Monday, December 15, 2008

How Close Are You?

I love pictures of people, especially watching John change. The pictures tell the story and we have more pictures of him than anyone else. He’s changing. Our Christmas picture last year looks different than this year because John has changed. (So have his parents, but our changes are much more subtle.)

I hope I am changing, too. But the changes I hope I see have nothing to do with my physical appearance, but are changes in me. We expect John to grow, but we should also expect growth within ourselves. I hope I am not stagnant. I hope I am not maintaining. I hope I am growing in the likeness of Jesus Christ. I hope that as I look in the mirror this Christmas that I see a different man than the one I saw last Christmas. I hope I see a better husband, a more loving Dad, one with less ties to material things, one filled with more compassion, one whose humility is growing, one who has a deeper love for all people, one who is more overwhelmed by the gift of grace and by this baby, this helpless child who proved himself to be the hope of this world and the hope of my life. I hope that my spiritual picture is changing – growing.

One area of growth for me is recognizing that growth will not come by my own efforts. I am always tempted to will myself to grow – to work harder – try harder – give up more. The intent is good, but the outcome is limited because I’m learning that I can’t grow myself.

Growth happens when we move closer to Jesus. How close are you? Are you one sitting outside the stable, peering in from a distance? You can hardly see his face. You are safe at this distance.

Or are you moving in? Have you entered the stable? Are you stepping forward? Are you willing to peer over the manger and look at his face – look in His eyes?

Will you reach out to Him? Even though he looks so fragile, so helpless? Even though, you have your doubts and are tempted to rely on yourself? Will you reach in? Will you touch Him? Will you give all that you bring to Him? Will you put your trust, your life in His hands?

To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.
Luke 2:11

Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:9-11

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Wisdom at 40

Yep, it’s official. The day has come and passed. No longer in my twenties – no longer in my thirties. I am 40. Therefore, I am wise – well, at least wiser than I was at 39. I felt it my responsibility to share some of that wisdom with you.

Back when I was in my twenties, I thought it was cool to stay up late. Now that I’m in my forties, I can’t. I wake up at 4:30am without even trying.

Back when I was in my thirties, I thought I could be on the cover of GQ. Now that I am (one of my 40th birthday gifts), I see the wisdom the GQ staff had in keeping me off. Definitely in need of more air brushing and hair replacement.

Back when I was in my twenties, I thought stretching was for wimps. Now that I am in my 40’s, I realize that stretching is critical to my survival of any athletic activity.

Back when I was in my twenties, I didn’t even know what an ear/nose hair trimmer was. Now that I’m in my 40’s, I keep looking for DeWalt to produce their own version - 18V cordless with varying speeds.

Back when I was in my twenties and even thirties, I thought birthdays were a time to celebrate in the life of a special person. Now that I am in my 40’s I realize that birthdays are occasions to make fun of the person “getting old.” Case in point – my birthday. Of the many cards I received, over 75% of them had something to do with my digestive system. In terms of the gifts I received, 75% of them had to do with – strangely enough – my digestive system and other things I'm uncomfortable to talk about in public.

Back when I was in my 20’s I cared a lot about what I looked like. Now that I’m in my 40’s I see the wisdom of the 3 pack of Hanes white t-shirts and the exclusive shopping on the clearance rack. (I suppose it goes hand in hand to not care what you look like when what you look like is changing in ways that aren’t so appealing. Maybe it’s one of those defensive mechanisms I’ve heard about.)

Now in my forties, I’m becoming clear on a few things:

Relationships are what really matter in life.

I have been abundantly blessed and have so much to be thankful for.

Being entertained is tempting but almost always unfulfilling.

Time with people is far more important than time accomplishing.

Giving trumps getting.

Being selfish is easy; being a servant is not.

God knows what He’s doing. He definitely knows what He’s talking about.

I am a work in progress – not always progressing.

God doesn’t need me, but I sure need Him.

I should be revered and honored by those younger. (Just kidding) I should love and serve and sacrifice for those who are younger. (Not kidding)

My body still thinks it can do what I did in my 20’s. It has a lot to learn.

I am excited about the next 40. What a gift the first 40 have been.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

What is "Reformed" All About?

I know this might not be the most exciting question you have in your mind, but it is one I was recently asked. For those who wonder about the Reformed tradition or Reformed theology, I thought the following quotes from I. John Hesselink from his book, On Being Reformed (pages 89-107), worth sharing.

. . . this tradition is only a part of the larger tradition of the historic Christian faith. Reformed Churches are members of the one, holy, catholic (universal) church. For the most part, our beliefs are the same as evangelical Christians in all times and in all parts of the world. Accordingly, in regard to the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith we can make no special claims. On the contrary, we are indebted not only to the reformers but also to the ancient fathers of the church for the great Christian heritage which is ours today.

All this not withstanding, we are also children of the Reformation with its recovery of certain evangelical themes: the Word alone, by grace alone, and by faith alone. More particularly, we are a part of a specific Reformation tradition known as Reformed or Presbyterian. Although many in this tradition call themselves “Calvinists,” others do not rally around the five points of Calvinism: total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints (TULIP).

. . . there are a numbers of doctrinal emphases which are especially characteristic of the Reformed tradition.

God Centered

The most fundamental and comprehensive thing that can be said about the Reformed tradition is that it is theocentric or God-centered. In a sense, this is true of all Christians, but in contrast to Pelagianism* and Arminianism**, the Calvinist affirms that the human will is not free and that humanity does not take the initiative in response to the redemption offered in Jesus Christ. Moreover, in contrast to certain types of evangelicalism, the Reformed tradition focuses on God, not in his own experience. It is not my conversion, my faith, or my good life that counts in the last analysis. God’s goodness and grace and God’s sovereign will are the bedrock on my salvation. . . For the Calvinist the doctrine of God is the doctrine of doctrines, in a sense the only doctrine.

* Pelagianism denies original sin and interprets sin as a deliberate choice of evil by a will which is free to choose either good or evil.

**Arminianism believes that grace is not irresistible and that Christians can fall from grace. Arminianism challenges the teachings of Calvinism particulary relating to predestination. (25)

A People of the Word

Although sola scriptura (by Scripture alone) was a strong theme in the whole Reformation, it is in the Reformed tradition that Scripture receives special prominence. . .

Where the Reformed confessions – and Calvin – are explicit is in the connection with the nature of the authority of the Word. In Calvin’s classic discussion of this theme in the Institutes, he makes one of his most distinctive contributions to Christian theology, namely, the doctrine of the inner witness of the Holy Spirit to the truth and authority of Scripture. As Calvin approaches the whole question of Scripture, his first concern is “not only to prepare our hearts to reverence it, but to banish all doubt.” For “the Scriptures obtain full authority among believers only when men regard them as having sprung from heaven, as if there the living words of God were heard.” In other words, we will not believe the message of Scripture “until we are persuaded beyond doubt that God is it author.”

Church Order

L.J. Trinterud has succinctly and admirably summed up what is the nature of Calvin’s – and true Presbyterian – church government:

The primary elements of Calvin’s theory of church government may be summed up in three. The church is a community or body in which Christ is the only head, and all other members are equal under him. The ministry is given to the whole church, and is there distributed among many officers according as God has gifted and called them. All who hold office do so by election of the people whose representatives they are. The church is to be governed and directed by assemblies of officeholders, pastors, and elders, chosen to provide just representation for the church as a whole.

Doctrine with a Purpose

It is commonly recognized that the Reformed tradition is theologically oriented. . . What may not be so well known is the classical Reformed concern for doctrine that is useful and profitable, and for truth that produces holiness. There is, in short, a practical, utilitarian bent in the Reformed fascination with theology, an active, ethical thrust of Reformed thought.

Concern for truth, pure doctrine, and sound theology is important, but it should not be an end in itself. If this concern does not result in godliness and the edification of the church it has been perverted.

A Life and Worldview

Calvinism can never be accused of having a God who is too small or a vision that is too narrow. From its powerful concept of a sovereign God whose will determines the destiny of humankind and nations to the vision of the glory of God which is manifest and acknowledged through the ends of the earth, Calvinism is a faith of the grand design. In contrast to Lutheranism’s quest for a gracious God, pietism’s concern for the welfare of the individual soul, and Wesleyanism’s goal of personal holiness, the ultimate concern in the Reformed tradition transcends the individual and salvation. It also goes beyond the church, the body of Christ. The concern is for the realization of the will of God also in the wider realms of the state and culture, in nature and in the cosmos. In short, Reformed theology is kingdom theology.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Family

For better or for worse: family.

Here comes the holidays often means here comes the family.

I love my family. We are different. I love them in part because we are different. That includes the new family I acquired when Alisa and I merged paths. I may not have the same history, but we share Alisa and therefore we are bound together.

I am who I am today because of my family. I am who I am today because of the joys and struggles that I’ve experienced in my family. My Mom and Dad are obviously major players in who I am today. So is my sister. So are my grandparents who have all gone home. They’ve played a part in the formation of me. Qualities (both good and irritating) in me have been directly influenced by these important people in my life. (If you’re interested in finding out more about those irritating qualities, get to know me OR ask Alisa.)

