Crap for a Reason

12.14.14

Hebrews 12.7 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? The Author of Hebrews (ESV)

Yesterday, in Walmart in Ontario, I said to my wife (in a moment of understanding): I cannot let this thing (which will remain unnamed) steal my joy. She masterfully responded, Why would you!? I think she also meant: Why do you!? And then this morning I read Hebrews 12 and 13. And I read, It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? (12.7) And I thought, Hmmm…

Why does life happen the way it does? Why is much of life – as Yancey says – confusing and incomplete? The writer of Hebrews, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, says: It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you [as a son]. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? Good question! Great question!

The issue is not our trials but God’s involvement in our trials. The writer calls them discipline. The writer assumes we all know that the crap we endure is crap for a reason. The writer assumes we all can find hope and comfort in the knowledge that God is allowing us to go through what we’re going through in order to grow us up, and grow up in us. (For many, God is simply too far away, or too small, to help them, understand them, or even care about them.) We endure because God is dealing with us about the things we won’t deal with and prevent us from experiencing Him fully. Many who suffer will tell us that God is far closer and real in their suffering than He is in their good times…

My joy was restored yesterday because in the flash of a moment, I understood how selfish and small I was being (in the unnamed). My joy was affirmed this morning when I read: It is for discipline (little Paul) that you have to endure. God is treating you as [His son]. [And] what son is there whom his father does not [or did not] discipline? Even if their discipline was only for a moment and far short of its goal – at least it was present! God is infinitely better at discipline that any human father could ever be… although, perhaps, some are certainly better than others.

Father in Heaven and True Father of my life, thank You that things are the way they are and I can bank on Your being present in all I say, do, or think. Thank You that You love me so much that You discipline me and cause me to endure it – it does do one thing for sure: it causes me to cry out to You. Forgive me for complaining and praying desperate and selfish prayers. Grow me up into the man You’ve created me to be – Amen!

The Pitch

12.11.14

Hebrews 4.14-16 14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (ESV)

These days I draw a lot of inspiration for my life from a series of photographs with Zig Ziglar quotes imprinted on them. I suppose that’s the life of a salesman; always looking for inspiration, motivation, and all the other ‘ations’ indigenous to the career. They are sometimes a display of a PGO (a profound grasp of the Obvious) but they help. Any sales person will tell you that you are only as good as your last sale and the need for the next client is endless.

Currently, I’m reading a book entitled, To Sell is Human, by Daniel H. Pink. I’m looking for motivation and inspiration. It’s a good read and it basically states that all of us (all 7.something billion) are involved in the selling process all the time. We are either trying to sell our need, or our wants, or our perspective to our clients, which just happen to be all of the rest of the humans on the planet.

When we need, we sell. When we want, we sell. And when we attempt to influence – we sell. And almost 99.9% of us do this – every single day of our earthly existence. Some of us actually do this for a living. Or an attempt at a living…

Today, I read a sales pitch: Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. I just happened to read this pitch in the Bible in Hebrews 4.

What does it take to convince us? Are we convinced when the writer of Hebrews says: Since then … let us …For we … Let us then … that we may receive … in time of need.? Features and benefits. Or do we continue to scheme and dream so that we don’t have to rely on this High Priest who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses because He’s faced the same struggles, trials, and temptations and knows to dispense grace to help in time of need? How do we feel about that? What are our thoughts when it comes to overcoming the daily grind?

Father God, You are blessed and a blessing. You love Your people and have made a way to meet their every need in Jesus who has suffered the same sufferings Your people have. You give us grace, which is a way of saying You love us and favor us to succeed in the way You’ve ordained that we will in the Savior – thank You! Amen.

Think it Over

12.10.14

2 Timothy 2.7 7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. – St. Paul to Timothy (ESV)

Paul’s second letter to Timothy is his swan song to his protégé before his execution. Paul reminded Timothy to be strong and to depend on the Spirit of God as he continued to preach and teach in Paul’s place. And Paul had written to him to consider or think over what he has said to Timothy before his imminent exodus from earth.

It may have been natural for Timothy to have lost heart or had some doubts over what was transpiring, and perhaps he had been tempted to think that because of Paul’s imprisonment and condemnation that there might’ve been something Paul hadn’t told him; that there might’ve been some other reason for Paul to have been put in prison and condemned to death. So Paul here in this letter said, “Think over what I say Timothy, the Lord will give you understanding.”

Isn’t that what we need as we struggle with life’s issues and relationships? Isn’t that what we need when we hit a hard spot and need the assurance of the real reason we live to get us through? More often than not we should allow the counsel of Scripture to remind us that the Lord will give us understanding in everything – we’re to have that expectation. If God doesn’t help us, who will?

