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Pinebrooke Posts  Week of August 13, 2018Monday, August 13, 2018 Blog for Week of August 13th
Our breakneck speed society is bound and determined to break our necks unless we return to God’s word to us: “Remember the Sabbath day and keep it wholly, I mean holy.” We don’t seem to know holy much in today’s world, so maybe wholly is helpful to us. At least we know the synonym to wholly as completely or fully. The point is the Sabbath has both dimension and content and as such God has given us a gift from which we can draw on every week of our lives.
I suggest that one seventh of our day and one seventh of our week be devoted to activities of, in the words of Dan Allender, sensual glory, communal feast, holy time, and playing with God. We were made for sabbath rest as surely as we were given work to do. I wonder if we were more consistent with sabbath practices, if we would be able to move beyond our addiction to entertainment.
I encourage you to make true Sabbath a part of your life rhythm. Try it for the next 4 ½ months as an experiment and see if your life is not more peaceful and joyful. Week of July 30, 2018Monday, July 30, 2018 Blog for Week of July 30th
One of the psalms that we often sing goes a little like this, “Create in me a clean heart in me O Lord, renew a right spirit within me…” It seems that the psalmist knows that the heart is the core of who we are. Just how then, is the heart ordered? It would seem that it can easily be disordered, so re-ordering it is an on-going transaction.
The great American theologian, Jonathan Edwards talked profoundly about our “religious affections” and in fact was talking about our heart’s deepest desires. It would seem to me that we have a day before us in which the hearts are rather tepid and do not carry the depth that God created us for.
The wise Solomon once wrote, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” Based on the truth of that statement, it seems like most of the problems in our day are heart problems. I guess my encouragement today to quote Dallas Willard, “Our most important task today is the care of our hearts.” It seems more space and effort might be given to the transforming work of the Spirit in our heart’s desires. Week of July 23, 2018Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Blog for Week of July 23rd
Maturity and maturing are not terms that we spend much time with in our day and age as they are not exciting enough to garner our attention and yet they are the essence of beauty in the eyes of God. You see, maturity and maturing is the way of beauty in the hands of God. I wonder if the fact that maturing takes time and is a slow process; it is assumed to be meaningless. In our discard-oriented society I think things get “thrown away” far too soon. Especially, in the dynamic of living organisms, it takes time to reach full potential.
I was driving down the street just the other day and I was impressed with the beauty and cooling benefit that mature trees provide. It takes time to grow a tree into the image God created it to fulfill. Driving along a canopied street shaded by huge overarching trees provides a refreshing natural experience.
So, I ask you are you engaged intentionally with maturing? Do you ever make space to take a step back to notice what God is forming in you? When our heart’s desire becomes God’s heart’s desire, we take on a vibrancy that is like none other. Whatever the heart’s desire is it constitutes the reservoir of our lives from which we bless the world. I would encourage you to make regular space for the deepening and enriching of your heart with God. Week of July 16, 2018Thursday, July 19, 2018
Blog for Week of July 16th
There is an old term that is as dynamic as it was in the 18th century. Jonathan Edwards and John Wesley were famous for describing what God has always been after in us with the term, religious affections. It’s meaning is about as far from typical religion as it could be. In a nutshell, they were referring to the “hearts desires.” They understood correct theological thinking wasn’t the path to the keenest of things that God has desired for us. To say it simply, he has always wanted our hearts. He found it in King David before he ever became king.
The truth is we have given up far too easily and settled for a spirituality that is far short of what Jesus died to accomplish. The Sermon on the Mount exposed heart’s desires that were the worst reflection of us as his created ones. For instance, he wants the adulterous heart changed so that it wants nothing to do with lust of the flesh, but honestly seeks the love of neighbor.
When usually considered, the response is that, that is impossible. But, like Jesus said to the disciples when faced with another impossible situation – with God all things are possible. It becomes a matter of surrender of one’s will to the love of God above all else. Above all else is above all else. That is the question, “Am I willing to seek the kingdom of God above all else?” That remains the standard. Week of July 9, 2018Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Blog for Week of July 9th
Rootedness is an interesting phenomenon. In what soil do we find our roots? It seems that we live in time when rootedness is viewed as rigidity and a psycho-spiritual disease. Yet, isn’t it true as followers of Jesus that we are continually encouraged to root ourselves in Him? The prevalent attitude is that everything is negotiable, except what the “other” person is not willing to negotiate.
If we are called by God to be “salt and light”, then we are meant to radiate that which is common to no other Source. In fact, we are as ecclesia, the called-out ones, called to speak with a different voice than that which is predominant. We must however, be those whose voice is rooted in the Way of Jesus and we must learn to speak from what God has already spoken to us.
One of the challenges that we face is that we have been shaped by values and ethics that we often not directly or indirectly biblical. I think it behooves us to reconsider our reasoning to ascertain our biases and be sure that they are directly consistent with the pages through which the Holy One has already spoken to us. There is a higher standard for those who are called by His Name. Week of July 2, 2018Tuesday, July 03, 2018
Blog for Week of July 2nd
If we pay close attention to Jesus, one of his great mysteries was his ability to adjust. I think many of his excellencies were subtle to the naked eye. I am founding that the closer we pay attention to him the more we experience true amazement, not just in the broad strokes of living, but in the fine details in each of his circumstances.
When thinking about the nuances of our ordinary lives, are there not distinct opportunities in every encounter in our days? We are always presented with the need for the many shades of grace. There isn’t a person that we meet that doesn’t need a fresh touch of the love of God. In the quiet moments of most people’s life, is there not an aridness that describes the human experience?!
The metaphor I am thinking about is the wind of the Spirit. Much like what Jesus was talking to Nicodemus about that one night long ago. As we tend the tiller of our boat, slight adjustments are required to catch the full breeze with the sails of our faith. I’m thinking if we can learn the “adjusting” ways of Jesus, the movements of the Spirit can be fully experienced. Are you, am I so intent on the movements of Christ that we can sense when his power has been loosed into the “other?” Week of June 25, 2018Monday, June 25, 2018
Blog for Week of June 25th
Continuing to learn to love is the measure of our lives. Most people think your simply love or you don’t as though it were a mystery of the universe. However, the love that Jesus calls his followers to has a great deal of substance and one must learn it to make it a way of life. To learn Jesus’ love is to learn patience, forbearance and forgiveness. Gordon Smith takes us through this journey in his book, Called to Be Saints.
