What motivates you?

I have been meeting with several guys from church again.  An iron sharpens iron thing.  Through our discussions the subject of church attendance has come up several times.  To kind of capture the context, let ask a few questions first:
1. Of the fifty-two Sundays a year, how many of them do you spend at your home church?
2. How many weekend trips or vacations are planned without regard to being in attendance at your home church (i.e., leave after church, make sure you're back Saturday to be at church on Sunday)?
3. What priorities take precedent to your attendance of Sunday worship of your home church?
Given it's already 11:26 and I have church in the morning, I know I'm not going to get into this as far as I want to, but I want you to think about this (as I have over the past few weeks):  What is your commitment level to your church?  Is it more of what programs are available for me and my kids?  Or is your church a second home where you seek to serve more than be served?  Or is it more of a combination of the two?
My fear is that we don't invest into our church, and I don't mean tithing.  We don't seek ways we can serve, but wait until we are asked.  We don't build into the lives of each other (and I don't mean getting together to play softball)  When was the last time you spoke the gospel into someone at church?  To your spouse?  To yourself?  Is the church you belong to your primary circle of friends?  If not, why?  The last thing I want is to guilt anyone into some legalistic action, but I want you to genuinely search yourself and find out on which foundation you've built your life on.
Ideally this is best done before the waves reveal it for you.  I ran across a verse yesterday that keeps coming to mind.  I could look it up on the internet and look all smart, but to be honest I cannot remember the whole thing or where it's from, but it speaks of "joy inexpressible."
If you were to face some challenge, some major storm, would your joy remain?  What is the source of your joy?
Paul Tripp does this illustration where he shakes a water bottle and splashes water everywhere.  He then asks, why did water come out?  Most answer, because the bottle was shaken.  But he says, no.  Water comes out because that is what is inside the bottle.
When you're shaken, what comes out?  When some other person on the road does something foolish, I shout, Idiot!  When the boys continue to be zoned onto the tv or computer when asked to set the table for dinner, I quickly become irritated.  I would like for it to be some righteous anger, but to be honest yet again, it's not.  It's selfishness and sin on my part, despite their action, or inaction as the case may be.  Kinda says something about my heart, doesn't it?  What motivates that response?  What motivates me?

Community

God, as He often does, has introduced another reoccurring theme in my life. From multiple angles different concepts tend to repeat themselves in the effort that what He is trying to teach me penetrates this thick skull. This time, it's the idea of community.

Lesson 3 of Paul Tripp and Timothy Lane's How People Change workbook focuses on importance for Christians to live in community: "But these are some of the very reasons why community is such a big part of God's plan to transform us into the image of Christ. The more we understand our own hearts, the more we see that it takes a work of God's grace to transform self-absorbed individuals into a community of love. Being in a community shows us our need for change and helps bring it about." (pg 3.5)

So what am I doing to pursue community? I guess I have to first decide what that means; what is the type of community that God is calling me to be part of?

First it must be gospel-centered. It's not a social group that only gets together for the Jaguar games (when they're not blacked out) nor simply gets together to scrap book, then, in either case, closes in a quick prayer. One of the purposes of the community must be to speak the gospel to and into each other continually. This world distracts my attentions and affections away from God too easily. We need to be refreshed by the gospel repeatedly, reminded that, yes, I was a sinner at enmity with God, but by the selfless obedience of His Son, by His shedding of Blood and Death on the Cross, by His Conquering of the grave, His Resurrection, I am saved. Hallelujah! As a good friend once shared with me, we have a thirst for Christ. A marathon runner does not simply have one of sip of water at the beginning of the race, hoping to complete it, but instead seeks replenishment continually throughout the race. We are to hold out that cup for each other.

More on community soon.

Bind my heart

How many times will I delete this line? I'm tired and it's too late at night to try to write anything intelligible or spelled correctly. It's been too long between posts to try to fill in where I've been and why. Especially after rereading their promises of commitment to writing, to sharing, to stopping and examining my path. Am I following the way He constantly lights for me, or have I wandered . . . again?

"Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;"

His faithfulness is amazing.
God is good all the time.

It's been an interesting week. I'll expand more later, but for now here's a link to a little something that may or may not affect us. Check out the comments - there's more there than in the news article.

Wrestling

Flipping through the channels the other night, the boys and I ended up on the horrible remake of the Beverly Hillbillies. The cheesy humor was close to their level thus they enjoyed Jethro and his sixth grade education. Another scene they found amusing involved Elly May soundly defeating the wrestling team captain. During their match she uses several moves she developed back home such as the "Clampett Clamp" (a choke hold) and the "Hickory Nut Cracker" (use your imagination). After each move the boy painfully informs her that her moves are illegal.

