Running After Papa

New Post at RunningAfterPapa.com

2009-03-30T06:23:00.001-05:00

I have posted a new post at RunningAfterpapa.com!

Just a reminder email that I've moved my blogsite and you'll have to visit the new site to sign up for email alerts/broadcasts.

Thanks!

Shoe
Running After Papa....

The RunningAfterPapa Blog Has Moved!!!

2009-03-21T07:41:00.003-05:00

Friends and Subscribers of "Running After Papa."

I have moved my blogsite to the URL of http://www.RunningAfterPapa.com! The new blogsite is up and I hope to add more pages and website "stuff" as time permits, but rest assured, I will continue to write and post my writings on this new site.

If you want to continue to receive my blogs by email, you need to go the new URL and register your email address.

Click the URL above.
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For those of you using CSS or RSS feeds, you'll also need to re-register from the new website.

I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but it won't happen again. I have the domain name!

This will be the last post from this blogsite. For all future references, please go to:

RunningAfterPapa.com where I will continue posting and continue to be

... Running After Papa

Waiting On God

2009-03-05T16:36:00.002-06:00

Genesis 15

After Abram's meeting and interaction with Melchizedek, Abram has a vision and meeting with God, through a vision. In this vision and interaction with the Lord, Abram is promised that "... one who will come from your own body will be your heir." (Gen 15:4) In fact, the Lord then tells Abram to go outside and count the stars - if he's able - because that's how many descendants Abram will have.

I mention this to set the time of day of this vision. It is clearly nighttime, otherwise Abram would not have seen any stars. Keep that in mind.

Abram, in a sense, asks for some "proof" - "... how shall I know...?" (v8) and the Lord gives him some instructions to gather some animals and bring them to him. So Abram does. He cuts them in two and placed them opposite of each other. Then he waits on the Lord. Verse 11 says that Abram waited so long, he had chase away vultures who were trying to come eat the dead carcasses. Verse 12 begins to discuss what happens as the sun begins to set.

Gen 15:17: And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces.

OK. Abram has been up all night (remember, he counted the stars), thru the morning, the afternoon, the evening and into the night again before the Lord showed up and passed through the sacrifice and made covenant with Abram.

I, for one, am very impatient with the Lord. In my "everything gets wrapped up in a 30 minute episode" world, I expect that I will pray it, and God will do it, and then I'll move on to the next thing.

Sometimes God's timing isn't my timing. Sometimes following His directions can be a little confusing. I can imagine while Abram is chasing off the vultures, he's thinking "Uh... Hello... Lord.... remember me? Down here! It's me Abram.... I got the animals you asked for. What do you want me to do next?" ..... (silence) .... (crickets chriping) ... (more silence) ....

I know I feel that way sometimes. "OK God. I've done X-Y-Z as you asked me to. Now what?"... "Hello!"... "Are you there?"...." Did I do something wrong?"... This is where the enemy likes to start throwing in the seeds of doubt. This is where he says I didn't hear God right, or I missed God, or I'm out of God's will. Sound familiar?

The pictures of the vultures is a GREAT visual here! I don't believe for a minute that it is coincidence that it's in the bible. Moses didn't need any "filler" when he penned it. There is a spiritual truth to that physical episode. Isn't the enemy just like those pesky vultures? How often does the enemy come and try to steal, destroy and eat away at that which God has told us, or promised us, or instructed us to do! Just like Abram, we have to drive them off! (v11)

But, in His timing, God DOES come and he DOES deliver and he DOES promise and he DOES bless. Thank you God!

Teach me Dad to wait for you in quiet confidence and in complete belief and faith.

Running After Papa...

The Tent and The Altar

2009-03-04T21:18:00.001-06:00

In Genesis 12-13, Abram sets out after he gets a his call from the Lord and God meets with him personally to assure him of his calling. How cool is that? After that meeting, Abram builds an altar to the Lord (v7) to remember this place and this time he spent in the very presence of God where he heard Him so clearly.

Then Abram goes to Egypt and deceives Pharoah about who Sarai is. We all know the story. One of the commentaries I read made an interesting point about this:

What a shame that believing Abraham should be rebuked by an unbelieving king. Until he knew the truth about Sarah, Pharaoh “bestowed favors” upon Abraham, but once God stepped in and exposed the lie, Pharaoh had to ask them to leave. What a poor testimony the Christian is when he or she mingles with the world and compromises. Someone has said, “Faith is living without scheming.” Abraham and all his descendants have needed to learn that lesson! Lot lived with the world and lost his testimony (19:12–14); and Peter sat by the enemy fire and denied his Lord.

Wiersbe, W. W. (1993). Wiersbe's expository outlines on the Old Testament (Ge 12:1). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Then after that debacle, Abram goes back to the place where he built the first altar. (Gen 13:1-4)

1 Then Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, to the South. 2 Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. 3 And he went on his journey from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4 to the place of the altar which he had made there at first. And there Abram called on the name of the Lord.

I totally relate to this. When I went on my Quest, almost 3 years ago now, I heard God speak over me things I will never forget. I met with him for 5 days on a ranch in Hunt, Texas. So often how I long to go back to Hunt! I know many men who desire to be there - on that ranch - or to the place of their Quest where - perhaps for the first time - they really met face to face with God. Man, I long to be there... in His presence... in that place. That's one of the reasons I love to serve on as many Quests as I can. From that same commentary:

Abraham could not have confessed his sin and remained in Egypt! No, he had to get back to the place of the tent and the altar, back to the place where he could call upon the Lord and receive blessing. This is a good principle for Christians to follow: go nowhere in this world where you must leave your testimony behind. Any place where we cannot build the altar and pitch the tent is out of bounds.

Great thought to live by... "Any place we cannot build the altar and pitch the tent is out of bounds." In his commentary, Wiersby describes the tent as the pilgrim, the person who trusts God a day at a time and is always ready to move. He describes the altar as the worshiper who brings a sacrifice and offers it to God.

Restated, "...any place we cannot worship and offer God our sacrifice and be ready to move in complete trust of Him is no place for the Christ follower."

Building and pitching and ...

Running After Papa...

The God Express Button

2009-01-27T10:53:00.004-06:00

We have a very complex microwave. There are tons of different settings to cook almost anything you can imagine. It has the ability to brown and bake using light while cooking the inside with microwaves. It can cook a batch of chocolate chip cookies in 7 minutes. That 3-5 whole minutes faster than the oven! It can cook biscuit in 6 minute. Whatever you want to cook, it can cook and it can do it faster than the convection oven (which is faster than a conventional oven).

However, our microwave has two buttons that are used the most... far beyond any other buttons. THE single most used button on the microwave is the "Microwave Express" button. This button turns the microwave on for 30 seconds. If you touch it while the microwave is on, it adds another 30 seconds. So, if I want to cook something for 1 and 1/2 minutes, it's 3 touches of the button.

The second most used button is the one just above it that turns the light on in the microwave, so I can see my food being nuclearized, because I just HAVE to see my coffee get reheated!

I've noticed that I'm just that same way with Father. I want to push the "God Express" button in various areas of my life:

Prayer

How many times have I sent up A SINGLE prayer... a.k.a. the "flare prayer" to God? "OK Lord, I've pushed my God Express button, answer this prayer please..."

Ezra 10:1 Now while Ezra was praying, and while he was confessing, weeping, and bowing down before the house of God, a very large assembly of men, women, and children gathered to him from Israel; for the people wept very bitterly.

