Thoughts for consideration

New Home for "Thoughts for Consideration"

2011-11-09T17:06:00.002-06:00

Please visit the new home of "Thoughts for Consideration" at my website:

brianlolson.wordpress.com

Is Failure an Option?

2011-09-22T10:29:00.013-05:00

Last night we had a Court of Honor for the Boy Scouts. For those who are unfamiliar with this, a Court of Honor is an opportunity for the scouts to be publicly recognized for their achievements, merit badges earned and rank advancements. This time ends, as all scout meetings do, with a Scoutmaster's minute, a chance for the Scoutmaster to leave the boys with one last nugget of wisdom before the evening ends. As the Scoutmaster was speaking one phrase jumped out at me from all that he said, "It is more honorable to fail, than to cheat."

This, of course, flies in the face of popular wisdom, after all, doesn't society tell us to "get ahead at all cost" or "all that is important is winning" or "failure is not an option." To fail is to show weakness. To fail is to show that there is something you can not do. Indeed, in today's culture, failure is not an option.

Unfortunately, it is not just the culture around us. How many of us have unwittingly propagated this view with our own children. I was chatting with a mother at the library toward the end of summer and we were talking about our kids going back to school. As we talked she relayed a story of someone she knew who had attended a very highly regarded and well known High School in the Chicago northern suburbs. She said that one day she was talking to this friend about a school assignment that was due and was wondering if she was able to get it done. Her friends response was that her dad was up all night writing it.

In this case, there was nothing unwitting about it. Her father wanted to make sure the assignment got done and done right, to help ensure his daughter "succeeded." We certainly wouldn't do this, but how many Cub Scout or Awana dad's have ended out designing and building their child's Pinewood Derby or Grand Prix car for them rather than guiding them in building and designing their own car. How many of us have seen a bad grade on our child's report card and the first thing through out minds, if not out of our mouths was , "that is unacceptable, your smarter than this." How many of us, when our child has gotten in big trouble have responded with "you embarrass me and the whole family." Each of these in their own way, from blatantly obvious to subtle innuendo, teaches our children that they must be perfect and that failure is not an option.

So if this is what we are teaching, how can it be true that it is more honorable to fail, than to cheat. After all, cheating is just a way of ensuring that we stay ahead of the game. Perhaps we as parents need to correct our understanding of our role, before we think about correcting this misperception in our children.

As parent's we seem to think that there is no greater compliment than to have someone tell us how well behaved our children are or how smart they are. This of course feeds our ego that we are doing such a good job. Well, we want people to continue to think we are good parents so we do what we can to ensure that our children never get in trouble and that they do not fail. Unfortunately this can easily turn into situations were we are doing work for our children to ensure they succeed or covering up their mistakes so they do not get in trouble and no one sees our "failure" as parents. I heard it this was, we have come to see our role as parent to be raising perfect kids, but our real role should be to raise responsible adults. And as hard as it is to hear, and I assure you I don't what to hear it either, becoming a responsible adult means failing, sometimes in a huge way, as a child (and even still some as adults). It is through failure that we learn to succeed. Henry Ford's original automobile design did not have a reverse gear. Thomas Edison said about failure to develop the incandescent light bulb, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that wont work." When we "help" our children and prevent them from failing, we are not helping at all, but doing an injustice. We are not teaching them that success is a result of hard work and you may fail along the way, rather we are teaching them to succeed at all cost and that failure is not an option.

So we come back to the idea that it is more honorable to fail, that to cheat. No wonder this seems such a foreign concept. Children have had ingrained in them the idea that as long as you succeed it does not matter how you got there. For them, and to many of us as adults, the ends justifies the means.

Now before I am criticized as promoting failure as a good thing, let me be clear that I am not saying that. there are two reasons for failure. The first is that you are just not putting the necessary work into it (lazy, distracted, apathetic, etc.). Failure for this reason is not honorable, but still something can be learned. A person can learn that they need to be more focused or more disciplined. The second is failure is that even though you tried your hardest you simply did not understand it or were not able to do it. Failure for this reason is honorable, because you worked hard. From this failure you learn that you may need to ask for help (something most of us do not do well), you may have areas you need to focus on more, or there may be things that simply are not within your realm of capabilities (this last one is a hard pill to swallow in a society that insist on you can be anything you want, and that everyone is a winner, but I digress.)

In Luke 16:10 Jesus teaches that "If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities." You may think that a little thing here or there doesn't matter, but those little "cheats" grow and can have profound impact down the road. We read in Proverbs 19:1 that it is "Better to be poor and honest than to be dishonest and a fool." and in Provers 10:9 that "People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will slip and fall."

Cheating may appear to produce the desired end result, but it is simply an appearance and as two dimensional as the images on the television screen. True success for real life requires hard work, integrity and occasional failure. We need to learn to regard failure not as a sign of weakness, but as an opportunity to learn. We need to learn that it truly is more honorable to fail, than to cheat.

Always Remember

2011-09-11T03:45:00.008-05:00

It's been 10 years since everything as we know it changed. We lived in a dream where we were immune to the problems of the world. Terrorism was a hypothetical thing that happened in other countries. This was America, we were strong, we were untouchable, we were safe. . . Then everything changed.

On September 11, 2001, over the course of 1 hour and 17 minutes, four planes crashed, changing our world forever. At 8:46 am (EDT) flight 11 crashed into Tower 1 of the World Trade Center. Then at 9:03 am (EDT) flight 175 crashed into Tower 2 of the World Trade Center. But it was not over, at 9:37 am (EDT) flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon. And finally, at 10:03 am (EDT) flight 93 crashed into a field in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. The devastation that followed, was beyond anything we could have imagined in our worst nightmares. The two tower of the World Trade Center, as well as many other surrounding buildings, collapsed to the ground under the intense heat of the fires that burned. A section of the Pentagon was burned and destroyed. But these these losses were nothing. The greatest horror was that nearly 3,000 people died in a matter of a few hours. 3,000 people died! And if this was not horrific enough, it happened on American soil.

Our world had changed. We were in shock! We were angry! We were in tears. We were afraid. If this could happen, was anywhere safe. What were we to do?

Today, ten years have come and gone. Many have moved on with their lives. Many even seem to have forgotten. But can we ever forget? Ask anyone you meet, "Where were you when the towers fell?" My guess is that they will remember.

Alan Jackson ask this question in his song, "Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning?"

I remember the events. I remember where I was. I remember my reaction and the reactions of others. People became swelled with a patriotism as this country had not seen since World War II. People where driven to action through the compassion for those who had been lost and those who sacrificed everything. This was the best of people. But, we are only human, fallen and imperfect. Not all the reactions were good. I knew some individuals who were in United States studying, who wished to show their solidarity with America in the face of this tragedy. But when they went to the store to buy an American flag, they were confronted as foreigners who should go home. It was sad to see that a people who could be driven by so much compassion, could still be driven by so much fear. People became suspicious and fearful of those that were different and those they did not know. This was the worst of people.

So why should we remember? We remember not to relax in knowing it is the past, but to remain always vigilante that it might not happen again. We remember not to live in fear, but to honor the lives of those who put other first when they stopped the fourth plane. We remember not to seek vengeance, but to honor the lives of those who gave theirs to serve others.

As Christians we are called to live our lives in this very way. We are to be always vigilante because, as Peter tells us, our "adversary the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking those he might devour." We are called to put other first as Paul tells us to "consider others as more important than ourselves." And we are called to be willing to give our lives for others as Jesus told us, "great love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

God of Our Fathers,

I pray for our nation. I pray for the continued healing of a wound that still seems so fresh. I
pray for true and lasting peace. I pray for the protection of our troops who each day, put their lives on the line to serve. I pray for the families of those who have lost loved ones, not only on September 11, 2001, but also in the subsequent resulting wars. I pray Lord for a nation in need of your healing. I pray Lord that we turn to you as our only true source of peace. I pray that we would call upon your name.

Lord, as we take time to remember, I pray that you comfort those who mourn their losses. I pray that your people rise up to give comfort and to meet the needs of our nation.

I pray Lord, for our leaders, that you would grant them wisdom. I pray that they would seek your guidance as they lead our nation forward.

Lord, I also pray, as you have commanded, for our enemies. I pray that they would know you. I pray not for their destruction, but for their salvation.

This I pray, in the name of your son Jesus Christ and through the power of your Holy Spirit, Amen.

When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time.

