed Paul writes in Colossians 3:11, “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.” The church is to be different than the world we are to have a unity among all believers. Our nationality is secondary and always should be. I may be American, but I am first a Christian. That very way of thinking should be true for all believers. It is a real shame when people claim to be American (or whichever nationality) first and then a Christian. It turns the Bible upside down.

From the Pastor's Desk, April 18

2010-04-17T23:01:00.002-06:00

(I am going to begin posting my short article that I write every week in the bulletin. Here is the first of many.)

It is interesting, the world is grinding to a halt because a volcano in Iceland. It is amazing how much one little object can do to change our world. Flight patterns are disrupted, there are great concerns about the crops in the northern hemisphere all because of a cloud of ash. There is worry about some people breathing the dust. All in all it is not good for Europe at the moment. This will have an effect on us. There is some debate if it will be cold for two years or just two months. One thing is clear it will affect us. With air travel to Europe effectively shut down, and rightly so, the economy and life in general will feel it. Stories are already surfacing of people trapped by the ash cloud unable to return home and running out of money. How much it affects the growing season is a new concern as well. It does not take long to find an ‘expert’ who is wiling to say on national television whichever point you want to make; they are a dime a dozen.

Still as Christians, we look at this as another sign of Jesus return. The difficulty with that is, of course, this has been happening for years. In Matthew 24:7,8, Jesus said, “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.” It is important to realize that these things are just the beginning. No one knows when Jesus will return and pointing to any one event and claiming Jesus will return now misses the point: it will get worse. Of course, we need to realize that God is with us always.

Getting the Complete Story

2010-02-12T11:08:00.002-06:00

In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.
Daniel 10:2,3

A little while back I engaged in a little refutation. A friend of mine was bothered by a post talking about a Daniel diet from Daniel 1:8-16. Such approaches to Daniel miss the point especially the word defile. Moreover, such diets I have seen point to doing this as a lifestyle. Christian vegetarianism based on Daniel, however, this again is a failure. It assumes that what happened in Daniel chapter 1 was true for all of Daniel, when the text hints that it was only for when Daniel was initially trained for service. But there is more, in Daniel 10 we see him talking about a fast he was on. Why would it matter if he had no meat if he never ate meat to begin with? Furthermore, he must have been having some wine with his meals as well, lest this is a vain boast of a fast. Yet none of the 'diets' I have read ever addressed this issue.

This is a reminder that our use of scripture must be solid. We need to have considered all of the Bible. The fastest way for me to distrust someone is when they only use on verse for a significant teaching (devotionals and such are obvious exceptions, lest I be a hypocrite). Yet this is what we want: the bottom line, the quick sell, a synopsis. Unfortunately, what we need is serious engagement and a wrestling with the breadth and complexity of scripture.

Reading the Small Things

2010-02-09T00:16:00.002-06:00

Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" And there was a division among them.
John 9:16

The common temptation of our day is to reduce everything to a simple statement. This is problematic at best. It is the preferred way of working because life is easier: physics problems become solvable, trust can be granted or denied, grandiose speeches can be made against a singular foe, we believe that we understand the world. All these things come together because we simplify, the problem is when we oversimplify. We make reality easy to handle by, ultimately, denying the fullness of reality. This can happen with the Bible too.

Too often when we approach the Bible we assume that when one or more pharisees are mentioned we have discovered the bad guys. Often this is true, but it is not a fact. John 9:16 gives us an indication that the pharisees were anything but a unified group. Indeed, some of them might even accept Jesus, and some did (Luke 23:50-51), this is important. First, it undermines the simple treatment of the pharisees and reminds us that all people need to be looked at for who they are. Second, it is a reminder that the Bible needs to be read carefully, lest we change its meaning.

New Year, New Start, New Snow

2010-01-27T14:15:00.003-06:00

Ok, I have been slacking off. I am getting started again. New Year and all that. Well this year has started off with a bang. This has been a dry winter. So much so that we were not sure if our youth event at the farm was going to be like normal as it requires a fair amount of snow. Well last weekend it came and I have pictures.

Amanda and I are playing in the snow. I am standing up. Yes that is the drift in the back yard, it is not that deep everywhere, but it is significant snow and the entire drift came on Saturday and Sunday.

This is Amanda on the snow bank I shoveled. There was no real snow bank left before the storm. Now you can see it is quite high. Amanda is about 3'3" for reference. Just so you realize I spent half my time shoveling throwing the snow over that snow bank not on top of it.

A Big Bag of Food

2010-01-27T08:00:00.000-06:00

Whenever you are getting read to preach or teach on a topic, it is always on your mind. Often this helps me realize how well Bible ties together. For the beginning or this year I am preaching on the miracles of Jesus. Eventually, I will be preaching on the feeding of he 5,000. I am looking forward to that sermon as the miracle, its meaning and impression cover several chapters. However, today I discovered that it is far from unique. Indeed, it is the sign of a powerful prophet: Elisha in 2 Kings 4:42-44.

Elisha was greeted by a man bringing food. Likely enough for Elisha and a handful of disciples. Then Elisha orders over a hundred men to be fed with it. Of course, as in the Gospels, there are objections and similarly there are leftovers. But here is where the differences start to appear. Elisha has leftovers from the bag, Jesus' miracle had leftovers in great excess of the initial food. (Jesus also had a much larger crowd.) The abundance of Jesus sets him in a different league from Elisha, who had raised the dead just prior to this.

There is also a bigger difference. Elisha spoke of what the Lord said to him. Jesus merely spoke and commanded. It reminds us that Jesus was not some prophet, but the son of God and one with God. Jesus had the power to make the miracle happen, whereas Elisha was just following along with what he was told. It is a striking difference that cannot be ignored. For as similar as Elisha and Jesus may be, Jesus was critically different.

On the Unimportance of Writing

2009-12-02T08:00:00.000-06:00

Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete.
2 John 12

Writing is at best a stop gap measure. It cannot replace actual relationship by proximity, seeing each other face to face. There is something about being immediately present that lets us understand more about what the other person is saying or feeling. The subtleties of body language and tone are lost. This fact was not lost on John as he wrote about more to say, but a better way than pen & ink. This is a lesson that is lost in our world today as we have become enamored with our ephemeral media. Twitter and facebook are the modern methods of disseminating information, but they have problems of their own. We all need relationships but the connections need to have a concrete basis. The difficulty of cyberspace is that it is groundless. Whether it is in accuracy or honesty, the internet is a shallow imitation of life that does not satisfy. Certainly we can have connections and some people do feel are meaningful, yet there is something still different. I am not advocating going Amish, but that the internet be evaluated and called what it is: somewhat useful. Calling it the best thing and the death of older methods is premature and often naive.

Things That Make a Person with a Math Degree Go Mad

2009-12-02T00:15:00.002-06:00

In beginning, for those who might not know, I have a Bachelors of Science in Mathematics from the University of Texas at Austin. This means all kinds of things. For instance, I like and more often than not get XKCD. Some of them are downright funny, but you need to know some math. Most people do not understand what kind of work is entailed in studying math. For instance I would not make a good accountant. Don't even ask. So every so often I find something that really irks me and that is what this post is about.

First read this article from the CBC.

