What is a Friend?

I was looking back through an old journal of mine to discover that my oldest son lost his first tooth three years ago yesterday. I also came across a quote I had given to my best friend:

What is a friend? I will tell you. It is a person with whom you dare to be yourself. Your soul can be naked with him. He seems to ask of you to put on nothing, only to be what you are. He does not want you to be better or worse. When you are with him, you feel as a prisoner feels who has been declared innocent. You do not have to be on your guard. You can say what you think, so long as it is genuinely you. He understands those contradictions in your nature that lead others to misjudge you. With him you breathe freely. You can avow your little vanities and envies and hates and vicious sparks, your meannesses and absurdities and, in opening them up to him, they are lost, dissolved on the white ocean of his loyality. He understands. You do not have to be careful. You can abuse him, neglect him, tolerate him. Best of all, you can keep still with him. It makes no matter. He likes you. He is like fire that purges to the bone. He understands. You can weep with him, sin with him, laugh with him, pray with him. Through it all - and underneath - he sees, knows and loves you.A friend? What is a friend?Just one, I repeat, with whom you dare to be yourself.

~C. Raymond Beran, in Bits and Pieces, September 19, 1991, pp 3-4.

Silence

"We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls." ~Mother Teresa

The word listen contains the same letters as the word silent.

Appetites

I recently finished this great book by Steve Arterburn. It's an easy and quick read.

In it he talks about the 8 God given appetites we embody:

1. The Appetite for Food (Genesis 1:29)
2. The Appetite for Sex (Genesis 1:28)
3. The Appetite for Authority & Power (Genesis 1:26)
4. The Appetite for Pleasure (Genesis 2:9)
5. The Appetite for Work (Genesis 2:15)
6. The Appetite for Companionship (Genesis 2:18)
7. The Appetite for Fellowship with God (Genesis 1:29-30; 2:15-25)
8. The Appetite for Gaining Wisdom (Genesis 3:6)

As you can see, Arterburn points out that we've had these from the beginning.

He says, "Our appetites motivate us to seek fulfillment, but they must be managed or they will lead us into a world of regret and tremendous emotional pain. When an appetite intended to help us survive is managed incorrectly, it may become a deadly trap. Until we give ourselves and our appetites completely over to God, we remain trapped."

Satisfaction & Obedience

"The question of how to satisfy our appetites becomes instead a call to seek to obey God in all circumstances and through all appetites and desires. That means making the necessary choices to satisfy our appetites in a manner that honors Him. When we do, true fulfillment is our reward."

I give this book two salad tongs up!

What We've Done

In this farewell
There’s no blood
There’s no Alibi
‘Cause I’ve Drawn Regret
For the Truth
Of a Thousand Lies

[Pre-Chorus]
So let Mercy Come
And Wash Away
What I’ve Done

[Chorus]
I’ve Faced myself
To Cross out what I’ve Become
Erase Myself
And let Go of What I’ve done

Put to rest
What you Thought of Me
Well I Cleaned this Slate
With the Hands of Uncertainty

[Chorus]
For What I’ve Done
I’ll start again
And whatever pain may come
Today this ends
I’m Forgiving What I’ve Done!!!

~Linkin Park

To start over...to have a clean slate - priceless!? Paid in blood, Jesus' blood.

Who of us isn't responsible for crimes committed against God's earth, our society & each other?

The first step to starting over is seeking forgiveness & mercy from the God of creation & each other for what we've done.

God let your mercy fall...

Prove it!

I had the great privilege of speaking at the Retired Officers Retreat this morning & then to sit down and chat with several retired pastors in my denomination.

Quite often in circles such as these I am known as my father & mother's son. I was quite surprised by how many faces I recognized (not to mention a little unnerved to see my training principal of ten years ago sitting in the front row!).

At lunch one gentleman was recollecting how his mother had died when he was five years old and his sister 6 months old. His father, being a pastor in TSA was told that there was an appointment waiting for him in another province but he couldn't take his children. For two years, these two grieving young children & their grief stricken father lived separately. WOW! Now a retired officer himself, he said, "That just wouldn't be tolerated today!" True, but what a sacrifice.