Once again, we are faced with a world that is rampant with anger in desperate need of peace that is the fruit of love. In our little village we grieved another killing at the hands of anger and rage. It seems to me that we are constantly accosted by the lack of love for our fellow humans, yet so often the Source of our health and holiness is rejected as somehow impractical or irrelevant. What if we were to lead the way in the ordinary encounters of life, where the world could find peace and a love that respects the dignity of every person? What if we were to lead the way in love as much as we have expected that we were leading the way with truth? What if we were known for patience, forbearance and forgiveness? Could Jesus Way be experienced as revolutionary and it was when he walked the planet in flesh and blood? He set the standard, could we rise up and join him? Week of June 11, 2018Tuesday, June 12, 2018
Blog for Week of June 11th
Learning to love as Jesus taught us to love is once again like entering the wardrobe and coming out in Narnia. We think we have a handle on it and find out that we know very little of what loving like Jesus called us to involves. As with everything with God, there is so much more to it.
It begins with “radical hospitality” in the words of Gordon Smith. Love is simply this: “to welcome the other as you would Jesus.” Usually we think of hospitality as serving food or drink to someone who has entered your home, but I think more accurately is the welcome you receive at the door – just as you would if Jesus came.
Hospitality requires that we get over ourselves and look out for the needs of the other (Phil. 2:3-4). That is the hard part; getting over ourselves. One of the ways we can best do that is to really listen to the other person without thinking about what we want to say in response. In this hospitality is learning to be fully present to the other person. It seems simple, but it is oh so difficult to learn that the encounter is about them, not you Week of June 4, 2018Monday, June 04, 2018
Blog for Week of June 4th
The way of Jesus takes the disciple into unique territory. The path is beyond what is natural to human beings: love for family, romantic love, love for country, car, golf clubs or house. The path Jesus takes us on is love for the enemy, the different or irregular and for those who are not yet born.
It seemed simple when Jesus said it, “Love one another as I have loved you.” But, the revolutionary nature of that simple command was to radically change the individual and the society. It was to stand out within the human community as the most powerful social experiment yet under taken.
No one has fully come to grips with the breadth of such a charge. At best is has been a label devoid of reality. At worst, it has been treated as archaic and the mantra of the “loser.” In a world in which humankind tries to reason itself into inaction, Jesus’ refrain remains haunting to the true believer. As disciples, it is meant to be our brand, our identifying mark Week of May 28, 2018Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Blog for Week of May 28th
What fills your mind and heart these days; finding “happiness”, being successful according to Wall Street, being comfortable? It is easy to be completely wooed by the kingdom of self. It will guarantee that we will fit in to the world around us that is driven by the same mantra.
But then, we can instead embrace our heritage, “thy kingdom come, they will be done.” This is a way that is radically different in almost every way. Living by the passion of my will not only focuses on another way, but also another destination than what God saved me for. Let’s get this straight, we were not redeemed by Christ for ourselves, but for his eternal purposes.
When we join the world, its ways and its values, we give up our birthright and the calling that was sacrificed greatly to accomplish. Our identity is that we are the ecclesia, the called out ones that have been sent back into the world to be its salt and light. Week of May 14, 2018Tuesday, May 15, 2018
Blog for Week of May 14th
Spring is a joy to embrace, but it is also a time to prepare for the growing season called summer. We work at preparing our yard and “beds” for the growth that we anticipate. In some ways we can prune some plants still for growth, while we fertilize and soften the soil so that what has been planted or what has sprouted can maximize its growth. This is an ideal season for immersing ourselves in God’s way, so that our hearts are prepared to receive the work he is purposing to do in us. This is a great time to commit to memorizing scriptures, increasing our devotion to prayer, and immersing ourselves in one of the Gospels so that we can live and breathe in the atmosphere of Jesus.
The challenge before us is not a natural challenge. What God has for us requires that we listen for a different drumbeat, a different cadence. God’s way is never the “common” way. It is strictly uncommon. So let me encourage you to make this season a new season cultivating what God has set before us. Week of May 7, 2018Tuesday, May 08, 2018
Blog for Week of May 7th
The signs of spring provide a beautiful commentary on change. The change in the season moving from winter to summer is the most colorful of the year. It tells us that the harsh conditions of winter are being left behind and growth is being reawakened.
What is it that needs to be reawakened in us? We can get lost in the dailyness of our lives and miss the fresh calling of change and growth. If we keep our heads down and not up, the beauty of opportunity escapes us.
I don’t think we were created to make every day the same. There are seasons in the year and there are stages in life. What is it that you need in this spring season and this stage of your life? All is meant to bring us to a greater maturity; a deeper love, a greater faith, and a more solid hope. Ask the Lord to show you and he will! Week of April 30, 2018Wednesday, May 02, 2018
Blog for Week of April 30th
Spring at home is a time to aerate and fertilize the yard; aerate to improve the absorption of the spring rains and fertilize to poison the weeds and stimulate the growth of the weeds. It is common in our homes to clean and organize from the season just past. We know that will the change of seasons, certain activities are needed to the sake of the rhythm of a healthy life. It is hard for us to keep in mind the invisible world of Spirit, more real than all other expressions of life, yet less tangible. Therefore, may I suggest that we give thought to the needs of our “inner man” from which all other things gather their Source. Taking care of our “being” is our first work as all “doing” flows from the reservoir of Spirit. The question for us, “Can we give as much attention to the Temple of the Holy Spirit – our souls, as we do the earth property that we possess? Think about it; what needs to be extinguished or discarded to make space for new growth. What spiritual aeration and fertilizing needs to take place for the best growth in the season ahead? I have three practices that have always helped: scripture memory, devotion to prayer and immersion in the Gospels to learn Jesus’ Way. Week of April 23, 2018Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Blog for Week of April 23rd
Spring is a great season of beginnings to consider something to be added to make a more fruitful existence. May I suggest that this would be a great time to renew our commitment to being people of truthfulness. It’s as though our culture has lost its moorings regarding truthfulness. It seems that we have to become capable researchers to find the truth about something.