Neh 1:4 So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

When Jesus went to Gethsemane to pray... (Matt 26:36-46) Jesus prayed for an hour the first time...

40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

He went on to pray for two more sessions.

Col 1:3 We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

1 Thess 5:18 Pray without ceasing

I'm not advocating that there are not appropriate times for quick prayers to the Lord for wisdom, for an immediate situation, whatever... but if that's the ONLY kind of prayer I'm offering and I'm expecting immediate results, then I'm treating God more like a Genie in a Bottle than I am the Creator of the Universe.

As if that wasn't bad enough, immediately after pushing my God Express button, I push the 'light' button, because I want to "see" what He's going to do about it and how He's going to handle it.

Transformation

To often I find myself with this same attitude in my own personal growth and transformation. "Gee, that was a great lesson Dad! I'm so glad I journaled that," never to look at it again or continue working on, studying, or chewing on it.

Phil 2:12-13 (NKJV)
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure

"Work out" my salvation? "Work out?" That would imply that when I stop, I get weaker and less "in shape." Wow. Great picture and application. My spiritual walk needs to be exercised and strengthened daily. There is no express button for instant muscles or instant fitness. It is a daily, continual, diligent exercise and regiment. So is my transformation. Again, I'm not advocating a religious formula or legalistic "do & don't" list. It's an attitude of the heart. It's a process of discipleship based in a real, living, vibrant relationship with Jesus.

Guess what? The God Express Button and the Light button aren't connected... in fact, they don't even exist. They are stickers that I have put on and a deception that I have believed.

Yes, Father lets us "see" our own progress sometimes. He is a good dad. He encourages us along the way. But He wants me to grow. He wants me to learn patience.

Prov 19:11 A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.

Prov 25:15 Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.

Eccles 7:8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.

Isa 7:13 Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also?

Rom 2:4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?

Rom 9:22 What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?

2 Cor 6:6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love;

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Col 1:11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully

Col 3:12 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully

1 Tim 1:16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.

Also see 2 Tim 3:10, 2 Tim 4:2, Heb 6:12, James 5:10, 2 Pet 3:15

Papa, I repent of believing the lie that there is a "God Express" button that I can push to make you respond in the time frame of MY choosing. How selfish and prideful I was. I ask your forgiveness and know that according to 1 John 1:9 You are faithful to forgive me because I have confessed. Help me to be patient. I ask for that fruit of your Spirit to manifest and find good soil to grow in my life. Continue your work in my heart and in my life. I want to be extinct so that You are all others see, hear and feel. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Running After Papa...

Through His Eyes...

2009-01-21T07:43:00.003-06:00

James 2:1-13 (NLT)

For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. 3 If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well, 4 doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives? (James 2:2-4 NLT)

When I read this passage today, I got two pictures. The first picture is this: How often have I stopped at an intersection because of a red light and seen a panhandler working the intersection looking for "donations" to his/her cause and gone into "lockdown" mode - locking the car doors and looking straight ahead daring NOT to look them in the eyes? It has happened often. The second picture I got - immediately behind the first - is the same intersection but Firemen working the intersection looking for a donation to his/her cause. In this scenario, I react totally opposite. If I have loose change, I give it to them. I always smile and wave at the fireman, even if I don't have anything to give.

Why? Exactly this verse. I am judging the person by their exterior. Yes, our culture today and often the intersections have something to do with how "safe" I feel for me and my family, but if I'm honest, it is no different than James 2:2-4. I am showing discrimination that is guided by evil motives.

It's not just with such drastic differences either. I know myself. It is just as easy for me to show favoritism (a really nice way of saying 'being prejudice' or judging) to those 'of significance.' For example, given the opportunity to meet Stephen Curtis Chapman (a personal and long time hero of mine) or the dude on the 3rd row of the 2nd service at church, guess where my attention is going to be?

Is the fireman any different than the beggar in the eyes of God? Is Stephen Curtis Chapman any better than the guy at church in the eyes of God? Am I any different or any better than any of them in the eyes of God?

The answer is a resounding 'NO!'

It goes on an on. It could just as easily be about to those with whom we have a common interest versus those we don't; those who are easy to get along with versus those it is a struggle to have conversation with; those who are obnoxious versus those who are fun; boring versus exciting; pretty versus ugly; it really doesn't matter in God's eyes.

His eyes - His vision - His perspective is the only one that counts. It's the only thing that matters. James 2:5-14 go on to make that exact point. We are all sinners. We have all broken His law. We have all fallen short of His glory (Romans 3:23).

James 2:14-26

Originally, I thought this was unrelated, but it is not. My actions (my deeds) define my faith. If I have no deeds, I have no faith because it is dead. A dead faith is not a faith at all. Faith - true, living, vibrant faith in God - produces actions/deeds that are driven by my faith. I don't choose the action, I just choose to be obedient to God's directive. This is the example of Abraham placing Issac on the altar. God directed his actions and because of his faith, he obeyed.

I know people who let their actions drive their faith. It a natural extension of their 'religion'. Actions do not create faith. Faith isn't motivated by actions. Faith isn't driven or created by actions / deeds / "do and don't" commands. This kind of faith is a Works-Based faith, which the Lord clearly speaks about in Romans 4:1-5 (The Message):

So how do we fit what we know of Abraham, our first father in the faith, into this new way of looking at things? If Abraham, by what he did for God, got God to approve him, he could certainly have taken credit for it. But the story we’re given is a God-story, not an Abraham-story. What we read in Scripture is, “Abraham entered into what God was doing for him, and that was the turning point. He trusted God to set him right instead of trying to be right on his own. If you’re a hard worker and do a good job, you deserve your pay; we don’t call your wages a gift. But if you see that the job is too big for you, that it’s something only God can do, and you trust him to do it—you could never do it for yourself no matter how hard and long you worked—well, that trusting-him-to-do-it is what gets you set right with God, by God. Sheer gift.

The deception in that kind of thinking - that kind of 'religion' - is that instead of actions being directed BY God, they are directed AT God. Minor words... MAJOR difference!

How I view others is just one "deed" that needs to change in my life.

Dad, today let me see others through Your eyes, Your perspective today. Destroy the preconceived ideas I have about people that color my vision and skew my attitudes towards them. Replace them with your perfect love today. In that perfect love, drive my actions to those things that bring you Glory. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Running After Papa...

Do not be deceived...

2009-01-14T09:26:00.003-06:00

I recently heard a teaching on deception that has been rattling around in my head for a while. No one is disqualified from the opportunity to be deceived. The first deception was Eve. The key I took from the teaching was that prior to her conversation with the serpent, Eve was perfect, flawless, and sinless... yet, she was able to have deception presented to her.

Even Jesus had deception presented to him when he was in the wilderness for 40 days to be tempted by the devil.

Deception starts in the mind. Which brings me to today's scripture.

How do you read the following passage?

James 1:12-18 (ESV)
12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Where do you put v16? When I memorized this chapter, and even in reading it, I have always associated verse 16 as the intro into verse 17. "Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above..."

Last night it hit me. What if verse 16 is the concluding thought of verses 12-15? That totally changes the way it reads. The word tempted is pierazo which implies an aspect of testing what one thinks. The word desire in verse 15 is a synonym for the word pathos which means an affliction of the mind.

If deception starts in the mind by believing something not in line with the Word of God, then wouldn't that lead to a basis on which I could fall to temptation?

2 Cor 10:4-5 (Amplified)
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, 5 [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One),

Every thought captive... that would ensure we are not deceived, which keeps us from falling to temptation.

