How the Body SHOULD function

OK, this is a difficult post for me to write when I am the recipient of such mercy and blessing.  It’s easier when I’m the giver!

I’ve been without bedding for the better part of 7 months now.  In July when I moved, it was discovered that the bed I had was infested with mold and mildew…something that could not be cleaned out or salvaged.  The landlord I had at that time didn’t reimburse me, saying that I was “making it all up” and I was out of a bed.  Things being as they have been, I could not get anything to replace that mattress set.

Until today.

A couple in the area is parting out a house that has “like new” furniture in it…showroom furniture probably got more use!  They have a queen-size bed that they are giving me.  This was all set up by my pastor, who was informed of it and then he passed their contact information on to me.  Then, two dear friends of mine, couples both from out of state, both volunteered to send me sheets, pillows, and a comforter.

This is a beautiful illustration of how the Body comes together to meet each other’s needs.  This isn’t about one denomination or another doing something.  This is about believers doing things for other believers.  Such a beautiful thing to see in action, and I am thankful that I am a recipient of such acts.

I would much rather be the giver though…lol

Meditate on this!

What image comes to mind when I say the word “meditate”?  Do you think of dimly lit rooms, candles all around, people humming strange mantras and sitting cross legged on floors with their eyes closed?  Do you think “eastern religions” when I say this?

You’d be right, and wrong.

While it’s true that eastern religions use meditation very heavily as a means of detachment from the world, the use of meditation has value to us as Christians because it brings in a whole new dynamic.  It allows us to take a step back from this world (the detachment) and allows us to attach ourselves to God.  As we draw away from the hustle and bustle of daily living, we are more able to seek God more fully, and listen to that still small voice of His giving us insight into daily living.

Let’s face it:  life in the 21st Century is fast paced.  We have so many things that have to be accomplished on a day-to-day basis, and very little time to get them all done.  And here’s something that may or may not be a secret to you:  If the devil can’t get you to sin, he’ll make you too busy.  He has a way of getting us so caught up in muchness and busy-ness that we aren’t able to spend the time with God that we usually do…and that makes the devil happy.  If you unplug a lamp from it’s power source, it goes out.  Same with us…and that’s what busyness does to us…it unplugs us from God.

The art and act of meditation is not new, and it’s common to the Bible because there are two distinct and different Hebrew words used some 58 times throughout the Scriptures to convey the concept.  The meanings of these words vary, but what remains the same is that they center around God, His works, His word, His deeds, His law and more.  If I were to list all of the references, you would find one common thread that runs throughout them all:  Changed living as a result of a “God encounter”.  One of the things that can never be overlooked in the Biblical view of meditiation is that repentance and obedience cannot be left out of the equation.  This is a separating line between Christian meditation and the mediation of eastern and secular counterparts.

I’m sure that each one of us, myself included, could sit back and say how we have better spent our time.  We all have so much to do; we all have family matters, jobs, careers, church obligations, etc. to tend to.  We get content in our walk sometimes to hear second-hand messages from pastors, friends, teachers, etc., almost like the Israelites did with Moses (Exodus 20:19).  In that we miss so many opportunities to hear from God and get the insight we need to life’s problems.  Oh, the power a message, a lesson, a word for someone could have if we really stepped away from our busyness and heard from God!  But sometimes we miss out, because we don’t take that time.  God is still talking to us today….He didn’t get laryingitis!

Part of being content is that we like where we are.  We don’t want to change, give up old habits, or think that where we are is ok.  We are content to let the pastor speak, have the worship team sing their songs, and go on with our life.  Exodus 20:19 shows us that it’s been like that for a long, long time.  The Israelites were content to have Moses be the mediator between them and God, because they were afraid of God.  Religious ritual for the sake of ritual does nothing for our walk.  When we take the time to meditiate and be alone with God one on one, we run into that one separating factor of repentance and obedience.  So, when we grow complacent, we’d rather hear from someone else than hear from God ourselves, because change isn’t something we want to make.  That’s when we miss out on God for our own life.

And another thing:  This art and act of meditation is not for a spiritual “thrill seeker” either.  This is for people who seriously seek to grow and deepen their relationship with God and develop perspective and balance in the world we live in.  Am I saying that there aren’t exciting things that happen in these times? No.  But I would say that they may be more the exception than the rule.  More often, God imparts to us divine direction in the mundane:  how to deal with issues in our marriage, issues in the family, business, and other things that could almost be considered “boring”.  Thomas Merton said once that “meditation has no point and no value if it is not firmly rooted in life.”  and he’s right.  We so strongly need God’s guidance in the here and now.

