Chambers talks again today about faith: "Faith by its very nature must be tested and tried. And the real trial of faith is not that we find it difficult to trust God, but that God's character must be proven as trustworthy in our own minds."
I think this morning about the concept of faith in America and mine in particular. How has the culture around me shaped this concept of faith?
Faith is not contingent on circumstances, but in spite of those. If I look to what God has done for me, especially from the material and health standpoint, I can say that God has been faithful and provided for me and my family. I can acknowledge that all that I have comes from Him, and I can be really thankful, but does that show true faith?
I can say, and I do, that whatever God brings into my life is best for me, regardless of the circumstances that surround that event, but do I mean that when times might be hard? Is my faith contingent on continued blessings? Is it a convenient faith? Is it akin to a prosperity gospel?
God says that His purposes are not ours nor His ways. We can fall into line with His, but He is not beholden to make His bend to ours. Could my faith survive this test? Could I possibly quit asking God to bless me and my efforts and simply say, "Thy will be done"?
Could I live a true life of faith as Chambers says at the end of today's devotion? "The highest and the greatest expression of faith in the whole Bible is: "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" (Job 13:15).
Putting aside the American Dream, and taking up the life of true faith.
Me?
Monday, October 31, 2011
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Faith is not a shallow Subject
Chambers talks today about Faith as he says: "Turning intellectual faith into our personal possession is always a fight, not just sometimes. God brings us into particular circumstances to educate our faith, because the nature of faith is to make the object of our faith very real to us. Until we know Jesus, God is merely a concept, and we can't have faith in Him. But once we hear Jesus say, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9) we immediately have something that is real, and our faith is limitless. Faith is the entire person in the right relationship with God through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ."
I have to ask myself, how much of my "faith" comes from the fact that I have been brought up in the church and have lived my life in the confines of the Christian faith? That is all that I know, and that covers my entire existence. I believe what the Bible says is true, and that the words of Jesus are real and are for me.
Do I just have faith in faith?
If I had been born and raised in a Muslim country, by Muslim parents, would my faith reflect that? Or in India by Hindus, or in Japan by Shintoists, or anywhere else by anyone else? Is my faith real, really real?
To think again on part of what Chambers says, I read: "Turning intellectual faith into our personal possession is always a fight, not just sometimes. God brings us into particular circumstances to educate our faith, because the nature of faith is to make the object of our faith very real to us."
My circumstances are my own, and God uses these to educate my faith. Faith in who, faith in what and how does it play out in my life right now?
Questions, questions, and more questions. There is one thing for sure, Faith is not a shallow subject.
God, help me to see it as you want me to, today.
Amen and Amen
I have to ask myself, how much of my "faith" comes from the fact that I have been brought up in the church and have lived my life in the confines of the Christian faith? That is all that I know, and that covers my entire existence. I believe what the Bible says is true, and that the words of Jesus are real and are for me.
Do I just have faith in faith?
If I had been born and raised in a Muslim country, by Muslim parents, would my faith reflect that? Or in India by Hindus, or in Japan by Shintoists, or anywhere else by anyone else? Is my faith real, really real?
To think again on part of what Chambers says, I read: "Turning intellectual faith into our personal possession is always a fight, not just sometimes. God brings us into particular circumstances to educate our faith, because the nature of faith is to make the object of our faith very real to us."
My circumstances are my own, and God uses these to educate my faith. Faith in who, faith in what and how does it play out in my life right now?
Questions, questions, and more questions. There is one thing for sure, Faith is not a shallow subject.
God, help me to see it as you want me to, today.
Amen and Amen
Saturday, October 29, 2011
God Gives Us An Example
Yesterday, as we were driving back from Chattanooga on I-16, we started hearing a strange sound from under the car each time there was a slight dip in the road, a scraping sound that continually got a little worse as we drove east. After listening for a few miles, while wishing it would go away, we decided to pull off and see if we had picked up something that was hanging down and hitting the road.
Rather than stop on the side of the interstate, we opted to pull over at the next exit, which we did. I just wanted to be able to get down and look under the front of the car in order to see if I could tell the cause.
So we exited and pulled into an convenience store area to look. I found a shield of some sort had separated from its holder and was hanging down, making it hit the road each time the car went into a slight depression. All of the bolts, or whatever was supposed to hold it tight to the car frame, had come out or broken off, either as a result of running over a parking stop the last time we broke for lunch, or from running over a large piece of truck tire on the road. Either way, I could not force it back up and make it stay, so that we would not hear the sound.
Looking across an open space from the store, we saw a Ford dealership, and , although we did not have a Ford product, thought that we might get some help there to fix the problem. The service manager, Joel, said he would look into it, and came back a few minutes later, having taken care of the noise problem with a few plastic ties.
God's provision was evident. The noise started just before we got to an exit with a dealership. Even though the service department did not have any of the parts to fit our particular car, they managed to give us a temporary fix, and we could go on our way without the irritation.
In this case, God made it plain to us that He knew and He cared. How many times do things happen in our lives that He takes care of without our even recognizing?
Rather than stop on the side of the interstate, we opted to pull over at the next exit, which we did. I just wanted to be able to get down and look under the front of the car in order to see if I could tell the cause.
So we exited and pulled into an convenience store area to look. I found a shield of some sort had separated from its holder and was hanging down, making it hit the road each time the car went into a slight depression. All of the bolts, or whatever was supposed to hold it tight to the car frame, had come out or broken off, either as a result of running over a parking stop the last time we broke for lunch, or from running over a large piece of truck tire on the road. Either way, I could not force it back up and make it stay, so that we would not hear the sound.
Looking across an open space from the store, we saw a Ford dealership, and , although we did not have a Ford product, thought that we might get some help there to fix the problem. The service manager, Joel, said he would look into it, and came back a few minutes later, having taken care of the noise problem with a few plastic ties.
God's provision was evident. The noise started just before we got to an exit with a dealership. Even though the service department did not have any of the parts to fit our particular car, they managed to give us a temporary fix, and we could go on our way without the irritation.
In this case, God made it plain to us that He knew and He cared. How many times do things happen in our lives that He takes care of without our even recognizing?
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Seek and Find
Chambers makes this statement and asks these questions this morning: "The one great challenge to us is, do I know my risen Lord? Do I know the power of His indwelling Spirit? Am I wise enough in God's sight, but foolish enough according to the wisdom of the world, to trust in what Jesus Christ has said?"
It is not enough to believe, I have to know. Not just know about Jesus, but know Him, and what does that look like?
It is a haunting question, one that puts into question all that I believe and all that my Christian service purports to represent. It relates to that question from the Truth Project; "Do you really believe that what you believe is really true?"
I have this book on my computer by Billy Graham's son in law, Tullian Tchividjian, with the title Do I Know God, and have read it a couple of times already. Each time I read and try to answer the question truthfully, I come up with a big question mark. Do I really know Him?
I go back to Chambers questions and confess that I need to spend a lot of time in truly seeking the answers. The Bible says that I should seek and I will find.
"The one great challenge to us is, do I know my risen Lord? Do I know the power of His indwelling Spirit? Am I wise enough in God's sight, but foolish enough according to the wisdom of the world, to trust in what Jesus Christ has said?"
Today I seek....honestly seek..
It is not enough to believe, I have to know. Not just know about Jesus, but know Him, and what does that look like?
It is a haunting question, one that puts into question all that I believe and all that my Christian service purports to represent. It relates to that question from the Truth Project; "Do you really believe that what you believe is really true?"
I have this book on my computer by Billy Graham's son in law, Tullian Tchividjian, with the title Do I Know God, and have read it a couple of times already. Each time I read and try to answer the question truthfully, I come up with a big question mark. Do I really know Him?
I go back to Chambers questions and confess that I need to spend a lot of time in truly seeking the answers. The Bible says that I should seek and I will find.
"The one great challenge to us is, do I know my risen Lord? Do I know the power of His indwelling Spirit? Am I wise enough in God's sight, but foolish enough according to the wisdom of the world, to trust in what Jesus Christ has said?"
Today I seek....honestly seek..
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
To Be or not to Be....
