Liquid Faith

Liquid Faith is Moving...

2010-01-25T08:38:00.003-05:00

After nearly 6 years blogging through the Blogger platform, I have decided to move this blog to the Word Press platform.

Those few of you who still follow this blog, despite the lengthy dry spell it has endured these last months, please update your links and feed readers.

You will find the new (and hopefully much more active) home of Liquid Faith and my other blogs at the following links:

Liquid Faith: http://liquidfaith.wordpress.com

John Wesley Studies: http://wesleystudies.wordpress.com

Scripture and Reason: TBA.

Who do you see in the mirror?

2009-11-10T09:44:00.002-05:00

This weekend, Sarah took the kids to Cincinnati to visit her family. While they were there, they decided to stop and see Sarah's grandmother, who just recently moved into a nursing home. The kids are young enough (3 1/2 and 15 mo.) that they have not previously been exposed to an environment like that, so Sarah wanted to make sure that they were protected form some of the things they might see. She decided it would be best for them to meet with grandma in the waiting area, rather than in her room.

This particular nursing home is affiliated with the Catholic Church, so there were some nuns working there. Janna's only prior experience with a nun was when she was 3 months old. We were visiting the Cincinnati zoo when a couple of sisters commented on how cute she was and asked to hold her. We obliged (they were nuns after all), and no sooner did we hand the baby over than she decided to throw up all over the sister's habit. We have kept our distance from the convents since...

So, as Janna watched a nun as she worked in the nursing home reception area, she was doing so without any background understanding of who these people are. She was observing things entirely on her own, and her reaction was somewhat startling....and profound.

As the nun answered phone calls and went about her business, Janna pointed at her and said, "Mommy, is that God?"

Now our natural reaction is to chuckle at a question like this and explain who nuns are, but I don't want to pass over the significance of what our 3 year old has just said. In just a few moments, as she watched an older lady in plain clothing going about her daily tasks, Janna witnessed some special, something peculiar. She witnessed the very presence of God.

So often we get caught up in all of the things that we think we have to "do" for God. While those things are important, I wonder how many of us regularly take time to consider all of the things that God wants to do in us, and for us? How many of us are content to let God direct us from a distance, rather than move us from within.

Are you allowing God to so fully rule in your life that his face is the one that shows when you look out on the world? Is it his hand that reaches out to show love to others? Is it his presence that other sense when you walk into a room? Does the love of Jesus fill you up until it overflows and spills out on those around you?

If a child were to witness you going about your dullest daily tasks, would she ask, "Mommy, is that God?"

Happy Birthday Jerry Walls!

2009-04-21T09:48:00.001-05:00

"Ode to Jerry"

This year has passed as though in a blink
But still you work and play and think
A philosopher’s work is never ending
Even when your joints are no longer bending

I remember you breaking your arm playing dodge ball
While these days you kind of just shuffle down the hall
Your may not be nearly as spry as you once were
But don’t give up hope or you’ll fizzle out for sure

Developing good arguments will keep your mind sharp
Like apologetic defenses of cherubs with harps
Keep chugging along and don’t give up the fight
Just focus on your next interview with Bob Knight

If you feel your age starting to make you feel funny
And a doctor prescribes pills that eat up your money
I urge you to say “no”, you don’t need that dope
You’ve got something better as a Prisoner of Hope

Continuing to age like this may be endemic
But faith, hope and love will be your polemic
Against all that comes as you turn one year older
If anything, maturity should make you feel bolder

You’ve got lots of future life left in your ticker
Philosophers live long lives ‘cause their heads are much thicker
So take heart, this day’s not the end of the story,
‘Cause no matter what happens, there’s always Purgatory…

I just couldn't resist taking this quiz...

2009-03-13T08:19:00.000-05:00

Seminary Survival Quiz

2009-02-13T09:00:00.001-05:00

This one is just for fun. I honestly expected to do better, you know, since I DID survive seminary.

94%

Visit Going to Seminary for seminary tips and advice.

My Theological Worldview (Quiz)

2008-12-30T15:09:00.001-05:00

You Scored as Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan

You are an evangelical in the Wesleyan tradition. You believe that God's grace enables you to choose to believe in him, even though you yourself are totally depraved. The gift of the Holy Spirit gives you assurance of your salvation, and he also enables you to live the life of obedience to which God has called us. You are influenced heavly by John Wesley and the Methodists.

Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan

89%

Neo orthodox

82%

Roman Catholic

68%

Emergent/Postmodern

50%

Fundamentalist

46%

Reformed Evangelical

43%

Charismatic/Pentecostal

29%

Classical Liberal

21%

Modern Liberal

Next Things - For Real This Time

2008-11-17T18:23:00.003-05:00

Now its really official. I got the paperwork in the mail today officially offering me a position as a student in the Doctor of Philosophy program at the University of Manchester / Nazarene Theological College. After a full year of applying for programs, writing and rewriting proposals and papers, and refining my topic I will finally be able to take a breath before the running starts again in January.

Thank you all for your prayer and support through this process. I recognize that I could never hope to accomplish this task without it.

There will be more to come in the near future, so stay tuned. The fun is about to begin....

Next Things

2008-09-17T21:51:00.001-05:00

Well, its official - sort of.

After nearly a year spent in the application process, and more than that spent working on a topic, I have been officially approved for the Wesley Studies PhD program at the University of Manchester (England) and Nazarene Theological College. I say "sort of" because there is technically one last step. The research degrees committee has approved me, but there is always the outside chance that the Admissions Council at Manchester will not, though NTC assures me that this has never happened before. So, baring something really unusual, I will be starting my PhD officially this January (2009).

I am excited beyond words about my topic (which is in systematic theology) and feel truly honored and blessed to have this opportunity. For those of you who have been listening to me talk about my topic through all of its revisions, have prayed for me, have given me input and criticism, and have participated in this journey with me (I love you Sarah) I want to say "thank you", and "it ain't over yet".

In fact, the next 5 to 6 years will be a long but stimulating process of research and writing. I know that I am not equal to the task, but I thank God that He is. He has sustained me all along in my studies, and has sustained our family throughout this time. I, even now, anticipate his grace throughout the next few formative years.

At any rate, I just wanted to inform those of you who care (and I thank you for those who have been asking). I won't bore you with my topic - for now - but expect to see periodic writings on small aspects of it here as I am working things out in my head.

The Greatest Folly of Man

2008-09-10T08:47:00.001-05:00

I have been praying for God to teach me one particular lesson over the last year or so, and he has obliged in more ways than I had truthfully hoped he would. It seems that when I ask God to show me my weaknesses or to change something in me that doesn't conform to Jesus, he is very eager to accept the challenge. So when I asked him to covict me of my pridefulness and change me, I began to see immediate results, many of which have brought me to shame.

Pride is one of those things that can be taken both positively and negatively. On the positive end being proud of one's spouse or children, some great accomplishment, or you favorite sports team (Go Steelers!) can be a very good thing. It expresses our joy and encouragement to those who have made us proud.

On the flip side lies pridefulness, which is the boisterous (even inwardly so) recognition of self and one's own accomplishments or knowledge. Pridefulness like many of humanity's follies has a way of sneaking up on a person, of remaining hidden until exposed to light. It lingers within that flickering thought that someone is beneath you, that wayward glance of contempt, or that moment of conceited speech.

I try to be careful in my approach to people. I speak kindly, offer due respect, go out of my way to help. But in the briefest moments I allow pridefulness to rear its ugly head. The saddest part is that it usually happens around those who I am particularly close to, though certainly not always.

As I have been praying for the Lord to correct this flaw in me, he has shown me a number of times that I have allowed pridefulness to cultivate. In the last 24 hours it has happened twice. First was in a conversation with one of my closest friends, who I have known since we were children. Even without intending it, in the briefest moment I allowed myself to feel superior in my knowledge of scripture, making a hurtful comment about someone's naivete. though it was not directed at my friend, I soon found that he shared the same opinion as this unnamed other I was speaking about in general. And then it hit me what a prideful statement I had made. Thankfully, when I apologized my friend was quick to forgive - much quicker than I am to forgive myself I'm afraid.

The second situation occured early this morning. I passed someone that I vaguely know, who has (in my opinion) used the name of Jesus a bit freely and superficially in some of our past classes. Yet who am I to judge that. As I passed this person, those thoughts popped into my head for just a moment and then just as quickly they were gone. Just a few moments later, though, a song popped into my head and I started singing it. It only took a moment for the realization to hit me that God was pointing out my pridefulness. Can you guess the song?

"Blessed be the name, blessed be the name, blessed be the name of the Lord..."

Yeah....that one felt like a punch to the gut.

At any rate, I'm not sure why i felt the need to blog about it. Maybe this is a warning to others about how pridefulness can sneak up unnoticed. Perhaps it is a form of confession. All I know is that I recognize more each day just how much I need the grace and love of Jesus.

I am so thankful that he gives both abundantly...

Monday Mornings

2008-08-18T07:37:00.001-05:00

I'm tired!

I'm sure I've been getting more sleep than my lovely wife (who has far more strength than I could ever hope to have), and I don't mean to complain, but this morning it finally just hit me. I'm not sure whether it hit me when I dropped Janna off at school and had to leave with her crying, or when I called the mother of the twins in her classroom (who I know by name) by her new teacher's name, or when I got to my office this morning and attempted to unlock the door with the key-less entry remote for my car. Maybe it is a cumulative effect, but either way I am now aware of my intense need for more sleep.

My immediate inclination on a day like today is to just shut the world out and be grumpy. I could go about my whole day without ever being truly kind to anyone. I could make sure not to go out of my way for any of my co-workers or students. I could grumble and complain, or wear a scowl on my face.

But as Christians we are called to behave in a different way than our sinful inclinations often push us. We are called to live in such a way that the light of Jesus overpowers any darkness in our countenance or souls. This doesn't mean that we are to walk around like the Joker with a permanent smile etched on our faces, but it does mean that we should be content, even joyful in our present sufferings, however mild or severe they may be.

Oswald Chambers talks about this in My Utmost for His Highest. He doesn't suggest that one should appear like a court jester, goofing around and laughing hysterically at every whim. What he does suggest is that the Christian ought to be at peace. We ought to be relaxed, rather than stressed out. We ought to be content, rather than anxious.

And this should be more than just an outward appearance. We are called to show such a face to the world not out of a sick desire to fool them, but because such a face reflects our inner countenance.

I could go on and on, citing Biblical examples of what I am talking about, and perhaps I will at some point. But for now, what is the point? The point is simply this - as a Christian, I should be reflecting daily about myself, about who I have become. As a child of God, redeemed by Jesus Christ, I should be filled with hope (not dread), life (not sour grapes), love (not self-interest), and peace (not anxiousness or malcontent). In a word - I should be happy. And as I reflect on God's many blessings, I find that I really and truly am.

So what's a little lost sleep on a Monday morning? Nothing more than an opportunity to praise God for his unmatchable grace...and a chance to warmly welcome the next person to walk through my door in the name of Jesus Christ.

Those Funny Moments

2008-08-15T19:35:00.001-05:00

I know its unusual for me to post more than once in a day - or a month, but I just had to share something that happened this evening.

Just after I finished my last post on discipline, I went into Janna's room to make sure she was sleeping instead of playing. When I opened the door, she was laying quietly in her bed, but something looked strange in the dark. I sneaked inside to take a closer look and Janna looked up at me and giggled. It was then that I noticed that she was completely naked.

Apparently, from what Sarah and I were able to discern later from Janna's chatter, she had taken her clothes off to go swimming....in her bed.....at night....

Discipline

2008-08-15T19:09:00.001-05:00

Our 2 1/2 year old daughter is a real spitfire. She is smart, headstrong, and wants things her way. I love every minute I am able to spend with her, but let's face it - sometimes I feel like all I do is put her in the naughty corner, trying to curb her unruly behavior before it becomes a habit.

Discipline is a necessary pat of raising any child. At some point you've probably heard someone on a television program jokingly say "this is gonna hurt me more than you" before dishing out punishment to a child. I've come to realize that this may be closer to the truth than I ever believed when I was on the receiving end of my Father's discipline.

It is never easy to punish a child that you love. My heart hurts a little every time, but sometimes it hurts for very different reasons. When I punish Janna for disobedience or hitting or something else, it hurts me to see her cry. It breaks my heart to watch her sit in the corner with that pitiful look on her face. But in the end I know I have done the right thing - that she is learning good lessons about what is or is not proper behavior.

The other type of hurt I experience is very different, and comes when I reflect on how I might have been more patient, or how I have at times punished her more out of frustration rather than giving her a second chance to change her behavior.

Our Heavenly Father must experience some of these same emotions when he disciplines his children. In many circles there is a lot of emphasis placed on the wrath of God, often seen as an expression of his righteousness. Though scripture is clear that God's wrath will come to those who are disobedient to him, I am struck by just how hesitant God is in unleashing his wrath. He gives every opportunity for those who are disobedient to turn their faces toward him and repent. Only after affording opportunity after opportunity does he act swiftly and justly against the ungodly.

This is never more apparent than with the Incarnation of Christ. Broken covenant after broken covenant have come and gone until this last and standing covenant remains. Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. We must turn from our wicked ways, repent, and follow him or suffer the eternal discipline of the Father.

As a child of God, a believer in Christ Jesus, the life of Jesus, his death, and resurrection stand as my hope and my joy. As a father, they stand as a potent reminder that discipline must be given, but it should not be given hastily.

When Janna has been punished, she comes to me seeking approval and love. She wants to know that her Daddy still thinks she is the most special little girl in the world. She wants to know that I am not disappointed in her.

When Janna comes to me for these things, I give them whole-heartedly because they are all truly and most passionately felt. I love her.

When we come to the Father in broken repentance, seeking his forgiveness and love, he offers it freely as well. And he goes one step farther than we mere humans can - he forgets the transgression forever more. His love is that rich and that deep.

When I reflect on how my Father in Heaven has taught and disciplined me throughout the years, I could become bitter, thinking him overly harsh. But when I reflect on his infinite love expressed through his righteous discipline, I have only one thought and desire.

I want to be a father like that someday.

Gospel Warnings!

2008-04-24T09:27:00.003-05:00

I don't usually post links to other articles or bloggers unless I am interacting with them in some significant way, but this one is too good to pass up. Michael Spencer over at Internet Monk recently wrote a piece that you need to read. Call it satire or pure sarcasm. Either way it makes a powerful point.

A Father's Joy Revisited

2008-04-22T10:37:00.003-05:00

Not long ago I blogged about my experience as a father, its joys and disappointments, and how they re-frame my thinking about our Heavenly Father and his relationship to humanity. This past Sunday I was given a taste of the overwhelming joy that I spoke of before.

Our small church has a number of children, and it is always fun to watch them interact with one another as they go to children's church following the scripture readings. This week, I was already deep in thought and writing furiously in my journal as my wife got up to take Janna back with the other children to their room behind the pulpit. Just before the door closed, with Janna and mommy going through last, as we were about to begin prayer, Janna popped her head around to look right at me with a big grin, and then did the funniest thing. She lifted her little arm in the air, began to wave furiously, and yelled "Bye, bye, Daddy!"

In that moment, I was yanked from my thoughts and immersed in a euphoria I can't quite explain in words. I felt completely loved. I was to be missed. After the laughter subsided and I managed to choke down the tears rising in my throat, I began to reflect on what I said before about how God must experience true pleasure when one of his chilrden responds to him with genuine loving affection.

I think I am beginning to understand how it is that a shepherd missing a single sheep leave all the others behind and goes looking for that one. And upon finding the lost sheep, he rejoices. It all makes sense now. And yet this concept is so profound.

If the genuine love of one child brings this much joy to a broken, human heart mired by sin, how much more does the genuine love of a multitude of God's children bring joy to him?

So I urge you. Whatever it takes for you to break any patterns of unfaithfulness to God. Whatever it takes for you to reorient your focus upon him. Do it now!

Love powerfully, as you have been loved!

The Sign of the Cross

2008-04-15T14:29:00.001-05:00

As you have no doubt noticed, I have been pondering quite a bit lately about the liturgical practices of the church - particularly the early church. One of the practices that has been intriguing me lately is that of making the sign of the cross.

Kyle, over at Captain Sacrament gives a nice summary of the reasons why he began crossing himself throughout the day. He emphasizes the importance for Christians to remember who they belong to, and to place actions and thoughts within the context of Trinity.

Scot McKnight talks about this on Jesus Creed as well, noting that the sign of the cross has been integral to the daily lives of Christians since the early church, but is often attributed to Roman Catholicism, and therefore rejected by Protestant Christians.

On one level it seems pertinent to liken the sign of the cross to a WWJD bracelet, or a cross necklace, serving to remind the Christian of both obligations to and promises of God. But I think it goes deeper than this. When one makes the sign, whether before prayer, before and after the Eucharist, when one gets up in the morning, or when one lays down to sleep, they are doing more than remembering obligations and promises. They are, in fact, re-framing their very lives in a context of Divine and communal relationship.

In one sense, the Christian is recognizing their position as an adopted child of God, and co-heir of Christ. They are participating in the life of the Trinity through the atoning sacrifice of Christ. And they are invoking their right as justified persons to stand before the throne of God.

In another sense, the "signer" is participating with the Body of Christ, the church catholic, in identifying oneself as part of this community of the New Covenant. It serves as a unifying statement of faith that transcends denominational boundaries and generational gaps.

I don't cross myself currently. There are a number of reasons why, but none of them are good ones. Why am I so afraid to participate in the practices of the church? Why do I shy away from the mystical publicly, only to punish myself mentally and emotionally with the desire to understand these practices more fully? I am neither ashamed of nor angry with the "low church" tradition in which I have been raised. But I wonder if I've missed out sometimes? I wonder if I should be ashamed that I question so many things rationally, rather than participating in these means of grace in faith?

Let me leave you with these words from Tertullian from the 2nd and 3rd Centuries (Hat Tip to Jesus Creed):

At every forward step and movement,

at every going in and out,

when we put on our clothes and shoes,

when we bathe,

when we sit at table,

when we light the lamps,

on couch,

on seat,

in all the ordinary actions of daily life,

we trace upon the forehead the sign [of the Cross].

oligopistos

2008-04-09T18:39:00.003-05:00

"I believe; help my unbelief!"

The Father's Joy

2008-03-16T08:30:00.001-05:00

My little girl Janna amazes me each and every day. The way she plays, learns, and even the way she rebels and throws fits display little pieces of my wife and me. I am fascinated by what this one child has added to our family over the last two years, and I am blessed.

You see, I love her.

But Janna doesn't always love me back in the way I would like. She is definitely a mamma's girl (unless she is scared or really tired). We have great play time together, but she freely offers baby hugs and baby kisses to her mom, while often shunning me with the same.

I'll admit that though I may be big and rough on the exterior, this sometimes hurts me deeply. Being rejected in any form by one that I love so deeply causes more pain than any of the injuries I have incurred throughout my life (and there have been many).

But every now and then the rejection is replaced by genuine loving embrace. Sometimes Janna will pat my back with her little hands, or come over to give me a hug, or give me a sloppy baby kiss. No matter what she does afterward, or what she did before, in that moment I experience real joy. The joy of a father.

I expect our Heavenly Father is no different. Sometimes - many times - I reject his love. I run away from his embrace and follow after my own desires. Rarely does it cross my mind how much this must hurt. For if my love for my daughter is any reflection at all of God's love for me, then the pain I have caused him in these times must be excruciating indeed.

Why then would God give us a choice in the matter? Why not just make us love him? I do not wish to debate the tenets of free will this early in the day. I don't need to. You see, for Janna to truly love me, I have to let her decide to do so. When I force her to hug me, she cries, and only runs away faster when I put her down. It causes the opposite of the desired effect. God's love can be no different in this respect. For there to be real, abiding love between us I must be given the choice to love him.

And sometimes I make that choice. Though I have caused him more pain than I can fathom, I know that in the times I have loved God with my whole being I have caused something quite different. For in these moments I believe I have given him a Father's joy.

Rebutting a Rebuttal - Or Some Junk!

2008-03-01T16:42:00.007-05:00

My good friend Dave has decided to enter the fray and respond in verse to my most recent poem, which I now confess was written for him after he criticized my non-rhyming style of poetry. You can read his response to my last poem here. In an effort to show that I am king of the rhyme, I offer you my rebuttal to his rebuttal. I am sure this will go on ad infinitum.
----------------------

Wrung
Stung
Feels dejected

Torn
Worn
Unrespected

Fight
Night
Unsuccessful

Whipped
Licked
Broken vessel

Cry
Sigh
You've been tested

Why
Try
You've been bested

Rhyme Time

2008-03-01T13:31:00.003-05:00

Hope this one sooths the need for rhyming verse.

A poem shouldn't buck the tide,
Or so some folks might claim.
Each stanza or each line should have,
Two words that sound the same.

This rhyming, rhythmic pattern,
Makes us feel all calm and cozy.
Like daffodils and puppy dogs,
They make our world more rosy.

But on some days the rhyming strays,
Into a strange new pattern.
Where words collide and swirl around,
Like dusty rings of Saturn.

So when the pretty sounding lines,
Go off on a vacation.
I urge you not to get distraught,
Or shake with aggravation.

Someday soon they're sure turn around,
And start re-rhyming.
But that day may not be today,
Or anytime this week :)

---
That ending is killing you, isn't it? Hahahahaha!

Nothing to Prove

2008-02-29T20:05:00.003-05:00

This post has been modified to appease all the self-proclaimed poetry critics out there. I never claimed to follow rhyme, rhythm, meter, or any of that other jazz. Let's just call it "stream of consciousness" instead so nobody gets their britches in a bunch. You know who you are ;)
-----------------------

I'm tired. Make that weary. Posturing used to have its benefits, but they weren't real, were they?

The forward facing masses can't handle it when someone looks around. It messes up their Chi or something...

Its easier to face forward with them, but then I miss the view and all I see is the head in front of me, bobbing along like a fishing lure without a hook.

Even facing forward I don't quite blend. I never have. My hair is always messy, which seems to tick them off.

I try to comb it down so I match, but these stupid cow-licks fight me, so it never works for long and always draws a stare or two.