Another conversation began between myself and a woman who is now 76 years old and has been retired for 11 years. She told me that they ministered in the days when you were not guaranteed a salary & sometimes went weeks without receiving one (and there was no retroactive pay). She said, "We never wanted for anything and we always had what we needed." She said, "We proved our faith & God's faithfulness by having food on the table for our kids when we had no money. We had to put two new sets of shocks in our car from having the camp kids ride around in it when we were youth leaders. We paid for that ourselves from nothing." Sacrifice.

She then looked me in the eye and sincerely asked, "How does your generation of officers prove your faith & God's faithfulness? I'm sure there are stresses, just different stresses."

She stumped me.

Sure, as officers we sign a paper that we aren't guaranteed a salary (and it isn't supposed to even be called a salary rather an allowance). But the reality is, in ten years I haven't had to miss one. I have it very good. Are there stresses - yes! But how are my kids seeing the proof of my faith & God's faithfulness by how I live? What does the sacrifice look like for me?

Big Studly Tuna

Read the interview with Phil Vischer (Veggie Tales creator) here.

For now, I'll spoil the ending for you:

What advice do you have for pastors trapped in a false gospel of impact?

First, there is a danger in applying business principles to ministry. Businesses use numbers to measure success and ministries shouldn't. Using numbers to convince ourselves that we are doing God's will is dangerous. Second, remember that nothing is scripture except Scripture. We shouldn't look at a model another church is using and simply adopt it. Because God has uniquely led someone doesn't mean he is leading you into the same thing.

How are you employing these new ideas in your ministry now?

My new company is called Jellyfish Labs because jellyfish cannot choose their own course; their direction is derived from currents. As a Christian I should be thinking of myself more as a jellyfish than as a big studly tuna. I have a wall full of new ideas. But the moment I pick one and call it my dream—my big, hairy, audacious goal—I'm holding onto it too tightly. And that's a big change. God is now my dream, my deep desire, not what I can do for him.

Quote-UnQuote

"When the story of these times gets written, we want it to say that we did all we could, and it was more than anyone could have imagined."- Bono

"Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can."- John Wesley

GIT-R-DONE!!

Then I heard the voice of the LORD saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8)

Here's a situation that may seem familiar to you: In class or bible study, your teacher/pastor asks a question about something you aren't quite sure about. The teacher/pastor starts looking around the room for someone to answer it. You slink down in your seat, trying to make yourself invisible--praying that you won't be picked. Ever had an experience like that?

Unfortunately, many believers react the same way when it comes time to serve God. When they see a need or a service opportunity, they do everything they can to make themselves invisible, hoping that God will pick someone else to get involved.

And that's a mistake.

You see, Christian service isn't just about helping others. It's about pleasing God and drawing closer to him. The best way to strengthen your bond with your heavenly Father is through obedient acts of service. If you decline the opportunities he gives you to serve him, you're the one who will lose in the long run.

Will you be that person? Will you step up to the plate like Isaiah did and say, "Here am I--send me"? Don't let excuses like busyness or inexperience stand in your way. Few people have enough free time to get involved in service projects. People who are serious about service make time. And most people who volunteer for service work have no idea what they're doing. However, they learn very quickly that when God calls someone, he also equips that person. He will not let a small matter such as lack of experience stand in the way of his work being done.

So what are you waiting for? It's time to volunteer!

Read more on Isaiah's assignment from God in Isaiah 6:1-13.

Adapted from "Revolution Devotional" by Livingstone Corporation

Sex, drugs, rock 'n' roll..and...Religion

Sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll used to be the Big Three of rebellion. Some families are adding religion to that list.

An increasing number of teens and young adults who were raised in nonreligious or nominally religious families are getting swept up in religious fervor. This is creating a complicated and sometimes painful family dynamic.

Read the rest of the article here.

We're here for a good time...

..not a long time

Been thinking about Smyrna these days.

Tough times happen; suffering, poverty, persecution from the unsuspecting source of someone close to us. Yet, these things have a short lifespan.

Would our approach to life be different if we expected thorns instead of being surprised by them? Should life be all rose petals? Is that even realistic?

Still, the temporary setbacks cannot thwart the hope we've been promised for eternity.

In the background:

Every year, has it's share of tears
Every now and then it's gotta rain
We're here for a good time
Not a long time
So have a good time
The sun can't shine every day

Let's make the most of what we have!