I have been approached by a group in church leadership to consider a role at church. This group is looking at the possibility of selecting two men for this role and they have asked me to be one of four candidates for the two places. There is a questionnaire to be filled out that will lead to a personal interview, after which the final selections will be made.
Now, I do not have any quarrel with the process, as long as the group has prayed and received this from God, at least in their minds, as to the procedure. After all the whole group of disciples cast lots to determine God's will in naming the successor to Judas as one of the twelve. The same method was used in the old testament on several occasions. Sounds a lot like drawing the short straw.
So, now comes the questionnaire, and I have to look at my motives for filling it out. Can I do it without pushing my case for the job, providing I feel God has called me in this direction? Can I do it honestly, not trying to make me look good in the eyes of those who evaluate it? Indeed, what is my motive for filling it out in the first place? The questions mostly are concerned with my spiritual life, and God is the only one that knows the heart.
Chambers says today: "A Christian worker has to learn how to be God's man or woman of great worth and excellence in the midst of a multitude of meager and worthless things."
Is this definition me? Can I separate the chaff from my life, so that I might actually be worthy to serve where He calls? Is this process I am currently in, His calling?
Oh what to do, what to do?
Since I do not have long to turn the form in, and after some prayer and soul searching, I will complete the exercise, but I will try to use it as a form of self-examination and an opportunity for God to show me more of my own heart and desires, and not as a job application.
But I will continue to seek God's face on the whole matter of service and be willing to say no, if this is not His call.
To be or not to be, that is the question. God help me!
Now, I do not have any quarrel with the process, as long as the group has prayed and received this from God, at least in their minds, as to the procedure. After all the whole group of disciples cast lots to determine God's will in naming the successor to Judas as one of the twelve. The same method was used in the old testament on several occasions. Sounds a lot like drawing the short straw.
So, now comes the questionnaire, and I have to look at my motives for filling it out. Can I do it without pushing my case for the job, providing I feel God has called me in this direction? Can I do it honestly, not trying to make me look good in the eyes of those who evaluate it? Indeed, what is my motive for filling it out in the first place? The questions mostly are concerned with my spiritual life, and God is the only one that knows the heart.
Chambers says today: "A Christian worker has to learn how to be God's man or woman of great worth and excellence in the midst of a multitude of meager and worthless things."
Is this definition me? Can I separate the chaff from my life, so that I might actually be worthy to serve where He calls? Is this process I am currently in, His calling?
Oh what to do, what to do?
Since I do not have long to turn the form in, and after some prayer and soul searching, I will complete the exercise, but I will try to use it as a form of self-examination and an opportunity for God to show me more of my own heart and desires, and not as a job application.
But I will continue to seek God's face on the whole matter of service and be willing to say no, if this is not His call.
To be or not to be, that is the question. God help me!
Monday, October 24, 2011
Marching in the Procession
Chambers says today: "The proper perspective to maintain is that we are here for only one purpose, to be captives marching in the procession of Christ's triumphs."
"Captives marching in the procession" brings the image to my mind of a Roman general marching the captives taken in a recent victory through the streets of the capital. The glory of the day does not belong to the captives, but to the one who claims them as his.
Then a couple of other ideas come to me. There may be at least two differences in the attitudes of the captives as they march. On the one hand, there are those who are defiant, who had to be subdued by force, and who, even as they are led along, are scheming as to how and when they might escape. Others have come to the end of their resistance, put up their hands in surrender and are ready to serve as their new master wishes. This second group may just be resigned to their fate, or they may have seen their lives changed for the better.
Christians that are "captured by Christ", and marching in His procession, give Him the glory. They are obediently following, not in defiance, but in love, because of what He has done in their lives. They can look forward to a life of submission to One who has their best interests at heart.
So, where do I fit into all of this? As a Christ follower, how do I treat my circumstances, as from God and to be walked through with Him, or with resistance and looking for a way of escape? If these circumstances prove to be hard and I walk through them, who gets the glory? Me? Do I say that these things that come into my life are tests or opportunities?
I know what the correct answers are, now, acting on those, I need to live them out in my life today.
"Captives marching in the procession" brings the image to my mind of a Roman general marching the captives taken in a recent victory through the streets of the capital. The glory of the day does not belong to the captives, but to the one who claims them as his.
Then a couple of other ideas come to me. There may be at least two differences in the attitudes of the captives as they march. On the one hand, there are those who are defiant, who had to be subdued by force, and who, even as they are led along, are scheming as to how and when they might escape. Others have come to the end of their resistance, put up their hands in surrender and are ready to serve as their new master wishes. This second group may just be resigned to their fate, or they may have seen their lives changed for the better.
Christians that are "captured by Christ", and marching in His procession, give Him the glory. They are obediently following, not in defiance, but in love, because of what He has done in their lives. They can look forward to a life of submission to One who has their best interests at heart.
So, where do I fit into all of this? As a Christ follower, how do I treat my circumstances, as from God and to be walked through with Him, or with resistance and looking for a way of escape? If these circumstances prove to be hard and I walk through them, who gets the glory? Me? Do I say that these things that come into my life are tests or opportunities?
I know what the correct answers are, now, acting on those, I need to live them out in my life today.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Life's Changes, Am I Ready?
For an old retired person, there seems to be a lot going on in my life now. A lot of it is not just being busy about a bunch of things, it is more a question of God showing me a lot of areas that need His help and my obedience.
Chambers says today: " How are we going to get the life that has no lust, no self-interest, no sensitiveness to pokes, the love that is not provoked, that thinketh no evil, that is always kind? The only way is by allowing not a bit of the old life to be left; but only simple perfect trust in God, such trust that we no longer want God's blessings, but only want Himself."
For instance: there is the area of my complete trust in God. That is complete trust in all areas of my life, financial, healthwise, church involment, and the daily relationships of living.
Now the Elders of our church come to me with another question of church service in leadership. I am content to serve in the background, so that I do not have to face the temptation of pride in position, but is this a calling from God and a time for me to step up and put all of my past issues aside?
We are also having some health issues right now, nothing life threatening, but more just the product of getting older, but still wanting to be able to do as we are accustomed. Can I grow old gracefully, or will it be kicking and screaming?
I guess I am glad that God does not allow me to just vegetate in mental and spiritual uselessness, but I also know that I will need a lot of His help in the days ahead.
God, help me to stay in your will, so that I will be the husband, father, grandfather, and servant that I want and need to be for Your glory and not mine.
Amen!
Chambers says today: " How are we going to get the life that has no lust, no self-interest, no sensitiveness to pokes, the love that is not provoked, that thinketh no evil, that is always kind? The only way is by allowing not a bit of the old life to be left; but only simple perfect trust in God, such trust that we no longer want God's blessings, but only want Himself."
For instance: there is the area of my complete trust in God. That is complete trust in all areas of my life, financial, healthwise, church involment, and the daily relationships of living.
Now the Elders of our church come to me with another question of church service in leadership. I am content to serve in the background, so that I do not have to face the temptation of pride in position, but is this a calling from God and a time for me to step up and put all of my past issues aside?
We are also having some health issues right now, nothing life threatening, but more just the product of getting older, but still wanting to be able to do as we are accustomed. Can I grow old gracefully, or will it be kicking and screaming?
I guess I am glad that God does not allow me to just vegetate in mental and spiritual uselessness, but I also know that I will need a lot of His help in the days ahead.
God, help me to stay in your will, so that I will be the husband, father, grandfather, and servant that I want and need to be for Your glory and not mine.
Amen!
Saturday, October 22, 2011
He Knows and He Cares
First Peter 5:7 states that He (God) cares for you (me).
Now usually I read over this and just pas it by, as if it were common knowledge, and I understand what it means, and what it entails for me in my life situation right now (or anytime).
This morning I got up fairly early, came into my study room, and my first thought was that God knew where I was and what I was doing right then. The fact that there were billions of people around the world at that particular moment, doing something, and He was willing to be here with me and interact in such a way that I could even realize this fact, was, in itself, amazing.
He knew and He cared. What a thought! Could I even get my feeble mind around that fact? What kind of implication did it have on my life, even as this day begins?
