Dan 4:30 The king uttered these words: "Is this not the great Babylon that I have built . . . by my own mighty strength and for my majestic honor?"
“Because I’m worth it.” “I deserve better!” “It’s not fair.” These thoughts and phrases permeate modern culture, but have roots all the way back to Nebuchadnezzar’s ancient pitfall. After reading his story surely we don’t need to be maddened, driven into the fields, dew soaked, and abandoned to sleep with the beasts before we realize pride’s error.
When I see truly, I see the dark corners of my heart; I see how little of even my greatest accomplishments come from my own strengths, skills, abilities, spirituality, or goodness. Seeing truly, I cringe at talk of “getting what I deserve because I’m worth it and it’s only fair,” for I deserve less than I’ve been given already. Everything I have is a gift, brought to me by God’s strength and for his honor.
My prayer is for humility and thankfulness.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Insanity Epidemic
Hey, I love reading the posts of you other guys. Thanks!
"At the end of that time, I . . . raided my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored" (Dan. 4:34).
Spoken by the King of the Babylonian Empire, a man drunk on his own pride and wealth and power, this statment holds the key to restoring all the empty, broken lives on earth! The most common experience of insanity that humanity shares is to lose one's sense of dependency on God. When we raise our eyes to heaven, sanity is restored on earth. Sanity or wholeness of life and mind is achieved--better yet, received--when people raise their eyes to God.
This story's theme resounds in the stories of the demon-possessed man of Gerasene, the Assyrian King in Nineveh (see Jonah), the lost son in Jesus' parable (Luke 15), Saul's Damascus Road encounter, as well as in the life stories of men I have personally known such as Johnny McDaniel, Eddie Rollins and myself.
Along with the king's sanity being restored were the honor and success of his life's work. My life will find significance to the degree that I remember to constantly be looking up.
"At the end of that time, I . . . raided my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored" (Dan. 4:34).
Spoken by the King of the Babylonian Empire, a man drunk on his own pride and wealth and power, this statment holds the key to restoring all the empty, broken lives on earth! The most common experience of insanity that humanity shares is to lose one's sense of dependency on God. When we raise our eyes to heaven, sanity is restored on earth. Sanity or wholeness of life and mind is achieved--better yet, received--when people raise their eyes to God.
This story's theme resounds in the stories of the demon-possessed man of Gerasene, the Assyrian King in Nineveh (see Jonah), the lost son in Jesus' parable (Luke 15), Saul's Damascus Road encounter, as well as in the life stories of men I have personally known such as Johnny McDaniel, Eddie Rollins and myself.
Along with the king's sanity being restored were the honor and success of his life's work. My life will find significance to the degree that I remember to constantly be looking up.
Burning Faith
Dan 3:16-18
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s response to King Nebuchadnezzar’s demand they bow to the golden statue or burn is more complex than we learned from our children’s Bible stories, “If our God . . . exists, he is able to rescue us from the furnace . . . But if not, . . . we don’t serve your gods.” They seem to say if God exists he can save us, but even if God doesn’t save us we still serve him. The children’s lesson is in their faith and salvation from the firey furnace, but the lesson for mature Christians is found in their faithfulness to God even if they burn for it.
My prayer is for a faith that does not fear fire.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s response to King Nebuchadnezzar’s demand they bow to the golden statue or burn is more complex than we learned from our children’s Bible stories, “If our God . . . exists, he is able to rescue us from the furnace . . . But if not, . . . we don’t serve your gods.” They seem to say if God exists he can save us, but even if God doesn’t save us we still serve him. The children’s lesson is in their faith and salvation from the firey furnace, but the lesson for mature Christians is found in their faithfulness to God even if they burn for it.
My prayer is for a faith that does not fear fire.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Trust Don’t Test
Dan 2:8—11
I noted these verses for what they revealed about Nebuchadnezzar’s faith in his magicians, astrologers, and wise men. His request for an interpretation contained a test of their powers. Only the king knew his dream and only a wise man demonstrating clairvoyance would be trusted to tell what the king didn’t know, the dream’s meaning.
