There is a story from a best selling book out there right now about a violent man and a naive woman. He was rich and powerful with a mysterious masculinity and magnetic personality. She was flirty and he took advantage. He used his position to put her in a compromising situation. It’s a sordid story of passion, lust, and power and it’s not Fifty Shades of Grey.

Surprised?

The story is David’s affair with Bathsheba.

I get why Evangelicals are up in arms about the Fifty Shades of Grey movie released this weekend. The movie is one-fifth sex scenes and is uncomfortable. Plus, the sex practices venture into realms that most Evangelicals consider kinky at best and abusive at worst. Such things ought not to be, so blog posts, articles, and books are written to indignantly respond.

But I’m more disturbed by Christian responses to the movie than I am by the movie itself. Some are so condescending and dismissive to anyone seeing the movie that you wonder if they have ever read the Bible.

In case you have forgotten, here is a partial list of Bible stories where sex is a major plot point:

• Adam and Eve
• Lot and his daughters
• Abraham and Sarah
• Jacob, Leah, Rachel, Bilhah, and Zilpah
• Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife
• Judah and Tamar
• Dinah and Shechem
• Sampson and Delilah
• The concubine at the end of Judges
• Ruth and Boaz
• David and Bathsheba
• Song of Solomon
• Esther and Xerxes

(To name a few.)  Acknowledge that sex is just part of these biblical stories and then reconsider Fifty Shades of Grey. Is it really more explicit than any of them? And if not, then instead of criticizing, think critically about the movie and how to engage a culture enraptured by it.

We are at an opportune moment to speak the Gospel into our sex-soaked culture.
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Instead of ranting about the movie, channel your frustration into something positive. To that end, I offer fifty positive responses to Fifty Shades of Grey:

1. Learn enough about the story to talk intelligently with a friend or coworker about its themes. You don’t have to read it, but check out the Wiki page and some bloggers who have.
2. Write your own book showing sex in a healthy relationship.
3. Start a neighborhood Bible study on Song of Solomon.
4. Volunteer at a shelter for battered women and children in your area.
5. Donate the price of a ticket and the books to a ministry that specializes in helping abused children.
6. Hold a screening of the movie Calvary in your home and discuss the issues of child abuse (this film is less graphic but deals with similar themes).
7. Start a Celebrate Recovery group in your church if you do not have one.
8. If you have your own issues with sex or abuse (or both) get counseling.
9. Start or join a book club so you can keep current with trends in literature and discuss them intelligently.
10. Pray for people reading the book or seeing the film to find the true joy and pleasure of a healthy marital relationship.
11. Open up to a friend about the shame you feel with regard to sex (this will build a relationship quickly).
12. Pray that God would break your heart for those suffering from sexual abuse.
13. Take a missions trip with an organization that helps stop sex trafficking around the world.
14. Hold a garage sale and donate the proceeds to a ministry that helps abused people recover.
15. Make love to your spouse in a new or different way.
16. Practice contemplative prayer in Song of Solomon. (How do you think God would change your view of sex through this?)
17. Start a same gender group to talk about Biblical sexuality and the struggles it brings.
18. Subscribe to a blog like Hot, Holy, and Humorous. (This blog is genuine, helpful, and so funny.)
19. Educate your children about healthy sexuality, including the joys, sorrows, and pleasures of it.
20. Demonstrate a healthy sexuality in your marriage to your children which may mean not entirely hiding your sexuality.
21. Write a journal entry about why this film makes you uncomfortable and share it with a trusted friend.
22. Take someone who does not have a Valentine out for lunch.
23. Minister to strippers in your town by taking them a meal or other things they need.
24. Write a thank you note to someone who mentored you in how to have healthy relationships.
25. Encourage someone you know who is in an unhealthy relationship by listening to them.
26. Host a meal or play date with a family you don’t know well already. Ask them to tell you their story.
27. Ask about and listen to the story of someone you feel is angry or downcast.
28. Hold a family discussion about how to love friends when their family goes through divorce or abuse.
29. Ask God to help you see people with His eyes and love.
30. Talk to your children about the problems with pornography (keep it age appropriate, of course).
31. Have the sex talk with your kids before their friends or siblings do.
32. If you struggle with porn, ask a trusted friend to be your accountability partner.
33. Read a book that deals with relationships honestly. Sacred Marriage is an excellent choice.
34. Make a plan to improve your marriage with regular date night or late night conversations.
35. Accept your spouse as they are and quit trying to force your relationship into someone else’s mold.
36. Write a love note to your spouse. Be specific and erotic, verging on graphic.
37. Mentor a newly-married couple who needs to hear how to overcome early challenges to intimacy.
38. Read a classic love story like Emma by Jane Austen (or give me a better example…this was the best I could think of).
39. Ask a godly couple to mentor your marriage.
40. If you’re engaged, discuss your desires, expectations, and shame with your fiance.
41. If you’re married, ask your spouse what they wish were different in your relationship.
42. Teach a Love & Respect Sunday School class at your church.
43. Write your story of overcoming abuse or shame to show others it is possible.
44. Moms: take your sons on a date to show and tell them how to treat a woman.
45. Dads: take your daughters on a date to show and tell them how they should be treated by a man.
46. Have a family Valentine’s Day celebration and tell each member of your family what you love about them.
47. Figure out what makes the important people in your life feel loved and practice doing that. For instance, my wife couldn’t care less about flowers on Valentine’s Day but she loves when I do the dishes every night.
48. If you’re single, host a Valentine’s party for your friends.
49. Meditate on Isaiah 43:1-7 and let God’s love define how you love the people in your life.
50. Post 1 Corinthians 13 on your refrigerator or desk and ask yourself who needs you to love them in this way.