And then there’s Alisa and John. I may have thought I had it figured out when I married. Now I know differently. I may have thought I was pretty well established before John came along, but now I know differently. I am a work in progress and a lot of that hard work has been done through marriage and parenting.

I cannot imagine who I would be today if you took these people out of my life – not much, I think.

Granted, no family is without brokenness and dysfunction. Surely, there are parts of our past family life we would like to change. We’ve been hurt by our family and I’m sure we’ve done some hurting ourselves. Some of that damage runs deep and maybe still hurts today. Some of that brokenness may continue to separate us from people in our families – some who may not be alive any longer. So I’m not here to say, naively, that we should gloss over and ignore what for some of you may be a great deal of pain and regret. But in spite of all that has taken place, they are still family, and God in His amazing way has taken the brokenness and helped us become who we are today. And isn’t it true that it is often through the brokenness that a lot of the formation takes place? For better or for worse: family.

Here are a few things I’m learning through these important relationships:

1. I’m called to love these people. How that looks is different for each one. But I know that I am called to pursue God’s direction in loving each of them.

2. Loving family can be one of the more challenging things to do. For some reason, the selfishness is much more prone to rear its ugly head with family. I am much more prone to expect them to meet my wants/needs. It is much easier for me to be a self-centered child with them than with anyone else. Lucky them, huh?

3. I’ve learned what love is through them. I’ve learned it through the “love me in spite of my brokenness” and the “love me in spite of my selfishness.” They’ve stuck by me. They’ve let me become who I am while helping me become who I ought to be. That’s a tricky balance to say the least, but they have played a huge role in allowing and encouraging me to become me.

4. They are an important part of my calling in life. As I grow in understanding the purpose of my life, they are a major focus of my purpose. God has placed me in their lives for a reason – to love and serve them as Christ has loved and served me.

5. They are one of the most amazing blessings God has given me. I am learning to be more thankful for the gift of my family. I am learning to be humbled by the gifts that I have in each of them. Though the time together with my family of origin (Mom, sister, etc.) has changed, they still are gifts I cannot take for granted. And as I live day in and day out with Alisa and John, I hope I will never see them as anything but the blessings they are. Yes, in the heat of the moment when anger or sadness or selfishness dominate my perceptions, I am not good at seeing the big and true picture, but I hope these are just anomalies on the more consistent recognition of the blessings I have in Alisa and John.

For some reason, the holidays help me (and maybe you, too) to see a little more clearly. Maybe it has a lot to do with the fact that when we focus our attention on Jesus Christ, we see much more clearly. We see that family can truly be one of the greatest blessings we experience in this world. It definitely has been for me. Let’s not forget to tell (and show) them the blessings they are to us.

The Right Way to Do Christmas

On a lighter note, I would like to express to you my personal opinions about how Christmas should be celebrated as a family. You may wonder at my qualifications for such an article. I do not claim to have any except the fact that I am from Minnesota, which has the closest weather patterns to the North Pole than any of the other state in the continental United States. I know, I’m not acknowledging Alaska’s weather, and it is just my prerogative to do that.

1. Christmas cookies are a must, but they have to taste good. No matter how creative or decorative or fancy they look, if they do not taste good, it is a mistake to include them.

2. Presents should be opened on Christmas Eve. Why? Because I’ve always done it that way.

3. Gifts that are not surprises do not need to be wrapped. Why wrap a present if you know what it is already?

4. And on that related note, what happened to buying gifts that are surprises? We’ve seemed to make Christmas gift giving into a transaction. I tell you what I want. You go get it for me. I thank you for it and I’m kind enough to do the same for you. There is no freedom for creativity. And sometimes people are even militant at both demanding your list and pouting if they don’t get what they told you to give them. I know that input from each other is helpful, but it should be seen as input not non-negotiable demands.

5. All children should have to do the dishes from the Christmas Eve dinner BEFORE presents are opened. Why? Because that’s what I had to do. Nothing better than watching anxious, distracted children hurrying to get the dishes done handling your fine china and stemware.

6. Children should not be taunted, teased, or threatened about Christmas gifts. “If you don’t eat those peas, you won’t get to open your presents.” “Santa may not come tonight if you keep whining.” I know there is power in the gifts, but it shouldn’t be used to manipulate kids to certain actions or behaviors. Is Santa really not going to come? Are you really going to keep them from opening presents when everyone else is?

7. Do a lot of listening and observing at Christmas. Give a lot of hugs. Say a lot of affirming things to one another. Express love. Be thankful. Let God lead this time together. Don’t get your expectations so high that there is no way they can be met. Maybe it won’t go exactly as you have planned, but maybe that’s the way it ought to go.

One final tip which holds true not only for Christmas but for Thanksgiving, too. In fact, it holds true all the time. Be the one to serve. Don’t expect to be served. Do the dishes. Offer your help wherever needed. Seek to serve the people you are with. Don’t allow the temptation to selfishness get the best of you. Serve the people you love.

Finally, you may disagree with my opinions (which is foolishness). I am not interested in hearing about it. I have shared with you the "right" way to do Christmas. Any detour from this path is the "wrong" way. How do I know you ask? Because I've always done it this way. There is no greater argument than that.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Gift Giving

Every year about this time, I get a phone call. “What are we going to do about gifts for Christmas?” It comes from one of my family members. And thus begins the frantic calls between family members about what everyone wants to do about gifts for Christmas.

This year it’s been decided: No Gifts. Of course there is an exception for the children, but even there we are encouraging one another to limit the purchases.

Why?

Times are tight we hear and many of us are already experiencing that. But even more than that, we each have everything we need. It’s hard to come up with anything else we really need. Yes, want is a different story, but it’s hard to justify expenditures on items we want, when we are very aware of the “need” that exists here and abroad.

So no gifts.

But here’s where I see my misconception of gift-giving. In essence, I have equated giving a gift to one of my family member’s as buying something they want (or if I’m feeling risky, getting them something I think they want). But it all revolves around money. It’s sad that I think that way.

I can give gifts to my family without spending money. In fact, isn’t it true that the greatest gifts we give and receive don’t cost money? They may cost us something, but more often than not it has nothing to do with money.

I’m not trying to be Scrooge. I just want to encourage you to consider what really would be a gift to give to the people you love in your life. What would really bless them? Those are gifts we really ought to give. A few ideas:

1. Have you ever told your kids/spouse about how you came to faith in Jesus?

2. Have you ever told your kids how you fell in love with their Mom/Dad?

3. Have you ever told your kids what you appreciate most about them and how they’ve blessed your life?

4. When is the last time you told your spouse what he or she means to you?

5. When is the last time you made (not bought) something for your family?

The greatest gifts come through relationships - not with a receipt.

Consider giving the money to those who need it.

Slaves to Christ

I’ve never been in chains. I’ve never been a slave. I’ve never been behind bars. I’ve never been forced to work against my will (I’m not counting those times at home growing up because that is different). I’ve never been treated as a piece of property and not a person. I don’t even remember a time being locked in a room I can’t get out of. I’ve been locked out of things, but have no experience with anything to do with slavery.

I’ve always been ‘free’ to do generally what I want.

The Bible uses the imagery of slavery. And during Bible times, slavery was common practice. Sadly, it still exists today, but it is definitely outside of our frame of reference here in Charlevoix.

We are called to be slaves to Christ. . . because . . . He sets us free from our slavery to sin. We have been set free from sin. It no longer controls us. It no longer can impart its will through our flesh, our self, through the law, and even through death. We are free.

Yet, what I’ve just said is what most of us know; it is what we’re taught in church and reflects accurately what the Bible says, yet often our experience is different. We still feel like our flesh and self are in control. We feel helpless to keep from pursuing what our ‘self’ tells us we want.

We hear 2 Corinthians 5:17 and just don’t feel like it’s true,

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he or she is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come.

“The old has gone” is hard to see and even harder to experience. We still feel the power of the old self. We still see the attraction to our flesh. The influence still remains. How are we made new? Is the old self really gone? Am I really free from the bondage to sin? Are you?

I think of Paul and his wrestlings in Romans 7. I’m paraphrasing, when he in essence says, ‘why can’t I stop doing what I know I should stop and why can’t I do what I know I need to do?’ Been there before? I sure have.

Today, the focus of the message is Acts 16 where Paul and Silas are put in jail because they cast a demon out of a fortune-telling girl. While in prison, an earthquake happens and all the doors are cast open and all the chains are broken. They are free to go. But they stay. Because they stay, they are able to share the message of salvation through Jesus with the jailer and his family.

I’ve been thinking a lot about how the doors of my prison have swung open and the chains around my wrists have broken off. What does that mean? How does that look in my life? How does that affect everything else about my life? I am free from sin and its consequences, yet I’m not out of prison. The doors are open, the chains are off, but I still live in a world where slavery to sin is rampant.

Hopefully, I haven’t totally lost you by this point. There is a point. I just wanted to share with you how I struggle understanding what I know to be true within the experience of my life. So here’s my best shot at explaining how I make sense of all of this.