I see Paul’s letter to Timothy as an encouragement to keep on keeping on; to trust God in the circumstances and to believe. The work of the gospel is never finished.

I think most a lot of us struggle with what to do next. I think most of us struggle with thinking God has charged us to do it all. I think most of us have had experiences with people that have caused us to wonder: am I doing the right thing; am I in this for the right reason? It is good for us to stop and think over the why of what we’re doing to remember the what for doing it.

And in the midst of all of what we do with all of the outcomes – good or bad, comfortable or uncomfortable – we need to remember Who is in control and how He uses what we go through to grow us into His own glory and grace. The message here is: think over what was said and the Lord will provide understanding.

Father, how often I get consumed with the wrong thoughts about my circumstances and what is going on around me. Thank You for the reminder to think over all that is going on – the good and the bad – that I may realize You are present in all I do and You are there to help me and to grow Your Kingdom. Father, may I learn to accept this life the way it is, not the way I think it should be. And may I find Your comfort as I think over my times and days and remember Your presence in it all – amen.

WIIFM Radio

12.08.14

1 Timothy 4.7b-8 Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. St. Paul in his first letter to Timothy (ESV)

In my journeys I have discovered in life there is a famous radio station that almost everyone everywhere listens to: WIIFM – What’s-in-it-for-me. Everybody everywhere wants to know: what’s in it for them. Their decisions are largely based on the query whether it is spoken or not. If they see value, they’ll move; if they don’t, they won’t.

The apostle Paul, writing from prison to his protégé Timothy, made this statement: Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. What’s in it for me? Value in every way – and promise; both in the present life, and in the life to come.

What is value? Value is very intangible yet we all seem to understand it and seek it. If it benefits us in some way, we consider it to be valuable and we want it. Value can be placed on people, places, or things. However not everyone sees value the same way so while it is intangible it is also subjective. And here is where taking Paul’s comment on value requires faith.

Growing in God; growing in faith, requires looking at life and looking at value completely differently than most humans do. And so there is hope. But faith is required to accept value from God. The biggest value with God and godliness is relationship with God forever. What could be bigger than that? The power bill certainly isn’t. Unemployment certainly isn’t. But hope for a plan and a future certainly is – and God is incomparable in the plans for our lives with hope and a future.

Today, I look at godliness in my own life and see the need for training in godliness. I see that being strategic in how I live must be all about walking humbly with God through every season and situation of life. It must be all about walking humbly with God looking to Him in every aspect of who I am, and who I hope to be. What’s in it for me? God.

Father in Heaven, as I approach this day and consider all the things I think I must do today, may I be careful and strategic to include training in godliness – may I see everything I do through that filter. If it’s not training in godliness then I probably shouldn’t be giving it much attention. Father, help me today and to see that what’s in it for me is life with You for all eternity, and value in that life and in Your presence both now, and forevermore – Amen.

The Righteousness from God

12.06.14

Philippians 3.8b-9 For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith... – St. Paul to the Church at Philippi (ESV)

Oh the draw of self-satisfaction; the allure of I did it; the pleasure of I’ve made it. We humans love to be successful – it’s the way we are wired. We want to accomplish. We want to achieve. We want to contribute. We want to be noticed. We want to be lauded. And we want to do all of this without God because we want to be found blameless.

Well gee Paul, that sure seems like a big statement. Yes, I agree, but it’s true. Mankind, whether or not he acknowledges God, isn’t without the strains of God within himself – God made him. However, we cannot discount what the result of the fall is in humanity globally and throughout all generations. The relationship was broken and only, as Paul points out here, is it restored through faith in God through Christ.

Faith is a funny thing. Faith requires belief, and belief in God sometimes defies reason. It’s not that it’s unreasonable, it just defies logic. How can I find righteousness by believing in Someone I’ve never met, and in something as intangible as belief? Short answer: I don’t know. But it also defies logic that I find myself to be somehow acceptable if I live by a certain code displayed by a certain conduct. The question is whose code and what conduct?

Right and wrong seem to be a starting place but if there are differing opinions of what is right and what is wrong then, to quote a famous politician: what difference does it make? It makes a lot of difference who is holding the bag when it comes to sorting out our definitions of right and wrong. Somebody is always going to be left holding the bag.

God simply asks that all men, regardless of race, color, gender or any of that stuff, believe in Him and what He has done for us in Christ. Then our definitions are measured by a standard beyond ourselves and everyone is judged equally accordingly. It is no longer up to me or you or anybody else to set the standard; we all find our righteousness at the same Source. Our righteousness is no longer dependent on what we can do, but in Whom who has done it all for us – without our help or input.