This speaks to me about my faith. Nebuchadnezzar rightly suspected the wisdom and power of his advisors and created a test for them. When scripture tells me not to, “put the Lord . . . to the test,” I’m being told not to treat God with the same doubt the king treated his magicians, astrologers, and wise men. God is powerful in ways no man, even Daniel, could ever be. The charlatans deserve to be tested, but God should be trusted.
My prayer is that I always trust, rather than test, God.
I noted these verses for what they revealed about Nebuchadnezzar’s faith in his magicians, astrologers, and wise men. His request for an interpretation contained a test of their powers. Only the king knew his dream and only a wise man demonstrating clairvoyance would be trusted to tell what the king didn’t know, the dream’s meaning.
This speaks to me about my faith. Nebuchadnezzar rightly suspected the wisdom and power of his advisors and created a test for them. When scripture tells me not to, “put the Lord . . . to the test,” I’m being told not to treat God with the same doubt the king treated his magicians, astrologers, and wise men. God is powerful in ways no man, even Daniel, could ever be. The charlatans deserve to be tested, but God should be trusted.
My prayer is that I always trust, rather than test, God.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
My Mission
"I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me." (Acts 26:17-18)
What an awesome commission! This is the church's mission because it is God's mission. To use Ford's old slogan, this is Job #1.
I hear these words of Jesus as if they were spoken to me personally. In fact, I believe they are. I am sent to people who, in many ways, are lost and deceived and oppressed by the influences of evil. I am also sent to those who are disconnected from God's people, to give them a place of belonging.
Lord, I accept my mission with eagerness! Lead me out to these people and open my heart to them. Teach me what to do and say so that faith might begin to germinate in their lives.
What an awesome commission! This is the church's mission because it is God's mission. To use Ford's old slogan, this is Job #1.
I hear these words of Jesus as if they were spoken to me personally. In fact, I believe they are. I am sent to people who, in many ways, are lost and deceived and oppressed by the influences of evil. I am also sent to those who are disconnected from God's people, to give them a place of belonging.
Lord, I accept my mission with eagerness! Lead me out to these people and open my heart to them. Teach me what to do and say so that faith might begin to germinate in their lives.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Clean Conscience
"I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man." (Acts 24:16)
In these chapters, Paul stands before his accusers with such peace and transparency. He has such courage in the face of slanderous people. A large part of the reason for his courage and peace is the knowledge he has about himself. He knows his own heart. He knows that it is true and that he is surrendered to God's reign.
I will strive to always live with a clean conscience as well. Others will misperceive my heart and totally miss my sincere goodwill. But I know my own heart, and I love the freeing reality that my conscience is clean!
Lord, forgive my mistakes. Keep me always fully committed to living by your principles of integrity and truth. Amen.
In these chapters, Paul stands before his accusers with such peace and transparency. He has such courage in the face of slanderous people. A large part of the reason for his courage and peace is the knowledge he has about himself. He knows his own heart. He knows that it is true and that he is surrendered to God's reign.
I will strive to always live with a clean conscience as well. Others will misperceive my heart and totally miss my sincere goodwill. But I know my own heart, and I love the freeing reality that my conscience is clean!
Lord, forgive my mistakes. Keep me always fully committed to living by your principles of integrity and truth. Amen.
Monday, July 16, 2007
I'm So Confused!
In Acts 20:22, Paul announced, "And now compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there."
In the next chapter, Paul visits some believers in Tyre. Luke says, "Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem."
This really brings up for me the issue of the Spirit's guidance. Sometimes the faith community is able to discern his guidance together (Acts 13:1-2). I hear this emphasized a lot from certain circles. At other times, spiritual and devoted believers come to different conclusions about the Spirit's leading in a particular situation, such as here in Acts 21. When this happens, it cannot be due to conflicting messages from the Holy Spirit. So it must be due to our flawed capacity to discern his voice.