I was once a slave to my self. I lived for me. I lived in the flesh – driven by me and what was best for me. I could not please God. I deserved the consequences of this selfish life, which is death – separation from God – ongoing slavery to sin. At times this life seemed so attractive, yet also empty. It felt good but then bad. Happiness was short-lived and often followed by guilt.

I realized/realize the impossibility of me doing anything about this life and its consequences. I realized/realize the havoc this life wreaks upon everyone around me. I look in the mirror and cannot stand what I see without looking through a distorted lens. That lens sure is hard to get off, but I saw enough glimpses of the truth to feel the shame. I could not escape from this truth . . . on my own. All of this did not happen in a moment. Over time, through life experiences, through my own identity crises, and through my constant strivings to meet my needs, I came to these conclusions. I am a broken man. I have chains on my wrists and live in a place I cannot escape from. “Wretched man that I am; who can rescue me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24)

In the midst of the glimpses of shame, I experienced glimpses of joy. I felt love. I saw hope. I was turned outside of my self and onto others. They had what I wanted. And it wasn’t money or stuff; it was peace. It was joy. It was a love of people. I was one of those people they loved. These people, broken themselves, all had one thing in common: Jesus. It wasn’t a head knowledge or the ability to spout Bible trivia or talk “church.” They loved Jesus. I knew that by how they lived much more so than what they said. And they showed me that I needed Him too. So I took the step of faith and gave myself to Him because keeping myself for me wasn’t working at all. I believed. I confessed. I promised to try (with His help) to follow.

Choosing Him meant choosing to be His. The Bible says slave, servant, and even friend to describe this relationship, but the bottom line is I don’t exist for me but for Him. I am now His slave. He is my master. I couldn’t be His unless I was set free from sin. Sin cannot be my master if I am to be His. Jesus set me free from sin. It cost Him His life.

I live in a world filled with sin. I live in a prison, yet I am free. What’s hard is living in this prison that still is seeking to put me back in chains. I am free, but I can still give in to the voice of my ‘self’ and allow my new life to look like my old life. I can be free from sin and act like I’m still it’s slave. It’s my choice. Sin no longer controls me unless I choose it. I now, by the power of Jesus and the freedom I have through Him, can walk away. I can overcome temptation. I can live for Jesus. I can be His. And in doing so, I can look like Him, act like Him, and talk like Him, because I am His.

Plus, He wants me to stay in that prison so I can show others that freedom is available. It’s not easy staying in the place where sin still dwells, but that is our lot until Christ returns. I definitely struggle when I go it alone against sin.

Look at your wrists. No chains. Look at the door of your cell. Wide open. All of this through Christ alone. We live here to help set the ‘other’ prisoners free by showing them the only way to freedom: Jesus Christ. We are free to be His. Choose to be His. You are not a slave to sin.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

No Risk - No Reward

Yep, I am doing a piece on gambling. Not really.

Following Jesus is about risks, don’t you think? Or maybe not. Maybe there is no risk because we have Jesus on our side. We have nothing to fear.

Maybe in a perfect world by perfect people, we would have no risk, but it is risk to us. It is a risk to be vulnerable. It is a risk to be honest. It is a risk to share our needs. It is a risk to admit our faith. We fear rejection. We fear ridicule. We fear people will think of us in ways we don’t want them to. So often, we don’t risk. We conform. We adapt. We become like a chameleon and just change our appearance and behavior to blend into the situation we’re in.

But just think about the risks you’ve taken. Think about the results.

The “rewards” I’ve experienced have come through risk. I moved to Michigan, away from family. I asked Alisa (a super young college woman out). I spoke in front of people. I’ve admitted failure. I’ve initiated new relationships. I’ve shared my heart with some. I’ve taken risks.

(Please don’t get me wrong. I don’t claim to be any role model risk-taker. I have also passed up many risk-taking opportunities. I have definitely turned away from many opportunities where God has called me to risk for Him.)

In the places I’ve been willing to risk, I’ve experienced the greatest reward. (Reward may not be the best word, but it is catchy for the title. Blessing is probably better.) God’s plan always involves risk. But being in God’s plan and experiencing the peace that comes with it, is truly a priceless blessing. I risked spending time with Lions, Wolverine, Spartan, Tiger, and Pistons fans. It was dangerous being a Minnesotan in this Michigander world. But the rewards/blessings have been well worth the risk. Not to say there haven’t been times of doubt. Sometimes the risks lead to rejection and I’ve questioned whether or not it was worth the risk. But time and time again through a variety of means, God has confirmed that being in His plan, risking for His sake, will lead to peace, blessing, good, transformation, and a growing willingness to trust Him instead of myself.

It is a risk to admit your failings to your spouse and ask for forgiveness – WORTH IT.

It is a risk to set aside your agenda and just “be” with your kid(s) – WORTH IT.

It is a risk to admit you don’t have the faith/God/Bible thing figured out and need help – WORTH IT.

It is a risk to open yourself up to your neighbor/co-worker – WORTH IT.

It is a risk to pray – WORTH IT.

It is a risk to pray that God would provide opportunities to share your faith – WORTH IT.

It is a risk to “store up treasures in heaven not here on earth.” - WORTH IT.

It is a risk to thank those who have impacted your life in positive ways – WORTH IT.

It is a risk to pray with others – WORTH IT.

Relationships are always a risk. But can you imagine your life without them? Can you imagine what it would be like to not have people in your life whom you love and whom love you?

Following Jesus means taking risks – trusting in Him and not yourself – walking by faith.

Growing Relationships

Think for a moment about any relationship in your life. Is it growing?

How would you answer that question? How would you know it is? What would be signs of growth?

Maybe one way to think about your relationship is like a tree. Are the roots growing – meaning is there more depth in your relationship? Are your conversations more helpful, more encouraging? Do you talk about things that matter? Do you talk about feelings, hopes, thoughts, etc. versus just calendars and opinions?

Is your relationship being fed? Are you exposing yourself to healthy influences, good content, positive experiences, other growing relationships? Do you pray together, encourage one another in faith, “work” together on your relationship with Jesus?

Is your relationship bearing fruit? Do you see the ways your relationship is blessing one another, blessing those around you, leading to “good” for others?

I’m more and more convinced that we struggle growing relationships. We don’t know how. We don’t want to make the effort. We have other things that consume our time and attention.

God created us to grow. He created us as relational beings. He desires us to grow in relationship. For as we grow in relationships, we become more like who He created us to be. Of course this is true in our relationship with Jesus, but it also holds true in all other relationships. As we grow, we lose parts of our “self.” That is good. Relationships require us to give up the independent, selfish, prideful person that can have such influence over us. But in relationship, that person has to go. Relationships don’t grow when we are independent, selfish, and prideful.

Are you growing in your relationships? It is a critically important question. It also will not happen by accident. We may experience difficult times in life that really force us to grow, but they are few and far between and they can’t be the foundation by which our relationships grow.

We have to work at it. We have to try. We will fail at times, but we have to keep trying.

If I desire growth in my relationships with Alisa and John, I have to try. So often my initial inclination is selfishness. I want to watch TV. I want to read. I want to get my project done. “I want” dictates my decisions. When that happens, growth doesn’t. Growth happens when I am willing to set aside my wants and invest in people. It means making time with Alisa a priority where we sit across the table the talk. It means doing the activity book with John, playing trains or UNO, or just sitting and talking with him. It means not rushing through the evening routine so I can get to doing what I want, but instead taking advantage of the time together.

If you don’t try, relationships won’t grow.

And, when we invest in people – no matter who they are – even though it means setting aside our “wants,” we begin to learn and experience that blessings come most clearly and most often through relationship NOT from our “wants”.

Don’t miss out on the gifts that you have right in front of you.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

The Kingdom of God

Jesus came to show that the kingdom of God is at hand. It is here; it is coming fully when He returns. He calls us to proclaim the kingdom of God. He calls us to live under the reign of Christ and to invite others to see who truly is king. It is why we exist - to live in and proclaim to others the kingdom of God.

Jesus sits on the throne. He is the only one on the throne. His throne is above all other kingdoms, powers, nations, rulers, thrones, etc. There is no one outside of His reign. There is no one with authority apart from what He allows. He is the King. He will always be the King. For those in His kingdom, there is nothing to fear. His Kingship will never change. He will take care of those in His kingdom forever. He already is.

I’ve been receiving emails, usually forwards, as of late that make me sad. I even received a fax from a group of Christians which added to my sadness. It seems as if we’ve forgotten who is King and what Kingdom we dwell in.

We live in the United States of America, a fine nation with a remarkable history. There is much to respect in who the USA has been and the foundations upon which this nation has been built. We who live in this country are blessed in some unique ways because of the leaders who have gone before and the many who have sacrificed their lives to help this nation become who it is today.

But God does not love this country more than any other. In fact, I don’t think God is real interested in what country his people live in. He loves every one of them the same. He longs for every one of them to worship Him as King and become part of His Kingdom.

What I see in these emails/fax is fear. Fear that others are trying to take away our “Christian nation.” These emails say it is time to fight, to pray, and to demand we get back to what this nation was founded upon – Christian values. These letters make it seem as if we are victims of some evil plot that is being worked against us to undermine our Christian rights – to pray in schools, bear arms, publicize the Ten Commandments, etc. If we don’t vote the right way or fight for and against the right causes, “they” will take it away from us.