Really that formula is going to produce valuable answers? More like the company propping this person up likes the way it works. Honesty, it is not even real science, let alone mathematics. First every term must be estimated. Unfortunately, it must be estimated for a child and not yourself. I can come up with reasonable estimates for how much I use something, but my child that is a joke. What I think she will never stop using, she uses occasionally. What I think is a not so special plush toy becomes her favourite one that she cannot sleep without. How sociable the toy is? Rated from 1-5? Really it is a joke and the reporter must be a master of sarcasm. I am fearful that the reporter was serious and so is this person.

Really, this drives home the important question, who is paying the bills for research? It really raises the question: was this objective or just pandering to someone who will write you a check? Sadly, it seems more like the latter. What is truly upsetting is that because their is a "mathematical formula" (I feel like I need to take a shower for writing that) it gives it an air of authority. In reality it has nothing of the sort and the terms are so vague and useless that different people will have different results even if the time variable are the same.

This man has done this before calculating the happiest and saddest days, like everyone would agree. I guess this is what was bound to happen when a psychologist plays mathematician.

The Centre of it All

2009-11-19T08:00:00.002-06:00

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14

We must never underestimate the importance of Jesus. Jesus is foundational to our faith, not just the fact that he was here, but also his nature. Jesus is not just some good man but the son of God. Jesus was involved in the creation of the world, but we loose that knowledge. (John 1:10) We do not understand who Jesus is through nature: the knowledge is lost on humanity. Far too many people look at the world and misread the signs. The fact that God delays judgment for some leads some people to deny God exists, or to believe there is no all powerful God.

This leads us to the difference. God did not leave us to fend for ourselves. From the beginning we have been looking forward to God revealing grace to us. Grace has come, visually through Jesus. We cannot lose sight of this. Jesus is the revealing and proper understanding of God for all humanity. Moses told Israel about God from his experience on Mount Sinai. But experience can become tainted especially in its retelling. This is where Jesus is important because knowing him is knowing God, not a fallible intermediate. A Christian cannot downplay Jesus, unless they wish to downplay God himself.

Not Asking Enough Questions

2009-10-28T08:00:00.000-06:00

And he said to him, "I also am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, 'Bring him back with you into your house that he may eat bread and drink water.'" But he lied to him.
1 Kings 13:18

One of the major problems in Christianity today is an utter lack of discernment. We all want to trust others. And trust is not a really bad thing, but it should not be blind. We all like to see people have success and to see great influence. Moreover, success and influence are not bad in themselves, but there are hard questions to be asked.

Our prophet in 1 Kings 13 wants to trust a fellow prophet. He knows what God told him, but another comes along with a conflicting message. Our prophet trusted him. No questions were asked, which unfortunately led to his demise. It is the penalty of blind trust. Many might be worthy of our trust, but the failure of our trust can be severe. What makes this particularly sad is that our prophet trusted another in a land he was prophesying against. The penalty of his misplaced trust was his death and burial away from his home.

We all have people whose ministry we like but we must be ever vigilant. For the one who blindly trusts another leader in all things is setting himself up for failure. We must always be ready to ask the hard questions, lest we wind up like our unnamed prophet.

Those Solitary Decisions

2009-10-21T08:00:00.000-06:00

And Jeroboam said in his heart, "Now the kingdom will turn back to the house of David. If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the temple of the LORD at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah."
1 Kings 12:26-27

Jeroboam chosen by God to divide the nation of Israel. Indeed, all he has to do is walk into the countryside and people virtually throw him on the throne. So he worries about his long term success, or really how long he lives as a rival king. His concerns are probably pretty valid, however, he does not approach them the right way. Instead of trusting God who earlier dismantled an army set to destroy him, he trusts in his own cunning and turns his back on God. This leads the people under him into a path of judgment that eventually destroys the country.

We like to think that our lives are fairly self-contained. Any bad results will be something we deal with and they will not impact others. The fact of the matter is that few, if any, results of our choices affect only us. Like Jeroboam our sins affect others, and it is not pretty. Few of us will have the potential fallout like his, but we cannot ignore that our lives are intermeshed with many other people. This is why we should talk about our churches as a community not a place. This means we need to understand how much damage our sins can do to the world around us.

Called by the Right Name

2009-08-19T08:00:00.001-06:00

And Paul said, "I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'"
Acts 23:5

I am impressed once again at the difference that many Christians have against the word of God. Paul, this time, has created the backdrop that we need to see our own failures. Paul in a moment of frustration or anger calls a pharisee a whitewashed tomb. Looks nice but absolutely unclean, the kind of place you avoid. You might think that this is something to write about, but the text continues and Paul admits his error. What was his error? He insulted the chief priest. This is not good. He pleads ignorance and even confesses error citing Exodus 22:28. This is a problem for many Christians. In capitulating to the spirit of the age we call leaders we disagree with degrading names and give them less honour than they deserve. Rulers are set in place by God. They get to answer to God for their errors and sins. We do not have an excuse for treating our leaders with such contempt (Romans 13:1-7). We are to give them the honour they are due. This does not mean we accept their choices. This does not mean we sit back and watch them. This is a democracy therefore we let them hear. However, we speak with respect no matter how much it goes against our culture.

Holding to the Message

2009-08-13T08:00:00.001-06:00

Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, "Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live."
Acts 22:22

Paul had a message to proclaim and unfortunately it was not one that was well received. In fact, it was a message that could have cost him his life then and did cost him his life later. The difficulty is that it is a message that divides as much as it unites. A message that creates within either relief knowing that salvation is not in our hands or anxiety knowing that this challenges deep beliefs about how we are saved. It fundamentally shifts our understanding of life from thinking we control our salvation to salvation by grace. It fundamentally changes our perception of the law. The law is no longer our task master, but our response conforms to the law. A message that drives to the heart in a divisive way. Some will respond in faith and find salvation while others further drive the wedge between them and God. This is the sad part of the message of redemption: some will not accept the message. We always try to share it with everyone, however, not everyone is willing to accept it. Some may later on, Paul was one such example, but in the mean time he fought with all his might. So will some we meet too. All because we carry the message of redemption for all people.

Update on Life

2009-08-12T20:01:00.002-06:00

I have been a little quiet lately. There are two reasons. One I am just coming off vacation. Two my wife is pregnant and these early months are rough on her. We would appreciate prayer at this time. I am going to make an effort to post but I may be a bit intermittent at the moment. Please bear with me.

Rick

The Bringer of Good News

2009-07-01T11:35:00.003-06:00

Behold, upon the mountains, the feet of him
who brings good news,
who publishes peace!
Keep your feasts, O Judah;
fulfill your vows,
for never again shall the worthless pass through you;
he is utterly cut off.
Nahum 1:15

It is interesting how for many the topic of salvation gets separated from sin. Maybe sin might not need to be so direct, perhaps it can be worked around, but the idea of justice cannot be lost. Nahum is prophesying of the messenger who brings peace: Jesus. Yet the entire context both before and after is that of judgment. The entire point is that the coming messiah brings hope for the oppressed people of God, yet fear and imminent doom for those who stand by the might of any but the Lord. The powerful oppressor will fall and the world will be glad. This judgment will come and did come. Nineveh has fallen. Yet Nahum 1:15 points towards the future. And in the future Christ will return and this chapter of salvation history will close. With the close of this chapter comes salvation and judgment. One cannot be left without the other. This is why we must go out and preach the word. Let others know what is coming. There will always be those who reject God, but the good news must be proclaimed for all those who might respond to the message. Lest they fall into the judgment worse than what was proscribed for Nineveh.