2011-04-27T22:19:00.014-05:00

I can not count the number of times that I have heard sermons and lessons on Christ being tempted in the wilderness. We learn how Christ was tempted in every way that we are, so He understands. (Lust of the flesh - bread from stones, Lust of the eyes - Satan would give him the wealth of the world and the pride of life - if he was the Son of God he deserved to be treated as such) We hear about how Christ used scripture to resist the devil and how this shows us how important it is to memorize scripture. (Which of course it is, but I digress.) But as I was reading through the passage in Luke this week, my mind began to ponder the final sentence of this passage. "When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time." Luke 4:13

I realize that all to often we, . . . I, fail to see that Christ temptation was not a one time thing. Too often this passage is breezed through and the cliche answers are given. And while these answers may be valid and helpful in our lives, temptation does not end that simply for us, and it did not end that simply for Christ. While scripture does not specifically tell us of these other temptation, we can see them between the lines. When he became angry with the money changers, I am sure the temptation was there to do more than simply overturn their tables. When in the garden, the temptation to run away could not be more clear. While hanging on the cross, can any of us doubt that the devil whispered in His ear, "Are they really worth it?" No the temptation surely did not end with the three described in Luke 4.

I know that we give people comfort as we teach that Jesus has been tempted in every way that we have. We give people strength when we teach them that God has given us the scriptures that we can call upon to resist the devil. But we do a grave injustice if we fail to remind people that the devil is not so easily discouraged. I Peter 5:8 tells us that "the devil prowls about like a roaring lion seeking those that he might devour." He may leave, but he waits "until an opportune time" to return. While these opportune times may come at any moment, sometimes out of the blue and often when we least expect them, we must always be on guard. ("Self controlled and alert" 1 Peter 5:8) We can not think that once we have resisted the devil and he has fled (James 4:7) that it is over. This is the very opportune time that the devil is looking for, when we let our guard down, when we say to ourselves, "I have stood up to that temptation and it is behind me. I do not need to worry about it anymore."

Only when we stand in glory, before our Lord and Savior will all temptations finally be set behind us once and for all. Until then, we must always stand on guard because temptation is not a one time thing. But we need not fear these temptations for we have our victory in Christ. He has given word to keep in our hearts so we do not sin against him. He has faced every temptation faced by man, and emerged victorious. Most importantly, he has not left us alone. He has granted to those who believe in Him, the Holy Spirit to dwell within us. So while we may continue to face temptations in this life, we know that we already have victory in Christ Jesus.

Already, But Not Yet!

2011-04-12T12:25:00.005-05:00

"I was brought to the conviction that mine was only an intellectual belief - a belief in which there was no life. It looked for salvation in the future after death; and consequently my soul had not 'Passed from death unto life.'" Pandita Ramabai (India, 1858-1922)

Last week I had the privilege of hearing Dr. D.A. Carson, a man I have known and respected for many years, speak on Ephesians 1. As I was reading through my personal devotions for later that week I found the above listed quote. As I read this my mind was drawn back to the message on Ephesians and one particular phrase used. Already, but not yet. While this phrase was not new to me, I was compelled to examine it more closely and in so doing examine my own belief.

"How so?" you may ask. Let me begin by reading Ephesians 1:3 - 14:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved.

In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory."

The Bible is very clear, every blessing I have, and I must stop to realize that I am truly blessed, comes from God. But I must realize that his greatest blessing is not found in material "blessings" but in a spiritual blessing. What is this blessing? This blessing is that despite my selfishness, despite my sin, despite my nature to turn away from God, He has chosen to reach out to me. He chose to send His Son, Jesus Christ, who carried the punishment I deserved for my rejection of a holy God, so that I would not have too. "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us." This is the greatest blessing of all, but what does it mean? We may stand before God legally and relationally justified if we have put our trust in the "riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us." Simply put, by recognizing our sinfulness, accepting the forgiveness that Jesus Christ provided in our place and putting our trust in God, we are forgiven.

But not only forgiven, we are made part of God's family. We had an "adoption as sons through Jesus Christ." And this is not simply the adoption of a newborn child into a family, this is the adoption of one who has lived a life on their own being made part of a family with all the rights and privileges, and "In Him we have obtained an inheritance." What is this inheritance? The truth is that it is many fold, it is the forgiveness of sins, it is the freedom to choose to follow Christ, it is being united with Christ, it is the right to stand in the presence of God, it is eternal life, it is being identified as part of God's family. I could continue, but for the sake of this writing this will do. The point is that the blessings bestowed on us by God are but the beginning of our inheritance, and it is all "to the praise of His glory."

So how does this bring me back to Already, but not yet. "In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory." To often I find myself, as many Christians do, looking forward to What God will do. We look for his coming again. We look forward to eternity with him. We look to be made holy. We look to find ourselves in the heavenly places.

And while we should look forward to these, we miss what God is doing in our lives and the world around us today. We miss that he has sent the Holy Spirit: John 16:7 "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go I will send him to you." We miss that we are already in his presence: Matthew 28:20 "And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." We miss that we have already been made Holy (set apart): Hebrews 10:10 "And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." We miss that we have already been placed in the heavenly places: Ephesians 2:6 "And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus."

Yes it is true that we do not yet possess our full inheritance in Christ - we do not see him face to face, we are still surrounded by sin and death, we still face temptations, - we have, however, already obtained our inheritance in Christ, and it is guaranteed through the Holy Spirit. So I must ask myself, is this only intellectual and academic to me and I continue to live in the defeat of sin seeing only the "not yet", or does this truth permeate my entire being and I live in the victory of Christ declaring "Already, but not yet."

The Rest of the Story

2010-04-29T13:40:00.008-05:00

Recently I had the opportunity to attend a Shabbat service at a local synagogue. A friend of my younger sons was going to be taking part in the service and his family had invited us.

It was a memorable experience as we sang with the Cantor, prayed with the Rabbi and worked our way through the service. While the Rabbi did not give a sermon, as this was a special service, we did get to see a faith steeped in rich tradition and history. I could not help but be moved by the reverence and truths relayed about God in the prayer book. (Fortunately there was an English translation as my Hebrew is a bit rusty.)

These are the chosen people of God described throughout the Bible. A people who have worship God in the same basic structure for more than 2000 years.

Just like me, they too worship the only God with praise, and joy. The words of the prayers speak of the gifts of God, the peace of God and that all is to the glory of God. Dare I say, they worshiped with a reverence to often missing in the Christian church.

To worship in this setting, it was clear that God spoke to my heart. But as my spirit was lifted toward God, I had one thing pound over and over. They are missing the rest of the story.

I remember listening to Paul Harvey tell "The Rest of the Story" on the radio. Paul and his team would take a significant person in history and then proceed to research around them to find out what had happened in their life that had helped make them the person we knew. Sometimes he would do the same things with significant events in history. It should be noted that in their research they had to have at least two independent sources confirming the story for it to make it on air.

When he told the story he did not begin by revealing who or what he was talking about, but rather he would tell the unknown story they had found in their research. Only after peaking your interest and fascination with the story would he reveal who or what he was talking about to the amusement, surprise and sometimes shock of the audience. He would then conclude with his trademark "and now you know, the rest of the story."

In much the same way I felt like I was listening to a Paul Harvey story but before the person being spoken about was revealed, the radio was shut off. I wanted to stand up and shout, that "all of these prophecies, scriptures and laws point to the man known to the world as Jesus of Nazareth."

That is the most exciting and liberating part of the story. No longer are we justified through the law, no longer do we need sacrifices for our sins, no longer must we enter into the presence of the Lord through rituals. For God has sent the promised messiah, the living tabernacle of God, Emmanuel - God with us. (Isaiah 7:14) He has sent the one who paid the price in full for our sins as prophesied in Isaiah 53:5 "by his wounds we are healed." Through the Messiah we are forgiven and only through the Messiah may we enter into the presence of God. "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father, but through me." John 14:6 It is simply through faith in the Messiah that we receive salvation. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourself, it is the gift of God - not by works, so no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9. This means we are free to not depend on our obedience to the law for salvation but to obey God for the right reasons. For the greatest commandment is to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind ... And the second is like it: love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:36-40 [Deuteronomy 6:5, Leviticus 19:18]) And while He has commanded it, we do not love simply because of the command, but "we love because he first loved us." 1 John 4:19 In addition, we obey God that He might be glorified by our actions. "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16.

The good news is here. All the waiting, all the hoping and all the praying have come to fruition. The Law and the Prophets have been fulfilled. (Matthew 5:17) The messiah has come and his gift of salvation is available to all who believe. (Acts 10:43)

This is Jesus of Nazareth, "the Messiah, the Son of the living God." (Matthew 16:16)

"And now you know, the rest of the story."