I know: some of these suggestions are hokey, or maybe too similar to others.  But I’m sure there are things I’ve missed, too. Comment below and let’s fill out this list!

The post 50 Positive Responses to Shades of Grey appeared first on Rev Nev.

Valentine’s Day is at the end of this week complete with it’s mad rush of chocolate boxes, packed restaurants, and overpriced roses. Is there any hope of real love in the midst of a manufactured holiday like this? After all, we celebrate St. Valentine’s martyrdom not necessarily his romantic heart.

For many love is more like martyrdom than romance novel. We all want love. We all offer love in one way or another. And sometimes we offer it in exchange for something else looking for love from people who cannot or will not give it unconditionally.

So often, I find that I try to do the same thing with God when I feel unworthy of His love. I want to do something to earn it back. But, of course, it never left; an important lesson during the season of love.

Let’s look at a famous interaction Jesus had with a random woman at a dinner party. His tenderness with her reveals us how He responds to humility and repentance if we’ll just come to him. And it teaches us so much about love.

1. You are welcome with Jesus

The story goes that Jesus was invited to a swanky uppity-up party at a real mover and shaker’s house. This guy was respected and successful. I don’t know why he wanted to hang out with Jesus but he extended an invite and Jesus showed up.

As sometimes happens when Jesus shows up it wasn’t long before things got weird.

Luke 7 just says “a woman” also came to the party. Apparently she “had lived a sinful life” as if that distinguishes her from anyone. Probably she was the town prostitute and Luke was too polite to say so.

Before I tell you what she did, I want you to put yourself in her place for a moment. Have you ever wondered what leads people to prostitution? It doesn’t take too much imagination to figure out that the circumstances must be desperate financially, emotionally, or relationally. I do not know if this woman simply reached the end of her rope, was forced into a lifestyle she couldn’t get out of, or simply thought she had nothing left to give but herself.

The point is that she showed up knowing she was one of the least reputable people in the house that night. She was not invited and did not belong. She had done everything wrong and probably felt deeply unloved. She was looking for love in all the wrong places and it gave her a reputation.

Is that so far off from your story or mine?

Okay, so maybe you’re not a literal prostitute but what about all those things you do to try and feel loved?

Some people eat their cares away. Others distract themselves with endless levels of Candy Crush (BTW – no invites on Facebook, please).

Some turn to pornography to fill a need. Others destroy relationships as quickly as they get into them.

Some people binge watch on Netflix. Others volunteer to assuage their guilt.

We are all represented by the prostitute in the story. We offer ourselves to the gods of food, lust, greed, and distraction. We think there is nothing else to give and offer ourselves up.

Knowing this about ourselves can make us feel like we don’t belong, like we have a reputation, unloved. We bring this baggage into our relationship with God. We wonder how God could forgive us. How could He see me more fully than I do and still love me? So we hold off. We keep God at a distance. We disbelieve.

2. You are treated with kindness

The woman in the story does not stay far away. She was a pariah, no doubt. You can tell by the reaction of the host. He didn’t even have to express his disgust because it was written all over his face. I imagine the woman was ready to accept the scorn she knew was coming.

But as she approached Jesus something happened. A tear welled up, rolled down her worn cheek, and splashed on the Messiah’s feet. After it followed many more to the point that she began to wipe his feet – dirty, unwashed feet – with her hair. Can you imagine having nothing to clean up a mess you just made but your hair?

At this, we get our first glimpse into Jesus. If a random woman I’d never met started shedding tears on my feet the first thing I would do is move them. For one, I’m ticklish. For two, it’s just kind of weird. But not Jesus. He let her continue without saying a word. At least now we know that Jesus wasn’t ticklish.

Jesus was not repulsed by this woman’s past, her reputation, or her social awkwardness. He could tell where she came from and that she didn’t belong and he treated her with kindness anyway.

So why do we think Jesus will judge us harshly if we come to him?

3. You are forgiven

Finally, looking at the woman Jesus forgives her sins. The room filled with incredulity. Who was this guy to be forgiving people? But the woman knew. She accepted.

To the incredulous Jesus told a story about two debtors who could not repay. Who would be more grateful, Jesus asks his wrinkly-nosed host? The obvious answer was the one who owed more.

