Don't Forget the Giver

For most kids in America, Christmas time is all about the gift-giving experience - and understandably so.  Even as an adult I greatly enjoy receiving gifts.  There is excitement and anticipation as the paper is torn back and the gift comes into view.  And the joy of parents is many times greater as they watch a child open a gift they know that child will love. 

As Christian parents, we teach our children a couple of lessons to help keep the focus of the season in line.  First, we constantly remind them to say "thank you" to whoever gave the gift.  My wife's family has a wonderful tradition; each person actually gets up after every gift and gives a hug to the giver.  And even though our growing families make the gift exchange time a bit longer each year - it teaches our children to be grateful, and not to focus solely on the gift.  Second, we focus on Christ as the ultimate gift.  Our children must learn that the gift God gave us in Christ -  that brought redeeming grace to us His children - is the greatest gift that has ever, or will ever, be given.

Sadly, even Christians at times do not fully embrace how these two lessons fit together.  We forget to celebrate and give thanks to God the Father, who "so loved the world that he gave his only son..."  In Philippians 2:5-11, Paul penned what is often referred to as the "hymn of Christ."  It is a beautiful description of our salvation through Christ's humility and fits wonderfully with the season of Christmas.

"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:5-11 ESV)

The final phrase (which I bolded) tells us that God's ultimate gift to mankind - that of sending His eternal Son to be one of us - was given "to the glory of God the Father." Another passage phrases it "to the praise of his glorious grace" (Ephesians 1:6).  Yes, God the Father gave us Christ that we might enjoy the blessings of His glorious redemption; but even more so that His Name would be glorified. This season, let us enjoy the presents from our loved ones; but let us also look past them to the Ultimate Gift, and to the Giver "from Whom all blessings flow."  As our Lord taught us to pray, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name" (Matthew 6:9), let us hallow His name this season and thank Him for sending to us that Gift of gifts - our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Where's Baby Jesus

Being a Dad at Christmas time is awesome!  As with other special times of year, we can learn much from our children during this most special of seasons.  This year my family is participating in Advent as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ.  It has been a wonderful time of anticipation - especially as we have shared it with our daughter, 21-month-old MollyDru.  But what can a child so young learn about God's great gift? (Much less teach us?) As Rachel and I have enjoyed this season with her, we have tried to help her understand, even at the tender age of almost two, that Christmas is about Christ - and not just about us and Santa Claus. 

Thankfully, I believe we have succeeded.  But something we didn't expect has also happened. In her childlike and sincere way, our precious MollyDru has reminded us of wonders that we adults sometimes forget.  Reminder number one: When she had seen a Nativity scene, or when we have read Christmas books and watched Christmas programs with her, she always asks the same question: "Where's Baby Jesus?"  (I capitalize "Baby" because for MollyDru, that is part of His name.)  In her mind, as it should be in ours, the season is all about Baby Jesus.  It's a well-worn Christian cliché that "He is the reason for the season" - and we believe that to be true - but do we live and act like it?  MollyDru keeps asking, "Where's Baby Jesus?"  Is that childlike question just for children, or is it for all of us?

But our daughter has reminded us of much more.  Last week I opened MollyDru's "My First Bible," which has stories from all of scripture.  As we looked at the story of Joseph from the Bible's very first book, MollyDru quickly asked me again, "Where's Baby Jesus?"  I started to explain to her that this story was not about Jesus, but then it hit me.  It really was!  The Old Testament in so many ways points ahead to the One who was to come, to promises about that coming, and to what that coming would fulfill. The New Testament tells of His coming, the fulfillment of those promises, and guides us until He comes again.  MollyDru helped me remember that the entire biblical narrative is about her Baby Jesus.

I learned one more lesson from MollyDru - and this one may have had the most impact.  It came when I opened up a non-Christmas book that had nothing to do with Scripture.  MollyDru's quickly developing mind once again asked, "Where's Baby Jesus?"  But the story was not about Baby Jesus; it wasn't about the Bible; and so that question wasn't even appropriate. Right?  No - I realized that my initial reaction was wrong!  As we live our lives, little MollyDru's Baby Jesus and the Gospel he came to bring should affect every thing we do.  (Even those who reject His message will one day bow before Him.) When we spend time with our family, it should be about Baby Jesus.  When we go to work, it should be about Baby Jesus.  For me in ministry, I can easily begin to focus on what I am doing and not why I am doing it.  As I work each day for Mission of Hope Haiti (www.mohhaiti.org), I need to remember MollyDru's Baby Jesus and the Gospel transformation that is possible only because of God's great gift on that first Christmas long ago.