As followers of Jesus we have the opportunity to once again set things right in the world as it pertains to us. We have been given the clarion call to be people of Truth (Zechariah 8:16). It is the only way for a society to thrive, let alone survive. We have been told that truth will set us free (Jn. 8:32). And yet, the pillars upon which that is printed on the architecture of modern day, the university is hardly living up to the slogan.
We can complain about society or “others”, but we have a place of impact if we will but be people of truth individually, 2 Pet. 2:2! Week of April 16, 2018Monday, April 16, 2018
Blog for Week of April 16th
Spring is a season for awakening! There is something within the natural world that awakens plant and animal; those that have been asleep. God ordains his creation to be that way. We daughters and sons of the Most High – for us it is a different story.
We get to choose! Life and breath is presented to us, but we have to choose to participate. We choose to wake up to the call of the Spirt or we don’t. The dailyness of life can woo us to slumber with the busyness of life when we think we are wide awake.
It is only when we make empty space that we can hear the whisper of God that awakens us to the sound of His Voice. The fact is that when our “beliefs” do not flesh themselves out in our own flesh and blood, we remain in a self-deceptive hibernation doing all kinds of “good” things that we have not been called to do. The metrics of our common culture is that significance is measured by busyness. What a sinister deception! Responding to the Voice rather than our “best thinking” is the difference between divine relationship and religion. Week of April, 9 2018Monday, April 09, 2018 Blog for Week of April 9th
Do you have any sense of pushing on in your faith? It seems to me that the daily way in which we live, we are inextricably drawn to status quo. It’s as though we scramble to find control which we have come to confuse with stability. Stability is a statement to describe the inner life, not one’s circumstances. Control is an external function. As a consequence, control feels like it is strength when it is in fact most vulnerable and rigid. Stability is a soulish function. If we are to “push on” in our faith, it is in reality pushing up that leads downward as in deepening one’s faith. To soar upward, is to descend downward. Seems like a contradiction, doesn’t it? The main thing is to shove off the bank so to speak and God will determine the direction and flow. We are left with these words of Jesus, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Week of April 2, 2018Wednesday, April 04, 2018 Blog for Week of April 2nd
How do we respond after the event? What carries us forward when the celebration is past? The celebrations of God’s redemptive work: O.T. or N.T. are meant to help shape us in the way of truth.
It often seems like our religious events are usually quickly forgotten; that we use them for a change of pace, but doesn’t God have more in mind than that? These events are given to be used by God, not just to make theological statements, but I think rather to help us separate from the self-centered environment of our popular culture.
Whether it is the events of Holy Week just passed, or the tradition of Passover, it is to remind us of our story that we are a people called out from among humankind to be separate in the life of the Spirit. We remain set apart unto God to carry the living hope within us into a hopeless world.
Some have described true followers of Jesus as “Easter people.” Easter brings us a fresh hope, joy and peace. Don’t you think that our world needs that just now?
Week of March 26, 2018Tuesday, March 27, 2018 Blog for Week of March 26th
Even though the world around us thinks that Christmas is the end of the story, we know better. This is the week that changed the world. It is a week of intention, the week that separates the disciples of Jesus from those who simply admire Jesus. The hard story of suffering, sacrifice and confusion tells us a story of revolution. No revolution on planet earth can take place without suffering and sacrifice. If we enter the story this week, prepare to slow down and re-read John’s gospel, chapters 12-17 over and over. John was there and has given us a full picture that invites us to participate in this week that indeed, changed the world. One of the practices that can enhance our understanding is to join the disciples from around the world in praying what is called, “The Stations of the Cross.” It is simply the places and events in this final week of Jesus’ mortal life. We have a great opportunity to support Jesus as he journeys to the Cross once again. I think he would like the company.
Week of March 19, 2018Monday, March 19, 2018 Blog for Week of March 19th
Glory is a rather common biblical term, but uncommon in today’s language. However, it is an all too frequent concept. It is common for men and women to seek glory and we have come to accept it and call it by other names: success, prestige, honor or publicity. Consider, if you will, the sin of the angels. What was it? Seeking glory! I suppose that might be the deception of our age; seeking the glory. Remember what happened with Herod in Acts 12 when he sought the glory? It certainly puts us on the wrong track. The spirit of our Lenten season was profoundly stated by John the Baptist when he said, “He must increase and I must decrease.” That seems to be the opposite of the rampant spirit of our day, both in the church and in the society. Join with me as we prepare for Resurrection Day in the vitality of decrease.
Week of March 12, 2018Monday, March 12, 2018 Blog for Week of March 12th
In light of Lent’s practices of fasting, prayer and acts of generosity, it is of great value to give attention to prayer and specifically, the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. Our focus this week is on the phrase, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Jesus knew a lot about what he was teaching the disciples. He knew that life in the Spirit is at war with the world, the flesh, and the devil. We often miss out when we reserve this prayer to our celebration of the Lord’s Table or for formal worship gatherings. This was given by Jesus to his disciples (that’s us) as their “bread and butter” prayer for daily life. It included each of the notions that we need to engage in to face the day with a genuine sense of readiness. If we indeed understand that we are apprentices of Jesus, we need to learn everything we can from him on how to live well. At least during these remaining days of Lent, may I challenge you to pray the Lord’s Prayer – slowly, before you begin each day. Let its truth seep into your mind and heart before anything else in the day.
