a call to reality?

Some thoughts and writings from the past month or so - it's a bit of a mix.

You're so isolated, by your own choice. You're miserable. You're struggling to stay above water when what you really need to be allow yourself to plunge to the depths. I saved you! declares the Lord. I gave you a family, a hope, a future. I gave you people to depend on, so that you would truly and rightly depend on me to provide for all your needs. And you know the words that I have spoken, you have experienced My power. And still you don't get it! You're defensive when you feel weak - though I have told you that I am strong in your weakness. That's where I work so well, but you have the choice whether to let Me. You hide your pain and weakness, but they are still so apparent to Me. Come, let Me enter in. Provide for Me a place in your heart and I will enter. I want to show you how much more there can be. I want you to know the fullness of rightness with the Father. I want you to know the power of the Spirit alive and working within you and through you. I want you to be completely and wholly set free. I want you to get past the trappings of the material world. I want you to be free from the trappings and pain of sin. I want you to know life in abundance. Why do you turn away my servants and demand signs and wonders of me so that you would believe and be open to me? Don't you realize that your claims are escapist? Why do you still not believe?

Why are we busy theologizing when people are crying out for the practical? Asking "how can this work out in life" and getting "think of it like this" perspective. . . . Sometimes we just yearn to know what to do with what we know. Why aren't we applying it to every aspect of our lives? Why the separation between head and heart? . . . We need to be challenged, to be held accountable. We need people to tell us that we're not living what we've been taught and commanded. Sometimes we need to be shaken to our core in order that we might cling fully to God and to truly know that to which we cling. Lord, bring those events down upon us. Thresh us, oh Lord our Lord. May the chaff be blown back to the dust while You oh Lord come into every part of our lives, saturate every part of us, that we would not be the same ever again. Lord, may we have encounters with You, the Living God, that would leave us forever changed. Beat us upon the threshing floor, that we could not hold onto anything but You. Tear it from our lives in Your mercy. May we not be so close and yet completely miss the truth of Your salvation, Holy Lord.

Almighty Lord, break these bonds that continually ensnare us. Raise us up as Your servants. Lord, change our lives. Without You we suffer and die. May You in Your infinite mercy, oh Lord, help us to see and to comprehend. Lord, it is not Your desire for us to be of infantile faith. You desire us to be whole in You. You desire for us to be mature in You. You desire so much more for us than we desire for ourselves. Lord, help us to desire that which You desire! May Your kingdom be realized and Your glory professed. May You who are enthroned above the earth reach into our lives and forever change us, oh Lord and God.

On Job, pt. 2

The words of Job's wife, seeing him in such anguish, are well known to us. They sound so cruel, so cold. "'Do you still persist in your integrity? Curse God, and die.' But he said to her, 'You speak as any foolish woman would speak. Shall we recieve the good at the hand of God, and not recieve the bad?'"

We assume that she just hit her breaking point and emotionally exploded. Everything that she had - family, friends, possessions - just vanished too. And she's looking upon her husband who is afflicted with terrible sores all over his body; they're festering wounds that Job is scraping off with a broken piece of pottery. She is emotionally overwhelmed, crushed. We see her breaking point, but we write it off as cold and callous. She saw her husband in this wretched state and just couldn't believe that he still clung to his claim of innocence. She wanted him to be out of his pain and misery. Job was the spiritual leader in his marriage. He had faith when even his wife gave up. He persevered through pain, through debates, through anguish, through everything that was presented to him. Job knew in Whom his faith was found, and he knew of His righteousness, His truth, His insurmountable goodness and mercy, His faithfulness, and His justice. And Job clung to Him as best he could, for he knew no other way.

Job's friends surely cared for him. They loved him, and they showed it. They came from distances when they heard of their friend's loss and pain. They tore their clothes, they wept - they mourned - and, "They sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great." They didn't know how to comfort him because they realized that what he experienced was beyond how they could relate. Yet his friends stayed with him in his distress, hoping to comfort him with their presence. They surrounded their loved one and waited. During that time I would find it difficult to believe that those men did not spend their time praying and thinking.

