a word of hope

Read this passage this morning - hope it encourages you as well:

For here's what I'm going to do: I'm going to take you out of these countries, gather you from all over, and bring you back to your own land. I'll pour pure water over you and scrub you clean. I'll give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you. I'll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that's God-willed, not self-willed. I'll put my Spirit in you and make it possible for you to do what I tell you and live by my commands. You'll once again live in the land I gave your ancestors. You'll be my people! I'll be your God! (Ezekiel 36:23-28, The Message)

one more word on text-ing

Thanks for your comments on the previous post. Scot McKnight has a great insight here: http://blog.beliefnet.com/jesuscreed/2009/09/translation-tribalism-2.html

text-ing God

Some of you may not be interested in this article, but others of you may be... and should be.

http://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctliveblog/archives/2009/09/breaking_transl.html

It raises some interesting issues... and while you may have an opinion on what translation of the Bible we should and shouldn't read, I think the core issue this all puts into play is this tension:

• Should a translation of the Bible start with a subjectivity to the reader's interests/desires/preferences and then work its way back to the original Text?
  
  or
  
  
• Should a translation of the Bible start with the Text, and then work its way into whatever culture the reader lives in, objective to their interests/desires/preferences?

As a bit of backstory, some controversy arose when a popular translation of the Bible - the NIV - was "re-translated" and a new version emerged as another option. This was called the TNIV and a big piece of the debate was around the softening of gender when God was referenced. The advocates stated that this since the Lord made both male and female "in His image," we shouldn't call God a "He" but find more "inclusive" ways of referencing. Others felt that this was an unnecessary move away from the core inferences of the Scripture that utilized the masculine way of describing God even when it wasn't directly an issue. And even more importantly, it would lead to even more recreating of Scripture "in our image."

If you don't understand yet why this matters, it is the problem we see with any issue in our world - if you don't like something, change it... and if you don't have the authority to do so, create that authority by vote, force, or a whole lot of ranting.

And so the question remains: Is it up to a translation committee to recreate the Bible for its audience, or is the job of a committee to find ways to let the original Text speak to any given culture?

I remember back in 2002 when the Chairman of the TNIV board was being interviewed on the radio and taking phone calls. I grabbed the phone and ended up first in line, which was actually kind of humbling. Nonetheless, I asked him why "now" did the changes occur (versus back when the first NIV committee met a few decades earlier), and he mentioned they felt they had a more accurate read of the Bible and this would be a more inclusive offering culturally.

I respectfully pushed back a bit and asked him why that was a value, and he said it was important that people be able to see themselves in the Bible more.

Hmm.

I then asked a follow up - "So what happens if, say, many Christians and church leaders decide to loosen up on some things we consider sins today? Will you be putting out another version of the NIV five, ten, or twenty years from now?"

He sort of stumbled over his answer of, "Well, there's no way to predict if we'll need to change it."

So I asked, "Then... how confident are you... really... in this translation?"

I heard, "Well..." by the gentleman, and then quickly, "Thanks for the call." by the radio personality.

Keep in mind, I am convicted that the Bible is inspired and has been preserved as a perfect message even while it has passed through the hands of imperfect people. We see it affirming itself within its pages and find that archeology only continues to show how amazing a book the Scriptures are in their accuracy.

In addition to that, though, I also believe that there may not be one "translation" from the original languages to our own 21st Century ones that fully captures the Divinity of God in a way that humans can perfectly understand. As a tag, I do believe that there are translations that offer us perspective that is "more accurate" than others, but even then there is a component of mystery that will always exist - God will never be fully understood by people, but through the Scriptures we can fully connect with God in an accurate way.

There will always be critics of whatever is out there, and I don't think they should be ignored. However, I also don't think they should be elevated. It is a good idea to take in their thoughts with context. For without fundamentalists, we would forget the fundamentals... and without the liberals, we would forget to take risks. Both seem to be needed.

So whatever your favorite version of the Bible is, I'd encourage you to not be a groupie of it.

Rather, be a fan of the original Text...

and learn to appreciate what a struggle it is to not take authority over the Scriptures, but rather, let the Scriptures take authority over us.

some ancient wisdom on current finances

This summer I've decided to engage in four goals that I hope will enlarge how I see life, enlarge my connections, enlarge the souls around me, and enlarge resources others need. Part of that includes a daily reading in a pretty amazing text called Proverbs, and today's comes from Proverbs 17.

I couldn't get past the implications of the first verse:

"Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife."

It's ironic, since many people feel that in times of trouble and challenge we start to get petty with each other over small stuff. I think this is generally true, and have experienced its temptation as Katie and I have been through trials.

But I've also seen the beauty when the distractions of life reveal the true priorities and you have to ask yourself what matters most. It seems like the times that we've had it the toughest, we have had a great level of intimacy in our communication and connection as a family.