Its hard to walk the other way, but at least my footprints are fresh, and I can look them in the face as they stare, burning me with eyes that hate the anomaly.

My footprints are still fresh, but not alone. I guess that means there's nothing to prove.

Curb Your Zeal - Part II

2008-02-29T18:50:00.004-05:00

This post is a response to a comment on my post titled "Curb Your Zeal with Humility", which you can read here. Before I begin, I would like to set some ground rules. It is always a touchy situation when brother and sisters in Christ disagree. It can have a tendency to become personal very quickly. If I become guilty of this, please let me know in the comments section. What I expect of myself, I expect of others as well. Should any responses to these or other posts turn into attacks, they will be deleted without hesitation. With that, here is my response to Kyle's comments.
-----------

I admire your zeal and your ability to debate, and I ultimately find myself on the same side of the argument as you. It is your approach that bothers me. When I read your comments on this debate about Calvinism, whatever forum they are in, they have a tendency to be harsh and hyper-critical. Perhaps that is not how they are intended, but its how they come across. I have known many Calvinists who would say that your assessment of their belief is not just wrong in what it concludes to be scriptural (I agree with you on these points), but they would likely say that you have drawn false conclusions and followed them to logical extremes (in some cases).

The biggest problem I have with the method, though, is the tone that it sets when you essentially say, "they are wrong and it is my job to fix them." This is where the humility is lacking. You can disagree with me, and I respect that, but this debate has raged for far longer than we have been alive, and my those more capable than us. For one to suggest that it is up to them to single-handedly fix the problem just smacks of pride.

I feel that I must admit something as well, in order to be completely honest. I take offense to your comments personally as well as methodologically. You see my older brother, who is one of the most intelligent people I know, is a Calvinist. He was not always so, and spent a great deal of time in prayer and study before changing his position. In addition to his intellectual capacity, he lives his life in such a way that leaves no doubt that the Spirit is active in his life. He is one of the wisest, most mature Christians I have known. Were he not a relative, I would still be seeking his spiritual advice often and with much thanksgiving. When you attack the proponents of Calvinism and call them "misguided", you are in effect saying that they must not have the same level of understanding and witness of the Spirit as you. And in this I must say, you are vastly mistaken.

I would like to particularly respond to one thing you said in your comments, which I have included here.

I hope you realize that in critiquing my comments, you have engaged in some very serious accusations of your own. I have never claimed that Calvinists have blasphemed, I have only contended, with Wesley, that Calvinism holds a blasphemous view of God, though Calvinists usually don't see it. However, you seem to be willing actually to accuse me, Kyle, of blasphemy? I'm not sure how you can accuse me of prideful zeal when you take your critiques even a step further than mine in applying them to a person rather than to a system.

I was not suggesting that you accuse Calvinism of blasphemy, but I was indeed saying that your words come close to it. When you say that the God of Calvinism is unworthy to be worshiped, you are speaking about Yahweh the only God worthy of worship. In trying to make a point that Calvinism attributes to God characteristics that you find undesirable is one thing. To speak of the God who is beyond our complete understanding in the way you have is entirely different. Do not confuse theology with Theos.

You take issue with my claim that your method (note I am not saying you) is without love. I agree with you whole-heartedly that true love sometimes requires confrontation. What I am saying is that one can do this with loving language and posture. The harshness of the words I have read are lacking in both. The ends do not justify the means.

There is one final area where I should have been more clear. By pointing out that your method of argument seems more prevalent among younger/newer students was never intended to demean you in any way. I was just commenting on something I have found to be true across the board. This was not intended to offend, and I was wrong if it did.

You have said to me that it should not matter if one offends if one is speaking in love. I think this is one of the areas where we fundamentally disagree. You see, for me to engage in debate, reprimand someone, etc. in a manner that is offensive is to do so without a posture of love. Love confronts and corrects, but it is also patient, kind, and gentle. This should not be confused with meekness, but should function as a guidepost for sacred speech.

Eucharist

2008-02-28T10:07:00.006-05:00

I have been pondering the Lord's Supper of late. It is something so central to the historic Christian faith and practice, yet it is so often misunderstood, argued about, and trivialized. It is my overly rational nature to want to systematically analyze everything that I encounter, and yet when it comes to the Eucharist, the desire to over analyze flees from me. I have an opinion about doctrines such as trans-substantiation and con-substantiation. I am willing to debate about them vigorously, because of the implications they carry for the Atonement of Christ. But the meaning (to use a loaded word) of the Eucharist is not bound in these things. At the end of the day, the Eucharist is experiential in nature.

The best way for me to illustrate this is with a short excerpt from my rather boring life. Yesterday morning was not good for me. After a long night of battling our toddler, trying to get her to sleep, I awoke to my wonderful wife telling me that the car (our reliable one) wouldn't start. With work, studies, and a slew of other things to do already, this was just the straw that broke this camel's back. After dropping Janna off at daycare and Sarah off at school, I left Wilmore to run some of the errands of the day. After fighting traffic for an hour, I finally returned to school, more exasperated than when I left. As I pull into a parking space, though, it hit me. Today was Wednesday. At 11:00 there would be a Eucharist service. My stress instantly dissolved, and I rushed to the chapel to partake of the life-giving body and blood of Christ.

But what is it about the Eucharist that has such a profound impact on the partaker? I can only tell you what I know in my deepest being to be true. When I partake of the elements, I partake of the divine nature of the Trinity. I experience grace in such measures that it breaks my heart, mercy in such measures that it leads me into thanksgiving and praise, and love in such measures that I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I belong to God, and he is my own.

When I partake of the Eucharist, I find the deepest sense of brokenness, and the deepest sense of Shalom - peace and wholeness.

As it turns out, the Eucharist service was canceled yesterday. Though I was certainly saddened by this a tad bit, even the anticipation of the Sacrament brought me abounding peace. And that just confirms to me the unending, unfathomable grace of God.

Hymnology

2008-02-28T09:23:00.012-05:00

Last night I attended a lecture on contemplative prayer at Asbury Theological Seminary. During the course of the lecture the speaker made some claims about the nature of God. In particular, she was emphasizing that God is invisible. I tend to be a little bit ADHD, so my mind often switches gears when someone makes a claim like this as I search my memory banks for other places I have encountered such claims. It is my systematic way of verifying or raising questions about what someone is saying.

As this natural process happened last night, I was struck by the initial source that my mind naturally searched. That source was the hymns of the church. As she uttered the phrase "God is invisible", I immediately began to sing in my mind the great Hymn "Immortal, Invisible, God only Wise."

Now I know that this is no exhaustive way to cross-reference someone's claims with Christian tradition, but I think it shows the importance of hymns in the life of the Church. I have long acknowledged that there is a great deal of theology bound within the songs we sing, but I had not previously recognized just how much I have personally incorporated that theology into my being.

In a time where illiteracy was commonplace, the hymns were a way of communicating the gospel to the masses. They are an oral tradition by which we pass down knowledge from one generation to the next. The music that accompanies this knowledge acts as a memory aid, helping the singer / listener to appropriate it more easily. Even now, as I have just seen in myself, the hymns provide a fertile ground for teaching doctrine.

The current trends of Christianity have transformed the landscape of sacred music. Hymns have been largely replaced in many churches by contemporary praise music. I have no problem with such music. It is very effective for bringing people into worship. But I am concerned about the lack of theological depth found in these songs. With the loss of hymns, congregations have begun to lose touch with theological language and the basics of Christian belief.

I am not a worship leader, and I am not talented enough to become a writer of music, so I don't know what the solution is. I am concerned with the loss of Christian education within our congregations. It is the new biblical "illiteracy" of of the masses. And we must find a way to reverse its impact on God's people.

Curb Your Zeal with Humility

2008-02-27T15:19:00.008-05:00

Of late I am becoming increasingly concerned with a trend I see at the Seminary here, especially among new students. This trend is to level one's disagreement with a doctrine, argument, etc. in the form of flat-out hate-speech.

This is particularly prevalent in discussions of Reformed doctrines such as predestination and eternal security. Rather than presenting one's arguments in a dialogical fashion, it has become fashionable to simple level claims that the "Calvinist God" is evil or unworthy of worship, and to paint Reformed Christians as either misinformed of the "true" gospel or intentionally defunct of true faith.

I am disturbed by this trend on several levels.

1) Language such as that being used in these cases is completely devoid of humility.

One should not forget that a deterministic view of God has been represented significantly throughout the history of the church and in the writings of the Fathers. I have also (sadly) known more Calvinists than Arminians who rigorously defend their faith, engage in effective evangelism, and show the fruit of faith in their lives.

I strongly affirm that though these issues are of immense importance to our understanding of God as revealed in Jesus Christ, one's position on these matters is not what defines one as a faithful follower of Christ.

Humility should be the bedrock upon which all theological discussion is formed.

2) Accusations of this sort come precariously close to blaspheming God.

I recently read a blog post by an Asbury student that labeled Calvinism as an "abomination" and gave reasons for this declaration. What bothered me most, however, was not the post but a comment written by a friend of mine. In it this friend said,

The Calvinist God is not worthy of worship; rather, he's fit only to be tried at the highest courts of cosmic justice for crimes against the universe.

This is incredibly disturbing to me. In essence, my friend is saying one of two things; either Calvinists do not worship the same God (Yahweh) as Arminians, or Yahweh is unworthy of praise. Though I am sure my friend did not intend his comment to carry this meaning, it nevertheless does. I'm sorry to say this folks, but this is blasphemy. The God of Calvinism is the very same God of the Bible who we worship and glorify. You are stepping on dangerous turf with a statement like this.

If my friend is reading this, please understand that it is with all love and sincerity that I offer this admonishment. Please be careful not to let your zeal get the better of you. We must think before we speak, and bathe our words in prayer.

3) Language such as that being used in these cases is lacking in love.

Above all, we should approach all such discussions of theology from a standpoint of other-oriented love. This does not mean that we cannot admonish or correct views that are not Biblical. It does, however, mean that when we do these things, we do them with a heavy heart and concern for the one being corrected.

In the case of theological issues such as predestination, which have for so long been debated by those much wiser than ourselves, it is sometimes best to state your reasons for disagreement with another, while at the same time allowing the other to do the same. In this we recognize that God is glorified by our desire to know him more fully, even when we disagree.

As I reflect on this, I am reminded of one of Jesus' parables found in the gospel of Luke, chapter 18.

Luke 18:9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men-- robbers, evildoers, adulterers-- or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' 13 "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' 14 "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

I implore you, brothers and sisters in Christ, not to be like the Pharisee. Instead, approach these discussions with humility, that you might walk away from them without reason to feel ashamed.

Most Beautiful Crown

2008-02-20T19:07:00.011-05:00

As we sang the beautiful old hymn "My Jesus I love Thee" tonight in a class, I found myself completely captivated, almost overwhelmed as we sang the second stanza.

I love thee because thou hast first loved me,
and purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree;
I love thee for wearing the thorns on thy brow;
if ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

As I sang, a picture of a crown of thorns hung suspended in my head. I began to think about each thorn, each barb as though it represented one of my sins. How could the Lord of Heaven and Earth subject himself to such cruelty, such pain for the unworthy? My heart breaks with the knowledge that it was not a Roman guard or a misguided High Priest who did this to Jesus.

It was me.

And yet this image has brought such hope to my life. The wounds Christ bore were inflicted by me. And yet with each one, I became more free.

By the wounds of his crown, he set my mind free to hear and see God.
By the wounds of his hands, he set my hands free to do his will.
By the wounds of his feet, he set my feet free to follow him.
By the wounds of his back, he set my back free from the burden of sin and judgment.
By the wound in his side, he opened the locked vault of my hardened heart.
By his broken heart, he filled my heart with life and joy in the Spirit.

By his wounds he has made me whole again. He has taken upon himself the most beautiful crown of glory, that I might wear a heavenly crown of precious jewels.

If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

Praying the Rosary

2008-01-30T08:27:00.000-05:00

I have been challenged in a lot of ways that I didn't expect during my time here at seminary. Most recently I have been feeling a strong conviction that my prayer life needs to change - to mature maybe.

I spend a lot of time throughout the average day in prayer. Many times they are just a whispered "thank you" or a cry for mercy. Sometimes (usually at night and occasionally int he morning) they are more lengthy prayers of thanksgiving, praise, and petition. I pray over meals - partly because its what we were taught to do by Mom and Dad, partly because I want to give thanks for the many blessings that we have, and partly because it is the example of Jesus.

I've always been a somewhat emotional person in that I feel a great deal of empathy and can be sensitive to criticisms at times. Even though this is true, I have also always been highly rational. I have a hard time laying things to rest until I understand them fully. I find it easy to become completely obsessed with discovering the why's and how's of things. For example, just this week I glimpsed an article headline on Yahoo! about naked mole rats and their immunity to the pain caused by acids and hot peppers. I was in the middle of something important, but couldn't continue on until I had read the entire article and sat thinking for a bit about the ramifications.

My rational nature comes out in my love of philosophy and theology. But it unfortunately has some side effects. I have a hard time understanding practices that don't seem completely rational on the surface. I mean, clearly I also have faith, or I could not be a Christian. But it is almost easier at times to find the rationality in the Incarnation or the Eucharist than it is for me to find it in practices such as contemplative prayer.

I'm not sure this makes sense to my five readers, and I'm not sure it even makes sense to me. Some of the more ascetic and liturgical practices just puzzle me. I don't get them. Yet at the same time I have been feeling almost uncontrollably drawn to reading and thinking about them.

I come from an extremely "low church" tradition. That means that liturgy was simply not part of my vocabulary prior to seminary - other than the Eucharist, which was called communion and only happened once a year in some of my churches. Oddly, though my pastor confesses frequently how "low church" he is, I have somehow become more liturgical since I have been here. I see beauty - not in the practices themselves, but in what they represent. I sense God's presence and feel his grace when I approach his table, when I recite the creeds.

Getting back to prayer, I have been consumed by thinking about the practices of the monastics and the early church. I am particularly intrigued by the use of contemplative prayer to bring peace, openness to the voice of God, and focus to their lives. I've read enough about different religions to understand the importance that meditation plays throughout the world. But contemplative prayer is more than that.

Its not just an emptying of the mind - it is a filling of one's whole self with God.

I understand this on some level. Yet my rational mind has trouble with the idea of reciting a prayer over and over. I become a little embarrassed by the vulnerability it brings. I worry about the threat of practice become more than a means to an end. I worry about being thought a fool for the Gospel. Yet isn't this exactly what we are commanded to be?

Despite my worries and the seeming irrationality of the idea, I find myself distracted by reading about contemplative prayer practices. I am especially intrigued by the Eastern and Western monastics and their use of prayer chords or rosaries. I have significant theological reasons for disagreeing with Mary veneration in the Western church, so I have no interest in the "hail Mary" prayers that go with it. But I am very intrigued by the use of the Lord's Prayer and the Apostles Creed in the West and the Jesus Prayer and Nicene Creed in the East as a means to practice contemplative prayer.

Even though I am intrigued by these things, I would likely not be as drawn to them as I am if I had not seen their effects in the lives of real people. I was venting a bit to a friend of mine a few short weeks ago about the difficulties of working with certain folks on our campus. I was frustrated by the apparent lack of Christian love they exhibit towards myself and my coworkers. I'll never forget what he said to me in response.

He said, "You know how I get through my days, how I deal with the problems of working in a Christian organization?"

"How?", I asked.

And then he replied, "Every day, as I walk up and down the stairs in our building, with each foot that I place I pray -- 'Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'"

That witness of humility has broken my hardened heart over the last few weeks. I can;t get it out of my mind. The prayer that my friend whispers is the Jesus Prayer of the Eastern Monastics. That prayer has become real in my life.

This week I spent an afternoon at a retreat organized by the Office of Community Life here are the seminary. We trekked out to the Cliffview (a catholic retreat center near here), as we have each January to center ourselves for the work of the coming year. I arrived a bit early, so that I could enjoy a few minutes of solitude to calm my mind and release some stress. Almost immediately, I found myself in the lobby, grabbing a green plastic rosary from a basket there. My feet led me straight out back to the stations of the cross. With no small amount of fear in my heart, I slowly walked the stations and prayed.

At first, the prayers came slowly, almost hesitantly within my mind. Before long I was saying the Jesus Prayer, with intermittent Our Father's as I paced slowly. By station seven, I was whispering the prayer out loud. By the last station - the empty one - I stopped and laughed at the wonderful reality that Christ is risen and has ascended to the throne of grace. By the end of the walk, I was through the rosary, and I was at peace.

I can't explain what happened. Though I am still a little embarrassed to share this with my family, to keep it in would be worse. I don't know where God is leading me, though I am certainly not headed toward the Catholic or Orthodox churches (bet you were worried). All I know is that God is leading me into a new season of life. My wonderful family is journeying with me, and Sarah is supporting me. She understands. I am blessed by this. Who knows where I will be in six months or a year, but for now I feel as though Jesus is teaching me how to pray.

The Publicity...err...Joy of Giving

2007-12-06T08:38:00.000-05:00

This morning, as I was preparing to dig into another paper I am writing, I saw a segment on one of the morning news shows about a coat drive being sponsored by Burlington Coat Factory that aims to have a coat for every child in the U.S. (and adults too). The program is a wonderful idea, and I in no way want to detract from the good work they are doing.

However, as I watched the news folks talk about the program, it became fast apparent what the real "goal" was - to sell more coats and promote a national brand. Ben Affleck, the movie star, surprised the set by bringing the first coats to donate from his own family's closets. After talking about the importance of this program, he tried simply and quietly to put the coats in the bin and be done with it, but the reporter felt the need to turn it into a fashion show. Even Affleck himself seemed a bit ashamed as he remarked that he wasn't into the fashion of it all, just the utility of it.

The news show then proceeded, amid the background noise of a youth choir singing a Christmas carol, to wheel in 300 new coats from Burlington as a donation. The entire time I felt like I was watching a runway show.

Now, again, I want to emphasize that the program is wonderful - the showmanship is where I have a problem. Though we should not expect anything other than this from the world, Christians are called to behave in a different manner.

Matthew 6:1-4 says,

"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." (ESV)

During this season, as with all seasons, Christians are called to have a heart of giving. It is to be our whole attitude, our very nature, to sacrifice for the sake of others. But we are not to become showmen and seekers of accolades. When you give - notice the verse does not say if you give - do so quietly so that neither you, nor the one to whom you give should have any reason to feel ashamed. But above all, give. Give until it hurts. Give until you no longer think of the act itself, but only of the people in need.

Advent 2007

2007-12-05T08:47:00.000-05:00

As we enter into the season of Advent, we have much to be thankful for and much to anticipate. As my pastor said in Sunday service, the people of God have a duty to pradoxically remember the future as we reflect and wait upon the second coming of our Lord.

J.D. Walt, over at FarmStrong often presents us with wonderful meditations. This season is no different. If you will, please join with me and reflect on his words and those of Scripture.

A Prayer as Advent Opens

May God grant you peace in this busy season to reflect upon the greatest gift ever given in the history of the world.

Is God Self-Glorifying or Other-Oriented? How About Both?

2007-12-05T08:27:00.000-05:00

There is an interesting pseudo-dialogue going on between the blogs of Ben Witherington and John Piper right now concerning the nature of God as it is represented in the Incarnation. You can read it here:

Witherington's Original Post

DesiringGod.org Response / Slam

I call it pseudo-dialogical, because it is clear that the initial response from the DesiringGod website was primarily a knee-jerk reaction, that did not give due attention to the heart of what Dr. Witherington was saying. That is, of course, my opinion and you must judge for yourself. However, I hold the thought of both Piper and Witherington in high regard, so I am more interested in promoting healthy dialog. To this end, I posted the following comment on the DesireingGod.org blog, and I am awaiting a response:

I understand the knee-jerk reaction to anything that implies (on the
surface) that God created man for any reason other than his own
glorification. However, the argument that Dr. Witherington seems to be
setting up is not saying this at all. Instead, what he seems to be
suggesting is that the Incarnation itself is not primarily a matter of further
glorification, but rather an act of other-oriented love. This does not in
any way deny the first statement, for only redeemed humanity, empowered by the
Spirit, can ever offer sufficient glory to the Creator, and then only after the
fullness of the Kingdom has come. But that doesn't necessitate that the
Incarnation itself is merely a means to that end.

I'd be interested in hearing a dialogue on this, rather than a
knee-jerk smearing of Dr. Witherington's character.

Dr. Witherington's response to the claims of his critics, though not directly noted as such, is a good step in the right direction, but I am very interested to see further response from Piper's camp. You can read this second post at:

http://benwitherington.blogspot.com/2007/12/did-christ-come-to-please-himself.html

Enjoy!

Powerful Words

2007-12-04T08:39:00.000-05:00

Today in class, our professor asked us to pray as a group for a classmate who will be undergoing surgery. I was sitting directly in front of the professor, so I was able to hear him throughout the prayer as someone else led. He whispered something over and over that struck me with its simplicity, humility, and power. Here merely whispered,

"Jesus, have mercy."

I have so much to learn about humbly seeking the face of Jesus. This lesson is hitting me hard.

Of Gratitude for the Grace of God

2007-11-23T14:41:00.000-05:00

In light of the Thanksgiving holiday, I wanted to share some selections from St. Thomas a Kempis' Imitation of Christ.

Great is the difference between a visitation from above, and a false liberty of mind and great confidence in one's self.

God does well in giving the grace of comfort, but man does ill in not returning all to God with thanksgiving.

And therefore the gifts of grace cannot flow in us, because we are ungrateful to the author of them, nor do we return all to the original fountain.

For grace always attends him who is duly thankful, and from the proud shall be taken what is wont to be given to the humble.

I gladly accept that grace whereby I am ever made more humble and timid, more ready to renounce myself.

He who is made learned by the gift of grace, and taught by the stroke of its withdrawal, does not dare to attribute any good to himself, but rather will acknowledge himself poor and naked.

"Give unto God that which is of God," and ascribe to yourself what is your own: that is, give thanks to God for his grace, but to yourself give the blame, and note that your punishment is deserved for your fault.

Put yourself always in the lowest place, and the highest shall be given to you, for the highest cannot stand without the lowest.