As you enjoy this Christmas season, I encourage you to keep Baby Jesus in all areas of your life.  More than capitalizing the "Christ" in CHRISTmas. More than boycotting places that sell Holiday trees. And even more than making an effort to be Christ-like this time of year.  Let's allow "Baby Jesus" - now gloriously raised from the dead and at the right hand of the Father - to so transform us that our "Christmas spirit" becomes a Christ-like spirit and a year-round life style!

Thank you, Lord, for Baby Jesus!

Four Words from a Transition

I am writing this as a celebration and proclamation of what God has done in my family's life over the last six months.  During an early morning quiet time last June, the Holy Spirit clearly laid four words on my heart.  In all honesty, I’m normally quite skeptical of "words from the Lord" for fear of acting on something that is not from Him. But this time the “words” were unquestionably clear and they fit perfectly with where I was in the study of the Word.  That morning I wrote in my journal these words: wisdom, discernment, favor, and patience.  Frankly, I had no idea what God was saying to me; but I shared the words with my wife and we began to pray about each one.  We prayed for wisdom, that God would give us clarity of mind and the ability to see the plan He had in store for us.  We prayed for discernment, specifically that God would give direction as things became clearer. We prayed for favor, but this was a tricky one for me personally. I was (and still am) leery of “favor” when it refers to an unbiblical bartering system with God. It eventually became clear that the Holy Spirit was leading in a very different direction.  Finally, we prayed for patience – the easiest to immediately understand, but by far the most difficult to put into practice.  After all, I was in a hurry to find out what God was going to do.

Six months later, our situation has become so much clearer.  First, I have with great sadness stepped down as student pastor at Heartland Community Church.  Rachel and I loved our time there, learned so much, and will miss the students, leaders, and parents incredibly!  And second, after much prayer, fasting, and guidance from wise counsel, I have accepted a position with Mission of Hope as Church Advancement Coordinator – and will be moving to Fort Myers, Florida.  Rachel and I truly believe this is God's call on our lives, even though it will involve the difficult process of uprooting our little family from OKC.  What the job will entail and the opportunities it will provide is an absolute fit with what the Lord has laid on my heart.  We are excited about what God is going to do in our lives personally; but more importantly about how He can be glorified as we join the MOH team and work to advance the Gospel in the country of Haiti.  In no way do I feel that my journey with God and his leading of my family and me is over.  We trust that this is only the beginning.  Even so, with the benefit of hindsight I can now see what the "four words" have meant.  

Wisdom: In the beginning it was tough. I was praying for wisdom in a vague sort of way without a clear understanding of what that meant.  Over the last six months it has become very clear that God has granted me wisdom in two specific ways. First, wisdom has come in the form of a more intense love for the Word. The way I study my Bible has become so much more personal and applicable for all that I walk through on a daily basis. I have a new appreciation for the Gospel thread throughout the entirety of scripture and how it affects my life. Second, I learned in a new way about the wisdom that our Lord provides through godly friends and confidants.  There have been two men in particular (you know who you are) who have come alongside me; and I could not have gotten through the last six months without their friendship and wise counsel. I am so thankful for that, for though our relationships will undoubtedly change as I make this physical move, I now see the importance of surrounding myself with godly men and “doing life” with them!

Discernment: I have always felt that discernment was one of my spiritual gifts. But with a decision of this magnitude -- one that would affect my family and so many loved ones in such a significant way -- doubts sometimes creep in.  Thankfully – as we prayed individually and together – God gave Rach and me clarity to know His will, and what our next step should be.  But discernment’s value is only determined by the obedience that accompanies it, and our gracious Lord has also given us the strength to follow through on that clarity.