What is the point of life, of learning, of pain, if we have no hope after death? What should stop us from being hedonists? Why should we not flee from every painful experience in our lives if this is all we have? These issues come to a head in Chapter 14, where Job questions whether men have life after death. "If mortals die, will they live again?" The answer once again is found in the life and power of Jesus Christ, who is given power over death. In John 11:25-26 it is written, "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?'" There is a resurrection. Therefore there is hope. This pain is temporary, these circumstances are temporary, but life in Christ will never pass away.

When faced with the reality of the Lord Almighty answering him, Job concludes rather quickly that he is "of small account." In light of God, who made all that exists, who knows all, who is everywhere and eternal, Job cannot count himself righteous or important or worthy. He is humbled before the Lord. Job has understood that he is unable to contend with God, for he knew that he needed a Mediator. However, Job further realizes that life is not about the person or the circumstances. God alone gives life and meaning to all. Job is humbled by His truth. After this, Job does not seek further vindication but accepts the will of God as something not to be fully grasped by man. Certainly we do go through life searching for meaning, but we need to find that meaning through experiencing an intimate relationship with our Creator and Savior.

On Job - pt.1

The story of Job is so familiar to many of us, and yet it still speaks to us. It spoke to me in a new clarity recently, thanks in part to the book The Answers of Jesus to Job and some trying life circumstances.

Job looks like he has the perfect life - blessed with a good family, friends, wealth - what more could he ask for? He is known for being honest and upright, a man of integrity. How often do we lust after such a lifestyle? There certainly must be trials for people who live like this as well, but we blind ourselves to the bad so that the grass looks greener still on the other side. We want it all, but we want it from somebody else so that we do not have to work or to sacrifice anything that we do or have in order to get it. And therein lies our selfish pride. Surely we deserve to be blessed like that. After all, we say that we're Christians. We go to church from time to time. We even give our money, even occasionally our time. But let's be honest with ourselves and with each other - we are not owed anything. Perhaps my greatest problem with the so-called "health and wealth gospel" is in this sense of entitlement. For it is by grace - not by works - that you have been saved. If works cannot affect the status of our souls either granting us entrance to heaven or condemning us to hell, why do we assume that we should be blessed based on that type of system? Let us examine Job's change of circumstances to better illustrate this point.

Job is told in an instant that pretty much all that he had - family, possessions, servants - was utterly destroyed. Did he commit some egregious sin to lose the material blessing of God? Surely, his friends tirelessly argued, this must have been the case. Job is a witness to these friends. He explains that though he did not sin, he still cannot come before God as he is. Job cries out for a mediator between himself and God, one who can hear his plea, one who just, one who has authority in heaven and on earth, one who is approachable by mortals. In short, Job cries out in need for the Messiah. If only we were humbled so earnestly that we would see and know this need in our lives and in others' lives continuously. Do you know this in your heart and in your mind? Have you thought about it lately? Why isn't this affecting the way you live your life?

Why Are Our Necks Too Stiff for Servanthood?

Why is it so difficult for us, as members of the body of Christ, to be servants? We don't want to be troubled with doing more than is required of us, yet we fill our lives with other activities. We are members of sports teams, social clubs and humanitarian groups. We fill our lives with idols that requiare so much of our precious time and attention.

We are selfish and prideful. We cannot fathom that we are wrong in our hearts, and we are therefore completely unrepentant. The worst "problem" that we often notice with our pride and selfishness is our indignation when we have been offended. Even then, however, it is not a matter (from our deluded perspective) of our pride or our sin, but of this perceived sin by the offender. How blind we are to our own sin! How blind we are because of our own pride!
Often our selfishness keeps us from seeing the needs of our neighbors, our brothers and sisters. We are too busy focusing on ourselves, and we ignore the opportunities to serve anyone other than ourselves.