Those who are settled and grounded in God can in no way be proud.

And those who ascribe all unto God, whatsoever good they have received, do not seek glory of each other, but wish for the glory which comes from God alone, and desire that God be praised above all things in themselves and in all the saints; and they are always tending to this very thing.

Be therefore thankful for the least, and you will be worthy to receive the greater.

Let the smallest be to you as the greatest, and that which is of less account as a special gift.

If you regard the dignity of the giver, no gift will seem small or very cheap.

For that is not small which is given by the Most High God.

He who desires to keep the grace of God, let him be thankful for the grace given, and patient when it is taken away.

Let him pray that it may return; let him be cautious and humble, lest he lose it.

Amen

What of Discipleship?

2007-09-25T07:31:00.000-05:00

“I was more convinced than ever that the preaching like an apostle without joining together those that are awakened and training them up in the ways of God, is only begetting children for the murderer. How much preaching there has been for these twenty years all over Pembrookshire. But no regular societies, no discipline, no order or connection, and the consequence is that nine in ten of the once awakened are now faster asleep than ever.” John Wesley

Thomas Jackson, ed., The Works of John Wesley, Vol.3, (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1979), p. 144.

I Can't Type

2007-08-24T13:41:00.000-05:00

I can't type. This may come as somewhat of a surprise. Especially considering that I've worked with computers for so long. I guess I just never took the time to really learn how to do it properly, and so it takes me an incredibly long time to type anything normal, though I can type nonsense computer jargon incredibly quickly. So I am trying out a new approach in typing this blog post. I am actually using some voice recognition software to do the typing for me. It has trouble every now and then recognizing what I'm trying to say, but for the most part it does a great job, and as I use it more it is supposed to learn how I speak and become more accurate. Either way it's a fun toy and it certainly types faster than I do. I guess that's enough rambling. I just wanted to test it out. I hope everyone is having a wonderful day.

Welcome Home

2007-08-24T00:17:00.000-05:00

My older brother returned home from a year in Baghdad today. I am thankful for all of your prayers. It feels like a lead weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Sometimes the easiest way to deal with something like having a loved one in harm's way is to simply pretend it isn't happening. I've been guilty of that at times this year. I'm not proud of it. But I am proud of him.

Welcome home Aaron! I love you brother.

Here We Go Again

2007-08-24T00:02:00.000-05:00

Well, it's about that time again. The fall semester begins on Sep. 3, and marks the beginning of my final year at seminary. Its been an wonderful journey so far, though I must admit I've experienced everything from boredom to awe to overwhelming stress to conviction - the list could go on. Ultimately, I have learned enough to realize that I will never stop learning. And that thought comforts me. It means that I don't have to know it all, because that would simply be an impossibility.

That being said, there are indeed some things that I can, and must, know for this semester. If you take a gander at the right column of my blog, you will see an updated list from LibraryThing that shows the books I'll be reading for class this semester. My sincere hope its that I will be able to digest these and still have time for some extra curricular reading that I am anxious to continue (or start) reading as well.

I've made some hard decisions in choosing my classes for this semester. I am taking fewer hours than usual in order to focus on writing samples and applications for postgraduate programs, and to take a breather from this past year. I have also chosen to take a semester away from classes directly dealing with Biblical languages. This doesn't mean that I won't be using them or trying hard to keep up on what I have worked so hard to learn. But I decided that I simply need a break. I've so far taken 2 Greek, 3 Hebrew, Aramaic, and German classes sicne I have been here, coupled with exegesis and inductive bible study courses that test my knowledge in these languages. It makes me tired just thinking about it. Rest assured, though, that I intend to finish up my last semester with a bit more Hebrew and some French (or maybe Latin).

This summer has been a bit intense for me. I'll be the first to admit that I bit off more than I could comfortably chew. I'm tired, and feel like I've been hit by a freight train that somewhat resembles the Library of Congress. Yet I am incredibly grateful for the support I've received at home, and progress that I feel I've made in some significant areas of my life.

I'm actually looking forward to starting back to classes. I'm looking forward to making plans with Sarah for our future. And I'm looking forward to continuing the transformation that God is working in me.

Dry Spell

2007-08-15T20:47:00.000-05:00

As you can tell, I've been going through a dry spell lately when it comes to writing. Its been an incredibly busy summer, so that may be part of it. More than anything, though, I just have writer's block. Lots to say, but the words never make it out of my head.

My lovely wife Sarah, on the otherhand, has just started a blog called Monster Tales, and has been churcning out all sorts of fun tidbits.

At any rate - I'm still here, still studying, still loving Seminary, still being me.....just a quieter me than most of you are used to. I'll try to get over the writer's block soon, cause I have lots to talk about. Till then, Shalom.

Random-ness

2007-04-24T20:38:00.000-05:00

Its really hot in our house. I don't think the air conditioning is working very well. Still, it sure is nice to see the sun.

I picked up three books on learning Latin yesterday. I'm thinking these will make for some light summer reading between classes and work.

I am down to 33 pages left to write in the next 3 weeks. That's 2 less than I had, so I'm making progress. I figure if I write 2 pages for every page of Aramaic I translate, I should be good by finals.

My Barnabas group met tonight. Its strange to me how freaked out people get when you mention you are in an "accountability / discipleship" group. It is one of the best decisions I have made since entering Seminary.

Is it a dumb idea to change the topic of a 20 page research paper only 3 weeks before it is due? I have been working on a paper comparing the soteriology of John Wesley and C.S. Lewis, but I'm wondering if an investigation into Lewis' Christology might be more fun.

I have a case study due tomorrow......but I'm tired. I think I'll go to bed.

That random enough for you?

Take care of the widow and orphan...

2007-04-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

I am not the sort that likes to watch daytime television. In fact, I rarely watch tv at all these days, save for a couple of primetime favorites that I catch when I'm not studying (NCIS anyone?). But I had 15 minutes to kill this morning before leaving the house, so I flipped on the tube and surfed on over to one of those morning shows and saw a story that just amazed and encouraged me.

Whole Child International is a non-profit organization that was started to meet the need for children in state-run facilities around the world (i.e. orphanages) to develop meaningful relationships during their care. Apparently, children who are not merely "cared for", but who are played with, engaged, and loved develop at a much quicker rate mentally and physically, not to mention emotionally. In other words, if you hug a child often and spend time with them they turn into better, healthier people - go figure.

Perhaps the most amazing part about this is that the organization was started by a single mother of two who, after seeing a video about the amazing results seen in an oversees orphanage where caregivers spent time with the children on a regular basis, plunket down her entire $1 million divorce settlement to spread this hope throughout the world. Here is an excerpt from her bio on Whole Child's website:

"Recognizing that institutionalized children have limited opportunities to become healthy members of society within current systems of care, Karen Gordon founded Child International to develop appropriate models for the care of the most vulnerable members of society. She has visited institutions worldwide, met with government officials and non-governmental organizations, and assembled a team of leading early childhood experts and institutions committed to finding solutions. "

Now here is my question - aren't all Christians commanded to do likewise?

Now granted, we don't all have a million bucks to slap down and start an organization, but all of us have that most precious commodity. Time. What if each Christian took the time to invest in just one child's life - one child who doesn't have a family? Can you even imagine the impact that would have on our world?

I can't - but I sure would like to live in that world.

---------------
You can visit Whole Child Int. at http://www.wholechild.org

On the Community of Faith

2007-04-12T07:41:00.000-05:00

Following is my sermon text from March 25, 2007.
-----------------

Ruth 1:16-17 Acts 2:44-47 Romans 8:5-17

On the Role of the Community of Faith

I. Introduction

In just a few minutes we will be participating in a special event, as we baptize Janna into the community of faith. Whatever your views about infant vs. believer baptism, or just what exactly happens when someone is baptized, it is important to understand 2 fundamental truths about this sacrament.

1) First, it is a passive work of grace. It is not something we do, but something that is done by God. We are active only in our obedience to humble ourselves. It is God who does a new work in us.

2) Second, like Holy Communion, it is not merely an individual work of grace. It is also a communal work. We do not take communion in isolation, nor are we baptized outside of a community of believers. It is through baptism that we announce to the faith community that we are committed to abiding with that community. In the case of a child, we are committing their life into the hands of the faith community.

Story:
A friend at the seminary recently celebrated the baptism of his fourth child. Upon witnessing this, his oldest child responded saying that he could not remember his own baptism. My friend later reflected on this dilemma with the following:

“[I] clearly believe [infant baptism] is the privilege of Christian believers. As children were circumcised on the 8th day and raised inside the Covenant Community of Israel, so should the children of real Christians bear the mark of the New Covenant and be raised inside the circle of faith.

Here's the dilemma . . . How can you remember what you can't remember? I do understand that re-baptism is not necessary. There is only one baptism. It is initial-- the starting line-- and need not be repeated. It's like getting married. You can renew your vows, but you can only actually marry the same person once.

My complaint with baptizing babies is the way it can effectively rob people of a key experience that was intended to be a gift of grace-- a living moment of revelation.”[1]
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I believe that the answer to this dilemma lies, not in a re-dedication ceremony, or in re-baptism, but rather in the role which the community of faith plays in the lives of those living in its midst – whether believers, or those children dedicated to be raised within it.

And so this morning, it seems appropriate to reflect for a few moments upon what it means to become a part of the community of faith, and the role the community of faith should play in the lives of those who reside within it.

II. Adoption and Inheritance (Romans 8)

According to the definition that Dr. Thobaben loves to give in his classes, family is a group of individuals who are genetically related, or behave as though they are (paraphrased). I would argue that Christian community should behave according to this definition of family. Now if a person is not genetically related to a group of people, how do they become incorporated into this group in such a way that the group behaves as though they are? In other words, once a community, whether genetically related or not, has been formed, how does one become a part of that family. The answer lies in the concept of adoption.

Adoption is a theme that runs throughout the New Testament. Hints of it can be found in the Gospel of Matthew, Hebrews, Ephesians, Peter, and several other places. Paul in particular emphasizes that we when live according to the Spirit we become adopted children of God. In our passage from Romans today, he says:

“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs-- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”

Now there are two components to this adoption that jump out at us right away.

1) First, as adopted children of God we become heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. In Jewish culture, much like our culture today, when a child was adopted into a family, they were instantly considered to be an integral part of that family. They held all of the same responsibilities, liabilities, and rights of genetic offspring. This included the right to an inheritance. In a culture where wealth was essentially measured in land and flocks, this was of special importance. Without an inheritance, one would be left homeless and destitute if the patriarch of the family suddenly died.
But with an inheritance, a person was guaranteed to be able to take care of their family. They would receive a portion of the wealth, prestige, and authority of the patriarch.

Likewise, as adopted children and heirs of God, we are promised an inheritance from God. We are to share in his glory for all eternity. If this is true, then the community of faith can best be viewed as a family of siblings. Each new addition to the community is adopted into this family like their older siblings before them.

2) Second, as adopted children of God we also receive the responsibilities that go along with any inheritance. Though the last part of verse 17 is often left out of readings, it contains critical information about this inheritance. In fact, it lays out that there is a condition, or responsibility, of the inheritance. We are called to suffer with Christ.

Paul has a great deal to say about suffering in this life – more than we have time to look at right now. So what I want you to carry away from this passage is the truth that, though we are indeed adopted children of God and heirs to his Kingdom, this does not come without responsibility. One aspect of this responsibility, the one we are concerned with today, is a responsibility to those who share in this divine sonship – those sitting around you in the pews this morning. We will return to the topic of responsibility a bit later on. So far, we have briefly looked at how a person comes into a community of faith, but we also need to look at how this inclusion into the community changes our view of family.

III. Faith Ties vs. Genetic Ties (Ruth 1)

For this, let’s revisit the story of Ruth from our Old Testament reading this morning. Naomi was a Jewish woman from Bethlehem who moved to Moab with her husband and two sons. Some time after they moved, Naomi’s husband died, and her two sons married Moabite women.

Now, in Israelite culture, inheritance passed through the male side of the family – father to son, and so forth. So, when a woman became a widow, she was essentially left with nothing, and relied on any sons to take care of her. This would have been the case for Naomi as well, but scripture tells us that both of her sons died just ten years after her husband, leaving not only Naomi, but also her daughters-in-law, without anyone to care for their needs.

Naomi decides at this point to return home to Judah, in hopes that the Lord would provide for her there, but she sent her daughters-in-law back home to their families, in hopes that they could remarry. Now Orpah listened to Naomi and went back to her home, but Ruth had a different response.

Ruth 1:16-17 says:

But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me."

Ruth so fully identified herself with the community of which she was a part that no social, economic, religious, or even genetic bonds could pull her away from her responsibilities to that community.

In the same way Christians are to cling to the community of faith – even to the extent that in some situations, this communal bond supercedes a genetic bond. Now what do I mean by this? I am not suggesting that when a person becomes a member of the body of Christ, that he or she separate themselves from family. However, there are some special circumstances where the needs and responsibilities of the Christian community may overshadow the needs and responsibilities of a genetic family member.

I know that Dr. Thobaben has spoken about this issue in the past, but it is an important concept that is often very difficult for us to accept. Perhaps the best way to illustrate this point is with a practical example.

Illustration:
Our daughter Janna will be a year old on April 9th. Sarah and I both look forward to many long years watching her grow into a young woman. However, if the worst should happen, and we are both killed in a car crash following the service today, we would want the best possible care to be provided for her. The best possible care that I can think of can only be provided in a solid Christian home, where obedience to God is both modeled and taught.

Now we are blessed with families who have been faithful to God. But if our families were not believers, we would have to decide what is best for our child. In such a case, we would want to leave Janna’s care to someone in the Christian community – even someone outside of her genetic family. In this case, the needs and responsibilities of our genetic family have been superceded by those of the community of faith – the body of Christ. And in such cases we, as the community, must be willing to step in and accept responsibility for things that were unexpected, and perhaps uncomfortable for us.

IV. Life Together (Acts 2)

We have talked so far about how a person becomes a member of the faith community, and how this then reframes their concept of family. Now it is time to look at how this new family should live together. One of the earliest and best examples of the faith community living together can be found in Acts chapter 2:

“All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

In this passage we are shown a community that is truly living into the definition of family. Though not all of them are genetically related, they are behaving as though they are. In a community such as this, all physical needs are met; each member learns and grows along side the others. They fellowship together in their homes. And they meet together as a community to worship the God who has adopted each and every one of them as his child.

I am not suggesting that we need to sell all of our possessions and live together in a Christian commune – although God has called some to do just that. What I am suggesting is that we reframe our picture of Christian community, picturing it as a great extended family, rather than a place where we get together once or twice a week to sing some hymns and hear a talented student preach J

It is a place where each member demands the rights of inheritance, but also accepts the responsibilities of kinship. And so at long last we get back to the topic of responsibility, as I promised.

V. Responsibility

Not all examples of communal responsibility are as dramatic as the example I gave concerning Janna. For some it may be as simple as taking the time to invest an afternoon into the life of another Christian. Taking someone a meal, asking them how they are developing spiritually, asking if you can baby sit wile they take a break (hint, hint). All of these are ways in which we are called to assume responsibility for our fellow Christians.

I am not suggesting that we are all capable of meeting every need within the community. But I am suggesting that each of us is capable of, and in fact gifted to, meet a need of someone else in the body of Christ. I would challenge you to stop and consider if God has placed someone on your heart this morning. Is there a need there that you are gifted to meet? If so, what is holding you back?

If each one of us is not in some way, every day, investing ourselves into the lives of other Christians, then we are failing to uphold our responsibilities to the community of faith.

Remember the boy who couldn’t remember his baptism? I told you that the solution to this dilemma lies in community. Now I am going to tell you how. If each of us invest ourselves into the lives of other Christians and members of the community of faith, we will be living in such a way that the memory of baptism doesn’t have to reside with one individual – it will instead reside within the collective memory of the Body of Christ. A child will not need to ask about his or her baptism, because he or she will be reminded daily of their adoption as children of God. This is what it means to be of one mind, one body.

Now as we prepare for baptism, I urge you to think seriously about how you, as the community of faith, are an integral part of the way in which God ministers through this means of Grace.

[1] http://farmstrong.blogspot.com/2006/10/baptism-dilemma_27.html

This I Believe

2007-04-11T08:54:00.000-05:00

I am not the best of husbands. I don't always show grace where I should, nor do I always love my wife as Christ has taught me to love. I don't always build her up, and I am not always present (physically or mentally). But I love my wife, and I am committed to the covenant I have made with her. She has been one of the greatest blessings that God has ever given me, and I am eternally grateful that she has chosen to love me back, despite my many flaws.

For a class this week, I was asked to write a brief (500 words) statement on something I believe. Due to the lenghth, this isn't some great essay that explores every nook and cranny of the subject I chose. Nor is it anything other than pure opinion on my part. Nevertheless, I thought I would share with you why I Believe in Marriage.

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This I Believe

I believe in marriage. I know this is a loaded term these days as secular society struggles to define – or perhaps redefine – what marriage is. But despite our society’s treatment of marriage, I believe in it. I believe that marriage represents a covenant between a husband and wife. Covenant can perhaps best be viewed as a partnership in which both sides have committed themselves to upholding their end of an agreement. It is binding. The marriage covenant may have many pieces that make up the whole of the agreement. Some of those might be to work together in raising children, to share resources equally, to build one another up and offer support for each other’s dreams. The parts of this covenant are endless. Sometimes they seem too endless to be practical. And so marriages fall apart; and people break the covenant.

Society would tell us that this is the normal state of marriage – to begin strong, to wane in the middle, and finally to break up entirely. “But no matter”, society would say. You can just start over, and create a new covenant. In fact, you can create a new covenant as often as you like, and with as many people as you wish. Covenants, after all, are made to be broken.

I believe that covenants are made to be kept. I believe that the nature of a covenant is such that, if one is willing to make it at all, they must be willing to abide by it, no matter how impractical it may seem at times. But I also believe that history shows the human inability to keep covenants. Treaties are broken between nations, promises are not kept between friends, and even little children have learned the art of deceit. But I believe there is hope.

I believe that there is a God who keeps covenants. This God has proven throughout history that he even keeps covenant with those who have not kept covenant with him. He has done this through forgiveness. I believe that this God interacts with humanity. I believe that he works with us and through us. I believe that we have access to his power, even the power of forgiveness and covenant keeping. And therein lies my hope for the covenant of marriage.

I believe that a marriage built upon the abilities of humans is doomed to failure. Our history of covenant breaking creates a weak foundation. Just as a house built on a weak foundation crumbles when tremors shake the earth, so also does a marriage built upon a weak foundation crumble when its world is shaken. But I believe that a foundation built upon the strength of God is one that is capable of weathering the storm. Through his strength, we too have the hope of maintaining covenant.

And so, I believe in marriage. But this marriage is not of the world. It is a marriage rooted in the strength of a forgiving God who has a history of covenant keeping. I believe it not only has the potential to survive, but that it can thrive. I believe that it must. For I also believe in my marriage. And because I believe in my marriage, I have built my foundation upon this God of covenants. I believe my foundation is strong. I believe it will prevail.

Taking Liberties with Friendship

2007-04-10T09:15:00.000-05:00

I am currently reading The Four Loves, by C.S. Lewis for a class I am taking. In this book he spends some time talking abut the danger of taking liberties in friendship. What I think he means by this is that true friendships provide a context in which we can let down our guard, to be a bit less controlled, less formal if you will. The danger comes, though, when we rely on this context of relaxation to intentionally act in such a way that is hurtful to our friends.

For example, my good friend Dave and I have a relationship that allows us to be a bit sarcastic with each other - to push each other's buttons a bit. We do this playfully, and without malice. However, if I am having a bad day and just feel a bit snippy, I might have the urge to make a snide remark to Dave, assuming that our friendship allows me free reign to say what I want. But my words are not said with a spirit of friendship in this case. Instead, I am taking liberties with that friendship in order to be unloving, even hateful.

Now, not all instances of taking liberties are this intentional. Sometimes we just become so comfortable in a firendship that we make the assumption that nothing we say will be misconstrued, or be found hurtful. Though this may be a misunderstanding, it is still an example of taking liberties with friendship, because I have allowed myself to forget that respect and love for my friend must be my first priority to them.

I took such a liberty in a frienship this week. My words were not intended to be hurtful, but because I allowed the assumption of free speech without limits to enter into my friendship context, I inadvertently caused injury to a friend.

I am thankful for forgiveness and grace. I am thankful that both were extended to me by my friend. But this week has been a reminder to me that I must always consider my intentions when I speak, and must also consider the effect that my words may have on others. This is especially true within the context of marriage. Some people will take offense no matter what. I can't help that. But I should live in such a way that this happens rarely.

I'll chalk this one up as a life lesson, but pray with me for greater sensitivity and greater discernment in my speech.

Happy Birthday Baby Janna

2007-04-09T09:05:00.000-05:00

Happy 1st Birthday Janna! Daddy and Mommy love you!

Adoption in the Matthean Geneology

2007-03-14T20:59:00.000-05:00

I have been thinking a bit about the picture of adoption that we see spelled out in the New Testament in which we are said to be co-heirs with Christ through our adoption as sons and daughters of God. Paul says a great deal about this, but he is not the only one.

I was reading through the geneology in Matthew 1:1-18 tonight (yes, people do actually read that part) when I was struck by the realization that Matthew is setting us up for a greater understanding of what this adoption as children of God entails.

Matthew presents his geneology to show that Jesus has fulfilled prophesy that the Messiah would be one from the lineage of king David. He does so, interestingly I think, by starting even before David to show that Jesus not only falls in this line, but that the family tree indeed runs back to Abraham himself. He carefully shows that there are 14 generations from Abraham to David, 14 from David to the Babylonian exile, and then 14 from the exile to Jesus. But perhaps the most interesting part of the whole picture comes in verse 16.

According to the flow of the genealogy up to this point, one has come to expect a pattern of so-and-so the father of so-and-so. Yet in verse 16, as we get to the immediate family of Jesus, the author abruptly shifts his pattern. Instead of the expected Joseph the father of Jesus, we instead get Joseph the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

What is so significant about this? Two things jump out immediately. First, Jewish geneology traditionally includes only the males of a family, the line passing from father to son and so on. This sudden inclusion of a woman, Mary, immediately throws off this standard way of marking inheritance. Second, by noting Jesus as the son of Mary, but not explicitly Joseph, the author is bringing focus to the fact that Jesus was not his genetic offspring.