What could we possibly lose when we look at what we have? Is a human kingdom that answer?

A few things stand out to me:

1. We are not victims and we have nothing to fear. No matter what party or person is in power in the United States (or in any country for that matter), Jesus still sits upon His throne. And His Kingdom is the one we are seeking to build. I am not saying that we should have nothing to do with politics. I think we need to be involved and informed, but recognize it is a small part of a much larger role we are called to play – live in and proclaim the kingdom of God. That is not the responsibility of any government; it is the responsibility and privilege of the Church, the people who follow Jesus.

You are a child of God. You are forgiven. You have been promised eternal life with God through Christ. You can experience life, hope, peace, joy, and purpose TODAY. You are not a victim. There may be difficult times you will or have faced where you’ve experienced being a victim, but it is NOT your primary identity as a follower of Jesus. You are His. That is now who you are.

There is nothing to fear. We will be required to have courage, but not fear. Jesus is on the throne. The victory is assured. He is with us always no matter what challenges or difficulties we face. Like Stephen, you may be called to suffer, even die, for the sake of Christ, but you have nothing to fear. “Look, I see the heaven opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:56) Someday we will see like Stephen. There is nothing to fear.

2. A lot of the information in these emails is inflammatory, deceptive, and often just plain untrue. At its core is a desire to manipulate you to act a certain way, especially to vote a certain way.

There is wrath, slander, malice and abusive language. Some are not just disagreeing they are name-calling and the intensity of the anger directed at people who hold different positions seems so misplaced. Some bear false witness. Some claim truth about another based on rumor, innuendo, and “what I read in an email” without doing the work to make sure it is true. Some often go with information that supports what they want to believe, even though they are not certain it’s true. Some are filled with judgment, hostility, and ridicule. And some claim this is done in the name of the cause of Christ. I can’t believe this does anything but grieve the heart of Christ. Our call to love people will never change no matter what positions they hold. We can disagree, but we cannot hate. We must love. Why? Because He first loved us.

3. Where is the passion for the kingdom of God? Where is the passion for those who are outside of the faith? Where is the willingness not simply to complain but to act for the causes of Christ? If we care so much for the unborn, why aren’t we actively serving organizations that help young mothers – not just with money but with time? Why aren’t we opening our homes and adopting the babies who are saved from abortion? Why don’t we pray instead of complaining that government won’t let us? Why don’t we live out the Ten Commandments instead of complaining they are not posted in public places? “They” cannot stop the cause of Christ. “They” cannot keep God’s will from taking place.

4. So often these attacks are focused on “they.” Who are “they”? “They” are people who definitely need to see and experience the love of Christ. When “they” are ridiculed, slandered, abused, and treated with malice, does that further the proclamation of the kingdom of God? I am not proposing we tolerate and accept unbiblical views and practices, I am suggesting we seek to overcome them through the primary means that Christ modeled – love.

Let’s not hide behind emails. Let’s stop practicing unchristian behavior in the name of Christ. Let’s stop putting our emphasis on the kingdoms of men, for we have a King and we live already in His Kingdom.

Proclaim Christ. Proclaim His Kingdom. Love people. Love them enough to become a part of their lives. Serve and give in those areas where your heart’s passions are kindled. Work for the cause of Christ. Vote, but don’t just vote. Don’t make pressing a button your primary activity for the cause of Christ this year. Give your whole life to Him.

When the Pharisees heard that he (Jesus) had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord you God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Matthew 23:34-40

Are you acting in love? (See I Corinthians 13 for how God defines love).

Or are you acting in fear?

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us. Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers and sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. 1 John 4:18-20

One final thought: Jesus shows us something very important in John 17. He doesn’t pray for an end to poverty or oppression. He doesn’t pray for an end to suffering or corruption. He doesn’t pray for an end to war.

He prays for glory to come to Him. How? Through His Church. How will that happen? It happens when His Church is One,

I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the work know that you sent me and have loved them even as I have loved you.
John 17:22-23

Jesus prays for unity for His Church. They would be One, united in Christ, seeking His glory. Maybe it is because if His Church is One, then what follows is the fulfillment of His command: to love Him and to love the people of this world.

May nothing, not even politics and positions, keep us from being the One Church, united in Christ, seeking to proclaim His Kingdom and to worship Him as King.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Serving vs. volunteering

I had a friend tell me about an experience he had with a Christian. The Christian man goes to church constantly, wears a WWJD bracelet, and is constantly prodding this friend to go to church. My friend asked him if he would like to join a volunteer, civil organization. The Christian man’s response was, “I’m not into that volunteerism thing.” That volunteerism thing?

A volunteer is defined as one who acts according to their free will and not out of obligation. The magician asks for a volunteer and you raise your hand. Nobody said you had to. You chose to go. You volunteered.

Christian service is not something we volunteer to do. We are called to serve. That is understood by the term “follower of Jesus Christ.” We are a people who serve because we are a people who have been and are served. Why? Because it is our duty? Because we are obligated? Because the church needs us? NO – NO – NO!!!

We serve, we volunteer, because that is who we are. It is in our makeup to serve. We recognize our need to give not because others need us to give, but because we need to give. We see what we’ve been given so we give.

Community Reformed Church is a body made up on many parts. You are one of those parts. We don’t function as we should unless you fulfill your role in the body. This body is not called to serve itself, although at times we do. (See I Corinthians 12:12-31) We are called to serve Christ as we serve the people (in and outside the church) He brings into our lives. What part is God calling you to play? God desires to not only work through you, He will work in you as you serve.

Here’s the kicker: God blesses you as you serve others. You grow as you give. You become more like Him.

The Source

The following are the words that come to mind as I consider how we live in God’s abundant life:

Surrender
Sacrifice
Humility
Grace
Trust
Confess
Give
Listen
Serve
Love
Compassion
Prayer
Forgive
Submit
Dying
Faith
Courage
Peace
Freedom
Discipline
Hope
Boldness
Receive
Community
Obedience
Mercy
Holiness
Joy
Worship
Truth

And one word sums up these up and goes far beyond: Jesus.

Note as you consider these words, what Jesus does for us – what He offers to us. Note what we receive. And even as you consider what you are called to do, note who is the source of you being able to give, serve, be bold, sacrifice, show compassion, etc. These are not activities you can do on your own. I try. I fail. I only can do what God asks when I live dependent on Him to act.

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:17

That is the abundant life. That is what life really is.

Selfish = Fruitless

I spend a lot of time thinking about me. Sadly, those thoughts often revolve around how others treat me. I am pleased with those who treat me well. I am frustrated by those who don’t. Often those frustrations come through my unmet and selfish expectations.

I wonder how much time I have wasted being consumed by my selfishness – by projecting negative feelings towards others in my head. The one who is hurt most by all of this is me. (It definitely hurts others, too. I become a selfish dad, husband, and friend. I forget the "serve" part of my calling. In fact, "get" isn't a part of my calling anyway.) I become bitter. I then treat people based on what they do or do not do for me. It is ugly. It is sin. It is completely fruitless. Nothing good comes from this behavior. Nothing good comes from my selfishness, yet I am so often tempted to live a life where my happiness is what is most important. But even when my desires are met – yet I still am selfish – the happiness is fleeting, momentary, and I am quickly consumed again with what others need to do to make me happy AND deep down inside I feel guilt – guilt at being all about me.

Selfishness doesn’t work. Nobody wins in the end. There is no fruit born in the lives of others or myself when I am selfish. Yet, the power of our selfishness is incredibly consuming. It is an intoxicating pill we long to take. Our mind says we deserve it. Our mind says people should treat us with respect and even admiration. Our mind says it is all about me. We need to see this mind for who it is – it is the old self. It is the mind of Adam, Eve, and Cain. It is the mind of Saul, the first king. It is the mind of Judas, Ananias, and Simon the sorcerer. It is the mind of evil.

For those who live according to the flesh, set their minds of the things of the flesh. . . To set the mind on the flesh is death. . . For this reason the mind that is set upon the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law – indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
parts of Romans 8:5-8

So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not
on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Colossians 3:1-3

What Jesus has shown us goes against our human nature. It turns it upside down. We desire to get. Jesus calls us to give. We want to be served. Jesus served. We long to be first. He calls us to be last. We want to hit those who hurt us. He says let them hit you again. We want to hate our enemies. Jesus says love them. We want glory. Jesus invites us into humility. We want dwell upon ourselves, yet we are called to . . .

. . . whatever is true, what is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Philippians 4:8

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death - even death on a cross.
Philippians 2:5-8

Have that mind - His mind.

A life of selfishness will be a fruitless life. Let that sink in. Believe it. If it is going to be all about you, then know in the end, it will have been all about you. You will have received your “reward.”