I shoot off a quick prayer at night without much thought at all, that if He wants me to get up early and read, study, pray, think, or whatever, He will wake me up. So, it happens and I come in here to do it. Then the thought hits me that He knows and cares, and that makes all the difference in the way I approach this special time.
He knows what I care about and who I care about, and He cares about them, too. He knows about the things that will be in my life today, and He cares about that also.
Perhaps I should write these words on my hand, so I could notice and remember the fact of His love all day long, and not let this special moment just get lost in the living of an ordinary day. He has written them on my heart, and I want to let them be my constant companion.
He knows that and cares about that, too. Awesome......
Now usually I read over this and just pas it by, as if it were common knowledge, and I understand what it means, and what it entails for me in my life situation right now (or anytime).
This morning I got up fairly early, came into my study room, and my first thought was that God knew where I was and what I was doing right then. The fact that there were billions of people around the world at that particular moment, doing something, and He was willing to be here with me and interact in such a way that I could even realize this fact, was, in itself, amazing.
He knew and He cared. What a thought! Could I even get my feeble mind around that fact? What kind of implication did it have on my life, even as this day begins?
I shoot off a quick prayer at night without much thought at all, that if He wants me to get up early and read, study, pray, think, or whatever, He will wake me up. So, it happens and I come in here to do it. Then the thought hits me that He knows and cares, and that makes all the difference in the way I approach this special time.
He knows what I care about and who I care about, and He cares about them, too. He knows about the things that will be in my life today, and He cares about that also.
Perhaps I should write these words on my hand, so I could notice and remember the fact of His love all day long, and not let this special moment just get lost in the living of an ordinary day. He has written them on my heart, and I want to let them be my constant companion.
He knows that and cares about that, too. Awesome......
Friday, October 21, 2011
Is Realization Enough?
Chambers says today:
"We do not need the grace of God to withstand crises,human nature and pride are sufficient for us to face the stress and strain magnificently. But it does require the supernatural grace of God to live twenty-four hours of every day as a saint, going through drudgery, and living an ordinary, unnoticed, and ignored existence as a disciple of Jesus. It is ingrained in us that we have to do exceptional things for God,but we do not. We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things of life, and holy on the ordinary streets, among ordinary people,and this is not learned in five minutes."
The first thing that struck me this morning was that the word "saint" does not apply to me. When I hear or see that word, the picture that comes to my mind is a personage like Mother Theresa, or some person in our church who is so on fire for Jesus that I can't help but notice. The Bible calls all believers, saints, so I guess I be one. Mother Theresa can be a saint with a capital S, and I only take the small one.
The second thing that jumps out at me is the fact that living the Christian life takes place in the ordinary, the daily routines of normal existence, and that often entails a struggle within my mind and heart.
Now I have mentioned before, on more than one occasion, that I am basically a selfish individual. I struggle to put someone else's needs and desires above my own, especially if I feel my time is precious. I get somewhat irritated when called on to respond when I have things I want to do, even as I am acting on that request. Sometimes the battle is not in responding, it is doing that with love and grace.
I recognize the battle, before a situation develops, during that particular time, and after it is all past. I resolve to handle it differently the next time, be that in the next 5 minutes, or maybe not till tomorrow, but then I realize, "Hey, I did it again".
I do not want to just put on my game face and act like a saint, I want to live out my faith in the ordinary parts of life, even where no person sees.
God, help me to actually reflect your love and grace all the time, not to just realize when I don't. Realization is a good start, but living that way is much better.
"We do not need the grace of God to withstand crises,human nature and pride are sufficient for us to face the stress and strain magnificently. But it does require the supernatural grace of God to live twenty-four hours of every day as a saint, going through drudgery, and living an ordinary, unnoticed, and ignored existence as a disciple of Jesus. It is ingrained in us that we have to do exceptional things for God,but we do not. We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things of life, and holy on the ordinary streets, among ordinary people,and this is not learned in five minutes."
The first thing that struck me this morning was that the word "saint" does not apply to me. When I hear or see that word, the picture that comes to my mind is a personage like Mother Theresa, or some person in our church who is so on fire for Jesus that I can't help but notice. The Bible calls all believers, saints, so I guess I be one. Mother Theresa can be a saint with a capital S, and I only take the small one.
The second thing that jumps out at me is the fact that living the Christian life takes place in the ordinary, the daily routines of normal existence, and that often entails a struggle within my mind and heart.
Now I have mentioned before, on more than one occasion, that I am basically a selfish individual. I struggle to put someone else's needs and desires above my own, especially if I feel my time is precious. I get somewhat irritated when called on to respond when I have things I want to do, even as I am acting on that request. Sometimes the battle is not in responding, it is doing that with love and grace.
I recognize the battle, before a situation develops, during that particular time, and after it is all past. I resolve to handle it differently the next time, be that in the next 5 minutes, or maybe not till tomorrow, but then I realize, "Hey, I did it again".
I do not want to just put on my game face and act like a saint, I want to live out my faith in the ordinary parts of life, even where no person sees.
God, help me to actually reflect your love and grace all the time, not to just realize when I don't. Realization is a good start, but living that way is much better.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Diamonds or Stones-The Truth
Yesterday I was frustrated. I was into some deeper issues and did not have time to finish it up before I had to leave and take care of a job that needed to be done that day. But the day worked out OK, and I did have some quiet time while waiting for Mayre to make a couple of appointments that she had. So, the frustration was temporary, and God worked out what I needed.
Maybe the lesson I needed to learn from that experience was not to be so caught up in myself, but trust that God knew best, and just wait and see.
Today must be another lesson in something. I had ample time this morning, read Chambers, tried to pray some, but seemed to end up dry.
One thing Chambers had in this day's reading was: "Am I getting nobler, better, more helpful, more humble, as I get older? Am I exhibiting the life that men take knowledge of as having been with Jesus, or am I getting more self-assertive, more deliberately determined to have my own way? It is a great thing to tell yourself the truth."
As I get older, I just realize what I am not, and not even becoming. I want every day to be an upward progression to more and better fellowship with God, but some days I seem not able to get there at all.
Chambers says that It is a great thing to tell yourself the truth. At least I can do that.
"Some days are diamonds, some days are stones"
But both can be God's teaching lab.
Maybe the lesson I needed to learn from that experience was not to be so caught up in myself, but trust that God knew best, and just wait and see.
Today must be another lesson in something. I had ample time this morning, read Chambers, tried to pray some, but seemed to end up dry.
One thing Chambers had in this day's reading was: "Am I getting nobler, better, more helpful, more humble, as I get older? Am I exhibiting the life that men take knowledge of as having been with Jesus, or am I getting more self-assertive, more deliberately determined to have my own way? It is a great thing to tell yourself the truth."
As I get older, I just realize what I am not, and not even becoming. I want every day to be an upward progression to more and better fellowship with God, but some days I seem not able to get there at all.
Chambers says that It is a great thing to tell yourself the truth. At least I can do that.
"Some days are diamonds, some days are stones"
But both can be God's teaching lab.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Frustrations
What do I do when frustration hits?
Here is my scenario from this morning:
wake up early to read, reflect in my journal, and post my blog
struggle with Chambers writing and its application to my life
decide to delve into another book that is on my computer
spend an hour reading
get a phone call to take care of some things before noon
realize that I don't have enough time to finish my "quiet" time
Now, I am retired, and that means having enough time to do what I most want to do in any given day. Today I most wanted to have some time to think. I am in the process of rereading a book by Billy Graham's grandson who is a pastor down in Florida. The title is "Do I Know God", and is a practical exercise in reflecting on the true meaning of "knowing God".
There are times in my life, today being one of them, that I feel certain that I know about God, but lack that certainty that I really do know Him, personally. Taking the time to think all of that through again today became my goal for this morning, and I was about halfway through this little book, when life intervened.
So, I forget Chambers and his words for today, and write about what is on my heart as I move toward that task that thrust itself into my early day. God knows what I wanted to do, and that will have to do for now. He also knows the outcome of the rest of my morning and my day. Nothing happens on its own, there is a purpose for things that come into my life.
Now if I will keep my eyes and heart open as I move through the day there are some things out there that God wants me to see, that could be more important to this spiritual life than what I had planned.