From my observations, and here in this context, it seems that thoughts of self-preservation or fear are especially notorious for distorting the message that the Holy Spirit is sending. Apparently, these other believers in Tyre took the Spirit's warnings of what lay ahead for Paul in Jerusalem to mean that he shouldn't proceed. All they could think of was that it was going to be painful. And we are always inclined to believe that painful or difficult things should never be pursued. We reason that God wouldn't lead us into those paths. This is true even with mature, spiritual believers, and it is doubly true with believers who are still stuck in a religion of personal comfort.
For this reason, the collective church body is often not the most reliable source for discerning the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This is why God has always raised up spiritual leaders for his people. If the church wants to follow the leading of God, it must carefully choose leaders who are sold out to doing God's will above personal considerations and follow them.
A person who is fully in self-offering mode, willing to take up his cross and follow Jesus wherever he leads, has a much clearer reception of the Spirit's calling than one who is encountering bleed-through from other fearful voices.
Holy Spirit, may I be so attuned to you and so open to your will for my life that I don't mistake threats of hardship to mean that you aren't favoring my course. Help me to distinguish your courageous voice from the voices of fear. Amen.
A
In the next chapter, Paul visits some believers in Tyre. Luke says, "Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem."
This really brings up for me the issue of the Spirit's guidance. Sometimes the faith community is able to discern his guidance together (Acts 13:1-2). I hear this emphasized a lot from certain circles. At other times, spiritual and devoted believers come to different conclusions about the Spirit's leading in a particular situation, such as here in Acts 21. When this happens, it cannot be due to conflicting messages from the Holy Spirit. So it must be due to our flawed capacity to discern his voice.
From my observations, and here in this context, it seems that thoughts of self-preservation or fear are especially notorious for distorting the message that the Holy Spirit is sending. Apparently, these other believers in Tyre took the Spirit's warnings of what lay ahead for Paul in Jerusalem to mean that he shouldn't proceed. All they could think of was that it was going to be painful. And we are always inclined to believe that painful or difficult things should never be pursued. We reason that God wouldn't lead us into those paths. This is true even with mature, spiritual believers, and it is doubly true with believers who are still stuck in a religion of personal comfort.
For this reason, the collective church body is often not the most reliable source for discerning the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This is why God has always raised up spiritual leaders for his people. If the church wants to follow the leading of God, it must carefully choose leaders who are sold out to doing God's will above personal considerations and follow them.
A person who is fully in self-offering mode, willing to take up his cross and follow Jesus wherever he leads, has a much clearer reception of the Spirit's calling than one who is encountering bleed-through from other fearful voices.
Holy Spirit, may I be so attuned to you and so open to your will for my life that I don't mistake threats of hardship to mean that you aren't favoring my course. Help me to distinguish your courageous voice from the voices of fear. Amen.
A
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Strange Ideas
Just the other day I got one of those calls. It's the kind of call that you get sometimes when you're a minister. One of our older ladies here at church called to express some grievances about my preaching style. At least she was kind about it. She said she didn't like the way that I bring elements from "the world" into my messages. She specifically mentioned my recent references to Spiderman 3 and the show Touched By An Angel. "We just need to hear the Bible," she stated. "Use examples from the Bible instead of these worldly things."
This lady is a good person whom I love and I welcomed her thoughts. I explained that our objective was the same, helping people to hear the message of Scripture so that it takes root in their lives. But our ideas about the method are different. My job (and the job of any believer trying to teach the Bible) is to be a bridge-builder between the ancient text and the world that the listener(s) know.
Shortly after that conversation, I was reading in Acts 17. Paul was sharing the message of Jesus to the pagans of Athens. They responded at one point by saying, "You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean." Bingo. To most people, the gospel and the teachings about the way of Christ sound really "out there." They may think them strange or irrelevant, as did these people in Athens. As Paul went on teaching them, he spoke from the vantage point of their own world-view, not his. He quoted from their own popular literature (v. 28) to illustrate his point and draw a connection between what they were already familiar with and the novel concepts of Christianity. That's just good communication.