But, by the power of the Holy Spirit, our pursuit of Jesus will lead to a selfless and fruitful life – free of the nagging experience of guilt – free of the shallow happiness – full of the abundance and blessing Jesus promises when we follow Him and His model for life. Our joy will be complete. OTHERS will be blessed by Christ through us. This is life. It cannot be about me.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Book recommendation

I am just about finished with Melissa Fay Greene's book, There is No Me Without You. It is a book worth reading if you are looking for help in understanding the AIDS pandemic in Ethiopia. It tells the story of one woman's attempt to care for orphaned children within her country. This book puts names and faces on the statistics.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Net Worth

My Quicken program has a little icon I can click for my net worth. It tells me exactly how much the Sauer family is worth. It’s been decreasing as of late. We are not alone.

Fear seems to be a prominent part of our culture today because of the implosion of the financial sector. The Dow fell. The Dow rose. The Dow started good and then the bottom dropped out. People have lost trillions of dollars out of their net worth. Trying times, to say the least.

What have you been thinking about all of this? Are you feeling fear, too? Anxiety? Depression?
For some, it means holding off on their retirement and staying in the work force longer than planned.. For others, it means cutting back on spending. For some, it means finding another job. For some, it means losing their job.

And for many of us, it means finding someone to blame. And there are plenty of possible suspects.

One primary suspect is greed. From the have's to the have-nots, greed has reared its ugly head. Now we have a big mess. Should we be surprised?

Put to death therefore whatever in you is earthly – fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. One account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. These are the ways you once followed when you were living that life, but now you must get rid of such things . . .” Colossians 3:5-8a

Gandhi said, “There is enough for everyone’s need but there is not enough to meet everyone’s greed.”

Greed is defined as a reprehensible desire to acquire. A common synonym is avarice. The Bible calls greed a sin – from the old self – an idol.

Paul said to Timothy, “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.” (I Timothy 6:10)

Randy Alcorn in his book Money, Possessions, and Eternity, has this to say about greed,

Jesus Christ sounded a sober warning against materialism in any form and in any age: “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15).

Greed isn’t a harmless pastime but a serious offense against God. As one who lusts is an adulterer (Matthew 5:28) and one who hates is a murderer (1 John 3:15), so one who is greedy is an idolater (Colossians 3:5). Greed is money worship, a violation of the first and most fundamental commandment: “I am the Lord your God . . . You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:2-3). The eight commandment is a prohibition against stealing (Exodus 20:15), another product of greed, and the tenth commandment is a warning against covetousness (Exodus 20:17). Remarkably, the ten great laws of God, written in stone, contain three prohibitions against materialism. (p. 34)


God is in the business of getting our attention. He has shown throughout human history a relentless willingness to do whatever it takes to get our focus back on Him. Too often, we find security in the things of this world. Our security cannot be found there. Maybe God is trying to get our attention. Maybe God is reminding us that He is our greatest treasure. Do you trust Him more than the number you see when you tally your financial net worth? See Matthew 6:25-34.

Ask and You Will Receive

Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him! Matthew 7:7-11

This was the text of the sermon I heard this past Sunday in Princeton, MN. It sounds too good to be true. I’ve always wrestled with this text and the numerous places where the Bible in essence says, “Look, all you have to do is ask and I (God) will give you whatever you ask for.” There is something very attractive about this, but also something just doesn’t seem right. Plus, many of us have experienced this text not holding true. We’ve asked; God has denied our request. We’ve asked for healings for our friends, another child, the sale of our house, etc., but what we’ve seen so far is silence . . . or so it seems.

The insecure pastor in me wants to show you I can explain this text. I want to prove to you there is a logical explanation for God’s behavior and for how we should interpret these words of Jesus. I’ll start there but I also want to address the emotional part of this challenge as well.

I am finding myself to be less than reliable. I am more and more aware of my inability to “handle” life. I am becoming increasingly aware of my shortcomings and less confident of myself. That’s breeding within me an increased sense of insecurity which at rare times is reflected in humility. (That’s good but very rare.) I just don’t feel as sure of myself as I used to. I am not so fond of this feeling, but nevertheless, I believe it is one of the places where God’s at work. How does this paragraph explain the text in Matthew, you may be wondering by now?

Here goes. I just don’t trust my prayers much. I don’t think I really know what to pray for as confidently as I did before. My default in prayer is me. I pray for what I want. I pray for what I think I need. I come before God most often with a request for my will to be done. I think it is a good will. It is usually for the benefit of others and me. BUT, I am becoming aware that my default prayers tend to be exceedingly selfish. I ask for what I want. But isn’t this what Jesus tells us to do? It seems like it, but something inside of me tells me otherwise. Thankfully, it is not only the inside of me that struggles. I believe the Bible confirms my wrestlings.

I don’t believe you can interpret this text appropriately without looking at the whole of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). This text comes near the conclusion of this collection of sermons. But to see this text clearly is to see it through the lens of Matthew 6:5-15. “Pray in secret.” (6:6) “Don’t heap up empty phrases.” (6:7) Pray this way, Jesus says. “Hallowed be your name.” “Your Kingdom come.” “Your will be done.” (6:9-11)

What I ought to want is God’s will to be done and God’s Kingdom to come. What I ought to pray for is just that.

Emotionally, that is just downright hard. We WANT good things to be done for others. We want cancers to be cured, slaves to be set free, wars to end and peace to reign. We want the lost to be found and the loneliness to end. We ought to always pray for these things. But they must all be requests we make embracing the truth that more than anything else, we hope and pray that God’s will is done. So cancers may take lives. Wars may continue. Slaves may remain slaves and the lost may remain lost . . . for a time.

Because we believe in God’s perfect will. We believe He knows what is best and will work it out in the end. We trust Him more than we trust our senses, our desires, our emotions. We trust Him.

For He has promised that in the end (or maybe the new beginning) there will be no cancers, no slaves, no wars, no lost, no loneliness for those with Him. That WILL come to pass because it is His WILL.

Monday, October 6, 2008

The Holy Wild - Buchanan

Here are a few excerpts from Mark Buchanan’s book, The Holy Wild: Trusting in the Character of God. He starts by explaining his goals for the book. If you are interested in deepening your understanding of the character of God, this would be a great help.

I will have failed if God is named but not praised, analyzed but not glorified, seen but not sought. I will have failed if we know better the character of God but are no more inclined than before to rest in Him. And if we don’t rest in Him, we’ll never risk for Him. (30)

There are actually only three things God promises with a guarantee. In these three things, God is always true to Himself. These three things are the bedrock of His faithfulness. They are utterly trustworthy things that God promises on the basis of His own character. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. These three things are the aspects of God’s faithfulness in which, no matter what else goes amiss, we can rest completely.

Three things.

God is faithful to forgive our sins if we confess them: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9)

God is faithful to make us holy and blameless before Christ: “May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May the whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.” (I Thessalonians 5:23-24) No one who trusts in Him will be found wanting on the day of judgment.

And God is faithful to get us home.
(70)

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Leading the Charge - Cameron Strang

I found this article written by Cameron Strang, editor of Relevant Magazine. The following link will take you there. The title is Leading the Charge and is an outstanding article on making sure we not only talk the talk this election year, but also walk the walk. Enjoy.

I'd encourage you to consider a subscription to Relevant. It has been a very helpful magazine to me.

Monday, September 29, 2008

Surrender to Love - Benner

I continue to be blessed by David Benner’s writings. He really challenges the “I can do it myself” mentality which is prevalent even within the church. The need to surrender is foundational to being His and following Him. I am learning and growing and definitely need all sorts of help in this foundational aspect of following Jesus Christ. So you’ll have to come along as I share where Benner is challenging and encouraging me. The following are excerpts from David G. Benner’s book, Surrender to Love (IVP Press, 2003).

. . . surrender plays a crucial role in the spiritual journey as understood by most major religions and spiritual traditions. Far from being a sign of weakness, only surrender to something or someone bigger than us is sufficiently strong to free us from the prison of our egocentricity. Only surrender is powerful enough to overcome our isolation and alienation. (10)

Like loving parents who can look at their children with disappointment that in no way dilutes their love, the God in whose image such parents are made loves us with a love that is not dependent on our behavior. (17)

Created from love and for love, humans – according to the Christian account of things – spurned God’s love in favor of what was perceived to be freedom. The result, of course, was disastrous. Liberty was instantly replaced by bondage, intimacy by alienation. Genuine love was reduced to self-love, and the result was egocentricity and estrangement from our deepest self, God and others. (23)

The story of Jesus is the story of love personified. We miss the point when we simply try to do what he tells us to do. And we miss the point when we merely try to follow the pattern of his life. His life points us back to his own Source. His life is intelligible only when it is understood as the personification of divine love.

But genuinely encountering Love is not the same as inviting Jesus into your heart, joining or attending a church, or doing what Jesus commands. It is the experience of love that is transformational. You simply cannot bask in divine love and not be affected. (25-26)

A.W. Tozer notes that most of us who call ourselves Christians do so on the basis of belief more than experience. We have, he argues, “substituted theological ideas for an arresting encounter; we are full of religious notions but our great weakness is that for our hearts there is no one there.”