A Hard Wait

2009-06-17T08:00:00.002-06:00

Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
Proverbs 20:22

Some people look to the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) as showing us a new message on how to live. It is claimed to be a strong break from the old testament. The reality is that the message is nothing new really. It is bringing out the law for better understanding. The extension on adultery shows us that we are sinful deep within ourselves. What we have here in Proverbs is turn the other cheek. Personal vengeance is wrong. It always has been. Many key examples of sin involve a person bringing about their own personal vengeance. Few people can separate their feelings enough for punishment to be just. Usually things escalate more and more, each side demanding a higher price for teir perceived wrong, so that eventually death is the only solution. Our hope is in God, He will provide justice. Whether it comes from his divine hand or by his representatives here on earth, namely our governments, justice comes from God. We do not measure it out ourselves. That is a pride or self reliance to demand to measure out vengeance.

Asking the Right Questions

2009-06-12T08:00:00.000-06:00

Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.
Hebrews 13:7

I am convinced that we as a whole ask the wrong questions of ourselves. We like to ask how our ministers are doing, but we ask the wrong questions. Our concern is with numbers and growth. If the church infrastructure is expanding or not. Really these questions often have a good basis, but also have great potential for abuse. Not the least of which is a pride in what has been done instead of glorifying God. But I think that there is something deeper here in Hebrews, something more serious. We are to consider the outcome of their ways. Where the common questions fail is that they only consider the outcome of tomorrow and not next year. Growing a big church is great unless it is at the expense of unity. A big church has advantages, but if the ages are not well integrated then it will either grow old or alienate its core. Outreach that is effective today can produce those abandoning the faith in 10 or 20 years or even heretics in the same time. The way ministry is done and the depth of faith are critical issues. We need to look at that more, rather than crass external numbers. The problem is that these questions are never easy and we are lazy.

Why We Go On

2009-06-10T09:00:00.000-06:00

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2

What Joy was set before Jesus? The Author is not explicit here, but we have hints. A cloud of witnesses and laying aside sin, these tell us that the cross was both his burden and shame. The cross and its concurrent, varied suffering led to something more, something wonderful. A cloud of witnesses, all brought before God based on the work of Jesus on the cross. The joy is the fellowship of the redeemed with God. The final and full restoration that only comes through the cross. This is what made the cross tolerable for Jesus. This is also what should drive our lives as well. We set aside our sin, not because we need to become holy to be right before God, but because the work of Jesus h set us right with God. Like all the saints before us looking to the one who perfected their faith.

Used at the Right Time

2009-06-08T08:00:00.001-06:00

By faith he(Moses) left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.
Hebrews 11:27

It is aways good to pay attention to what is going on. Here our author is writing about Moses not fleeing from Pharaoh out of fear. But he did (Exodus 2:11-15), of course this is not what was in mind. Obviously, it was the later leaving which is the focus but it is important to note the other one. God did not use the brash and head strong Moses to save Israel. First of all he was too impulsive. Murdering Egyptians is not the way to do the work. Second he became afraid of the Pharaoh: so he ran. This is not the feature of one who needs to challenge a pharaoh. So off Moses goes for 40 years into the wilderness. There he is prepared for his work before Pharaoh. There he discovers God. There he is molded into the leader he needs to be. Did he become perfect? No, but he became useful. God is working on each one of us, to make us like Christ. So that we can become exactly what he needs us to be. The cross is our salvation and opens the door to our being molded into something more according to God's will.

The Real Difficulty of Incarnational Living

2009-06-05T08:00:00.001-06:00

By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
Hebrews 11:7

This is the catch of faith, by living righteously we bring condemnation to those who do not live according to God's will. Solely because we live righteous lives others are condemned. It is a simple fact that cannot be ignored. There is a lot talk in ministry circles about avoiding condemnation. Some of the talk is good and some is bad. When people talk about avoiding direct condemnation this has some merit. There are some things we need to be direct about, but there are many other things that need not be addressed. Each case is different and requires unique reflection. However, there are those who would try to avoid letting people feel condemnation at all costs. This is wrong. Simply by being obedient to God brings condemnation to the disobedient. We cannot avoid it. Trying to avoid it will make us unfaithful to God, which is worthy of condemnation. The condemnation from a Christian should start from their life and then their lips only if necessary.

The Pivot Point

2009-06-03T08:00:00.001-06:00

When he said above, "You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings" (these are offered according to the law), then he added, "Behold, I have come to do your will." He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of once for all.
Hebrews 10:8-10

There is a distinct break in salvation history. The need and concern for animal sacrifices disappears when Jesus appears. Such sacrifices are no longer needed. Indeed the author of Hebrews notes that the sacrifices were not effective at all. Their main force was not in atoning for sin, but rather helping us to realize the depth of our depravity. This leads to understanding our deep need for salvation.

The atonement for our sins comes from the work of Jesus on the cross. The power of that work is truly staggering as it covers sins past, present and future. One single sacrifice that pays the penalty. One sacrifice that sets the stage for the end times. Jesus dying on the cross for our sins. Jesus rising from the grave and thereby demonstrating his power over sin. Our faith in that act leads to our salvation. Afterwards, Jesus ascended into heaven to be our high priest and the coming King. All this hinges on the cross. It is why we must never forget it.

A Point We are Losing

2009-06-01T08:00:00.000-06:00

Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
Hebrews 9:22

Blood is required for purification, not only of people but also of the articles of the temple. It was a reminder of the seriousness of sin, a concept that is being long forgotten. In a world where criminal guilt is only seen by who has the better lawyer, the seriousness of sin is being lost. In a world where persecuting socially acceptable crime leads to hatred of police, the seriousness of sin probably has been lost. In a world where villanization of people, whether bad or believed to be bad, leads to justifications for torture, the seriousness of sin is lost. We need to recover just how bad our sins really are. We need to understand the evil that is within our lives. Only then can we truly appreciate the depth of the sacrifice made on the cross. Only then can we begin to appreciate and understand our need for the holy spirit to sanctify us. Only then can we truly understand our need for a saviour and the incredible love of God in sending Jesus to us.

Loving that Building

2009-05-29T08:00:00.000-06:00

This is what the LORD says:
       "Heaven is my throne,
       and the earth is my footstool.
       Where is the house you will build for me?
       Where will my resting place be?
Has not my hand made all these things,
       and so they came into being?"
       declares the LORD.
       "This is the one I esteem:
       he who is humble and contrite in spirit,
       and trembles at my word.
Isaiah 66:1-2

People have a tendency towards pride. We are proud of whatever we do, especially when it looks good. We tend to hide it in many different ways. We find some way to explain away our pride. Here Isaiah is making a prophecy about such pride. Here in particular a pride in the worship space or temple. It is clear in the following verses that the priests and religious leaders were in his sights. People who were proud of what they did even though God considered it an abomination.