Doctrine of The Holy Spirit

2010-04-29T12:24:00.008-05:00

What are we referring to when we speak of The Holy Spirit. Is it a spirit that represents God? Is it the same thing as God? First, the question should better be stated, "Who is the Holy Spirit?" As I discussed in the two previous articles, God exist eternally in three person. The Holy Spirit is the third and final (and often over looked) part of the Godhead. The Holy Spirit, along with The Father and The Son make up the Trinity.

How do we know The Holy Spirit to be fully God. First, the Bible equates lying to The Holy Spirit and lying to God as the same thing (Acts 5:3-4). The clear implication is that the Holy Spirit is God. Further many of the attributes ascribed to God are also ascribed to the Holy Spirit.(eternal - Hebrews 9:14, omnipresent - Psalm 139:7-8) But why do we believe The Holy Spirit is a distinct person from the Father and the Son. Jesus clearly saw the Spirit as distinct. We see this when He commanded His disciple to baptize people in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). We also see it in another passage where He states that when He leaves, the Holy Spirit will be sent from the Father (John 14:26, 15:26). The Holy Spirit is clearly God and clearly a distinct person, becoming a third person of the one true God.

So then, what is the role of the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is sent of God to fill His people (Titus 3:5). When a person comes to accept the Lord as his personal Savior, he is baptized with the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 12:13), washing away all sins. Now, the sin having been washed away, the new believer in Christ is filled with the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 6:19). The Spirit then works to guide this new child of God (Romans 8:14) helping them to grow and develop in their relationship with Christ.

The Holy Spirit is the helper that Jesus promised His disciples(John 14:15-26) and is at work in the church today. The work of the Holy Spirit is to develop God's church, those who believe. The Holy Spirit is at work in the development of Christian lives (John 14:26). He guides those who believe day by day in their lives (Acts 8:29, Romans 8:14).

The Holy Spirit intercedes for those of us who believe, through our prayers to the Father and communicates those things we can not even speak (Romans 8:26). The Holy Spirit also convicts the believers of sin in their lives. The Holy Spirit draws unbelievers to God and regenerates the heart of those who believe and call upon the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness (2 Thessalonians 2:13).

What about Spiritual Gifts? Where do they fit in? To further build up the body, the Holy Spirit bestows (I Corinthians 12:11) His gifts upon the people of God for the working of the church (Ephesians 2:22, 4:11-12, Hebrews 2:3-4).Some of these gifts include prophecy, teaching, miracles, tongues, and evangalism among others (1 Corinthians 12:27-30, Ephesians 4:11-13) While God may still use any of the gifts today, they are not always present. Many of these gifts are still manifested in the church today. I do, however, believe that the miraculous gifts (tongues, healing, prophecy) are for special situations, such as the founding of the church, and not normative for today. This is not to say they do not exist but that the miraculous gifts, when expressed, must be in a context consistent with the Bible. They must be edifying and non-disruptive to the body (I Corinthians 12:12-31, 14:26-40, Ephesians 4:11-12).

The "charismatic" [or spirit] movement of the 20th century brought this issue to the forefront of the church. When speaking of the most noted of the miraculous gifts, peaking in tongues, Paul declares it is the least of the gifts and that not all believers possess the gift of tongues (I Corinthians 14:5). It therefore cannot be used as a litmus test in the life of a believer as some have done. Now, while they may not be normative in the church today, they should not automatically be dismissed, but should be examined on a case by case basis as to their legitimacy.

Setting aside the discussion of the “miraculous” gifts, we know that many gifts are given by the Spirit that are important to the working of the church. Each believer has their own special gifts that complement the gifts of other believers (I Peter 4:10). One gift is not greater than another, rather they all work together to build up the body of Christ. Through all, however, we must always seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the interpretation of God's word and the application of the gifts bestowed by the Holy Spirit.

Doctrine of Christ

2010-04-22T13:09:00.011-05:00

Who is Jesus of Nazareth? This question as been pondered in the minds of many for two thousand years. For the answer to this question has impact on everyone from the lowliest beggar, to the mightiest King.

So who is Jesus of Nazareth and why, is he called Christ. Let me answer the second question first. Contrary to what many may think, based on it usage, Christ is not a last name, rather is a title. It is derived from the Greek word [christos], which means anointed or chosen one. It is the same as the Hebrew word Messiah. So when you hear Jesus referred to as the Christ or as the Messiah, these are the same thing. It is calling him the anointed one of God.

Now, back to the first question, who is Jesus? Jesus was a man, born into this world (Luke 2:5-7), who lived (Luke 2:52) and died (Mark 15:43-45). However the story does not simply end there. For Jesus what not simply a man, Jesus was also God incarnate [in flesh] (John 1:1, 14). He is the eternal God, the great I am of the Old Testament (Isaiah 9:6, Micah 5:2), who existed from the very beginning in co-existence with God [the Father] (John 1:1, 17:5). He is simultaneously fully man (Luke 19:10, Galatians 4:4) and fully God. He was the true God who took on the form of a man and faced all temptations that men face, to an infinite degree (Hebrews 4:15, Philippians 2:6-8). If Jesus had been simply God, but not man his sacrifice would have been inadequate, as he could not represent man. Had he been simply man, but not God his sacrifice would have been inadequate as he would have been imperfect. Jesus was fully God and fully man and there for was the only adequate sacrifice. (Hebrews 10:1-14)

Now while Jesus was fully man, he did not have a human father, rather the Holy Spirit came upon the virgin Mary and she gave birth to a son, Jesus Christ (Luke 1:35, Matthew 1:18-25) Though Jesus Christ was fully God, when He came to earth, He voluntarily surrendered the rights that came with His being God. He did not give up His being God, but willingly set aside His position as God to become man and face all temptations that man faced. In fact, Jesus did not only lower Himself to becoming a man, but came to serve man and die in his place. (Mark 10:45, Philippians 2:5-11).

Some have questioned the whole death of Jesus, but let me be clear, Jesus death on the cross was not simply passing out or "swooning" but was a true physical death. (Matthew 27:45-54, Mark 15:33-41, Luke 23:44-49, John 19:28-30). It was necessary that it be a true physical death as His death was a sacrifice that paid the penalty for the sins [anything not up to God's perfect standard] of man (Matthew 20:28, I Timothy 2:6). As God is perfect and just, the sins of Man are an affront to His being. Therefore, the sins of Man needed a perfect offering to satisfy a just God. Jesus, being fully God and fully man was a perfect man. He therefore was the only adequate sacrifice to pay the price. His death on the cross fulfilled the prophecies of the messiah to come found in the Old Testament (Zechariah 2:10-11, Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12). It is through His death that our sins may be forgiven for His death was a sufficient sacrifice for the entire world, but it was only efficient for those who would believe (John 1:12, Romans 3:22).

After his death on the cross, Jesus was laid in a grave for three days and on the third day the Father raised Him from the dead in the perfection of the resurrected body (John 20:11-17, 26-29, I Corinthians 15:3-8). He was the first to be resurrected and through his resurrection, the door was opened to eternal life for those who believe (I Corinthians 20:20-21).

Jesus now sits at the "right hand" [the place of honor] of the Father (Acts 2:32-34), where He sits in authority over the church (Colossians 1:18) and serves as an advocate for believers (Hebrews 4:14-16). Jesus will one day return to claim those who have proclaimed belief in Him and have been forgiven (Acts 1:11, I Thessalonians 4:16-17) At the end of time He will sit in the judgment seat as all humanity stands before Him and He will separate those whose sins have been forgiven through belief in Him from those who are the unregenerate of the world (Matthew 25:31-46).

The Doctrine of God

2010-04-13T10:23:00.010-05:00

I was unsure how to title this section, after all how does one describe God? Infinite, yet personal. powerful, yet gentle. God is God. He summed it up best Himself when he stated, "I am that I am." For this reason I have chosen to simply entitle this "The Doctrine of God."

So who is God? God is nonmaterial, personal and eternal, . (I will discuss the nature of the Son at a different time.) The question then is, “What does nonmaterial mean?“ The term nonmaterial does not mean that God is without substance. Rather, it points to the fact that God is Spirit (John 4:24). He is nonmaterial in the sense that we understand physicality.

God is personal. To say that God is personal is to say that God possesses two basic characteristics. First He possesses consciousness. He is aware of himself and his relationship with his creation, with us. Second, He possesses distinctiveness. He possesses a unique identity and characteristics.