Any authentic spiritual journey must grow from direct, personal experience of God. (27)

If God is love, he cannot truly be known apart from love. He cannot, therefore, be known objectively. One cannot observe him from a distance and know him. To do so is to fail to genuinely encounter his love. One can encounter divine love only up close and personally. (28)

The Christian God wants the intimacy of our friendship, not our fear. The Christian God comes to us with gestures of breathtaking love, hoping to eliminate our fear, not manipulate us through it. And he offers his love as the one thing in the universe capable of making an otherwise hostile cosmos into a friendly home. He offers his love as the one thing in the universe capable of freeing us from our fears. (37)

The God Christians worship loves sinners, redeems failures, delights in second chances and fresh starts, and never tires of pursuing lost sheep, waiting for prodigal children, or rescuing those damaged by life and left on the sides of its paths.

The Christian God of grace stands in stark contrast to the vindictive, whimsical, threatening and often capricious (unpredictable) gods of other religions. Only the Lord God unconditionally cherishes human beings. Only the Lord God forgives all our offenses and teaches us how to forgive ourselves. Only the Lord God provides everything he demands. Only the Lord God offers the life of his own Son for the salvation of his people. The Lord God’s persistent habit of relating to humans with grace is the best news the human race has ever received.

What makes grace amazing is that it and it alone can free us from our fears and make us truly whole and free. Surrender to God’s love offers us the possibility of freedom from guilt, freedom from effort to earn God’s approval, and freedom to genuinely love God and others as the Father loves us. (45-46)

Grace is totally alien to human psychology. We want to get our house in order and then let God love and accept us. The psychology of works-righteousness and self-certification is foundational to the human psyche and totally at odds with grace. (46)

A familiar Christian hymn states that as I come to God, “nothing in my hands I bring, simply to the cross I cling.” How deeply I resent this fact. How desperately I want to be able to contribute something to the deal – my faith, my effort, my love, my belief. But the bottom line is that Perfect Love meets me where I am and asks only that I open my heart and receive the love for which I long. (46)

Surrender and Obedience

Those who surrender obey. But not all who obey surrender. It is quite easy to obey God for the wrong reasons. What God desires is submission of our heart and will, not simply compliance in our behavior.

“Trust and obey” sums up the understanding of the Christian life of people who focus on obedience as an act of the will rather than a surrender of heart. It suggests that all we have to do is believe certain things about God and then get on with doing what God asks. While obedience may be demanding, we are tempted to think that it is achievable if we put our mind to it and are prepared for lots of hard work.

There are two problems with this. The first is that doing what God asks is, of course, not something we can ever achieve in ourselves. Not only did God never mean us to do so, he intended that our failures in obedience lead us to surrender. Rather than drive us to ever-increasing efforts to get it right ourselves, God wants our sin to make us aware of our need for him. . .

The second problem in simply trying to do what God asks is that it leaves the kingdom of self intact. I remain in control, and my willful ways of running my life remain unchallenged. The whole point of the kingdom of God is to overturn the kingdom of self. These are two rival spiritual kingdoms. We need to be very suspicious when self-control and egocentricity are left unchallenged in our Christ-following. (55-56)

Relying on the will to make things happen keeps us focused on the self. Life lived with resolve and determination is life lived apart from surrender. It is living with clenched-fisted doggedness. It is living the illusion that I can be in control. It is the rule of life lived in the kingdom of self. (58)

If the core of Christian obedience is listening to God’s will, the core of surrender is voluntarily giving up our will. Only love can induce us to do this. (59)

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

John turned 5

Five year olds like having birthdays - almost forty year olds . . . not so much. I loved celebrating his birthday; it’s my own that isn’t so exciting.

Have you heard the phrase “perma-grin”, which is short for having a permanent grin on your face? It is what you see during hunting season or when someone is newly in love. Perma-grin.

John experienced perma-grin for almost a week. It included the days leading up to his birthday and the day after when we actually had his birthday party. It is also what his father experienced listening to John and his two friends talk during our mini-van ride to Petoskey for mini-golf. Listening to them talk to each other was hilarious. I am amazed at the brazen confidence of four and five year olds. They know a lot – not much of it all that accurate – but accuracy is not required when you are confident.

John knows how to celebrate his birthday. First, he tells everyone. He made sure everyone knew it was his birthday. Now the fact that he wore his “birthday hat” from school the entire day was also a clue that this child was celebrating a special day. He felt it was his right to wear this hat with pride. We encouraged him to consider not wearing it into Applebee’s for his birthday dinner, but he felt differently.

There is something strangely refreshing about his desire for everyone to know it is his birthday. It was a special day for him and he had no trouble acknowledging that, at least for a day or two, he was special and it was OK to draw attention to himself. It wasn’t an egotistical, arrogant, “I’m better than you” expectation; it was the fact it is his birthday – a special and important day for him.

He loved the attention. He loved the fact that it was his special day. The look on his face while we sang “Happy Birthday” to him was priceless. Had we allowed the Applebee’s staff to sing to him when he received his birthday dessert, he would have loved that, too. His parents trumped that one, however. We’d heard them sing already and they lacked some enthusiasm.

I believe God would like us to have more of this type of experience in our relationship with Him. He desires us to experience His attention. He desires us to know that we are special to Him – all the time. We need that attention. We often seek it in other places and find it. But it isn’t the same, because it’s often selfish and therefore false. We draw attention to ourselves by our efforts, behaviors, purchases. But if we find our meaning in our efforts, behaviors or purchases, we will not find what we are looking for. It will be shallow and fleeting.

Can't We All Just Get Along?

I think Rodney King coined the phrase. It is a legitimate question, especially as it pertains to fellow followers of Jesus Christ.

I went on one of those internet odysseys the other day. I was searching for information about Dr. Paul Eshleman, our speaker today, and I found myself entering into some very frustrating material – having nothing to do with Dr. Eshleman, except it began with a very critical review of the JESUS film.

Having some idea of the overwhelmingly positive impact the JESUS film has had on reaching many people for Christ, I was surprised to find this review, so I dug deeper. I was sad that I did.

I am choosing intentionally not to name names. Much of the information I found did name names. I found a number of websites which claimed to have the inside track on Christianity, but did so by calling all sorts of other evangelical Christians (many of whom are familiar names to us all) heretics – even questioning whether or not these “so called” Christians will make it to heaven.

I was initially furious and tempted to email the authors of these web sites and challenge them on their poor behavior. But then I started to get sad – really sad. I was reminded about the behavior of some who call themselves Christians and how detrimental it is to what we exist for. We don’t exist to fight with each other. Our purpose is not to question, critique, judge, and even condemn each other. Our purpose is love.

Now what I’ve just said is a dangerous thing to say, because it leaves room for some very unhealthy and unbiblical behavior. We don’t just accept anyone and everyone’s teaching on the Bible and their behaviors (those who call themselves Christians). There is a huge difference between love and acceptance. There is truth and there is untruth. There are true prophets and there are false prophets. We have to use a discerning mind and often the counsel of others (especially Scripture) as we seek to discern truth from untruth.

But our purpose is not to focus our attention on each other. Our purpose is to focus our attention on loving the people of this world as we live in God’s love. I am amazed at how much time and energy is devoted by those who claim to follow Jesus Christ on arguing about why they're right and others are wrong – even heretical – even evil. I was tempted to jump into the conversation. It could easily take hours crafting a letter, responding to replies, and allowing all sorts of emotional energy to be devoted at arguing with someone who claims to be a Christian.

Granted, there are times when God makes this an important part of our calling to love one another enough to rebuke, admonish and provoke, but if it takes us away from our true calling, then the people who truly suffer are the many who have not yet heard and are not yet experiencing the freedom that comes with knowing Christ.

We Christians have to learn to check our egos at the door and stop being so devoted to being right. Let’s be His. Let’s listen to what He says. But let’s do so with humility, grace, and kindness. Let’s allow the fruits of the Spirit to be reflected in our interactions with one another. Let’s cling to truth, but may that truth be Him and not some ego-driven, self-centered, anger-based need to be right by proving others wrong. That is not love. Love doesn’t mean agreement and acceptance, but it does mean patience, humility, and kindness.

We can and should “get along” because Christ is the center and He longs for His Church to be one – united in Him.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Notes on Acts 3 - Bruce & Stott

The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate, though he had decided to release him. But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer given to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And by faith in his name, his name itself has made this man (lame from birth, see 3:1-10) strong, whom you see and know; and the faith that is through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you.
Acts 3:13-16

All that they (those who killed Jesus) had to do to avail themselves of this salvation was to change their former attitude to Jesus and bring it into line with God’s attitude. God had clearly shown His verdict by raising Him from the dead. Let them therefore repent, let them repudiate (refuse to have anything to do with) with abhorrence (strong opposition) their acquiescence (acceptance) in the murder of the true Messiah, let them turn back in heart to God, and the salvation and blessing procured by their Messiah’s death would be theirs. Their sins would be wiped out, even that sin of sins which they had unwittingly committed in clamouring for the death of the Author of life.

And not only would their sins be blotted out; those times of refreshment (respite from judgment) and blessing which the prophets had described as features of the new age would be sent to them by God. Jesus, their Messiah, invested with this holy office by God Himself, had been received up into the divine presence, and would remain there until the consummation of all that the prophets, from earliest days, had foretold. The gospel blessings that were to flow from His death and resurrection must spread abroad throughout the world, and then He would return from the right hand of power.

