Damascus Bound

Ultimate Thankfulness

2011-11-23T12:50:00.001-06:00

"Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples.
Sing to Him, sing praises to Him;
Speak of all His wonders."

-I Chronicles 16:7-9

During this time of Thanksgiving, I have seen people speak of (and even spoken of myself) a lot of things for which we are thankful. Everything from an iPhone to a car to the weather. I am of course thankful for a healthy and beautiful wife and daughter, a loving mother and siblings, and the security of being spoiled in this country.

Job, however, reminds us that we own nothing. It is all God's. As the Scripture above states, there is really one overarching purpose in giving thanks. It is simply to glorify God.

We give thanks to God for His work, not ours.
We give thanks to God for His goodness, not ours.
We give thanks to God for His mercy, for we need it.

True thankfulness is the recognition that we don't deserve or own anything, but that God allows us to have it by His mercy. Ultimate thankfulness is recognizing we don't own or deserve eternal life, but we have it in Christ Jesus by His mercy.

Is the Bible Reliable?

2011-11-11T20:17:00.001-06:00

All of the Scripture we have today is based on ancient sources. It wasn't printed until after 1500 AD. There are many opportunities to question the validity and reliability of scripture. As I said in the last blog post, I have been sharing the Gospel with just such a person - who denies the reliability of scripture. But here are some interesting facts...

Homer's Iliad was written in 8th century BC. The oldest manuscript we have is from the 13th century AD. That's 2,000 years where there is no manuscript for this. There is no existing original. There are 643 copies.

The Golic Wars is a history written in the first century. The oldest manuscript we have is from 1,000 years later. There are 10 copies.

A history by Thucydides has eight manuscripts from 1300 years AFTER it was written.

No one questions the authenticity of these documents. In fact, we read the Iliad without really knowing if Homer ever even wrote it, considering our oldest copy is 2,000 years older than him.

Yet day after day, people question the Bible's reliability. Here are the facts...
There are over 25,000 ancient manuscripts of the Bible!
The oldest ones are dated within the first 100 years after Christ, and people who saw Christ were still alive when these were penned.
There are over 32,000 quotes from scripture in the early church fathers' writings. In fact, we can recreate the New Testament without any manuscripts, using only quotes from the early church fathers!

There are early manuscripts that are different than our modern Bibles. But these have been discredited due to the MASSIVE volume of manuscripts that agree word for word!

643 copies of the Iliad written 2,000 years later. Or 25,000 copies of the Bible, some within the lifespan of the first Christians. Which would you trust?

I'm Back!

2011-11-06T07:15:00.000-06:00

You know, having an infant really cramps my blogging life. haha
We were placed with a beautiful baby girl in June, and she will be 5 months old tomorrow!
But now things have finally settled to a point where I feel I can be consistent and blog regularly each week or two.

"For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." 1 Corinthians 2:2

Over the past few months, a few of us at work have been sharing the Gospel with a very difficult customer. His protestations and arguments against the Gospel are shockingly bad and unfounded, but it made me realize these are pretty common objections to the Gospel today.

Firstly, he objects to the validity and accuracy of the Bible. We will confront this on the next blog.
Secondly, he objects to the exclusivity of the Gospel. "It's not fair".
And finally, he objects to having to change his mind about evolution, abortion, and a host of other issues.

I think the last objections are his strongest, and there is a reason for it. We have politicized our Gospel to the point that it's hard for a person to separate the Gospel from the political issues Evangelicals have supported over the years. But it's important to make something clear: your stance on evolution, abortion, gay marriage, taxes, regulation, or foreign policy do not save you.
Jonah reminds us "Salvation belongs the the Lord."
What my customer friend doesn't realize is he doesn't have to change his mind about any of these things to become a Christian. There's only one thing he has to change his mind about, and that's his sinful nature. If he can admit he is a sinner and needs Jesus, he's there!
Then the follow up comes, via Romans 12:2, and then he will eventually change his mind on these other things to one degree or another.
I was a believer for years before I became pro life. Until recently I still felt a pull towards evolution. The Holy Spirit has taken time to work on me and mold me in that regard.
And as far as taxes and regulations and other issues, I am much leftier than my friends would like.
Yet I am saved, because I understand Jesus took my place, paid for my sin, and as I abide in Him, I am free from the wrath of God and entitled to His inheritance in eternity.
What's sad is that people believe they have to change all of their attitudes to believe the Gospel. What they fail to realize is the Gospel is what will change them. The simply need to accept the Gospel, and let God take care of the rest.