Many people are not interested in what the Bible says until they see how it addresses things that they are concerned about in their own experience. We need to know and understand our culture as well as the Bible so that we can draw the connecting points and the points of contrast. Only then can we be effective in convincing people that they need to give the Bible a voice as they wrestle with the problems and needs of today's world.
This lady is a good person whom I love and I welcomed her thoughts. I explained that our objective was the same, helping people to hear the message of Scripture so that it takes root in their lives. But our ideas about the method are different. My job (and the job of any believer trying to teach the Bible) is to be a bridge-builder between the ancient text and the world that the listener(s) know.
Shortly after that conversation, I was reading in Acts 17. Paul was sharing the message of Jesus to the pagans of Athens. They responded at one point by saying, "You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean." Bingo. To most people, the gospel and the teachings about the way of Christ sound really "out there." They may think them strange or irrelevant, as did these people in Athens. As Paul went on teaching them, he spoke from the vantage point of their own world-view, not his. He quoted from their own popular literature (v. 28) to illustrate his point and draw a connection between what they were already familiar with and the novel concepts of Christianity. That's just good communication.
Many people are not interested in what the Bible says until they see how it addresses things that they are concerned about in their own experience. We need to know and understand our culture as well as the Bible so that we can draw the connecting points and the points of contrast. Only then can we be effective in convincing people that they need to give the Bible a voice as they wrestle with the problems and needs of today's world.
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Paul met people where he found them.
In Acts 17:23 Paul says, “For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found and altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.”
Paul observed people and their surroundings (carefully observed). He met people where he found them.
I commit myself to be more observant --- God gave man one mouth that closes, two eyes that close, and two ears that stay open. If we keep our mouths closed and our eyes open and listen twice as much as we talk we will learn more about where people are coming from. I will do a better job of listening. IT IS HARDER TO LEARN IF YOU KEEP YOUR MOUTH OPEN.
My prayer is, “God help me to be more observant and to listen what people are saying --- what they are really saying
In Acts 17:23 Paul says, “For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found and altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.”
Paul observed people and their surroundings (carefully observed). He met people where he found them.
I commit myself to be more observant --- God gave man one mouth that closes, two eyes that close, and two ears that stay open. If we keep our mouths closed and our eyes open and listen twice as much as we talk we will learn more about where people are coming from. I will do a better job of listening. IT IS HARDER TO LEARN IF YOU KEEP YOUR MOUTH OPEN.
My prayer is, “God help me to be more observant and to listen what people are saying --- what they are really saying
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
When God Says No
In Acts 12 we have an interesting sequence of events. It's kind of a one-on-one bout between King Herod and God. It starts out looking pretty good for Herod. He arrests the apostle James and beheads him. So he goes for it again in round 2, arresting Peter. Hey, in a couple of weeks, he's about to knock off 2 of the 3 apostles that were in Jesus' inner circle.
But God sends an angel to bust Peter out of prison. Herod is furious when he finds he's escaped and takes it out on the four prison guards assigned to Peter's cell. Round 2 goes to God.
In Round 3, Herod really thinks he's something and when people laud him as a god, he just basks in his own glory and God strikes him with a painful and untimely death of being eaten from the inside out by worms. By the way, the historian Josephus tells us that he lingered for five days before God put him out of his misery. God wins in a knock-out.
But here's what I really got to thinking about. Prayer. Sometimes I find myself doubting the power of my prayers. This is especially the case when it comes to illnesses. There have been times that I've earnestly prayed for God to heal someone and he has. But there have been just as many times that I've prayed for healing and they've gotten no better, or even died. That makes me feel like my prayers don't seem to make much difference. Can you relate?