Sadly, for mankind that is a threshold either too high, or too low. We want to be the masters of our own destiny. That is what freewill gives us. The other sadness is it is true: we do control our destinies based upon what we believe and in Whom we believe. The righteous one will find himself in Him, not having a righteousness of his own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on his faith.

O Father, may we believe. It is not in government or heroes or effort or cleverness – it is in the finished work of Christ that we are saved and by believing in that we are found righteous. Equip me Lord to be a herald of such belief and to be eternally grateful to be found in Him wherein my righteousness comes… Amen.

The Strength I Need

12.04.14

Ephesians 3.18-19 18 …may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. St. Paul to the Ephesian Church (ESV)

I have walked with the Lord for thirty plus years now. I have heard the prayers of saints asking God for power and strength. I know, or at least I think I know, why they/we pray such prayers: they/we hate the battle with sin and ineffectiveness in their/our lives and they/we want – sometimes desperately – to overcome their/our shortcomings to live more effectively, holy, and more in line with what they/we believe. That seems to be what I have seen.

The problem with power is our perception of what it is and what it can to for us (and regrettably, to us). Power and strength are somewhat synonymous and our quest for it – either overt or not – is sometimes misguided: we think it’s up to us to do something. And so, we want power because we think we know how our lives will be different with it, rather than without it. Enter the Apostle Paul, and his letter to the Ephesian Church.

Paul prayed for the Ephesians to have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. That is the kind of strength or power we need. We don’t need the strength or power to handle it on our own; we need the strength and power to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge in order to be filled with all the fullness of God. If any of us need anything in life at all: it’s this!

Personally, I have prayed for strength and power; God told this imminent apostle, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” (Cf. 2 Corinthians 12.8) Who am I to think that I could handle what was denied to Paul? I need to take a lesson from what he shared with the Corinthian and Ephesian churches: it is far better to be weak in Christ than strong in myself. I’m learning that if I want strength and power it’s only found in knowing Jesus’ love more and more and more.

The strength I need is trusting in and knowing the love of Christ in the midst of life with all its ups and downs. I don’t need strength to change anything; I need strength to know all of Him I can, and to expect in the midst of that knowing: to be filled with all the fullness of God. The fullness of God can withstand anything this life can throw at me.

Father, in my desperate attempts to change my circumstances and situations, may I have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that I may be filled with all the fullness of You. That sounds like a worthy prayer. Amen.

Unwise Gods

12.03.14

Romans 16.27 27 …to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. – St. Paul to the Roman church

The above is the last sentence in the Epistle to the Romans. I have to admit Romans is a weighty book with grand theological arguments and masterful common sense. I think the Church in every age has needed both. Theological arguments without love however lead to self-righteousness. Love without theological arguments leads to license. We need both theology and love and we need a wise God, the only wise God, to lead us into both.

Why I S.O.A.P. (my personal choice of Bible reading and exploration) is because of the meanings of the initials. S – is for Scripture. I need to read scripture every day. I need to look for wisdom and meaning in God’s word every day. The Bible’s wisdom, although misunderstood and maligned has withstood the test of time.

O – is for observation. What did I see in God’s word today that stands out to me and affects my life, my personality, my worldview, and my preferences (among other things)? What did I observe in the reading of God’s book today that will make a difference in my faith and my relationship with God and others?

A – is for application. How can I apply what I just observed and make it a part of my everyday practice? Theology without love leads to self-righteousness; love without theology is license.

And P – is for prayer. Can I stop long enough to talk with God about what just I saw and how it impacts me; perhaps asking for His strength and guidance to make it real to me, and move it beyond words on a page? To that, I bow before the only wise God for His leadership in my life.

So, if He is the only wise God, could there be unwise gods? Not sure I want to go there but I think I bow down to some unwise gods in my life.

The unwise gods in life make me ignore the only wise God. Unwise gods encourage me to lean on my own understanding, cleverness, energy and effort. Unwise gods bid that I ask God to bless my plans without seeking Him first for His wisdom available to me. (Unwise gods are not real, but the results in my life of ignoring the only wise God makes it seem that they are…)

I saw this saying today: Every choice you make has an end result. Choosing to ignore the only wise God has an end result. The other side is true too: choosing to seek the presence, power, and person of the only wise God has an end result. That’s the result I want. Unwise gods, however they may be – real or perceived – lie to me and tell me that my choices and the results thereof can be manipulated to my own preferred future. S.O.A.P. showed me otherwise that I need the only wise God in all I am and do…

Father, lead me in the way everlasting and help me to make wise choices today. Help me to live according to the reality of Your presence within me, and to seek You in all I do. Amen.