Week of March 5, 2018Tuesday, March 06, 2018 Blog for Week of March 5th
It is often to our detriment when we treat life in an, “out of sight, out of mind” sort of way. During the Lenten Season, if we are to benefit most from the rhythm of fasting, prayer and acts of charity, it behooves us to be as intentional as possible. It is to our advantage to identify each expression of fasting, prayer and giving each week and submit those to God every day. The fruit comes in directing the focus of our lives during this period of solemnity. Focus is a practice that yields tangible blessings. It seems that the lack of intentionality or focus in our spiritual lives is what produces a spiritual malaise. It is easiest for us to look for external stimulation as a source of spiritual liveliness, but it is more a lack of intentionality and focus of the “inner person” that is missing. It is difficult to truly “follow Jesus” when we avoid the “quiet work” that Lent brings to us.
Week of February 26, 2018Tuesday, February 27, 2018 Blog for Week of February 26th
We struggle with solemnity. Our capacity for sobriety has been marginalized by the constant deluge of anger and hostility that characterizes the social atmosphere that we breathe day in and day out. Yet, the way the Lenten season sits before us emphasizes the path that led Jesus to the greatest expression of love in the universe, of all time. What is required of us if we are to join the Savior in his walk to the cross is that we tune our minds and hearts to his Voice and his cadence. This is a time to block out the noise. Maybe our fasting comes in the form of removing the noise, making the choice to clear the space around us. That is after all what a spiritual discipline is: making space for God alone. Solemnity and sobriety are not equivalent to sadness. Instead they bring us into the presence of Jesus who it was said of, “For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2). This season of solemnity and sobriety are meant to lead us into the presence of his great glory.
February 19, 2017Tuesday, February 20, 2018 Blog for Week of February 19th
With the event of last Wednesday, Ash Wednesday, we have entered what is called the cycle of life: fasting, prayer and acts of charity. This rhythm is made to challenge our natural self-centeredness in order to “prepare the way” for Jesus. John the Baptist is known for the message: confess your sins, repent and be baptized (cleansed) of the corruption that governs your life. Though we reside on the “other side of the cross,” this is a season that invites us to refresh our sensitivities. We have confession available to us every day and we do not have to make an annual trek to Solomon’s Temple for the sake of forgiveness. We can walk in forgiveness because of the daily work of the Trinity and the history of the cross, but it is for the deepening of our walk in grace that we come to this season to renew our awareness of Jesus’ path of holiness and wholeness. Fasting, prayer and acts of charity are given to us to stimulate our obedience to God’s call on our lives of justice, mercy and humility. May your fasting result in a life of justice, mercy and humility. Fasting is not meant to be a practice to “get” something from God, but it is to capture our attention on the ways of God that are of a greater substance than our usual path of comfort and convenience.
Week of Feruary 12, 2018Monday, February 12, 2018 Blog for Week of February 12th
Ironically, this week begins on Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. Conversation has raged throughout the last few decades regarding Lincoln’s spiritual life. Most of the conversations have focused on either theology or “theological jargon.” What is indispensable are his actions of justice, mercy and humility. It would seem that the prophet Micah might ring in on Lincoln’s faith (Micah 6:8). Do we expend too much effort on proper theological declarations and not enough focus on the fruit of one’s being (John 15:8)? For all the correct theology in the doctrinal statements, it seems that there is little justice, mercy and humility being lived out. Maybe correct doctrine has little power to transform; instead it seems that the fruit of truth actually lived out makes a greater impact on the darkness. On behalf of Abraham Lincoln, a life lived in justice, mercy and humility seems to bear undeniable light that lasts.
Week of February 5, 2018Tuesday, February 06, 2018 Blog for Week of February 5th
The movement of season we take for granted. I dare say anything that does not grab our attention gets none of our attention. Suffice it to say, that in our natural state, a good share of life escapes us. I keep coming back to the same practices that make a difference in how we experience our days. Awareness and attentiveness are the two elements that increase the dimensions and color of each day. Henri Nowen described spiritual disciplines as simply “making space for God alone.” These disciplines of awareness and attentiveness require a degree of emptying space of its usual noise and clutter. When we engage the day with these practices there is a richness and meaningfulness that comes through brightly illuminating the day. The ordinary breathes extraordinary if we are prepared to receive it. Let the days of this winter season move deeply within.
Week of January 15, 2018Tuesday, January 16, 2018 Blog for Week of January 15th
A new calendar year often brings renewed attempts to correct old excesses or to stimulate fresh passions; so why is that the nature of our Western humanity? Is it because we are so unhappy? We make the condition of our bodies or the productivity of our work the source of our happiness, when instead God calls us to joy. I suspect that we need instead, to come to a place of peace (shalom) in Him and then what he wants for us will come into focus. Change and growth have a chance, the, to be the nature of our days. What we tend to want for ourselves is temporary and elusive. Matthew 11:28-30 outlines a much better way as we learn the “unforced rhythms of grace.” There is more fruit that hangs from the vines of grace than hang from the vines of our “best efforts.” May I encourage us to learn “his yoke” and direct our efforts toward “the kingdom of God and his righteousness” and let the fruit grow at its pace. In the kingdom of God there is no GMO.
Week of December 25, 2017Monday, December 25, 2017 Blog for Week of December 25th
Nothing that is rich in meaning can be raced through. Does it seem to you that we race from Halloween to Christmas and then we race through the Day and on into another year? Is that not why our lives are superficial and our joy so short-lived? I’ve been learning a lot from the Jesus Way. We have a tendency to just think about imitating the character of Jesus, but not his way about living. The Jesus Way is unhurried and full of richness. He lived a day at a time, not a week at a time, a month at a time or a year at a time. Can we just not hurry through this week following The Nativity? Can we live with the scent of the straw still strong in our noses? I’m one for rehearsing the Story over and over to notice the nuances that add color and fragrance to the Incarnation. By this time we are exhausted with the white noise of Christmas songs (not Christmas carols), but our redeeming the joys that we celebrate can bring fresh depth to our souls. I trust you were able to gather new expressions of hope, peace, joy and love during the past weeks. Now it is time to savor the rhythm in your mind or on paper. Don’t let the blessing escape you!