So whats the big deal? What Matthew seems to be doing here is emphasizing that, though Jesus was not the genetic offspring of Joseph, he nevertheless is counted as such and is therefore, through adotion, a rightful heir to David.

Now to get to the crux of the issue. If Jesus, through adoption, is counted as rightful heir to all that would belong to the genetic offspring of his adopted father Joseph, how much more are we who are adopted through Christ counted as rightful heirs to all that which belongs to Christ himself as the only begotten Son of God?

I am still working out all of the implications of this, but how amazing is it, that with the first verses of the New Testament Canon, we have already been prepared for the blessings (and responsibilities) that await us as adopted children and co-heirs with Christ? I'll tell you - its pretty amazing from where I'm sitting.

Ashes at the Drive Thru

2007-02-21T14:45:00.000-05:00

Today is Ash Wednesday, a day which traditionally marks the first day of theLenten season. On this day, Christians around the globe adorn themselves with ashes to serve as a reminder of our frailty, our sinfulness, and our unworthiness before Almighty God. They also serve to remind us to put our hope in Jesus Christ, our redeemer.

Today is the first time I have observed Ash Wed., though I have been a Christian for many years. This is partly due to the traditions of churches that I was brought up in, but in recent years I think the only thing holding me back has been fear and pride.

It is a scary thing to walk out your door with a mark on your forehead. It sets you apart as different from the norm. It causes people to stare. It makes you self-conscious. It constantly reminds us that we are sinners. And it forces one to be prepared to answer questions about one's faith.

As I went about my business today, I noticed a lot of people staring. I got used to this pretty quickly. Our American culture tries to hard to pretend that it doesn't notice differences. Rather than celebrating diversity, we avoid acknowledging it altogether in an effort to avoid offending someone. So for the most part, the staring was all I received, though people were certainly quick enough to look away when I noticed them. Yet on two occasions today, the stare was only the beginning.

I admire people who have the courage to be honest, both with answers and with questions. Twice today, as I passed through drive-thru windows (once at a bank, the other at McDonalds), the stares were supported by honest inquiry....followed by equally honest responses.

At the bank, my teller looked at me and smiled, then asked if I had been working on a car or something, cause I had something on my forehead. I returned his smile and informed him that today is Ash Wed., and that I wear this mark as a reminder of my frailty. His question was an honest, open one. His response was equally honest and open as he smiled again, albeit a bit more reservedly, and then gave me a quizical look. Then he shook his head and told me to have a good afternoon.

At the second window (the one at Micky-Dees), I pulled up to find a young woman smiling broadly at me. Then she leaned forward as asked, "So what is that all about? I have seen so many people with that on their heads today." I gave her a similar reply to the one I gave the bank teller, informing her that as a Christian, this is something I do on this day. Her response was equally honest as she smiled broadly, and said a hearty, "thank you!"

Neither conversation was long, involved theological reflection, or any such stuff. But something struck me - this is what it means to be set apart from the world. In one day, I was asked twice about my faith, because of a smudge on my brow. How much more significant would it be if I live my life in such a way that everyday people notice that something is truly different about me?

It isn't about a physical difference folks, though our outward appearance should reflect our inward faith, rather than pop-culture. It is instead about living life obediently to the Word in such a way that people can't help but wonder what is wrong with us.

As we enter together into the Lenten season, I urge you to take time to reflect on just what it means to be "called out" and "set apart" for service to God. Jesus was a radical....he didn't fit in..... so should we be.

Gospel Truth

2007-02-20T13:42:00.000-05:00

Our seminary chapel service today is one which has been highly anticipated by many on and off campus for some time now. Our guest speaker, Friar Raniero Cantalamessa, is a man of small stature and humble appearance, yet with a position of great status in the Catholic church. You see, the friar has been serving for some years now as the preacher to the Papal household.

I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting today. On the one hand, it is exciting to see the budding relationship between Roman Catholic and Protestant churches, as we strive to worship God as a fellowship of believers, rather than a segmented smattering of denominations. So, perhaps part of me expected a lecture on unity as a body of believers.

Fr. Cantalamesa is also a distinguished scholar, having written many books and holding two Doctoral degrees. So part of me hoped for a treatise expounding on some theological concept.

What I received instead was something both totally unexpected and profoundly significant. I received a call to repent and believe.

As Fr. Cantalamessa spoke in his slow, quiet, heavily accented voice, what I heard was a declaration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is simply this;

1) Grace is freely offered to all.

2) This grace enables us to have faith and believe that Christ is Lord.

3) Once embraced, this faithful acceptance of grace frees us from the bondage of sin and the pain of death, so that we might live abundantly and obediently.

As I sat in my pew and listened, I was amazed to discover that this godly man was challenging the entire seminary, full of men and women training for ministry, to repent and believe - and to take up our cross and follow Him, that is Christ.

He remembered the great commission. He remembered the Gospel. He reminded us of both, and shared the hope of the Kingdom Message with us. This is the essence of our call.

Praise be to God!

My Celebrity Look-A-Likes

2006-12-15T15:25:00.000-05:00

I must be doing something wrong. Apparently, I look like a rock star, a Japanese baseball player, the president, and..........MOTHER TERESA!!!

Maybe its the beard :)

http://www.myheritage.com

Winter Reading List

2006-12-14T22:51:00.000-05:00

Now that I have some actual leisure hours, its time to start chipping away at my winter book list. I have some great stuff lined up, and am VERY excited. You can view the list in the right hand column.

I just finished the first one on the list, so I'm off to a good start. Follow along with me if you like, and we can have some good conversations :)

Isaac - 1 | Finals = 0

2006-12-14T22:26:00.000-05:00

I survived! I almost can't believe it, but I really survived this semester and my finals, and did so with a minimum of permanent damage to my eyes and cerebral cortex.....but I digress.

This semester was a true lesson is humility and total dependence of God. I slowly came to realize that what I knew in my mind and spoke with my mouth (that God truly is sufficient to make up for my weaknesses) was not in fact something that I was too keen on putting into practice. Nearly 3 months of 12-16 hour days finally wore me down to the point that I had no other choice but to stop trying so hard, and you know what? I was right...God really can, and does supplement our weakness. Praise be to God!

Finals ended well.....even Intermediate Hebrew, which I was a bit worried about, and now I am spending some much needed time resting, enjoying my family again, and working a bit for actual MULAH! Its nice to get paid for all this effort :)

Thank for all of your prayers during these difficult weeks. I have much that I would like to share about how God has blessed our family during this time, but I will save it for some future posts. Till then, may you have a blessed Advent season, and a Merry Christmas!

Papers, Exams, and Translations - Oh My!

2006-12-07T10:55:00.000-05:00

Finals are next week.....I am up to my eyeballs in atonement theology, history, hebrew, and speeches.....I'm not dead though.......just on hiatus.......I'll be back soon......just as long as I survive through next Wednesday......please pray for me.......I need it.........God is good........Baruch HaShem......I sure do love seminary.........I must be a glutton for punishment.......hope you are all doing well......I'll talk to you soon........peace out.........

Heavenly Reminders

2006-11-28T18:21:00.000-05:00

I have been told, once or twice, that I am hard-headed. I'mm not sure that this is strictly true. I say this because its not so much that I resist being taught as it is that I sometimes take a long time to fully implement newly ralized things into my life. This has never been more true than with the lesson that I must relinquish control of my life - all of it - to the sovereignty, grace, and control of my God.

There has to be a balance between faith and reliance on God on the one hand, and a diligent work ethic on the other hand. I believe that God has called us here at this time to do a specific work. I want to know that at the end of the day I can always say that I worked as hard as I could at my task. That I didn't slack off. That I gave myself fully to this work. Yet at the same time, I want to rely fully upon God, not my own devices to accomplish my task. I cannot bring glory to God that he does not bring to himself.

Lately, though, I realize that I have been exerting so much effort into doing all that I can, that I have failed to allow God to step in fully and bless me the way that he wants to. As a loving father, I believe he has used the past 24 hours to reprimand me, and to remind me of my need for him in everything.

I started this week with a lot on my plate. I have been diligently working to keep up, but simply have a huge workload this semester. I watched the baby during the day Monday, and had my evening set aside to work, work, work. But just as I was getting started, everything came to a crashing halt. A stomach bug has been floating around. Sarah had it over the holiday, and several people around campus have had it. Apparently, this virus chose the exact moment when I thought I most needed to work to attack my system with full force.

So, with 150 pages to read and summarize, a paper to write, and a Hebrew vocab exam to study for, I found myself relegated to a quivering mass (after hugging the toilet) on the bed at home. My first thought was one of panick. How am I ever going to get it all done? I'm going to fail!

And then, as so often happens, God spoke to me through the quiet countenance of my wife as she said, "It will be ok. God will take care of it."

She was right, of course. I spent the entire night "spilling my guts", and praying for God's sustaining grace this week. And you know what? When I woke up this morning, feeling horrible, I spent a few minutes memorizing vocab while choking down some water. And then I went to class and scored a perfect on the quiz. Not only that, but I finished reading, writing my summary, and wrote my whole paper with time to spare before class tonight. Baruch HaShem! Blessed is the Name!

I am feeling much better now, though I still have some recovering to do, but I have been taught a valuable lesson. Take your head knowledge and make it heart knowledge. In other words, if you say you trust that God will sustain you, then stop trying so hard, or your "faith" is fruitless.

I am grateful that we have a God who is willing to love us, sustain us, teach us, and when necessary discipline us. Thank you for this important lesson. But if I have my choice, next time I would prefer that He use something other than a stomach bug to get my attention.

Society of Biblical Literature, D.C., and Turkey

2006-11-26T09:40:00.000-05:00

Wow! Its been an interesting (and busy) couple weeks for me. Hence my absence from the blogging scene. The girls and I just got home from spending some holiday time in Cincinnati with Sarah's folks. My parents joined us for Thanksgiving, so it was nice to have everyone from this part of the country together. I even got to talk to my brother via Skype from Baghdad. Unfortunately, Sarah came down with a stomach bug, so after Thursday the weekend was a bit rough for her. She is feeling much better but can still use prayer.

Ok, enough about Turkey Day. Let me tell you about the previous weekend / week. As a student nearing the end of my Seminary time, and feeling a call to further education, I decided to take the advice of my friend Paul Cook, who is currently working toward his PhD at Oxford, and attend this year's annual meeting of the AAR/SBL (American Academy of Religion/Society of Biblical Liturature).

Every year these two groups come together to host an event where scholars meet from around to world to network, present papers, network, catch up on current issues in scholarship, network. This year it was hosted at the Washington D.C. Convention Center. Now, I must admit that the whole networking part had me a bit intimidated at first, but I got that ironed out after the first day. More on that later...

I prayed going into the first day of presentations that God would direct me to any lectures he would have me hear, and to guide my conversations with people that I meet. My hope was that I would gain more clarification about where God is leading us following seminary. Though my hope was genuinely felt, I was in no way prepared for the very clear answers that I received.

Through the very first lecture that I sat in on, I found exactly what I want to study, with whom I would like to study (given the choice), and where I would like to do it. Praise be to the God that answers prayer.

I'll blog more on what those revelations are in another post, once I have processed them more. Aside from this, though, I sat in on some great lectures and some crappy ones. I had my first true, personal encounter with liberal theology. I bought a bunch of books at really low prices. And I met some really cool, famous people (at least in my circles). Some of the notables that I had conversations with are Prof. Walter Moberly (Durham), Prof. James Dunn (Durham), Bishop N.T. Wright (Durham), Prof. Alister McGrath (Oxford), Prof. H.G. Williamson (Oxford), and several others from around the globe. I also ran into quite a few of my own professors, and had a chance to talk with some of them at length.

All in all, this was a great conference and I was blessed by being there. There is much else to talk about, but I'll save it for other posts. Till then...

Shalom

Human Frailty

2006-11-06T21:41:00.000-05:00

Every once in a while I have a moment punctuated with self-doubt, frustration, and outright depression. When I have just spent 100+ hours preparing for a test that goes badly, written a paper that didn't catch the professor's eye. when I am long on hours spent in the library, and short on hours spent in sleep and with my family. When we work our fingers to the bone and still can't pay the bills without help. When the "good car" won't start anymore. When There is no way I can possibly accomplish all that I have on my plate by the due dates.

It is these times that I recognize how truly fragile I am, and I ask myself the question, "why are we doing this again?"

Sometimes I think that God is testing me. Sometimes I can't hear him through the noise of my business. Sometimes I feel like he isn't even talking to me.

And then He answers me...

He has told us that "I will never leave you nor forsake you". And I believe him. Even when I am run-down, heartsick, weary, and lack the strength to go on, I feel him running for me, warming my heart, providing me rest, and supplying his strength to me.

Lord, I am so thankful that you love even me. I am so undeserving, so weak. Yet you have loved me from eternity, and you sustain me even now. Baruch HaShem! You are mighty! You are worthy! You alone can save me! I trust in you! Rest your healing hands upon me! Grant your grace to me! Forgive me for my doubts, my evil desires! Forgive me for trusting in my own abilities, for forgetting the important things! You alone are Holy! You alone are great! You alone are worthy of my praise! Love me!

I love you too, because you first loved me...

Tyranny Of The Urgent

2006-11-02T11:55:00.000-05:00

My brother Aaron has just sent me an article that I highly recommend you read; especially if you are overworked, stressed out, running ragged, or just plain "too busy". In his article, Charles E. Hummel explains that our problem of having too little time to do all that we need to do is really a problem of jumbled priorities. You can read the full article here.

We live in constant tension between the urgent and the important. The problem is that the important task seldom must be done today or even this week...But the urgent tasks call for instant action - endless demands pressure every hour and day...The momentary appeal of these tasks seems irresistible and important, and they devour our energy. But in the light of time's perspective their deceptive prominence fades; with a sense of loss we recall the important task pushed aside. We realize we've become slaves to the tyranny of the urgent.

But though we are bound in slavery to this tyranny of the urgent, Hummel reminds us, by way of a quote from A.E. Whitham, that there is freedom in Christ.

"Here in this Man [Jesus] is adequate purpose . . . inward rest, that gives an air of leisure to His crowded life: above all there is in this Man a secret and a power of dealing with the waste-products of life, the waste of pain, disappointment, en-mity, death - turning to divine uses the abuses of man, transforming arid places of pain to fruitfulness, triumphing at last in death, and making a short life of thirty years or so, abruptly cut off, to be a 'finished' life. We cannot admire the poise and beauty of this human life, and then ignore the things that made it."

So how did Jesus the Messiah acheive this properly ordered and finished life? Through radical dependence upon the Father through prayer and the Holy Spirit.

P. T. Forsyth once said, "The worst sin is prayerlessness." We usually think of murder, adultery, or theft as among the worst. But the root of all sin is self-sufficiency - independence from God.

If we, like Jesus, become radically dependent upon God for the ordering of our days we too can arrive at the end of our earthly time knowing that we have finished the work that He had for us. Hummel offers some ideas for doing this, but most prominently he urges the reader to begin each day, as Christ did, in prayer and rest in the Lord. Pray over your day, and give up the ordering of things to God.

This message came to me from Aaron at a most appropriate time. I am currently struggling with balancing work to provide needed finances, a heavy class load, studies, and time with my family. Yet I find that I too often choose the former over the latter. I am working 16 hour days, only to come home to a sleeping household, and the regret that I have missed yet another day with my wife and child.

I don't know how I can possibly get everything done that I need to and work any less, but that is because I have been relying too much on me. When I pray for God's provision, and then immediately try to do it all without him, I am fooling myself. Faith and action must coincide. Petition and practice must align. I know that God is blessing me, and wants to do so even more if I would only let him.

And so with 1,000 pages left to read for class this week, an intensive 3-day class beginning this afternoon, papers to write, exams to study for, Hebrew Scripture to translate, vocabulary to memorize, and work hours and tasks piling up, I am choosing to stop for a moment, and once I have calmed my nerves, I am heading to class by way of the prayer chapel on campus.

It sure will be nice to see my family tonight...and with God ordering my day, I know I will have time to do so. Baruch HaShem!

Historical Exegesis of Galatians

2006-11-01T11:20:00.000-05:00

N.T. Wright has continued, and improved upon, the initial work of those like E.P. Sanders and their new perspective on Paul (i.e. Viewing Paul's writings in full view of his Jewish background and historical context). In his article entitled The Letter to the Galatians: Exegesis and Theology he expounds upon the issues central to the exposition of Galations, both exegetically and theologically.

One point critical to the examination of any Biblical text, and especially Paul, is to recognize that there is a coherence to his thoughts. Wright expresses this well:

One must assume that there is a train of thought, "that the text has a central concern and a remarkable inner logic that may no longer be entirely comprehensible to us."[2] One must get in the data, and one must do so without undue complexity, without using that brute force which swaggers around the byways of a text arm-in-arm with ignorance.

I would like to offer up some sections of his analysis for reflection. Unfortunately, with all of his solid work he, like so many others, hasn't wrestled fully with Paul's actual praxis, but only briefly touches on it.

The fact that Paul criticized some aspects of his native Judaism and that he announced a gospel to the Gentiles does not mean that he broke with Judaism in order to do so. On the contrary; by his own account (to hint for a moment at the solution that I prefer), he claimed to be speaking as a true Jew, criticizing - as did many who made similar claims - those who embraced other construals of Judaism, on the basis that Israel's God had now acted climactically and decisively in Jesus, the Messiah. For the same reason, he was now announcing to all the world that the one true God was addressing, claiming, and redeeming it by the Jewish Messiah, the Lord of the world.

He is instead concerned with the theology / ethical ideas inherent in his writings. So there is atill a critical piece that has been essentially left out of the equation. Still, here are some bits for your reflection. Comments are welcome.

First, Wright deals with the classical interpretations of Paul's view of the Law (Torah):

The dense and difficult discussions of the Jewish law in Galatians owe their very existence to the fact that Paul is unwilling to declare, as many theologians since his day have done, that the Jewish law was shabby or second-rate, or even demonic and dangerous. He is determined to insist, despite the problems he is storing up for later readers, both that God gave the law and accomplished his purposes through it and that the Galatians must not submit to it, since it was given a specific role for a certain period of time that has now come to an end. Eschatology, not religious critique, is what counts. To dissolve the resultant paradox one way or another is a sure way of misunderstanding Paul...
It is sometimes said that Galatians has a negative view of the law, and Romans a positive one; it would be truer to say that in both letters Paul wrestles mightily with this paradox, to address very different situations and contexts. It would be truer, thus, to find a deep compatibility within the two that, when discovered, will reach out further to embrace such other statements as 2 Corinthians 3 and Philippians 3. This eschatological reading of Paul's understanding of the Scriptures in general and the law in particular is the necessary corrective to any idea that Paul is speaking in the abstract, either about "law" in general or about the Jewish law in a timeless way. His thought is controlled throughout by the sense of God's purpose within and beyond history, and of where he and his readers belong within that story.

And then he deals with the core issue of justification:

What, fourthly and finally, about justification by faith? This is the subject that most expositors of Galatians have found to be central to the argument of the letter itself. But what is it actually about? There is no space here for a full exposition of the doctrine. Rather, I wish to pose the question thus: What particular emphases does Galatians, read historically and exegetically, provide in this central matter?

The first point we have already noted. Paul's initial introduction of the topic is embedded within, and seems to be the sharp edge of, the question that was at issue between himself and Peter in Antioch and, we may assume, bears some close relation to the dispute between himself and the "agitators" in Galatia. This was not the general, abstract theological issue of, shall we say, how to go to heaven when one dies. It was not part of a theory of soteriology, understood in this way. It was the question of whether Christian Jews ought or ought not eat with Christian Gentiles. In other words, it addressed the question of the identity and demarcation of the people of God, now redefined in Jesus Christ - a question that is both sociological, in the sense that it has to do with a community and its behavior, which can itself be understood by the proper application of sociological methods, and theological, in the sense that this community believes itself to be the people of a God who has drawn up quite clear conditions precisely for its communal life.

Paul's answer to the question is complex and dense, but its heart is simple. Because he, and all Jewish Christians, have "died to the law" through sharing the messianic death of Jesus, their identity now is not defined by or in terms of the Jewish law, but rather in terms of the risen life of the Messiah. The boundary marker of this messianic community is therefore not the set of observances that mark out Jews from Gentiles, but rather Jesus the Messiah, the faithful one, himself; and the way in which one is known as a member of this messianic community is thus neither more nor less than (Christian) faith.

Although this account (Gal. 2:15-21) is not itself about soteriology per se, it carries, of course, huge soteriological implications. If one has already died and risen with the Messiah, and if one has been grasped by the grace of God and enabled to come to faith and (by implication, brought into daylight in) baptism (3:26-28), then one is marked out thereby precisely as a member of the renewed, eschatological community of Israel, one for whom the act of God in the Messiah has dealt finally with one's sinful past, one who is assured of God's salvation on the Last Day. But the point of justification by faith, in this context, is not to stress this soteriological aspect, but to insist that all those who share this Christian faith are members of the same single family of God in Christ and therefore belong at the same table. This is the definite, positive, and of course deeply polemical thrust of the first-ever exposition of the Christian doctrine of justification by faith...
Justification, to offer a fuller statement, is the recognition and declaration by God that those who are thus called and believing are in fact his people, the single family promised to Abraham, that as the new covenant people their sins are forgiven, and that since they have already died and been raised with the Messiah they are assured of final bodily resurrection at the last. This, of course, is the argument of (among other passages) Romans 5-8, and in a measure also Philippians 3. In Galatians it is hinted at but never spelled out, for the good reason that Paul's eye is on one thing principally - namely, the unity of the single Jew-plus-Gentile family in Christ and the consequent impossibility of that family being in anyway defined by the Jewish Torah.