To truly impact our world, and even the little sphere that we call our world that is our family, friends and communities, we need to take the time to draw away and hear from God.  So many throughout the scriptures did it.  Jesus himself did it.  We need His guidance to solve the every day mundane issues we deal with.  Men need it to truly find direction as head of the home or for in the business world and know how to deal with those things that affect his family.  Women need it to truly find guidance in the matters of family, home, and personal relationships.  As believers, we all need it to hear how to live lives that bring Him honor and glory and allow ourselves to be molded into His image.

I challenge you to consider meditiation as a part of your spiritual commitment this year.  See what God can do when you truly take the time to listen to Him!

Starting Over

Here’s a wandering thought for you…

Many people believe that it is impossible to begin again once you’ve had a moral failure. I would say that the answer is no, it’s not impossible. Oh yes, there is work required behind it, but it is not impossible. Nothing hurts worse than the collapse or loss of intimacy with a significant other. It’s just like the world ended. Yet the scriptures tell us that you can begin again. After you’ve done the very things that you said you’d never do…after you’ve compromised the very last shred of your integrity…after a moral failure of any kind…you can begin again.

There was Bathsheba-gate. King David spies her from the roof, considers how beautiful she is. This has all the makings of a TV drama: adultery, a bit of hanky panky, and a plotted murder (Uriah, her husband, in battle). Then the paperboy comes calling in the form of Nathan the prophet. All of the sudden, King David is exposed, and everything he’s done in terms of righteousness and achievement is gone. It’s nullified, just like it never happened.

David is attributed to the authorship of Psalm 51. He did the one thing, the only thing, that could be done after being caught so red-handed. He confessed that what he had done was wrong, and asked that his heart be changed…kinda like a transplant of the moral/spiritual variety.

Bathsheba lost that first child she was pregnant with, but eventually bore a second son out of the ashes of this collapse. That child was named Solomon. Solomon, as you may know, is attributed to writing the Proverbs, and throughout his life served the LORD. So yes, you can begin again after a moral failure.

Authentic Manhood

Was thinking about some scripture today as I was reading:

Judges 6:16 — The LORD answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.”

I guess to say the least this is a generation of men lost in a cloud of confusion, and have pretty much been abandoned or failed by their earthly fathers. To tell you some honest truth, my father was an alcoholic that verbally abused me. I was constantly berated, belittled, cussed at, and lectured at and today it is wreaking havoc in my marriage, my relationships with other people, and in some ways my relationship with God.

But God says to me, and to all men, “Don’t aimlessly drift through life. Don’t give in to what the world’s definition of manhood is. Come to me, through Jesus Christ, and let me show you and lead you to what manhood is all about. Be an adopted son, and let me ‘re-father’ you..” (last sentence from Bill Hybels).

God’s answer to Gideon’s question in verse 15: “How can I save Israel, for I am the least of my family and my family is of the least tribe in Manasseh?” shows us that God wants to be personally and intimately involved with all of His children, no matter the circumstances. Scripture repeatedly brings up that desire that God has. God wants to provide all of the warmth, affection, discipline, accountability, and guidance that characterizes a good father-son relationship.

Alas, and even more so for those of us who have had bad “father-son” relationships, it’s not an overnight process nor is it something that happens “automagically” when we become saved. God doesn’t just reach down and give us some sort of transplant while we’re sleeping to fix it. It takes prayer, studying the Word, and listening for God’s voice. It demands that we listen for God’s guidance, and then act on that. Why does God want to do this ‘re-fathering’ process, bringing us to a place where we’re so sure of Him, His approval and guidance, and the promise of heaven?

God wants all of us to step beyond the world’s definition of manhood to a deeper level. He wants emasculated (or girly men…you know you use that phrase…) men to become secure enough to confront timidity, confront fear, take risks and make commitments. He wants all the tough, macho men out there to stop hiding behind false pretenses and masks, stop trying to impress people.

Bill Hybels says this: “The freedom of authentic masculinity is an amazing thing to see. It produces “divine elasticity” in men. Finally they can lead with firmness, yet submit with humility. They can challenge with a cutting edge, then encourage with enthusiasm. They can fight for just causes, then moments later weep over suffering.”

The world’s definition of manhood is way off base. God’s idea of real manhood, that “divinely elastic” man is who He had in mind when He created you and I. We see so many of the traits of the divinely elastic man in Jesus Christ…one who could speak with firmness, yet submit to His Father’s will; challenge the Pharisees in public settings with hard sayings yet encourage His disciples; clear the temple of moneychangers yet stand on a hill and weep over Jerusalem. It’s the man who lets God mold him to that “divinely elastic” man who is truely being molded into a masterpiece.