Week of December 18, 2017Tuesday, December 19, 2017 Blog for Week of December 18th
As we march through this Advent Season and the week that is set before us, we are serenaded by the clarion call of the Wilderness Voice of John who baptized. Our sweet Jesus in the manger images are thwarted by the Voice crying out, “Prepare the way!” How do we receive the innocent image of the Incarnational One, unless we have come humbled by the sheer awareness of our own unworthiness? That’s what repentance will do for you. There is a critical transaction that has taken place through John and his call to repentance. Since we have the Gospels, we have more than an inkling as to what Jesus was about. The preparation was necessary so that the inhabitants of the Land would be able to receive that Gospel Story. It is the same for us today. Our receptivity is dependent the humility that has been carved out of the stuff of our humanity. Those who could never quite grasp the preaching of the kingdom of heaven we the same one who were far more concerned with John’s authority, than they we with John’s message. Again this week is a great opportunity to prepare the way as we make space and invitation for that same Spirit of God to bring us to a fresh place of repentance. May you know the humility of heart that allows the simplicity of the Manger to once again embrace afresh the Coming of the Holy One of Israel.
Week of December 11, 2017Tuesday, December 12, 2017 Blog for Week of December 11th
In preparation for Week Three of the Advent Season, we open ourselves to the stories of Joy. Someone, I heard it somewhere, that joy is simply peace dancing. If that is the case then the dancing I see is rarely joy. As we peruse the pages of scripture; it is clear that joy is high on God’s agenda for his children. I wonder why we don’t live with more joy? Maybe we have been deceived into thinking that we create our own joy and for the most part we are ineffective in that pursuit. It’s not that people aren’t striving for it or trying as hard as they can. I think joy is something that we have to receive; it comes from God and God alone. Jesus said something about joy when he said to his disciples, "Until now you have not asked for anything in my Name, ask and you will receive that your joy may be made full." Joy is the fruit that comes from the hand of God. Make some space in your life this week to ask Jesus for that which will make your joy complete. The Joy of this Season is rooted in the Savior and his love for you and me.
Week of December 4, 2017Tuesday, December 05, 2017 Blog for Week of December 4th
As confirmed disciples of Jesus peace is set before us this second week of Advent. The clarion call is to live in the reality of repentance – repent of your sins. We never get beyond the need for repentance as it is the way of cleansing and change. The secret of repentance from the heart is humility. No wonder John’s message in preparation for Jesus’ coming was repentance of sin. In order to receive Jesus day in day out, we need the humbling of our dominating egos, for that self-centeredness is the very thing that keeps us from him. True repentance requires a vulnerability that opens us to Jesus as Savior, Lord and Friend of our lives. Our contending for the place of control is our great obstacle for all that he came to be to us. I wonder if that was not the essence of the preparation message – humble yourself in the sight of the Lord. That is the only opening for the Savior. Otherwise, we are left with a tepid life of belief that is at best a deception.
Week of November 27, 2017Wednesday, November 29, 2017 Blog for Week of November 27th
This next Sunday begins again the rhythm of Advent, the four-week season of preparation; preparation to receive again the entry of Jesus into our world and our lives. In the sixth century, the leaders of the church introduced this season of anticipation as a way to encourage the deepening of the experience of believers. We often need help in slowing down, so that we can embrace these days renewing our joy in God’s great love that comes through the incarnation of the Holy One. This is a time to celebrate the first coming of Christ into our sin-sick world, giving us hope for life lived in the Light. The second purpose of the Advent is to celebrate the presence of Christ in our lives as we have placed our faith in his saving and kingdom bringing work. The third purpose is to anticipate his Return when he comes to judge our world and complete his salvation story. I want to encourage you with Sunday’s scripture that you might sit with it and let it flow over you like a fresh wind: Mark 13:24-37. Let the certainty of God’s promise and the stimulation of his kingdom assignment fill the nooks and crannies of your soul this week.
Week of November 20, 2017Friday, November 24, 2017 Blog for Week of November 20th
Because of the limits that our rationalism places on us, we suffer. Part of our suffering is then, our inability to conceive of what Jesus teaches us. As Jesus prayed on his night of betrayal, he asked the Father that we might become one as he and the Father are one. Those who he had been given, both then and in the generations to come were on his heart. He desired a oneness with them and them with him that was unique in creation. The oneness of heart and mind that comes through an ever-deepening journey was the means by which this desire was to become reality. Our natural bent toward cognitive/behavioral interpretations of the human experience, makes the prayer of Jesus so much less that his very example. How is our heart and mind transformed except through an ever-deepening encounter between Creator and creation? The fellowship of heart accomplished through the Holy Spirit of God is the power that accomplishes this oneness. The question is; do we have a hunger for this connection or are we restricted by our own need to understand the mystery or to control the truth through our own self-generated boxes. As we enter this season of waiting, called Advent, I invite you to invite the Holy One to reach to the depths of your very being.
Week of November 13, 2017Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Blog for Week of November 13th
I’m reminded of what Dallas Willard used to say, “In the church, we tend to teach people to believe what they indeed do not believe.” Our challenge has been that we have tended to think that to teach theological concepts is sufficient in our Christian education. Reality is our challenge! For the most part, these theological statements remain conceptual and never enter in the lived life of true followers of Jesus. It is not the responsibility of the truth claims, but it has been a weakness in our whole concept of discipleship. We have mistaken information with maturity. But, maturity is so much more than information. Maturity is rooted in our way of being, our being in Christ. It addresses the issue; what kind of person have we become. To become a disciple of Jesus is to become like him in every way that is available to us in our humanity. As we move into the rhythm of the season that is before us – autumn turning into winter. This is the time to take the truths that we have been blessed with and immerse ourselves in the reality of them. Pray that the Holy Spirit would not only reveal them to you, but that he would use them to transform your life into a mature saint for Jesus’ sake.