Astonishing Faith

2011-05-17T17:26:00.000-05:00

In an astonishing leap of faith, noted scientist Stephen Hawking has declared that there is no heaven.

"I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail," the physicist said in an interview published Sunday in Britain's Guardian newspaper. "There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark."

I love science. I am amazed by the work of science. Psalm 129 says the "heavens declare the glory of God". While most evangelicals twist in their seat when they watch the Discovery Channel, I eat it up! But there are some logical fallacies perpetrated by some in the science realm.

What is particularly amazing about Hawking's statements are three-fold:

1) With no scientific evidence that the universe created itself from nothing, Hawking claims it did.
2) Hawking prefaces this claim by saying it is necessary for gravity to exist in order for the universe to create itself, but offers no scientific explanation for the existence of gravity.
3) Hawking acknowledges a "beginning" of time, but fails to fulfill the centuries-old law of science, "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction". For the universe to be created, something must have been the catalyst.

And so, once again, science cannot explain the universe, and must take a leap of faith, afraid of the scientific consequences of acknowledging God's work, rather bowing down to worship the almighty work of gravity and spontaneity.

Marriage

2011-05-16T13:47:00.000-05:00

As my church family works through Colossians 3, the focus on family and marriage has become more central toward the end of the chapter. I don't think it's a coincidence that immediately preceding a list of commands as husband and father, the fruit of the spirit is emphasized - clothing ourselves with kindness, gentleness, compassion, humility...
But what struck me the greatest was an observation at a wedding I played last weekend. The oft-quoted Ephesians 5 - "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her."
I always thought of this verse in two basic ways. Firstly, I should be willing to literally die for my wife. Secondly, I should be willing to die figuratively - that is to serve her in a selfless manner. But when we think of Christ, we often remember his sacrificial death, while forgetting his perfection in life. Christ's death on the cross means nothing if He is just another sinner. He has to be without spot or blemish.
In the same way, if we are to imitate Christ's love for the church in our relationship with our wives, we must be willing to resist a multitude of temptations, as Christ did, to live in a pure way.
I don't know about you, but it is easier for me to resist those temptations by reminding myself that Christ also resisted, rather than by simply willing myself into perfection. That never works.

Sanctified

2011-04-28T16:50:00.000-05:00

Sanctified - to be set apart, made holy, changed...

Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” - Exodus 33:15-16

1) You will be different if the Presence of God lives in you.
2) Your different-ness will set you apart in the world.
3) Your different-ness will grow, and you will become even differenter.
4) People see this, and they too are changed.

Convicting and Worth the Time

2011-04-28T11:23:00.000-05:00

Another great sermon by Louie Giglio.

Holy Week 3: Something's Wrong

2011-04-21T19:38:00.000-05:00

There is something wrong - with all of us. The Bible is intensely realistic, and it teaches that man is separated from God right now, and that is the worst place to be. We were created to live in peace with God, so to be separated is - in a word- hell.
The glory of the Bible lies in its ability to see right through these assumptions. Where did the concept of self esteem come from? Who or what moral authority ever said "You should never feel like there's anything wrong with you?"
In fact, if you had cancer, would you simply say, "This is just who I am. Don't judge me. I'm going to live with my cancer and there's nothing you can do about it." But people who love you dearly might say, "This is going to hurt you if you don't acknowledge the danger and fight it."
In reality, the cancer will kill you if you don't admit it is a dangerous foreign disease and kill it.
The same is true for sin.
God calls anything "sin" that He deems is bad for us. It is the things in our lives that kill us - that unravel us. Sometimes I don't agree with God when he calls something sin...but to know and love God is to accept some hard truths over time.
There is something wrong with each of us. Why else would we have to commemorate the 16th anniversary of the willful murder of 168 people in OKC this week? Sin ate a hole in Mcveigh's heart.
Some of our sin is not as detrimental to society as mass murder or drug dealing, but in God's eyes it is all equally dangerous and corrosive. It is the stuff that builds walls between us and God.
I pray we can all agree our source for truth should be the Word of God and not some sense that we should always feel good and happy and never admit to anything wrong in our lives. Let's be real. We are fallen creatures, seeking to worship ourselves, and we need a redeemer to get us right with God again. Thankfully this week commemorates the walls between us and God being blown to bits:

"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." - 2 Corinthians 5:21

Holy Week: Part 2

2011-04-19T20:42:00.000-05:00

"Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,

“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”

So we say with confidence,

“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?”"