Jesus went far beyond mere kindness. Jesus defended the woman, shaming his host in the process, and made her look like a hero. You don’t do that for someone you don’t love. Jesus could see past the sin, past the misdirected efforts at love to see a heart that longed for the mercy and grace he was from the Father.

“Your faith has saved you; go in peace” Jesus said.

His Love is Peace

Most love stories are drama. Wouldn’t it be nice if love were peaceful?

Jesus offers peace.

So here’s the call to you and I this Valentine’s Day: Believe and do not doubt that Jesus loves you.

He knows you have been rejected. He knows you look for love in other places.

He also went to a bloody death to accept, defend, and forgive you.

The post 3 Lovely Truths About God’s Love for People Looking in All the Wrong Places appeared first on Rev Nev.

“Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.” Newton’s Third Law of Motion

I only took physics because of a pretty redhead. You should know up front in this post that I wasn’t really paying attention in that class. If on the off-chance you read something physics related in the post below and it is wrong let’s follow standard internet protocol where you leave me a nasty comment, I call you a troll, and we all move on.

End credibility-destroying rant.

As mind-numbing as the mathematical aspect of physics is there is actually value in understanding the subject. Physics tells us that there are forces in the world. For instance, forces within your car’s engine allow you to go and other forces in your brakes allow you to bring the car to a complete stop at a stop sign. Or in my case a “California stop.”

As humanity has learned to harness, use, and overcome those forces we have taken great strides forward. I mean, have you ever stopped to consider the wonder of a metal can defying gravity to carry you to a palm-studded beach? Physics makes that possible.

So it makes sense that if we understand a few basic rules of physics we can really do some good.

Newton’s Third Law of Motion

Above is Newton’s Third Law of Motion which, as it turns out, I completely misunderstood until today. For the longest time, I assumed that “equal and opposite reaction” meant something more like cause and effect. That is, one action happened and then something else happened because of it. This is not what Newton meant.

The Third Law of Motion actually means this: one action happens and at the same time another action counteracts it.

It’s probably easier if I just quote someone here so check out this explanation I found:

“The statement means that in every interaction, there is a pair of forces acting on the two interacting objects. The size of the forces on the first object equals the size of the force on the second object. The direction of the force on the first object is opposite to the direction of the force on the second object. Forces always come in pairs – equal and opposite action-reaction force pairs.”

That last part should catch your attention. Forces come in pairs. Consider for a moment how this law about physical forces also applies to the movements of your heart. Physics teaches something about following a God who asks us to believe and not doubt.

What if faith and fear are equal and opposite forces?

For every faith-filled act there is an equal push from the opposite force of fear.
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I have these experiences from time to time – maybe you do too – of believing that God called me to something special so I get involved, hit publish, or reach out to someone. Within minutes fear washes through my being and regret lays its icy grip on my heart. No matter how good or profitable the experience was I fear it was a failure. Or, more specifically, that I was a failure. Does this happen to you, too?

That feeling is fear’s equal and opposite push against your step of faith and you may as well get used to it because laws of physics almost never go away. You can expect fear to stalk you every step of faith you take. Fear is mentioned over 400 times in the Bible because God knows that the biggest impediment to our faith is fear.

By now you might be wondering if this strange application of Newton’s Third Law applies in the other direction. What about those times when you let fear take the lead? Is there an equal and opposite reaction by faith? This one is harder to answer but I believe faith pushes back, too.

I have this theory that deep down all of us are seeking our true selves in Christ. Some people’s true selves are buried under pain and brokenness so they flail about trying to find it. Others bury it under discipline. Still others are too lazy to ever look at all. But, eventually, a moment comes when you have to risk and if you choose fear a twinge of remorse hits in the back of your spirit. I call that twinge faith. It knows who God made you to be and pushes back against fearful decisions. Faith is subtler than fear but pushes back anyway.

So, fear is not going away.

Faith isn’t either.

I’ll leave you with this question: In the thing that matters to you most, are you acting in faith or fear? Are you going to let fear stop you even if you step out in faith? Or will fear get the upper hand? The choice is yours.

The post The Equal and Opposite Forces of Faith and Fear appeared first on Rev Nev.

Here’s to a faith larger than your fears in 2015!
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I remember the moment fear took over. In high school I was a drama nerd who acted in plays and even did a commercial that played in a local movie theater. The job paid so I fancied myself a professional.

One day sometime senior year I wanted to audition at the local playhouse and on the appointed day drove there with my girlfriend and best friend. Butterfly flutters tickled my stomach as we drove which only grew worse as we approached the theater. When we got there I was surprised at how many people were there. The parking lot was crowded but we found a spot eventually.

We exited the car and took a few strides toward the playhouse when I was overwhelmed with fear. The butterflies were getting serious now. I suggested that we did not have to audition and after small debate everyone agreed the audition was off. When the car doors slammed it was like the jaw of fear sinking into my heart.

That day, I gave up believing in myself.