Almost two months ago I began to consider Jacob's wrestling match with God. Jacob understood what it meant to be blessed by God. Even after wrestling all night, he would not let go until he was blessed. Even after his hip was put out of joint, he would not let go until he was blessed. Then he said ,"Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed." (Genesis32:28)

Have I striven with God? Do I wrestle with Him? With His word? Do I fully grasp the depth of His blessing?

Since He's placed these questions upon me, this passage has continued to pop up. The Dodrill's pastor referenced Jacob wrestling with God during his comments at Stephen's funeral. Yesterday I was listening to Matt Chandler of The Village Church in Dallas and he discussed the need to wrestle with Gods word.

So I've printed up a reading chart and I'm going to start wrestling. My hip already hurts.

Pursuit/Thankful

Thought about getting back to this blog thing today. Trying to figure out why I quit. Was I too busy? Too tired? Too lazy? Probably more the last reason than I care to admit.

I've been reading Em's posts, looking forward to the next one. I've seen her pour out some of herself, her sadness, especially for her sister. I know it's been a great tool for her to work through her grief. That's what I miss about writing. I need to force myself to think about my life, to reflect one where I fail and where I succeed. I need to reflect on the only one who matters, God. I need to practice resting in Him.

That's why I'm back: to consider my pursuit of Him.


The family went camping up to Ft Clinch over the Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends. Granted it's not a Norman Rockwell way to share a Thanksgiving meal, but now that we've been camping the past three Thanksgivings, I'd have to say it has become a wonderful tradition. We even had some good cornbread dressing this time around.

But the next night really shined. We were gathered around a hot fire while the cold of night crept in and Emily asked Alex, "What are you thankful for?" For the next few minutes we shared the many blessing of the trip and of the year. Especially with the tragedy of Stephen's death, it was healing to remember and reflect on the many blessings God continuously showers upon us.

Not too far from my last post

I don’t know where I’ve been. Kinda like that time between the season finale and the start of the next season of your favorite tv program, I’ve been in some sort of re-run wilderness.

Had a fantastic lunch with a friend, a good friend, the other day. As my my lunch hour stretched into two, I regretted having to put the conversation on hold. Time and time again the topics echoed soul failures in my own walk over the past few months.

I still desire to seek Him, the one who chose me long before I had a clue.

I still desire to be a disciple. I cannot say I’m exactly excited to give up this life (in a flesh sense, a very comfortable life at that) and follow Him, but, now that I’m thinking about it, I am excited. There’s a freedom in placing your life in the hand of the one in control.

I do not look forward to pain, suffering, or even inconvenience, but He is faithful. Please pray that He will strengthen my faith that I may be obedient to the tasks He has placed before me.

Lord, please help me love you and those you place in my life. Give me strength to serve with integrity.

What’s Your Title?

I was reading a devotion the other day from RZIM titled Easy Living and it forced me to stop and think about who I am.

Am I a Christian? Yes. That one was easy.

Am I a pilgrim?  What does this even mean?  What is a pilgrim?  I think back on my recent humanities class where we discussed the pilgrimages to the huge cathedrals in Europe that the folks would make.  Was it a once a year sacrifice? Or did it take longer to save up for that type of journey then?

Am I a disciple?  This is where I want to be – a follower of Christ, not just one who believes  But what are the characteristics of a disciple?  What did the first disciples sacrifice to follow Christ? Their livelihoods, families, friends, social standing, even their lives.  [cliché alert] If I was on trial today for being a disciple of Christ, would there be enough evidence to convict?

There’s a term that keeps coming up in different things I’m reading: the supremacy of Christ.  I am certain He is better than anything else, but do my actions, does my life, reflect the supremacy of Christ?

A life lived exalting Christ would be free of idols; they’d be sacrificed in our worship of Him.  Yeah, there are little idols in my life, but they are just tools to worship my true idol, myself.  I sing songs every week declaring I will love only Him, serve only Him, worship Him alone, but I fail, often before I even get out the doors of church.

How do I sacrifice my life to live a life the reflects the supremacy of Christ?  When I ask this, I know a good chunk of me is really asking, How do I sacrifice without any inconvenience or pain? Or even better, how do I sacrifice without really giving up anything?

I frequently find myself placing grace between me and the alter.  Does God really want me to give up spending two hours a night reading about the world’s ills?  If I just start giving things up, isn’t that a bit legalistic – that can’t be better than giving up something with which God has blessed me, can it?  I can continue to rationalize myself away from sacrifice all day.