What does it look like to take every thought captive?

Running After Papa...

Irrevocable...

2009-01-05T18:22:00.002-06:00

Romans 11:29 (ESV) "For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable."

"gifts" - charisma - 1 a favour with which one receives without any merit of his own. 2 the gift of divine grace. 3 the gift of faith, knowledge, holiness, virtue. 4 the economy of divine grace, by which the pardon of sin and eternal salvation is appointed to sinners in consideration of the merits of Christ laid hold of by faith. (Rom 1:11; 5:15; 6:23; 11:29; 12:6; 1Cor 1:7; 7:7; 12:4; 2Cor 1:11; 1Tim 4:14; 2Tim 1:6; 1Pet 4:10)

"call" - klesis - basically means vocation and a divine invitation, but comes from the word kaleo, which implies to receive a name or to bear a title.

"irrevocable" - ametameletos - Strong's Lexicon says "Two occurrences; AV translates as “without repentance” once, and “not to be repented of” once. 1 not repentant of, unregretted.

This is interesting because "to repent" means "to change one's mind." It basically means to do a 180 and go the other direction.

Substituting those meanings into this verse makes it read much different.

God's divine gift of grace - my eternal salvation - and my calling - my vocational call, my title, my position in life, my destiny - if you will - is something that God has given me, granted me and will not change His mind on... ever.

The cool - and freeing - thing to me is that I can't do anything to "undo" His gift. I can't remove myself from his list. I can't do anything that will make Him rescind his gift or my calling. Those things that affect my relationship with Him (sin, unforgiveness, disobedience, etc) can greatly affect my effectiveness in my calling, but it can't change my calling.

So, how do I become as effective as possible? How do I walk in and know what my calling is? That is the question.

Running After Papa...

The 12 Days of Christmas Carol (w/ Bonus)

2008-12-23T09:53:00.003-06:00

I found this on another blogsite searching for something else, but I thought it was cool.

It appears that from the mid 1500s through 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. So, in the same vein as "Ring around the Rosie" came to us depicting the Great Plague of London in the 1600s, someone penned a catechism of sorts for young Catholics to aide in remembering 12 tenets of the faith. Each "day" of the carol has a hidden meaning to the faith, making it something they could remember.

Here's what I found

The Partridge in a Pear Tree was Jesus Christ.
The Two Turtle Doves were the Old and New Testaments.
The Three French Hens stood for faith, hope and love.
The Four Calling Birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.
The Five Golden Rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
The Six Geese a-Laying stood for the six days of creation.
The Seven Swans a-Swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit–Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.
The Eight Maids a-Milking were the eight beatitudes.
The Nine Ladies Dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit–Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.
The Ten Lords a-Leaping were the ten commandments.
The Eleven Pipers Piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
The Twelve Drummers Drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles’ Creed.

Bonus: The Apostles Creed - I thought I'd include the Apostles Creed (slightly modified from the Catholic catechism to reflect the Big-C Church, and not just the Roman Catholic church.

The late great Rich Mullins has a great song called Creed - click to hear it for free -(you may have to be on my blogsite (http://runningafterpapa.blogspot.com) to hear this... the link may not come through for all you who subscribe by email)

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
[One] holy Church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

Merry CHRISTmas to you all.

Running After Papa...

Love... forever

2008-12-22T12:19:00.005-06:00

Romans 8:38-39 (NLT) 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angles nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Oh how many times I've listened to this verse in various translations over the years. I bet I've heard or read it a hundred times... But, for some reason, today I really heard this verse with new ears. I began to read it really slow and let each phrase sink in.

"...nothing can ever separate us from God's love." Nothing? What about my own sinful pride? What about my deceitful and desperately sick heart (Jer 17:9 NASB)? Nothing? Thank you Lord that you have more grace and mercy in your heart than I have sin in my nature. Thank you Lord.

"Neither death nor life..." I am forever tied to His heart. Whatever happens to my physical body, to my flesh-suit is irrelevant to the eternal security of my spirit. Thank you Lord.

"...neither angels nor demons..." Even the spiritual beings have no bearing on how may Daddy loves me. Thank you Lord.

"... neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow..." Even my mind has no effect on God's love for me. As I've studied over the past week, my mind can affect my ability to relate to Him, but it doesn't keep me from God's love for me. Thank you Lord.

"... not even the powers of hell can separate us [me] from God's love..." That is powerful. Just because I am under attack and even when its sifted through Father's hands, His love for me is still the same. I just have to endure and rest in knowing that He still loves me the same. Thank you Lord.

"No power in the sky above or the earth below - indeed nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us [me] from the love of God..." Nothing! Not even my own self - because I am part of "all creation" - can separate me from God's love. Thank you Lord.

"... that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." That is the key. Jesus Christ HAS to be Lord. He has to have COMPLETE control. I have to be in TOTAL SURRENDER to Him in order to have the confidence and peace of NEVER being out of God's love. Thank you Lord.

Thank you God for your love... a love that isn't affected or controlled by me; a perfect love that is inpenetrable to the effects of my sin; a love that never ends; a love that never changes. Teach me to love you the same way... with your heart and not my own.

Running After Papa...

The Command Center

2008-12-18T09:47:00.003-06:00

Continuing the the thought of the last post is where Paul picks up in Romans 8.

Remember, I posed the question of why Jesus added the "mind" to the greatest commandment (Mark 12:30), when God himself gave the command (Deut 6:5) without the identification of the "mind". Read what Paul has to say about it...

Romans 8:5-6 (NLT) "5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace."

No wonder Jesus thought it was important. The mind is the command center of the spiritual battlefront between our spirit (controlled by the Holy Spirit) and our flesh (controlled by the enemy). Wikipedia defines the command center as:

A command center is a central place for carrying out orders and for supervising tasks, also known as a headquarters, or HQ.

Whoever controls the mind, controls the battle. Note: We can lose a battle, but we've already won the war. (Thank you God!) No wonder Paul writes a few chapters later in Romans: "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12:2 NIV).

So the question becomes, if the mind is the command center and the key to victory, how do I send in reinforcements (to continue the war metaphor)? Verse 6 says by "... letting the Spirit control our mind...," but what does that look like?

How does one renew the mind? Is it back to what God's been saying to me over the last several, seemingly unrelated, journal entries? Thus the beauty of journaling... to be able to go back and see how God is speaking in themes... then BAM! He ties it all together. Cool. Very cool.

Is it back to the spiritual disciplines? Are Romans 12:2 and 1 Cor 9:24-47 related in this way?

Running After Papa...

Battleground of the soul

2008-12-18T09:41:00.003-06:00

I have known for some time that we are made up of three "parts": the spirit, the soul, and the flesh. Additionally, the soul appears to be further divided into three parts: the mind, the will, and the emotions.

The spirit-man is what gets saved when we surrender our will to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The spirit IS saved. The soul IS BEING saved and the flesh is NOT being saved. The Word tells us we will get new bodies (Rom 8:23, 2 Cor :1-5) It's like the good guys vs. the bad guys (spiritually) all the time in our lives. Jesus has our spirit, the devil has our flesh and they are battling for the soul - the mind, the will, the emotions.

Romans 7 makes it very clear that the remnant of sin from our sin nature is very alive an well in our flesh (Romans 7:18).