Of these characteristics possessed by God, some are unique to Him alone. There are three basic attributes of God, which are unique to him. These attributes are:

Immutability - God in His essence and nature is never changing (Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8, James1:17). This is not to say that God is static, for He is capable of change and does so in His relationships (Genesis 6:6, Exodus 32:10, 14), but His very nature is unchanging.
Infinity - God is limitless in His existence. He is beyond measure and therefore not capable of being confined. Included in his infinity are unconfinable (I Kings 8:27, Acts 17:24), all-powerful (Job 42:2), always present (Psalms 139:7-12, Jeremiah 23:24), and all-knowing (Psalms 147:4-5).
Eternity - God is not confined to the essence of time. He is beyond time. His existence is outside time and is therefore in existence before, during, and after time. He has no beginning or end (Genesis 21:33, Psalm 90:2, I Timothy 1:17).

God also possesses certain attributes that are shared with his creation on a limited basis. These qualities include, but are not limited to:

Knowledge (John 2:25)
Power (Genesis 1:3, Matthew 19:26, Revelation 19:6)
Goodness (Mark 10:18)
Justice (Micah 6:8)
love (I John 4:7-10)

God is the creator of the heavens and the earth. He created them from nothing. (Romans 4:17, Genesis 1:1) Before anything existed, God existed. He was in the beginning. In the beginning, there was only God. (John 1:1) God created everything from nothing and brought life to it all. God is the origin (Colossians 1:16) and sustainer (Hebrews 1:3, Nehemiah 9:6) of all things. All things exist to bring Glory to Him (Isaiah 43:6-7).

God is the essence of being. I refer to God as a being, which is true in that he possess consciousness and distinctiveness. But God is more than "a" being, God is the essence of being. He is the source of all life (Acts 17:25, Colossians 1:16).

God himself exists eternally as a tri-une being. This is most commonly referred to as the Trinity. This is difficult concept for many and has led to some misunderstandings. While I do not claim to be able to explain it in any detail, I must be clear here, there is ONE God (Deuteronomy 6:4, Ephesians 4:6).

This one God exist eternally in three persons (John 10:30, 14:15-26, Acts 1:3-5): God the Father (John 6:40, Ephesians 4:6), God the Son (John 1:1, 6:40), and God the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4). Each of these are clearly identified in these passages as God, not a god and not one of the gods, but as God. They are each equally and fully God. (John 10:30, Romans 8:9-14)

At the same time there is a economic subordination, that is to say there is a functional authority structure between them. Each plays a specific role. The Son prays to the Father, the Father sends the spirit (John 14:16). This has much more to do with the relationship between the three then God's relationship with us. This is not to say it has nothing to do with God relationship to us, for we see demonstrated in God, the unity of purpose. The Son submits to the will of the Father (Luke 22:42). The desire of the Son was to do the will of the Father. They were united in their purpose and the son was subordinate to the Father in his action. We also see that God sends His spirit to those who believe in Him and the Spirit is subordinate in His actions. The Spirit is clearly united in the purpose. Yet, as should be clear from these same passages this economic subordination does have something to do with us. For the united purpose of each of these is God's desire to have a relationship with us. It is through this unique relationship within God, that He reaches out for a relationship with us. Again, it is a difficult concept that I do not claim to be able to explain in full.

The Doctrine of Revelation

2010-04-08T13:35:00.009-05:00

For many the term revelation brings up images of profound discoveries of hidden secrets. This is partially a result in Christian circles of an automatic connection to the last book of the Bible known as the "The Book of Revelation". While such a description is indeed a revelation, not all revelation fits that description. The term revelation used in theological circles has a simple meaning. Revelation is the act of God making himself, truths and information otherwise unavailable known. When the fact that the very nature of God can not be contained is combined with His desire to have a relationship with human kind, it must be made known. (John 3:16, II Peter 1:4) Revelation must occur. Now having defined revelation we will see that it can be subdivided into two categories.

1) General Revelation -
The first category is General (or Natural) revelation. General revelation is simply the act of God revealing himself by means of His creation. God reveals himself through nature. (Psalm 19:1-6, Romans 1:19-23) When we see the vastness of the night sky or the majesty of the mountains, when hear the power of the rolling thunder or the roaring rapids, when we feel the gentle breeze or the warmth of the sun we experience God. He and his character are revealed to us.

In addition, God reveals himself through people's own consciousness (Romans 2:14-15). The fact that we are self aware, that we can learn and grow, that we have a concept of right and wrong is a testimony to God.

2) Special Revelation -
The second category is Special revelation. Where general revelation was God revealed through natural means, special revelation is the act of God revealing himself through means that are not "natural" or are “special." These are divine action in history and include, though are not necessarily limited to, Miracles (Exodus 4:3-5, I Kings 18:30-39), Spoken Word (I Samuel 3, Acts 9:4), Visions (Isaiah 6), Angelic Visits (Luke 1:11-20), Dreams (Matthew 1:20), Incarnation of Christ (John 1:1, 14, 18) and Scripture (II Timothy 3:16).

Holy Scriptures -
The Bible is the most available form of special revelation. All 66 books of the Bible are the inspired word of God. What does this mean? Inspired literally means God-breathed (II Timothy 3:16). It refers to the way in which God has communicated his message through those who wrote the scriptures.

So what does it actually mean to be inspired or God Breathed. First, it is not dictation. That is to say that God did not simply say the words and the authors wrote them down word for word. Second, it does not mean that God simply gave the authors a nebulous concept to share as best they could. Rather, inspired means that God spoke the very words (Galatians 3:16) through the writers in their unique personalities and styles of writing (II Peter 1:21). That is to say, the scriptures are the very words of God, and at the same time they are the very words of the authors. As a result of this unique characteristic, the Bible may be understood through study and the illuminating guidance of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 2:12 - 13).

Further, as they are the very words of God, the scriptures are inerrant (John 10:34-35) in their original writings. The very fact that they were inspired (breathed) by God makes it impossible for them to contain errors. Having said this, it must be understood that this claim can only be made of the original writings as penned by the authors. (Thought through much study and research the current Bible is trustworthy.) That is to say the very words put on paper by the authors' hand were the inerrant words of God.

Finally, the scriptures are the proven authority for life (Isaiah 55:11). The Bible itself testifies to this fact as did Jesus Christ. (II Samuel 22:31, John 17:7-8)

God has revealed himself. Though many of us may not experience miracles God speaking directly to us, visions, Angelic Visits and Dreams we can see Him through His Creation and we can know Him though His inspired word.

Trusting in God's will - An Act of Faith

2009-07-13T19:50:00.002-05:00

I recently received a note of encouragement and sound advice from a friend. My friend served in ministry for 1 ½ years before the position came to an end. He began searching for a new position but eventually realized that nothing was forthcoming and so needed to find a job to support his family. He has since done so. I am glad to hear that he has a means to support his family and pray that God will continue to bless him in all that he does. In his message he said, “May I suggest you get a non-ministry job, anywhere, pronto just to feed your family while you are looking.” This is, of course, sound practical advice, and I am not one to ignore the practical. But I have been contemplating God’s call and my response. Most notably, how do faith based and practical decisions interact and/or conflict with one another.

I realize I have responsibilities to care for and provide for my family. This is, of course my first and greatest responsibility. What is further, I do not believe that God would ask me to follow him to the detriment of my family. Having said this, I also realize that my vision is limited by my experience and by what I see around me. What I mean by this is that what to me, may initially seem to be detrimental to my family, in the long run may, in fact, be the greater good and glorifying to God. For example, in the short run, God asking Abraham to sacrifice Isaac was clearly detrimental to his family. But Abraham saw past this, for he knew God’s promise to him and in the long run, God’s request and Abraham’s faith proved to be glorifying to God.

But let’s be honest, the first thing through my mind is “I am not Abraham and Abraham was a special case.” Is it not self-serving for me to try to justify an impractical decision by claiming that God will use it to his glory? Here in lies the dilemma. When does making practical decisions equal a lack of faith and when does a leap of faith become a foolish venture?

I cannot speak for every person and every situation, but I can share my thoughts. God gave me a brain and expects me to use it. At the same time, God sometimes ask people to do things that seem foolish.

So how do we know which one to follow? How do we discern God’s will? Discerning God’s will has been a problem for all people from the very beginning. (Okay, not from the beginning, it was pretty clear for Adam and Eve, but even when they clearly knew it, they had trouble following it.)

For me, it has not been easy, as those whose advice I have sought will testify too. But that is one of the keys I have found in discerning God’s will. It is to seek the insight of those around you, those who can look at things objectively and those will be completely honest with you. It is from these people I have felt confirmation and support of my calling and the direction in my life.

Another important aspect of discerning God’s will is prayer. Prayer has been my opportunity to seek God’s guidance, to ask for His blessing on my life. It is, however, important to remember that prayer is not a onetime thing, but it is on going. I have prayed daily over this with the only result being a growing commitment to the call.