Perhaps, at the end of the day, I will better understand some of the "whys" of that changed schedule.
God, please open my eyes to see You today
Here is my scenario from this morning:
wake up early to read, reflect in my journal, and post my blog
struggle with Chambers writing and its application to my life
decide to delve into another book that is on my computer
spend an hour reading
get a phone call to take care of some things before noon
realize that I don't have enough time to finish my "quiet" time
Now, I am retired, and that means having enough time to do what I most want to do in any given day. Today I most wanted to have some time to think. I am in the process of rereading a book by Billy Graham's grandson who is a pastor down in Florida. The title is "Do I Know God", and is a practical exercise in reflecting on the true meaning of "knowing God".
There are times in my life, today being one of them, that I feel certain that I know about God, but lack that certainty that I really do know Him, personally. Taking the time to think all of that through again today became my goal for this morning, and I was about halfway through this little book, when life intervened.
So, I forget Chambers and his words for today, and write about what is on my heart as I move toward that task that thrust itself into my early day. God knows what I wanted to do, and that will have to do for now. He also knows the outcome of the rest of my morning and my day. Nothing happens on its own, there is a purpose for things that come into my life.
Now if I will keep my eyes and heart open as I move through the day there are some things out there that God wants me to see, that could be more important to this spiritual life than what I had planned.
Perhaps, at the end of the day, I will better understand some of the "whys" of that changed schedule.
God, please open my eyes to see You today
Monday, October 17, 2011
The Importance of Golf
Ben Crane won the McGladrey Golf Classic here on St. Simons yesterday in a playoff with Webb Simpson. He came from way back to tie Simpson in regulation play, and then won on the 2nd playoff hole.
I worked all the days of the Classic except yesterday. I had money responsibilities at church in the morning, and, after watching others play golf all week, I was ready to hit the ball myself in the afternoon. So I skipped the final round and went with a couple of friends to play 18. As we were in the car, heading to the course, our talk centered around the tournament and its competitors, especially those on the leader board.
Jim shared with us that he had heard Ben Crane speak at the FCA breakfast on Tuesday before the event began on Thursday, and that his Christian testimony was powerful. He also mentioned that Webb Simpson had spoken the year before and his talk was great also. When these two ended up in the playoff, we were all pleased that two men, who both were good Christian men and role models, had a chance to be in the winner's circle , and put their beliefs in the spotlight.
As I read Chambers this morning on prayer, my thoughts went back to Crane and what his prayers might have been before the match and after the win. Although I cannot know for sure, Ben probably prayed just as he listed his priorities in an interview for ESPN after the match. God was first, family second and golf third. So he would have prayed that God would use him that Sunday as he played, he prayed for his wife, who was expecting their third child the next day, and he prayed that he would play well and up to God's standard. After the win, I imagine he prayed in the same order, giving thanks to God for the abilities He had given him and the platform for a Christian witness after the victory.
I also doubt that Ben Crane's prayers, before and after the round, were much different than any other round in any other golf event. He seems to have his head screwed on straight and his priorities in order.
As I reflect on prayer and golf, I know that my prayers are often more self-centered, and less about God and others. There comes a certain inadequate feeling when I reflect on my prayer life, or lack thereof, and I am grateful for a reminder of what is important in life.
It is not golf.
I worked all the days of the Classic except yesterday. I had money responsibilities at church in the morning, and, after watching others play golf all week, I was ready to hit the ball myself in the afternoon. So I skipped the final round and went with a couple of friends to play 18. As we were in the car, heading to the course, our talk centered around the tournament and its competitors, especially those on the leader board.
Jim shared with us that he had heard Ben Crane speak at the FCA breakfast on Tuesday before the event began on Thursday, and that his Christian testimony was powerful. He also mentioned that Webb Simpson had spoken the year before and his talk was great also. When these two ended up in the playoff, we were all pleased that two men, who both were good Christian men and role models, had a chance to be in the winner's circle , and put their beliefs in the spotlight.
As I read Chambers this morning on prayer, my thoughts went back to Crane and what his prayers might have been before the match and after the win. Although I cannot know for sure, Ben probably prayed just as he listed his priorities in an interview for ESPN after the match. God was first, family second and golf third. So he would have prayed that God would use him that Sunday as he played, he prayed for his wife, who was expecting their third child the next day, and he prayed that he would play well and up to God's standard. After the win, I imagine he prayed in the same order, giving thanks to God for the abilities He had given him and the platform for a Christian witness after the victory.
I also doubt that Ben Crane's prayers, before and after the round, were much different than any other round in any other golf event. He seems to have his head screwed on straight and his priorities in order.
As I reflect on prayer and golf, I know that my prayers are often more self-centered, and less about God and others. There comes a certain inadequate feeling when I reflect on my prayer life, or lack thereof, and I am grateful for a reminder of what is important in life.
It is not golf.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
A Lasting Atmosphere
For the past several days, I have been volunteering at the McGladrey Classic, a PGA golf tournament held here on our Island. It takes a lot of volunteers to make the event work as it should, and I am just one of about 1200 locals doing a job for a few days on an October weekend; just another blue shirt and white hat on the course.
As I read Chambers early this morning, before heading out to the course again, this thought of his caught my focus: "It is not what a man does that is of final importance, but what he is in what he does. The atmosphere produced by a man, much more than his activities, has the lasting influence."
As a marshal on the course, my job is mainly crowd control, keeping the spectators behind the ropes, and still, while the players concentrate on their games. I have also watched the players as they competed, and a few images stand out in my mind right now.
As they compete, most tour professionals wrap themselves in a cocoon of concentration. On the tee box some talk with the other two players in their threesome, some talk only with their caddy, some don't seem to talk at all. Some may say "nice shot" to another player, and some just hit the ball and go. They have a job to do, and so they zone in on that. Professional golf is such a personal mental game that other people are not considered too much.
Out on the course, one of our jobs is to remove any man-made obstructions to the player's shot. The crowd control ropes are the main thing in this regard, and so, if a player hits a ball behind the ropes, or near to that area, the marshal needs to take the rope off the stake, lay it on the ground, or move it out of the way, so the player has a clear shot. Not a difficult job, but if it is done while the player is making his way to that area for his next shot, he does not have to concern himself with any of that.
Two incidents yesterday come to mind. In the first, a player's ball came to rest right outside the ropes, and, so I took the ropes off and moved some stakes so he would have a clear shot to the green. There was no gallery there, so it was a simple procedure. The caddy got there first, took a look around, laid the golf bag on the ground, and surveyed the next shot. The pro arrived, took a look around, took the club from the caddy, hit the shot and moved on. Strictly professional.
Another time, this time around the green area, a player missed the green to the right, and his ball rolled under the rope and down a slight hill, so that the next shot had to come back through that area to get to the hole. So I laid it all down and waited. Caddy and player arrived together, and the first thing the player did was speak to me, thanking me for getting the area ready so he could play his next shot.
Chambers says that it is not what a man does, but who he is that counts. The atmosphere of who he is has lasting influence.
I remember that second player and want to have that kind of atmosphere around me. I hope he makes the cut.
As I read Chambers early this morning, before heading out to the course again, this thought of his caught my focus: "It is not what a man does that is of final importance, but what he is in what he does. The atmosphere produced by a man, much more than his activities, has the lasting influence."
As a marshal on the course, my job is mainly crowd control, keeping the spectators behind the ropes, and still, while the players concentrate on their games. I have also watched the players as they competed, and a few images stand out in my mind right now.
As they compete, most tour professionals wrap themselves in a cocoon of concentration. On the tee box some talk with the other two players in their threesome, some talk only with their caddy, some don't seem to talk at all. Some may say "nice shot" to another player, and some just hit the ball and go. They have a job to do, and so they zone in on that. Professional golf is such a personal mental game that other people are not considered too much.
Out on the course, one of our jobs is to remove any man-made obstructions to the player's shot. The crowd control ropes are the main thing in this regard, and so, if a player hits a ball behind the ropes, or near to that area, the marshal needs to take the rope off the stake, lay it on the ground, or move it out of the way, so the player has a clear shot. Not a difficult job, but if it is done while the player is making his way to that area for his next shot, he does not have to concern himself with any of that.