People who are considering a life with Christ, or people who are very young in their walk with God, should take heart in this passage. Most people, including myself, have an initially unhealthy view of their relationship with the Bible and God.

For example, in this passage, it could be tempting to read "remember those in prison" and think, okay, I need to do a prison ministry.

But wait! It also says don't love money. I should give more.

But wait! It also says show hospitality to strangers. That's gonna take some money...

But wait!

Or another scenario:

Love your neighbor. Check.

Give to the poor. Check.

Love God. Check.

You see? Either you look at the list of commands in the Bible and get overwhelmed and walk away, or you see them as a checklist.

But look at the money shot in this passage:"Because God has said 'I will never leave you, I will never forsake you.'"

So two things are happening here:

1) When you get right with God, he keeps you there! You don't have to check off the list to get into heaven! Loving His son gets you there!

2) God's love is your motivation. It doesn't say "Do these things or go to hell." It says do these things because God loves you!

If Jesus died to pay for our lust, or greed, or laziness, or hate, that should make us think twice about engaging in those things. Not because we are trying to "follow the rules", but because we love Him who gave His life for that purpose.

So the rule for young believers is simple: don't checklist the Bible. Just spend time getting to know God and what He did for you. The rest comes as you fall deeper in love with Him.

Holy Week: Part 1

2011-04-18T20:06:00.000-05:00

"After these things Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate granted permission. So he came and took away His body.

Nicodemus, who had first come to Him by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight.
So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.
Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.
Therefore because of the Jewish day of preparation, since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there." - From John Chapter 19

Consider this: The Bible claims that there is an omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient being living in eternity, outside of time, who did not dwell in the 50+million-light-year universe but rather created it. The Bible says this being is to be called God, and God has certain characteristics. For one, man somehow reflects His image, though this mystery is uncertain. For another, the Bible claims that God embodies certain ideals: justice, wrath, mercy, love.
The Bible claims this all-powerful being made a plan. He had a choice. He could have created a mass of human robots - like little plastic toy army men - with which he could manipulate, play, etc.
But the Bible teaches something else entirely. It teaches that God lives to give Himself glory. he lives to exalt Himself. So the question becomes, what gives God the most glory?
Is it to create puppets tied to strings, to manipulate at will?
Or is it to create human beings, with free wills? To create them knowing they will dishonor, rebel, and spit on God. That they will choose to play in filth - to rape, pillage, murder, covet, desire - rather than rejoice in the majesty of their Creator.
Knowing this would happen, God made a choice. He would allow them to live in such a way. Yet he would also find a way to demonstrate His perfect justice and mercy at one time.
And so the creator of the universe took the form of a man. He felt hunger pangs, had stomach aches, stubbed His toes, cut himself working, had blisters, was tempted by the "delights" of a finite world.
The creator of the universe chose to redeem His rebellious creation. He chose to be scourged, beaten, and crucified. He lived a perfect life we could not live, and died the perfect death we could not die, so that in Him we could get right with God.
All He requires is that you believe what the Bible claims - that He did all of these things for you. In so doing, you get right with the creator of the universe. Pretty amazing claim.

"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." -2 Corinthians 5:21

Sacrifice

2011-04-17T18:47:00.000-05:00

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." - 1 John 3:16-18

If we focus intently on Christ, He prepares us for love. Love ain't easy.

Saw a great sermon today. I loved how the pastor played through all the moments when a friend approaches us with trouble or stress or distress. We have a few responses:

1) Sorry to hear that.
2) I remember when I experienced the same thing...
3) I'll pray for you (but not really)

And so on... But the motivation is good and pure. We want to help. We want to be there in the thick of it. But we're afraid to get "too involved". We're afraid to pry.

I'll be vulnerable. Sometimes I see a woman getting stressed or upset and I avoid her simply because I don't want people to think I'm some kind of pervert. Seriously. And then when I do help, I worry that I may look weird. The world is so sex-obsessed a man can't assist a woman without motives anymore?! Growing up, I was taught that was called chivalry, not prowling...

Of course, some of us have been burned, and we want to run away from drama and conflict. Others are afraid to show emotion. But the great chapter 12 in Romans exhorts us to "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep."

I guess the big question is, what risks will we take to lift others up? Will you risk your money, your livelihood, your emotions, your security?

As the Elder John reminds us, the only way to make that kind of "rash and irresponsible" decision is to have the love of God inside of us.