Romans 7:22-25 (ESV) 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

It's like the soul is Hell's Gate (Lord of the Rings reference). The spirit man is Gandalf, Aragorn and the Fellowship, while the flesh is Sauron and his army of Orc's. The assault is non-stop. The attack is relentless. Legions and legions of orcs and darkness continually bombard the soul. The mind wants to do one thing, but the flesh wants to do another. (Romans 7:14-20)

I find it interesting that Paul says, "... I myself serve the law of God with my mind..." How does one do that? It the mind - that part of the soul - more closely aligned with the spirit?

The Greek word used for mind, nous, in this passage means "1b reason in the narrower sense, as the capacity for spiritual truth, the higher powers of the soul, the faculty of perceiving divine things, of recognizing goodness and of hating evil."

Jesus said (Mark 12:30) "30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength." It's interesting that Jesus inserted the word "mind." The original version (Deut 6:5) only has "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength."

Why does Jesus add "mind" to the list? I think it's important. I think it goes back to spiritual discipline. Practicing and exercising those spiritual disciplines to have my spirit (and my mind?) stronger than my flesh (and my emotions?). All the spiritual disciplines involve the mind and exercise the will. Pretty soon, I'll have my flesh outnumbered!

Running After Papa...

Faith like a child

2008-12-15T20:51:00.002-06:00

Romans 4: 18-22 (NLT) 18 Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!” 19 And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb. 20 Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. 21 He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. 22 And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous.

I don't think I really, really understand faith. I am convinced that "faith like a child" that Jesus spoke of is much simpler than I make it out to be, in all my maturity and wisdom. (sarcasm implied)

My son Jake understands faith. I think he has faith like Abraham. If God said it, that's enough for him. There are no questions and no doubts. Just faith. By the way, he's 10 years old.

No, I think I've spent my whole life trying to squelch exactly what God puts in us as children. I so wanted to be "grown up" and a "big boy" that, somehow, I've let my faith be tempered by reason, understanding, and feasibility. OK... I just scared myself writing that down. Check out what Jesus said on this very topic.

Matt 19:14 ESV 14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”

Luke 10:21 NLT 21 At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way."

How foolish of me to think this way. How prideful of me to think this way. Do I really think God only works and can work in the confines of what I understand? Do I really want a God that is limited by my own imagination? Not me. Sometimes, I think Papa just sits up on his throne and says about me "Bless his cotton-pickin' heart. He has NO IDEA what I am capable of."

Lord, I repent of my sin... my idiotic pride that has led me down a limiting and narrow view of You. I pray for faith. Help me exercise my faith this week Lord. I cast off all the preconceived ideas and pre-built boxes I've put you in being "religious" and "pious." Forgive me. Fill me anew with your Holy Spirit and renew a right spirit within me. Reignite the faith of a child within me. Thank you for examples of faith such as Abraham. Help me be fully convinced as he was. Thank you for a living example of faith in my son. Help me be more like him. If You said it... that's enough. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Running After Papa...

Off to the prayer gym...

2008-12-13T17:29:00.001-06:00

Oswald Chamber's devotional book My Utmost For His Highest may be one of my all time favorite devotional books. For some reason, I really dig the classic and turn of the century authors. Anyway, I happened onto today's devotional on Intercessory Prayer.

I am not a natural intercessor. I admire those who can boldly enter the throne room of Papa and stay there for hours on behalf of others... I love being around those men and women who can - with authority and fervor - pray, pray, pray. I know those men and women who are spiritually gifted to intercede on behalf of other. I am not by nature.

From Oswald Chamber's My Utmost For His Highest - Intercessory Prayer devotional today:

True intercession involves bringing the person, or the circumstance that seems to be crashing in on you, before God, until you are changed by His attitude toward that person or circumstance. Intercession means to "fill up...[with] what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ" (Colossians 1:24), and this is precisely why there are so few intercessors. People describe intercession by saying, "It is putting yourself in someone else’s place." That is not true! Intercession is putting yourself in God’s place; it is having His mind and His perspective.

OK. I know I'm not an intercessor, but I do from time to time attempt to intercede on behalf of my family, my friends or some other specific situation God burdens me for. But I'm honest enough with myself to know that I don't stay at it long enough until I have God's perspective on the situation. My prayers are much more in the "flare prayer" category.

The verse this devotional is based on is Luke 18:1 "...men always ought to pray and not lose heart..." I do lose heart in my prayers. I'm not beating myself up about it, but I know its a spiritual discipline I need to shore up.

A few years ago, I could not read the Bible for more than about 1 chapter. Now, I get engrossed in studying the word. I could spend hours in the Word. I wish I had a job that would pay me to spend time in the word and write. WOW! How awesome would that be! But it's a discipline I have worked on. Scripture Memory is another spiritual discipline. Prayer is too. I just need some time in the prayer gym.

I Cor 9:24-27 (NLT) Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.

It looks like I've found a new workout for my spiritual program. I've found some muscles I haven't paid attention to. I can endure in many other disciplines, but I NEED to endure in this discipline so that I come away with God's perspective on those things I intercede for.

Thank you Dad for this revelation. Thank you for this new workout. Help me be diligent in exercising and learning this discipline... this spiritual weapon that I need to wield.

Running After Papa...

A long way to go...

2008-12-12T16:32:00.002-06:00

Romans 5:6-8 (NLT)

6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

A simple thought. It's would be easy (ok... maybe not easy, but easier) to sacrifice myself for someone we deem or see as significant... a pastor, a family member, a friend. It would even be mentally justifiable to sacrifice myself for a "regular" person. Some man or woman on the street; a child in the neighborhood... you get the idea.

But as I read this passage, the Lord gave me a vision of sacrificing myself for what we call the "scum" of society. Would I sacrifice myself and forever impact the future of my family, for a child molester? for a doctor who performs abortions? for a genocidal maniac like Saddam Huessien or Osama Bin Laden?

If I'm honest with myself, and honest with God, I could not do it. Even if God himself stood in front of me and in an audible voice commanded me to... I'm not sure I could do it.

But He needs me to be in that kind of place spiritually. He needs me to be that broken, obedient and loving. That's exactly the place Jesus was at. That's exactly the place he was when he crawled onto the cross. That's exactly the place Stephen was as they were hurling stones at him.

I am not there.

I have a very long way to go...

Running After Papa...

Husband 101 - Part 5 (updated)

2008-12-11T08:45:00.002-06:00

Ephesians 5:25 ESV Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,

This will be the final post in this series. I want to explore a couple of words in this verse that have changed the way I understand and respond to this verse. The first word is "as" and is used "... as Christ..." This little word delivers a big meaning for me. Look at how Strong's defines it:

1 according as; 1A just as, even as; 1B in proportion as, in the degree that.

Look at 1B, "in proportion as", or "in the degree that." Just inserting it into the verse changes it. "... love your wives, in proportion as Christ loved the church..."

The second word is "gave." The idea of the word here is to give into the hands of another. Its the same idea behind the word betray. Inserting this thought into the verse would render it something like this. "... and gave himself into the hands of another for her,..."

Interesting thought. It just implies giving up ones self. We know Christ gave himself to be beaten, scourged, ridiculed, and crucified, but he also gave of himself, 24x7. When Jesus goes off to pray, it's always in the wee hours of the morning. I wonder if that's because that was the only time he had for himself, because he gave his life away... literally. He gave every moment of his life away.