Week of Novermber 6, 2017Monday, November 06, 2017 Blog for Week of November 6th
We can’t take maturity for granted. One of the saddest things that can happen is an aged person who is not wise. It seems like that is simply not the way things should be, but there is just as sad a thing in the spiritual life and that is when people remain spiritual babies throughout their lives. Sadly, it has been a common notion that maturity is measured by the amount of theological and biblical information a person has mastered, but that guarantees no real transformation. Is that one of the problems that we face in our own culture, that Christians really don’t seem to be truly Christian? It does seem at least that we are so much less like Jesus and more like ordinary self-referenced citizens that populate most places in our world. Jesus Calling has become a timely source for many Christians because we do not hold the wisdom that is delivered by Sarah Young. Do we so struggle with maturing, that Sarah’s teaching is amazing to us? I wonder where our spiritual hunger is. Or, are we simply satisfied with a spiritual mediocrity that is like C.S. Lewis’ statement: “How is it that we are satisfied with making mud pies in the alley, when God is offering us a holiday at the shore?” I doubt if we will ever truly mature spiritually, unless we develop real hunger for more and more of the oneness that Jesus spoke of in his final night with the eleven. Can we not get caught up in the “milk” that we access easily and instead pursue the “deeper journey?”
Week of October 23, 2017Monday, October 23, 2017 Blog for Week of October 23rd
The Unhurried Life by Alan Fadling is a great gift to the life of the Jesus followers. Sometimes the gifts of God are comforting, at other times his gifts are confrontational. That which is confrontational for the Jesus people is when we have lost our bearings and have let the common culture speak to us regarding fitting in. I’m reminded of Dallas Willard’s commentary on Psalm 1 when he announced that “the counsel of the ungodly” as the messages we hear every day all day long in the world in which we live. The message of the predominant culture is “fast” or “faster.” Alan makes the point that Jesus lived an “unhurried life.” There is no place for “faster” in the life of the Jesus follower, let alone “fast.” I find it interesting that for all the emphasis in our discipleship of learning to be conformed to the image of Christ, we never get to the point of looking at the Way or rhythm by which he lived. It is as though his character/moral virtues is all that we look at. But, just maybe looking at the whole of his incarnate life is the point. Alan makes the point that “living at the pace of grace” is the pace at which Jesus lived. Everything about Jesus is an invitation. It seems to me that salvation isn’t just about “later,” but it is an invitation to enter into His way of life, including the tempo at which he lived: never hurried and always “on time” with everything. As I mentioned to a friend this week, we can easily be overwhelmed with the “not yet;” the things that need to be done but we don’t have the time or energy right now to do them. Since “grace” is specifically “God at work,” are we willing to let go of the hurry that so plagues our lives?
Week of October 16, 2017Tuesday, October 17, 2017 Blog for Week of October 16th
The wisdom of the ancients – or at least people from the past – has deeply impacted me in the midst of my own journey. I have wondered aloud why them seem to have a grasp on life that is rare in our day. My wondering has led me to the conclusion that they grasped the unhurried life of Jesus far better than we do. For all the resources at our disposal, the piece that is most often missing for us is making “empty space” for the whispering Voice of the Holy One. It seems like the further I go, the more I recognize that part of the battle with “the principalities and powers” is in our seeing. It seems like we are blind to what is swirling around us that we can separate ourselves from. The separateness that I grew up with was really pretty superficial. I never learned that the first step in separation was in what we separate ourselves to before we really know what to be separate from. When we separate ourselves unto the presence and fellowship of the Trinity first and foremost, then we can see what it is that we need to let go of that takes Life away from us. I think it has always been God’s concern that we not lose the Life that he intended for us. Wisdom enters the conversation when it brings us the perspective that reveals reality and what is eternally important. Frankly, we waste an awful lot of Life for the sake of the life we are enticed to embrace. The ancients seem to have a discernment that we make no space for. Making “empty space” is a necessity for wisdom to be formed.
Week of October 9, 2017Monday, October 09, 2017 Blog for Week of October 9th
Jesus does not mince words, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” Our world is at war with hostility on every front. The perception is that one cannot work for peace and justice without anger, hostility and human destruction of one another. The rhetoric seems to have little patience, kindness or compassion. It feels like the culture has devolved into power against power. It is at moments like this that the wisdom of the Savior was meant to mount up guard in our hearts and minds. What if we were to take Jesus’ words and Jesus’ Way to heart. If he indeed, is the Prince of Peace, ought we engage our world differently? Peace and justice go hand in hand, but because of the way we carry our anger over injustice, no one can hear our words. I think if we were to work for peace through the Way of Jesus, we would find that justice would break out all around us. To work for justice without peace, the injustice is simply sublimated and we find that people have not really changed. The injustice eventually shows its greedy face and we are right back where we started. Let me suggest that we learn to embrace for ourselves all that Jesus has taught us.
Week of September 25, 2017Monday, October 09, 2017 Blog for Week of September 25th
The Season of Autumn is upon us and historically its richness lies in our agricultural background. Autumn follows the growing season and it is time for harvest. In this season, we gather the fruit of our sowing and cultivating, the harvesting of the growth within our spirits. In the midst of growth, God has been at work producing his fruit in us as we have drawn our life from our connectedness to Him, John 15:5. As you enter this harvest time, this is a time of reaping and storing that fruit for the seasons ahead. Harvesting is a matter of reflecting, counting, giving thanks and storing up for the days ahead in which we will need the spiritual nutrition from the harvest. We reflect of God’s beauty, his goodness, and his truth; all of which we need and will need for the days ahead. Faith is built on a day by day foundation of awareness and attentiveness to the rhythms of God. This is a great time to give oneself to capturing and storing his works, not because there is a shortage, but because we so easily forget.