But now, miles away, I can see more clearly (though I’m not much stronger) that on the other side of sacrifice are even richer blessings – not health, or wealth, but a closer, deeper relationship with Christ.

Bible Study Magazine Contest

Bible Study Magazine and Mars Hill are giving away 20 copies of Mark Driscoll’s new book, Vintage Church. Not only that, but they are also giving away five subscriptions to Bible Study Magazine and a copy of their Bible Study Library software! Enter to win on the Bible Study Magazine Mark Driscoll page, then take a look at all the cool tools they have to take your Bible study to the next level!

What is the recession for?

Seems like longer that a few days ago, but just Monday Nate suggested we check out John Piper’s message, What is the recession for? (this link will take you to the text, or from there you can select to either listen to or even watch the message – which I highly recommend because the text fails to convey Piper’s passion).

Not only have I ‘borrowed’ his title, but I am going to ‘borrow’ some of his words, too. Piper points out five of God’s purposes behind the recession:

1. He intends for this recession to expose hidden sin and so bring us to repentance and cleansing.
2. He intends to wake us up to the constant and desperate condition of the developing world where there is always and only recession of the worst kind.
3. He intends to relocate the roots of our joy in his grace rather than in our goods, in his mercy rather than our money, in his worth rather than our wealth.
4. He intends to advance his saving mission in the world—the spread of the gospel and the growth of his church—precisely at a time when human resources are least able to support it. This is how he guards his glory.
5. He intends for the church to care for its hurting members and to grow in the gift of love.

The rest of his message goes on to break down these five lessons God has for us. Again, please listen to it, my take on it is weak at best and my hope is to stir some thought about our thoughts on money.

Here’s something to think about. Add up your total expenses (rent/mortgage, utilities, insurance, food, etc, etc) and figure what you spend per day. I’m going to use the average American income of $26,000 for my calculations, as well as assume the average American does not save (yours may be more or less). Only making $26,000 still gives the average American $71.25 per day on which to live. Thinking about Piper’s second point above, 50% of the world’s population lives on less than $2 a day. 80% of the world lives on less than $10 per day.

To further put things in perspective, a single person household making less that $10,400 living in the lower forty-eight, is considered living in poverty. At that amount, one still has $28.49 per day on which to live. In the poorest countries on the world, the poverty line is set at $1.25 a day ($2.50 a day in developing countries).

For a family of six in the lower forty-eight, here in America, the line is set at $28,400 a year or about $12.96 per day per family member and easily in the richest 20% in the world.

All this to say: when was the last time you complained about your financial situation? Being employed in a profession directly related to the number of homes being built, I know I'm guilty, especially as my overtime hours have dwindled to nothing. And not just that, but how much longer am I going to have a job?

And that, sports fans, is exactly what is so incredible about this recession (Piper’s 3rd point listed above), it will help me refocus on Him instead of my wealth, my stuff, my comfort.

To be honest, I’m a bit nervous. The opposite of comfort is pain, and I’m not a big fan of pain. But it’s like the dangerous prayer of asking God to do whatever He needs to do to so that you might draw closer to Him. My list of ‘whatever items’ are giving up cable tv, living in a small home, etc – they’re things I’ve already done. God’s list of ‘whatever items’ tend to be different that ours (what did Jesus ask of the rich young ruler? or John and James? etc).

It is the hope He promised and the truth that He works all things for the good of those who love Him that I can truly pray: God, I don’t know how the economy is going to pan out, but You do. I pray You use this time to turn the people of this nation, and the world, away from our sin and, instead, toward You. Please let Your light shine through Your people. Amen.

The two sources I used for the facts mentioned above are: http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty_in_the_United_States

Blogger: Hope and a Future - Create Post

Not much time for something funny…this is a quick giggle for the moms.

Blogger: Hope and a Future - Create Post

What Entertains Me?

I’ve enjoyed project playlist the past month or so.  As I reconnect with old friends on facebook, it’s been fun listening to the songs I enjoyed 20+ years ago.  But as I listen to some of these songs, they tear at me, at my faith, at a holiness God has called me to pursue.

Several weeks ago a friend on facebook posted a John Piper quote that has stuck with me: “there are almost no movies that don't ask me to be entertained by attitudes, motives, & actions which Jesus died to eradicate.”

I hate that quote, or better, my flesh hates that quote.  It forces me to think about the idols I’ve spent years tenderly nourishing.  It brings to mind 1 Corinthians 6:12, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything.”