Dr. Benjamin B. Phillips of Southwestern Theological Seminary wrote this in his Practical Theology class Spring 2007:

As recipients of God’s love we are expected to love (Matthew 5:44-48). An example of this is in marriage. Husbands are to love their wives like Christ love the church. (Eph.5:25). The word love in this instance is agape, which means seeking the highest good for another person. This love is revealed in the death and resurrection to life in Jesus Christ (1 John 4:9-11). In our marriages we should not withhold love or affection because of circumstances that may arise. We must continue to love no matter how we are treated by our neighbor we must still love and be perfect, just as our heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:43-48). Our love is the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:8-10).

This is how I am called to love my wife. "... in the degree that Christ loved the church...".

Here's another point. The church - the very one Christ gave his life for - is the very same church that beat him, scourged him, hated him, rejected him, and ultimately crucified him. Hosea, by God's calling, marries a prostitute and redeems her over and over to draw the picture of exactly what Christ did for the church.

This is how I am called to love my wife. "... in the degree that Christ loved the church...".

How does that look? Its different for every husband. Maybe its making the bed every morning. Maybe its getting her a glass of water, even when it's not a commercial. Maybe its as Peter admonishes us:

1 Peter 3:7 (NLT) In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.

Again, Dr. Phillips wrote this in his Practical Theology classes of Fall 2007 and Spring 2007, respectively:

As we examine the practical side of holiness we see that husbands must have an unselfish attitude towards their wives. Christ gave himself to the church unselfishly and husband must do the same with their wives. Husbands should be self-sacrificing and giving, Jesus Christ extended the greatest act of sacrifice and the giving of himself at Calvary. Husbands are to be nourishing, cherishing as the Lord is to the church. Paul address the Colossians, he told the husbands, “husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them” (Colossians 3:19). He told them not to be harsh with them, which is not a sign of holiness. … Jesus Christ loves the church so much that he caused himself to identify with it. To love our wives as Christ loves the church means to identify with them. Peter tells the husband that their relationship with their wives are so important that it effects there communication line with God, ... The man of God must protect his family, to assist their personal growth. Christ’s goal for the church is to make her holy, “that he might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:26).

In Ephesians 5, especially verses 25-27, Paul also contrasts the husband’s relationship with his wife with that of Christ with the church. Christ came to serve the church and to die for the church. This is what Paul is calling the husbands to do for their wives. The husbands should also be willing to put the needs of their wives before their own. The husband’s role as head is a sacrificial one that should intimate how Christ loved his bride, the church

I know partly what it looks like at my house (mostly because I don't have it figured out yet). I know this. I have become a student of my wife. I have looked with different and opened eyes at her and watched her... learning how I can better serve her and live with her with understanding.

This is how I am called to love my wife. "... in the degree that Christ loved the church..."

Running After Papa...

Eternal Life

2008-12-10T08:15:00.003-06:00

OK. I'm still not very far in Romans, but in Romans 2:6-7 I was looking up all the meanings of the various words and for kicks I happened to look up "eternal."

I've been a Christian a long time and thought I knew the word... Eternal Life and all, but its entirely possible that I've been missing something. Read carefully the definition in Strongs for the word translated as "eternal." The word is aionios.

1 without beginning and end, that which always has been and always will be. 2 without beginning. 3 without end, never to cease, everlasting.

Did you catch something new? "Without beginning," really hit me between the eyes. Is it possible (prepare for a synapse or two to be overloaded here) that when we step into eternal life, we will will be "without beginning?" Just typing this out blows my mind, but this word is used 70 or so times in the New Testament and clearly refer to our eternal state. My finite mind can't wrap its arms around that infinite thought because I was born on a fall day in 1966.

It's possible that I'm way out in left field on this one. However, Father has shown me today what He needs me to see and that it is a very applicable lesson. How does that apply to me today?

I cannot possibly understand the ways of God. In one sense, it scares me to not be able to think my way through this. In another, it's very reassuring to know that my God is so much bigger than I am and I can trust Him, even if I can't wrap my head around Him.
Don't stop seeking. Verse 7 in the ESV uses the word "seek" which means to "to seek [in order to find out] by thinking, meditating, reasoning, to inquire into." We are to seek out those things - think on, meditate, reason, inquire - that bring glory, honor and immortality (those things that are pure and incorruptible) by patiently doing, but God himself will give us eternal life - that which we will never be able to reason out.

Father, Thank you that you are bigger than my mind. I praise the fact that I cannot understand you; I cannot figure you out; that you are SO much bigger than I could ever imagine. Help me walk today in that security and faith to do things bigger than myself in your name today. Bless your name. Amen.

Running After Papa...

A Kind Father

2008-12-09T08:05:00.002-06:00

Romans 2:4

It didn't take long for Dad to hit me between the eyes today (metaphorically speaking of course - especially since this blog is about the kindness of God!)

Romans 2:4 (ESV) Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

Lots of words in this verse. I had to look up "forbearance" and it means "a refraining from the enforcement of something (as a debt, right, or obligation) that is due."

The NIV translates "presume" as "show contempt" while NKJV translates it as "despise." When I abuse his kindness, I basically spit in his face.

All of that to say this... while God has every right to punish, reprimand, destroy and wipe me from the face of the earth - because I deserve it - He chooses to use kindness, leniency, patience, mercy and grace to get me to repent - which in simplest terms means to change my mind. For that, I am so grateful and thankful.

The application for me is: How do I mirror that, represent that, to my earthly children? When they read this passage as an adult, will they have a hard time visualizing, understanding, or accepting the truth of it because of my actions as their father? Will my parenting today, make it easier or more difficult for them to see Papa as their Heavenly Father?

Do I model grace to my children? Do I show mercy to my children? A more difficult question is will I impede their ability to accept Papa's love, grace, and mercy as they mature in the Lord? A sobering thought.

Running After Papa...

Selflessness... use it or lose it

2008-12-08T08:22:00.001-06:00

Romans 1:21

“…futile in their thinking…” is a really nice way to translate this. I looked up the word translated into “futile” and it actually means “vain.” So, in essence, what 1:21 is saying is humanity took its focus off God and put it on itself. It began looking at itself. I see that every day in my own life, in the lives of my kids, in the grocery store parking lot, at football games, wherever. We are a selfish and self-centered people by nature. Our selfishness leads down a road we don’t want to go down. Verses 21-27 describe how this self-centered, me-centric view led to all kinds of depravity that must have just broken God’s heart and sickened him.

Romans 1:24-25

Romans 1:28-32

Verse 28 uses “… a debased mind…” That is another nice way to put it. The word means “reprobate” which, according to Webesters, means “to foreordain to damnation; morally corrupt,” and then a laundry list of man’s depravity follows in the next verses.

The point for me this morning is that it is easy to take my eyes off Him, even if only for a second. One minute leads to two minutes leads to 4 minutes, etc. The self-centered road is a slippery one that is easy to walk down. Think about it, we don’t have to teach our children to be selfish. It starts early and comes naturally. One of the first words any toddler learns is “MINE!” Selflessness - the way Christ lived - is something that has to be learned. It is an on-going lesson that must be used and practiced daily or it goes away - like a foreign language - use it or lose it.

Dad, I need you today. Fix my eyes on you in all that I do. Don’t let my heart wander down the road that starts with Me. My only hope is to have spiritual blinders, as a thoroughbred in a race, to keep me looking only in the direction I am to run. Thank you for your amazing grace and mercy on me, on all of us. Thank you for your love. Help me be aware for opportunities to be selfless today. Amen.

Running After Papa...

Growth by Community

2008-12-05T09:31:00.001-06:00

I'm starting a journey through Romans today.