Week of September 18, 2017Monday, September 18, 2017
Blog for Week of September 18th
Waiting is an interesting phenomenon! I think it is radically different than we usually think. We are usually waiting for something to occur, but I think God has a very different purpose. When we are faced with waiting on God our instinct is to think that we are waiting for God to act. But, I think waiting is so we can see God at work in the subtleties of daily activity. Faith then is built not so much on the action we are looking for, but faith is built on God’s faithful daily expressions of beauty, goodness, and truth. The “big” answer to prayer is about joy. When and if God acts in line with what we are asking, then that is about “completing our joy” (John 16:24).The trustworthiness of God is established every day through beauty, goodness and truth. The problem is our awareness. When we do not have eyes to see and ears to hear, we miss most of what God is doing and what God is about. It behooves us to give ourselves to learning God’s ways. Moses seemed to have a “leg up” on us when David said, “Moses knew the ways of God, Israel knew the deeds of God.” (Psa. 103:7
Week of September 10, 2017Monday, September 11, 2017
Blog for Week of September 11th
On one of the news reports of this last week, I saw graffiti on a boarded-up building in Florida as people were escaping Hurricane Irma, “In God We Trust.” I suppose I should be encouraged with that, but I wonder is that only when we are faced with something over which we know we cannot control? Otherwise, would we just trust ourselves? God is there for the “big” stuff, but normally we can just “take it from there?”I confess that I dismiss most epithets of faith that I hear, because I have learned to spot them as superficial. I don’t think we are generally genuine in living by faith. Choosing not to hold tightly to the things that can become a tool of security takes a real faith in God. I suppose that is one of my core convictions, that when God gave us dominion, we turned it into control and lost all sense of stewardship which is the true meaning of dominion.I suppose that it is also my sense that we are to hold our lives much more loosely than we do. It seems like we live as though gravity doesn’t exist. But we have been placed here at the will and intention of Almighty God and we will be here as long as we can fulfill his purposes. Why else would we even be here? Can we make it our intention that “In God We Trust” every day in every way?
Weekof September 4, 2017 Wednesday, September 06, 2017 Blog for Week of September 4th
The immutability of the world seems like the prevalent idea that dominates much of our Western thinking. The existence of this planet seems inevitable in the way it has been to many. Things have gone on as they are going as long as anyone can remember. As a consequence, a form of cynicism and self-indulgence grows. A fresh read of Peter?s second letter might be helpful as we enter the autumn season of 2017. When we lose sight of the ?Day of the Lord,? it is to our detriment. In Michael Green?s words, ?The expectation of the Lord?s return always inspires Christians to a holy life.? However, true that is, I?m not sure that is a response that brings God his greatest pleasure. It seems to me that if we learn to see him as he is and we see ourselves for who we are; our seeking him is not about avoiding, but rather, about embracing. If we truly see him for who he is we will find ourselves wanting more of him. Pulling us into his Presence, rather than simply pushing ourselves away from the table of the ?Way of Destruction.? There will be a Day of Judgment, for sure, but how much more is the joy of liberation from darkness and the blessing of the new heavens and the new earth that we will dwell on forever.
Week of August 28, 2017Monday, August 28, 2017 Blog for Week of August 28th
How do we dealt with the hostility that seems rampant in our culture today? I was speaking with a friend recently and her sense is that our planet and its inhabitants have been so radically traumatized and have been made aware of the surrounding trauma outside themselves (read the news/internet) that there is no place where a soul can find the shalom that it desperately needs. Psychologists have explained to us for some time that anger is a secondary emotion. At the root of the human experience is fear, pain, and guilt. It seems to me that the scriptures have been telling us God’s story with us around these themes: “fear not, come to me, you who are weary and heavy laden, forgive us our trespasses….” We have a great opportunity as apprentices of Jesus to be the peacemakers that our society is so desperate for. Today is the day to stand up as a person of peace and walk in the way of the Prince of Peace as we cross paths with the desperation that treks to and fro across our way.
Week of August 21, 2017Saturday, August 19, 2017 Blog for Week of August 21st
The solar eclipse has captured the imagination of the population of planet earth. In a way, that is nothing new; humanity has always been in amazement at the phenomenon over which they do not have control. It was the same in Jesus? day. Though the miracles at the hand of Jesus were deeply meaningful for the direct recipients; it was also stunning for the observers viewed as a phenomenon. I suspect that it was God?s intention that we would be shocked out of our rather myopic, narcissistic orientation. The self-referenced life has always been a problem and it continues to be. So much of the activities of God in the Old Testament were so ?that they would know that I am the Lord.? In a way, the miracles of Jesus were so ?that we would know that he is the Lord.? If we can come to grips with the fact that Jesus came, lived, and died so that we can leave this ?self-referenced? life and embrace the ?Christ-referenced? life, then the amazement will be about the richness of God?s love working its way in and through us instead of natural phenomena. The hand of God working within us is transformation and transformation is eternal, where an eclipse is entertainment. Week of August 14, 2017 Sunday, August 13, 2017 Blog for Week of August 14th
We have all heard numerous humorous stories of the importance of fundamentals to any particular endeavor, but the point is well taken. The fundamentals are not usually complicated, but are actually rather simple. I?m not sure why it is such a difficult thing for us to remember and practice the fundamentals in any worthwhile endeavor, but it is. Maybe it is because the fundamentals are not very creative or ego-stroking; they are repetitive and humbling. Yet, when someone has embraced the fundamentals to something to the point that they become ?second-nature,? then the potential is expanded exponentially. Fundamentals require great patience and diligence. Maybe that is why there is often such a gap whether one is talking about the spiritual life, playing a musical instrument, or playing a sport. A commitment to the fundamentals is what separates people. I suppose that often fundamentals require certain character qualities. If roots of our lives do not go deep in the soil of character, we are easily tossed about with boredom and displeasure. I wonder if it isn?t true that fundamentals are a necessary part of fulfillment. Fulfillment is one of those words that is often used, but the depth of it remains a mystery to us. What is truly fulfilling? I think true fulfillment has a spirit of solidarity in it and the solid cannot hold court without sufficient fundamentals. So, give it some thought this week. Think about the fundamentals that characterize your living well. Week of August 7, 2017Tuesday, August 08, 2017 Blog for Week of August 7th
Whether one reads the gospels or the epistles the kingdom of heaven constantly stands directly the kingdom of man. Therefore, as true disciples of Jesus we stand in the atmosphere that is meant to reverse gravity and pull us up into another sphere. The path before us is the movement toward the City of God. In that we are always on the move – upward. I’ve been moved lately as we rehearse once again the prayer that we have been given that is meant to connect heaven and earth. It is familiar to our ears and because of that familiarity, it can go in one ear and out the other, not ever finding itself rooted in our souls. Dallas Willard offers a very meaningful rendition that may help us enter into the Spirit of the prayer more meaningfully, “Our Father, always near us, always present to us. May Your name be cherished and loved, may your rule be completed in us. May Your will be done all around us, just like it is done in heaven. Give us today the things we need for today, and forgive our impositions on You, just as we are forgiving anyone who imposes on us. Please don’t lead us into troubles, but deliver us from everything bad. For You’re the one in charge, and the power is all Yours, and the glory too, forever.”