The problem with thinking about idols is that, as a Christian, you’re bound to realize they’re a problem, that they separate you from God, that they’re purpose is to be smashed.

But, I’ve built parts of my life on a foundation of idols, despite the Sunday school song!  If I go smashing up these idols, I might mess up this comfortable life.  I’m kinda happy here.

Enslaved?  Boy, Paul nailed me on that one.

Despite the painful cry of my flesh, I know that with each idol smashed, I’ll find myself closer to Him, Jesus Christ, the only source of true Joy.

Homeschool Family

Where Do You Fight Your Battles?

Several days ago while reading Chamber’s My Utmost for His Highest, I ran across the idea of where battles are fought. He suggested that battles are to be fought internally, before God. If you wait to fight it externally, you’ve already lost. Today, scanning through radio stations, I found Ravi Zacharias on Focus on the Family. I only caught the last thirty seconds of the show, but he referred to fighting private battles.

So where do you fight your battles? Lately, I feel I’ve been bumbling from one battle to another, accidently turning from certain defeat into another front, all the while miraculously keeping my head like some mixed-up combination of Maxwell Smart and Mr. Magoo. Some I have not fought privately first. The others, I cannot seem to remember the lessons the private battle taught, nor the techniques for victory it revealed.

What these battles have reminded me is the importance of preparation. The first to Biblical examples of battle preparation that came to mind were David rejecting Saul’s armor, then selecting the stones prior to battle with Goliath and the second, God trimming the number of Gideon’s troops before his battle. Both examples ignore human reasoning, but instead both David and Gideon are left to rely on the only one that could win the fight.

In The Green Letters, Miles Stanford suggests that once you try to fight a battle you’ve lost. Though we may not see the immediate victory in our battles (and I dare suggest that what we would consider a victory, may not be what God has decided would be a victory), they are complete and we are victorious. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28 ESV)

Not that we shouldn’t prepare. Paul even uses the imagery of battle preparation in the sixth chapter of his letter to the Ephesians when reminding them (and us) to “be strong in the Lord.” But more on preparation later.

Lustful Thoughts

Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you, by the gazelles and the wild does of the field: do not stir up or awaken love until the appropriate time. Song of Solomon 2:7 (HCSB)

Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you, by the gazelles and the wild does of the field: do not stir up or awaken love until the appropriate time. Song of Solomon 3:5 (HCSB)

Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you: do not stir up or awaken love until the appropriate time. Song of Solomon 8:4 (HCSB)

I've been reading Mark Driscoll's Porn-Again Christian. It's a short (and very frank) e-book written for men about God's view of sex presented in stark contrast with fallen man's view of sex. I don't know if I'd recommend it to any female. If you're married and you're curious, have your husband read it first; he'll know if it will offend you or not. I've read some to Emily. Almost from sentence to sentence she'll flip from "that's good stuff" to "he's a chauvinist pig". That's the extent of my warning.

It sounds as if his church is mainly 20-somethings, typically unchurched, and apparently sex, God's view of sex, is a common question presented to him. On the Mars Hill Blog, there is a Christian Sex Q&A (another thing I've read to Emily where she responded as I mentioned above) and also a sermon series called The Peasant Princess: A Love Story from the Song of Songs.

Anyways, some where while reading through all this literature one point really jumped out at me: "do not stir up or awaken love until the appropriate time." In other words, we should not stir up sexual/romantic passions outside of marriage.

In Porn-Again Christian, Driscoll says, "The purpose of pornography is clearly lust. And, lust for anyone but your wife is condemned by God as a grievous evil repeatedly throughout both the Old and New Testament."

Lust.

I happened to be around three woman, probably all in their thirties, the other night as they discussed Twilight.

"The Twilight thing is not going to work out this weekend," said one.

"Don't worry about it," answered the second. "I've already seen it twice."

To which the first girl said, "Me, too." Followed by a round of schoolgirl giggles and some Twilight movie commentary that was basically addressed in this manner (I hope I'm remembering the names right):

"Ooohh, Edward."

"Well, I prefer Jacob."

"Mmmmmm."

"Why would these two guys be fighting over such a stupid girl?"

Lust. The stirring up and the awakening of passion outside of marriage. There may not be sex, but just like pornography for men, these books, after reading numerous blog comments by women who have read them, stir up passions and awaken desires that are to be only for your spouse. And to market this to our teen girls, calling it acceptable because of the lack of violence and physical sex, is dangerous.