Favor:  This was by far the most difficult idea for me to get my head around.  It's possible that my view of "favor" has been skewed by too much late night Christian TV.  For many Christians the word seems to imply that "if I give to the Lord, He will in turn provide me with a Mercedes Benz."  Intellectually and biblically I know this not to be the true meaning of favor, but it was a mental obstacle I had to overcome.  Only in the last few weeks have Rachel and I truly begun to understand what we had been praying for those six long months.  As we began to sit down with those closest to us, and to share with them what God was doing and where that would physically lead us, I realized that we had been praying for favor in their hearts.  God is so amazing that He would lead us to begin praying for situations He knew were coming, that we were completely unaware of.  Of course, there have been many tears and more will come, but God has obviously been working and preparing the hearts of our loved ones. Without exception, they have been able to see our diligence in being obedient to our calling, and have been supportive of that endeavor.  

Patience:  In his letter to the Romans (Romans 2:7-8), Paul shows us how patience is tied to God centeredness. Of course, that means that my impatience is tied to my self-centeredness.  And because of my depravity, if things would happen on my timetable, I would be unable to avoid taking more credit than I deserve.  Having patience, and the ability to wait on the Lord, glorifies Him and keeps Him at the center in all that we do.  At the start, "patience" was the word I thought I understood the best. But as God opened my eyes to see all that comes with patience, it has become so clear that I had no clue what my lack of patience was really saying.  I was actually telling God, "I want to follow your will, but I will set the schedule and tell you how it will go down."  God has humbled me, and this word is the one more than the others that I will continue to seek.  Instead of impatience, I want to progressively love and trust Him more, and by His grace to put away the ungodly grousing that comes so naturally.

And so God has used the last six months to equip me physically, spiritually, and emotionally. I can think of no better way to close than with the words of the great hymn, Great is Thy Faithfulness.

            Great is Thy faithfulness!

            Great is Thy faithfulness!

            Morning by morning new mercies I see.

            All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;

            Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, Unto me!

Thoughts on Freedom

What does it mean to truly be free in Christ? If our identity, after He saves us, is in Him, how can we be bound and tied to things that are in us? Col 2:13-15 "And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands.  This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.  He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him."  

Addiction and bondage is apart of who we are as depraved souls, but after salvation and a regenerated heart that comes with true salvation, our identity is no longer about who we are, but instead about who He is.  If who we were, is still who we are, than we are not in Him, we are not regenerated.  Rom 8:31, "If God is for us, who can be against us?"  God does not have addictions and bondages.  The Gospel shows us that we are NOT who we once were, because of what He did, NOT because of what we did and in spite of who we were.  If we are given His identity, his righteousness as a "new creation," how can we be bound by things that cannot bind Him?

Can we be tempted, yes! He was tempted and Hebrews 4:15 tells us "we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin."  Will we screw up, yes.  We will make mistakes, we are still living in this flesh which is temporary, and have not reached the extent of our sanctification, only begun.  The Gospel is given to us in the very next verse in Hebrews 4:16, "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in the time of need."  If we could do this thing with out missteps, than Christ wasted his time [Galatians 2:21].  That being understood, we will be tempted and we will fail, but we are not bound, we are not tied, we are not continually in a snare, we have been freed.  Galatians 5:1 says "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery."  

Filipino Counting Method

While working with my daughter, Molly Dru, on her counting, I remembered something I heard a while back.  There is a theory of teaching math known as the Filipino math method that differs from how most western students learn math.  Western students learn the “names” of the numbers and then memorize them in sequential order.  The Filipino method has a different approach. From the very beginning it assigns value to each individual digit. This means that a child from the start will see the number “4” and assign it mentally with the idea of four beans, coins or whatever object used in teaching.  The western students will normally learn to recognize their numbers and to count before students in the Filipino method, but when the degree of math rises the Filipino method gives the students a massive advantage.  When students reach the stage of multiplication and division, they are not forced to go solely off memory, but because of how they see the numbers can use those values to come to the solution.  When they see [ 3 x 4 ] they immediately know that is asking for “the value of three, four times,” instead of spouting off the memorized answer of 12.  Once again, when these students reach even higher levels such as algebra and calculus, they have a much stronger foundation. 