But looking at Acts 12, it occurred to me that two very different outcomes happened in the lives of James and Peter. James got the axe, while Peter gets a dramatic rescue from God. Now, if we were there as observers, what would we conclude? Would we figure that Peter just got lucky? Would we have doubts about God answering prayer because he didn't rescue James?
The disciples were praying for Peter's rescue (v. 5, 12), but when he showed up at their meeting place door, they thought the servant girl was out of her mind when she announced that Peter was outside (v. 15). Doesn't much sound like they expected their prayer to be effective, does it? And no wonder, they had surely done the same thing for James. But he got his head chopped off. Kind of leaves you feeling like your prayers didn't matter, huh?
But they did matter. Right? That's why Luke emphasizes their prayers for Peter. God did respond to their prayers. So what do we make of James? God said no. Why? He doesn't say. But we can guess that he knew that James would better serve his mission to save the world through his death rather than through his rescue. So why not Peter instead of James? Who can say? Because God is sovereign and he chose to spare Peter. He has that right to choose.
I will never forget that God is King, and that his choices are furthering his mission, whether or not I understand or get to do what I hope. I will trust that prayer does unleash God's power, even though he doesn't always comply. When he says no, I will remember James. And when he says yes, I will remember Peter.
Father, I hope your plans for me are glorious but, in life or by my death, may the glory be yours. Amen.
But God sends an angel to bust Peter out of prison. Herod is furious when he finds he's escaped and takes it out on the four prison guards assigned to Peter's cell. Round 2 goes to God.
In Round 3, Herod really thinks he's something and when people laud him as a god, he just basks in his own glory and God strikes him with a painful and untimely death of being eaten from the inside out by worms. By the way, the historian Josephus tells us that he lingered for five days before God put him out of his misery. God wins in a knock-out.
But here's what I really got to thinking about. Prayer. Sometimes I find myself doubting the power of my prayers. This is especially the case when it comes to illnesses. There have been times that I've earnestly prayed for God to heal someone and he has. But there have been just as many times that I've prayed for healing and they've gotten no better, or even died. That makes me feel like my prayers don't seem to make much difference. Can you relate?
But looking at Acts 12, it occurred to me that two very different outcomes happened in the lives of James and Peter. James got the axe, while Peter gets a dramatic rescue from God. Now, if we were there as observers, what would we conclude? Would we figure that Peter just got lucky? Would we have doubts about God answering prayer because he didn't rescue James?
The disciples were praying for Peter's rescue (v. 5, 12), but when he showed up at their meeting place door, they thought the servant girl was out of her mind when she announced that Peter was outside (v. 15). Doesn't much sound like they expected their prayer to be effective, does it? And no wonder, they had surely done the same thing for James. But he got his head chopped off. Kind of leaves you feeling like your prayers didn't matter, huh?
But they did matter. Right? That's why Luke emphasizes their prayers for Peter. God did respond to their prayers. So what do we make of James? God said no. Why? He doesn't say. But we can guess that he knew that James would better serve his mission to save the world through his death rather than through his rescue. So why not Peter instead of James? Who can say? Because God is sovereign and he chose to spare Peter. He has that right to choose.
I will never forget that God is King, and that his choices are furthering his mission, whether or not I understand or get to do what I hope. I will trust that prayer does unleash God's power, even though he doesn't always comply. When he says no, I will remember James. And when he says yes, I will remember Peter.
Father, I hope your plans for me are glorious but, in life or by my death, may the glory be yours. Amen.
What I've Been Missing
In my reading from Acts 10 & 11 this week, I was struck by what happened with the vision God gave Peter of the sheet full of animals (Acts 10:13-16; 11:7-10). In both recounts of the vision, this same sequence of events takes place three times.
That made me think: Three times Peter heard God say that these foods were fine for him to eat, yet he would not believe it! Three times Peter refused to eat and called the foods "unclean" even though three times God said he had made them "clean."