My 20 year high school reunion is in 2015. (Hold on…had to catch my breath a second. Okay, let’s keep going.) How many fear-based decisions is that? Too many.

What I Believe in Now

I could point to a number of Scripture passages that encourage us to believe and not be afraid. As much as I’d like to do that none of them speak deeply into my spirit.

Instead, I want to share a passage with you today that gets overshadowed by its more famous context but if you are making decisions from fear like I have it might be the most important thing you read this year.

The famous passage is Ephesians 2:8-9:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

You probably know this one. What a beautiful truth it contains, too! You and I do not have to try to earn God’s love, prove our faith, or somehow obtain our salvation. It’s all been given to us because of His grace. Amazing!

But the gift is even deeper.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

The gift is more than God wanting you while you were a sinner. It’s why He wanted you. He wanted you because He created you to do something. Something good.

You are His “handiwork,” which literally means poetry. Have you ever written poetry?

You are God’s poetry that He labored over, made to do something good.
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The only piece of poetry I ever published was in a high school journal which I probably still have around here somewhere. I worked for days on that piece. How did I want it to read? What feelings did I want to convey? What words would best express this feeling?

Friend, when God created you He did the same thing. He intentionally created you to do something. Lean into that truth and fear disappears.

God intentionally created you to do something. Lean into that truth and fear disappears.
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All those years ago I started believing fear and stopped believing in myself. In light of Ephesians 2:10 I think I also stopped trusting God. The way back to self-respect is not through fear but faith that what God says about you is true. That’s why I keep writing about trusting Him even when He doesn’t make sense.

The picture above is of me holding a framed quote given to me by my son. It says “Let your faith be bigger than your fears. – The Bible.” I love so much about this picture. It now hangs in my office to remind me to stop believing in my fear and start believing God.

Happy New Year, my friends! And here’s to a faith larger than your fears in 2015!

The post Why I Stopped Believing in Myself appeared first on Rev Nev.

Each year Christmas has a different theme for me. Some years it is gratitude for reaching Christmas again. Some years it is sorrow left over from the year’s grief. Others, it is just a blur of busyness.

I want to share with you my theme for this Christmas because I think it just might change your life.

Braggadocios?

Keep reading and let me know in the comments.

Christmas can be about many things depending on your disposition, upbringing, and faith. Children are notoriously interested in the presents and toys they receive. Growing older the meaning changes to giving generously. People of Christian faith point to the birth of Jesus as the “reason for the season” while people without faith avoid the holiday altogether or use it to celebrate family and thankfulness.

This year, for me, the significance is God. That may seem trite but hear me out.

The other day I spent an hour trying to remember enough Hebrew to look up a word used in Lamentations 3:24 used for “portion.” I had to use Strong’s to find the right word then looked it up in BDB (for the uninitiated, BDB is a Hebrew lexicon…language nerd stuff).

It turns out the Hebrew word for “portion” means “portion.” Learning that the word means exactly what you think it means happens in word studies sometimes. But this was not a total loss because seeing the other uses of the word sparked a question.

The other uses refer to land, food, booty (the spoil of war kind not that other kind) and people. And, of course, God. This is where it gets interesting.

In each case one’s “portion” is what they receive, possess, or own. Your portion is your piece of the proverbial pie. It’s what you get out of life.

Like the sun rising over the Eastern plains, this question dawned on me slowly:

What if God is what I get out of life?

The light is dim at first but suddenly shines in your eyes too brightly to let you see anything else for awhile.

Everyone you know is trying to get something from life. You probably know a shallow person who insists life is merely about sex, drugs, and rock and roll or however people are putting it these days. You probably also know a wise person who tells you that relationships are most important.

People pursue many things in life but they fall into three categories:

• Money – Poor and rich alike pursue money. One to make ends meet; the other to make their mark.
• Relationships – Everyone desires to love and be loved. Sometimes it’s the absence of love that drives people to craft unhealthy relationships.
• Power – Some people just want influence. They want to control and they are not satisfied with anything until they get it. They manipulate. They lie. They ruin anyone in their way. This probably does not describe you, though, because most of these people are in Congress.

Christmas is the perfect time to consider what you want out of life. No other holiday has the dynamic of Christmas with it’s strange blend of malls-to-the-wall materialism, don’t-want-to-be-there family gatherings, and that-one-relative-who-just-won’t-be-satisfied power plays.

Contrast it all with the meekness of a baby-burrito in a common feeding trough and you may wonder if it is enough.

If at the end of your life God was all you had would He be enough?
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Seems easy enough. If you’re like me you know the “right” answer but deep down you prefer the other stuff.

Still, the question burrows into your heart and makes you wonder. How would your life be different if all you wanted out of it was God? What decisions would you make differently?

This brings us back to that baby. He was born to bring us back to God. He was born to restore a relationship between God and humankind.

He was born to make God your portion, the best gift of all.

Merry Christmas, friends!

The post The Gift is Him appeared first on Rev Nev.