Though there are still areas yet to be discussed that may have significant impact upon the message Paul is conveying, Wright has lent substantial, credible insight into the issues surrounding a proper reading of the text. Don't forget to follow the link above to read the entire article. And don't forget to send me your thoughts.

Shalom

My Brother

2006-10-30T16:06:00.000-05:00

I have been blessed in this life in so many ways. But one of the greatest blessings I have to be thankful for is that of my older brother Aaron.

My brother has always been my protector...
As a small boy (and I do mean small - I didn't get huge till late in life) I remember my brother placing his scrawny frame between me and a bully 4 times his size, showing with courage beyond his years that no one was going to treat his kid brother that way.

I can remember back to Marine Corps basic training, when I broke my ankle and sat wallowing in self-pity, my brother flexing his newly acquired muscle as a 1st Lieutenant in order to check on me (this was unheard of at Parris Island - he actually called my Drill Instructor).

I can remember more than once, my brother protecting me from my own destructive self, and showing me that someone really does care about me.

My brother has always been my mentor...

Aaron is one of the smartest people I know. He just has a knack for figure out extremely complex problems. He (along with some other friends) taught me to ride a bike, how to build a laser (don't ask), how to overcome my lack of natural ability in math, how to get in shape for boot camp, how to program software (my voaction before Seminary), and so much more.

Now his mentoring has taken on new form, as he shares spiritual wisdom, maturity, and Scriptural truth with me whenever we have a chance to talk. I am grateful for his constant prompting and encouragement in all that I have undertaken over the years.

My brother is my friend...

Though we bickered like most children as kids, my brother always made it apparent that I came first, even above his other friends. He included me in all games and sports, though I wasn't the fastest or most coordinated. Thanks to him, I never got picked last for a team in the neighborhood games of basketball, football, wiffleball, etc.

In college, he always made time for me in his busy schedule. We ate lunch together once a week, and he took me flying with him when he was working on solo hours for his instrument rating.

When he was commissioned as a military officer, my brother promptly ran out of the ceremony, ducking and dodging everyone who wanted to salute him first to get his silver dollar (a tradition for all new officers), and tracked me down, so that I could be the first, and receive this prize.

Through all of the ups and downs, my brother has been there for me, and I count him as my closest of friends.

My brother is now serving in central Baghdad, Iraq. He is on the front-lines of the "war against terror". My brother was not ordered to go. No, that would not be his way, because my brother has the heart of a volunteer. He left his wife and son to serve for the next year in a foreign country, in a war that is being waged ineffectually, because he felt that he must do this thing. Not because he wants to participate in war, but because he has opened his life to God. And God has called him to this place at this time for His purposes, whatever those may be.

My brother has a heart for the Iraqi people that he is serving with. I don't want to put words into his mouth, but I know that his heart breaks for these people who have seen endless grief, death, and tragedy. I believe that is why he is there - to somehow offer himself in whatever way he can to help those in need, and to be taught a lesson in how to love as Christ loves.

I miss my brother. I feel his homesickness and long for him to be here, safe, with his family. I support him with every ounce of my being, yet I am ashamed that our country has failed, and that our people are still there. He shouldn't have to be there. Let me be there instead.

I am praying for my brother, and I ask for your prayers too. See, my brother is more than just my protector, my mentor, and my friend.

He is MY BROTHER. And I love him.

Wesley's Covenant Prayer

2006-10-26T20:58:00.000-05:00

I stumbled across a piece of paper in my Bible today. It had some notes scribbled on it, and appeared to be scrap, so I was planning to toss it in the trash. Just to make sure there was nothing important on it I unfolded it, only to find a copy of John Wesley's covenant prayer. As I read the words, they impacted me profoundly. Tonight I prayed this prayer, covenanting alongside brother Wesley. I would like to share these words with you now. May you be blessed as I have been blessed.

Wesley's Covenant Prayer

I am no longer my own, but thine.

Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.

Put me to doing, put me to suffering.

Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee,

exalted for thee or brought low for thee.

Let me be full, let me be empty.

Let me have all things, let me have nothing.

I freely and heartily yield all things

to thy pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God,

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it.

And the covenant which I have made on earth,

let it be ratified in heaven. Amen

Blue Man Mania

2006-10-25T09:08:00.000-05:00

Sarah and I belatedly celebrated our 5th anniversary last night (it was on Aug. 11) with a trip to see the Blua Man Group at Rupp Arena. We have wanted to see this group in action ever since we saw a documentary on them several years ago, but didn't know that we would actually get the chance to do so. After several months of anxious anticipation, I can honestly say that it was worthy of both the hype and the wait.

How to be a Megastar 2.0 is a creative commentary on rockstar-dom, and the seamingly inherent formula required to become a star in today's music industry. The show combines humor, psychology, philosphy, and even a blurb for activism into a wrapper of amazing sounds and light. Yet underneath the amazing showmanship, the group is telling a story, not just about what it takes to be a rockstar, but also about the facades that people wear in their everyday lives.

Never have I been to a show that so engaged the audience. From the first five minutes, where the group rifled through a woman's purse looking for a credit card (she was shocked, but it was hilarious to watch), to the closing credits where they had an older woman from the audience introduce the band for them (since the three blue men never actually speak), the energy of the group invaded the entire stadium. I even have to admit that as they rolled through the required "moves" for megastardom, I stood with the rest of the crowd and raised the roof, did the one fisted arm pump, and the double arm raise shout.

My initial reason for wanting to see the group perform live, other than the fact that they make art on stage by tossing paint balls into each others mouths and blowing the paint on a canvase and making sculpture out of chewed marshmallows, is because of the music that they make. This group has created their own series of instruments that include PVC pipe organs played with spatulas, to snare drums coated with glowing florescent liquid that jumps when they play, to an up-turned piano with exposed strings that they hit with a mallet, to long poles that they swing like samurai swords to make a whoosh-crack sound, to the giant gong/drum that shook the entire stadium everytime they hit it. Not only are these instruments unique, but the sounds they make are amazing.

This show has given me yet another glimpse of the creative potential of humanity. God the Creator has blessed us with just a measure of his creative abilities. We have so often used them to make weapons of war, but every so often someone uses these talents for something unique and beautiful. Now if only this creative energy were focused on adoration of Elyon (Most High), surely he would smile.

Even so, I think he smiles anytime we recognize our creative gifts. And so as I sat with Sarah, grinning from ear to ear at the amazing music, fantastic light show, hilarious gags, and wonderful showmanship, I could feel God smiling in me. And I thank him for even these, the small gifts, that give us just a glimpse of his immeasurable love for us.

Fall 2006 Reading List

2006-10-23T15:32:00.000-05:00

I should be studying for my Intermediate Hebrew midterm right now, or maybe reading the 1100+ pages I have due for my intensive next weekend, or maybe one of a hundred other things. But instead, I though maybe some of you might be interested in what I am reading right now for classes. This list and a library card (or a few hundred bucks) will get you a free Seminary education, though you sure would miss out on the lectures. And boy are they something. Have I mentioned that I love this place? Anywho...

What I am reading this semester:

(Church History)
The Story of Christianity, Vol. 1, Gonzales
Readings in Christian Thought, Kerr
Historical Theology, McGrath
Documents of the Christian Church, Bettenson

(Bioethics)
Environmental Ethics, Pojman
Three Views on Creation and Evolution, Nelson, Newman, and Van Till
The Secret Chain: Evolution and Ethics, Bradie
Environmental Stewardship in the Judeo-Christian Tradition, Barkey

(Basic Christian Doctrine)
The Living God, Oden
The Word of Life, Oden
Life in the Spirit, Oden
Across the Spectrum, Boyd and Eddy
Ministry in the Image of God, Seamands

(Speech)
An Essential Guide to Public Speaking, Schultze
Communicating for life, Schultze
Minister's Prayer Book

(Intermediate Hebrew)
Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia
A Grammar for Biblical Hebrew, Seow
A Guide to Biblical Hebrew Syntax, Arnold and Choi
Building Your Hebrew Vocabulary, Landes
The Text of the Old Testament, Wurthwein

And here is some light reading for my free time that I am working on:

Paul and Palestinian Judaism, Sanders
Jesus and Judaism, Sanders
Orthodoxy, Chesterton
A Rabbinic Commentary on the New Testament, Lachs
Dragons of Winter Night, Weis and Hickman (how'd that get in there? :)

I think I need something else to fill my spare time....any suggestions?

New Blog Template

2006-10-19T21:36:00.000-05:00

In case you haven't noticed, I'm working on a new blog template for this site. So, don't be surprised if the site changes a few more times over the next few days. Its just me being me :)

Dreams - Redux

2006-10-18T08:10:00.000-05:00

For those who have been asking. Here is a link to the second dream that I referenced in "What Dreams May Come". This one occured in August of 2004.

http://liquidfaith.blogspot.com/2004/08/dreams.html

Blessings,

The Beauty of the Incarnation

2006-10-17T18:57:00.000-05:00

As part of an assignment for my theology class this week, we were asked to reflect on our studies of Christology in the form of a Christmas meditation entitled "Why All The Fuss About Christmas?" This excercise has reminded me of the incredible beauty and grace of Christ as incarnate Son of God. So, I'd like to share it here with you.

********************
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (ESV)
---------
Christmas is a time to thankfully reflect upon the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, and our Redeemer. It is a time when we remember his humble beginnings; born in a manger, of a virgin, of the small town of Bethlehem, and a political refugee. And we remember that it is from these humble beginnings that salvation has come to humanity. For this was no ordinary birth. This birth was spoken of by prophets and heralded by angels. It was in this birth that God the Son entered intimately into the history of humanity for the purpose of offering himself, without blemish, as a holy blood offering for the atonement of all sin.

But what does this really mean? Is this some abstract concept for theologians to discuss, without any real meaning for the lives of believers? And why, really, is there all this fuss about Christmas anyway?

John 1:14 begins with this simple phrase; and the word became flesh, and dwelt among us. In this phrase resides the mystery of Christ. The Word, God the Son, through whom all things were created, took on the form of a man at a single point in history. He did this in order to become the one mediator capable of reconciling humanity to God. He freely chose to "take on flesh", with all of its limitations, and became both fully God and fully man.

In this union of God and humanity, Christ was born of a virgin, grew to manhood, and with his Baptism was ordained for his mission to suffer unto death, even death on a cross, that the world might be saved through him. And so it was that he not only dwelt on earth, but he also dwelt among us, as one of us, but set apart as atonement for sin.

And now, as John writes, "we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father." In Christ we have seen the light of the glory of God, for this glory was his from even before the world was created. In prayer Christ asked, "Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed." It was not that this glory was ever taken from him by force, but rather for our sake he lowered himself, forsaking his divine power for a time, and reclaiming it once again with his victory over death. Yet even as a servant, Christ radiated the glory of God. As Jesus himself said, "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father". But the story does not end here. For through his sacrifice, Christ has invited us to become glorified with him:

"I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one..."

So, why all this fuss about Christmas? It is a time for recognizing that the goodness of God is so great, that he was willing to communicate his love for us on personal terms, though we are undeserving. It is a reminder that through Christ's birth, hope came to the world. And above all, it is a reminder that "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life".

What Dreams May Come

2006-10-16T08:07:00.000-05:00

I am taking a chance by posting this. I know my readership has increased significantly form the 4 or 5 people in my family who regularly visit here. So this post is bound to make me appear a bit looney. Still, I am going to go out on a limb here and share a dream that I had 3 nights ago. I have only had 2 other significant dreams that I can recall. The first actually took place over 3 evenings the week that my wife and I were scheduled to visit seminary, prior to becomming a student. I believe these were intended to scare me out of a commitment. The second is recorded here on this blog, and occured shortly after arriving here in August of 2004, and contained a lot of strange imagery about faith that I still don't understand completely. Then there is this recent one, that I can only describe as a mix between the two. It didn't have nearly the ambiguous details of the second, but was not as straight forward as the first. And since it has been 2 years since the last time I dreamed like this, I thought I would offer it up as part of what God is doing in my life.

**************BEGIN DREAM SEQUENCE******************

I was climbing over some steel fortifications of some sort, with a small group of people. I could sense an urgent need to hurry to our location, but without any idea where that was. After a few moments, we arrived at a small cement courtyard that looked like the site of a very recent battle. There were fragments of scaffolding laying around, a damaged artillery battery of some sort, and scorch marks all over one of the three walls encompassing the area. In the dead center of the wall, opposite where I was, stood a single steel door. The scorch marks seemed to center around this door.

As I stood, wondering what to do next, the few individuals with me rushed to the door, and began an attempt to open it. Suddenly it swung inward to reveal pitch blackness. Just as suddenly, those standing in the doorway were gone, and the door swung shut with a loud bang. The only remaining person, besides myself, ran off yelling about getting help.

I stood stunned and confused for a few moments, and then went to the door. It was cold, and solid, and though I began to feel afraid, I couldn't resist the urge to open it. So I tried time and again to find a latch, but it seemed like it was sealed tight. Finally, I pushed, and the door gave way slightly. There was just enough room for me to wedge myself in it and keep the door open, and I moved to do so. Then, just as "reinforcements" arrived, the door began to get heavier and heavier, until I couldn't hold it anymore. I had the brief urge to step back outside and let it close, but for some reason, I stepped inside instead. As I saw the faces of those coming to help framed in the doorway, it slammed shut, and I was in total darkness.

Then there was a small bubble of light, much like a single lamp might create in an otherwise dark cave. And standing in the light was a figure that I can only describe as something similar to a Jim Carey version of a Dr. Seuss character, like the Grinch. He was comical, and friendly looking on the surface, but was seething contempt and veiled threats. This may sound cliche, but I somehow know that this was the Evil One.

After sizing me up quickly, he began to speak to me. I don't remember the content of his words, but I do know that he was trying to make me feel at ease with him, to joke with me, to make me forget who he was. He was trying to be my pal. But the hatred underneath kept revealing itself in patches, and I became more and more afraid.

Suddenly, I saw something off to the side. I walked over to what appeared to be an animal fur of some sort. Yet within the fur there was a patch with writing on it. This writing was strange. One part of it looked like dialog, while the other fragments interlaced throughout it were numbered like verses in Scripture. But I did not recognize the writing as anything I had ever read before.

As I was looking over this, the evil one changed form. When he stepped over to me, he was now in the form of an attractive young woman. His voice had become pretty and light, but the menacing undertones remained. As he continued speaking to me in this new form, he sidled up close to me. I continued looking at the writing, and then realized that the written text followed his spoken words. It was a recording of what he was going to say.

As he came to the end of a paragraph on the patch, he paused, and I instinctually read the numbered verses that came next. When I was finished, he picked up naturally where the dialog began again, and I realized that somehow we were having a conversation that had been pre-recorded.

At this point, my heart began to race as we conversed. He seemed completely unaware of the written text, but was following it to the letter. I continued to read the numbered parts in return. Then something changed in his demeanor. He suddenly became agitated, almost confused. And he began moving closer to me, with a look of concern on his face. It seemed to me that he was trying to distract me from the conversation through seduction. Though I could see him from my peripheral vision, I couldn't tear my eyes off of the text.

As he continued to recite one of the dialog sections, I read ahead, and my heart skipped a beat. Suddenly, there was an urgency to my words that I can't explain. I knew that I had to keep him engaged in this conversation. But the longer it went on, the more frustrated he became.

As we neared the end of the text, I saw sudden recognition and fear sweep his face. He changed from seductive to threatening, and I heard rage in his voice. Then came a barrage of fear that swept over me. Yet he continued to speak, almost as if he had no choice.

Then it was my turn to read the text. Again, I don't remember the specific words, but I do know that what I read talked of his many chances to choose what was right, and condemned him for his actions. Then it is as if the words briefly became my own as I told him that he had no power here, that he was not in control.

I paused before reading the last sentence, and Satan screamed with such rage that I was nearly frozen. He kept screaming "no, no, no" over and over again. And I realized that with these final words, he would lose his fight. So finally, I read the last sentence, which I remember with excruciating clarity, as I woke up saying them out loud.

"I DON'T KNOW YOU!"

*****************END DREAM SEQUENCE******************

And that was the end of it all. I said the first word of that sentence in my dream, and then woke up to myself saying the rest of it out loud. It was a truly strange experience, and I have no idea what it means - if it means anything at all.

So there you go. You have just been given a glimpse of my sometimes strange psysche at work. Think what you will, but I have relayed this as accurately as I can. If you have any insight to offer, I'de be interested in your comments.

Blessings in Christ

Audioblogger is Dead

2006-10-16T07:59:00.000-05:00

Unfortunately there will be no more audioblogger posts, as the service has been terminated. It figures that right as I discover something cool, it is no longer available, but I remian optimistic. I'll be looking for a service with similar capabilitiues, and will let you all know if I find one :)

AudioBlogger Test

2006-09-29T18:05:00.000-05:00

A Holy Time

2006-09-22T19:22:00.000-05:00

This Saturday marks an amazing opportunity for Christians around the world to pray for God to move mightily in the lives of two cultures.

1) Saturday at sundown represents the beginning of Ramadan - the Islamic Holy Month. During this time, Muslim people around the world will be fasting from sun-up to sundown in an effort to observe the 5 pillars of their faith, and to draw closer to their god. It is during this time that the Muslim world is especially sensitive to spiritual things. What a wonderful opportunity to pray for open mindedness and an opportunity to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Isa Almasih in Arabic). I would encourage you to visit 30daysfire.net to learn more about this important event, and about how you can pray for the Muslim world.

2) This Saturday also marks the beginning of Rash Hashana - the Jewish New Year. It never ceases to amaze me how, just as Christians so easily miss the significance of our Jewish roots, so also do many Jews miss the coming of Messiah in Jesus Christ. What a perfect opporunity, as the new year begins, to pray for the softening of hearts and the opening of minds, that the truth of Jesus Christ, the Jewish Messiah, would become obvious to those who have yet to believe.

Let us join together and pray for these and others around the world during this special time, that the grace of God would be evident in their lives.

The Jerusalem Council

2006-09-14T14:41:00.001-05:00

I have been working through Acts and Galatians this week, as I try to make sense of the seeming dichotomy between the Church's, and particularly Paul's, words and actions regarding faith and the Law (Torah) as they apply to Jew and Gentile followers of Christ the Messiah.

But I find that the more I try to read with a mindset centered around Church tradition and classical Dogma, the more confusing Paul becomes to me, and the less I can form a coherent view of his Theology and Praxis. So, casting caution to the wind for the moment, I have begun re-reading the text as one who has not been raised in the Evangelical church with all of its baggage in hopes of discovering a continuity in Paul. Here are just a few reflections from Acts, with more to follow from Galatians later...

But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." (Acts 15:1)

Acts 15 begins the account of the council at Jerusalem which convened specifically to deal with an issue of false teaching and doctrine being spread among believers. Specifically, these false teachers were convincing Gentile believers that they must become ethnic Jews (often referred to as "The Circumcision") in order to gain salvation. Now initially Peter, and then later Paul, had been shown by God that the Gospel was to be for all nations. This revelation had removed the uncleanness of fellowshipping with Gentiles, and showed them to be fellow heirs with Christ. Once the Gospel was shared with Gentiles and they became believers, they began to worship alongside Jewish believers in the synagogues, and began to learn Moses (i.e. the law). So the conflict was not over whether or not Gentile believers should be worshipping with Jews or learning Torah, but was instead over whether or not they needed to be baptized and circumcised into the Jewish community as a means to justification. The problem in this line of thought was that it returned justification to the Law, and removed faith as the means to justification. This, of course, is not the road to salvation.

So the council met to discuss this issue and come to a resolution about what God requires of those who wish to follow Christ. Here is the response we get from Peter:

And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9 and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. 10 Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? (Acts 15:7-10)

The point of biggest contention comes from what Peter meant with verse 10. What exactly is he referring to as the "yoke that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear"? Most good Church scholars would tell you that this refers to the Torah, the Law. But before accepting this traditional answer, let us forst consider this. Peter was a Jew. In fact, even at the point when God sent a vision to instruct him about the inclusion of Gentiles into the body of Christ, he spoke of the fact that he had never consumed any unclean thing. So we can say with a fair amount of certainty that Peter was still practicing the Law. Even if we couldn't be completely certain about Peter, we certainly know that Paul was continuing to do so, because he was performing the final cleansing rituals in preparation for making sacrifice at Pentecost when he was finally arrested.

At any rate, if Peter had been referring to the Law as the yoke that none can bear, why would he then still be attempting to bear it? Perhaps what he is referring to, then, is not the Law itself, but the practice of accepting the Law as justification for sin. For justification to happen this way, one would have to perfectly practice the Law, and only one man has ever done that, and he is Christ. And through his death and resurrection, we now receive justification, and thereby salvation, through faith alone, as Peter is quick to point out in verse 11.

"But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will."

Following Peter's words, James then confirmed his remarks by saying:

After they finished speaking, James replied, "Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written, 16 "'After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, 17 that the remnant1 of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things 18 known from of old.' (Acts 15:13-18)

And then the council made its ruling regarding the circumcision (i.e. the conversion of gentiles to Judaism).

Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. (Acts 15:19-20)

Now at first glance, this ruling seems to go against what we have just discovered and say that only these things must be done for Gentiles to become believers. But thatis would also go against what Peter had just declared about being justified by faith alone. So it appears that the council, in agreement with Peter, believed that justification could not come from the Law. Why then give even these few commands (incidentally all part of Torah) to Gentiles, while denying the rest. Was it to say that the rest was unimportant, or not intended for them? Absolutely not.

What these particular commands acheived are three things. First, the served to instantly sever the ties to pagan religious practices of the day which many times involved the drinking of blood and fornication with temple prostitutes as part of regular worship. Second, they removed the burden that Gentiles who had never learned the Law would have had from being required to instantly adopt the entire Law. And Third, and probably most importantly, this emphasized that it is not through the right practice of the Law that we are justified, but rather through faith alone, and that obedience to torah serves a different purpose entirely - that of sanctification, or holy living.

So then, you might ask, what is the point of giving only three aspects of the Law to the Gentiles if the rest will need to at some point be followed as well? Tahnkfully, the council had the answer to that as well.