This is incredibly applicable today. In fact, it seems to be almost directly correspondent, save the sacrifices. Though even the abominable sacrifices can find some direct analogies in our songs and preaching. The pride of some religious edifice is just as prevalent today as then. We are proud of the arenas and massive venues we have "for Christ", yet Christianity is not doing any better for them. And in some ways is doing worse. Humility is an elusive prey and sometimes it is lost as soon as it is caught.

Onto the New Covenant

2009-05-27T08:00:00.001-06:00

In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
Hebrews 8:13

The Old Covenant is ready to vanish away, to ride off into the sunset never to rear its head again. Certainly it had its purpose, and its purpose is completed in the cross. The only reason to mention it is to understand the new covenant better. The covenant enacted by Jesus on the cross. A covenant of Grace and not works. A covenant that is attainable, against one destined for failure. This is what all people should want.

This is the catch though, not everyone wants it. Far too many people today think they can do what is needed to be holy. Indeed many people think that if you can just add enough laws everything will be ok. Unfortunately, too many of my fellow pastors like to think this way. If we can add another rule we can separate people from sin. The problem is that it never works. Sin is a powerful temptation no matter what, moreover even if your rule works then sin manifests itself in other ways. O, to focus on grace and live each day knowing his grace is sufficient.

Understanding the Source

2009-04-22T17:15:00.002-06:00

House and wealth are inherited from fathers,
but a prudent wife is from the LORD.
Proverbs 19:14

Sometimes we forget how much our lives are ordered by God. In the day and age of finding our mate we lose sight of this. Whether that is because we used a compatibility matching program or hunted our mate ourselves, we often lose sight of God in the process. Certainly we do need to be diligent in choosing the person whom we dedicate the rest of our lives to, but we also need to see the hand of God in the process. Whether we have some formula, which may not be all that great, or spent a good amount of time searching: God was in the process. This is often lost in the pursuit.

I must also add here that I do not believe that God has sent only one specific person for you, and you better not miss them. Certainly we must pay close attention, but the point of fidelity is not the right one from the start. No, it is about making your spouse the right right one to the end. Anything else is backwards. A good start helps, but it does not guarantee a good finish.

In Marching to Golgotha

2009-04-10T08:00:00.002-06:00

But turning to them Jesus said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!'Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us,' and to the hills, 'Cover us.'"
Luke 23:28-30

Tried and convicted on charges that were railroaded through a kangaroo court, Jesus still looked beyond himself. His trial and sentencing could be used to define clearly a failure of justice. Of course, he knew it was coming (Isaiah 53:1-6), but that will be little consolation for the condemned. However, as Jesus is going off to be crucified, carrying the implement of his tortuous death on his back, he takes time to warn the crowds of what is to come. He cares for those people around him and gives warning of what is to come. For when the tribulation comes in full force and God brings his wrath fully on this world, it will be a dangerous and troublesome time for those who are alive. Jesus cared for others even when his time on earth was almost over. He did not spend the time begging, nor striking back, but rather he spent it loving those who were there, even asking for their forgiveness (Luke 23:34). This truly was a man who loved all people even though many rejected him. This truly was the Son of God come to live among us. This is the son of God who died for our sins.

The Humble King

2009-04-08T08:00:00.003-06:00

Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it.
Mark 11:1-11

As I readied my sermon on Sunday, I found something interesting. Something not in the commentaries I had on hand. Jesus arrived at the temple late and did not have a proper greeting for the entrance of a king. Comments are made that this does not imply that the entry did not go according to plan, I think it was exactly according to plan, though the plan is not so straight forward. He was riding on an unridden colt. An animal that initially did not understand what it meant to have someone on its back, nor is it likely to have the discipline to go straight for the city. This is part of the prophesied humble king coming (Zechariah 9:9). Humble, in part, by the troublesome animal he is riding. This is not a noble, well trained steed. This is a colt that was likely intimidated by the crowd and required its mother along with it. Without its mother it might have been too obstinate. That no one was ready is when he arrives merely reinforces the lack of understanding of the Jewish leaders of that day (Mark 11:11). They were expecting a proud and conquering king. Jesus conquered death but left the conquest of the world for another day.

Haircuts

2009-04-03T14:28:00.003-06:00

I got my last hair cut today in Nokomis. No, it was not bad. It was perfectly fine. Of course, this is from a man who combs his hair after his shower and may never look at it again all day. And I am fine with that. This is from a man who could never be the hip and trendy because the time investment in appearance could be spent elsewhere. I found out today that I am not alone, but part of the masses. And that is why today was my last haircut in town.

The hairdresser was telling me that she does not have enough work. Few regular customers and getting fewer all the time. She and most other hairdressers rely on weekly customers. People who come in on week by week basis. This, of course, blew my mind as for me it was incomprehensible. But I guess that some people do go once a week, as strange as it may be for me. But those people are not as common anymore. This is a subtle change, but it will be changing our landscape. Here in a small town this is big, in the city less so, but these changes add up. We need to recognize this and be read to adapt for some of the changes to come.

Shifts like this have been happening for some time, look at what people use Sunday morning for. No longer is Church a real consideration, it is either relaxation or sports. Changes are coming and I fear that our churches are not ready for them and we will lose dearly.

On the Ease of Blogging

2009-04-03T08:00:00.000-06:00

A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
but only in expressing his opinion.
Proverbs 18:2

Oh, such a problematic verse for the world today. We love to speak without understanding. Just watch breaking news reports. Reporters standing and offering analysis without any reasonable amount of information, just enough to let speculation run rampant and then claim it is news. We should call it what it really is: gossip. But I would be remiss to only point to the news service. For blogging is rampant with this drivel. People who never take the time to carefully understand what has happened or was said immediately blurt out their opinions and ruminations about anything. When you are on the internet it seems that the most common man is a strawman. This is because understanding takes time and effort. Understanding sometimes means rereading what you read two or three times. Kneejerk reactions are easy and popular. Demolishing an imaginary opponent is easy, facing the real person can be hard. The wise honestly struggle to understand what the other person is saying before they look like a fool.

Living Together Means Tough Times

2009-04-01T08:00:00.002-06:00

Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire;
he breaks out against all sound judgment.
Proverbs 18:17

Herein lies the true difficulty of churches that love to separate themselves and also people who in their rejection of the church give up on the community. First and foremost, it is a selfish approach to community. To not have a dedicated community, to look at community as a commodity that can be dumped or traded is to deny the authority of that community. Part of being in the image of God is to be in community. In John 17:22, Jesus prays that we have a unity not with God but with each other that is a testimony of God. Here in proverbs we have a declaration of what that community entails. It entails a potential judgment against you. Loss of a proper community runs the risk of losing proper judgment. Of course, judgment is often what is railed against, and bad judgment happens all to often, but rejecting community means rejecting sound judgment as well. The community is important and when properly concieved it is much less likely to go astray that an individual or a single church. Thus we need to maintain our connection into the community of God, that is the church, both universal and its clear demonstration in the local church.

Sometimes We Can Be the Chicken

2009-03-13T08:00:00.001-06:00

When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
Acts 9:23-25

Suffering is one of those subjects that dogmatism is problematic at best, but most likely simply wrong. Suffering may come our way but that does not mean the Christian is a sado-masochist. Look at Paul. At times he let himself get into trouble. Even after several beatings that left him nearly dead, he still continued to preach the gospel. This was in spite of the fact that the gospel was what got him beat up in the first place. Paul is not the only one. The early church leaders were beaten and ordered not to preach, yet they did and Stephen died for it (Acts 7:54-60). Yet here Paul is escaping out a window, almost seems a bit cowardly. But here is the catch, suffering is for God's glory not ours. As such it happens on God's timetable not ours. This means that there are times when fleeing suffering is not just what we want to do, but what we should do. How do we tell the difference: prayer. Take time, listen in prayer and be obedient.