Romans 1:11-12

For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established— 12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

In this passage, Paul says that (in the NKJV translation) that he wants to "... impart to you some spiritual gift..." I've struggled with this passage before. This got me wondering: 1. Can an individual impart a spiritual gift (1 Cor 12:11)?, and 2. If so, how does one do that? As I began to research this verse I came across a really interesting bit from A Survey of Bible doctrine by Charles Ryrie:

"Too, we can develop our gifts by benefiting from the ministry of others (see Ro 1:11 where Paul is not saying that he could bestow gifts but that he could through his ministry impart the benefit of his spiritual gifts to others). This should be a never ending cycle—gifted people ministering to others who are thereby built up and who in turn minister to others who are then built up to minister to others, etc. This is the way the body of Christ grows quantitatively and qualitatively."

Ryries's take on the word "impart," really helped me personally. And his last sentance got me focused on verse 12 where Paul talks about the importance of community.

"...that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me."

Now this, I get. This is the very reason I'm engaged in daily accountability with a group of faithful men.... that we can be encouraged together by our mutual faith. This is why Prov 27:17 says "As iron sharpens iron, so one man shapens another."

So what's the take away today? I cannot do this life by myself. I need community. One of the great lies of the enemy is that somehow, manhood is defined by being the Lone Ranger, or John Wayne, the "strong, silent type." No. No! NO! That is not what God intended. That's why God created Eve, because it was not good for Adam to be alone...

Thank you Lord for my community... for those You've placed in my life and in my path. Help me to always be grateful for them and for the work you do in me through them. May I never take You or them for granted. Amen.

Running After Papa...

Faith & Doubt (Mark 11)

2008-12-04T08:53:00.004-06:00

(This is my entry from a daily journal I do with some of my "iron sharpeners" (Prov 27:17) at http://ironsharpeners.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?action=edit&post=83)

OK. You know we sleep to the New Testament playing on my MP3 player 24x7. Every day, I wake up to a new passage. Today I woke up to the MP3 player playing Mark 11 and it captured me this morning. So, that's what I studied. IT IS RICH... Here is just SOME of the greatness of this chapter.

Mark 11:12-14

Jesus curses a fig tree because there is no fruit on it; and rightfully so. Did you catch the end of verse 13 where it says "... for it was not the season for figs." Clue #1: This isn't about a Jesus taking it out on a fig tree because he was hungry. The end of verse 14 provides Clue #2 where it says, "... and the disciples heard it." OK. I think Jesus was setting them up for a lesson, which comes "later", when we get to verses 20-26.

Mark 11:20-26

The next morning the fig tree is dried up from the roots (Clue #3: OK... even Roundup doesn't kill a fig tree overnight - something supernatural is going on here). When Peter notices (Yeah Peter!) Jesus lays it on them.

22 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

25 “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

OK. Quick Greek lesson. Faith (v22) = pistis, which means to "believe to a complete trust." Doubt (v23 "does not doubt") = diakrinomai, which means "judge, or to judge there is a difference." Heart (v23) = kardia, which means "inner self, including: the volition, the mind, the desires, etc., though the facility of the intellect may be slightly more emphasized." Believe (v23) = pisteuo, which is "faith, believe to the extent of complete trust." Says (v23) = laleō , which implies a literal breaking of the sound waves, to speak aloud. Received (v24) = lambano, "to take hold of, grasp, grab, acquire."

I'm not advocating a "name it and claim it" mentality, because the Scripture is also clear that the Lord will give us the desire of our hearts - meaning when we are close to him, in intimate fellowship with Him, our desires will be planted in us by Him. This means we won't be asking for a new Lexus, or a million dollars, or any self-centered, self-pleasuring thing. We will want what He wants and our prayers will come into agreement with His heart.

What I do think this passage, and what Jesus was trying to teach the disciples, is this. Our mind is the key to our belief and ultimately our faith. Clearly, "doubt" in this passage is the antithesis of "faith" - in this passage. When I unpacked "doubt," it is very clearly dealing with the mind - "to judge", or "to judge there is a difference." That says to me that my mind is evaluating what's coming out of my mouth (aka, my prayer) with what it believes and measuring up any discrepancy, or difference.

The second key for me, comes in verses 25-26. An odd place, at the surface, to throw in a seemingly unrelated statement. But Jesus does not throw down random thoughts. These are very related. For the sake of brevity, unforgiveness affects our prayers. Its related to the previous thoughts. If I haven't forgiven someone, then when I pray to Father, my mind (my "heart") is constantly evaluating the truth of it all. If I haven't or can't forgive someone, then the truth of God forgiving me is something my heart can't receive, and if God hasn't forgiven me, then how can I pisteuo that He will hear - much less answer - my prayers? This is when my heart diakrinomai (doubts).

What then is the significance of "says" in verse 23? Again, for brevity, and I may write another blog later on this, it has to be audible. I know I am way too guilty of praying silently, quietly, and in my Spirit - not always with my tongue, aloud, audibly. I believe there is significance to the implications of the word laleo. Jesus cursed the fig tree (which remember was NOT in season) aloud (the disciples heard it) because there is power in our words and in our audible prayers. This is going to require some more digging into...

Daddy, you are SO good. Thank you for your Word. Thank you for time with me this morning. May the truth of your Word and the truth of your examples sink deeply into my heart today, so that I will not doubt in my heart, so that I will not judge there to be a difference in what I say and what I know about You.

Running After Papa...

Husband 101 - Part 4

2008-11-23T14:13:00.003-06:00

Ephesians 5:25 ESV Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,

OK. I"m moving on to the next few words (about time, since I've been on one word for three blogs...). "...love your wives..." is the phrase of this blog.

The word "love" in this verse is the Greek word "agapao /ag·ap·ah·o/" and it means to "show love" or "demonstrate love". It also means to "take pleasure in" and "to love based on its regarded value."

I, generally as a man, am not near expressive enough in my love to my wife. I - and I'm guessing many men - are much like the old joke of the guy who tells his wife, "I said, 'I love you' at our wedding and if anything changes I'll let you know."

Two thoughts on the definition of "love" in this verse (which by the way, the exact same Greek word is used 5 words later describing how Christ loved the church - with a demonstrated love - a sneak peek at the next blog):

How do I "speak" love to my wife?

I read a book The Five Love Languages that really opened my eyes as to how I say "I love you" to my wife. Love is spoken in (according to this book) five different languages. The interesting part is that I had to learn my wife's languages, because I was not fluent, nor even familiar, with her languages.

It is interesting - this languages thing - I adopted one of my sons from Russia and he didn't know any English when he came to America 4 years ago... Not a word! However, he loved to talk and was determined to learn the Enlish language. He soaked it up like a sponge and used it constantly! We couldn't get him to shut up! :) But seriously, that's the attitude I have to have in learing my wife's love language. It turns out that we don't natively speak each other's love languages. My primary language is "words of encouragement" while her primary love language is "quality time," something I knew NOTHING about. Just like my son became proficient and fluent in English, I have become better - I won't say I'm fluent yet - at speaking her language. In turn, the better I got at speaking love to her in HER language, the better she got at speaking love to me in MY language! Yes!

What is my "regarded value" of my wife?

"To love based on its regarded value" is another killer part of this definition of the word "agapao." I doing a quick scan of the other times in the New Testament this Greek word is used, it is obvious that the "regarded value" is not MY regarded value. The regarded value of my wife is how my Heavenly Father, who is also her Heavenly Father, regards and values her. My love demonstrated to her is to be based on how HE values her.