The Bible is replete with wonderful examples of servanthood. Joseph was sold into slavery and became a servant in Potifar's house. But God used those circumstances for His good will. Joseph's position of service was used to provide wisdom to his neighbors and mercy to his brethren. God placed him in that time and position for His will, for His glory.

Nehemiah was cup bearer to King Artaxerxes; his career was one of service. When he heard about the state of Jerusalem, he asked permission to go and help his fellow believers. He left the comfort of his position in the King's court to do what needed to be done - to raise up a work force in the midst of his enemies and to rebuild. He rose to meet the need of a servant before the people of Jerusalem.

Esther and Mordecai served King Ahasuerus and the Israelites. Jonah eventually went to Nineveh and proclaimed God's message to the people so that they could repent. Numerous others also were raised up as servants. Jesus washed the disciples' feet. Christ submitted to death to free humankind of its bondage to sin. How then can we refuse servanthood if even the One whom we proclaim as our Lord and Master showed us how to be servants? It is time for us to return to humility, to let the Spirit wash over us and cleanse us. It is time for repentance. Christ calls us to be servants. We must not refuse.

Teach Us to Pray

When I was young, I thought like a child, I spoke like a child, I acted like a child, I prayed like a child. As I grew, it became apparent that I needed to change. This monologue while kneeling at my bed was not working. Surely there had to be more to prayer than this. How else could believers do this for years and years? It was so utterly unfulfilling. When I earnestly asked others, those whom I thought would be able to bestow wisdom, I had less-than-inspirational assurances that God would make known to me what to do in the right time and to just keep up with the uncertain monotony that typified my days.

It's only been over the last year and a half that God has helped me to understand even a speck of the mystery of prayer. Indeed prayer is powerful. But we must not continue this monologue before the Almighty. Truly He seeks to have a relationship with us, and He wants that relationship to grow into maturity through sanctification. How do we break through our lens of selfishness, our lens of sinfulness? How do we bare ourselves before our Lord? For me, that freedom has been revealed by those who taught me to write. It is possible to write that which my spirit cries out to God in earnestness. I do not fully understand this mystery, but I shall glorify my God. I can write in prayer that which I would not even think to say when praying. I am not encumbered by my tongue. Nor am I encumbered by this self-centered vale. There is freedom in the Spirit by Christ Jesus for any who truly seek it!

In prayer, we ought to refine our focus. We must not be focused on ourselves or the world, for that is idolatry. We must focus in Him who called us to Himself, called us to freedom, called us to repentance, called us to faith, called us to new life, called us to holiness. When we focus on what we are doing, on what the world is doing, we are choosing not the focus on Christ. We are making a decision that this is more important to us. God does not love the prayers of the long-winded or of the eloquent for their many words or the beauty of those words. God hears the prayers of the meek and the humble, of those whose focus is set solely in Him.

Do not pray to yourselves, as you have no power apart from God, from whom all power is given. Instead set your gaze toward heaven and set your hope in Him. Be defined by your Savior. Live in Him, walk in His ways, pray as He teaches you. Not to us, but to Your name be the glory.

Dealing with a Tough Issue - Why Does It Come Back?

I had a conversation the other day with a friend and fellow former camp staff member. We discussed, albeit briefly, the situation concerning spiritual warfare on the camp grounds. Many Christians have called on the name of Jesus Christ to reclaim the land as a sanctuary, to cleanse it of the physical presence of evil. Time after time, it keeps coming back. I have heard some theories about why it returns, but none of the answers seemed to be sufficient. Yes, many people bring problems and habits with them to camp, both as campers, sometimes as staff, and as the general public that also uses the grounds. I would even go so far as to say that people have defiled the land; it's surprising and saddening what people do there. In various forms, as the argument goes, people are responsible for bringing it to camp.

Another argument is that the historical significance of the area, with respect to good and evil, leads to an unending battle. But if the place has been claimed by God the Sovereign, why then does this persist?