Two incidents yesterday come to mind. In the first, a player's ball came to rest right outside the ropes, and, so I took the ropes off and moved some stakes so he would have a clear shot to the green. There was no gallery there, so it was a simple procedure. The caddy got there first, took a look around, laid the golf bag on the ground, and surveyed the next shot. The pro arrived, took a look around, took the club from the caddy, hit the shot and moved on. Strictly professional.
Another time, this time around the green area, a player missed the green to the right, and his ball rolled under the rope and down a slight hill, so that the next shot had to come back through that area to get to the hole. So I laid it all down and waited. Caddy and player arrived together, and the first thing the player did was speak to me, thanking me for getting the area ready so he could play his next shot.
Chambers says that it is not what a man does, but who he is that counts. The atmosphere of who he is has lasting influence.
I remember that second player and want to have that kind of atmosphere around me. I hope he makes the cut.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Statistics Can Be Detrimental
In January of this year, 2011, I began an experiment in experiencing God. I believe God led me to that because of the feeling of a great disconnect in my relationship with Him. Deciding to use Oswald Chambers devotional book, My Utmost for His Highest, as a springboard for reflection, I wrote down my thoughts and prayers as a way to chronicle my journey in this year.
In February, I believe God led again, and I began to post this journal online in blog form, thinking that others may have some of the same feelings and might benefit from another soul putting his down in writing.
Now the question comes to me: "What if a tree falls in the forest and no one hears, does it really make a sound"?, or something like that.
This from Chambers today: "Moses saw the oppression of his people and felt certain that he was the one to deliver them, and in the righteous indignation of his own spirit he started to right their wrongs. After he launched his first strike for God and for what was right, God allowed Moses to be driven into empty discouragement, sending him into the desert to feed sheep for forty years."
My problems recently stem from the fact that the site where I post my blog has a stat page, where the number of pageviews over the past few days are tallied. I confess that I am drawn to these statistics to make sure I am relevant, but am I being led down a road I did not intend to travel when I began?
So I went all the way back to journal entry #1 in January, and rediscovered the "why" of blogging. Not for entertainment, not for praise, not even for recognition, but as a tool of communication between God and myself. I get caught up in witty phrases and supposedly profound insights and am disappointed when no one else reads them and realizes what gems they are, when they are really not very good anyway.
I realize again that the reason for any discouragement in this area is because my purpose has changed over these months, as has the reason for journalling, and the target audience.
The reason for the journal is to draw closer to God, and He is the target. I let "me" be the chief object and not Him.
Thank you God for letting me hear your admonition "Forget the stat page!"
In February, I believe God led again, and I began to post this journal online in blog form, thinking that others may have some of the same feelings and might benefit from another soul putting his down in writing.
Now the question comes to me: "What if a tree falls in the forest and no one hears, does it really make a sound"?, or something like that.
This from Chambers today: "Moses saw the oppression of his people and felt certain that he was the one to deliver them, and in the righteous indignation of his own spirit he started to right their wrongs. After he launched his first strike for God and for what was right, God allowed Moses to be driven into empty discouragement, sending him into the desert to feed sheep for forty years."
My problems recently stem from the fact that the site where I post my blog has a stat page, where the number of pageviews over the past few days are tallied. I confess that I am drawn to these statistics to make sure I am relevant, but am I being led down a road I did not intend to travel when I began?
So I went all the way back to journal entry #1 in January, and rediscovered the "why" of blogging. Not for entertainment, not for praise, not even for recognition, but as a tool of communication between God and myself. I get caught up in witty phrases and supposedly profound insights and am disappointed when no one else reads them and realizes what gems they are, when they are really not very good anyway.
I realize again that the reason for any discouragement in this area is because my purpose has changed over these months, as has the reason for journalling, and the target audience.
The reason for the journal is to draw closer to God, and He is the target. I let "me" be the chief object and not Him.
Thank you God for letting me hear your admonition "Forget the stat page!"
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Golf in the Kingdom
Starting today and lasting until Sunday afternoon, I will be working at the McGladrey Classic, a PGA golf tournament held here on St. Simons. PGA professional golfers from around the country, and maybe some from overseas, will be here competing for prize money and tour status. I worked as a marshal last year for this event, and look forward to doing it again.
Chambers talks today about being in step with God:
"The true test of a person's spiritual life and character is not what he does in the extraordinary moments of life, but what he does during the ordinary times when there is nothing tremendous or exciting happening. A person's worth is revealed in his attitude toward the ordinary things of life when he is not under the spotlight".
I can sit here this morning and think of some things that I can do, as I work the tournament, that can be considered doing things with God. Things such as being pleasant to be around as I interact with players, volunteers and golf spectators, doing the best at my job, and even going the extra mile to help the event go smoothly. These things I would consider serving God in the ordinary things of life.
But will there be other opportunities to serve? There is no way I can determine that before play begins, but I can resolve to be aware of what goes on around me, listen for any thing that God wants to tell me, and look for ways to minister to others. I can make myself available to love others in God's name, whatever that might involve.
So, what will happen this weekend? Will I be called on to just smile and direct people with courtesy, or will some special circumstance come my way?
Those are not the two crucial questions. The major ones will be, "Will I be attendant to the people and events around me, and will I be available if God chooses to use me in any other way?"
Tune in to the Golf Channel each afternoon from 2 to 5 o'clock, and look for the volunteer in the light blue shirt with the badge on Hole 11. He should be one of the good guys, wearing a white hat.
Chambers talks today about being in step with God:
"The true test of a person's spiritual life and character is not what he does in the extraordinary moments of life, but what he does during the ordinary times when there is nothing tremendous or exciting happening. A person's worth is revealed in his attitude toward the ordinary things of life when he is not under the spotlight".
I can sit here this morning and think of some things that I can do, as I work the tournament, that can be considered doing things with God. Things such as being pleasant to be around as I interact with players, volunteers and golf spectators, doing the best at my job, and even going the extra mile to help the event go smoothly. These things I would consider serving God in the ordinary things of life.
But will there be other opportunities to serve? There is no way I can determine that before play begins, but I can resolve to be aware of what goes on around me, listen for any thing that God wants to tell me, and look for ways to minister to others. I can make myself available to love others in God's name, whatever that might involve.
So, what will happen this weekend? Will I be called on to just smile and direct people with courtesy, or will some special circumstance come my way?
Those are not the two crucial questions. The major ones will be, "Will I be attendant to the people and events around me, and will I be available if God chooses to use me in any other way?"
Tune in to the Golf Channel each afternoon from 2 to 5 o'clock, and look for the volunteer in the light blue shirt with the badge on Hole 11. He should be one of the good guys, wearing a white hat.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Technology and Christian Culture
Yesterday, a friend from our time in Virginia, put a link on his facebook page to a new book, written by a Dallas Seminary grad. The book was also free, and, as I just checked as of this moment it is still free. So if you are interested go here:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005CQ2ZE6/ref=wms_ohs_product
Anyway, from the book From the Garden to the City, by John Dyer, as he quotes Douglas Adams in his book, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, where he grouped technology into three categories. "First, everything that's already in the world when you're born is just normal. Then anything that gets invented between then and before you turn thirty is incredibly exciting and creative and with any luck you can make a career out of it. Finally, anything that gets invented after you're thirty is against the natural order of things and the beginning of the end of civilization as we know it, until it has been around for about ten years when it gradually turns out to be alright really."
Perhaps this is one of the reasons that I was so taken with the "dark" worship service that we had Sunday. Maybe I'm still working on that last 10 year cycle, but a lot of contemporary Christian music, with its strident beat and loud renditions, does not carry the same reverence and awe that the quieter, more traditional forms do, at least in an old persons point of view. I guess that is called being set in your ways.
Then Dyer says, "The faster technology develops, and the less perspective we have, the more stratified our "myths" (defined as what we think of as normal), become".
Now if this is all a little confusing, just bear in mind that I have just begun the book, and maybe I will understand it better by and by.
The intersection of Christian culture and the development of new technologies will prove interesting to say the least.
And that is something to think about......