Maybe this is why verse 3 says:

"The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart."

And verse 16:

"Of what use is money in the hand of a fool, since he has no desire to get wisdom?"

Given the challenges many of us are going through to honor God in the finances He's given us to manage, it only seems right and fitting to take to heart these words.

The alternative attitudes and behavior is what we're used to, and something one student at London‘s M&C Saatchi uncovered regarding how many people cope financially in times of struggle:

• Crash Dieters (26%) identify and cut out all non-essential spending until things improve. They live from week to week, and when the money runs out, they’re forced to take drastic action.


• Scrimpers (13%) down-trade rather than cut out. They are more likely to substitute brands with generic/private labels rather than dropping them altogether.


• Abstainers (15%) want to maintain their lifestyle and postpone big purchases until the situation improves.


• Balancers (9%) rob Peter to pay Paul. They prefer sacrifice to compromise.


• Treaters (12%) don’t find it easy to cut back, but know they have to. So they reward their frugalness with regular small treats.


• Justifiers (12%) are happy to give, but in the current climate they want to be sure their money is well-used. They’re looking for value deals and sound investments.


• Ostriches (9%) feel unaffected or in denial and are spending normally.


• Vultures (4%) are looking to profit from others’ misfortune. (Let’s hope you or I are not doing this!)

There is at least one other sound bit of wisdom in Proverbs that echoes this data - "He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished." (Proverbs 17:5)

These are great days for the Church to speak with clarity and conviction about the hope and certainty of God’s Story. Whatever we can do to enlarge the perspective of others beyond what they feel caught up in will only further their ability to see His fingerprints in their lives. Our faith is not in the stock market or in retirement accounts, but in the Almighty God who sustains His children in all situations.

This past Sunday our church community went around town and planted "free food" at the bottom of vending machines. Attached was a card that expressed how it really was free and was intended to remind whomever found it that God loves them, right there... right then. Maybe it's something as simple as that... a spark that creates a fire.

Or maybe it's more. Maybe it's you and I leading a life that is full of creative generousity, wise discipline, prayerful priorities, and courageous simplicity. These priorities are God-honoring regardless of the size or regularity of a paycheck... this is about extending (which implies discomfort) the hope of Jesus into the life of everyone else.

“Remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today” (Deuteronomy 8:18).

a few thoughts i don't want to stop wrestling with

Just pondering Luke 15 a bit... we touched on it this past week, including its famous story of the loving Father, the prodigal son, and the blind brother. Check it out HERE.

• The Father is really who the Story is about - even though his rebellious offspring usually gets the headline. Without the Father's love there would be no return home, and without Father's standard there could be no rebellion (this is more than a "grace" passage - it's a holiness passage, too). In fact, without the Father there could be no sons.
  
  I wonder how often you and I forget that.
  
  
• The rebellious son squandered what he thought was freedom until he realized he was not free... quite the opposite - he was now stuck.
  
  I wonder how often you and I mistake the two.
  
  
• The blind brother couldn't see past his own story, and since no one was throwing him a party he made a little pity party all on his own.
  
  I wonder how often you and I live in small stories full of pity parties instead of larger stories full of parties we throw for other people.

So what might happen if you and I...

• Kept the Father first?
• Didn't confuse freedom with rebellion?
• Stopped letting our lives be about small stories?

Now, if you're like me you may have just read those questions and moved on to read this sentence. So I'd like to ask you instead to go back and let those questions sink into the deeper places of your mind, heart, and soul. Don't be quick to answer them with the usual reply... rather, consider what an answer to those questions might look like if you:

1. Took those questions seriously, and...
2. Let those questions take you to serious places without you getting to decide what it looks like.

life and nothing

Consider this today from John 15:5 - “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

Nothing.

Did you know that when you cut off a branch it will still bud a little bit, even though it is dead. It's deceptive - you think life is happening, but it isn't.

Growing is Christ IN me and through me.

That's it.

May you grow today.

2 out of 3 still ain't 3

One of the things I have always been intrigued by is how often we don't spend time trying to understand who the Holy Spirit is. As the third member of the Trinity, one might think that He gets as much stage time in our prayers... only He seems to show up as a "grip" in the credits of our faith.

Maybe that's because the Holy Spirit freaks most people out.

Honestly, don't many of us assume we can't relate to Him? After all, we can mentally process "God the Father" as a father figure and "God the Son" as a son/savior figure. But what is our reference point for a "Spirit" figure - the latest special effects movie?