Stores are playing Christmas carols and songs now. The decorations have appeared exponentially and even your neighbor down the street who never bothered to take his lights down finally lit them up with pride. People are getting into the Christmas spirit everywhere.

As I drive past the LED-lit trees at the entrance to my neighborhood, I wonder how this season sits with some of my friends for whom 2014 was full of pain and loss.

The holidays are hard for so many reasons. Too many friends had a death in the family in the past year. Some had marriages fall apart. Others just have tough relationships with their families. A season about family only makes it worse.

In times like these, the holidays feel like a bucket with a hole in the bottom; you can pour in as much Christmas cheer as you’d like but it still leaks.

I’m not sure that hole can ever be filled. But there is hope for the brokenhearted. In fact, that might be the whole point of Christmas. If so, then maybe there is a way our pain and suffering can draw us into the season, deepening our experience of God in it.

Lament and be Happy

Jeremiah is known as the Weeping Prophet. If anyone in the Bible was clinically depressed it was him so on our hunt for finding joy in the midst of pain Jeremiah seems like a good lead.

Like many of us do when life’s waves crash over us, Jeremiah looked to God for help and rescue. At first all he finds is sorrow. Let’s pick up with Jeremiah in Lamentations 3.

“I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath,” he writes.

Jeremiah does not pretend that God has nothing to do with his suffering. He places it directly at God’s feet. And he’s not shy about describing it, either.

Jeremiah says God did things like this to him:

Indeed, he has turned his hand against me again and again, all day long (v. 3).

And this:

He has besieged me and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship (v. 5).

And this:

He drew his bow and made me the target for his arrows (v. 12).

And my personal favorite:

He has broken my teeth with gravel; he has trampled me in the dust (v. 16)

Imagine feeling that way about God. Maybe you don’t have to imagine too much this Christmas season.

I used to have this weird idea that the point of the Bible – and therefore God – was to make my life perfect. Silly, I know, but that’s what I thought. And that perfection looked like an absence of the deep sorrow described by Jeremiah and sometimes felt in my heart and probably yours, too. It was an immature view. The Bible’s point is quite different as Jeremiah is about to show us.

After all of this Jeremiah summarizes:

I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.

See? Depressed.

But then Jeremiah surprises us by doing something different.

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Notice how Jeremiah addresses God directly for the first time in this passage.

I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion therefore I will wait for him.”

From this point in the chapter on Jeremiah’s perspective changed.

Seeing New Compassions in Christmas

Jeremiah’s turning point came when he reflected on God’s goodness to him. What would happen if you followed his example and remembered the goodness of God in Christmas? I’m not suggesting it will alleviate your pain or change anything in your circumstances. But I am suggesting that like Jeremiah remembering the incredible goodness and mercy of God in the Christmas story will lend perspective to your pain.

What are the graces in the Christmas story that deepen our understanding of God through pain and suffering?

God’s plan is greater than we can imagine. So much of this story of Jesus’ birth was surprising. A virgin? Angels all over the place? The greatness of royalty laid in a common animal trough? Not what you expect. Yet, this is the way God chose to come to His people. Your story may not be what you expected either. Your sorrow might be greater than you dreamed possible. Keep watch, friend. You never know what things God will use to bring greatness from you.

God keeps His promises. When Jesus was born, the Jewish people had been over 400 years waiting for God to speak again. It was somewhere around 1000 years since God promised a descendant of David would rule in Jerusalem forever. It was about 1200 years since their ancestors took over the land promised some 800 years before that. This child fulfilled all the promises of God through millennia.

Here’s why I think this matters if you are in pain this Christmas: God has promised that Jesus is making all things new (Revelation 21:5). We may suffer in the meantime but God will make it right in the end. You can trust Him in this because of a baby laid in a manger.

God has tremendous love and compassion for you. Jesus is proof God loves you. It’s based on something in Him not something about you. The fact that God went to such great lengths to acquire you from the kingdom of darkness means you are valuable to Him.

If the holidays are hard this year, I encourage you not to run from it. Take your cares to the Lord and then count the ways He has blessed you and remember His mercies.

Do you see any other graces in the Christmas story? What did I miss? What speaks to you? Share in the comments below.

The post Finding Joy at the Holidays in Spite of Pain appeared first on Rev Nev.

The holidays are now in full swing which means I am constantly asking myself “Am I as busy as I feel?” The second week in December packs in rehearsals, performances, school programs, dinner requests, Christmas parties, and anxiety over undone shopping that need done eventually.

No matter how hard I try every year gets busier. Some of it is a function of the number of people in our house. With four kids and two active, involved parents (my wife and I) we are guaranteed to be busy. Parents of older children assure me it will only get worse before it gets better.

In my honest moments I admit that I do not mind being busy. It makes me feel important, needed, and necessary. (Someone wanted me at a show, event, or party. Yeah!) But during Advent, the preparation period for celebrating the great gift of God in Jesus, busyness is distraction. It takes my mind off the waiting and speeds everything up so that I am surprised Christmas is here already. Busyness siphons the joy out of the season producing the opposite effect it should have.