The Joy of Suffering

2009-03-12T08:00:00.001-06:00

For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.
Acts 9:16

Paul will later go on to write about filling up in his flesh what is lacking in Christ's (Col 1:24). His ministry will involve beatings, imprisonment, shipwrecks (2 Cor. 11:24-27) and more. He took it all and continued on for more. If you think this is stubbornness, then the question is why is he so stubborn? Because he received forgiveness for what he was doing, arresting, imprisoning and killing Christians. God had a bigger plan for him, one that involved suffering. Not suffering as retribution for what he did to the early church, but suffering for the glory of God.

With all the discussion of having a faith like the early church, few look to suffer like the early church. Many suffered at the hands of Saul or his contemporaries. Suffering for the faith was to be expected, yet people still believed. This is because the power of God is greater than the world. Moreover, forgiveness once obtained changes our life. When we truly understand that our salvation was by faith alone, not any act, even some prayer; then God's forgiveness changes us. Our suffering becomes for the glory of God, thus suffering for His sake is our pleasure.

It has been a hard week

2009-03-06T17:13:00.001-06:00

I am sorry for the lack of posting, I will resume next week. It has been a long week and I have much to do over the weekend.

More than a Prophet

2009-02-25T08:00:00.001-06:00

Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.
Hebrews 3:5-6

There is a reason why I believe that Christianity is different from all other religions. Certainly, people may look at the surface and say it is all about living better lives, but that fails miserably. There is a key dfference. Jesus is the Son of God and this is the crucial difference. All religions have their prophets, even Christianity. Here the author of Hebrews points out that Moses was good but Jesus is better. Which is a bit understated given Moses' place in redemptive history. Better said is that Moses was great but Jesus was perfect. Salvation was pointed to by Moses through his actions and miracles, but salvation was perfected in Christ. Even if you look to Moses who met God and brought his word in the most direct way of any prophet and displayed God's glory (Exodus 34:29-35); Jesus is better. We can look at Jesus' face and see God and not be frightened. With Jesus we receive an understanding of God that is more natural, while still maintaining the transcendent nature of God. Moreover, it is an image of God that never fades. This is the greatness and what is missing from other religions that makes them untrue.

Building Houses

2009-02-23T08:00:00.002-06:00

Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says,
"'Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,
or what is the place of my rest?
Did not my hand make all these things?'
Acts 7:44-50

As you read the accounts of the gospels and acts, it is clear that the Jewish people regarded the temple with great importance. Many people went there for religous feasts and services. It was a serious possession to have. A temple for h true God, the only temple truly for God, this implies a sense of control over God. Certainly no Jew would express it that way. But it does imply a strong connection with God that has its focus in the temple, and this fails to realize that God is beyond and greater than any temple or group of temples.

Today we have our temples that we call churches. Some people have a view that looks past the edifice and sees that the building is immaterial; and it is unimportant but it is practical. We hold onto our buildings as a sign of what God is doing. That seriously misses the mark, especially on enourmous buildings. I am saddened when Christians go for a conference and the thing they talk about the most is how impressive the church campus was when there was possibly something better to be learned. It is written, "the Most Hign does not dwell in houses".

Following God

2009-02-18T00:17:00.003-06:00

for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples."
The Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares,
"I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered."
Isaiah 56:1-8

It is not hard to realize that this is where Jesus was quoting when he cleared the Temple. The quote is the end of verse 7, but verse 8 brings to the forefront that God is bringing others to salvation. To say that the Old Testament is solely concerned with Israel's relationship with God and could care less about the rest of the world is a mischaracterization. God has been trying to make Israel look at those who are responding to God. Indeed verses 6 to 8 here are about gentiles coming to salvation and has significant parallels with verses 1 & 2, which are about Jews. God has been and always will be concerned with the salvation of all people.

The question for us today is whether we are willing to look for those whom God is calling. I think it is significant that Isaiah wrote of eunuchs in verses 3 to 5. Such people are in a very shameful position in their society, indeed I can imagine no one getting a positive reponse today running around annoucing that they have been properly castrated (vasectomies do not count). Are we willing to look to the weak and humble people. Lots of pastors are reaching the middle class and enjoying the fat of life. However, God is interested in all humanity, are we willing to follow? After all, Jesus ministered to the marginalized.

Perfect Through Suffering

2009-02-16T16:27:00.002-06:00

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.
Hebrews 2:10

The cross is what makes the work of Jesus complete. Well, not just the cross but all that goes with it. The beatings and scourging (basically turning him into a walking peice of hamburger), the mocking and humiliation are part of the power of the cross. Not that these are extolled as great things, indeed a crucifix ought to make people a little nauseous but it is mostly cleaned up. Moreover, this is not a call to invest individual meanings into each aspect of Jesus death. No, it is the sum total of it all that matters. His death was a horrendous crime against humanity. Thus in paying the price of such a death there is no sin which is not covered.

It is humbling to think that my sins needed to be covered by such an extravant act. Perhaps that is the real rub, that I, and likely most other people, can look at it and call it extravant and not necessary. God, in allowing all this to take place, made Jesus' sacrifice perfect. There is a sobering seriousness that is often missed in the crucifixion and the author of Hebrews reminding us of that perfection through suffering drives it home.

Growing in Trouble

2009-02-11T08:00:00.001-06:00

And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.
Acts 4:1-4

Five Thousand came to faith in one afternoon of preaching. This, of course, had a few people worried. Some so worried that they had Peter and John arrested and spent the night in jail. The next day they were hauled before the religious authorities to answer for their deeds. These two refused to back down. moreover, when they met with the other believers, they prayed for boldness also (Acts 4:23-31). Indeed the great irony is that with the oppression the people still stayed faithful (4:32).

Sometimes I wonder if our churches would stand up to persecution like this? We have our treasured religous freedom, which truly is a wonderful thing, but it has allowed our church to become complacent. Moreover, as many Christians are beginning to realize that the culture has changed and parts of it are not good, they have reacted badly. Focusing on removing the symptoms of a decadent society does not solve it. First and foremost we need to address our society today like those believers did shorty after Pentecost; with the gospel of Jesus who died for our sins, rose again and now sits on the throne with the Father waiting to return.

The Old Messages

2009-02-04T08:00:00.000-06:00

I declared them to you from of old,
before they came to pass I announced them to you,
lest you should say, ‘My idol did them,
my carved image and my metal image commanded them.’
Isaiah 48:5

God is not a fool, though we may be and often are. Many people look at the world and create their own explanations of the world and its happenings. They invent fanciful visions of the way things ought to work and why. This is true of the pagan and the social scientist, yet God has forwarned us. Much of reality is best understood by scripture. The economic theories that are currently being bantered around in this recession never really account for the problem of sin. Of course, sin is not really seen as an issue by many. Some want to explain it away as nonexistant, other think it is conquerable by human ability and willpower. Few wish to hear the gospel and its pronouncement of a cure for sin. Instead we set up idols. Today, they are not always wood or metal, though they can be symbolically, but rather they are ideological idols. Our government can save us. True free market economy will fix our problems. Our salvation is within ourselves if we realize it. All of these are abominations. Salvation is in Christ alone. Nothing more, nothing less is needed. God knows we miss the point, so he told us a long time ago. In fact God has a habit of letting us know what is coming before it arrives. Starts in Genesis, Isaiah just points this out to us.