            This is so comparable to many Christians.  As children, teens and/or baby Christians we memorize the correct things to say or do.  We have automated responses to certain questions or circumstances that may arise.  For example, for many of you that grew up in church I am sure you have been apart of the following experience:  A minister, normally the youth minister gives a talk on how evil and wicked listening to secular music is.  He points out that Satan himself was a musician and because of that, music by certain bands, on certain stations and for the most part anything not played on K-Love (or whatever the local Christian station may be) will send you straight to Hell.  At that point the minister implores each person in the crowd to go to their car and bring in all of their CD’s (sad that this is dating me). All of the “secular” CDs would be smashed, burned, or destroyed in some creative way, making the point of how evil it was [if you didn’t grow up in church, yes, this actually happened and I know its sad].

            In those services, scriptures such as Philippians 4:8 and Colossian 3:2 would be used to make the case.  I absolutely agree that these versus are true and we should be careful what we put into our head.  “If there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things,” is a wonderful gauge of what we fill our minds with, but we need to begin to understand the value of what the text is saying, not simply learn rules of what we should or should not listen to.  As we continue to study the word, and as we teach it to our children and others, we must set the foundation of getting to the heart of what the Word is showing us.  The Word is absolutely true, and it is absolutely for today, but if we are not careful we can reduce it to memorizing a multiplication table so that we may spout off the correct answer when asked.

Parable of a Lifesaving Station

I recently heard this parable on a podcast I was listening to. I originally planned on expounding on it with a blog, but think its better left as is.  It should speak for itself.

The Lifesaving Station Parable

by Theodore Wedel

On a dangerous seacoast where shipwrecks often occur, there was once a crude little lifesaving station. The building was just a hut, and there was only one boat, but the few devoted members kept a constant watch over the sea, and with no thought for themselves went out day and night tirelessly searching for the lost. Many lives were saved by this wonderful little station, so that it became famous. Some of those who were saved, and various others in the surrounding area, wanted to become associated with the station and give of their time and money and effort for the support of its work. New boats were bought and new crews trained. The little lifesaving station grew.

Some of the members of the lifesaving station were unhappy that the building was so crude and poorly equipped. They felt that a more comfortable place should be provided as the first refuge of those saved from the sea. So they replaced the emergency cots with beds and put better furniture in the enlarged building. Now the lifesaving station became a popular gathering place for its members, and they decorated it beautifully and furnished it exquisitely, because they used it as a sort of club. Fewer members were now interested in going to sea on lifesaving missions, so they hired lifeboat crews to do this work. The lifesaving motif still prevailed in this club’s decoration, and there was a liturgical lifesaving lifeboat in the room where the club initiations were held. About this time a large ship was wrecked off the coast, and the hired crews brought in boatloads of cold, wet, and half-drowned people. They were dirty and sick. The beautiful new club was in chaos. So they immediately had a shower house built outside the club where victims of shipwreck could be cleaned up before coming inside.

At the next meeting, there was a split in the club membership. Most of the members wanted to stop the club’s lifesaving activities as being unpleasant and a hindrance to the normal social life of the club. However, some members insisted upon lifesaving as their primary purpose and pointed out that they were still called a lifesaving station. But they were finally voted down and told that if they wanted to save the lives of all the various kind of people who were shipwrecked in those waters, they could begin their own lifesaving station down the coast. They did.

As the years went by, the new station experienced the same changes that had occurred in the old. It evolved into a club, and yet another lifesaving station was founded. History continued to repeat itself; and if you visit that seacoast today, you will find a number of exclusive clubs along that shore. Shipwrecks are frequent in those waters, but most of the people drown.

Street View

     I have to admit, I have a slight addiction to Google and all that it has to offer. I am the guy that looks for their beta (test) versions of some of their apps and provides feedback on what I think. One of my favorite things Google offers is the "street view" option inside of Google Maps. Street view gives you the perspective of being in a car and driving down the street of the area on the map you are looking at.  I know that it has been around for a while, but they have finally gotten around to sending that little Google car to most of the streets here in Oklahoma City. I have used the terms "street view" and "map view" to describe a theory I have on how men and women see directions differently. Remember this is simply my opinion, but I feel like most women see directions from the street view, ground level, and tunnel vision perspective. They know where to turn by remembering certain landmarks not by seeing the overall plot of the course. In contrast, most men (and I use most liberally) see directions from the map view. Men visualize a map in our head and plot out the course from point A to point B. Because of this over view of the directions, when something such as a wreck or road construction causes us to detour we are able to adjust on the fly.  For those that view directions from the street view level, an accident can cause panic and confusion because their only reference points may not be accessible.  