From Across the Pond

I kinda dumbed into a blog that is from Australia that was talking about manhood. I thought the article had some good points in it, so here it is:

The link is to MattGlover.com and the post is Manhood: Chapter 1 the Problem

Read it and see what you think.

More about the issue of gambling

If you’d scroll thru the comments on the post “It’s Too Much of a Gamble”, you’d see that Susan from Sisters’ Weblog dropped a comment in about the issue of gambling. I happen to really like what link she left me…it’s from her notes on a sermon that Pastor Chuck at Northbrook Church gave a while back. I apologize that I don’t have her direct permission to post this, but I’m going to do it anyhow. I cut a few things off, but here is the crux of the post about gambling and the lottery, etc., and I thought these were good points:

Jesus would NOT play the lottery because:

I. IT IS MOTIVATED BY GREED – Greed and God can not exist in the same heart. (Luke 12:13-21)

People who support the lottery claim it is used for education. While a small portion of it may be used that way, is that really the reason people play it? Does Joe buy a ticket thinking “I’m going to contribute to the education of Tennessee’s youth”? I doubt it, I think Joe wants to win the jackpot.

(Bill’s side note: 38 cents of every dollar goes to PA Seniors programs, the beneficiary of the lottery in Pennsylvania, with the other 62 cents going to payouts, administration of the lottery, etc. Not a real great ratio…)

II. EXPLOITS THE POOR – Jesus loves the poor. The lottery hurts them. (Luke 18:18-23)

I learned today that in statistical studies on the lottery, it shows that those people with incomes below $10,000 a year participate in the lottery more than any other group. Middle income families a little less and high income brackets rarely at all.

Studies also show that at the end/beginning of the month, once welfare checks are recieved, that there is a spike in lottery sales in poor neighborhoods. The lottery is looked upon by the government as a way to get back the money from the welfare system.

There are more lottery outlets in poor neighborhoods than in affluent ones, because that is where the players are.

III. IT IS POOR STEWARDSHIP OF GOD’S RESOURCES – Everything on earth belongs to God. (Matthew 25:14-30)

The lottery is like playing the midway games at the fair. You know you will lose, therefore, why spend money on playing? Statistically there is a greater chance of being struck by lightning TWICE, than winning the “big one”.

That was the crux of it that I wanted to share with you all. I would just encourage you to meditate on those thoughts a little…they were good ones.

Too Much of a Gamble?

Oh, could I start a stir with this one…

I was approached in the office today by one of our survey party chiefs. He says to me: “Hey Bill, Cash5 is up to $660,000 tonight, you playin’?” Of course my answer is no. He replies: “ah, but you gotta play to win!”

Gambling never made sense to me, even when I was unsaved. Why on earth would I spend money to have a chance at winning more money? And surely, the minute I won a big sum of money, I’d be related to just about everyone in town! I could never understand why it’s such a draw. Then, once I got saved, I figured it out.

“No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” – Luke 16:13

Does God want us to be grovelling around for everything, depending on government social programs, barely having enough to get by? NO! God wants to prosper us. But here is the thing: Money is a hard master that can easily replace God as the first priority in our lives. Wealth promises power and control that it can’t deliver, and it surely can’t bring health, happiness, or eternal life. It is much better to trust God, serve God, and have eternal peace and security, than to serve money that’s here today and gone tomorrow.

Herein lies the draw I was talking about: Many think that money can bring those things. If I just had that kind of money, my bills would be paid. I’d own my house. I’d be out of debt. I’d save the rest.

Yeah, right. Not many I know who came into big money “saved the rest”.

Now, before someone comes along and blasts me for teaching some sort of commandment of men here and that Paul told us that we have liberty not law, consider:

“All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable”

Is it lawful to go buy a lottery ticket? Sure. Every state has a lottery, as long as you’re older than 18 (maybe 21 in some places) and possess enough American dollars to purchase a ticket, you can get one. But ask yourself, is it profitable? Is spending $2, 5, 10, or more on the lottery helping you? Is it helping others? Is it providing your family’s needs? Does spending that money that way bring glory to God?

If your answer to one or more of those questions is “no” then perhaps you should reconsider your stance on the lottery.

Hard statement to hear, I know. But as Christians, I believe in my heart that we are given a responsibility to do things to bring glory to God and to minister to and serve others. This may strike a nerve with you, but if that’s the case it’s not me; I’m just the paperboy.