Another important part has been to take time away from distraction and other activities. This is a time when I can hear God’s voice, when I can cry out to Him and I can sit in silence before Him. I can describe the times of joy and the tear filled moments that have helped me to grow.

The answers are seldom 100% clear. Sometimes the act of faith may well be the practical route, but other times the act of faith may be what seems impractical to the world. In either case, the dependence must be placed on God and not in our own abilities.

I cannot say, what the answers are for others. Each of us must seek God’s will for our own lives. each of us must learn to listen as much with our heart as we do with our mind. In my case, I can say with confidence that I have placed my trust in God and I am seeking his guidance. I do not question any decision I have made to date in this matter and will continue to seek his guidance in seeking His direction.

I thank my friend for His advice and will take it under consideration, but either way, I will seek God’s guidance.

“Then the LORD said: "I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the LORD, will do for you.”
Exodus 34:10

Thank You For Your Service

2009-05-24T22:11:00.011-05:00

The words often seem empty and hollow to me. I don't want them to be. We have all seen it and many of us have done it. You see someone in a military uniform, you walk up to them and say, "I just wanted to say thank you for your service." . . . Thank you. . . It can so easily slip out it almost becomes simple reflex. But can these two little words truly communicate the level of gratitude I feel toward those to whom I owe so great a debt.

Last year my family took a spring vacation to Springfield, Illinois. We saw the Lincoln Museum and the capitol building. We even ate at the Cozy Dog. We ended the time in Springfield by visiting Lincoln's tomb. We finished the tour and were ready to go when I took a small detour in the cemetery. We went to the Veterans Memorials.

We walked around these monuments and I explained to my children what they meant. That these were here to remind us of what had happened to ensure that we never forget. As I read and talked to them about the many men and women who had given their lives in service, I wondered if they could truly understand. I am sure the answer is no. I am pretty sure I don't understand.

I should also mention that we had the privilege to visit the Illinois Fire Fighters Memorial and Police Memorial while visiting the capitol building.. A reminder as well of the sacrifices made by these men and women in uniform.

Tonight, as we were watching the National Memorial Day Concert my seven year old daughter asked, "Why did the people have to die?" How do you answer that. I explained that there are evil people in the world. Because of the evil, it is necessary for good people to stand up and fight back against the evil. And I told her, that sometime when fighting against evil good people die. They give up their lives to do what is right. This seemed to answer the question for her, but I was left asking myself, "Why did the people have to die?" The answer worked for a seven year old, why not for me.

Tomorrow I will take my children to the Memorial Day ceremonies in town both at the city park and the cemetery. I know for them it often seems long and boring. But can I do any less. Not only to remember and honor those who have given so much, but to demonstrate to and teach my children the importance of doing so.

Perhaps, Thank You isn't so hollow. Perhaps it simply the best that can be said when words are not enough.

So to those who have served, to those who were injured, to those who gave their life. To all these and their families, I simply say . . .

THANK YOU.

It All Boils Down to Relationships

2009-04-21T08:34:00.009-05:00

I have said for years that everything we do boils down to relationships. Success in business, success in ministry, success in family and success in life in general all come down to successful relationships.

As many of you know, I was recently laid off from a job I had for 20 years. A job, if I might say, I was quite successful at not because of my great knowledge or abilities, but because of my relationships. In my job I had direct supervision and responsibility for a team that was entrusted with the safety of a university campus. Now many of us have images of people in security, safety, law enforcement, etc. People who are tied to the rules. People who are rigid and unwilling to bend. Trust me, I have known and worked with some of them, but as a person who served in this capacity for so many years I assure you that this will only get you so far. In his blog "Relationships - The Key to Successful Leadership" Doug Dickerson refers to Alan Loy McGinnis' book "Brining out the Best in People."

“In the simplest terms, the people who like people and who believe that those they lead have the best intentions will get the best from them. On the other hand, the police-type leader, who is constantly on the watch for everyone’s worst side, will find that people get defensive and self-protective and that the doors to their inner possibilities quickly close.”

Policies and rules have a place, and without them productivity of any sort will fall apart. They may at times serve as the starting point so that people know what is expected. And on those unfortunate occasions when necessary to call people to account they may serve as an ending point. But we do not live and work at the beginning or the end. We work and live in the in-between. It is here that relationships develop and grow.

It is through relationships that people get to know each other personally. It is through relationships that people become vulnerable to each other and learn that they can trust each other. It is through relationships that we develop a vested interest in each other's welfare. It is through relationships that people become committed to each other.

Taken to its ultimate level I am reminded of the quote, "IF THEY FEAR YOU, THEY WILL ONLY FIGHT FOR YOU, BUT IF THEY LOVE YOU, THEY WILL DIE FOR YOU!" (I am having trouble placing the quote.) Do those who work for us love us? Do those we work with love us? Do those we work for love us? More importantly, do we love them?

We were never meant to live and work alone, isolated from others. God intended from the very beginning that we live in relationships.

"Then the LORD said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone, I will make him a helper suitable to him.'" Genesis 2:18

Jesus himself did not lead by giving orders and rules, but by living in relationships. Those he chose to minister with him were not servants, but friends.

". . . I have called you friends, for everything I have learned from my Father I have made known to you." John 15:15

We will not always be perfect. We will not always live up to the standards that have been set. It is only when we have a relationship that we will be able to forgive these lapses.

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8

It all boils down to relationships. This is where we define success. Worldly success can be found apart from relationships, but it is meaningless. But relationships allow us to be successful even if we are a failure in the world's eyes. I am reminded of the quote found at the end of the movie "It's A Wonderful Life." "No Man is a Failure who has friends."

We need to reach out to others, share with others and love others to truly know success. Success in business, ministry, family and life is found in our relationships.

Historic Evangelicalism: Essential 1 - Sola Scriptura and the Perspicuity of Scripture

2009-04-02T11:53:00.004-05:00

I realize that I have been a bit delayed in getting this written and published. Hopefully, I will not take as long on the remaining points.
__________

The first essential of Historic Evangelicalism is Sola Scripture, or scripture alone. So what exactly does this mean? What is Sola Scriptura and why is it so important to the historic definition of evangelicalism?

Well let’s start with the obvious. The word evangelical is a modern english derivation of the greek word euangelion. The word euangelion is traditionally translated with the word gospel and literally it translates good news. In short, the gospel or good news is the foundation of evangelicalism. People cannot rightfully claim to be evangelical if they are unwilling to embrace the importance of the gospel message.

Now one may well argue, “so we embrace the gospel, does this mean that we need to hold all of scripture to such a high level?” The answer is yes. From Genesis to Revelation, from the Law to the Cross, the whole purpose of scripture is to point to the good news, Christ. Therefore, if one is going to claim to be an evangelical, thereby embracing the importance of the gospel, they have no choice but to embrace all of scripture. Scripture is, in fact, at the very foundation of evangelicalism.

This importance can be traced back 500 years to the very beginning of the reformation. From Martin Luther, to the Puritan, to the Pietist, to the holiness movement, to fundamentalist, one key truth continues to ring through. Scripture alone is our final source of authority and court of appeal for all matters of doctrine and practice. All that we do, all that we believe must be founded in the revelation given in God’s holy word.

"And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe." 1 Thessalonians 2:13

Of course, Luther’s initial statement was a reaction to a church where the final court of appeal appeared to be man and where the words of men were held on par with, if not superior to, the role of scripture. It was a world when the educated religious leaders held the power and the masses knew only what they were fed.

This leads to the sub-point of the perspicuity of scripture that I have included as part of the first essential of historic evangelicalism. The perspicuity of scripture simply put, states that people without special knowledge or insight can understand scripture. That is to say, scripture is written to be understood. This is a key part of what Luther was reacting to when he called for Sola Scriptura. Scripture needs to be in the hands of the people and not controlled by an elite few. Now understand, I am not saying that advanced education and study of scripture is not needed. There is much to be gained by intensive study. I am simply saying that God did not hide the message so it could not be found without special insight.

The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether." Psalm 19:7-9

So the first essential of historic evangelicalism is Sola Scriptura. Unfortunately, there are two major challenges to Sola Scriptura and the perspicuity of scripture often found in contemporary evangelicalism. Those are “Solo Scriptura” and the role of tradition.

Contemporary evangelicalism, especially in America, has been influenced by the rationalism of a secular enlightment and rugged democratic individualism. A “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” Christianity which is as individual as the person who believes it.