Can I just tell you that is a little intimidating. I don't yet understand the depth, breadth, highth, or length of God's love for her, for myself, for any of us.

One of the 136 verses where this version of the word "love" is used is:

Galatians 2:20 (ESV) I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

This verse is freeing, in a way, because if I get myself out of the way, Christ will love my wife - the same way he loved the church - through me. It gets all fouled up when I step in and let my own selfish desires, my own pride, my thinking "I've done X number of things for her... what has she done for me?", my keeping score, my "I want to watch the tv show, or play golf, or go fishing, or whatever...", get in the way.

It's not about me. Christ was the most humble servant of all. That is what he's called me, as a husband, to be. I am to "show love" to her, to "demonstrate love", to "take pleasure in" and "love based on [God's] regarded value" of her.

It's a tall order. Who's man enough to step up?

Running After Papa...

Husband 101 – Part 3

2008-10-23T16:05:00.002-05:00

"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her," (Ephesians 5:25, ESV)

In my last blog, I stated the following:

Let's look at the first use of the word "husband" in the Bible. It's found in Genesis (surprise, surprise) in the Garden.

I also said that the first occurrence of this word "husband" in the bible was found in Genesis 3:6. If we only look at the English translations of that word, I am accurate, but if you look at the Hebrew word for "husband" used in Genesis 3:6, it is "iysh".
Like it's Greek counterpart (see last post), according to Enhanced Strong's Lexicon, it is translated as "man" 1002 times, "men" 210 times, and "husband" 69 times among other words. The first use of this Hebrew word is actually in Genesis 2:23.

Genesis 2:23 (NKJV)
²³And Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man."

There is another Hebrew word that we translate as "man". It is the word "adam".

As near as I can tell, "adam" refers to the individual human creation, while "iysh" refers to the species of humankind.

Why does it matter?

Remember that Adam had just seen EVERY species of animal that God had created – male and female – and he recognized that there was no one like him. All the other species were made up of two – a male and female.

The Hebrew word translated as "woman" literally means "…the biological female of a species in creation, counter-part of the male." The word translated into "taken" in taken out of Man, literally means "bring an object into one's possession, either with or without permission of the owner."

WHAT??? Did you catch that? "…with our without the permission of the owner." God didn't consult Adam? Adam didn't give his input or permission?

Isn't it ludicrous to think we should have any say so on what God gives us? Yet we, as men, do. You see, when we have a me-centric view of our lives and our marriage, when we have a self-serving attitude of our marriage and our spouse, we think it's all about our pleasure, our happiness, our freedom. "I work 60 hours a week to put food on the table, so by-golly, I'm going to sit here and watch football (or play Texas Hold'Em, or play video games, etc.) while YOU make dinner, clean the dishes, wash the clothes, get the kids to bed, (insert your favorite chore for your wife to do).

That, my friends, is why the divorce rate IN the church is no different than the divorce rate OUTSIDE of the church. We have self-centered, selfish, pride-filled, hearts and attitudes and self-gratifying expectations that WE want fulfilled.

Listen, our perspective is all wrong. As I continue in this blog series, I'm going to step on our toes more and more. I've become passionate about loving my wife as Christ loved the church and exploring every single aspect of it.

As a culture, our understanding of who we are and who our wives are is way out of whack. Our wives were specifically created for us, by Him who made us; by Him who loves us; by Him who knows how to give good gifts to his children. She was not created "second". She was not created "later". Genesis 1:27 says "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."
God had both of us in mind – male and female – from the beginning… from the word GO.

If we substitute what the Hebrew meanings of the English words in Genesis 2:23, we could paraphrase what Adam said as: "Finally! My counter-part of my created type has been created! God had brought her into His possession from my flesh and bone and given her back to me!" My last blog talked about Eve being Adam's "help-meet."

OK, so what does all this rant have anything to do with Ephesians 5:25? Read on, my friend, read on. Paul clearly associates them in the following verses:

Ephesians 5:28-30 (ESV)
²⁸In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, ³⁰because we are members of his body.

We – together – are one. We – together – complete the creation of God, in His image (Gen 1:27).

Challenge: I challenge every man reading this to view your wife differently today. Pray for God to open your eyes to see her as your counter-part who was uniquely created for you – without your input, without your permission – by a Loving Father who loves you and knows exactly what you need.

Daddy, I pray that you continually keep my perspective changed and renewed. I ask You to daily reveal your creation in my wife that You brought into Your possession - for me - without my knowledge, input, or permission. Help me to understand the truth of who you created her to be and treat her with the utmost, sincere love, honor, care, respect and feeding she requires, deserves and needs – regardless of my personal wants, feelings, or attitudes. Help me to lay my selfish, pride-filled perspective at the altar and take up the perspective of Christ. Teach me to love her in a whole new way every day.

Running After Papa…

Husband 101 - Part 2

2008-10-10T08:27:00.004-05:00

"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her," (Ephesians 5:25, ESV)

OK. Here we go. Let’s start with the first word of this passage. Husbands… I’ve picked up over the years - through listening to good teachers and preachers – two study methods that we’re going to employ in this part of the study: The first is what I’ll call “Original Language” - what does our English word really mean in the original Greek or Hebrew language. Often, we don’t get a good picture of the word by our English translation of it. The second study method we’ll look at is what I’ll call “First Use” – in other words, when was this word first used in the Bible. So let’s dive in.

The Greek word that is translated into “husbands” in this verse is (phonetically) “anēr”. It is translated into lots of interesting words, the three most common are “husband” (53 times), man (69 times) and men (69 times). The word map below shows the various translations of the Greek word. The bigger the word, the more its use.

There is one interesting translation that I want to look at and that’s the translation into “manhood” (as the ESV translates it). It is used in the following verse:

Ephesians 4:11-13 (ESV) ¹¹And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, ¹²to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, ¹³until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

“Manhood” in verse 13 is the same word found in Ephesians 5:25 translated as “Husbands.” This passage teaches that God has given each of us gifts (apostles, prophets, etc) in order to build up the body of Christ until we are all “… to mature manhood.” The King James translates that phrase “… unto a perfect man”, the New Living says “…mature in the Lord”, The Message says “… fully mature adults.” You get the idea.

The same word that means “husband” also means “manhood” and implies maturity in this verse. I guess we could draw a correlation that how we husband our wives is a direct reflection of our manhood which is a directly tied to our maturity in Christ. Christ is the perfect man and HE is the model for us to strive toward.

To be a good husband is to be a real man. How different is that than what society crams down our throats?

I’ll also point out that this word has little to do with being married. While marriage is the picture God gives us, remember that Jesus was the perfect husband, yet he was not physically married. As we’ll discover, it is an attitude of humility and service.

Let’s look at the first use of the word “husband” in the Bible. It’s found in Genesis (surprise, surprise) in the Garden.

Genesis 3:6 (NKJV)
⁶So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

Oh Jiminy! Here is the first use of the word “husband” and the context of this verse is a whole other blog topic. We don’t see “husband” in a good light here. Adam is standing right there with Eve while she’s evaluating, picking, eating and giving the forbidden fruit to him! Again, this is a whole different blog topic for another day.

This does, however, bring up an interesting thought. You cannot have a husband without a wife, so what is the first reference to “wife?”

Before we look at the first reference to the word “wife”, let’s do a quick study on the wife – this creature God fashioned specifically for man; this most creative piece of all of God’s workmanship.