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005CQ2ZE6/ref=wms_ohs_product
Anyway, from the book From the Garden to the City, by John Dyer, as he quotes Douglas Adams in his book, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, where he grouped technology into three categories. "First, everything that's already in the world when you're born is just normal. Then anything that gets invented between then and before you turn thirty is incredibly exciting and creative and with any luck you can make a career out of it. Finally, anything that gets invented after you're thirty is against the natural order of things and the beginning of the end of civilization as we know it, until it has been around for about ten years when it gradually turns out to be alright really."
Perhaps this is one of the reasons that I was so taken with the "dark" worship service that we had Sunday. Maybe I'm still working on that last 10 year cycle, but a lot of contemporary Christian music, with its strident beat and loud renditions, does not carry the same reverence and awe that the quieter, more traditional forms do, at least in an old persons point of view. I guess that is called being set in your ways.
Then Dyer says, "The faster technology develops, and the less perspective we have, the more stratified our "myths" (defined as what we think of as normal), become".
Now if this is all a little confusing, just bear in mind that I have just begun the book, and maybe I will understand it better by and by.
The intersection of Christian culture and the development of new technologies will prove interesting to say the least.
And that is something to think about......
Monday, October 10, 2011
Beware of Asking Me
Now, I am not a deep thinker, not even close. Philosophy is barely in my vocabulary and definitely not my area of expertise.
But, it does not take a degree in Philosophy to get caught in the trap of human wisdom.
Chambers says today: "All of God's revealed truths are sealed until they are opened to us through obedience. You will never open them through philosophy or thinking."
OK, I do have a couple of degrees from college, and a lot of what I learned is good and useful, but there is a limit to that. Sometimes I do well at Trivial Pursuit (if the categories are not modern stuff), but the Bible talks about true wisdom.
Proverbs 9:10 states: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."
Real true wisdom is gathered from God, and He makes it available to those who fear Him, those who reverence Him, and those who are obedient to His Word.
Perhaps the most telling example of the lack of this true wisdom is found in our lives when we preface an answer to a question with "I think" instead of "God says".
My "I thinks" are often inaccurate, misleading and/or confusing. Reliance on these can get folks into trouble, as good as they may sound. Better to rely on Someone who really does have the answers.
If you want to know what I think, beware. Ask what God thinks, and if I don't know, we can look it up together. That way we can both be right.
Wisdom!
But, it does not take a degree in Philosophy to get caught in the trap of human wisdom.
Chambers says today: "All of God's revealed truths are sealed until they are opened to us through obedience. You will never open them through philosophy or thinking."
OK, I do have a couple of degrees from college, and a lot of what I learned is good and useful, but there is a limit to that. Sometimes I do well at Trivial Pursuit (if the categories are not modern stuff), but the Bible talks about true wisdom.
Proverbs 9:10 states: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."
Real true wisdom is gathered from God, and He makes it available to those who fear Him, those who reverence Him, and those who are obedient to His Word.
Perhaps the most telling example of the lack of this true wisdom is found in our lives when we preface an answer to a question with "I think" instead of "God says".
My "I thinks" are often inaccurate, misleading and/or confusing. Reliance on these can get folks into trouble, as good as they may sound. Better to rely on Someone who really does have the answers.
If you want to know what I think, beware. Ask what God thinks, and if I don't know, we can look it up together. That way we can both be right.
Wisdom!
Sunday, October 9, 2011
A Potential Bad Situation Turned
About 5 minutes before the first service was to begin this morning, the power flickered a few times and then went out completely; the result of a blown transformer, I hear.
Regardless of the reason, the sanctuary was dark, and all the doors to the atrium and vestibule had to be opened to let some light inside. Of course, the band had no power for their instruments, none of the mics worked, and the overhead projector could not display announcements and the words to the music. Their was no noise, or air for that matter, from the air conditioners, either.
The pastor reminded us that for millions of Christians around the world, this absence of creature comforts, that we take so for granted, was the norm. Not only the absence of things the American church uses each week, but the realization that meetings had to be kept secret and quiet, because of hostility, both personal and governmental.
What could have been a major interference, became a blessing as our service was fantastic. We had only the piano for music along with a guitar without amplification, and we could actually hear each other singing. I don't know what songs were on the original program, but we could sing along with the ones used, because the music leaders needed to use songs that were familiar to the congregation.
The darkness and the softer music seemed to make the whole service a lot more reverent to me. It was not a problem to close my eyes and listen to the music and the words and sense their deeper meanings. God was very real in that place during that hour.
Evidently the church leadership must have felt some of the same, because the lights were turned way down for the second service, even though the electricity had been restored at the close of the first. That first dark service had been so filled with power, that no one wanted the folks in the second to miss the experience.
There was an abundance of power in our church today, it just did not come through the electric lines.
Let's do it again, is my suggestion.
Regardless of the reason, the sanctuary was dark, and all the doors to the atrium and vestibule had to be opened to let some light inside. Of course, the band had no power for their instruments, none of the mics worked, and the overhead projector could not display announcements and the words to the music. Their was no noise, or air for that matter, from the air conditioners, either.
The pastor reminded us that for millions of Christians around the world, this absence of creature comforts, that we take so for granted, was the norm. Not only the absence of things the American church uses each week, but the realization that meetings had to be kept secret and quiet, because of hostility, both personal and governmental.
What could have been a major interference, became a blessing as our service was fantastic. We had only the piano for music along with a guitar without amplification, and we could actually hear each other singing. I don't know what songs were on the original program, but we could sing along with the ones used, because the music leaders needed to use songs that were familiar to the congregation.
The darkness and the softer music seemed to make the whole service a lot more reverent to me. It was not a problem to close my eyes and listen to the music and the words and sense their deeper meanings. God was very real in that place during that hour.
Evidently the church leadership must have felt some of the same, because the lights were turned way down for the second service, even though the electricity had been restored at the close of the first. That first dark service had been so filled with power, that no one wanted the folks in the second to miss the experience.
There was an abundance of power in our church today, it just did not come through the electric lines.
Let's do it again, is my suggestion.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Come
Come, now is the time to worship
Come, now is the time to give your heart
Come, JUST AS YOU ARE to worship
Come, JUST AS YOU ARE before your God
COME!!
The words to that worship song come to my mind as I reflect on Chambers' reading for today.
"Come unto me...." (Matthew 11:28). This is the verse that Chambers uses to key his comments to today. As I think about the tone of Jesus' voice as he speaks this, it seems to fall somewhere between a command and a pleading. It is more like, "I know what you need, some just come and receive".
Chambers: "...while all the time God has stood with His hands outstretched not only to take you but also for you to take Him. Just think of the invincible, unconquerable, and untiring patience of Jesus, who lovingly says, "Come to Me. . . .".
So how do I truly come? Only by giving up my "rights" to myself can I know the fullness that Christ offers, and only by coming can I go and serve.
Listen to the song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPWq8eM4lu8
COME
Come, now is the time to give your heart
Come, JUST AS YOU ARE to worship
Come, JUST AS YOU ARE before your God
COME!!
The words to that worship song come to my mind as I reflect on Chambers' reading for today.
"Come unto me...." (Matthew 11:28). This is the verse that Chambers uses to key his comments to today. As I think about the tone of Jesus' voice as he speaks this, it seems to fall somewhere between a command and a pleading. It is more like, "I know what you need, some just come and receive".
Chambers: "...while all the time God has stood with His hands outstretched not only to take you but also for you to take Him. Just think of the invincible, unconquerable, and untiring patience of Jesus, who lovingly says, "Come to Me. . . .".
So how do I truly come? Only by giving up my "rights" to myself can I know the fullness that Christ offers, and only by coming can I go and serve.
Listen to the song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPWq8eM4lu8
COME
Friday, October 7, 2011
Don't Tread on Me
The Declaration of Independence, in 1776, states that individuals have the unalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
The Constitution sets out the rights of American citizens.
Protesters on Wall Street talk about their rights and their demands that would give these rights to them.
People sue companies and governments because their rights have been infringed upon.
Chambers talks about our need to give up our right to ourselves.
The parable about going the second mile is a study in giving up the right that we have to limit our service under the law, and going ahead and serving further.