This is a striking example of how blinded to God's will we can be by our presuppositions. Things that we've been taught and practiced that have become deeply engrained in us can cause us to be unable to hear even direct revelation from God to the contrary.
For instance, for many decades Christian people were racists who strongly defended segregation and even slavery. This was the case even though they read in their Bibles that God loves everyone and that Jesus came to save people from every tribe and nation and to bring them together around his throne. They read in several passages about how God doesn't show favoritism and how Jesus and his disciples broke down racial barriers. It's hard for us to get it. Why were they so blind? Because their racism was deeply engrained in them from childhood and they couldn't hear what God was saying to the contrary.
There are a number of positions that were drilled into me theologically by my parents and teachers as a child that took me many years to finally see that God was saying something different. I'm not immune to the kind of blinders that Peter wore. It took the Word of God, coupled with an eye-opening experience, to jar Peter's mind open. And that's often what's it's taken for me. But I will try to continually welcome God to re-instruct me and to correct my misunderstandings.
Lord, open my eyes to see what I've been missing all along. Amen.
That made me think: Three times Peter heard God say that these foods were fine for him to eat, yet he would not believe it! Three times Peter refused to eat and called the foods "unclean" even though three times God said he had made them "clean."
This is a striking example of how blinded to God's will we can be by our presuppositions. Things that we've been taught and practiced that have become deeply engrained in us can cause us to be unable to hear even direct revelation from God to the contrary.
For instance, for many decades Christian people were racists who strongly defended segregation and even slavery. This was the case even though they read in their Bibles that God loves everyone and that Jesus came to save people from every tribe and nation and to bring them together around his throne. They read in several passages about how God doesn't show favoritism and how Jesus and his disciples broke down racial barriers. It's hard for us to get it. Why were they so blind? Because their racism was deeply engrained in them from childhood and they couldn't hear what God was saying to the contrary.
There are a number of positions that were drilled into me theologically by my parents and teachers as a child that took me many years to finally see that God was saying something different. I'm not immune to the kind of blinders that Peter wore. It took the Word of God, coupled with an eye-opening experience, to jar Peter's mind open. And that's often what's it's taken for me. But I will try to continually welcome God to re-instruct me and to correct my misunderstandings.
Lord, open my eyes to see what I've been missing all along. Amen.
Welcome
Welcome to our Men On A Mission Life Journal blog! You know, it's a lot more fun and motivational to spend time in God's Word when you have a group of friends that are reading the same things and sharing your insights with each other. What we get to do in class we can do even more of on this blog! Even if you're not currently in our class, you are welcome to join the discussion. We're reading through Acts right now.
First thing to do is create a Google account so that you can post to the blog. It's really simple and it's free. Just click on the link to add a post and it will ask you for your Google account info. Click "create an account." You just use your email address and create a password.
Once you have that, you can sign in to the blog. Click on the Sign In link and enter the Google account info. (You’ll have to sign in each time you want to post an entry or a comment.)
The blog starts at the bottom with the oldest posts, and each new post is above the previous one. To comment on someone else’s entry, click on the Comments link below their post. You can also read other members’ comments.
To make a new entry (generally, a new subject) click on the New Post link after you sign in. Give it a title, and then type in your message.
If you have any trouble, or if you need additional help getting started, please let me know.
See you on the blog!
Chris
First thing to do is create a Google account so that you can post to the blog. It's really simple and it's free. Just click on the link to add a post and it will ask you for your Google account info. Click "create an account." You just use your email address and create a password.
Once you have that, you can sign in to the blog. Click on the Sign In link and enter the Google account info. (You’ll have to sign in each time you want to post an entry or a comment.)
The blog starts at the bottom with the oldest posts, and each new post is above the previous one. To comment on someone else’s entry, click on the Comments link below their post. You can also read other members’ comments.
To make a new entry (generally, a new subject) click on the New Post link after you sign in. Give it a title, and then type in your message.
If you have any trouble, or if you need additional help getting started, please let me know.
See you on the blog!
Chris
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