Sunday Verse - Day 208

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. ~ 1 Timothy 6:11-12


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Worried Weekend - Day 207

It's easy to worry. It's easy to worry about your future. It's easy to worry about your relationships. It's easy to worry about the little bumps on your face. But what will worry do for you? You become nervous, stressed, unproductive... and you literally waste time worrying about a problem that needs to be fixed, and then you make the problem worse by worrying about it. And then you can worry about worrying about it.

Psychiatrists call it a vicious cycle. Another word for it is "sin."

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." ~ Matthew 6:25-34

It seems like the root of worry comes down to the fact that you're focused on you and your own circumstances. You're looking the wrong way.

"Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you." ~ 1 Peter 5:7

Look unto Christ, and He will give you rest. 

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." ~ Matthew 11:28

So stop worrying. Look up. And walk in faith.


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You Need to Go the Distance - Day 206

It's easy for me to get emotional and then not do anything about it. Emotions don't seem to ever take me very far. I sometimes feel like I just want that emotional high. Almost like a drug, I want some emotional song about Christ to make me feel closer to Christ. Get a little drums going. Get that adrenaline pumping and then I'm all set to go. But it's a little like running. You can play that music and get your adrenaline pumping. But then 5 miles later I feel exhausted. I've exhausted all that adrenaline in the first 5 miles, and then with 10 miles to go... I collapse. Adrenaline and emotion is only going to take you so far. At some point you're going to have to train those muscles to go the distance. You're going to have to get beyond the milk of the Word and dig into some meat, at least once in awhile. ^_^

The charismatic seems to be a little too much about the feel. It's all about the emotion. You're passionate, but you're driven by the emotion rather than the actual Word. A little bit of a flash in the pan because there's not a whole lot of substance.

Reformed people tend to be the opposite. It's all very analytical and there isn't really much joy and love expressed for Christ... or each other, for that matter. Everything has been reduced to the five hundred points and which ones you disagree on.


I think there needs to be a balance of both the emotions and the mind. Passionate love for Christ is of course going to be expressed differently by different people. Some people are going to act with more charisma. Just because someone isn't as naturally loud and expressive doesn't necessarily mean they're loving God less. Generally those who plod along in quiet, and with a firm step, will be those who make it to the end. It seems like the people who come in and flash themselves around as extremely passionate about Christ, usually end up just being a flash in the pan... and then they go on to the next religion. But on the other hand, the quiet and reserved person could be dead and you never really know if they're dead or alive because when you check for life on them, you can't hear anything.


It's not our place to say who's saved and who's not. Our job is to hope all things. However, exhortation is important if you see someone going a way you don't think they should go. But you can't give a good exhortation without a strong relationship.

Ugh! it's so complicated.

I think we can conclude that the answer lies in Luke 10:27 - "And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”


Oh, and by the way.... did you notice it said your? Your heart, your soul, your strength, your mind... not mine, not my dad or my mom's, not some emotional charismatic or genius theologian.


You. 


P.S. I know I'm overgeneralizing and exaggerating in some of this post. Never forget I'm always trying to make a point. Always.


Balance. The Christian life needs balance. Anybody need a tight-rope?


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Thankful for My Dad - Day 205

Today I'm thankful for my dad. He's wonderful. I-- not being the most honoring son, of course-- don't always appreciate him enough. I'm thankful for his leadership. I'm thankful for his wise words. I'm thankful for his analytical mind. I'm thankful that he's willing to talk to me about the hard issues. I know it would be easier to ignore things. I know that it would be easier not to pastor a church. I know it would be easier not to do a daily radio program. I know it would be easier to not shepherd young guys. 


But he still does.


As I sit here thinking of the love he has shown towards me by investing in my life by countless hours of conversation, by mentoring me and loving me, tears begin to roll down my cheeks. I don't treat him as I should. I don't honor him enough.


At one point in my life, I looked up at my daddy and saw him to be a perfect man. I saw him as a giant with no flaws. As I've grown older, I have begun to see his imperfections more clearly. But while his imperfections grow to be more clear, the strong love and faith in God that he has becomes even more clear as well.


I see that he could have made way more money in engineering than he will ever make in ministry. But his heart is drawn to ministering to others. I know he has those around him who hate him and what he has to say. But when I have spent thousands of waking hours with him, I've come to know that he loves God and His kingdom. And I'm thankful that God has blessed me with such a dad.

Many children don't grow up with their father in their lives. I'm blessed beyond what I deserve.

Thank you Dad. I love you.


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Too True - Day 204

"The world will never starve for want of wonders, but for want of wonder." ~ G.K. Chesterton


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Internet Abuse - Day 203

You know, I think if people are going to argue they should argue in person. And I'm talking about serious arguing. It shouldn't be done over email, over the blog, or over a forum comprised of people who have never met. The internet removes the relational aspect of argument... i.e. the love for one another.


I think many people forget that an actual human being--a person created by God in His image--is on the other side of the abusive internet language.

So... either get into a room together and fight* it out or get out.

Get out of the forum. Get off the blog. And don't press "send" on that email. 

I've done it myself more than a couple times. I hope I didn't knock you over with the log that's sticking out of my face.


*1 Corinthians 13 attitude required.


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The Purposeful Life - Day 202

This life is short. I could be run over by a drunk driver tomorrow. I could fall asleep in my bed and wake up in eternity. I've always been inspired by Stonewall Jackson when he said, "My religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about that but to always be ready, no matter when it may overtake me." It is not for us to be afraid of men or disease. It is time for us to be courageous and full of life. Romans 8:31(b) - "If God be for us, who can be against us?"

God has given us all a purpose to fulfill. Some of us will live till we're 80 with many children and grandchildren who we've been given the opportunity to disciple. Some of us will die at 23 of cancer. Some of us will die at 18 in a brutal car accident. We do not know the time of our death. So let us fight to win the prize. Life is like a marathon. It can start out easy. It will get hard. It will be brutal at times. We'll cry in pain. We'll cry in joy. We'll laugh and joke. One thing we do know is that it will be hard. But why do we run the race? To gain the crown of everlasting life.

"Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible." ~ 1 Corinthians 8:24-25

It's so tempting to run purely for that corruptible crown that will last us for several years. But to run for the incorruptible crown--and to win that crown--will last forever.


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