When we hear someone say, "I demand my rights". we hear the definitive pronouns "I" and "my" and know, automatically, who wants to be in control of that life.
I am no different. I realize my selfishness, and it is all too apparent.
Chambers says: "As soon as you begin to live the life of faith in God, fascinating and physically gratifying possibilities will open up before you. These things are yours by right, but if you are living the life of faith you will exercise your right to waive your rights, and let God make your choice for you.
I have the right to waive my right and let God have the controls. Insistence on the preservation of my "rights" is the hallmark of a self-centered life.
I say "God knows what is best for me, and He wants that best in my life", then I turn right around and do it my way.
Brilliant I am not.
The Constitution sets out the rights of American citizens.
Protesters on Wall Street talk about their rights and their demands that would give these rights to them.
People sue companies and governments because their rights have been infringed upon.
Chambers talks about our need to give up our right to ourselves.
The parable about going the second mile is a study in giving up the right that we have to limit our service under the law, and going ahead and serving further.
When we hear someone say, "I demand my rights". we hear the definitive pronouns "I" and "my" and know, automatically, who wants to be in control of that life.
I am no different. I realize my selfishness, and it is all too apparent.
Chambers says: "As soon as you begin to live the life of faith in God, fascinating and physically gratifying possibilities will open up before you. These things are yours by right, but if you are living the life of faith you will exercise your right to waive your rights, and let God make your choice for you.
I have the right to waive my right and let God have the controls. Insistence on the preservation of my "rights" is the hallmark of a self-centered life.
I say "God knows what is best for me, and He wants that best in my life", then I turn right around and do it my way.
Brilliant I am not.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Good Works and Good Reasons
One of the things that our church here proposes to do is to lead men and women, boys and girls to become fully committed followers of Jesus Christ. That covers a lot of territory, and the key lies in the definition of the term "fully committed".
Back in the old days, when we were raising our family of 2 boys and a girl, my "fully committed" looked like this:
Church on Sunday Morning
Church on Sunday night
Church on Wednesday Night
Sunday School for all
Youth Group for Teens
Committee Assignments wherever asked to serve
Leadership in Sunday School and Church Training
Deacon Service
Tithing
Anything else that needed to be done at church
Ethical and Moral Business Practices
Abstention from bad stuff (smoking, drinking and gambling)
Being a good Provider
Not Neglecting the Family
Activity in Civic Affairs
Now, not that any of the above was not good, because it was, and I proved my loyalty to that lifestyle by the way I lived, at least outwardly, but not always without doing some of it grudgingly.
But there is a difference in being fully committed and being a fully committed follower of Jesus Christ. The motivation behind the activity is the key. Not just good works, but good works because of a relationship with a Person.
I sometimes wonder what my kids thought about all of that activity, and the reasons behind it. Maybe someday they will tell me, but for now, I would tell them that doing the right things is not as far as it goes. Personal Bible Study and Prayer, leading to a relationship with the God of the Universe, through His Son, is more important than all the good works I can do. Hopefully my lack of depth in this area is not, and will not be, a deterrent to their spiritual growth.
Right now I am trying to do better and for the right reason.
Back in the old days, when we were raising our family of 2 boys and a girl, my "fully committed" looked like this:
Church on Sunday Morning
Church on Sunday night
Church on Wednesday Night
Sunday School for all
Youth Group for Teens
Committee Assignments wherever asked to serve
Leadership in Sunday School and Church Training
Deacon Service
Tithing
Anything else that needed to be done at church
Ethical and Moral Business Practices
Abstention from bad stuff (smoking, drinking and gambling)
Being a good Provider
Not Neglecting the Family
Activity in Civic Affairs
Now, not that any of the above was not good, because it was, and I proved my loyalty to that lifestyle by the way I lived, at least outwardly, but not always without doing some of it grudgingly.
But there is a difference in being fully committed and being a fully committed follower of Jesus Christ. The motivation behind the activity is the key. Not just good works, but good works because of a relationship with a Person.
I sometimes wonder what my kids thought about all of that activity, and the reasons behind it. Maybe someday they will tell me, but for now, I would tell them that doing the right things is not as far as it goes. Personal Bible Study and Prayer, leading to a relationship with the God of the Universe, through His Son, is more important than all the good works I can do. Hopefully my lack of depth in this area is not, and will not be, a deterrent to their spiritual growth.
Right now I am trying to do better and for the right reason.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
The American Dream
What is the American Dream? Truslow Adams, who is credited with coining the phrase in 1931, spoke of it as "a dream...in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are".
Oswald Chambers says today: "The nature of sin is not immorality and wrongdoing, but the nature of self-realization which leads us to say, "I am my own god."
Chambers also says: "God created man to be master of the life in the earth and sea and sky, and the reason he is not is because he took the law into his own hands, and became master of himself, but of nothing else."
The key to the "American Dream" is what I can accomplish if I believe and trust in myself. Not only can I do it, but I will be recognized for what I have done.
The prominent pronoun is "I", and, for me, that is a dangerous trap. If I can do it all then I do deserve all the credit.
But I can dress all of this up in Christian rhetoric and make it look spiritual. Look, I say, God gave me these abilities and this work ethic, and He expects me to use them to the best of my ability. I acknowledge God in my life, and that makes the whole thing right. OK?
Then there are these questions:
Whose power is used?
Whose will is done?
Who gets the praise?
And then to put it in perspective I paraphrase the words to a modern hymn:
I should not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I should boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
The hymn uses the word "will" in lines 1 and 3, but, since I know myself, I have to substitute "should".
Beware of the American Dream trap
Oswald Chambers says today: "The nature of sin is not immorality and wrongdoing, but the nature of self-realization which leads us to say, "I am my own god."
Chambers also says: "God created man to be master of the life in the earth and sea and sky, and the reason he is not is because he took the law into his own hands, and became master of himself, but of nothing else."
The key to the "American Dream" is what I can accomplish if I believe and trust in myself. Not only can I do it, but I will be recognized for what I have done.
The prominent pronoun is "I", and, for me, that is a dangerous trap. If I can do it all then I do deserve all the credit.
But I can dress all of this up in Christian rhetoric and make it look spiritual. Look, I say, God gave me these abilities and this work ethic, and He expects me to use them to the best of my ability. I acknowledge God in my life, and that makes the whole thing right. OK?
Then there are these questions:
Whose power is used?
Whose will is done?
Who gets the praise?
And then to put it in perspective I paraphrase the words to a modern hymn:
I should not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I should boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
The hymn uses the word "will" in lines 1 and 3, but, since I know myself, I have to substitute "should".
Beware of the American Dream trap
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Reading or Doing?
Somewhere, back along the line, someone suggested to me a book to read entitled Radical by David Platt. Now I have only just begun reading, after having it on my Kindle for a couple of months at least, and I've read about 3 chapters.
The subtitle of this book is "Taking back your faith from the American Dream" and its goal seems to be to change the way Christians in the U.S. see the church and its goals. This is to be achieved by changing individuals and small groups of committed followers of Christ, and making these folks realize what following and serving are all about.
It is radical, mainly because it is an individual lifestyle and a church lifestyle that is foreign to the way we think here. The focus in the chapters that I have read so far, is on believers in other parts of the world, and the situations they are confronted with as they live out what they believe. Their lives are frequented by persecution, meeting in secret, a hostile society, a hunger for God's Word, a boldness in teaching and living, and a willingness to give up everything for the Gospel.
I guess I have been drawn to the teachings in this book because this is not me, and because I see, in the lives of these men and women around the world, things that I want in my life. Most of the things are also very foreign to individuals and the church in America. We are comfortable, satisfied, and outwardly Christ followers, but not deep in our faith. Or, I am not anyway.
So, Chambers says today:
"We have seen what we are not, and what God wants us to be, but are we willing to be battered into the shape of the vision to be used by God?"
When I try to think deeply, I see mostly what I am not. My deficiencies are great, but maybe they are not irreversible.
But the main question today is: Do I want to really change or do I just want to read the book?
The subtitle of this book is "Taking back your faith from the American Dream" and its goal seems to be to change the way Christians in the U.S. see the church and its goals. This is to be achieved by changing individuals and small groups of committed followers of Christ, and making these folks realize what following and serving are all about.