And yet if I am burdened for a complete and overflowing experience of God, then I shouldn't trim out my study of a vital part of who He is. One of the chief ways He chooses to operate in every person's life in the present tense is via the Holy Spirit. Perhaps there are miracles just waiting for us to experience if we would only realize the miracle of the Spirit's presence. If we don't explore who He is (yes, "He" versus "It") we will miss out on some powerful components to our faith:

Jesus affirmed Him and the role He would play in guiding us into all truth.

• John 16:26 - (Jesus speaking) "When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me."

Yet there was still confusion in the early church between those who'd placed their faith in Christ and received the Spirit versus those who had only gone half-way by repenting through John the Baptist.

• Matthew 3:11 - (John speaking) "I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire."



• Matthew 10:20 - "for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you."



• John 7:38-39 - (Jesus speaking) "Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

It's because of this latter issue that you see a lot of talk about "being filled with the Spirit" because many people had settled for a faith about Jesus instead of placing their faith in Jesus. It's like agreeing that a parachute will work versus strapping it on and placing your faith fully in the Lord.

• Matthew 28:19 - "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
  


• Acts 8:14-17: When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
  It's one of the reasons the disciples had to wait for the Holy Spirit to be poured out.
  
  
• Acts 1:9 - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
  
  
• Romans 8:15 - For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."

And once He was poured out, He was available to all believers. This is also why when Luke writes about certain people in the early church or Paul writes to Christ followers who had truly placed their faith in Christ it's a non-issue.

• Acts 7:55 - But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God;
  
  
• Romans 5:5 - And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
  
  
• Romans 8:11 - And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.
  
  
• 1 Corinthians 2:12 - We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.
  
  
• 1 Corinthians 3:16 0 Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?
  
  
• 2 Corinthians 5:5 - Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
  
  
• Ephesians 1:13 - And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.

Sometimes He is revealed through a laying of hands (especially in cases of ordination into a ministerial office/position), and other times He is just poured out on all those who place faith in Christ:

• Acts 2:38 - Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
  
  
• Acts 9:17 - So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, "(Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
  


• Acts 10:45 - All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.

We have to remember, though, to not resist the reality of the Holy Spirit's presence as the Pharisees did:

• Acts 7:51 - "You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!
  
  
• 1 Thessalonians 5:17 - Do not put out the Spirit's fire

Instead, we are to embrace His role in changing the world as He changes us.

• 1 Corinthians 12:7 - Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
  
  
• Acts 8:29 - Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join this chariot."
  


• Romans 8:5 - Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
  
  
• Galatians 5:22-23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

And as a bit of encouragement, we are told that in the last days the Holy Spirit will be at work all over the place...on all people as well as God's servants.

• Acts 2:17-18 - "'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy."
  


• Revelation 2:29 - He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
  And so the Holy Spirit is bigger than we know and yet personal enough to dwell within those who trust their lives to Christ. Together they play a role with the Father in guiding us toward a time when we will all be who we really are in the presence of the Triune God.

In fact. it is through the Holy Spirit that we learn how to overcome our old ways.

• Romans 8:13 - "If you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live."

So maybe it's time to pony up on our Trinity as a 3-in-1 instead of a 2-in-1. The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force that God uses... the Holy Spirit is God.

I know, we don't get it because our human brains can't wrap around this idea that God is bigger than our understanding. (Which is ironic, because by definition wouldn't God have to be bigger than us?)

People resisted the idea of God as Father, and yet one day they saw that the God who led them by day through a cloud was the same One who led them by night with fire. And then there was the incarnation of Christ - that God would come to earth as One of us so that we might become more like Him - we've spent time resisting that, too. Finally, this concept of the Spirit is our last mental hurdle to jump - and yet there He is, working in our lives.

Imagine what would happen if we recognized how special it is to have the God of the Universe fully indwell a person. Why God spends time leading us into Truth is beyond me, and yet He does... and still manages to keep the universe running just as well. He is the one who helps us see the birth pains the world is going through to spring forth Life out of its current decay.

"The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life." (Revelation 22:17)

a season for a season

Shhhh.

I know you may be familiar with the text you're about to read. The Byrds used it to give guts to the song "Turn! Turn! Turn!" back in the mid-60's... it's been shared at more than one memorial service as a means of comfort to tragedy... and even Kevin Bacon quoted it in Footloose when John Lithgow inappropriately told him the Lord was against dancing (even though the whole town was made up of professional dancing teenagers).

Shhhh.

Quiet those references down for a moment, because sometimes our familiarity with something sacred can turn it into something less than what it is. Lean into what God is about to breathe on you through this:

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

• a time to be born and a time to die,
• a time to plant and a time to uproot,
• a time to kill and a time to heal,
• a time to tear down and a time to build,
• a time to weep and a time to laugh,
• a time to mourn and a time to dance,
• a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
• a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
• a time to search and a time to give up,
• a time to keep and a time to throw away.
• a time to tear and a time to mend,
• a time to be silent and a time to speak,
• a time to love and a time to hate,
• a time for war and a time for peace.

(Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

Shhhh.

Which of those words jump out to you in each phrase? Answering that can help you gain a footing regarding what has happened, is happening, and will happen to you. Whether you're facing the consequences of your own hands or are engaged in circumstances that others have put upon you, either can bring extreme joy... or exhausting tension.

And apparently... there is a time for both.

Shhhh.

For a while, I have been practicing and putting intentional space in my routine to better hear from God and understand the "time" I'm in.

• All throughout the day, I pray a simple prayer that asks, "God, where are you at in this and how should I respond?"
• Once a day, I build in a pocket of time to reflect on what the Holy Spirit has shown me and how He is nudging me.
• Once a week, I take a Sabbath where my family and I spend our time differently than the other six days... all to remind us that the world doesn't run on our energy and voice mail works just fine.
• Once a month, I get away for a day of reconnecting. That sounds hyper spiritual, but it's just a simple practice of slowing down, looking into people (instead of just "at" people), walking in familiar places and situations with a fresh set of eyes, and asking God to break my heart in all the places it's gotten hard.

Are you up for this kind of practice? Stilling ourselves so that we can hear God is becoming a critical discipline in our techno world.

And it just might help us remember what matters most.

clean slates

"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

"I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.


So apparently everybody gets a clean slate.

I believe that.


Everybody.


And yet...

there are some people I find it hard to do this with.

I don't mean to, and I really am trying.


In recent weeks, I've been aware of this on more than one occasion. People whom I believe "should have known better" made choices in the recent and distant past that were detrimental to others, let alone me.

And I found that it's hard to give a clean slate when you have a good memory.

Hmm... maybe that's the one and only praise about Alzheimers.


I'm learning that the only way to combat this is through intentional grace. The kind that looks for the good in those people so that you can go out of your way to celebrate that in them. It feels forced and awkward, but I'd rather feel that than let the errors of the past become poisonous.

I say that because while I have forgiven these people, I still find that I haven't forgotten.


Yet I am a Christ-follower.

Which means I need to follow Christ.

And if He's commanded me to forgive and not hold someone's sins against them, then that's the growth curve I need to be on.


You know what? That sounds lame. "Growth curve." I was about to delete that but I want to leave that there to make a point. Saying "growth curve" means I'm too lazy to obey right now so I'll say something euphemistic so I sound righteous without having to become righteous.


Sorry... this is a bit messy for a blog post.

Please forgive me.

peter-ing in

Some time ago I really enjoyed wrestling with a theological question that has a lot of practical application. While reading something from Scot Mcknight, I found myself challenged by this question:

When does Simon-Peter get his "salvation" certificate (metaphorically speaking)?

Thoughts:

• Is it when he's introduced to Jesus? Andrew introduces his brother to Jesus, who tells him that one day he'll be called "Peter" - is he converted here? Might someone who subscribes to predestination believe this is the big reveal?



• Is it when he confesses he's a sinner? After fishing all night with no success, Jesus tells Peter to do it again. He does, brings in many, and falls to his knees to declare he's a sinful man. Is he converted here? Confessional-oriented groups might like to think so.



• Is it when he proclaims Jesus is the Messiah? Jesus asks who people say He is, and Peter erupts with the confession that "You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God." Credal believers would really appreciate this and recognize this as the critical step.



• Is it after the death and resurrection of Jesus? Peter denies Jesus three times, then after the resurrection confesses His love for Jesus three times. Is he converted here? And if so, which time - when he confesses Phileo love or Agape love? Many who hold to the importance of the veil being torn and the Law being released would claim this was the moment.



• Is it after he (and the others) receive the Holy Spirit at Pentecost? This is after he is boldly preaching to others, then followed by more bold preaching to others. Is he converted here? Surely the Charismatics would think so.



• Is it after his vision on a rooftop? Here he realizes that the circle of who is considered clean and unclean gets widened when God corrects his understanding. Is he converted here? Spiritual social activists would state this is the moment.



• Is it when he's crucified upside-down (according to tradition)? Here he would fully identify with Jesus as one last act of surrender. Is he converted here? Extremists would like to think so.



• Or is it after His baptism? And if so, when is that exactly?

The "moment" of all of this seems questionable by different schools of thought, but the process seems clear:

• Peter is lost in life.


• Peter is introduced to Jesus by Andrew.


• Peter suspects Jesus might be the Messiah.


• Peter is invited to follow Jesus, and he does.


• Peter recognizes Jesus as someone profoundly superior.


• Peter confesses Jesus is the Messiah (but still disagrees that the Messiah should suffer).


• Peter perceives the Messiah must suffer.


• Peter confesses his love for Jesus three times.


• Peter realizes Jesus is Messiah for the Jews and the Gentiles.