The term “Solo Scriptura” (Coined by Douglas Jones) points to a belief that each person can interpret scripture as it applies to their unique situation. That is to say, scripture finds it’s meaning based on its interpretation. We see that people have taken the concept of the perspicuity of scripture and run amok. Their mistake is that scriptures ability to be understood does not mean that different people can understand it differently. Its meaning does and must remains constant, even when read by different people.

Those who call themselves evangelical must be careful not to read their own opinions and feelings into scripture. In The Shape of Sola Scriptura Keith A. Mathison writes:

“A fundamental and self-evident truth that seems to be unconsciously overlooked by proponents of the modern Evangelical version of Solo Scriptura is that no one is infallible in his interpretation of Scripture. Each of us comes to the Scripture with different presuppositions, blind spots, ignorance of important facts, and, most importantly, sinfulness. Because of this we each read things into Scripture that are not there and miss things in Scripture that are there.”

Mathison presents the clear outcome of this action.

"If a proponent of solo Scriptura is honest, he recognizes that it is not the infallible Scripture to which he ultimately appeals. His appeal is always to his own fallible interpretation of that Scripture."

The danger cannot be denied. To place the interpretation of scripture in a vacuum is to leave man at the mercy of his own sinful nature.

"All a man's ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart." Proverbs 21:2

This brings us to the second challenge to the primacy of scripture found in contemporary evangelicalism, the role of tradition. When we take a look at contemporary evangelicalism, tradition almost seems antithetical. In a desire to keep worship fresh and exciting, anything that hints at tradition is viewed as old and stagnant. Unfortunately, contemporary evangelicalism has thrown the proverbial baby out with the bath water. That is to say, that not only have they removed the traditional music and form, but have stepped away from the creeds and writings of the church. By doing this, however, they have failed to take advantage of the insights, experience and teachings of those who have come before. They are trying to live their Christianity in a vacuum. This is exemplified in this statement by Ed Stevens.

“We must not take the creeds any more seriously than we do the writings and opinions of men like Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, the Westminster Assembly, Campbell, Rushdoony, or C.S. Lewis.”

While Scripture alone is our final source of authority and court of appeal for all matters of doctrine and practice, church tradition and history serves as a lens that helps us to focus.

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” Hebrews 12:1

In a final note, this is not a new problem for the church today. In a letter from Martin Luther to Ulrich Zwingli, he writes”

"If the world lasts, it will be necessary, on account of the differing interpretations of Scripture which now exist, that to preserve the unity of faith, we should receive the [Catholic] councils and decrees and fly to them for refuge."

Those who call themselves evangelical must embrace the role of scripture. They must stand solidly on scripture as their authority in faith and practice. And they must be cautious of trying to live in a vacuum, ignorant of all that has come before.

Laughter Is The Best Medicine?

2009-02-08T11:36:00.002-06:00

So I am home from Church today sick. Very frustrating in and of itself. So what do I do? I turn on the TV and flip through the channels to learn, there is nothing on Sunday Morning. So I end up landing on Lakewood Church with Joel Osteen. I know what many of your are thinking already, that apparently my illness has made me delusional. But it was like watching a car crash. I just could not turn away.

So he was talking about laughter, yes an entire half hour Sunday morning message on laughter. So I said, I need to see where he is going with this. First he began talking about how laughter is the key to health. If we laughed we would find that we could sleep better, we would find that we would have less pain and we would find that we would get sick less. (Apparently I have not been laughing enough. You all know me, I am so terminally miserable; ). )

He goes on from here to say that if we find ourselves laughing more, that we would build our relationships. According to him laughing is one of the two foundations of a strong marriage, coupled with respect. (Unfortunately on occasion the two seem to stand in stark contrast. There are things I would love to laugh at that I am sure my wife would not find amusing.)

I watched for about 20 minutes. Now it is possible that he mentioned it while I was not watching, but not once did I hear him refer to the Bible. What did he refer to? He refer to studies to support his point. He further referred to the fact that we needed to have joy in our lives and if we are denying ourselves laughter, we are missing the joy God intended us to have in our lives.

So here I find my dilemma. I do not argue that laughter is important and simply put, enjoyable. A person who never expresses joy or happiness is heading down a dark road leading to misery and worse. But it is his apparent, proposition that by not laughing we are missing the joy. Perhaps I read to much into it, but what I was hearing was that that joy was dependent upon our laughter. He told his congregation to daily find two or three things to really laugh heartily at, as if we could bring this joy into our own lives.

How many people saw this and missed the true source of joy. Probably most, as he never said. The Bible is clear, "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." Galations 5:22 - 23. The fruit of the spirit. It is from God alone that we find our true joy. It is not simply laughter. If this was the case, then we can close the churches and simply open more comedy clubs. Through this, the world will know joy. But laughter is not the answer. The angel declared "I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people" in Luke 2:10. And what was the source of that joy "today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." In addition Nehemiah 8:10 declares, "Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

The source of our joy is not laughter. The source of our joy is not from within. The source of our joy is God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Laughter should simply be a expression of a joy God has placed in us, and not the source of joy.

Does that mean that laughter is not to be sought after? Certainly not. I enjoy to laugh. I have watched the "infomercial" on the Worship Network for Tim Hawkins "Full Range Of Motion" video numerous times, and I find it just as funny each time. (Yes I realize that this is supposed to get me to by the video, but I'm cheap.) Some have even said that I have a very funny streak, though it may be a bit dry for some to catch.

Further, there are clear studies that do seem to point to the "healing power of laughter." But are we using the laughter as a band-aid for what is really wrong or is it is a sign of the healing that God is working within us? Is it a sign of God's joy.

What we do need to do is watch for dangers. First, what are we laughing at. There are things that will make us laugh that shouldn't. The Bible clearly warns us that "there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting." Ephesians 5:4. Yes I know some people who greatly pull this verse out of context and always keep a somber mood saying things like, "we should never have fun with anything dealing with God." (This includes songs like "I am a C, I am a C-H. Watch out for those children's Sunday School teachers corrupting the future generations.) This surely is not what Paul is saying. Rather we must not miss the final phrase "which are not fitting." There are some context where any jesting would be inappropriate and there is some jesting which is never appropriate, but this is not a prohibition to expressing the joy that God has placed in us through laughter.

Second, there was a movement within the charismatic movement in the past, and still active in some places called "Holy Laughter." The position is that God will simply strike people with such joy that they simply can not control the laughter and must burst out and role, even rolling on the floor. While I do argue that the joy we experience come from God and that laughter can be an expression of this joy, there is no biblical support for the idea of an entire movement of God, simply resulting in people laughing. Paul is very clear in 1 Corinthians 14 when he presents that while expressions of the spirit are valid within worship, there must be orderliness to it and it must be edifying to the body.

I am not going to pass judgement on Joel Osteen of Lakewood Church. I have read their doctrinal statement and it seems sound. And as I do not personnally know Mr. Osteen it would be inappropriate. But I do challenge his words. While laughter is important, it is joy that is crucial and this joy can only be found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It is this joy we share with other who know Jesus "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose." Philippians 2:1-2 and that we share with the world "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19 - 20.

Laughter is the best medicine? No, it is not. Laughter is medicinal, but it is the joy and hope that can only be found in Jesus Christ that is the best medicine.

Historic Evangelicalism

2009-01-04T16:30:00.000-06:00

I recently taught a a series on "What is an Evangelical?" It was an eye opening experience. There are, of course, many statements out there on what it means to be evangelical. The most notable include "An Evangelical Manifesto" and The Gospel Coalition's "Foundational Documents." Now both of these have writers and/or supporters for whom I have great respect. The problem is that we still do not have a clear definition of what it means to be "evangelical." It becomes even more confusing when we add into this the term as it is commonly used today.

So what does evangelical really mean? Evangelical is a term that is thrown around today as much in the media as in the church. It is, in point of fact, a terms that is as common today as "White House." Yet, while there is no question what is meant when people refer to the "White House," evangelical is not so clear, despite being in the public vernacular for the last 30 years.

The presidential election of 1976 placed "Evangelicalism" at the center stage as both Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter readily identified themselves as born-again evangelicals. America sat up and said, "evan-what?" This had such an impact that Time Magazine declared 1977, following the election, the "Year of the Evangelical." Since then the battle has been on to define evangelicalism.