So what can you and I do to let go of the busyness of the season?

Give it a Rest

God’s answer to busyness is rest. I know. I’m thinking that too: How can I rest when there is so much to do, so many places to be? But rest was so important to God it made the top 10 (Exodus 20:8-11).

Why? There were at least two reasons:

• God knew that people tend to rely on themselves. Rest requires us to admit that we cannot do it all, we are finite, we are dependent on Him.
• God knew that humans need rejuvenation. We would work ourselves to death if given the chance. With rest enshrined in our week then we have the chance to unwind and get back in touch with our spirit and His.

I could use a little bit of that rest during this holiday season, couldn’t you?
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There is an interesting passage in Hebrews 4 about Sabbath (the Hebrew word for rest) that gives us some insight into how to reclaim our lives from the cult of Christmas busyness.

In case you were inclined to think that Sabbath was an Old Testament thing that no longer applies to you the author of Hebrews says this:

There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His.

The writer means rest in both a literal and spiritual sense. The letter to the Hebrews is full of this theme about how the benefits of Jesus are much greater than under the previous covenant. The rest that we’re looking for, then, is in our hearts not only our bodies which sounds great at a reflective time like Christmas.

And then s/he says this:

Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.

Effort. Work. In other words, rest does not just happen. It takes intention to get to rest. This is useful to us as we try to find some Sabbath time in the next few weeks.

One more:

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

When I saw that this rather famous passage of Scripture about Scripture was in a section on Sabbath it surprised me. Surely that has some significance.

Christmas Sabbath Slowdown

Let’s put all of this together into a steaming pot of Christmas/Sabbath stew and see what it tastes like.

Here are three practical ideas inspired by Hebrews 4 to help you slow down and rest this Christmas:

• Choose meaningful participation – Here is the effort of Sabbath-taking. This one is hard for me because I like saying yes to people but when the commitments pile up with programs here, rehearsals there, and parties next week, it contributes to the chaos. The only way out is to choose. If you had to choose right now the top three life-giving activities you’ll do in the next three weeks, what would they be? Can you choose not to participate in something that you otherwise would feel obligated to do? Give yourself permission and say no.
• Choose Scripture meaningful to you – The fact that Scripture is part of rest means that it needs to be here. To keep from being overwhelmed, choose one passage to read repeatedly. One year I preached in Matthew 1 which turned out very meaningful. Genealogy doesn’t exactly scream Christmas spirit but as I reflected on God in those lives and saw the larger narrative of God’s work over thousands of years, my faith strengthened. You might choose Hebrews 4, Luke 2, or another passage you like.
• Choose to create a tradition of peaceful moments – One of my favorite moments during the Christmas season is when we make some cider or hot chocolate, turn off the lights, maybe light up a fire, and sit with the Christmas tree lit up, snuggling under a blanket. In many ways those moments define peace to me. So what about choosing one night a week to create this miracle moment while the tree is up? Or find something else that infuses peace into your soul. The point is to choose peace during a time of busyness.

What do you do to try to keep some balance – and therefore joy – during December?

The post 3 Ways to Slow Down and Enjoy Christmas appeared first on Rev Nev.

I hope that the series of posts published in the next few weeks will help you find joy during this consumerized, busy, often painful time of year.

Consumers Get Crazy

The day after Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday, so named because it is the day when retailers begin making their profits for the year. We also know it’s the day American consumers go absolutely crazy. They shop at all hours of the night. They wait in massive lines. Every year there is at least one story of someone getting trampled to death in a Wal-Mart (why is it always Wal-Mart?) trying to get a 54” TV for $5.

Smack in the middle of this you try to shop responsibly, resourcefully, and respectfully but the chaos is everywhere. Advertisements abound on radio and television, in print and billboards, and even the sanctity of your email inbox. Nowhere is safe from marketers trying to get you to spend. Every year it seems to get harder to maintain a sense of balance, a perspective of Christmas that is actually about Christ and the joy of his birth instead of the trappings, meals, gifts, and decorations.

How do you maintain joy in a consumer culture?

Fortunately for us, the Apostle Paul shared with the Philippians a secret that will help us with this very issue.

The Joyful Secret

Before I dig into what Paul wrote to them a little context will be helpful. When Paul wrote to the church at Philippi his situation was desperate. He had been in prison for some time and wrote from Rome under house arrest. This was not like our prison system where prisoners are given three squares, a bed, and cable TV. If he wanted to eat he had to support himself.

Primary support came from churches. You can imagine in a world before Paypal, Skype, and email how slowly news travelled. A request for funds took months.

What does Paul’s apparent poverty have to do with our materialistic abundance? It’s all in what Paul wrote to Philippi when they sent him a gift. (By the way, their generosity stood out because it was rare…another lesson, Philippians 4:15.)

The church knew Paul needed support and sent him some money through a mutual friend named Epaphroditus. The “book” we know as Philippians is better thought of as a thank you note back to the church for the support they recently sent to the Apostle.