"For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues." (Acts 15:21)

You see it wasn't that the rest of the Torah was expendable, or that it isn't for Gentile believers. It was fully expected that those who had come to the faith would learn all of the other aspects of the Law in time as they attended regular worship with the community, and were taught more of God's Word. This was the ruling of the council at Jerusalem, which has been so badly misunderstood by well-meaning Christians, and it is this message which was then sent with Paul and his companions to be shared with and spread to the greater believing community.

Yet as we will see, when we look at Galatians and a bit more of Acts, the confusion, even for the early Church, did not end with this council. And Paul was forced to defend his teaching against conversion to Judaism along with his practice of Torah time and time againm, and culminating with his final visit to Jerusalem.

Until next time...

Shalom b'Mashiach

The Binding of Isaac (Yizhak)

2006-09-09T14:17:00.000-05:00

Shabbat Tov (Good Sabbath)

This week I translated the Hebrew text of Genesis 22:1-19, most often referred to as "The Binding of Isaac". As I have read and reread the text, I have been shown again and again the building blocks of character that are present on those whom God calls friend. I would like to outline a few of the lessons that I have learned from Abraham's example, as well as some insight into this passage that my Hebrew professor, Dr. Richter, shared with us in class this week.

Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." (Gen. 22:1)

One of the first things I noticed with this verse is the immediate response from Abraham to God's call. He has prepared himself so that he is 1) able to hear the voice of God easily, and 2) available to Him at all times, as evidenced by his response "Here I am." (Hinayni). It is into this posture of readiness that God then speaks His will.

And He said, "Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah; and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you." (Gen. 22:2)

This passage seems not only brutal to us, but strange in its wording as well. Why does God find it necessary to use so many descriptors for Isaac? Couldn't he just say, "take Isaac"? And what about this talk of Isaac being Abraham's only son? We know that at this time Abraham has at least one other son named Ishmael.

According to Dr. Richter, there is a Rabbinic legend which states that what we are presented with here is only half of the conversation, and that the Narrator has left out Abraham's initial response to this command. This may be myth, but I think it serves us well to consider what Abraham may have been saying, or at least thinking, at this command. Here is the exchange as it might have occured:

"Abraham"

"Here I am"

"Take your son"

"Ishmael?"

"Your only son"

"Ishmael!"

"The one whom you love"

"Please, let it be Ishmael"

"Isaac!"

Now here is why I worded it as I did. The firstborn son, Ishmael, would have been the natural choice when presented with a phrase like "your son", as the first son held the greatest status of all his children (even though he had been sent into the wilderness). So, perhaps there would be a little need for clarification. It is with the next phrase however, that we begin to see God's intentions unfold. The Hebrew word yahid (yod het dalet) is an adjective meaning "only", or "special". When used with the word ben, or "son", however, this word takes on a deep meaning that would have been well known to Abraham and his contemporaries.

Again, according to Dr. Richter there has been a study conducted on the significance of this phrase in Biblical literature and surrounding cultural practices. Apparently, among some of the cultures in existence at the time of this event a "special son", referred to as yahid would have been the one selected as a special sacrifice to appease the gods duing times of strife. In receiving this designation, a person's fate was sealed in the eyes of his family and people. Though human sacrifice was not the way of YHWH, this practice was still well known to Abraham. So with this second phrase, the Lord has clearly set the stage for what he expects Abraham to do. And it is for this reason that Abraham, who had waited his entire life for Isaac, would have been desparate to find that what he was hearing might be a mistake. And hence the need for further clarification, to the point that God explicitly states that it is Isaac whom Abraham is to sacrifice.

Before moving on, I would like to note something else. In the Gospel narratives we are presented with Christ's baptism by John. Immediately following his baptism, the Heavens open, and the Spirit descends like a dove to rest upon Jesus. At this time a voice from Heaven speaks, saying, "This is my son, whom I love..."

Those surrounding Christ at the time of his baptism were Jews. As such, they would have been familiar with the Torah, and with the story of Abraham and Isaac and its similarities to what they were witnessing. As such, it is likely that no one present would have missed the words being spoken over Jesus, and they would have known exactly what it meant. This man, God's special one, was to be offered up as a sacrifice before God.

So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance. 5 And Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go yonder; and we will worship and return to you." And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. 7 And Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." And he said, "Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" 8 And Abraham said, "God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." So the two of them walked on together. 9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there, and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. 10 And Abraham stretched out his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. (Gen. 22:3-10)

What strikes me most about this passage is Abraham's precise and timely obediance to the will of the Father. Once God's will has been made clear, he does not hesitate or argue. He simply gets up and goes about his orders, and he does so to the letter. We can also learn an interesting lesson from Isaac here, as he does not struggle. put up a fight, or question his father in what he is doing. In fact, though we mught consider this downright crazy, he submits to Abraham, trusting him completely with his life.

This passage reveals one of the many reasons for which I am grateful for my training in Biblical Hebrew. The English translations we have simply cannot do justice to the painting of this word picture. The Hebrew word translated here simply as "knife", actually means "butcher knofe", and comes from the root aleph-kaph-lamed, which means "to eat". Abraham was not merely planning to kill his offspring, but he was planning to do so as he would a sheep, even using the same tools and procedures. It is hard for us to fathom this, but when I read this in the Hebrew and I am forced to slow down in order to grapple with the language, what I see is a picture being painted before me of more than just a burnt offering. It is a slaughter of a beloved son for the sake of YHWH.

This picture echoes loudly in the Gospel of Matthew when Christ speaks the words. "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me." (Matt. 10:37)

Bear with me as I share the final two lessons of this passage.

But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here am I." 12 He said, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me." (Gen. 22:11-12)

What strikes me as amazing here, is that even amid the turmoil of what Abraham is about to do. Even as his hand is preparing for the final stroke, he is still attuned enough to the voice of God that he doesn't miss him speaking. How often do we who have sensed a calling to a specific ministry or vocation get so caught up in doing that calling that we fail to hear our Father as he gently speaks to us, asking us to slow down - to listen? Abraham did listen, and once again, he obeyed.

And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, "The LORD will provide"; as it is said to this day, "On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided." (Gen. 22:13-14)

Again, without hesitation Abraham acts on the word of the Lord. And his first instinct is not to stop and question God, but is instead to praise and worship him, to make sacrifice and rejoice in the Lord. What an awesome lesson for us to learn as we consider our responses to God when we don't understand His ways.

The final lesson comes from Adonai himself.

And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, "By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice." 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba. (Gen. 22:15-19)

In this passage we once again see the failthfulness of God. His faithfulness is something we can count on, and he has demonstrated this to His people time and time again throughout history. It is just as real today. We would do well to remember this before we complain that God has allowed something bad to happen to us.

I know this has gotten awefully long winded, but the Lord is continuously teaching me new things, and I count myself blessed for the beauty of his Word and its eternal truth.

Blessings to you all this day.

Shabbat Shaloam

Gospel of the Poor - Redux

2006-08-18T10:16:00.000-05:00

It was during a conversation with my good friend Michael the other day, that I finally realized the error in my previous post titled "Gospel of the Poor", and I wish to fess up to it, and ease my mind (and perhaps yours) about where I was headed.

Forst of all, I never intended to posit that the was no hope for those who live on a shoestring. Neither did I intend to suggest that the hope of Salvation can only exist through works. The heart of the matter for me is, and has always been, about repentence and obedience. Repentence - the 180 degree turn-around of thought, action, etc - is absolutely critical if we are to call Christ Lord of our lives. There is no half-way here, though I would argue that in most cases it is a process of transformation, rather than an instantaneous reversal. This is a given on which I am unwilling to budge. A person simply CAN NOT continue in their sinful existence, living outside of the reality that Christ has liberated them from those sins, and expect to truly Know Christ.

But this past post was more about the second part - what happens after we begin to give ourselves over to a transforming encounter with Jesus. Obedience. I believe that we are call to an obedient life. By this I mean a life that is lived in humble submission to the will of the Father, just as Christ was humbly submissive to Him. We are called to certain actions....Chrstianity is not about hiding our light under a bushel ;) It is about loving God, and loving others.

In my post, the question I was asking is this; How can someone who is struggling just to survive truly love others in a sacrificial way, when they must spend all of their thoughts and energies on survival?

It turns out that my error (2 of them actually) were in the question itself.

(1) I made the assumption that those who are completely destitute are so focused on this fact that it consumes them. Never did I stop to realize, that just as I have become accustomed to living on a fraction of my previous income while at Seminary, many who are the "poorest of the poor" have grown accustomed to this as well. Many have known nothing but poverty for their entire lives. And yet they press on - they live their lives, and find happiness and contentment in far less than we who are the financially blessed are used to. So my error was in assuming that the situation of poverty would rule all thought and action for these.

(2) My second great error was in assuming that the call to obedience necessitates the same actions initially for all Christians. What I hadn't considered was the method of living out love for God and love for others. What if loving others initially means not stealing from them, or not cursing them, or offering what aid you can to another? What if it is merely about praying with someone? I have fallen prey to inadvertant self-righteousness, in that I assumed that the response of all Christians should be one which I am capable of. I am ashamed for this. And I have much yet to learn.....but then, I am willing to be taught.

So let me wrap up this Eratta by saying this:

Blessed are the poor.....

Cross Abstraction

2006-08-08T22:09:00.000-05:00

I had a conversation with my good friend Michael the other day in which he made a statement to me that I have been unable to let go of. It has such simple, yet profound meaning to me, that I just keep going over and over it in my mind. I hope he will not mind that I post it here.

"I know that if I could see the cross more clearly, in less abstract terms, it would be the next great movement in my sanctification."

Being the geek that I am, I hopped on over to Dictionary.com and looked up the definition of "abstract". Here is what I found:

ab·stract ( P ) Pronunciation Key (b-strkt, bstrkt) adj.
1. Considered apart from concrete existence: an abstract concept.
2. Not applied or practical; theoretical. See Synonyms at theoretical.
3. Difficult to understand; abstruse: abstract philosophical problems.
4. Thought of or stated without reference to a specific instance: abstract words like truth and justice.
5. Impersonal, as in attitude or views.
6. Having an intellectual and affective artistic content that depends solely on intrinsic form rather than on narrative content or pictorial representation: abstract painting and sculpture.

And then I realized that I too have at times viewed the Cross in an abstract manner. So I must ask myself, and all 3 of you faithful readers out there, what would it mean to begin living life with an applied, practical, and real view of the Cross? What would happen if the Atonement was no longer just a theological concept that my head knows really occured, but that seems so far removed from this time and place? What would happen if I could move past imagination, where I see my abstract Savior packaged nicely into an Evangelical mold, and instead placed my hand in his side, and my fingers in his hands? What then......?

Evangelical Propaganda

2006-08-04T22:17:00.000-05:00

I have been involved in a discussion on our Seminary message board concerning all that is going on in the Middle East. Though I understand the frustration of hearing continually about how radical Islam wants to destroy Christianity and the West, I am afraid that the responses I am seeing by many of my peers are much more frightening, because these responses lack any resemblance to the attitude of Christ, or the message of the Gospel.

I understand and agree with our right to protect ourselves, even if it means going to war. I have written extensively on this, and even began this blog two years ago with a post on Just War Theory. However, the move toward violence should be the last resort, not the preemptive norm.

I believe that vast segments of the Evangelical Church of America have bought into two gross lies; (1) that Christianity = America and vice versa, and (2) that American Christians are being persecuted on a massive scale by Radical Islam. Both of the lies must be dealt with if we are to stop the perpetuation of viloence in the world, and particularly the Middle East.

Though I defend our right to self-preservation, and support our troops wherever they are in the world, this does not give me, or anyone else, the right to demonize an entire culture or spew hate-filled propaganda. In fact, if anything, it should bring about a greater degree of humility in me. The sort of humility that drives a person to their knees in a prayer of petition before the one and only Power who is capable of fixing this mess.

Lets not forget that our mission is to minister to the world. Yes, even the Muslims. This simply cannot be done with hatred in our hearts.

Should we protect ourselves? Yes.

At the expense of the Gospel? NO.

Pray with me for peace, not only in the Middle East, but also in the hearts and minds of professing followers of our Merciful Christ.

Gospel of the Poor

2006-08-02T23:34:00.000-05:00

I am having trouble sleeping tonight. I'm not sure why, but I do know that one thing is swimming in my head that I can't shake loose, so I thought I might throw it up here.

I saw a man on television tonight who was decidedly in the lower income bracket, and began to ponder what it really means to be poor, and how we can even make the Gospel relevant to those who are desperate for the necessities of life.

I mean, we aren't exactly building a ton of equity while in Seminary, and some months we just barely scrape by, but ultimately I expect this to be a temprary situation brought about by the realities associated with going back to school. And even should I fall on hard times, I know that family is there to help us, and I derive great comfort from this.

But what about those who are really poor; those who have no one to turn to, no hope in sight, and no way to better their situation? I am talking about those who are fighting just to survive. How do we share the Gospel with these in such a way that they are transformed by it?

I am not talking about social justice here folks...I am talking about showing others how to embrace Christ. We are certainly called to social action, and if we are truly incarnating the love of Christ into our lives, then we cannot help but do all that we can to help those in need. But does this really "save" (for lack of a better term) people?

I don't know if my mad ramblings are making sense, so let me put this another way. Say I work with an outreach program to minister to the poor by providing meals, shelter, clothing, work, the necessities of life. Yes, I am helping to meet physical, and perhaps emotional needs. As I do this, I can share with the people that are being helped how Christ has given me hope and chaged my life. But at the end of the day, why on Earth do I think this person will embrace Christ, and how, if they should choose to do so, can a person in this situation really change in the way that we are called to change?

Its all well and good for me to talk about Sancitification as I sit in my study typing away and reflecting on theology. Its wonderful to talk about exibiting Christ-likeness through mercy, justice, and love as I relax with a full belly. But how can the Gospel...the real, transforming, person-changing, rebirth causing, hope bringing Gospel really be embraced and lived out by those who are trying merely to survive?

Has the Gospel that we preach become a Gospel solely for those with means? And if so, what has happened? Where is the hope for the poorest of the poor? How do we teach Kingdom principles to the neglected?

I'm not sure why this is hitting me so hard now, but I just can't seem to wrap my mind around it for some reason. I just want to know how the poor can hope to live as Christ and "make disciples" when they cannot feed themselves.

Is their imitatio Christi something different than ours? Are they called to show the suffering, humble Christ while I am called to show something else? How can this be.......where is the justice in this?

1 Samuel 2:8 He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and on them he has set the world.

Shabbat

2006-07-29T00:46:00.000-05:00

My family and I have just returned from Phoenix, Arizona where we visited my brother Aaron, his wife Christina, and their son Asher for a few days. The trip was a fantastic time of family togetherness. Though much happened over the 4 days we were there, one significant moment impacted me perhaps more than the rest of the trip. This moment was the family celebration of Shabbat (Sabbath).

We were brought up as good little protestants, my brother and I. Dad was (and still is) a pastor in the Methodist church (and a couple of others). As such, we never celebrated the Jewish feasts, we never talked about the Torah, outside of the Ten Commandments, and we certainly never celebrated Sabbath (Incidentally one of the 10). Instead we did as most Evangelicals, and made Sunday our day of worship and rest - although rest was only guaranteed if there was no pressing work to be done.

Now, I don't say all of this to start some big discussion about Torah and its applicability to the lives of Christians. Those of you who know me know that I am earnestly seeking answers to why we do and/or don't do some of the things we do as Protestants. For those of you who don't know me, I believe that we are justified by Faith in Jesus Christ, and no works can save us. However I also believe that true faith expresses itself in obedience to God and a desire to do good works ("For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." - Ephesians 2:8-10).

That being said, I would like to briefly revisit our Shabbat celebration of last week. Though many observances are comanded in the Torah, none is so central to the life of a follower of Yahweh than that of Shabbat. The entire week is built around this day of rest, worship and reflection. According to the Law, the celebration is to begin at sundown on friday night, and end at sundown on saturday night. During this time, no "work" is to be performed by the household, and the time is consecrated to God.

As the day leading up to the Shabbat meal progressed, I could feel the excitement rising in me. I knew that this would be a time of fellowship, rest, and encounter with God. The aroma of Chalah bread filled the house, the table was set, and the meal prepared. Then, as we all sat down together, we took a moment to reflect on God's blessings. We read Scripture and we prayed. Then we had a traditional time of blessing, where the head of the household speaks blessings over his wife, his children, and the guests. Next, the hostess gave her blessings, and we, as guests, were given the invitation to follow if we chose to do so. This time of blessing and praise touched me deeply, and filled a need that we have in our society - to have love shown openly and spoken audibly to us in the presence of others.

Jewish tradition then has a time where they celebrate the significance of bread and cup. As followers of Christ, this took on much greater significance as we celebrated communion in remembrance of Christ's atoning sacrifice.

Following out time of communion we enjoyed our meal, had wonderful conversation, and played some games. And here is one of the best parts. When we woke up the next morning, there was no "business as usual" attitude in the home, but rather one of serenity and joy. We stayed indoors (outside it was around 115 degrees) playing games, talking, napping, and reading all day long. It wasn't until sundown that we returned to our normal schedule - but we did so refreshed and ready for a new week. As Sunday worship rolled around, I felt such gratitude for the rest, that I was able to worshipped our Lord without the customary distractions of life weighing me down.

I know this has gotten a bit long winded, but I wanted to share this unique experience with you all. I know it is not something "we do" in the Evangelical church, but I am beginning to wonder if we have merely done ourselves a great injustice by excluding Shabbat as just another form of Judaizing. Christianity, though it professes to at least hold true to the Ten Commandments, has somehow managed to ignore the fact that Sabbath observance IS one of those commands.

So, what do you do when something is broken? Do you fix it? Do you pretend that it was never broken? Do you suggest that it functions better in a broken state?

I don't know what this all means right now for me and my family. But I do know that I am starting to realize more and more that God may really have known what he was doing when he gave us commands to follow. And I am wondering how much joy we rob ourselves of in the never-ending attempt to proclaim our freedom from His Law?

Shabbat Shalom

The Israel Connection

2006-07-13T15:38:00.000-05:00

Those of you who have been following the news lately know that Israel has launched some attacks along their border with Lebanon. This is a volitile time for people living in all areas of the Middle East, and today espeially for those in Palestine, Lebanon, and Israel.

This particular conflict has drawn my attention the last couple weeks, because our school has sent a group of students (one of whom is a close friend of yours truly) and professors to the Israeli-Lebanese border area of Tel Dan to work on the archaeological dig site located there.

I received word yesterday that our group was indeed present during this latest retaliatory strike by Israel, and are now being evacuated from the country. They have been safely moved to Jerusalem and will be returning to the States on Saturday, whenvI'll be picking the group up at the airport myself.

Please pray for their safety, and for the safety of those civilians living on both sides of the border in this dispute. This is not the time for a commentary on the relations between Israel and its neighbors, nor is it the time for political ideology or religious rhetoric run amuck. Instead, it is a time for us to mourn the loss of life that has already occured, and a time to pray for God's intervention in the Middle East.

Shalom

Are You A Heretic?

2006-07-12T22:37:00.000-05:00

I just can't resist these quizes. I am happy to confirm to all of you out there who question all of my, well, questions, that I am indeed NOT a heretic :) Just ignore all that crap below the top number. It is the only one that matters..heh.

At least not according to Sven.

-----------------

You scored as Chalcedon compliant. You are Chalcedon compliant. Congratulations, you're not a heretic. You believe that Jesus is truly God and truly man and like us in every respect, apart from sin. Officially approved in 451.

Chalcedon compliant

100%

Nestorianism

67%

Modalism

33%

Pelagianism

33%

Monophysitism

33%

Apollanarian

17%

Arianism

Adoptionist

Docetism

Donatism

Albigensianism

Monarchianism

Gnosticism

Socinianism

Are you a heretic?
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Eschatalogical Tension

2006-07-04T11:07:00.000-05:00

I found out two weeks ago that my brother, who is an Air Force fighter pilot, will be heading to Bagdad for the next year. He is a Christian and Seminary student, and this places him in an odd situation. Yet he knows that God has placed him where he is, and delights in His plan.

I believe that God is even leading him in this next move, as he will not be bombing....not even flying. Instead, he will be advising Iraqi pilots. He will be living with them, teaching them, learning from them.....

I am afraid for his safety, yet at the same time I am rejoicing that he has the opportunity to support and love our Iraqi brothers in whatever capacity he can.

Yet I feel torn . . . I am torn between this world, its long felt hatreds and continuing wars, and the hope of the Kingdom which is to come. I support my brother. I support our country. Yet I also love our brothers and sisters in the Middle East. Not only those who have come to know the love of Christ, but also those who have yet to experience the rebirth that comes through faith in the power of the Cross.

We are not experiencing Kingdom living now. Our churches have missed the boat. Christians are as guilty of missing the message of Christ as the Jews of 1st century Palestine were of missing the message of Torah. My heart weeps with the realization, and yet I am here. Now. I must live in this world, but I am called to live apart from this world.

And so, as I support my brother and our military in the Middle East, I will also pray for the so called "enemies of the West". For they are all Children of God. And many may yet become our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Happy Father's Day

2006-06-17T23:57:00.000-05:00

*I know this is really late, but my wife asked me to post this a long time ago, and I kept forgetting. She is probably a bit biased, but I sure do love her, and her support of me is something for which I will ever be grateful. I consider myself truly blessed. I'll leave this at the top of my blog for a couple days, then file it under the appropriate date :)

Fathers Day
Isaac celebrated his very first Father's Day with Janna . I just wanted to let everyone who reads Isaac's blog what a wonderful father he become. I am so proud of him. He is calm when she screams her head off and turns bright red for no reason at all. He is a pro at feeding her with a bottle. He changes her diapers with out complaint most of the time and always sings a little song in the process. He teaches Janna new dances and songs daily. He is the number one at swaddling. That even Janna can't get out of most of the time. He takes her to the doctor for shots and comforts her when she is sick. I love him so much and so does Janna even though she can't say it yet. HAPPY FATHER'S DAY ISAAC!

-Sarah

What's Your Theological Worldview

2006-06-09T15:23:00.000-05:00

These results really surprised me, but here they are.