The Easy Life Burns Easily

2009-02-02T08:00:00.001-06:00

The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
and the LORD tests hearts.
Proverbs 17:3

Refining is not a pleasant process. The form of the metal changes from solid to liquid, which is at a high temperature. The impurities are removed by an number of processes. It is time consuming and difficult work. The end result is quality gold or silver. Unrefined precious metals are simply not that precious. However, when they are refined then they are worth something.

It is a good comparison between refining metals and the Lord testing our hearts. God is in the process of purifying Christians. Let no one fool you with stories that they are perfect, usually this is the prelude to a big fall. God is testing us(1 Peter 1:6-7), refining us(James 1:2-3), removing our impurities and often it hurts or makes life difficult. In reality this is a real part of being a Christian. Anyone who promises that becoming a Christian will make life great or easy or the best ever is either an ignorant fool or a snake-oil salesman. We have plenty of both in our churches today and it creates problems for us.

Christian vs. Religious

2009-01-31T12:21:00.004-06:00

I see it all the time and it has appeared again in the comment thread of a certain blog. Here is the beginning of a comment that was made, "I make a distinction between “Christian” and “Religious” behavior." (I offer no details because this is more widespread than one person.) More and more, I see this a popular dividing line. A way of setting up the difference between a bad Christian and a good one, whether the bad is a true Christian or not. I can understand the desire to make a distinction, but I think that this one fails.

One being religious is showing a devotion in a religion. Note the confusion is that we think it is devotion to a religion. Now this is often the way politicians talk about their religion as a devotion to the externals. However, being religious means you are devoted to the object of the religion. For Christianity, this means we are devoted to God the Father, as understood through the life, teachings and sacrifice of Jesus by the work of the Holy Spirit and the exposition of the prophets and apostles relating to them. Thus this distinction between Christian and religious is an attempt to rework language, with a very self-centered result. Why self-centered, because now anyone who is not like you can be "religious". It is a cheap way of dismissing the faith of others because they do not agree with you. This leads to the second point.

The second problem I have is that this allows us to be very careless with what we believe. So we disagree with another Christian's behaviour. By calling someone merely "religious" is a dismissal and an implicit denial that they are "Christian". But why? Is there a good reason to declare this? Maybe the person needs to be confronted (Galatians 2:11-14)? Say if they are a legalist who suffocates grace by the ease of rules. Say if they are a libertine who degrades the cross by their lifestyle. If they are truly not a Christian then say why they are not. If you cannot clearly say why then you really need to think about what you believe and why you believe it. Most specifically why do you want to deny the other person and is it a cultural or biblical reason.

I grow tired of the Christian is what I am and religious is what you are, when Christians disagree. It is old school fundamentalism coming back in new language. We don't need it. What we need is to take the call to Christian community seriously. We need to recognize that everyone is in a different place. We need to work with others instead of casually dismissing them. And if we are willing to deny that they are Christians, we better be able to explain why.

Guilty as the Rest of Them

2009-01-30T15:28:00.002-06:00

"And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled."
Acts 3:17,18

A healing miracle. A lame man walking. I wonder how many of those who gathered around gave him a coin at some time? Then there is a message that each one of them are murderers. This is not the sensitive way to start. But they were declared to have acted in ignorance. Of course this is collectively, I wonder how many of them who were there actually took part in the crucifixion? I doubt it was many of them. Sin and guilt have a collective property throughout the Bible. Thankfully, God provides forgiveness even for the collective guilt.

I do not doubt that had I been among the crowd I most likely would have been caught up in the fervor of crucifying Jesus. Moreover, if (and its a big if) resisted the peer pressure, I would not have attempted to stand in the way. I probably would have gawked and earned a measure of guilt by association. Our guilt before God goes even farther than our personal sins, the sins of our nation are just as offensive to God. May God have mercy on all our souls through the work of Jesus on the cross.

Controlling Your Tongue

2009-01-28T08:00:00.001-06:00

And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil,correcting his opponents with gentleness.
2 Timothy 2:24,25

I like sarcasm and hard hitting comments even if it may not seem like it from my writing. Sometimes it even works well. I had a talk with a colleague of mine and accused him, carefully mind you, of trying to be God. It made him take notice and helped him get some prespective about a certain problem he had. It worked in part because I was there with him and he was the kind of man who could take it.

Certainly sarcasm and sniping are the way of culture and a great way of connecting, but they are not really biblical. Certainly they have their uses, but they are not a good reflection on the servant of the Lord. Yes, at times Jesus did verbally hit some of the people hard, but more often he was gentle. He persisted in bringing people closer to the kingdom, rather than driving them from it. I find it hard to imagine someone who is kind to everyone and sarcastic at the same time. This has lead me to change how I deal with a lot of ministry issues. Sometimes sarcasm may be good, but I am very careful with it.

On Fitting the Mold

2009-01-27T08:00:00.002-06:00

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do.
2 Timothy 1:8-12

God has some funny ways of working from time to time. People are often drawn into ministry that do not pass the "acceptable" parameters of the secular world. Unfortunately, Christendom is accepting the secular definitions and so expects pastors to be more like CEO's, or some other paradigm, rather than how God may have called them. The world around us has a way of trying to fit us into a box that we should conform to regardless of who we are.

The issue with this is that God has chosen people for ministry not by any thing we do. Each one of us according to his divine purpose and grace. The calling has lead people into stupid situations before and will do so again. I find it hard to avoid the common theme of the new tesament where the believer will suffer, not guaranteed but not avoided either. What many consider tragic losses or failure to live up to potential or even doing something beyond potential, these things God considers by his own plan. A plan that consults no leadership guru, but often works in spite of such "wisdom". May God help us all to understand something of His calling that we might accept that strange calling when it comes.

Smacking People into Submission

2009-01-16T08:00:00.001-06:00

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:1-3

I have seen it again recently, someone calling for dissenters to be dealt with physically. (Punch them in the nose was the quote I think, but it might have been break their nose, I will give the benefit of the doubt and stick with punch.). After all Jesus was a "real" man and a true fighter, so was Paul. But there are more than enough quotes of Jesus and Paul to make such claims look preposterous. Certainly we stand against false teachings (2 Cor. 11:12-15), but those who may not agree with everything aspect of our theology must be dealt with gentleness, humility and patience. This is not a fight until someone, bloodied and unable to continue, quits, but teaching and demonstrating and bringing such a person along the road to orthodoxy. It is a way of unity that we protestants tend to forget. Note, I have not even dealt with the question of whether the dissenter might be right and the teacher wrong. That is an important issue for another time. Clearly, from the larger text, unity is the primary issue here.