• Peter embraces Jesus' life as a paradigm for Christian living (hence, the writings of Peter in the Bible).

So how do we chart this? And do we need to? (Which is a question in itself.)

Where is the spike on the graph? Or are there several? And if so, which is the biggest?

Keep in mind, I ask these questions to grow in my understanding of how you think about God so that I might grow in my understanding of how I think about Him as well. I'm not trying to stir up a pot without purpose - I have no doubt Peter was converted and have my own idea of when... there obviously is some defining moment in all of this.

I guess my questions are about how we can tell...

if we can tell...

and why the need to tell seems so important to people besides the person who takes that step.

(Especially churches needing to fill out denominational reports on "how many" did "this or that"... which I really don't miss doing, because it gives me more time to connect with those folks in person.)

this is a test

My digital watch has been set ahead one day - meaning, when I look at its date it's one number higher than the date it's supposed to be.

I'm not sure how it happened... maybe when I set it for Daylight Savings or something.

I first brushed against this reality when I wished someone a belated birthday because I thought I was a day late. They said I wasn't... that was puzzling to me.

Then I was saving a file to my computer and wondered why the one I'd saved a week before was off a day... that was odd, too.

Finally I went to sign a document that required a date... and it hit me - I had been referring to an inaccurate reference point.

Keep in mind, I would have arm wrestled you on this had you questioned me. Why would my digital watch be wrong? It keeps great time and is one of the more noted brands.

And yet... I was wrong.

The Bible says to "Test everything." Don't believe me? Here, let me quote it to you:

"Test everything. Hold on to the good." (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

I find it intriguing that the word "everything" is there... I looked it up in the original Greek language and found something amazing - the word "everything" is translated "everything."

Ah.


Which means, essentially, that we are to test everything to figure out the good. So basically we're encouraged to ask questions... yes, it is absolutely allowable for us to even test if our belief systems are valid. This also means that the Bible is saying, "Test everything, which means this book, too."

Hmm.

Some people are afraid of doing that... maybe we should be. Meaning, maybe while it is okay to test the Bible it doesn't mean we shouldn't do so with fear and trembling.

But it is okay to test it. Not to rewrite it, but to let it rewrite our understanding of it.

That means that if you've been coasting along on theology that you picked up several years ago, it might be good to revisit it to be sure it still holds true. It also means that if that theology is still true, you can gain further confidence in it. In this way you are not only studying the Bible but you're letting the Bible study you.


This floors me... ready?

When "tested" internally and externally, the good news is that the Good News remains good news after you test how good its news is.

I share that as someone who continues to do so, and always seem to find that this is a reference point that never seems to change.

The only catch in all of this is to test with a teachable heart and not a hard-hearted one. For instance, sometimes we "test" God by pushing back on His grace and cheapening it.

"Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry." We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes (1 Corinthians 10:7-9)

That said, I wonder... what in your life do you need to test?

"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1)

"If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else." (Galatians 6:3-4)

"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?" (2 Corinthians 13:5)

But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. (2 Corinthians 8:7-8)

"...you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." (James 1:3)

pictures of salvation

It is absolutely wild how often you’ll find someone in a random public place taking a picture. Maybe it’s because the digital age allows us endless amounts of storage to keep our photos without any real expense, but this wasn’t always the case.

Back when people used standard cameras and had to spend money on film it seemed like we were a bit more selective about this. These cameras didn’t have a mini screen to show you if the picture had turned out or not, so you’d usually only find someone taking multiple pictures of something if it was real important and they wanted to be sure it turned out.

I’ve seen so many people over the years treat the issue of salvation the same way.

Maybe they pray a certain prayer to God during a church service with all their sincerity only to find that they’re tempted later in the week with the same old sins again. Suddenly doubt runs through their minds, and so they pray the same prayer again the next week, and the next, and the next. They truly want a relationship with the Lord but yet their life feels like the ideal picture of them with God never “developed.”

Too much insecurity.

Interestingly, others can be just the opposite and think that once they’ve prayed a prayer they’re done and can do whatever they want. It would be like taking a great photo of you smiling with your family but then treating them horribly in every moment after the picture was taken... this is a denial of the things a person who has the Spirit of God would exemplify - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness... and so on. Which situation do you think best captures the reality of that relationship – the photo with the fake smile or the disconnected relationship that vomits whatever it feels?

Too much security.

God didn’t want us to have to guess about our where we stand with Him nor did He want us to arrogantly abuse it, and so He offered a very clear Way to show us the Truth that offers us Life. Through Jesus Christ we not only get a “picture” of what God is like but also catch a “snapshot” of the life He dreams for us. Like a digital camera, we don’t have to wait until heaven to understand what is developing in our lives.