Paul wrote:

I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Sound familiar? If you have spent any significant time in the church you have probably heard this passage quoted to support all kinds of things.

Paul was telling the Philippians that he trusted God no matter how much or little he had to eat, live on, or give for Christmas. I may have made up that last part since no one celebrated Christ’s birth for the first three hundred years or so, but you’re getting the idea now, right?

The key to joy in the midst of consumerism is choosing contentment because you know that God will provide for everything you need.

Choose Contentment over Consumerism

In the end it’s not about whats, it’s about whos. Paul knew this and I have to believe this is why he is so delicate with the Philippians. Even though he could get by with whatever he had the gift represented something about the Philippians joy in giving to the Apostle.

The Philippians grew as God used them to give and so will you.
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Here are three applications of Paul’s secret that will help you forget the consumerism and make Christmas joyful this year:

• Praise God for what you do have. Take the old saying “count your blessings” literally and make a list of things you can praise Him for. Get away if you can to a cozy, creative place, set a timer for 30 minutes and don’t let yourself stop until time runs out. You will be surprised how long yours list ends up.
• Be lavishly generous to someone. Don’t ask for anything in return even a thank you. In fact, if you can, do it anonymously and see what happens. Trust God with your wealth and the outcome of your generosity. By the way, lavish is relative so even if you cannot afford to give away cars like Oprah give what you can.
• Decide that what you can afford is enough. Three years ago my wife and I barreled into Christmas Day so busy that we forgot to buy anything substantial for the kids. We travel to our home state and put off our Christmas until after we get home so we just didn’t worry about gifts for Christmas morning. A little guilt-ridden I woke up early and shuffled across the street to pick up some candy and small things from Walgreens. With my wife’s help we crafted a scavenger hunt for them to chase down. They loved it so much that we do it every year now. My oldest son said this week that the hunt is his favorite part of Christmas. Trust me, your kids’ experience of Christmas isn’t about the tangible things they receive as much as it is the heart they receive it from. Do what you can and be content with God’s provision for you.

I’m guessing that you have a practice, saying, or tradition that helps you keep grounded during the crazy, consumeristic season we call Christmastime. What do you do to maintain balance during the holidays?

The post Finding Joy in the Middle of a Consumeristic World appeared first on Rev Nev.

Ah, Thanksgiving! Here again and I can hardly believe it.

It has become trendy to make lists of things you are thankful for especially on Facebook everyday of November. I have never done so but do not discourage the practice. More gratitude is never a bad thing.

Instead of joining the list-making chorus I decided to offer you some thoughts on thanksgiving. They are random and in no particular order. Just my musings on a holiday tradition, what it has become, and where I hope it goes.

The big hubbub this year has been stores opening on Thanksgiving. Black Friday is now bleeding into Thankful Thursday. The trend escalated several years ago and I wonder where it will stop. Here’s hoping stores will start offering awesome deals the entire week of Thanksgiving and forget this Black Friday midnight shopping melee.

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Honestly, I don’t care if stores want to be open on the holiday or if people want to shop. Go for it. The market will correct any missteps in open hours. However, I do feel for the people who work for the Scrooges and would prefer to be home with their families.

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I trot this out every year because it impacts me deeply. One of my spiritual advisors once said to me “Gratitude is always good prayer.” As receivers from God abundant goodness there can be no other appropriate response.

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Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. “THOSE AREN’T PILLOWS!”

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The holidays are a chance to remember what life is about which is one of the travesties of the Black Friday mess. The people flooding into Wal-Mart at 4:00 AM have clearly misplaced the source of joy. I know the flooders are buying things for their people but chances are good those people just want them, not stuff.

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It is supposed to be nearly 60 degrees in Denver on Thanksgiving. That’s why I live here not in my native Iowa. Just saying, Hawkeye Staters.

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What hits your thankful list beyond the obvious? For me, obvious is family, Jesus, and Bon Jovi (don’t judge). But there is much more. I just read an obituary for a guy a year younger than me. I’m so thankful to even have made it this far in life, let alone with relative health and life.

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I complain a lot about not being in the position in my career I’d like to be right now. But I’m really thankful God has never let us down and we have more than enough to get by.

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Increasingly, I am taken aback by the idea of Jesus’ righteousness imputed to me. Sin is so much more insidious and deep than I ever realized. Yet, in Jesus I know I am righteous before God. See Romans 8:1-4. It’s my favorite passage by a long stretch.

What are you thankful for? How are you celebrating Thanksgiving this year?

The post Thoughts on Thanksgiving appeared first on Rev Nev.

When I was about to graduate from seminary I had one last hurdle to jump over: the oral theology exam. This delightful exercise is how I know my theology will fit into 20 double-spaced pages.

After turning in my paper, the date for the exam was set with two professors who would read the amazing work of theological brilliance and prepare to pepper me with questions. On the appointed day I entered the office, took a seat, and nervously sat down. The professors welcomed me, explained a few procedural items, and then asked the first question.

“Does God change?”