And for those of you who are wondering, I really am going to finish the other parts of my De-Judaising the Gospel series. A short vacation in California, and my new role as a full-time Dad have slowed the creative juices, but they are still trickling. Expect to see the next 2 parts shortly. Until then....enjoy the quiz results :)

Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan

96%

Neo orthodox

71%

Reformed Evangelical

71%

Fundamentalist

64%

Roman Catholic

54%

Emergent/Postmodern

46%

Classical Liberal

36%

Charismatic/Pentecostal

32%

Modern Liberal

What's your theological worldview?
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De-Judaising the Gospel - Part 1

2006-05-25T21:07:00.000-05:00

I have been doing a lot of reading lately about the way in which early Christianity was practiced, especially by the first generation or two following the Apostles, and have come across some staggering facts and tidbits of information that I cannot ignore, but must instead examine more carefully if I am to truly live as Christ. I am in the process of reading Paul and Palestinian Judaism, by E.P. Sanders and Restoration, by D. Thomas Lancaster, and will be using them as reference for my next few posts. Please remember that my comments here are meant to be concise, so I highly recommend you read these resources for yourself, consult Scripture, and take the time to honestly examine what is said here before either taking it as law or rejecting it out of hand. We all owe it to ourselves to examine fully the claims of Christianity, and of those who would be our educators. So, without further ado, lets begin by taking a look at the context and practices of the earliest "Christians", if you will, by quickly examining Christ himself, his early disciples, and the Apostle Paul.

Whose town is this anyway?

It is no secret that Christ and his earliest followers were Jews from Palestine. Though Christ did, on occasion, minister to those outside of the Jewish ethnic group, it is clear that just as salvation is "first for the Jew, then the Gentile", so Christ's ministry was primarily for the Jew, followed by Paul for the Gentile.

So what does this mean? After all, weren't Jerusalem, and the rest of Palestine under control of Rome? This was indeed the case. However, in an effort to maintain some level of peace the Jews of the region were, at the time of Jesus, permitted to practice their religion without excessive persecution, and were even allowed to govern themselves to a certain degree under the supervision of Rome. Yet along with this seeming freedom came some restrictions. For example, the Jewish court, or the Sanhedrin, did not have the authority to condemn a person to death. This is why it was necessary to have Christ condemned and sentenced by Pilate before he could be crucified. Because of this and other restrictions, the Jews had to adapt their understanding of rightly practicing Torah, which sometimes called for punishment by death.

Yet aside from this and perhaps some other issues, Jews were free to practice Torah. Christ himself, as the only perfect person, did indeed practice Torah, and he did so perfectly. Though he was challenged on many occasions as to his manner of keeping Torah, he made it clear that these questions arose out of a faulty understanding of the Law.

So, what about Christ's disciples? In Jesus' day, it was not uncommon for Rabbis to have devoted disciples living with them, traveling with them, and learning everything they could from them. What they came away with was not only a school of thought, or an intellectual exercise, but also a lifestyle that matched that of their master. This was no different for the disciples of Jesus who traveled with him, questioned him, and ultimately learned to imitate him. As Jews, we know that they would have already been keeping Torah prior to meeting and following Christ. Rather than ending this practice, they would have changed the way in which they both understood and practiced the Law to match that of their master. This is seen throughout the Gospels and the letters we have in the Cannon from writers other than Paul.

Now we get to Paul, who is without a doubt the most difficult to understand of all of the New Testament authors. This difficulty comes from the "seeming" conflict in Paul between the Law and justification by faith. Since dealing with this seeming conflict would take far more time than we have here, let's push that to the side for now, and instead look at Paul's actual life.

Paul was a Pharisee, who was so zealous for the Law that he persecuted and even affirmed the murders of the earliest Christians. After his encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus, Paul turned his zeal for the law into a zeal for Christ. In Philippians, he speaks of having more right to boast in the Law than anyone, because he was a Jew, born of Jews, a keeper of the Law, and even a Pharisee. He counts all of this lost in the face of justifying faith, and affirms for us that there is no way to justification through the Law. Because of this and many other statements against the Law, one might draw the conclusion that Paul no longer considered the Torah important, and stopped practicing it. Yet instead what we see is Paul as a follower of Christ still practicing Torah, and encouraging others to do so as well. Even at the time of his arrest, Paul was on his way to make sacrifice in the Temple.

Though Paul and others clearly state that there is no reason or need for Gentile believers to become ethnically Jewish, he does not at any time advocate an abandonment of Scripture. And Scripture at this time was confined to what we now call the Old Testament (i.e. Torah).

I know that what we have discussed so far barely scratches the surface of the issue, and seems awfully concise. It is not, however, intended as an instructional aid, but merely a place to start if we are to really investigate what was going on with regard to Torah observance at the time of Christ.

The next part of this series will briefly cover the authority of Scripture for Christ and his followers.

God is Gracious

2006-04-11T08:18:00.000-05:00

Gracious God of Mercy we are so blessed by you, though we do not deserve. We praise your name this day and all days, and marvel at the magnificent work of your mighty hands.

Please join us in welcomming Janna Noel Hopper (5lbs 13oz / 18 3/4in) born April 9, 2006 at 8:59 pm.

You can view more pictures here.

Which Action Hero Would You Be?

2006-03-30T20:44:00.000-05:00

As you can tell....my energy is being sapped by my schoolwork. I do have some serious posts coming, but thought I should post this anyway :)

You scored as Neo, the "One". Neo is the computer hacker-turned-Messiah of the Matrix. He leads a small group of human rebels against the technology that controls them. Neo doubts his ability to lead but doesn't want to disappoint his friends. His goal is for a world where all men know the Truth and are free from the bonds of the Matrix.

Neo, the "One"

88%

Captain Jack Sparrow

71%

Indiana Jones

67%

Batman, the Dark Knight

67%

Maximus

63%

William Wallace

58%

Lara Croft

58%

The Terminator

42%

El Zorro

42%

James Bond, Agent 007

42%

The Amazing Spider-Man

33%

Which Action Hero Would You Be? v. 2.0
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What Advanced Degree Should You Get?

2006-03-06T22:12:00.000-05:00

Interesting...

You Should Get a PhD in Liberal Arts (like political science, literature, or philosophy)

You're a great thinker and a true philosopher.
You'd make a talented professor or writer.

What Advanced Degree Should You Get?

Exegetical Significance

2006-03-03T16:14:00.000-05:00

The last two weeks have been intense here at Seminary. I spent countless hours memorizing new Hebrew grammar concepts and vocabulary, expanded my mind with an exploration into Determinism, Free Will, Dualism, and the like in my excellent Philosophy class, and immersed myself into the great tide of New Testament Greek as I searched for "it" in Paul's Letter to the Philippians.

In the midst of all of this flury of information and discovery, one question has surfaced that I can't shake. I find that I absolutely MUST answer it for myself, but am not sure that I can. As I dig deeper and deeper into the text of Scripture, the though keeps prodding at my mind:

How much of what I am doing is Exegetically Significant, and how much of it is mere mental distraction from the revelation of God through his Word?

Critical analysis, the heart of exegesis, is a truly important tool for unpacking the truth of Scripture and understanding the intent of the text. I am grateful to have such excellent tutelage in this area, and to be graced with the opportunity to pursue my education as part of God's calling on my life. But there is a danger to this knowledge, and it comes in the form of distraction.

This week alone I spent more than 20 hours in the Greek text of Philippians doing grammatical analysis. I am overjoyed at the insights that can come from reading the original language, and I am eager to learn more and more. BUT, at some point along the way this week, I think I missed the point of it all, and what could have been exegetically significant, in that it leads to greater understanding and truth, instead became exegetical process with an agenda. That in turn gave way to a feeling of desperation and despair, and a fear that I would never grasp it all unless I become a Greek scholar and nothing else.

So in the good process of trying to realize the exegetical significance of the text, I lost my way and missed the encounter that can only come from really experiencing the Word made Text. I have wrestled with this, confessed it, and received grace along with a healthy dose of humility.

But let this serve as a cautionary reminder to all of you as you study the Word. Though the intellectual process of sudy can potentially open us up to the renewing of our minds in Christ, it can also serve as a stumbling block disguised very convincingly as intellectual freedom, when in truth that freedom becomes intellectual pride. Then you can kiss the devotional, transformational, revelational beauty of God's truth goodbye.

Keep it all in perspective. Seek the truth. Expand your mind. Study as though it truly IS for the Lord. And remember to take a step back every once in a while to make sure that you haven't missed the forest for the trees.

The Fallacy of Jewish Works-Righteousness

2006-01-19T16:11:00.000-05:00

Following some recent discussions with my brother over at Shema, I have begun to study more about the prevailing view of 1st century Jewish culture and adherence to Torah. As part of this research, I recently read an article by N.T. Wright on Communion and Koinonia (the full text of which can be found here.) Which, among other things, discusses the validity of the points espoused by the New Perspective on Paul.

Wright, following Sanders' lead, said the following (the quote is a bit long, so please forgive me):

The main thrust of Sanders's work, which I endorse, is that first century Judaism was not a system of Pelagian-style works-righteousness. First century Jews were not imagining that they had to earn 'righteousness', that is, basic membership in God's people, membership in the covenant, through doing moral good deeds. They did not regard the Torah, the Jewish law, as a ladder of good works up which they had to climb, with salvation as the reward at the top. On the contrary. As any good Calvinist could have told Sanders, they regarded the Torah as a good, lovely, God-given thing, not a ladder of good works for eager merit-earners, but the way of life for the people already redeemed. God chose Israel; God redeemed Israel from slavery in Egypt by an act of sheer grace and power; and God then gave Israel the Torah, not to earn their status with God but to demonstrate it. Now it is true, of course, that the Mishnah and Talmud, the codified commentaries and elaborations on Torah-keeping which grew up over the half-millennium after Paul's day, do indeed look like the kind of casuistical law-mongering which many people think of today when they hear the word 'legalism'. But Sanders's point here stands, despite many attempts to dislodge it. The main motive for keeping the law in Judaism was not to earn membership in the people of God, or justification or salvation, but to express one's gratitude for it, to demonstrate one's membership, and ultimately to become the sort of person God clearly intended you to become. In Lutheran terms, it was tertius usus legis. In Calvinist terms, this was why God gave the law in the first place.
What then about the famous Pauline phrase, 'works of law'? Here is the second insight of the 'new perspective' comes into play, which I shall argue is the key one for discussion we need in today's Anglican communion in discussions of koinonia, tolerance, and boundaries. James Dunn has argued strongly, following the line of thought which I myself pioneered but taking it a stage further, that 'the works of the law' which Paul declares do not justify are not in general moral principles, a 'law' in that sense, but 'the works of the law' which marked out Jews from their paganm neighbours. They are, in other words, circumsion, the food laws, and the sabbaths - the three things which every Jew on the ancient world, and many pagans in the ancient world too, knew were the boundary-markers between Jews and pagans. The point in keeping these was to say, "We are Jews, not pagans outside the Torah. We are God's people; he has made his covenant with us; we are called to be the light of the world, and by keeping God's law we will keep ourselves separate from the world and show the world who God really is'.
The third insight which I myself bring to, and take from the New Perspective has to do with Paul's critique of Israel. Paul's critique of Israel is not that Israel is guilty of the kind of legalism of which Augustine criticised Pelagius, or Luther criticised Erasmus. Certainly Paul is not accusing Israel of the half-hearted moralistic Pelagianism of which, it used to be said, the average Englishman was guilty of most of the time, doing a few good deeds now and then and hoping God would notice and give him a pat on the back at the end of the day. (There aren't so many people like that around today, as you may have noticed.) Rather, Paul is criticising Israel, his own former self included, for saying that God was exclusively Israel's God. Israel, he says, is ignorant of God's righteousness, and is seeking to establish her own, a 'righteousness' which would be for Jews and Jews only; whereas, in Jesus' Jewish Messiah, and by the cross and resurrection, God has thrown open covenant membership, 'righteousness', to all who believe (Romans 10. 1-4)

This opens us up to some important insight into Paul's Epistle to the Romans, and effectively squashes what we have for so long believed and taught about Jews. In fact, it goes to show that perhaps the view we have toted for so long about Jewish legalistic works-righteousnes is born more out of the anti-semitism of the second century than sound Biblical exegesis.

If this is the case, and there is strong evidence to support it, then the practice of Law that we have for so long forsaken as the anathema of salvation by faith may in fact have been God's intended purpose for the early Church, and by inheritance, ours as well.

This is definitely some food for thought for those, like myself, who have struggled so vigorously with the seeming conflict between faith and works throughout the Pauline epistles. What an amazing thought that Paul may not have contradicted himself at all, but that we may have merely been blind to truth.

Thoughts?

On Legalism

2006-01-06T19:12:00.000-05:00

The term "legalism" is a social stigma in our culture. We use it to brand those who believe, support, or practice "rules" or "moral choices" that differ from what makes us comfortable. The interesting thing to me is that this stigma is not unique to our culture or time. In fact, it has been applied throughout history to those with whom the majority disagrees.

Even now we look back in history at the time of the New Testament, and we apply this title to the Pharisees, who had made it their life mission to follow the letter of the Law. We look at them in light of what NT authors said about them and we scoff. They were self-righteous, they prayed loudly in public, they wore their tassels longer than anyone else, and they looked for sinners to condemn. All of this is true, but this is merely part of the story.

According to www.dictionary.com, legalism can be defined as Strict, literal adherence to the law or to a particular code, as of religion or morality. Now, look again at the Pharisees. If you strip away the things mentioned above, which are distortions of the Law, you are left with a true, textbook example of a legalist. But is this necessarily a bad thing? Look at Christ. He too followed the Law to its letter and in fact, as the only perfect man, is the only one who has ever upheld it perfectly. Does this make him a legalist by our definition above?

In fact, one must only look at Christ's words too see an implicit command to us that every bit of the Law is good, and hence should be obeyed; For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished (Matthew 5:18, NRSV). So then, did Christ command us to become legalistic?

Tonight I am reading about various schools of thought in the field of Ethics. I ran across the following quote in The Pastor as Moral Guide, by Rebekah L. Miles.

"[R]ules themselves become moral guides, serving as guideposts in moral crises...the downside of a rule ethic is that it can fall into legalism and rigidity." (22)

My beef with this is perhaps a simple one, perhaps not. What we see here is the common temptation to equate legalism (literal adherence to the Law) to all the potential negative ends that can occur when one forgets what the purpose of the Law is. I myself have too often criticized others, throwing the firebrand of legalism at them with careless ease. But I am beginning to see things a bit differently now. What if, instead of viewing Scriptural condemnation of man's attempt to add to the Law as the definition of legalism, and instead begin to view legalistic faithfulness to God's Law as a joyful expression of our gratitude to Him for His grace. Not as a means to salvation, but out of love born from a salvation by faith alone.

After all, isn't that what Christ calls us to? If so, I hope that one day I will be seen as legalistic.

Dusting off the Cobwebs

2005-11-22T16:34:00.000-05:00

Wow! It is truly hard to believe that another semester is almost complete. I have been very conspicuously absent from this space since the summer, and can only blame fatigue coupled with a bit of writer's block.

Still, though the words may not have made it to the blog yet, God has been working in amazing ways in my life these last months. I have been challenged in my personal and corporate beliefs and practices to a point that I have had to strip away much of what I knew and believed to be true, only to begin from scratch in an effort to rebuild my understanding of God, Christ, and Salvation. In this, I have been most assuredly blessed. . .

Although I find myself continually reworked by my creator for whatever purposes He intends, I have arrived at some conclusions (and even more questions) regarding Faith, Repentance, Justification, Obedience, and that elusive word that so many flee outright, others hide from, and some deny the existence of - Holiness.

I am not talking about perfection. I am talking about the attainable goal set forth by Christ through obedience, faith, and love. This has been such an amazing semester for me, and there will be much to come on this subject and others. Stay tuned, and get ready to engage Scripture in the humble effort to understand why God loves a sinner like me, and what I can do/be as a result of His grace.

Many Blessings to you all as we approach the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Peace and hope. . .

First Thing to Go

2005-07-10T12:08:00.000-05:00

I have been sick now for several weeks. I started with a sinus infection that turned into a cough, then I got a stomach virus, now the cough is back and in my lungs. Its just been a crappy summer for me health-wise. I don't say this looking for pitty, but because these series of illnessess have brought something into sharp focus. What is most important to me?

When all is not going in our favor, it becomes increasingly easy to pinpoint that which is most important to us, because we tend to let everything else fall to the side. With my health going down the tubes, I found that I have basically been concerned with two major things; (1) making sure that I drink enough fluids that I don't expire from dehydration, and (2) hoping that Sarah doesn't get any of my germs. Everything else has pretty much lost its appeal; food, sleep (although I still do plenty of sleeping), entertainment, etc. But what really stuck me is how quickly I let the most important thing go......God.

God is the core of my existence....he is everything to me. Yet when I get sick and begin to find everything as mere distraction, he gets lumped into the pile with everything else and tossed aside for "more important" things. The first thing I noticed was that I was no longer spending time in prayer. I love to pray, and am often in sort of an on again off again conversation with God throughout my day. But in a time when I should be relying on him for my strength and healing, I have found the communication lines cut off - from my end. And that scares me.

I say that God is the core of my life, my everything, but this certainly doesn't prove that to be true. So what does it take then, to truly make God number one. What does it take for him to be the one thing that I focus on above all else? I don't know the answer, but I do know this. When I reopened my end of the conversation, I found him waiting there for me as though I had never left, ready to pick up where we left off. How amazing, that the God of the universe considers me important enough to wait for and listen to.

I pray that I will learn to make him number one - period. That nothing will become a distraction from fellowship with God.

In Pursuit of Purity

2005-07-05T09:25:00.000-05:00

My brother Aaron sent this to me today, and I wanted to share it with my 2 readers :) Many seem unaware, or choose to ignore, the raging struggle for the hearts and minds of men in the Church. This is not to say that women don't have equally tough struggles, but the issue of lust and improper desires is much more of a problem with men. The following , written by John Piper show a strong pro-active set of steps for combating the sins of desire. Just remember the acronym ANTHEM:

A - AVOID as much as is possible and reasonable the sights and situations that arouse unfitting desire. I say "possible and reasonable" because some exposure to temptation is inevitable. And I say "unfitting desire" because not all desires for sex, food, and family are bad. We know when they are unfitting and unhelpful and on their way to becoming enslaving. We know our weaknesses and what triggers them. "Avoiding" is a Biblical strategy. "Flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness" (2 Timothy 2:22). "Make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires" (Romans 13:14).

N - Say NO to every lustful thought within five seconds. And say it with the authority of Jesus Christ. "In the name of Jesus, NO!" You don't have much more than five seconds. Give it more unopposed time than that, and it will lodge itself with such force as to be almost immovable. Say it out loud if you dare. Be tough and warlike. As John Owen said, "Be killing sin or it will be killing you." Strike fast and strike hard. "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" ( James 4:7).

T - TURN the mind forcefully toward Christ as a superior satisfaction. Saying "no" will not suffice. You must move from defense to offense. Fight fire with fire. Attack the promises of sin with the promises of Christ. The Bible calls lusts "deceitful desires" (Ephesians 4:22). They lie. They promise more than they can deliver. The Bible calls them "passions of your former ignorance" (1 Peter 1:14). Only fools yield. "All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter" (Proverbs 7:22). Deceit is defeated by truth. Ignorance is defeated by knowledge. It must be glorious truth and beautiful knowledge. This is why I wrote Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ. We must stock our minds with the superior promises and pleasures of Jesus. Then we must turn to them immediately after saying, "NO!"

H - HOLD the promise and the pleasure of Christ firmly in your mind until it pushes the other images out. "Fix your eyes on Jesus" (Hebrews 3:1). Here is where many fail. They give in too soon. They say, "I tried to push it out, and it didn't work." I ask, "How long did you try?" How hard did you exert your mind? The mind is a muscle. You can flex it with vehemence. Take the kingdom violently (Matthew 11:12). Be brutal. Hold the promise of Christ before your eyes. Hold it. Hold it! Don't let it go! Keep holding it! How long? As long as it takes. Fight! For Christ's sake, fight till you win! If an electric garage door were about to crush your child you would hold it up with all our might and holler for help, and hold it and hold it and hold it and hold it.

E - ENJOY a superior satisfaction. Cultivate the capacities for pleasure in Christ. One reason lust reigns in so many is that Christ has so little appeal. We default to deceit because we have little delight in Christ. Don't say, "That's just not me." What steps have you taken to waken affection for Jesus? Have you fought for joy? Don't be fatalistic. You were created to treasure Christ with all your heart - more than you treasure sex or sugar. If you have little taste for Jesus, competing pleasures will triumph. Plead with God for the satisfaction you don't have: "Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days" (Psalm 90:14). Then look, look, look at the most magnificent Person in the universe until you see him the way he is.

M - MOVE into a useful activity away from idleness and other vulnerable behaviors. Lust grows fast in the garden of leisure. Find a good work to do, and do it with all your might. "Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord" (Romans 12:11). "Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58). Abound in work. Get up and do something. Sweep a room. Hammer a nail. Write a letter. Fix a faucet. And do it for Jesus' sake. You were made to manage and create. Christ died to make you "zealous for good deeds" (Titus 2:14). Displace deceitful lusts with a passion for good deeds.

Words - Power to Heal / Power to Hurt

2005-06-15T22:27:00.000-05:00

I have been struck this week by how easily words, even those spoken with no malice intended, can easily destroy relationships and break down emotional wellness.

I made an agreement many months ago to spend part of my summer working for a certain company. I waited anxiously for months to begin, and finally did so just two short weeks ago. Because of the nature of this business, and because I trusted (and still do) those who run it, I did not worry when I didn't receive some of the paperwork that is needed for me to officially become an emplyee. In fact, I began working with no official offer, no promise of wages, and only a naive faith that all would be well.

Unfortunately, after two weeks and many reminders the paperwork never came, and the work hours did not meet my expectations. I decided to leave before I was in too deep, and before too many resources had been wasted on my training. I approached the manner in a professional, Christian way. I received a professional, Christian request to stay.