What I have found is that we have mistakenly come to identify "evangelical" with a political position, most often conservative Republican. (Understand that I am of this political persuasion but have come to believe it is not a defining characteristic of being evangelical.) I have also found that much of what the media refers to as evangelical today, is not truly evangelical. As a result of my study, I have come to a conclusion that there are 10 of what I refer to as "Historically Essential Components of Evangelicalism." It is these essentials that I use to define "Historic Evangelicalism." These ten essentials are:

Historically Essential Components of Evangelicalism

Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone)

The perspicuity of scripture

Sola Fide (Justification by faith alone )
Charitable handling of theological conflicts
Priesthood of all believers
Experiential heart
Desire for Holiness
Emphasis on the role of holistic worship
Affirm the doctrines of historic orthodoxy
Passion for missions
Concern for the poor and disadvantaged

It is these 10 point I refer to when I use the term, "Historic Evangelicalism." My hope, over the course of several blog entries, is to expound on each of these point, placing them both in their historical context and showing how they fit the world today.

New Year's Resolutions.

2008-12-31T15:46:00.000-06:00

I have been pondering the idea of New Years resolutions. They have a long history going back to the early Roman Empire and continuing though today as detailed in the article "Resolutions Worth Keeping" by Chris Armstrong, found in Christian History magazine.

Now if we are all honest, at some point in our lives we have probably taken part in making New Year's resolutions. These resolutions often include such things as loosing weight, exercising more, eating healthier, spending time with family and friends and being nicer to people.

There is, of course, nothing wrong with these resolutions. But how do our resolutions usually work out. If we chooses to loose weight, odds are we binge on food through December 31 under the idea that we will suddenly change on January 1. And what happens after January 1. We may do well for a day, for a week or even a little longer, but then comes that day when it slips our mind and without thinking we eat that thing we shouldn't have. We then see ourselves as having failed. Often we say, well, since I have already eaten this, I will just take the rest of the day off and start up again tomorrow. We continue this way for a while, slipping here or there and restarting each time until we finally say, "what's the point?" "I keep stumbling." So we end out pitching the whole resolution.

So what is the problem. First we treat January 1 as though it has some kind of magical powers. We think we can do whatever up until midnight and then we will magically gain the ability to resist what we have been indulging in. This is like deciding that we are going run a marathon without having prepared and trained for it. It is not just the date or even our decision that will make the difference, but we must also change our habits and this is something that is not done over night. It takes time. We can not realistically think that we are going to change overnight, even if it is a "New Year."

Second, we to quickly see a stumble as a failure and give up. But stumbling is not a failure, it is a chance to grow. It is from these experiences that we better learn to deal with temptations and bad habits. How do we grow, by correcting the error immediately. When we say, well I will continue this for the rest of the day and start again tomorrow, we are actually rewarding our stumbling, making it easier and easier each time we stumble to just let it slide. Soon it even becomes easy to justify a conscience decision to violate our resolution. We need to realize that stumbling only becomes failure when we do not pick ourselves back up and continue on.

It is the same way with the sin in our lives. We live a life indulging in our personal sins (over eating, drunkenness, pornography, sexual sins, etc.) and then think we can just put these things behind us the day we make a commitment to God that we are going to change. (Yes, I have heard the stories of the life changing conversions. The heroin addict who came to faith and the addiction was miraculously cured. I also believe that while this can happen, it is the exception and not the rule.) We need to accept that change is going to be a process and that it may take a long time. There is no magic pill that will make it all go away overnight. There will be times that we stumble, but what do we do with those stumblings? Do we make excuses? Do we use it as an opportunity to indulge? Or do we correct the behavior immediately? Do we pick ourselves up and move on?

You see, a resolution is not a one time thing. It is an ongoing commitment. In a world were we want, and to often get, things instantly, we need to slow down and accept that things take time. That changes will not just happen, but rather that we will need to work for them.

But remember this, we do not need to do this alone. We find accountability and support in friends and family. And for those of us who know Jesus as our personal Savior, we find our strength in him alone.

So as you take time to make your resolutions, think about those things that really matter. Think about those things that will not only improve your life, but improve your relationship with God as well as others. And realize that you are setting out on a journey that may well last the rest of your life.

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God"
I Corinthians 10:31

It's Not Just a Right, It's Not Just a Privilege, It's a Responsibility - Voting

2008-10-21T14:00:00.000-05:00

There are many traditions and rules around elections that most of us do not understand. Did you know that the Democratic donkey was originally used as an attack on Andrew Jackson, the Democratic candidate in the 1828 election. Did you know that the Republican elephant was taken from a passing reference in an 1874 cartoon in Harper's Weekly. Did you know that the elections were set in November because this allowed the harvest to be completed, freeing the mostly agrarian society to vote. Did you know that Tuesday was chosen because Monday was not considered reasonable since it would require many people to begin travel on Sunday, conflicting with Sunday worship. Did you know that the first Tuesday, after the first Monday was chosen to avoid November 1 because 1) it was All Saints Day and 2) many business owners did their books on the fist of the month.

These are all interesting and perhaps even fascinating facts. But on a more serious note, American Citizens have been granted an amazing privilege that is not found everywhere in the world. That privilege is the right to have a voice in deciding our leaders. Historically, however, Americans have not met this challenge as they should. According to the Federal Election Commission, voter turnout for the presidential election years between 1960 & 2004 ranged from 49.1% - 63.1%. This means that two-fifth to one-half of the eligible voters failed to accept this responsibility. Voting is not just a right, it is not just a privilege, it is a responsibility.

"Taken as individuals, we are merely citizens like any other. Taken together as part of the body of the people, we are God's anointed in this land. The people of this country are chosen out like David was chosen, like Solomon was chosen, to shape the destiny, by God's providence, of this land. And as they stood before God to answer for their responsibility, so we stand before Him to answer for ours." Alan Keyes, March 2000

Election Day is November 4. Please take the time to exercise your right and accept the responsibility that you have been given.

VOTE!

Palin shares the heart of Lincoln, The media portrays her as Bin Laden

2008-09-12T11:31:00.000-05:00

It is a sad thing to see how the media, those whose job should be to report the news, use their position to paint things a different color than they really are. The following is a clip taken from the interview that Charlie Gibson conducted with Governor Sara Palin.

She handled it brilliantly. She was saying clearly that we need to pray that the mission our leaders are sending the military on is a godly mission. This is, of course, our responsibility as Christians.

1 Timothy 2:1 - 4

1 I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 2 Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.

Further, Deuteronomy 18:20 clearly shows that we are not to presume to speak for God for our own advantage. Rather , as Paul states in Romans 15:18, "For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me."

Yet Charlie ask her if she really believes we are on a "holy war" and questions the very idea that she believes God has a plan. (His question brings up images of the Blues Brothers "On a mission from God.")

But God does have a plan Many are, no doubt, familiar with the verse Jeremiah 29:11, "11'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope." But what is truly amazing is that this statement is made in the middle of a declaration Judgement for Israel's disobedience. God does indeed have a plan, and even when it seems the whole world is crashing down on us, we can trust that He has a plan.

Here is the full context of Governor Palin's statements to the Wasilla Assembly of God church.

A Servant's Heart

2008-09-03T22:51:00.000-05:00

Sarah Palin in her acceptance speech as the Vice-Presidential nominee for the Republican party mention that those going to Washington need a servant's heart. This lead me back to a something I wrote up about a year ago when I was asked to come up with a definition of Servant Leadership as well as to a sermon I preached a couple weeks ago on Philipians 2 entitled "The Attitude of Servanthood."

Philippians 2: 3 - 8.

3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

Here the apostle Paul addresses a self serving attitude that encroached in the church. I fin that he clearly lays out what a servant leader and a servant's heart looks like. He builds this image for us around the example presented to us by Jesus. After reading through this, I am left with five clear cut criteria for servant leadership.

1) A Servant Leader does not seek his/her own glory (v 3)

- Man is a selfish being and likes to get what he believes he deserves. Most of us are willing to do things for others if it means we will get something in return. We ask ourselves, "What is in it for me?" Even the story of Androcles and the Lion teaches us to do something nice, because we never know when it will come back to us. It is further exemplified in the traditions of Karma where we are told that if we do good things, then it builds up a store that will come back to us in kind. The opposite is also shown that if we do bad things, it also builds a store that will come back to us in kind. The popular TV show "My Name is Earl" is built around this concept. In fact, Karma seems to have replaced the Golden Rule' "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Now at face value, you may ask, isn't this teaching the same thing, but they do not. While Karma says do good things so you can get good things back, Jesus never said in the Golden Rule, "Do unto others and they will do the same unto you." Now I understand that it is our natural desire to get a "return on our investment" whether that is receiving praise, recognition and even reward. The truth is everyone needs a pat on the back once in a while, but the question to ask is, "Does he/she do the job to get the pat on the back?" Jesus told the audience Matthew 6 that we are not to do our acts of righteousness for people to see. When we do, we have already received our reward. A servant leader does not do actions to receive recognition, they do their actions simply because it is what should be and needs to be done.