From Galatians 5:22-25, this is the picture that should be developing:

• Love: Am I willing and able to let all things I do track back to a spirit of love? Or do people feel that I'm a bit carnal?


• Joy: Do people around me get the sense I have a brimming joy in my life? Or do they sense that I'm somewhat bitter toward persons/people?


• Peace: Is there a sense of contement within me regarding my lot in life? Or is there insecurity in my spirit?


• Patience: Do I take the time to enter the world of others? Or do I demand that people follow my prescriptions for them?


• Kindness: Am I known for my kindness? Or am I known for speaking against people?


• Goodness: Do I practice my faith to bring about redemptive possibilities in others? Or do I create footholds for frustration and evil?


• Faithfulness: Would people say that I stick with God's plan in all the places I would prefer not to? Or am I selective in the Scriptures I follow?


• Gentleness: Would people describe me as a vice holding an unbroken egg? Or would they describe me as a vice with egg smashed all over it?


• Self-control: At the end of the day would my conversations/thought life have included a lot of "I don't need to do that so I won't" - or would "That's just the way I am so look out" dominate?

Obviously no one is perfect in all of these things, but I'd simply encourage you to survey the fruit God longs to develop in your life. Maybe you're like me and you don't quite know how the camera works... the point is that it does.

If you let it.

It’s my hope that wherever you’re at with this right now that you’ll take in the fullness of the “Big Picture” – not only so that you can enjoy a confident relationship as a child of God but also be able to explain it clearly to others through your words... and your life.

you asked for it: book slice

Anonymous (hey, it's you again - did you like my last post?) asked, "how about a slice from your book? never did pick it up and am dying to read a bit of it."

For those playing along at home, the books is called "Miracles Of Jesus" and can be purchased here via the nice folks at Sonlife. They're still keeping me working these days, too... just finished another I'm pretty stoked about.

Here's a pre-edited slice (meaning, it looks a lot nicer and reads better after I submitted it).

----------------
"Baby Steps"

The Eternal:

When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went--into villages, towns or countryside--they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed. (Mark 6:53-56)

The Past:

Although Jesus had often asked others he’d healed to keep quiet about it, the word had spread that he could perform miracles. In this particular Scripture an endless number of people who’d heard the stories about the Lord brought their sick friends and family with the anticipation that he could change them.

Interestingly, Christ didn’t require the crowds to first listen to him give a message in order to receive care for such concerns. Rather, he honored their desperate faith and allowed even the corners of his cloak to impart the cures they craved.

Sometimes people who are far from God will only seek him out in a time of crisis, desiring him to fix the pain in their lives or the lives of those around them. It can become easy for us to judge or look down on them for trying to take advantage of what Jesus offers instead of receiving him for who he is. Nonetheless, this Bible passage illustrates how the Savior regularly welcomes such people without any strings attached and often honors the hope they place in him. Ironically, this openness to brokenness as well as a sense of expectancy in his power is often hard to find in Christians. If we are to walk in the footsteps of the Savior more we must welcome whomever comes to him irregardless of the reason, perhaps allowing their conviction to get closer to him to spur us on to do the same.

The Present:

What experience in your life or a friend’s life does this remind you of?

- My life:


- A friend’s life:

The Future:

Imagine that you were a journalist covering these events as they happened. What would your headline be? How would the first paragraph of your story read?

This passage records numerous people being healed all throughout a particular region. In what specific ways would that area look, feel, and sound different the next day? In other words, how might such a massive miracle affect the practical components of everyday living?

It’s easy to look at the different ways other people might be taking advantage of the Lord. Take the time, though, to quickly inventory any areas that you may be doing just that. Consider how the Lord has blessed you in the following areas and spend a moment to write out a praise of thanks for his provision:

• The place I live:


• The family around me:


• The friends I’ve made:


• The church I gather with:


• The education I’ve received:


• The God who loves me unconditionally:

how then shall we be saved?

Disclaimer #1: If you have a theological box that you find safety in, now may be the time to acknowledge it and see if its sides are big enough for the discussion we're about to have.

Disclaimer #2: Please pardon the way these words do no justice to what I’m about to try to say, but yet how amazing it is to follow a God who can be completely known while simultaneously remains incompletely understood. Jesus Christ offered His divinely-human hand to a group of people who had no idea where the journey would take them once they grabbed it.

That sounds familiar to me.

One of the ways I’ve seen this over the years is in the mystery that it is to reach out to God through Jesus Christ… a little context.

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (James 4:8)

Wow… a clear picture of the principle I want to explore for a few moments in this post… one that is about to get very foggy.

---------------------

Now…

the question I’d like to propose is: How do you get “saved?”

(I know this isn’t an original question nor are the thoughts that follow necessarily a complete, air-tight, slam-the-Bible-down-got-it-all-figured-out answer to the question, but nonetheless I am compelled to ask.)