Rise and Shine

2011-04-16T08:20:00.000-05:00

Have you ever thought about the phrase "Rise and Shine"?
I mean, rise makes sense. But shine? Isn't it the sun that shines?
I have no idea whatsoever where the phrase came from, but I choose to believe this...

Wake up, grow up, spread your wings, shine! Be a light! Be an example!

The great and famous Matthew 5:16 - "In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

Or Ephesians 5: - "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light."

We use it in the morning, but it really applies to life. Rise...and shine.

Grace Talks

2011-04-14T20:53:00.000-05:00

"Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person ." - Colossians 4:6

If you really meditate on this sentence, it almost makes no sense at all. Really.

"Speak with grace so you will know how to respond." Huh?

If I have already spoken, how can I respond? I have already responded!!

When I first read this, I thought it meant "speak graciously". That's not it.

I thought it meant "speak with kindness and gentleness and friendliness". That's not it.

It only makes sense in one context... speak armed with grace. Wear grace like a garment. Soak your mind in grace. Live grace. Then when you speak, grace is on your side, and it will show you how to respond.

So the question arises...what is grace and how do you wear it?

Grace is the word charis. It is in part where we get the word charity. Really it means a free gift.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." - Ephesians 2:8

So, if you live your life knowing you have received life for free from God - the maker of heaven and earth, the creator and redeemer - you will know how to communicate with others in a way that gives God glory. Grace will pour joy, peace, love, patience, kindness, goodness, and gentleness into your heart.

Theology in Scrubs

2011-04-13T20:12:00.000-05:00

I love that scene from Scrubs where Zach Braff's character is is moving in slow motion in the hospital as all of the other people around him zip to and fro in hyper-drive. It's a neat cinematic technique. It's also a great example for the Christian life.
I heard a sermon from Loue Giglio recently in which he comically described the miracle of the drive-thru, and what stuck out the most was a difficult question: should Christians live like this?
I am not saying Christians should not go through the drive-thru. What I am saying is we should live differently. We seem in such a hurry.
Should we shop on Sundays? Or should we discourage commerce on Sundays so people have the opportunity to hear the Gospel in church?
Should we order overnight FedEx? Or should we be concerned about the nature of the jobs that require parents to work all hours of day and night?
Should we buy clothes made in certain Southeast Asian countries? Or should we be concerned about the nature of the quality of life there?
Christians love God and love others. This may require us to slam on the brakes... to live life VERY differently than our colleagues.

1) It requires discomfort (Eph 6:12, Jas 1:12)
2) It requires hard work (1 Tim 6:12, Gal 6:9, Eph 2:10)
3) It requires allies/friends (Heb 10:25, Col 3:16)
4) It requires Jesus (1 John 2:6, 1 Pet 2:21, Phil 2:5)

While the rest of the world is swirling around us in a tizzy - needing that product from Thailand today, demanding you make that latte in 30 seconds or less, packaging a whole meal for you in 5 minutes - we should be the calm, collected, peaceful, patient, generous people the world encounters (Col 3:12).

One Solution

2011-04-12T21:29:00.000-05:00

"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus..." - Philippians 2:1-5

I love a particular doctrine spreading through churches across America today, from Passion City Church in Georgia, to Bethlehem Baptist in Minnesota, to Grace Community in California. It is a doctrine that is supremely Biblical, effective, intense, and glorious.
It is the doctrine of Jesus.
Consider the passage above. It asks us to be unified as believers. Are we? It asks us to love one another. Do we? It says don't be selfish. Can we? It says regard others as more highly than yourself. Will we?
You work your way through that passage, and ultimately you conclude - I can't do this. And you'd be right. Except...
Paul goes on to say, "Remember Jesus?"
Focus on Jesus. Consider the cross. Think about the vastness of God, then consider His humility in suffering for us, even though he created and formed us.

Another great passage, Romans 12-15, is a huge list of behaviors that we should execute, for the sake of God's glory. But at the end, again, Paul reminds us in Romans 15:7, Jesus accepted us. Think about Jesus.

Or in 1 Timothy. Paul writes a letter on how to run a church. Lots of stuff in there - rules and ideas about how to do church "right". But at the end of the letter, he reminds us how we get there...

"He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see: To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen."

Remember the Bible is not a list of rules; it's a Book of Promises.
Follow this in prayer every day:

1) Think about how big God is. He created the 50+ million-light-year universe. He holds all things together by His word.
2) Think about this being who is so big, coming to Earth for one purpose - to demonstrate that He loves mercy, forgiveness, and goodness.
3) Consider His voluntary suffering. He bled and suffocated to death for us.
4) Dwell on the majesty of His humility, and the fierceness of His return for His people.