Oh good! A softball.

“God never changes in He essential character or purposes,” I said. They were satisfied but I wanted to add more. “I have to believe, also, that God is a personal being and does change His mind. He responds to prayer. Anything less and God becomes a machine.”

The professors, happy with this answer moved on and did not ask any further questions on the topic. An hour and a half later they informed me I had passed the exam. Insert crowds cheering here.

The experience sticks in my mind because at that moment I realized the implications of a personal God. Many theological systems treat God as if He is a machine. Too much Christian preaching does, too. As much as I wish it were not so, many of my own attempts at building a relationship with Him are marked by a “pull this lever, expect that result” mentality.

God’s people have always struggled with the difference between having a mechanical god and a personal relationship with God. In fact, a wise prophet once challenged another god to make this exact point. I’ll share the story with you and draw some applications for us.

Elijah Issues a Throwdown Challenge

The days were dark in Israel. The kingdom promised to Abraham and ruled by David’s family split in two. The queen was a Baal-worshiper and the King went along. Everyone went along it seemed, all except Elijah. The prophet grew weary of the people worshiping other gods so he decided to do something about it.

He called the prophets of Baal to a throwdown sacrifice. This was before Bobby Flay made throwdowns cool. Each would prepare the sacrifice of a bull as usual but with a twist. (Every good story has a good twist!) The fire for the sacrifice had to come from the deity they served. Elijah graciously offered to let the Baal worshipers go first.

The prophets of Baal cut up their sacrifice, placed it on the alter, and began to pray to Baal. It took awhile. They got a little worried so they shouted. Then they danced. They cut themselves in an effort to get Baal’s attention. They carried on like this all day while Elijah taunted them.

It was getting late so Elijah decided to take his turn. He repaired the alter, which had fallen into disrepair from disuse, and prepared his sacrifice.

Then Elijah did something strange. He dug a trench around the alter and ordered large amounts of water poured on the sacrifice. It would be impossible for it to catch fire without a miracle.

Elijah prayed.

At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.

Can you hear Elijah’s heart for God and the intimacy they shared? The passion for God’s name, the repeated “answer me,” and the desire to see others worship God again show Elijah’s love for the Lord.

God answered Elijah’s prayer. He sent fire and the entire sacrifice including the bull, the stone, the wood, and the water were consumed.

Subtly, without even being aware of it, God becomes a cosmic ATM.
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God is Not an ATM

Did you notice the difference between how the prophets of Baal and Elijah interacted with their deities? The prophets of Baal tried increasingly desperate tactics to manipulate Baal into doing something. Elijah merely prayed and trusted God to send fire.

How often do you try to manipulate God as if He is a machine? I call it “God is my ATM syndrome” and it happens to me all the time.

I believe that if I insert my faith card, punch in my “PIN” of Bible reading, prayer, and holyish living that God will be obligated to spit out the blessings I ask for. In the process, I’ve made God a cosmic ATM, a machine to be manipulated, just one more device in my life to help me get what I want which sound suspiciously more like the prophets of Baal than the prophet of God.

You do not have to squint too hard to see the attraction of a god like Baal. Do a little dance. Sing a little song. Shout a bit. Earn a scar or two and he’ll do anything you want. You just have to find out what gets his attention today.

God is nothing like that. He notices genuine faith and has compassion on His people. No need for manipulation with Him.

If you want your relationship with God to grow then you have to stop manipulating Him and begin interacting with Him on a personal level.

Because God is a person not a machine we must interact with Him as we do other persons not machines.
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What does that look like? Here are a few ideas:

• Stop trying to manipulate God and trust Him. No more negotiations. He wants to bless you and, in fact, already has. He loves you and paid the price to bring you close. His desire for you is not dependent on your church attendance, the number of minutes you spend in prayer or the Bible, or what you have done for Him so stop expecting God to bless you because of what you do or avoid doing.
• Accept that God is in control even when you do not understand Him. How do you approach a friend when they do something you don’t understand? If the person is really a friend you talk to them and see what they were thinking. Things do not always turn out the way you want them to. It is hard to understand why God does intervene in some situations and not others. But the answer is not trying to control Him or worse blame Him for illness, divorce, or death as if everything ultimately rests on your shoulders. Rather, follow the example of so many in the Bible who took their complaints to God and see what He says. He just might surprise you.
• Build God’s Kingdom not your own. Intimacy is inherently other-centered. Elijah’s prayer shows his heart for God. “Answer me, Lord, answer me…” Elijah longed for God to be glorified and worshiped in Israel. The good news is God will probably not ask you to build a huge, soaking wet, bloody alter so He can destroy it with fire. But He is asking you to use your gifts and abilities for His name wherever you live. Maybe you have a step of faith in mind now that God wants to use to bless someone else? Just trust Him and do it.

The fact that God is a living God, personal, and relational sets Christianity apart from other religions. It also will bring your faith to life.

How has God shown His personality to you in your life?

The post God is NOT an ATM appeared first on Rev Nev.