How do you get “saved?”

Do you get saved through something you say in a certain way… like a “sinner’s prayer” where you ask God to forgive you?

Then Jesus turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven--for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." (Luke 7:44-48)

Interesting… especially since this woman who received forgiveness never asked for anything, nor did she say anything to Jesus... and then He just sort of told her... she was forgiven. Wow. My box just got bigger.

So… is it a matter of just believing, then?

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26)

Interesting… so salvation comes about just by believing?

Or do you need to say anything out loud?

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)

Interesting… so salvation comes about by believing AND saying something out loud?

Is that it? Or is there more?

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21)

Interesting... so heaven will be full of surprises for those who think they're "in" - when actually they're not. Wait... I think I'm "in," so what does that mean?

Do I somehow have to clean myself up?

"As Jesus was speaking, one of the Pharisees invited him home for a meal. So he went in and took his place at the table. His host was amazed to see that he sat down to eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony required by Jewish custom. Then the Lord said to him, “You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and wickedness! Fools! Didn’t God make the inside as well as the outside? So clean the inside by giving gifts to the poor, and you will be clean all over." (Luke 11:37-41)

Interesting... so all I have to do to become spiritually clean is just give to the poor? Wait... is that right?

This is frustrating and straining my box. How DOES one get to see the Kingdom of God?

In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. (John 3:3-6)

Interesting… so we must experience a spiritual rebirth to enter God's kingdom… life change? Cool... got it. Air tight now, baby.

So it's all about deciding to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Thats how someone gets saved?

Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. 2 Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven." (Matthew 9:1)

Interesting… it was through the faith of a bunch of friends that someone was saved… while the man himself… did nothing but lay on a mat? [also see Mark 2, 1 Cor. 7:16]. Is salvation then linked to other people?

So can one person who is reintegrated back to the Triune God through Jesus Christ become a kind of conduit… maybe like a "royal priesthood" and a "holy nation"… through whom the work of Jesus in his/her life can be extended to others... whether they ask for it or not?

To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. (1 Corinthians 7:12-14)

Interesting… entire households of people can become holy through the life of one person who authentically lives it out?

Or… does that original believer need to say something out loud so that those other people will say something?

For, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" (Romans 10:13-15)

Interesting… so it does matter that we tell them about the Lord so that they can call on the name of the Lord. Back to words, eh? Cool. Got it down now. Phew. Glad that’s back in my box now. (Wait… darn… it’s not staying up like it used to)

While we’re on the topic of the Lord, how much of Him do we need to know (or have a theological answer for) before we can call on His name?

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" "Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." (Acts 9:1-6)

Interesting… so maybe salvation doesn’t come about by having all the answers but by asking the right questions.

On that topic, what about people who don’t have it all down pat and are kind of lost in an alternative belief system where they’re guessing their way through life and faith?

Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. (Acts 17:22-23)

Interesting… so even people who are reaching out in untrue ways can find buried way beneath the surface of their false beliefs something very true and real… if someone helps them find the healthy beneath the unhealthy… the "water within the antifreeze" that is worth drinking if it can be completely separated, so to speak. (Wow... that sounds too dangerous... maybe I should go live back in my box again)

What about those who won’t ever have someone come out their way? What if the missionary’s airplane runs out of gas… or he gets speared… or she gets sick and has to go home for a health care and leave the natives behind?

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. (Romans 1:20)

Interesting… so everyone has the opportunity to connect with God through His general revelation in all things.

Wait… everyone? So does it matter what you believe – a right way of thinking, so to speak - or is sincerity all that counts?

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. (1 John 4:1-3)

Interesting… so we do need to be on guard against things that smell like Jesus but really aren’t.

What does that look like? Does that show up even in the church?

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-- having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. (2 Timothy 3:1-7)

Interesting… so we need to be careful when we feel we have God down pat and are good note takers and AMEN’ers during the sermons… but never live the AMEN out in our lives?

Then… are we supposed to dive deeper into the truths of God… and where will that lead us when done in accompaniment with integrating those truths into our lives?

Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him. To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:30-32)

Interesting… so exploring a healthy understanding of God should lead to obedience and not arrogance, evidenced in the freedom we enjoy and extend and not in more boxes that we put around ourselves and others.

So... did we answer the question?

If so, what is it?

If not, how do we?

----------

Here’s the curveball…

these are not contradictions in the Bible.

There is a consistent thread in all of this that I hope you caught.

While the Bible shows us that there are many different ways people come to God, every way always is through His Trinitarian grace… often in the way that makes the most sense to that person, even if the next person to come along does it a little bit differently.

Even if the next person to come along does it a little bit differently.

Even if the next person to come along does it a little bit differently.