As to what stirs the passions of a teen boy vs. a teen girl (or even a husband and a wife), I'm guessing most of us know. To allow a teen girl (or woman) to stir up her passions through the 'romance' of any book series, is the same as giving a teen boy a copy of Playboy and calling it okay. Both of these kids can be intelligent enough to recognize the object of their lust is fictional, but the lust exists just the same.

Credits: The image above was taken from Mark Driscoll's Blog.

It's the end of the world - Cover Tune Grab Bag Style

Why is deflation bad?

I'm still trying to figure it out. I'll write more later, but this is a neat article, followed by some very amusing, sometimes sarcastic, and even intelligent comments.

Do you know why deflation is bad?

Are You Happy?

Interesting story here.

Church Split Reconciliation from Peacemaker Ministries on Vimeo.

Logan

Padeobaptism and Amillennial Eschatology

These big words always create an awkwardness for me when we have a baptism service at our church. For those who do not know, Em and I go to an Evangelical Free church. Technically it's not a denomination but an association, but if you are not familiar with their approach, our church, Eastside Community, has a 'reformed baptist' feel. We have many baptists/former baptists at our church; they're probably the largest chunk of those who attend. Reformed meaning a commitment to the sovereignty of God with a theological approach summarized in T.U.L.I.P., and baptist in the sense that they are credobaptist and hold a premillennial view of the end times.

I am not a debater. I am not quick witted or a gifted oral communicator. When I have the chance to sit and think, I can usually put my worlds together enough through writing that I can communicate my thoughts to those reading. I know we are called to be able to give a defense of the Gospel, unless I was in a class of fifth or sixth graders, I'm sure my arguments for the Gospel would not stand against an atheist with a bit of mental stamina. Likewise, since the folks at our church are no slouches in their knowledge of theology and quick to present a defense of their beliefs in a logical, scriptural manner, I rarely bring up the that I feel they are wrong in both areas I previously mentioned.

I'm not sure why, but I've always questioned premillennial eschatology; not in an active sense, but something about it concerned me though I never sought to find out what about it seemed out of place. The churches I was in as a young christian did not require me to define my theological beliefs. Infant baptism has been a part of every church I've been a member of until now. In fact, most of my theological growth occurred in a Presbyterian church (PCA) under a pastor that grew up in a baptist church. Until college his belief in the rapture and believer's baptism was solid, but as he studied further he found those beliefs challenged until they succumbed to that belief both infant baptist and an amillennial approach to endtimes more accurately fit the the teachings of the Bible. That church was also made of a large chunk of baptists/former baptists. Perhaps they suffered the same discomfort I feel now.

I have missed every baptism service at Eastside to date. Emily was there for the service this morning. I stayed at home with two sick kids. In the past the baptism services always occurred during the Sunday evening service, an easy service to miss. This morning, if needed, I was to assist the baptees out of the baptismal and provide them with towels. Though I love to serve, it was going to be awkward.

This evening I've been thinking. We chose Eastside because of their great teaching commitment to reformed theology and expository teaching, but also because though credobaptists, they would not require our children who were baptised as infants to be re-baptised when they become members. This was a major problem for us prior to Eastside. We attended Em's aunt's church, a baptist church, and developed some strong friendships, but new to baptist teachings, when we realized the kids, as well as Emily, would be required to be baptised again for us to join, we were forced to leave in search of another body of believers. Anyways, back to what I was thinking, Elise is our last child, outside a miracle or adoption. Emily had her tubes tied after Elise. Four kids were enough for us. But what if we were to have another child. Committed to a convenantal approach of theology, I believe baptism is to the New Testament church, what circumcision was in the Old Testament. Circumcision was a outward expression of the Spirit-given faith that was required of a man and all the males in his household. Hebrew infants were circumcised to show their position in the family of believers though they had not believed themselves. Given the language of the New Testament, households being baptised, etc it is clear to me this was the view of baptism held in the early church. Again, if we were to have another child, I'd desire the child to be baptised as instructed by scripture. If the church I am currently attending would not baptise that child, am I attending the right church?

Fishing for commitments to credobapitism among the men of Eastside at our retreat this weekend, I joked that it would be so much easier if we sought more traditional reformed roots and simply sprinkled the baptism candidates instead of all the work it took to get the baptismal ready. Though the reactions were not hostile by any means, the suggestion was firmly rejected.

I don't believe my amillennial approach to eschatology would be a hill to die on, but I feel stronger toward the baptism issue. I've a meeting tomorrow night with some men from church regarding some other things, but I'm going to bring it up. We'll see how it goes.