Bruce, F. F. The Book of Acts. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. (1970) Eerdmans. Pages 90-91.


Looking back over Peter’s Colonnade sermon, it is striking that he presents Christ to the crowd ‘according to the Scriptures’ as successively the suffering servant (13, 18), the Moses-like prophet (22-23), the Davidic king (24) and the seed of Abraham (25-26). And if we add his Pentecost sermon, and glance on to his speech before the Sanhedrin (4:8ff.), it is possible to weave a biblical tapestry which forms a thorough portrait of Christ (my emphasis). Arranged chronologically according to the events of his saving career, the Old Testament texts declare that he was descended from David (Ps. 132:11 = Acts 2:30); that he suffered and died for us as God’s servant (Is. 53 = Acts 2:23; 3:18); that the stone the builders rejected has nevertheless become the capstone (Ps. 118:22 = Acts 4:11), for God raised him up from the dead (Is. 52:13 = Acts 2:25ff.), since death could not hold him and God would not abandon him to decay (Ps. 16:8ff. = Acts 2:24, 27, 31); that God then exalted him to his right hand, to wait for his final triumph (Ps. 110:1 = Acts 2:34-35); that meanwhile through him the Spirit has been poured out (Joel 2:28ff. = Acts 2:16ff., 33); that now the gospel is to be preached world-wide, even to those afar off (Is. 57:19 = Acts 2:39), although opposition to him has been foretold (Ps. 2:1ff. = Acts 4:25-26); that people must listen to him or pay the penalty of their disobedience (Dt. 18:18-19 = Acts 3:22-23); and that those who do listen and respond will inherit the blessing promised to Abraham (Gn. 12:3; 22:18 = Acts 3:25-26).

This comprehensive testimony to Jesus as rejected by men but vindicated by God, as the fulfillment of all Old Testament prophecy, as demanding repentance and promising blessing, and as the author and giver of life, physically to the healed cripple and spiritually to those who believe, aroused the indignation and antagonism of the authorities. The devil cannot endure the exaltation of Jesus Christ. So he stirred up the Sanhedrin to persecute the apostles.

Stott, John. The Message of Acts. The Bible Speaks Today. (1990)
IVP Press. Pages 94-95.

John Newton

Alas! I knew not what I did,
But now my tears are vain;
Where shall my trembling soul be hid?
For I my Lord have slain.

A second look He gave, which said:
“I freely all forgive;
This blood is for thy ransom shed;
I die, that thou mayest live.”

Thus, while His death my sin displays
In all its blackest hue;
Such is the mystery of grace,
It seals my pardon too.

With pleasing grief and mourning joy
My spirit now is filled,
That I should such a life destroy,
Yet live though Him I killed.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Please answer this question

I am longing to hear people respond to this question.

What should the Church expect of you?

Please see the Church as people not an organization. What should your fellow followers of Jesus Christ expect of you?

I would love to hear your responses.

Desiring God's Will - Benner

The following are excerpts from David Benner’s book, Desiring God’s Will: Aligning Our Hearts with the Heart of God.

Surrendering to God’s will makes little sense if we are not first convinced of the depths of God’s love for us. (14)

The problem is that when we approach the task of choosing anything other than our own self and its immediate gratification, most of us automatically turn to willpower and resolve. Choosing God then becomes more a matter of grim determination than joyful surrender – closer to deciding to cut back on eating enjoyable foods than to following our heart to the Source of abundant life. (14)

. . . We fail to recognize that our problem is not so much knowing God’s way as being utterly convinced that choosing God is choosing life.

While the choices we make can be very important in our spiritual journey, we shall see . . . that how we decide can often be as important as what we decide. Willpower, determination and discipline are not enough in Christ-following. The close interconnection of will and desire means that if Christ is to have our will, he must first have our heart. (15)

Discipline, spiritual or otherwise, is a good servant but a bad master. It is not the summum bonum – the supreme good. When it is valued in and of itself, the disciplined life easily leads to rigidity and pride. (25)

Jesus showed nothing of this rigidity. Although the strength of his resolve and consistency of his spiritual disciplines are striking, he lived a life characterized by flexibility, not predictability. He was constantly surprising people – always capable of spontaneously embracing opportunities of the moment, never compulsively grasping the safety of the habitual. His discipline served to align his will and his spirit with God’s will and God’s Spirit. But this discipline was not dependent on external rigidity. It sprang from a heart that was aflame with the love of God, not a will striving for self-control. (27)

Discipline was, for Jesus as it should be for us, grounded in relationship and shaped by desire.

Spiritual disciplines should always be means to spiritual ends, never ends in themselves. They are places of meeting God that do not have value in and of themselves. To treat them as if they did is to develop a spirituality that is external, self-energized, and legalistic. (30)

The life that Jesus came to bring is a life that does not depend on willpower. It flows out of the Spirit of God, energizing and transforming our spirit. It’s a life based on transfusion – God’s Spirit transfusing my spirit, God’s deepest desires, longings and dreams becoming mine. This is the way – and the only way – to the freedom and fulfillment of preferring God’s will to mine. (31)

Love One Another - Sittser

Here are a few excerpts from Gerald Sittser’s book, Love One Another: Becoming the Church Jesus Longs For:

. . . the church’s success in this endeavor (to be the incarnation of Christ to the world) depends on only one thing: not great wealth, political power, sophisticated technology, superior organization, great preaching, public rallies, big buildings or creative programs, but the mutual love shared within the community of faith. The quality of relationships among Christians makes the church an effective witness for the gospel, for it creates the kind of community into which others are naturally drawn. “I give you a new commandment,” Jesus told his disciples, “that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). (17)

We wield the power to enhance or destroy people’s reputation simply by how we talk about them. The Bible is brutally direct in its warnings regarding the tongue (Luke 12:1-3; Matthew 12:36; James 3:2-12; Ephesians 4:29). Too often we make up our mind about people before meeting them because we listen to – and sometimes seek out – the “informed” opinion of others. We don’t give people a chance to show us who they really are, especially if that impression differs from their previous reputation. (31)

Forgiveness

I chose to write about forgiveness before confession because we are called to forgive even when no confession has been made. Forgiveness is a manifestation of mercy, given when it’s undeserved. Ideally it’s offered to people who are truly sorry for their sin so the broken relationship can be mended. But sometimes we must forgive when there is no sign of repentance. As Jesus said on the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.”

True forgiveness comes hard, especially for the church. I think that’s true for two reasons. First, we expect more from Christians. . .

Second, Christians often find it more difficult to admit they are wrong. . . Christians can be stubbornly self-righteous when they believe they possess God’s truth. Their religious self-assurance makes them unreachable, no matter how convincing the evidence against them. (65-66)

Unforgiveness condemns us to live forever in the dungeon of the past. The memory serves only to remind us of what went wrong, of the hurt we received. We caress that painful memory. We find a strange happiness in thinking about it. It finally poisons us.

Unforgiveness leads to wrath, which makes us quick to accuse and ready to explode the moment we’re crossed; wrath makes us quick to punish; wrangling engenders quarrelsomeness; slander is the crude attempt to turn other people against the offender; malice makes us wish evil on another person. Unforgiveness may get its way. It may cause hurt, inflict punishment, heap blame. Yet its greatest victim is the unforgiving self. (72)

These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. But now you must get rid of all such things – anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourself with the new self . . . Colossians 3:7-10a

Forgiveness does not absolve offenders from guilt. Only God has the power to absolve; only he can decide that fate of every person’s soul. Human forgiveness does not bestow divine forgiveness. . .

We forgive in a relative sense; we have the power to restore the broken relationship between ourselves and the offender. God forgives in an ultimate sense; he has the power to restore the broken relationship with himself. The Pharisees were furious with Jesus because he assumed a prerogative that belongs only to God. He forgave people for sins they had committed against other people (Mark 2:1-12). That’s something only God can do, which of course is why Jesus could – and did – forgive. (73)

Forgiveness means releasing offenders from the consequences of their behavior as it affects us. It cancels the debt they owe us and saves them from having to pay us back. It absorbs the wrongdoing. Forgiveness reestablishes the relationship, at least from our end. It restores communication and under the right circumstances, can restore friendship. It uses the past as a means of strengthening the relationship, not destroying it. Forgiveness is like the growth of a tree that envelops a wound in the trunk, so that what once threatened the tree’s life becomes its place of greatest strength. (74)

Confession

Confession levels the playing field of the church. It mitigates conflicts that threaten to destroy us and disarms our opponents by demonstrating the way of humility to them. It reduces us to the needy people we are, regardless of where we come down on the issues. It reminds us – everyone, really – that weakness in the presence of God has dignity and integrity that human strength cannot comprehend. (78)

. . . confession and prayer pose the greatest risk to ourselves and perhaps the greatest hope for the church to become a loving community. Controversy and conflict engender a defensive and accusatory spirit in the church. We criticize our opponents’ weaknesses and applaud our own strengths; they do likewise. We forget what sinners we are, however right our particular perspective might be. We forget that being right is not the only goal of Christians – especially not at the expense of Christian virtue.