Genesis 2:18 (NKJV)
¹⁸And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”

Let’s look at those two words: “helper” and “comparable”…

The Hebrew word for “helper” is “ezer” which means “1. helper, assistant, i.e., one who assists and serves another with what is needed; 2. help, assistance, i.e., acts of supplying what is needed to another; 3. strength, formally, help, i.e., power to accomplish a task”

The Hebrew word for “comparable” (New King James Version) is “neged” which means: “counterpart, i.e., that object which is corresponding or like another object”

Webster’s defines “corresponding” as “having or participating in the same relationship (as kind, degree, position, correspondence, or function) especially with regard to the same or like wholes”

So, you could rewrite Genesis 2:18 to say “… I will make him a counterpart of equal relationship to supply what is needed for him to accomplish what I have for him to do…”

Doesn’t that change the way you look at what God has provided? Do you see you wife differently in that simple understanding of what the translated words mean?

Look at how the Amplified bible put it: 18 Now the Lord God said, It is not good (sufficient, satisfactory) that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper meet (suitable, adapted, complementary) for him.

I love that! A “helper meet” – suitable, adapted, and complementary.

So then, where is this word, “wife”, first used? Its a few verses later.

Genesis 2:24 (NKJV)
²⁴Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

Isn’t this a crazy place for this verse? Adam and Eve had no earthly father and mother. This is immediately after God presented Eve to Adam. This is the first marriage. This is the model. This is the example. This sets up what all of humanity is to copy and emulate for the rest of time.

There’s another model we are supposed to emulate for the rest of time. It’s the key verse of this topic series. Does "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her," sound familiar? In light of this, I believe God gave us this verse, at this time, to show us a deeper truth. Remember that the physical marriage of a man and a woman is also the model of Christ and the Church. So if the Church is the wife and Christ is the husband, re-read Genesis 2:24. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”

Jesus left heaven. He left his Godship. He came to earth to be “joined to” his wife – the church. The Hebrew word used for “joined to” (or “cleave” as the King James puts it) is dabaq.

1815 דָּבַק (dā∙ḇǎq): 1. cling to, i.e., fasten oneself to an object (Ru 1:14; 2Sa 23:10; Job 29:10); stick to (Eze 3:26; 29:4b); joined fast, be stuck together (Job 38:38; 41:9); be made to cleave, stick to (Ps 22:16); 2. stay close, formally, cling, i.e., be in close proximity to another object (Ru 2:8); 3. catch up, overtake, engage, i.e., make linear motion to come to the same place as another person or party, for either favorable or hostile intent (Ge 31:23; Jdg 18:22; 20:42, 45; 1Sa 14:22; 31:2; 2Sa 1:6; 1Ch 10:2); 4. be united, joined, i.e., be in a close association, implying a normal continuing relationship (Ge 2:24); be associated, formally, bind, i.e., be in a close association as a figurative extension of a belt fastening objects together (Jer 13:11);

Jesus left Heaven to dabaq with us, his wife. This is the model he has demonstrated for us as husbands.

So you could rewrite Gen 2:24 as: "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and fasten himself, unite with, and be associated and bound to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."

Dr. Benjamin B. Phillips of Southwestern Theological Seminary wrote this in his Practical Theology class of Fall 2007:

Jesus Christ loves the church so much that he caused himself to identify with it. To love our wives as Christ loves the church means to identify with them.

That’s the essence of “cleaving” or being “joined to” your wife – to identify with her. We’ll discuss this more in another study.

Recapping today’s thoughts:

1. How we husband (regardless of if we are married or not) directly reflects our maturity in Christ. “Husbanding” is manhood.

2. Our wives are our “helper meet” – specifically created to complement and supply what we need for us to do what God has for us to do.

3. Jesus left Heaven to dabaq with us. This is the model we are to follow.\

Running After Papa…

Husband 101 - Part 1

2008-10-09T09:23:00.002-05:00

"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her," (Ephesians 5:25, ESV)

This passage has, well, haunted me for the last 12 months or so. Haunted may not be the exact word I’m looking for, but it certainly paints the kind of picture I mean. This passage has taken a prominent place in my grey matter, in the forefront of my brain as I have chewed on, tasted, pondered and prayed about what it really means to love my wife as Christ loved the church.

And that’s where all roads lead for me. That’s where it starts. How did Christ love the church? What is the model he established in his life on earth? I believe the essence of it can be said in one word. Christ loved the church sacrificially. I know that conjures up pictures of the cross, and while that was certainly the final and ultimate sacrifice that he gave, I want to dig deeper and go farther in exploring it. You see, I believe that’s the way Christ lived for the church. His thirty-three years on this planet in the form of a man, although we really only have the details of his last three years, were spent spending himself, emptying himself, giving himself for the church in both the current form he lived in and the “new” church we see birthed in the book of Acts.

But we will get to all that. I’ve got lots of verses and thoughts rattling around in my head that are seemingly unrelated at first, but the more I chew on them, the more I meditate on them, the more I look at them, the more I dig into them, the more related I find them to be. (Isn’t that the way the Bible is anyway? It’s all related. It all tells one story from beginning to end, from Genesis to Revelation. Sheesh! Sometimes I’m a little slow…)

I don’t know how many parts there will be to this blog series. I don’t know if they will come sequentially. There may be other blogs sprinkled in along the way as the Lord lays it on my heart. But this topic is a burden on my heart and something I feel compelled to write about.

I see friends and family hurting. I see their spouses hurting. I see husbands and wives hurting each other by their own actions, or by their own inactions. I see them living in these ruts of complacency and resigning themselves to an attitude of “this is just how it is.” They have no clue how to get out of the rut and acknowledge that it’s possible to have a marriage that is exciting, alive, and vibrant. I see with them empathy and compassion and my heart breaks for them. I am burdened for them. I so want to go over, grab their shoulders, shake, and yell “Wake UP! This is NOT what God had in mind! You don’t want to go where this road (rut) leads you!”

A friend of mine once said that every relationship needs a redeemer. Someone who will stand up and choose to redeem the relationship in spite of all the past and all the crap and move forward regardless of the response to of the other person. I like that. That’s what Jesus did. He redeemed us regardless of our response to him. The marriage relationship is a physical picture of that spiritual relationship with Jesus. In our spiritual relationship, Jesus is the redeemer. In spite of our sin and regardless of whether or not we ever respond to him, Jesus came to redeem us and restore our relationship with God.

Relationships struggle. A “struggling” relationship, mind you, is a subjective measurement. It might mean something totally different to you than it does to your neighbor, to me, to your spouse, or to anyone else for that matter. While it takes two to tango, while lack luster or struggling relationships are not the fault of only one person, I do believe most of the time it is the husband’s responsibility and opportunity to step up and be the man God created him to be. I believe so many men have just given up and become the lazy, selfish, buffoons our society and Hollywood have depicted the “everyday husband” to be; the one who sits on the couch and expects his wife to do everything; the one whose basic attitude is “you are here to serve me.” Unfortunately, this attitude prevails all through our society. Husbands, wives, children, employees, employers, politicians, and preachers all fall prey to this insidious and pervasive attitude. Our I’ve just gotten to the place where I wonder how many men would make the changes if they could practically apply how Christ loved the church to their own lives of loving their wives.

So... stay tuned. Provide feedback. This is a road we will walk together. Forward this to those you think might be interested. Seriously, provide comments and feeback through the blogsite. Provide thoughts, ideas, topics that go in this general vein. It should be a fun journey.

Running After Papa...