During this time, I have also been in constant prayer over how I spend my time this summer in preparation for the coming school year. I have been feeling that I should spend my time in other things. This coupled with the above led me to decline the offer to stay.

Unfortunately, I apparently conveyed a tone of mistrust and accusation in one of my emails, and in the process offended and hurt those with whom I was working. I had not intended to do this, but the impersonal nature of email lends itself naturally to misinterpretation of intent and meaning. What to me had been a simple paragraph had meant something altogether different once it had been received.

I have since sent a follow-up, apologizing for this miscommunication. I hope that forgiveness is in their heatrs (and I believe it is), but this instance sticks in my head as an example of miscommunications within the Body of Christ.

It is so incredibly easy to lose control of our tongues (both verbally and in print) and cause deep hurt to others. We, as Christians, must be especially careful of our words as we are a witness to others. Otherwise we will become like those spoken of in Romans 3: "Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit."

One way to accomplish this might be to more carefully practice the Discipline of Simplicity, as it pertains to our speech. Let our "Yes" be yes and our "No" be no.

Another solution might be to spend more effort evaluating what we say before we say it. Silence can be a great thing, but a kind word can heal open wounds. As the Proverbs say:

Proverbs 12:25 An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up

Shema

2005-06-08T11:09:00.000-05:00

I know it has been some time since my last serious reflection. The end of my first year at seminary was wonderful, but very hectic. You should soon see more from me, but in the meantime, I wanted to point out another blog that I think will hold the reflections of a true son and worshiper of the Most High God.

My brother Aaron has begun a blog named Shema at www.eloheinu.blogspot.com , and I highly encourage you to take a moment to read his welcome message, explaination of Shema, and reasons for blogging. He has always been a great mentor to me, as well as a dear friend, and his thirst for knowing and being known by God drives him. I pray many blessings upon him as he engages in this new form of self-reflection and meditation.

That Time Again

2005-05-04T23:22:00.000-05:00

Well, its that time again. Time for Finals, time for cramming, time for reading 3,000 pages in a week, time for unwinding, and time for a break. God has blessed us so very richly this past year. As I look back, I am truly amazed at how he was always there to carry my burdens and provide his infinite care amidst my struggles. What a truly awesome life this is when shared with others who love Christ, and with the Creator himself. So, as that time approaches again don't forget to breathe the new life of Christ, and be thankful for his amazing grace.

Profound Insights from a 4-Year Old

2005-04-25T08:58:00.000-05:00

I never cease to be amazed by children and the way their minds grasp things that we adults struggle with for years on end. This has never been more aparent to me than it is now as I am constantly taught new lessons about trust in God and communication with Christ through the lives of Benjamin and Jacob Nitschke (4 and 6 respectively).

I was talking with these two boy's father Keith a few nights ago on the phone. We were discussing the fact that it was 80 degrees in Kentucky and snowing back in Erie, PA where they live ( 8>) when Keith changed the subject and said "Guess what Benjamin did today?" Anytime he says this, I have to sit down and prepare myself for some raucous laughter, so I got myself ready.

(pause)

I feel the need to give a little background info here really fast. Only weeks prior to this call, I found out that both Jacob and Benjamin had, on separate occasions, asked Jesus "into their hearts" and became two of the newest and youngest members of the Body of Christ (praise God!). We have been observing this newfound interaction with Chrsit in their lives ever since. It is so refreshing to see someone with no pretenses approach God when they have a concern. So, though not totally shocked, I was pleasantly surprised and tickled by what Keith told me next.

(play)

So apparently Keith took benjamin to look at a station wagon that he was considering purchasing for the family. It was a little more than what he wanted to spend, but decided to stop and take a look at it anyway. Benjamin tagged along, and was minding his own business until they were about to leave, then he looked up at Keith and said "Daddy, we are supposed to have that car."

Keith said he stopped, stunned for a moment then asked, "Really, why do you say that?"

Benjamin replied, " Jesus-God (this is his name for Christ) told me."

Keith chuckled and smiled at his son, "Wow. Did he say when we were supposed to get it?"

Benjamin very matter-of-factly said, "One second, Daddy, let me ask." He then proceeded to look down at his heart and whisper. After just a moment he looked back up to his dad and said, "Him no say!"

And that was that :) They didn't purchase the car, but as Keith related this story to me I was struck by the incredibly trusting and communicative relationship that this little boy has with the creator of the universe. I think we can learn a lot from our children. Maybe its time that we reopened the lines of communication with God to the point that when we encounter a tough decision, have a concern, want to say thanks for the beautiful day, or just want to chat we no loner have to rest on pomp and circumstance, but instead just quietly speak to our hearts (and from them) and listen for His very loving reply.

Peace be with you this day.

Deeper

2005-04-09T22:38:00.000-05:00

I stumbled across an awesome music video created by Nathan Smith, a fellow ATS student, over at SonSpring. The video was produced for a class and uses the song Deeper Still by Scott Krippayne. As I sat listening to the music, I awakened to the truth of the words he sings. My heart still stirs with the excitement, joy, and amazement at what it might truly mean to be taken deeper still into the wonderful faithfulness, grace, and mercy of God.

In my excited state I began to think about what a deeper relationship with God, through Christ, really should look like. I am by no means an expert in this area, but if you will bear with me a moment, open your imagination, and paint this picture in your mind I think you may see where I am going with this.

--------------
Imagine with me a place of brokeness, hurt, and despair. Hope is an unknown. Healing is unheard of. Loneliness rules the day. Now imagine living in this place, with no hope or even thought of escape. But then one day a visitor comes to this lost and miserable place, and with him comes light. As he nears you, the light expands; overpowering the gloom and reaching even into the deapest shadows. As he draws nearer, you feel fear creep over you. You have never known anything but solitude, pain, and rejection. Why would this one bring anything different. But as he nears, and the light falls at last on you, you realize that this one is different. This one brings healing where there is brokeness, comfort where there is hurt, and hope where there is despair. Through this one, you are changed to a child of light, and the desolate landscape around you is transformed into a beautiful field, radiant and filled with life.

Some of you have been here already. But this is just the beginning. Let's go deeper still . . .

Now imagine that as the light transforms you, you become so enraptured with its warmth that you long to share it with someone else. So you step back and look into yet another place of darkness and despair; this one belonging to someone else who has yet to feel the light touch their feet. As you approach, the darkness recedes and the warmth of the light descends upon the solitary, broken form of the one you seek to share with. This lonely one no longer feels the pain and rejection, but steps gingerly into the light to fellowship with you and the one who called you.

Some of you have been here too. But this is just the first step of the journey. Let's go deeper still . . .

Now imagine that you have shared the light time and time again. Offered it as though it were your own. Saw many come into its warmth. As you look around you at the masses of enlightened ones, you feel comfort in what you have done. As you look for the one who called you to seek approval, you find that he is nowhere to be found. In a panic you search, longing once again to feel the first rays of the light that he brings. You see the light all around you, filled with those whom you have shared it with, but the warmth begins to fade. As you look closer at those you have shared with, you see that though all are in the light, some are hungry, some are dressed in rags. Some are standing, looking lost, with nowhere to go. Some are hoarding the light. And the one is nowhere to be found.

Some of you have been here. It is a place of reflection. But let's go deeper still.

Imagine now that you continue to search for the one, but are unable to find him. You become frantic in your longing to find him, and each minute that passes brings an agony of a sort never experienced in your days before the light touched you. You begin to push past those who you have invited into the light. In your haste you toss them aside as you search endlessly for the one. As you reach a breaking point and fall to your knees in an agony of loss, you see a small child dressed in rags. The child is hungry, with lines of sleepless nights and worry marring the surface of the young face. Your instinct is to push this young one away as you have the others, that you might better see off into the distance as you continue your endless search. But this child is different. As you look at this child with curiosity, your eyes are drawn to the tiny, mud stained hands. The are clasped before the child as though holding something most precious and dear. As you watch with fascination, the hands raise to you and part, revealing a new light. This one brighter than the light surrounding you. This light glows with the essence of the child's life. Everything the child has is carried in this glow. The warmth is beyond comparison, the brilliance unmatched by any but the light of the one who called you.

With a steady hand the poor, wretched child passes his light to you. Though you try to refuse, he will not be turned away. As you accept the light as your own, the child smiles at you, sinks to the ground, and stirs no more. The child has held nothing of the light back, but has given it entirely to you. As the child sinks to the ground, you see the one standing behind the child. On his face is the look of a father who is beaming with love and pride for his child. And he stares at the now motionless child before you.

He comes forward now, taking the child in his arms and comforting him. Loving him in his sacrifice. As he turns to leave with the child in his loving embrace, he looks at you and says one somple phrase, "the light has been given to you that you may give it all away, saving nothing for yourself. Do not keep that which is not yours, but give it away that others might come to know the light of life in its purest form."

As you watch the one turn and walk away with the child, you finally understand what you have seen. You have seen the child who has gone deeper still into the light of Christ.
-----

I pray that I will learn to be like this child. That I would find the strength and courage to go deeper still into the light of Christ, until all that I am is given to the light, no longer to be merely shared, but to be passed in its entirety to those in need.

Mercy - Part 2

2005-04-08T22:56:00.000-05:00

I know I wrote a post a long time ago about mercy, but I feel the need to revisit this important call of Christ. Tonight I am having trouble sleeping, so I decided to read some news and see what is going on in the world. This is usually a big mistake, as there is little reporting of uplifting events. Tonight especially, I was stuck hard by the harsh, unforgiving nature of people across the globe. I used to believe in the term desensitization; no more. To claim that we pass judgement, ignore attrocities, and allow sin because of this word is simply untrue. We do these things because humanity is sinfully separated from God.

I read an article that talked about Eric Rudolph and his impending conviction. For those of you who don't know, this is the man who is responsible for the 1996 Olympic bombing in Atlanta, two bomings at abortion clinics, and a bombing at a lesbian nightclub. After 5 years of running, he was caught in 2003 and has been awaiting trial since. He has agreed to a plea bargain in order to avoid the death penalty, and will spend the rest of his life in jail without the possibibility of parole.

His crimes are heinous. Does he deserve punishment? I believe so. Do I think taxpayers should support his prison life? Not really. Does he deserve to die?

It is this last question that bothers me so greatly. As it would happen, most people involved would say yes. I would ask this in response. Have we become so depraved as humans that the only recourse we can see as a proper response to murder is death? According to the husband of one of Mr. Rudolph's victims (who was left blind in one eye, but remains otherwise unharmed), "As they say, let the punishment fit the crime. That was a death sentence." This, for the loss of an eye.

Yes, two people have died in his attacks, and yes he is a terrorist. Yes, I believe he deserves to be punished, and life in prison will be that punishment. But again, do I think he deserves to die for it? Though my lust for vengence would cry yes, my heart cries a resounding NO. Is life so cheap that we are willing to toss it away without even the slightest hint of Mercy?

It happened to our Lord. And it happens today.

Some might say I have lost my mind. That I have just betrayed the Isaac that they know who believes in justice, self-sacrifice, defending one's family and country, and the like. But though I believe in those things, I have a greater belief in the God of mercy who, though I was condemned to a sentence of death for my transgressions, loved me enough to overturn that sentence through an act of loving sacrifice found in Jesus Christ.

I don't know what else to say, but that I pray that we will rediscover the mercy that God has granted us, that we might in turn pass it on to others. I have to believe there is still hope for us, and for Eric Rudolph.

Scriptural Relevance

2005-03-29T23:32:00.000-05:00

I have been struggling with something the last few weeks. Its not the insane amount of reading, the papers I have to write, the 2 jobs I am working, or the fact that I am getting over a case of the flu. I feel so truly blessed to be at seminary, but I feel like something is missing this semester. Today I finally figured out what it is.

With the exception of my Inductive Bible Study on Mark, we have not opened the Scripture at all in my classes this semester. This is what I am missing, and it really has me thinking about what is most important to my growth and education as I journey toward whatever vocation God is calling me to as his minister in and to the world.

We have so much to learn in the short years that we are here. We must cover theology, philosophy, ethics, preaching, exegesis, ctritical methodology - the list goes on and on. Asbury is such a wonderful place to go through all of this, because our professors really BELIEVE in the Christ of the Bible, and they really LIVE a life transformed by encounter with the living God. I have been so impressed by the simple act of having short devotionals or prayer at the start of every class. It invites God to guide our learning, and brings so much to the experience. But what about daily Scripture reading?

We are told that we must make the time for this in our daily lives. I agree. Now show me when. I have developed a new and surprisingly intense addiction since starting back to school. This addiction comes in the form of wanting to truly KNOW scripture. This is a new experience for me, and it drives much of what I do in my studies. The problem is that with all of the other work and life needs, the time needed to get my fix is no longer present. And I feel at a loss.

This reaffirms to me the need to keep scripture and prayer at the center of all that we do. I catch myself daydreaming sometimes about what it must have been like for the early church, so hungry for the truth, yet having no written Word to feast upon. So they committed it to memory. I dream that I too can accomplish this, but then I curse myself for my limitations of memory, and despair at how little I really know.

It all just makes me wonder if, even in this amazing place of dedication to the God of all creation, we are neglecting and in fact hindering the role of Scripture; even as we learn so much ABOUT it.

Pray for me - that I will have the time and energy to feast upon the Word. I can feel it calling to me. That may sound strange, but to those of you who understand what I mean, you can also understand what it feels like to do without.

Little Secret

2005-03-28T08:05:00.000-05:00

He is alive! He is risen!

psssst. here's a little secret. He's coming back!

Solitude

2005-03-16T08:32:00.000-05:00

I have been reading the excellent Celebration of Discipline, by Richard Foster the last few weeks, and have been prompted to deep reflection on the subject of the Spiritual Disciplines as a result. This week's reading was on the discipline of solitude (or silence), and has really got me nervous - but in a good way.

Let's face it - Isaac + Silence = pig's flying

I'm a man of many words. Its just who I am. Although I have been putting forth a lot of effort into momitoring what I say before it leaves my lips, I will probably never be the type of person that one would call "a quiet guy". So, when I began reading about this discipline, I got really nervous. I am taking these seriously as actions that I should take as a Christian and, just like the Scripture, we can't just pick and choose the parts that we like.

So with a fair amount of apprehension I delved into this chapter, wonder what awaited me, and was surprised to find - well - the beauty of solitude. Foster talks about the nature of solitude, and that it doesn't necessarily conform to the idea I had of sitting by yourself for hours on end in a desolate place - although sometimes it does. Practicing solitude (or silence - the two are very closely bound) is really about claiming and holding fast to those moments when we are alone to reflect on God's work in our lives. The few minutes before work. The quiet walk to class. The traffic jam. All of these are wonderful opportunities to just BE with God, and to release yourself to his presence.

The really neat thing is that solitude doesn't necessarily require you to be alone. Foster talks about practicing solitude in a crowd by letting every word, every action reflect the presence of our Heavenly Father. He also notes that practicing silence does not mean a legalistic approach of saying "I will not speak for 40 days". It is about limiting your speach to what is necessary. It is about not saying what is unnecessary. It is, most importantly, about letting God be our justifier.

Foster points out that our tongue is both a thermometer and thermostat. As a thermometer, it goves our spiritual temperature. As a thermostat, it also regulates our spiritual temperature. The simple truth is this. Most of us use words to justify ourselves in the eyes of others. We worry so much about how others perceive what we are doing, that we feel the need to justify ourselves by "making them understand". Christ did not need to justify himself. On many occasions, when confronted about what he was doing, he told parables. At times he remained silent. More often than not he asked questions in return. Instead of justifying himself, he let the Father provide justification for him. We are called to do the same. So we must watch our tongues, lest they become a sacrifice of fools.

Foster also talks about the "dark night of the soul". This is a time that many who practice the discipline of solitude experience. It is a time when we become rather disatisfied with life. Foster urges us to recognize it for what it is - not some strange depression, but an opportunity for God to really shape us, without distraction. The melancholy, and lack of interest in study, worship, even fellowship can serve to remove distraction from focused attention on God. It is a season that will pass in time, but must be embraced if we are to allow God to work in us through this discipline.

I know I have essentially given a rather choppy interpretation of this chapter now, so let's get to the point. This book has had a huge impact on me already, and this chapter has convicted me personally. I am ready to accept God's justification in my life, rather than a justification of words. Does this mean that I will become a "quiet man"? Not likely. What it does mean is that it is time for me to actively engage in removing words without meaning from my life. To letting my Yes be Yes, and my No be No. To capturing the quiet moments alone with my Father in Heaven. To letting him mold me in the silence.

Will you join me in solitude?

Worship

2005-02-24T18:45:00.000-05:00

I've just had the most worshipful experience of my life. As I sat with my fellow seminarians, faculty, and staff listening to Jason Upton, something amazing happened -- God spoke. I can only describe it as my soul leaping so hard that it was nearly ripped from my body. Time stopped. Everyone disappeared. It was just me with God - and I had his full attention.

Awe. Joy. Grace. These were my brushes, and my canvass was his imutable love. When the two were joined, I could do only one thing; not sing, not speak - for my voice failed me; not dance, not lift my hands - for my strength failed me; not bow, not kneel - for my shame held me fast. All I could do was write. So here it is. A spontaneous outpouring of emotions, in the thick of Holy worship:

I long to cry out
To you O, Lord
To break peace with all
That is not of you . . . release me.

My throat constricts
My palms sweat
My soul leaps
My very essence shouts to you . . . release me.

To know you
To breathe you in
To live in you
Brings unquenchable joy . . . release me.

Yet I sit in silence,
Rejecting you Lord
Though mountains will move
Though seas will part
I wait . . . release me.

I beseach you my Lord
Break down my walls
Unlock my chains
Open the floodgates of my heart . . . release me.

That I may worship you . . . release me.

Fasting and Prayer

2005-02-22T04:16:00.000-05:00

My studies of the Spiritual Disciplines and the Lent season have recently lead me down a path to a face-to-face confrontation with the need for fasting and prayer in the daily lives of Christians.

In recent years, I have come to personally discover the power of ardent, submissive prayer to our Heavenly Father. His healing, provision, guidance, peace, and grace are all available to us if we will just submit to him and speak to him. Prayer has become something that is no longer a chore for me, but something that I long to do. I find myself praying in some of the oddest places and times, simply because to not pray seems inconceivable. The song Let us Pray by Steven Curtis Chapman comes to mind, because he tells us to "pray without end, and when we're finished start again". But this is not the only key to prayer. We must also be sumissive in our prayers - willing to accept and incarnate the will of God in our lives, even when what God is telling us seems to go against the motives of self. We must also bring faith to our prayers. Without faith, our prayers lack the power to transform - not God, but ourselves. Without faith that God will answer our prayer with a definitive YES or NO in his time, the prayer itself lacks a critical element.

Fasting is a discipline that I have found myself contemplating a lot lately. It has been on my mind considerably for the last 8 months or so, but I must confess that I have yet to practice it. This is not because I am lazy, or because I find it unimortant. On the contrary, I am discovering that fasting is a critical aspect of a submissive Christian's life. JD Walt recently gave a wonderfully insightful glance at the significance of fasting which you can read on the Asbury Seminary blog here:

http://www.asburyblog.net/2005/02/practicing_fast.html

He discusses the fact that fasting is more than just the "giving up" of food to show that we are disciplined and devoted to the will of God. Instead, it is an opportunity to transform ourselves, and realize that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. It is about recognizing that the need for our spiritual bread is more important than physical satisfaction - that we can live without the physical, but not without the grace and love of God.

So what am I waiting for? Why haven't I fasted yet? Fear . . .
I'm not afraid of giving something up - we have been asked to give up many things to follow Christ, and have received more blessings than I can count in return. There is no fear for me in doing without, for God's provision is truly enough. I am, however, afraid of "getting it wrong". I read the other day that fasting was such a common part of the Jewish lifestyle, that there was no question how or when to do it. It is sad how we have let the Disciplines fade from our culture to the point where these things are no longer common knowledge. I am a victim of my own lack of knowledge on "how" to fast. I am also afraid of the outcome, in all honesty. God has been working so mightily in my life and that of my wife, and he has taught us to take steps - one at a time - toward his goal. Sometimes I feel that if I begin the fast, I will be plunged headlong into the race. From that moment on, there will be no more baby steps - I will have to really "run for the prize".

So why does that frighten me? Because a stumble at a run hurts a lot more than one at a crawl. And I don't want to fail Him.

But maybe its time to release myself from the paralyzing fear of messing up a perfection that I alone can never attain anyway. Maybe it is time to answer the call to a life of Discipline. Maybe its time to enter the race, and allow God to open up a whole new realm of possibilities in my life.

Is it time for you?

Gut Check

2005-02-08T21:55:00.000-05:00

I just read the following quote from The Call, by Os Guinness:

"Ponder, for example, the fallacy of the contemporary Protestant term full-time Christian service--as if those not working for the churches or Christian organizations are only part-time in the service of Christ."

All I can say is oops! I have caught myself committing this same fallacy by saying that I am now working toward being in full-time ministry, when in fact I should have considered myself to be in full-time service to the Lord long before I heeded the specific call to Seminary. It is so easy to fool ourselves into thinking that we must become involved in a vocation that is directly tied to ministry if we are to realize a life spent in service to God. My call to a vocation of ministry as a Pastor (or whatever God has prepared for me after seminary) is no different than that of a lawyer, or doctor, or school teacher, or stay-at-home mom who engages in their particular vocation because God has led them there.

Those of us whom God does call to a role as Pastor, or Missionary, etc. must be careful not to assume that our particular calling is of greater importance than another in God's eyes. For as Luther so clearly put it:

"The works of monks and priests, however holy and arduous they be, do not differ one whit in the site of God from the works of the rustic laborer in the field or the woman going about her household tasks, but that all works are measured before God by faith alone. . . .Indeed, the menial housework of a manservant or maidservant is often more acceptable to God than all the fastings and other works of a monk or priest, because the monk or priest lacks faith."

It is my sincerest hope that I, and you with me, will remember that our works are measured by faith alone, and that humility is a trait much exemplified in Jesus Christ, and therefore characteristic of a life lived in service to God.

And may God forgive me for forgetting that a life lived through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ is a life lived in service to him - whatever the vocation of my calling.