All other things "grow strangely dim", when we consider Jesus.

Hard Times

2011-04-11T13:15:00.003-05:00

“And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” -Romans 5:3-5

Often we encounter objections to God on the grounds that suffering and evil exist in the world. Many have attempted to explain away evil as simply human or satanic, but we must remember all things happen because God allows them to happen. I love this perspective from John Piper on this subject...

“God ordains that there be evil, and one of the the reasons He does it is because without the fall of Adam and Eve into sin,

There would be no manifestation of God's GRACE

There would be no manifestation of God's MERCY

There would be no manifestation of God's PATIENCE

There would be no manifestation of God's WRATH

There would be no manifestation of God's JUSTICE

And these 5 things are massively glorious about God, and therefore God wants human beings to know Him in the fullness of what He is.”

Pursuit

2011-04-08T22:41:00.000-05:00

"You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths,

you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." - From Psalm 139

It's not popular today, especially in America, where we seem obsessed with the concept of individualism and self reliance. If you believe the Bible is the Word of God, however, the logical conclusion is this: God relentlessly pursues you, and He maintains you in power for eternity.

I say this is not popular among non-Christians, but it is also not popular among many Christians. What this Psalm teaches is 3 huge doctrines:

1) God is sovereign. He knew you before you existed. He created you for a purpose. Though you do have a free will, God's purpose will be accomplished through you regardless.

2) If God's purpose includes calling you to His presence, you will never leave that presence. This is know as "Perseverance of the Saints". God's right hand holds you fast. Like a (good) daddy holding his daughter in the swimming pool for the first time, He will not let you go.

3) You are a miracle. God says you are "fearfully and wonderfully made". You are beautiful. You are majestic. Your very body, the billions of lines of DNA, the 50,000 cells dying every three minutes, the power of sight and hearing, touch and feeling, all glorify God.

So, God made you beautiful; He made you for a purpose you cannot escape, and He knows you intimately. He knows you intimately, your weaknesses and judgments, your anger or hate. Yet He still died a painful death so that all of that weakness and hate would melt away revealing Jesus.

Louis Giglio: How Great is our God Part 1

2011-04-03T19:04:00.000-05:00

Precious Gifts

2011-04-03T18:14:00.001-05:00

"Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift"

- 2 Corinthians 9

A few huge messages pop out of these few sentences:

A) "You will be enriched in every way SO THAT you can be generous..." See that? If you are one God chooses to bless with comforts, money, ease - He expects you to use that to the betterment of other people. This is the purpose - make more to give more!

B) In serving and giving, we not only provide necessities for life, but we create an environment of gratitude and joy. The bigger the gift, the more painful the gift, the more joy and gratitude you will receive from the Holy Spirit!

C) By giving generously, you demonstrate God's precious agape love. In so doing, you provide a glimpse into the Gospel, which allows many to come to Christ.

The context of this passage is offering in church, but the reality and application of this passage is far-reaching. As Christ gave himself up for you, give what is yours to Him - whether it be money, food, clothing, shelter, music, poetry, hard labor - do it all to His glory, for the purpose of demonstrating His love.

Adoption: God's Plan

2011-04-01T19:45:00.002-05:00

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

The sovereignty of God is complete and all encompassing. I didn't always believe that. There was a time in my walk with God when I believed He sort of set things in motion and walked away, letting nature works its way. I thought this for three reasons:

1) When bad things happened, I didn't want to acknowledge God's plan included suffering. I wanted to pretend that God and suffering were not related, because to believe God allows suffering is to fear Him.

2) I didn't want to admit I had no control over my destiny. I wanted to be in charge! But at some point everyone finds out, we have no control over anything.

3) I had not experienced the powerful work of the Holy Spirit in my life. I had not yet had a moment I could point to and say "Only God could have done this."

When God initially planted the thought of adoption on mine and my wife's hearts, we thought of ourselves as "called to adoption".
When God watered that seed and a green sprout popped out and we started investigating it, we still felt we were "called to adoption".
When God watered that seed and it blossomed, and we started putting money and tears on the table, we still felt we were "called to adoption".
When God provided a beautiful birth mom and dad, ultrasound pictures, a supportive family on both sides, we suddenly felt different.
We are not called to adoption. We are called to a specific family, for a specific child, at a specific time, in a specific place. God made a plan in eternity for this moment, and His plan included calling us to a particular agency, calling the birth family to the same agency, pulling their hearts to ours, and opening our hearts to theirs.
So we are not called to adoption. We are called to love, to persevere, to live lives of compassion, mercy, gentleness, patience, and goodness. It just so happens, God is doing it through adoption. And we wouldn't trade it for anything.