2) A Servant Leader places the needs of other ahead of his/her own (v 4)

- We have our plans and desire for what we want and want to accomplish. Society tells us to strive for those goals no matter the cost. The Nike slogan, "Just Do It" embrace this self serving, self gratifying desire within us. A servant leader, however, recognizes that sometime their personal goals and the greater mission are in conflict. Sometimes, for the greater good, we must forgo our own pleasures and rewars. A servant leader chooses to seeks the greater mission, even if it means setting aside personal goals to set the goals of someone else as the priority

3) A Servant Leader genuinely cares about other(v 4)

- Sometime, out of misplaced guilt or obligation we may be able to getpast our own selfishness long enough to help a person in need. But are we doing it because we care about that person or simply to give us the feeling that we have done something. Do we put our hearts into our actions or do we simply go through the motions. A Servant leader must have the right attitude with which they serve. Are their actions accompanied by constant grumbling about what they have given up and how little recognition they get? If so the attitude is missing. A servant leader does not place others ahead simply out of obligation, but because he genuinely cares about other people.

4) A Servant Leader does not see himself/herself as being too good for a job (vv 6-7) and is willing to take on the most humble/humiliating of task for the greater mission (v 8)

- We human beings are a prideful lot. We often think more highly of ourselves than we ought. It is very easy for us to see some jobs as being "beneath us." We say, "I want to serve, but you don't really expect me to do that?" A servant leaders sees how each part is crucial to the mission and realizes that no job is unimportant.

- Are we willing to take on those jobs that will make us ridiculed or even cause people to avoid us? A servant leader is willing to take on not only jobs that do not bring glory, but those that may cause other to look upon him/her with disdain, for the sake of the greater mission.

5) A Servant Leader find strength through a personal relationship with Christ. (v 13)

-While we can go through the motions and can think of other, it is only through the indwelling of the Spirit and the work of God in our lives that we can truly find the joy and strength to continue in service. An attitude of servant hood grows from a relationship with Christ.

Governor Palin is right. Those who go to Washington, should go with a servant's heart, not seeking their own glory, but seeking the best for America. So, each of us must approach our lives, not seeking our own glory, but seeking to serve a world in need.

God, give us men!

2008-08-22T16:23:00.000-05:00

Recently I have been contemplating the poem "God, give us men!" by Josiah Gilbert Holland.

GOD, give us men! A time like this demands

Strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands;

Men whom the lust of office does not kill;

Men whom the spoils of office can not buy;

Men who possess opinions and a will;

Men who have honor; men who will not lie;

Men who can stand before a demagogue

And damn his treacherous flatteries without winking!

Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog

In public duty, and in private thinking;

For while the rabble, with their thumb-worn creeds,

Their large professions and their little deeds,

Mingle in selfish strife, lo! Freedom weeps,

Wrong rules the land and waiting Justice sleeps.

It is election year, and that means everywhere you turn there are people telling you what this country needs and who is the person to give it. The "who" I will not say at this time. The what is leadership. The what is a servants heart. The what is "Men."

What do I mean by "Men." I intend no sexist implications in the use of my words. Rather I use the term "men" as juxtaposed to mice. These truths apply to all human kind. So what are "Men?" They are those who will stand for what is right, even if it means standing alone. They are those who are not for sale or out for their own gain. They are those who possess their own convictions and are not swayed by public opinion. They are those who place the needs of others ahead of their own. They are those of integrity, who live their life the same in the public eye and their private refuge.

It is a sorry thing, when we look at the world around us and question if such men exist. But before we look to the world, we need to look in the mirror. How do we live our lives? Are we seeking our own, or are we standing for what is right? Do we go with the crowd, or do we follow our convictions? Are we the same when we are alone as we are when with others? How can we expect to find what we are looking for in the world, when we cannot find it in ourselves? Where do we find these "men"? They must come from us.

But we human beings are a selfish lot. It is our nature to seek our own. It is our nature to follow the easy path and simply fit in. If this is the case, then how do we find the "men" our country needs. How do we find the "men" that Holland calls for?

Holland has said it from the very beginning: "GOD, give us men!" It is God alone who can raise up men from such selfish, lazy people. Alone, we are lost, but with God, as the apostle Paul writes in Philippians 4:13, we can say "I can do all things through Him who give me strength."

Who are these "men?" They are men of God. A fact not lost on the founding fathers. John Adams said, "Our Constitution was designed only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other." It is through God alone that we can set ourselves to the side and seek what is best for others.

I must agree with the words of John Adams, and have often said that the entire success of a democratic republic is based on Philippians 2:4 " Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." Only when people place others before themselves can democracy work. When "men" begin to look first to themselves, if not only to thenselves, democracy will fail.

So in my prayer that I cry out is for God to raise up "men". Men of God, who seek not their own interest, but the interest others. Men whose strength is found in God alone. Men who humbly follow God wherever He may lead.

GOD, give us men!

Face Full of Snow

2007-09-12T14:13:00.000-05:00

The other day, after having turned down a ministry possibility, I was led to consider the significance of following God's leading. Many times I have heard people quote Jeremiah 29:11, "“I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”" This bring them great comfort, as it does me. God has laid out a course for me to follow. But all to often people get caught up with the idea that as long as they are following the path God has laid out, everything will go well. Last time I checked, God never said follow me and your life will be perfect. I John 3:13 says "Do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you." In short, expect to face difficulties. Sometimes, the more we are following in God steps the more difficulty we will face. As I considered this, the the image of a small child following his father through the snow drifts came to mind and it struck me:

I know that God walks the path before me, but like the child following his father in the winter, I occasionally get a face full of snow trying to walk in His foot steps.

The child knows that by following his father, he will get where he needs to be. But just like the father, God did not promise that there would not be obstacles in the way, only that if we followed him, he would get us where we need to be.

When that face full of snow comes, you have two choices. You can lie there in the snow and freeze, or you can pick yourself up, wipe off the snow and keep following.

The Evolution of Law of Evolution

2006-10-24T19:24:00.000-05:00

A Federal Court has spoken, but does this settle the matter? One hundred years ago, the questions was hardly considered. The answer was simple; God, an intelligent designer, created life. But then something changed. One young teacher dared to challenge the status quo and a court case ensued. A court case immortalized in the play “Inherit the wind” and commonly referred to as the “Scopes Monkey Trials.” So the courts declared that chance evolution was a theory which deserved to be presented along with any other theory. And so it was settled, intelligent design and chance evolution would be taught as equal theories. But something went amiss.

Those who had stood in opposition to the Christian faith, the most notable supporters of intelligent design for the time, had found a way to explain the world with out having to fall back on a designer. The opportunity was seized and slowly, very slowly at first, chance evolution was given more time and weight in presentations. Academics in higher education were even more bold, as they began to prepare the next generation of teachers to the young. Presenting to them the “intelligence” in human reason that had determined the process of evolution in opposition to the simple-minded tradition of a designer, which had been blindly followed for centuries.

And so things changed. Slowly, bit by bit, the theory of chance evolution came to be presented as fact and replaced the myth of intelligent design. But something happened that the evolutionist had not planned on. Scientist who bucked the status quo. Scientist who put as much research into proving the need for an intelligent designer to explain the origins of life. Scientist who were willing to point out the fallacies and holes in chance evolution.

And so, almost one hundred years later, the two sides return to court. Again, a group of educators were willing to challenge the status quo and present chance evolution as a theory, not fact, and equally present intelligent design as a theory.

But the Federal court has spoken. Declaring that intelligent design has no place in the classroom. Declaring that intelligent design is nothing but a subversive attempt by Christians to force their teaching into the classroom along side evolution. Even with a hope of replacing fact with an ancient myth.

I am willing to give this Judge the benefit of the doubt. I am willing to believe he simply missed the point. That those supporting intelligent design, were not asking that chance evolution be removed from the classroom, but that it be taught, as the courts had originally intended, as a theory along side other theories. For that is what they are, theories. While we may be able to prove the supporting legs of various theories, none of the theories themselves can be proven. None of us was there. In fact, no matter which theory you support, no one was present to document the events. If no one was present, then to follow any theory is an equal matter of faith. Therefore, teaching both is not an attempt to usurp fact with myth, but to lay all the cards out for review.

No, I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. For to do otherwise, is to see a much darker picture. A world where a man sits in judgment of faith and not of law. A world where open discussion and free thought are squelched and children are indoctrinated with views in opposition of the tradition of their families. A world where God has no place among the intelligent. I will give him the benefit of the doubt, and pray that the Supreme Court will choose to review the case and see the truth.