Week of July 31, 2017Tuesday, August 01, 2017 Blog for Week of July 31st
In many of the conversations I experience these days a common issue I find is that we are often disappointed with ourselves in that we are frustrated that we don’t do the things we think we should do or sometimes actually want to do. For you golfers out there you will understand why that concern brings me to golf. Golf is a game of recovery. Those that most consistently succeed are the ones who do the best job of recovery. No one wants to hit the ball into the rough or into the water or out of bounds, but the ones who are best at keeping their focus and recovering well are the ones that tend to win most often. No one hits the ball straight down the fairway all the time. And no one avoids the bunkers strewn along the fairways or guarding the greens. We all disappoint ourselves with what is done or what is left undone. But our willingness at regathering ourselves, keeping our eyes on the Great Restorer, and accept that tomorrow is another day is the path that leads home by another way. In the spiritual life, it is not a matter of trying harder, but ironically “seeking the face of the Holy One.” Usually in the road before us is different than we think it is. Our power does not come from simply trying harder; it comes from the indirect process of focusing the concerns we have at the feet of Jesus. He is the one who able to do in us what we have been unable to do for ourselves. I must confess that I have wasted a lot of time and effort in my life simply berating myself for what I haven’t done. Cracking the whip so to speak rarely accomplishes anything valuable!
Week of July 24, 2017Monday, July 24, 2017 Blog for Week of July 24th
Back in freshman psychology there was a popular book we all had to read, I Never Promised You a Rose Garden. Not that I remember everything the author told us, but the title itself is a world today for serious discipleship. In casual conversation with any observer of culture it becomes clear that at least most young people and maybe most people expect life to be their Rose Garden. I dare say most of us didn’t realize what we signed on for when we signed up with Jesus. I do think many of us that the life in Christ would indeed be a Rose Garden, but we discovered it was more a cross than a garden. Adam and Eve we the only ones who got the Garden, and look what they did with it. The suffering of Christ that we join in is the path that leads to the deep joy of God’s glory. Jesus seemed to know that joy that was “set before him.” I wonder how it might help us if our vision included that “joy that was set before him.”?
Week of July 17, 2017Tuesday, July 18, 2017
Blog for Week of July 17th
Sabbath as a practice seems like it has gone “out of style” for the most part. I guess my thoughts regarding this gift from God are from a different time. In some ways, Sabbath was my favorite day of the week, though I don’t think we were giving it much thought except that there was a Sabbath history in our Bible Belt culture in those days. Most stores were closed, except restaurants, one quick stop gas station, and Dairy Queen. It seemed like everyone went to a church, unless you were fishing or boating at an area lake. Most of the time, we had Sunday dinner at home with friends or relatives, a short rest, a rousing game of volleyball, another short rest, an evening shower, then evening church and finally, a trip to Dairy Queen after church in the seasons that were not winter. What a spectacular day! Only recently have I been reintroduced to a life-giving Sabbath that has a great intentionality. I owe much to Dan Allander’s book simply entitled: Sabbath. The “four pillars” of Sabbath continue to speak clearly, sensual glory or expressions of beauty, communal feast, holy time, and playing with God. As we keep those practices in mind Sabbath begins to be the glorious weekly gift God took great delight in giving to us. May I encourage you to make space each week to celebrate Sabbath. Week of July 10, 2017Tuesday, July 11, 2017 Blog for Week of July 10th
I’ve been provoked lately by the question, “Have we accepted Jesus as Savior” and not “as Teacher?” In our tradition, we have been champions of salvation, but didn’t Jesus spend most of his life teaching us how to live out the kingdom of God? We have made the gospel of Christ something other than his gospel. In the four gospels, telling his story among us, he always stated over and over, “Repent, the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matt. 4:17). Aren’t most of Jesus’ parables about the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 13)? Didn’t he tell us that the essence of our prayer is to be to pray to earth the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 6:9-13)? I think most of us would have agreed that Jesus is the greatest Teacher that ever lived, but I also don’t think we take what he said seriously, thinking that it is impractical in our day. Yet, I don’t think he ever said that circumstances are the main modifier in how we live. A wiser man than I said, “A spiritual formed person is one who actively arranges the affairs of one’s life in light of the teachings of Jesus.” It would be hard to state the reality any clearer than that. Maybe that is the fresh challenge for us in this season of life – may you and I rearrange the affairs of our lives in a genuine manner to reflect the way of the true believer and not just as an admirer of Jesus.
Week of July 3, 2017Monday, July 03, 2017 Blog for Week of July 3rd
For all the conversation this week about freedom and independence, one would think nationalism is equivalent to Christianity as in, we are a Christian country. Personally, it seems to me that we have accepted such a tepid definition of The Faith that it is almost an insult to Jesus, though he has dealt with our kind for a very long time. Someone said it back in the late 60s, we have exchanged any sense of discipleship for simple admiration. Have we simply become “Jesus admirers” rather than genuine disciples? In many ways, I think we have become soft in our apprenticeship with Jesus. We no longer are willing to “pay the price” that our forefathers in the faith were faced with. At the beginning our brothers and sisters in the faith never expected the society to embrace them and, in fact, they were clear about being the salt and light in a dark and perverse world. This is a perfect week to stretch your spiritual muscles and step up your commitment. Recently, I saw the 2016 Oscar nominated film, “Hacksaw Ridge”. It was a character study of a man of a particular Christian conviction. It was inspiring and convicting at the same time. We have been given a vocational holiness in our being called out from the world by God and then sent into the world with a new reality to bring about in the culture called, the kingdom of God. So, in the midst of fireworks and celebration, let’s remember who we really are.
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