Tru Dat

2011-03-27T14:53:00.002-05:00

"For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God." - 2 Corinthians 1:20

My Pastor gave the exact, correct, perfect sermon for our text this morning. From Colossians 3, we saw that we are called to put on what Galatians tells us is the Fruit of the Spirit - things like love, compassion, gentleness, kindness, patience. So many people read passages like this and assume they are being commanded to exhibit these behaviors (which they are to an extent). But the real point is this: because of the Gospel, these things happen.

In other words, not because you have decided to love others will you suddenly become a good and loving person. In reality, you become loving because the Spirit moves you, works in you, and pushes and prods you into a mold of Christ. When you stand before God at the end of time, He will not see you, but Christ! This is because of the promise.

I remember sitting in a Sunday school class one morning when a church member pounded his bible on the podium and said, "Don't you get it?! It's not a book of rules. It's a Book of Promises!"

This is the real message of scripture. You are so bad Christ had to die for you, and you are so good because Christ is in you. And as Christ dwells in you, he remakes you in His image. He makes you more patient on the road, more caring of the hurting, more open to the struggles of others, less judgmental, less hateful, less negative. He promises.

2 Corinthians 1:20 shows us in Christ, God's promises are "yes". And Paul exhorts us to declare "amen" in the face of those promises. Amen simply mean "true". It's like when the ol' rapper says "tru dat". He's just saying amen!

So God promises us He will change us for the better. Tru dat.

Overwhelmed

2011-03-24T21:20:00.000-05:00

I have been seeing a lot of people I care deeply about struggling, worrying, feeling overwhelmed by negativity or guilt. Lately it seems like a season on strife for many. Some thoughts I have come from the tenderness and love of the Apostle Paul. I share his sentiments tonight...

"And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more.

I hold you in my heart.

I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.

Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith.

I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy

Refresh my heart in Christ."

You may not know it, but I feel these things for you as well. We all know on this earth, something is not quite right. We feel unsettled, uneven, challenged, stressed, awkward, belittled, strained, persecuted. We live under the constant weight of hypocrisy, judgment, anger, prejudice, disagreement, disunity, depression. We see atrocities, hatred, and tragedy all around us.

I have nothing but the hope of faith in an awesome God of wrath and love. I certainly can't trust in humanity (including myself). God is the answer.

Send prayer requests. I will honor them every day.

levi_duggan@hotmail.com

Psalm 16: A Welcome Surprise to Me

2011-03-23T20:56:00.001-05:00

Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.

(Without God, man is lost!)

As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight

(There is joy in the faithful of God!)

The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.

(Some will not receive Christ's sacrifice, and will not get right with God)

The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

(God has chosen me to inherit eternal life from His son)

I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.

(The Lord is awesome in His advice, which comes to me especially in quiet moments of the night)

I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.

(When we follow Christ completely, we sit at His throne with Him. In eternal life our bodies will be renewed)

For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.

(You will not leave me to hell, because you will not let Christ sin - He will live the perfect life for me)

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

(Christ sits at God's right hand, therefore Christ is our eternal happiness and joy!)

Amazing

2011-03-23T13:20:00.003-05:00

Interesting…

Psalm 16:11 -

"You make known to me the path of life;

you will fill me with joy in your presence,

with eternal pleasures at your right hand."

Hebrews 1:3 -

"The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven."

Our Eternal Pleasure, Jesus Christ, Our Lord.

God is Good

2011-03-22T11:40:00.001-05:00

Blessed be Your name

When the sun's shining down on me

When the world's 'all as it should be'

Blessed be Your name

On the road marked with suffering

Though there's pain in the offering

Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out

I'll turn back to praise

When the darkness closes in, Lord

Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord

I love the Tree 63 version of this song. It speaks a powerful word that I have tried to sing in two main instances of life.
Firstly, I sing it in the good times. (When the sun shines). Nothing like praising God when times are good.
But also, I have tried to sing this in the hard times. (When darkness closes in).
This is taken from Job 1:21, "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord."
As we celebrate successes and wonders in our lives, we also remain sober as Christians at the reality of suffering in our broken world. This is why we rely on God the Father to provide for us through His son, Jesus Christ.
So we remind ourselves, God works all things for good for those in Christ. Amen.