The only answer that has made sense to me is that God chooses to use this place, in light of its past circumstances and current position as a place of battle for the lost to receive salvation through Him. It's a training ground. God does not allow darkness to overcome any part of His kingdom. Everything that happens is because God allows it to happen. God is in control, but He allows such things to take place as fit within His plan. In His plans are times of our learning and training, that we would see and know that a spiritual battle still is taking place all around us, and that we have a part in that battle. His spiritual gifts are given to us in times of need for the glory of the Father. Fear not for the God of the universe, the Eternal Sovereign, is with you. May He guide and protect you all the days of your life.

The Difficulty of Ecumenicalism

In developing a Christian culture, there is clearly much at stake - economically, socially, and of course, spiritually. Christian music, Christian schools, Christian dating networks, churches and Christian organizations/charities are all parts of this culture. Each has its mission and its niche, and quite a few work together on varying levels. In many ways, groups that want to be included in this Christian pop culture must do what it takes to appear attractive and receptive.

I've been reminded numerous times that we Christians are brothers and sisters in Christ. The problem with this argument is that people want unity and uniformity. We are told in the Scriptures that many claim to be believers and followers who are not. Many of these people are false teachers and false prophets, seeking to lead people astray. That may sound irrelevant, but what about this: members of churches who use their power to achieve their goals, to accomplish what they want; members of Christian organizations who are more interested in promoting the social gospel rather than responding to the call of Christ. This is different from adding one's calling to the rich tapestry of work to which Christ calls us by the Holy Spirit. Sin gets in the way of our relationship with our Creator and Savior, and it affects what we do. Instead of dealing with it, we try to ignore it, we let it fester, and it infects and affects more areas of our lives.

What does all this have to do with Christian culture and ecumenicalism? Many people who call themselves Christians are driven by their desires, including to unite churches. Unfortunately one of the primary ways to unify Christians is by using the lowest common denominators. In order to promote harmony, we simplify things. We stay away from the explosive issues. We stay away from theological issues. Christ becomes "the famous One," God is "bigger than the air we breathe," and many people who claim to be Christians don't even believe that the Bible is the inerrant, inspired Word of God. I'm not blaming contemporary worship songs. But oversimplification of our faith pervades so much of Christian culture. Take a sample of these parts of Christian culture: think about the meaning of the sermon during worship, the meaning of Christian song lyrics, the kinds of doctrine that schools hold, and how it's expressed. Does it have spiritual truth and depth? What do the words really mean? Are the Scriptures actually taken in context?

One of the problems with ecumenicalism and denominationalism is that largely as Christians we don't even look any more at what we claim to believe. What is a Roman Catholic or a Greek Orthodox or a Presbyterian or a Methodist or a Baptist? What makes one different from the others? It's so easy to claim to be a Christian that there's no real need to look deeper, to truly search, to seek God with all our heart, soul and strength. When it's easy, we don't need to think about what we believe or why we believe it. There are real theological issues that led to splits in denominations. But if we don't even have the depth to understand what those theologies are, there's no reason for us to care about them. Suddenly the reason for our divisions disappears - but reason isn't that we've reconciled our differences at all. So we have people who truly desire to reunite the church; people who don't know why there are so many splits; and people who want to make Christianity fun, inclusive and culturally relevant.

The ecumenical movement has made strides to link believers in many ways so that movements, organizations and dealing with issues are not just drawn down denominational lines. It has also helped to rid Christian groups of unwarranted animosity toward one another. We are realizing, little by little, that Christ's church is universal, that believers are diverse, and that Christians can and should reach out and work together for the glory of the Father through Jesus by the Holy Spirit. It's time that we take a deeper look at our faith, at our doctrines, at our theologies. It's time that we focus on being obedient to God, whom we claim as our Father, Savior, Lord and Comforter. And God is so much more than that. It's time that we understand that in our hearts as well as in our minds.