Holy Counterfeits

2009-01-14T08:00:00.000-06:00

who frustrates the signs of liars

and makes fools of diviners,

who turns wise men back

and makes their knowledge foolish,
Isaiah 44:24-28

Diviners, fortune tellers or even what often sadly passes for prophecy in the evangelical circus today, God sets about to frustrate it. Why else would certain "prophets" today tell us the unbiblical lie that prophecy does not have to be 100%. What was seen as a decisive mark of God and it failure conversely a death sentence, is now ignored and explained away, yet God is still laughing. They are fools and prove it with their errors. These along with wise men who reject God are all frustrated by him.

In contrast the God who made creation affirms (v26) the messages of his servants, whether merely wise advice or true prophecy. Wisdom from God or a message from God, both are appealing because of their truthfulness. Yet we must watch for many come that desire to be a prophet or wise but never seek God. They may make a show of it, but they do not. We have been warned and must be always cautious of such people.

Members of the Important Household

2009-01-12T08:00:00.002-06:00

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.
Ephesians 2:19-21

There is a distinct difference from the Old Testament to the New Testament. The Old Testament focused on the Israelites; God's chosen people. The people through whom salvation was to come to the earth. In the New Testament we begin with Jesus whose ministry seems to meet a lot of different people. His ministry impacts not only Jews but Gentiles as well. By the end of Acts we see that the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is for all people. Here as Paul writes in Ephesians we are fellow citizens in the household of God.

There is no more separation between peoples, Jew or Gentile. We are all one and the plan of salvation marches towards its consummation with the one, now unified, people of God. We are all those who believe that Jesus died for our sins. It is built on the foundation of the "apostles and the prophets", that is to say even from the Old Testament this was the anticipated result. If you pay attention in the Old Testament you can find it too, even in Leviticus.

My Vain Effort

2009-01-09T08:00:00.002-06:00

The grass withers, the flower fades,

but the word of our God will stand forever.
Isaiah 40:6-8

I write these devotionals knowing that my work will someday be lost. Perhaps some great computer apocalypse will happen and all my information will be lost. (I am quite aware of backup systems and redundancies, but it can still happen.) Perhaps in the ever spiraling climb of technology these will be lost to obsolescence. Perhaps they will be lost due to the fact that they were nothing special for most people to begin with and thus can be dispensed with accordingly. This is something we must recognize for each of us. Our lives and the very work we do will probably be lost some day, because we are like grass that comes and goes. Grass that is never really given much consideration in long term plans.

I write devotionals for the sole sake of connecting with something that will never fade or be lost: the Word of God. God's message to creation, our way of putting creation into a proper context. One can see the hand of God in creation, but to properly understand the work of God it takes God's Word. As God is eternal and the Bible teaches us and reflects God to us, so the Word of the Lord is eternal. I write to better understand this one thing that will outlast me and every other person on the planet: the Bible.

Simply Christian by N. T. Wright

2009-01-08T00:28:00.002-06:00

I have now finished Simply Christian by N. T. Wright. It is subtitled: Why Christianity Makes Sense. I picked it up because I wanted to read something by Bishop Wright and a book on apologetics. Since this book did both I picked it up and began reading. Wright offers first a defense of why God must exist, then what it means to be a Christian. It is written on a very low level. Direct quotes from the Bible are few, but he makes unabashed use of the Bible. I think he does an admirable job of setting this information out and being very clear about it. He also works very hard at presenting things in a way that avoids denominational or theological squabbles.

His method begins by looking at four aspects of life that point towards God: Justice, Spirituality, Relationships and Beauty. He also explains why Christianity best accounts for or fulfills each one. Then he is off to explaining Christianity to those who are on the outside looking in. I like the approach and he tries to wrap up the book by returning to these themes directly as well as bringing them out throughout the book. He does a decent job of it. I had some high hopes going into this because I have heard how great a writer he is. The beginning of the book is excellent, but it slows down and is not impressive near the end. Not to say that his writing was bad, just not exemplary.

Would I recommend it, yes, with a caveat. I don't agree with all he has to say. Moreover, for some if you are not a careful reader might accuse him of heresy. Most notably his description of Jesus was decisively on the human side, though he does not neglect the divine. This can be hard to read if you are used to a description that is decisively divine. Of course, neither way is ultimately right as Jesus was both. I found it a good reminder for me, even if I had to read a few paragraphs twice to make sure I was not missing something. On a deeper level, as he describes the Christian's hope for the future, he does so from an optimistic postmillenial view. This is a significant departure from an amillenial or premillenial view. These are great places to have discussions with new believers or others who have read the book. Overall, I do recommend it, but I would like to talk afterwards about a few things with the person to whom I recommended it.

Taking the Easy Road

2009-01-07T00:35:00.002-06:00

So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted
Luke 23:18-25

How easy it is to just give in, to avoid confrontation and protracted argument? We all do it from time to time, and there are occasions when it is the right thing to do. But there are also times when it is only an expedient option that resolves an issue though not necessarily the best way. Standing ground means taking flak. Standing ground means an amount of suffering and real work. Neither one were on Pilate's agenda. He had attempted to set Jesus free. He was even going to rough him up more than Herod did before releasing him to appease the crowd. But he chose to give in to the demands of the crowd.

It is easy for a Christian to look at this and say he did the wrong thing. If we are honest about what the faith means then we should know that trials like this will come forcing us to make choices. At times they will lead to suffering. Pilate's main problem is that he never understood just who Jesus was. With no commitment to Jesus, he saw no reason to endanger himself. As we look to Jesus, we find, on occasion, a reason to suffer and show that same love to others.

Getting Answers to Prayer

2009-01-05T08:00:00.002-06:00

He said, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, 'Who knows whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?' But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me."
2 Samuel 12:22&23 (with Context)

David did a bad thing. He committed adultery and then murder to cover the offense. Well, God sends his prophet to call David to account. Several prophecies are made as a result of this, most are off in his future. However, in the immediate time God condemned the child to death. Here is where David does something strange. He prays and takes on the aspects of someone in mourning petitioning the Lord to change His mind. When his prayers fail and the boy dies, David resumes normal life without mourning. This is backwards from normal life.

As strange as David's response may seem it holds something for us to understand: we need to accept, "no", as an answer to our prayers. After all we have all seen prayers not answered. If I met someone who said all there prayers were answered, I would know that either they did not pray seriously or they never paid any attention to their prayers. Do we mope around and are sad when God does not do what we want? Like we know better than God. David accepted his, "no", and moved on with his life. We need to understand that more in our lives today.

A Source of Worry

2009-01-02T08:00:00.001-06:00

The ransom of a man’s life is his wealth,
but a poor man hears no threat.
Proverbs 13:8

Many people feel threatened with the current economic downturn. Even in good times we recognize threats to our well being. Many people look to something to protect themselves and their investments. Some of their money is used to secure the rest of it. And so by our own power we can control our financial destiny. Or so we think. Each great crash of the stock market was preceded by a time of great hope and prosperity.

Things are different for the poor. Life is tough whether the stock market does well or bottoms out. The poor feel no threat. In a way when Luke writes, "blessed are the poor", There is an immediate truth to it. They do not have to fret about the petty stock market and global economy. That part of pride that comes with enough possessions and the resultant ability is not with them. The rich will try to ransom their own lives, the poor understand more intuitively that only the Lord ransoms a life.