     This analogy also works wonderfully when comparing how we see our lives versus how God sees everything.  God is not bound by time and space and is able to see the "map view" compared to our extremely limited "street view." Psalms 115:3 is simple and concise in saying "Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases." Regardless of what we feel like should happen from our street view, God will take us in the direction that He pleases.  Even the evil King Nebuchadnezzar came to this realization; that is after being driven out of his kingdom, eating grass like an ox, growing hair like feathers of an eagle and nails like claws of a bird (Daniel 4).  After regaining his reason and sanity, the king came to this realization in Daniel 4:35; "all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, ' what have you done?'"  

         As I have spent the summer studying Romans 8 in depth, I have come to a new understanding of a popular verse in the Christian world.  Romans 8:28 says “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” I have been guilty, in the same way many others have, of hijacking this verse as simply a good response to people going through a rough patch, or at an impasse on their street view. As my view of God and his ultimate love for me has changed, my understanding of what Paul is communicating in this verse has become much more clear.  He is writing to believers, and yes all things will work together for good, but the key word is all.  From the street level, we are not able to see how weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities (2 Cor 12:10) can work together for good, but all of those things fall under the category of all.  We simply have to trust that the God who created the universe is capable of getting us from point A to point B, regardless of what the view looks like from our windshield. 

Blogging again for the second time...

I have decided, once again to start keeping a more consistent blog.  Previously I stepped away from writing, feeling unqualified to be writing something others may read.  In previous writing, I would question whether some of the statements were truth and/or whether I truly believed them.  The last year in my life has been an eye opening time where I have done my absolute best to take off any filters I have of God’s word.  [I will preface the next statement in saying that my feelings are not directed at my parents but rather at the environment of the church I grew up in] I grew up in a church environment, whether it was intended or not, put a specific lens on God’s word that prevented me from seeing it in its entirety.  Taking this filter off of the Bible has done a pretty good number on my belief system and more than ever I have been able to see just how much God loves me.  Even over the past few weeks I have spoken with several people who were raised in a similar church setting as myself and see how their current state is affected by what they were taught.  My background is full of some absolute wonderful experiences but lacked in absolute truths. 

The experience based theology in which I spent the first 26 years of my life taught me to fear making a mistake, and when I did I felt less about myself and further from God.  I have begun a process of truly knowing a God whose word says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And it is not your own doing; not a result of works, so that no man may boast (Ephesians 2:8&9 ESV).” I now live in a freedom of knowing nothing I have done or do has anything to do with my salvation, but God, while I was and still am a sinner, justified me through his grace.  This has not given me a license to sin, but the security in knowing my sanctification is a process.  I now strive to daily live as He has commanded, not out of a fear, but out of a desire to experience the joy he has in His commands. 

The following lengthy quote from J.I. Packer’s book Knowing God is an absolute description of where I was, and where I believe many who read this are:

“One can know a great deal about godliness without much knowledge of God.  It depends on the sermons one hears, the books one reads, and the company one keeps.  In this analytical and technological age there is no shortage of books on the church booktables, or sermons from the pulpits, on how to pray, how to witness, how to read our Bibles, how to tithe our money, how to be a young Christian, how to be an old Christian, how to be a happy Christian, how to get consecrated, how to lead people to Christ, how to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit (or, in some cases, how to avoid receiving it), how to speak in tongues (or, how to explain away Pentecostal manifestations), and generally how to go through all the various motions which teachers in question associate with being a Christian believer…Whatever else may be said about this state of affairs, it certainly makes it possible to learn a great deal second hand about the practice of Christianity… Yet one can have all this and hardly know God at all.” [Parentheses were apart of the original text, not added by me]

         This book was written by a man who I had never heard of, in church or Bible College most likely due to the fact his theological leanings did not meet the 16 truths.  I believe this excerpt, although over 30 years old, is an incredible accurate description of where the church is today.  Both sides of the theological aisle need to do a better job of “knowing God” and not simply knowing a great deal about God.  Our foundation has to be based on sound Biblical truth if we want to be able to withstand life.  Experiences will wash away with the house built on sand.  Through this blog, my desire is to stir others to begin to question and seek God for who He truly is.  Is what you believe tinted by the shade of your glasses or have you truly dug into God’s word and sought to know Him for yourself?