Which can mess with your theology a bit, especially if you’re quite comfortable with your theological understanding of who is “in” and who is “out.”

And who ultimately gets to decide all of that?

In every case, Jesus is the one who declares who is in and who is out. Kind of like He glances at the homemade rule books we're using and says, "Yeah... um... I actually have an ammendment to that based on the Bible... which may or may not fit with the cliff notes you wrote in the margin."

In the Scriptures, people stumble into the kingdom in all sorts of ways.

Is salvation a destination? Or more?

Is it mathematics - a + b = C? Or more?

Is it a journey understanding that looks different for everyone and can't be articulated at all? Or more?

And for that, is the issue of assurance more important to the person or the Christian who is looking to validate their ministry? Have you ever sat through a sermon where the pastor insisted people come forward because "Jesus called people publicly?" Have you ever sat through a sermon where a pastor insisted people should pray a prayer quietly in their seats because it was a "personal thing between that individual and God?"

Yes and yes... and for that matter, guilty and guilty.

That's the rub... Christ-followers are called to talk about this. So how do you proclaim a message that is larger than our letters, more infinite than our finite minds, and more fluid when we want it to be more solid?

Maybe we just "point people to Jesus?"

Maybe we just "give people a sound theology?"

Or maybe we just eliminate the word/concept "just" from our theological vocabulary.

Here's what we know:

• There is no other name than the name of Jesus Christ that we are given to find salvation under/through (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).
  
• God desires everyone to be saved and is not willing that anyone perish (1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet.3:9).
  
• God cares about justice and will judge people fairly - in ways beyond our understanding (1 Pet. 2:23).
  
• God reveals Himself (general revelation) to people everywhere through creation and their moral conscience so that they can respond to Him as best as they know how (Rom. 1:20, 2:6-15; Ps. 19:1-4).
  
• Those who have heard about Christ and deliberately reject Him (whether by rebellion or indifference) will experience their choice forever (unless they turn back to Jesus) through a realm of separation and indescribable emptiness through pain we call hell (2 Thes. 1:9; Matt. 25:46; Rev. 21:8).

Here's what we don't know:

• Who is "in" and who is "out."


• The "right way" to tell someone how to "get saved."


• Who is "in" and who is "out."
  
• If the "sinner's prayer" is biblical in how it's often presented as an "all you have to do is..." deal.
  
• Who is "in" and who is "out."

Jesus warns that some of the people you assume are in may be “out," and some of the people you assume are out may be “in.”

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."(Matthew 25:31-46)

Maybe we should stop trying to sit on the fence and do His job... maybe we should instead seek to invite people of all spiritual backgrounds to trust the direction and details of their lives to Jesus TODAY.

Maybe we should encourage people inside and outside the church community to dig deeper and reintegrate themselves further to the Triune God, living in conscious union with the Father through Christ as led by the Spirit.

Maybe this has to all begin in us first, growing and developing in our human experience in this world right now... being sure that heaven doesn't turn into a destination we all "fly away" to but rather a realm where things are the way they should be... a realm that can be revealed "on earth as it is in heaven."

Maybe salvation is not a formula or a mere affirmation of a "get out of hell free" card, but is instead a change of identity... a reestablishing of a new address... something that shouldn't create its own subculture but instead recreate the entire world.

Maybe Jesus loves me...

this I know for the Bible tells me so.

And Jesus said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3)

two good questions

This week I heard two really good questions that made me go, "Hmm."

The first happened when I met with two buddies for breakfast and we decided to start reading through a book of the Bible together on a weekly basis. The issue was which book, and the conversation went like this:

"There's Galatians, Ephesians, Corinthians, Revelation..."

"Well, Galatians has to do with Gnosticism... a lot of Da Vinci code junk. Then Philippians is a book of encouragement...."

"How do you know that?"

"Um... because the little page in my Bible before the book begins tells me."

And it hit me... sure - it's good to know the context of Scripture. But what happens when we begin to put a "NAME TAG" on a book of the Bible? Do we limit it... or better understand it... or both.... or neither?

The second happened today. A co-worker at the Boys & Girl's Club was getting a drink of water and then....

"Hey Tony... (slurp) I want to ask you something."

"Sure."

"Why do you think you're here?"

Keep in mind, this guy knows I'm a displaced pastor (and is, in fact, planting a church of his in own in "the hood" where the Boys & Girls Club is located). We talked a bit about it, but the question was a good one. His reason for asking was because I "am making a difference here but look like [I'm] made for something bigger than this." We talked for a long while about what that meant, and I had a chance to hear his personal testimony (which made me cry, by the way).

So... perhaps maybe I can pass these two questions along to you, too. Regarding your life in whatever context you'd like to take this:

"How do you know that?"

and

"Why do you think you're here?"