Confession forces us to own up to our sin and not to use others’ wrongdoing to excuse our own. Confession reminds us that we desperately need the grace of God. It makes us weak and vulnerable, exposing our underbellies to the church and revealing that we are not so high and mighty after all. (80-81)

Confession exposes; prayer heals. Confession takes responsibility for wrongdoing; prayer asks God to help us do what is right. Confession acknowledges the human condition; prayer draws on the transcendent power of God. Confession admits to sin; prayer leads us to salvation. (89)

Sunday, September 7, 2008

My Struggle with "Missions"

Let’s clarify. God’s mission for the Church is helpful. Here mission is synonymous with purpose. But when we start to say “missions council” or “missionary,” we do a disservice to the word. In fact, a significant reason we have the global outreach and local outreach teams is because we found the word “missions” a hindrance to what we are trying to accomplish. Some would argue outreach is not helpful either, but we’ll save that conversation for another time.

Today, in church language, "missions" has come to mean what happens overseas. So the missions council is focused on what we support and do overseas. Missionaries are those who serve overseas. The problem with this is that God’s mission is not limited to a specific location and missionaries are not simply those who serve in the jungle or across the ocean. All of us are missionaries. We are here to be “on mission” for Christ in the places He has called us. Some of us are called to missionary work overseas and some are not. But it does not change the fact that we are all missionaries.

Some would say, “But I’m not called to be a missionary.” But that is simply not true. You may not be called to full-time vocational ministry in a church or overseas, but you are definitely called to be a missionary. Other words used in Scripture that help bring clarity to our understanding of missionary are ambassador, witness, disciple, follower, servant, slave, and imitator (of Christ).

The idea that some are missionaries and some are not is inaccurate. The idea that we may be a missionary for a while and then not is also inaccurate. A missionary is one who exists to serve God and His mission to the world. That is all of us.

Now what that means can look differently for all of us. You can have a full-time job in the marketplace and still be a missionary. You can be retired from your career job and still be a missionary. In fact, that is what all of us are called to be. Our identity is in Christ. We are His. Therefore, we exist for His purpose and His purpose is that the people of the world might see, experience, and respond to the love He offers.

The phrase “missions trip” can also be a hindrance. Yes, it is a specific trip devoted to serving God in a unique place, away from home. But when are we not on a mission’s trip? When is our life not about God’s mission? When are we not seeking to serve Him and His purpose? Clearly there are some unique aspects about a short-term experience in a distant country or cross-culturally, but those experiences are meant to be a means by which we continue our role as missionaries and even be encouraged to increase our commitment to God’s mission instead of our own.

So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
2 Corinthians 5:20

But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.
Mark 10:43-44

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

For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus' sake.
2 Corinthians 4:5

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Ephesians 5:1

The Challenge of Vision

Vision is all about the future and seeking to have the future be what you hope it to be. Every NFL football team right now is seeking to realize their vision of the Super Bowl. Almost all parents have some vision for their children whether it be President of the United States, college graduate, professional athlete, follower of Christ, not in jail, or countless other hopes and dreams that parents have for their children.

Everyone has vision. Everyone has a preferred future. But the challenge comes in knowing how and making the effort to help make your vision a reality.

Millions of people have envisioned a “thinner me” but yet due to little or no effort or a lack of motivation or unexpected events in life, these visions have not be realized.

What vision do you have for your future? Stop a moment and think about this. You may even want to write it down. (Ex. a healthier body, a new job, a vacation overseas, children who love Jesus, a growing marriage, a new boat, etc.)

What are you doing today to help make your vision a reality? What steps are you taking? What are you doing? What are you giving up?

Before we go any further, let’s stop for a minute and look at your vision – your preferred future. I have no trouble coming up with all sorts of visions. My list is long. But let’s stop and evaluate our list on the following question:

Is the vision I listed from God or from me? Is it my vision or God’s vision?

This is an important question. You may not be able to answer it for your entire list, but it is worth asking and it is worth seeking God’s direction if the answer is unclear. The only vision worth pursuing in this life, worth investing time and energy into, is God’s.

I think there are a couple key factors that help determine if it is God’s vision or my own.

1. Is the vision supported in Scripture? Is it something God would want to see happen?

2. If the vision is realized will it help others or just me?
Even small changes and growth in ourselves benefits those around us.
Way too many of my “visions” only benefit me. I doubt they are from God.

3. Can I accomplish the vision without God’s help?
Does God really ever call us to anything without Him?

4. Has my vision been supported and grounded in prayer?
Have you spent time asking for God’s direction in these areas?

5. Have others helped me in answering the first four questions or I am doing this on my own?
Not only can you get helpful feedback, but also support and accountability is helping to realize the vision.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Life of the Beloved - Nouwen

The following are excerpts from Henri Nouwen’s book, Life of the Beloved. He wrote the book in response to a request by a secular friend to explain the spiritual life in terms that he and his friends could understand, avoiding theology and technical language. Nouwen’s response is “You are the Beloved.”

Over the years, I have come to realize that the greatest trap in our life is not success, popularity, or power, but self-rejection. Success, popularity, and power can, indeed, present a great temptation, but their seductive quality often comes from the way they are part of the much larger temptation to self-rejection. When we have come to believe in the voices that call us worthless and unlovable, then success, popularity, and power are easily perceived as attractive solutions. The real trap, however, is self-rejection. (31-32)

Maybe you think you are more tempted by arrogance than self-rejection. But isn’t arrogance, in fact, the other side of self-rejection? Isn’t arrogance putting yourself on a pedestal to avoid being seen as you see yourself? Isn’t arrogance, in the final analysis, just another way of dealing with feelings of worthlessness? (32)

Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the “Beloved.” Being the Beloved expresses the core truth of our existence. (33)

Aren’t you, like me, hoping that some person, thing, or event will come along to give you that final feeling of inner well-being you desire? Don’t you often hope: “May this book, idea, course, trip, job, country, or relationship fulfill my deepest desire.” But as long as you are waiting for that mysterious moment you will go on running helter-skelter, always anxious and restless, always lustful and angry, never fully satisfied. You know that this is the compulsiveness that keeps us going and busy, but at the same time makes us wonder whether we are getting anywhere in the long run. This is the way to spiritual exhaustion and burn-out. This is the way to spiritual death.

Well, you and I don’t have to kill ourselves. We are the Beloved. We are intimately loved long before our parents, teachers, spouses, children, and friends loved or wounded us. That’s the truth of our lives. That’s the truth I want you to claim for yourself. That’s the truth spoken by the voice that says, “You are my Beloved.” (35-36)

As long as “being the Beloved” is little more than a beautiful thought or lofty idea that hangs above my life to keep me from becoming depressed, nothing really changes. What is required is to become the Beloved in the commonplaces of my daily existence and, bit by bit, to close the gap that exists between what I know myself to be and the countless specific realities of everyday life. (45-46)

To be chosen as the Beloved of God . . . includes others. Instead of rejecting others as less valuable, it accepts others in their own uniqueness. It is not competitive, but a compassionate choice. (55)

. . . we have to dare to reclaim the truth that we are God’s chosen ones, even when our world does not choose us. As long as we allow our parents, siblings, teachers, friends, and lovers to determine whether we are chosen or not, we are caught in the net of a suffocating world that accepts or rejects us according to its own agenda of effectiveness and control. (57-58)

When we keep claiming the light, we will find ourselves becoming more and more radiant. What fascinates me so much is that every time we decide to be grateful it will be easier to see new things to be grateful for. Gratitude begets gratitude, just as love begets love. (62)

For me personally, prayer becomes more and more a way to listen to the blessing. . . I realize that, although I have a tendency to say many things to God, the real “work” of prayer is to become silent and listen to the voice that says good things about me. This might sound self-indulgent, but, in practice it is a hard discipline. I am so afraid of being cursed, of hearing that I am no good or not good enough, that I quickly give in to the temptation to start talking and to keep talking in order to control my fears. (75-76)

. . . my own pain in life has taught me that the first step to healing is not a step away from the pain, but a step toward it. When brokenness is, in fact, just as intimate a part of our being as our chosenness and our blessedness, we have to dare to overcome our fear and become familiar with it. Yes, we have to find the courage to embrace our own brokenness, to make our most feared enemy into a friend, and to claim it as an intimate companion. I am convinced that healing is often so difficult because we don’t want to know the pain. (93)

The deep truth is that our human suffering need not be an obstacle to the joy and peace we so desire, but can become, instead, the means to it. (96)

What a wonderful mystery that is! Our greatest fulfillment lies in giving ourselves to others. (106)

We often live as if our happiness depended on having. But I don’t know anyone who is really happy because of what he or she has. True joy, happiness, and inner peace come from giving of ourselves to others. A happy life is a life for others. That truth, however, is usually discovered when we are confronted with our brokenness. (109)

The great struggle facing you is not to leave the world, to reject your ambitions and aspirations, or to despise money, prestige, or success, but to claim your spiritual truth and to live in the world as someone who doesn’t belong to it. (130)