It is radical, mainly because it is an individual lifestyle and a church lifestyle that is foreign to the way we think here. The focus in the chapters that I have read so far, is on believers in other parts of the world, and the situations they are confronted with as they live out what they believe. Their lives are frequented by persecution, meeting in secret, a hostile society, a hunger for God's Word, a boldness in teaching and living, and a willingness to give up everything for the Gospel.
I guess I have been drawn to the teachings in this book because this is not me, and because I see, in the lives of these men and women around the world, things that I want in my life. Most of the things are also very foreign to individuals and the church in America. We are comfortable, satisfied, and outwardly Christ followers, but not deep in our faith. Or, I am not anyway.
So, Chambers says today:
"We have seen what we are not, and what God wants us to be, but are we willing to be battered into the shape of the vision to be used by God?"
When I try to think deeply, I see mostly what I am not. My deficiencies are great, but maybe they are not irreversible.
But the main question today is: Do I want to really change or do I just want to read the book?
Monday, October 3, 2011
I Say I Believe, But Do I Really?
Several years back, Mayre and I took a Christian financial course put out by Larry Burkett, now Crown Financial Ministries. We then facilitated a group study in our church on a number of occasions. I guess this then made us "experts" in this area, and we are called upon occasionally to give guidance to people in the church who have financial questions or problems.
Yesterday, at church, I was approached by some folks between the two services, and asked to sit in on their ad hoc meeting. This group was concerned about a lady, struggling to make ends meet, and in danger of losing her home. What they most wanted to know was how they could help, and so they asked me for some advice.
So, I responded by trying to clarify some things about the situation, and suggesting that they get more information in some areas, so they could make an informed decision about a plan of action.
As the meeting was about to close, I was brought up short by one of the women in the group when she proposed that we pray for the lady in question and about a response to her needs. It was the most important thing that we could do for her, and we had just spent many minutes discussing, with our worldly wisdom, how to handle the need.
Thinking about this again this morning as I read the following in Chambers' devotion:
"We can remain powerless forever, as the disciples were in this situation, by trying to do God's work without concentrating on His power, and by following instead the ideas that we draw from our own nature. We actually slander and dishonor God by our very eagerness to serve Him without knowing Him."
Then the questions come:
Why is prayer the last thing I turn to?
Why do I not know its power?
Do I really know the Source?
Deep down, do I really think it works?
When the power cord is lying there in full view, why don't I just plug it in?
Lord, I believe, help my unbelief...
Yesterday, at church, I was approached by some folks between the two services, and asked to sit in on their ad hoc meeting. This group was concerned about a lady, struggling to make ends meet, and in danger of losing her home. What they most wanted to know was how they could help, and so they asked me for some advice.
So, I responded by trying to clarify some things about the situation, and suggesting that they get more information in some areas, so they could make an informed decision about a plan of action.
As the meeting was about to close, I was brought up short by one of the women in the group when she proposed that we pray for the lady in question and about a response to her needs. It was the most important thing that we could do for her, and we had just spent many minutes discussing, with our worldly wisdom, how to handle the need.
Thinking about this again this morning as I read the following in Chambers' devotion:
"We can remain powerless forever, as the disciples were in this situation, by trying to do God's work without concentrating on His power, and by following instead the ideas that we draw from our own nature. We actually slander and dishonor God by our very eagerness to serve Him without knowing Him."
Then the questions come:
Why is prayer the last thing I turn to?
Why do I not know its power?
Do I really know the Source?
Deep down, do I really think it works?
When the power cord is lying there in full view, why don't I just plug it in?
Lord, I believe, help my unbelief...
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Two Reasons on the Same Pew
This morning as I was standing in the back of the church watching the people coming in, I recognized a man that I have played tennis with a few times. He is new in town, and, although I had seen him in the worship service once before, we had never really talked about religion, or Christianity, or anything along that line. Our talk on the courts was all tennis, or about his new job in town.
Noticing that he was alone, and that there was an empty seat beside him, I went down and asked if I could sit with him. What could he say? So, I sat and we participated together.
As the service moved into the message and David talked about Galatians 2, I found myself wondering how my friend was taking the message. Was it meaningful to him? Was he responding to it? What was his status as a Christ follower?
Then I caught myself and realized what the real question should be. How was I taking the message, and was it meaningful to me? What was my response to it, and where was I in relation to real discipleship with Jesus?
Now, true concern for others and their relationship to God is good, and God could have placed me in that particular spot just so I could interact with my friend, either then or later on, but just possibly He could have had me listening to the message because it was for me, too.
It is too easy for me to think about what God needs to do for someone else, when He wants me to realize my own life's shortcomings. The message did not exclude either one of us
Wow, two reasons on the same pew.
Noticing that he was alone, and that there was an empty seat beside him, I went down and asked if I could sit with him. What could he say? So, I sat and we participated together.
As the service moved into the message and David talked about Galatians 2, I found myself wondering how my friend was taking the message. Was it meaningful to him? Was he responding to it? What was his status as a Christ follower?
Then I caught myself and realized what the real question should be. How was I taking the message, and was it meaningful to me? What was my response to it, and where was I in relation to real discipleship with Jesus?
Now, true concern for others and their relationship to God is good, and God could have placed me in that particular spot just so I could interact with my friend, either then or later on, but just possibly He could have had me listening to the message because it was for me, too.
It is too easy for me to think about what God needs to do for someone else, when He wants me to realize my own life's shortcomings. The message did not exclude either one of us
Wow, two reasons on the same pew.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Down in the Valley
Mountain top experiences with God don't usually come on us because we plan to have them, they are orchestrated by God for us. We can put ourselves in the places where we might have these moments, but it is not up to us. They happen in God's time and for His purpose.
Chambers gives us a glimpse into this today:
"We are not made for the mountains, for sunrises, or for the other beautiful attractions in life, those are simply intended to be moments of inspiration. We are made for the valley and the ordinary things of life, and that is where we have to prove our stamina and strength."
I think again this morning about the pilgrims on the Walk to Emmaus this weekend. Almost everyone that attends one of these comes back praising God, because of the great love that has been showered on them over the 4 day period. It is indeed a spiritual high, and I have experienced it like so many others.
But the real message from God in all of this is not the wonderful experience on the mountain top, it is the call to service, to leave that spot and go down into the valley. The peak of a mountain is a pretty small place, and I cannot live there. Living is down where the people are.
My heart is moved when I hear others telling how God has blessed them during a special time, and I remember the same feelings, but I can look back and see how that happening occupied only a small portion of my life.
Just as I cannot continually hang on to a time of spiritual awareness, and try to conjure up another one, I cannot spend my time planning another time like it. Life is what happens while we are waiting for the future blessing.
I have indeed been blessed, now I want my life to be one.
There is an old song from long ago:
"Down in the valley, valley so low
Hang your head over, hear the wind blow"
That is where I truly serve, and where life is lived.
Chambers gives us a glimpse into this today:
"We are not made for the mountains, for sunrises, or for the other beautiful attractions in life, those are simply intended to be moments of inspiration. We are made for the valley and the ordinary things of life, and that is where we have to prove our stamina and strength."
I think again this morning about the pilgrims on the Walk to Emmaus this weekend. Almost everyone that attends one of these comes back praising God, because of the great love that has been showered on them over the 4 day period. It is indeed a spiritual high, and I have experienced it like so many others.
But the real message from God in all of this is not the wonderful experience on the mountain top, it is the call to service, to leave that spot and go down into the valley. The peak of a mountain is a pretty small place, and I cannot live there. Living is down where the people are.
My heart is moved when I hear others telling how God has blessed them during a special time, and I remember the same feelings, but I can look back and see how that happening occupied only a small portion of my life.
Just as I cannot continually hang on to a time of spiritual awareness, and try to conjure up another one, I cannot spend my time planning another time like it. Life is what happens while we are waiting for the future blessing.
I have indeed been blessed, now I want my life to be one.
There is an old song from long ago:
"Down in the valley, valley so low
Hang your head over, hear the wind blow"
That is where I truly serve, and where life is lived.
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