To me, it’s just too much of a gamble.

From the Comfort Zone to the End Zone

My pastor is preaching this message series right now at church. He has 12 different points he’s covering as to why people don’t leave the comfort of the familiar, the normal, the routine, to pursue God’s call for their lives or for the church to move beyond the normal to God’s call as a body.

It left me thinking about a tangent thought: Is there really a cost? We’re told in the scriptures about considering the cost (Luke 14:28), so surely there has to be a cost to staying in the comfort zone and not heading to the end zone. There is a cost.

Growth.

John Ortberg, in his book “If You Want to Walk on Water You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat”, tells the story of his grandmother, Florence. Florence was given pieces of china (a very exquisite set hand-crafted in Europe, no less) as gifts during her youth. Because of the value of the pieces, she would meticulously wrap the piece and put it in the attic for fear it might be broken if used. Florence wanted to save those pieces for a special occasion that never came along. She went to her grave without ever opening or using the greatest gift she ever received. Now that these dishes have been passed to John’s mother, they are used at every possible opportunity.

I like how Ortberg continues this thought. There are two ways to view a gift: that it’s so valuable it can’t be risked, or that it’s so valuable it must be risked. To say it can’t be risked makes the realization that things may not always go smoothly or well. Not everyone will admire the gift. It might get broken. But to say it must be risked recognizes that leaving a gift in a box forever thwarts the desires of the giver. Just like Florence’s plates, we’ve been given a gift by God, and we have to choose how we use it.

We all know the story of when Jesus walked on the water across the Sea of Galilee. Peter decided to get out of the boat and walk to Jesus. He chose that second way. He took a risk. Dale Bruner writes that “it’s important to see that Peter didn’t ask for a promise – i.e., “Lord, promise me I won’t sink” – but specifically for a command: “Lord, if it is you, command me.” Peter just wanted a chance. But the other eleven sat huddled in the boat, not wanting to risk anything. They wanted a promise or a guarantee rather than an opportunity.

We marvel at growth, whether it’s a child learning to walk and talk, the first blade of grass, a garden, a teenager getting their driver’s license, whatever. But for as much as we marvel at growth, there are really few things sadder than stagnation. No one plans a vacation to the Dead Sea. Whenever I think of stagnation, I think of “softball guy”…that guy in the La-Z-Boy watching whatever’s on ESPN, once the poster child for being fired up and full of dreams, yet settling for the comfort of the easy chair and whatever sport is on TV.

That, my friend, is the tragedy of the unopened gift and unrealized potential for growth.

Jesus tells a story about a “CEO” and three “employees” in the parable of the talents. Each is given a gift…a lavish opportunity. Each one had to make a choice as to what they would do with that gift. Just like Florence had to make a choice. Just like Peter. Just like us. Sir, you have a gift inside of you. God has given you a gift, an opportunity. Part of growing is using that gift despite the risk and what may happen to the gift.

Will your gift stay wrapped in the attic, or will you use it at every chance, despite the risk? That’s your choice.

Persisting in Prayer

Let’s look at Luke 18:1

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,…

This scripture is the beginning of the “Persistent Widow” parable. As you may recall, the persistent widow continually expressed her need to the judge until he took action on her situation. That’s what we should do with our needs in presenting them to God…be persistent. Persistence in prayer until we get an answer from God is not about endless repetition or painfully long sessions, but is instead about keeping our requests before God daily, believing He will answer them. He might delay in answering us, but His delays always have good reasons.

As we persist in our prayer life, we grow in character, faith, and hope as individuals and as a body. Are we persistent in what guidance and direction we seek from God? Are we continually interceding for our President, our churches, our pastors, and each other? Are we in need of a “shot in the arm” for our prayer life, because it has fallen apart some?

WRAP Week Prayer Directive – November 5

Today’s WRAP Week Prayer Directive:

First, thank God for all that He is able to do. This is the final day of directives for this week, and while the results aren’t landslide in nature, He is at work. Also, continue to pray that Godly men and women…but especially men…will be raised up within the local communities that will stand firm in rejection of this kind of stuff. Pray that they will be steadfast. Continue to pray for the chains to be broken from those addicted. Pray for those who are called to activism within the community (via petition drives, etc.) will be raised up and begin to take action as God leads them to. Continue to remember those who work in this industry, pray that God will continue to soften their hearts and work at bringing more people out of this place.

Thanks to all of you who participated along in this week of prayer regarding the porn industry..both for deliverance of people from it and for a change of heart of those stuck in it. I pray that we as men will continue to stand fast in our rejection of obscene materials.