Test Post

2008-12-31T16:08:00.001-06:00

John 1:1-4

2 Peter 3:15

Our Short-sightedness

2008-12-31T08:00:00.000-06:00

Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, "The word of the LORD that you have spoken is good." For he thought, "There will be peace and security in my days."
Isaiah 39:8 (with Context)

A sin that leads to a bitter and humiliating judgment. The princes castrated and servants of a foreign king. Moreover, the sinner is unrepentant. Why? Because Hezekiah knows there will be peace in his day. Therefore, he cares not about the loss for his descendents as long as his life is fine.

In a way I think that this reflects the life of much of the church today. We accept things that we never should in the first place. Poor theology that produces numbers is widely accepted, though no question is raised about how long these people will last or if the next generation will want or accept basic orthodoxy. The long term is rarely considered but what is happening now is all that matters. yet I would not be surprised to find that the long term and second generations are lost. We see it already with our children leaving the church. How quickly we accept a delayed punishment instead of be cut to the core by the sin of our lives. Hezekiah lives today, and our spiritual children will inherit a castrated church. Indeed, much of it is already. May God have mercy on our souls.

Reciting Prayers and Other Parts of the Service

2008-12-29T23:26:00.002-06:00

When I was in seminary I had an assignment in my Christian worship class to assemble an order of worship with all the trimmings. I chose to make life more interesting for myself and create a communion service that did not touch the Old Testament. I wanted a challenge, and before I was done I realized my foolishness. Yes, most of the service can be done from the Old Testament, but repeating Jesus' words of institution is paramount.

I shared the story above to bring out a point that I read in N. T. Wright's book Simply Christian. In the chapter on prayer he makes a point that we can and should use prayers written by other people. It is not as much a deficit on our part, but a chance to learn and to identify with feelings that may be better expressed by others. I write this convicted that I should be using more prayers than I do. I need to learn more about how to pray, and I do pray. However, there is still more that I can learn. It is a very good point and one I would encourage others to think about as well.

I will add that I always close the service by reading a bendiction from the Bible, there are many.

A Life in Balance

2008-12-29T08:00:00.002-06:00

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.
2 Peter 1:5-7 & Context

In the larger context there is a long string of things that we need to be: virtuous, knowledgeable, faithful & more. All of these are part of our growth, but are incomplete without the others. It is very fashionable to talk about love and deny knowledge today. It is also equally easy to focus on knowledge and let love die to some queer justification of bad behaviour. Of course these are the two most common abberations I encounter. I am sure that there are other problems as well. The point Peter is making is that a proper Christian life does not consist of love alone, but also of other traits as well. Each trait must be balanced to make a Christian who reflects Jesus Christ here.

Any honest person recognizes at this time that this is an impossible task. God has wired us all differently and some traits come easier than others. However, if the Holy Spirit is at work within us, that is you are a Christian, then we should be guided to grow up our deficiencies. The key thing is to never hold one over all the others. It is a favourite question, which one is better? The answer to that is: the question is bad. We need to find peace in our defects, knowing that God will correct them.

Our Sad Slate of Celebrities

2008-12-26T08:00:00.001-06:00

Better to be lowly and have a servant
than to play the great man and lack bread.
Proverbs 12:9

It does not take too much searching to find the name of some professional athlete or hollywood star who, despite having made an enormous amount of money, lives a modest, if not poor, life. Why? The reasons are many. Ultimately, it comes to bad choices. Whether living a life larger than the average people could dream, or being just stupid with their investments. It comes and it goes. Fame is fleeting and money is moreso. When both are gone life is not good. These people serve as examples for all of us.

The proverb today reminds us to always live within our means. Certainly, it is aimed at those who are rich or upper middle class, but it is applicable to all people. If we live to the limit of our money then one day everything will collapse. The common massive credit card debt may one day become crippling credit card debt. Living with the goal of using your money for greatness will lead to a fall. It is better to live humbly and keep your wealth than to lose it because the market was unstable or due to some simple injury.

Prudence for the Hot Head

2008-12-24T08:00:00.001-06:00

Then Abner called to Joab, "Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that the end will be bitter? How long will it be before you tell your people to turn from the pursuit of their brothers?" And Joab said, "As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely the men would not have given up the pursuit of their brothers until the morning."
2 Samuel 2:26-27

An easy transfer of power was not what David had coming. So he and Ish-Bosheth met and began a political debate. It quickly degenerated into a fight, a serious fight. (Here is a lesson: never debate politics if your opponent has a sword in hand.) Joab was determined to kill the servants of Ish-Bosheth. Abner must have seen that something was going wrong and calls a retreat and his men regroup on a hilltop. Abners offer of peace makes sense in more than one way. The Philistines are still the enemies of Israel. They are known for launching raids against Israel, in fact one such raid led to the loss of Saul and, indirectly, this battle. Fighting and laying waste to each other did not make a whole lot of sense.

This is something the Bible holds in contrast. There are times when a zealous, focused intent is right. On the other hand, there are times when a cool evaluation of the situation needs to be made. We must be careful to find the difference between each situation. Moreover, anyone who tells you that the Christian life is either one or the other needs to reflect more on the whole Bible.

Do We Want to See Whips?

2008-12-22T08:00:00.001-06:00

And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, saying to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be a house of prayer,' but you have made it a den of robbers."
Luke 19:45,46

I like receiving letters from missionaries. They tell of the good things and the bad. They help me to know how to pray for them. There are praises and then there are prayer requests of differing urgencies. They focus on what really matters in the ministry and in their personal lives. Occasionally, they might solicit funds, but this even happens in the New Testament.

What worries me today is the mail I receive from organizations. Yes, there are encouraging stories contained in these letters, but more often than not each letter has an envelope enclosed. Oh, these encouraging stories lead up to a request for more money. I wonder how different we are from the temple in Jesus day. Oh, we read it and see easily how bad it was, yet I bet it was more subtle than we give it credit. It was probably not so offensive, you had to have a source of fresh offerings. Other excuses can be easily made. This does not make it right, just a little more understandable. How can we say we are different when organizational letters carefully craft a story into a money request? I am beginning to think that such fund raising is beginning to undermine evangelicalism.

Everyone likes Horses

2008-12-19T08:00:00.001-06:00

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help
and rely on horses,
who trust in chariots because they are many
and in horsemen because they are very strong,
but do not look to the Holy One of Israel
or consult the LORD!
Isaiah 31:1

Enemies were marching in on Jerusalem; intent upon capturing and subjugating God's people. What was the response of the leaders of Jerusalem? To have an alliance with Egypt in order to be able to fight off this invasion. The problem is that when it has been decreed by God there is no going back. Even moreso, the prophecy that the alliance would fail is another nail in the coffin. All for a lack of faith in God. Faith in other people, but not in God seems to be a losing proposition.

The saddest part of all of this, I think it is being repeated this very day in a different way. We have those people who think that the government can be used to shape society into a proper image. Morality can be legislated and so the kingdom comes to the earth. We see it in the well meaning but sadly misguided attempts to put the ten commandments up everywhere. The problem is that Israel had the law and they failed miserably. That has nothing to do with being a Jew, any group would have fared no better than they did, maybe even worse. Our hope needs to be in Jesus Christ, not the ten commandments or the power of government to help us enforce them.