Grace

"I picked up a man from the street, and he was eaten up alive from worms. Nobody could stand him, and he was smelling so badly. I went to him to clean him, and he asked, 'Why do you do this?' I said, 'Because I love you.'"
~ Mother Teresa

"Grace is the free, undeserved goodness and favor of God to mankind."
~ Matthew Henry

Grace makes beauty
Out of ugly things
Grace finds beauty
In everything
Grace finds goodness
In everything

From the Inside Out

Been thinking about the church in Ephesus & devotion/worship/first love.

This prayer is a step in the right direction back...

Your will above all else
My purpose remains
The art of losing myself
In bringing You praise
Everlasting
Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending
Your glory goes beyond all fame

In my heart and my soul
Lord I give You control
Consume me from the inside out
Lord let justice and praise
Become my embrace
To love you from the inside out

~Hillsong United

Truly Forgiven = Transformation

I was looking back in my journal to 1 year ago. I clipped a quote of his and here is a slice:

Conviction of sin, the marvel of forgiveness, and holiness are so interwoven that it is only the forgiven man who is the holy man, he proves he is forgiven by being the opposite to what he was, by God's grace. Repentance always brings a man to this point: I have sinned. The surest sign that God is at work is when a man says that and means it. Anything less than this is remorse for having made blunders, the reflex action of disgust at himself. ~Oswald Chambers

I'm reminded of when I was a kid. More often than not I was remorseful, even fearful, of being caught. Usually only sorry after the fact because I had been caught. That level of remorse never changed me. It made me more careful the next time not to get caught.

God grant us the gift of true repentance that leads to life change.

Move to Missional

I was listening to a McLaren talk the other day & he said something to the effect of:

Missionary = converting people to join our church

Missional = converting our church to bring God's blessing to the community

Gotta love McLaren!

Gone should be the days of the church inside a building, tons of programs and scratching heads wondering why people are disinterested in coming inside.

I agree, in need of conversion is the church itself!

God's blessing is for the world, let's go outside and share it!

OverExposure

In photography, overexposure is a term used to describe the condition of too much lighting displayed while a photograph is being taken. Conversely, underexposure refers to the lack of lighting during photograph taking.

Been thinking about proximity to the light that is Jesus Christ.

Moses spent time with God on Mt. Sinai and his countenance displayed that "overexposure". (see Exodus 34:29-35)

Time spent in the presence of Jesus, the light, illuminates one's life.

The question is of under or over exposure?

An Empty Trap

Our spiritual life is not one that can be measured, calculated or predicted. The only certainty we have is our uncertainty. But that is not a bad thing. It is indeed quite exciting, spontaneous and full of expectation! So we should not be floundering around, waiting, looking even longing for a certain (steady & predictable) route.

To be certain of God means we are uncertain in oursleves. We are uncertain what each day will bring, but certain in God. We are uncertain of what will happen to us, but certain in God. We are uncertain of where we are going and where life will take us, but we are certain in God.

We are not uncertain of God, just uncertain of what he will do next.

Unfortunately, many 'churched' people-- dare I say 'Christians', lead empty, lifeless and unexciting lives. Why? Because often as churched people, we have become advocates of our creed. Our doctrines, our traditions, and our rules. We are not certain in God, we are only certain in our belief about him.

It is time to put down the stale meaningless life and begin to enjoy the freshness of the abundant life.

Revolutionary Parenting

In Revolutionary Parenting, Barna notes that there are three dominant approaches to parenting currently operative in the United States.

Parenting by default is what Barna termed "the path of least resistance." In this approach, parents do whatever comes naturally to the parent, as influenced by cultural norms and traditions. The objective is to keep everyone - parent, child, and others - as happy as possible, without having the process of parenting dominate other important or prioritized aspects of the parent’s life.

Trial-and-error parenting is a common alternative. This approach is based on the notion that every parent is an amateur at raising children, there are no absolute guidelines to follow, and that the best that parents can do is to experiment, observe outcomes, and improve based upon their successes and failures in child rearing. In this incremental approach, the goals of parenting are to continually improve and to perform better than most other parents.

Barna found that revolutionary parenting was the least common approach. Such nurturing requires the parent to take God’s words on life and family at face value, and to apply those words faithfully and consistently.

Perhaps the most startling difference in these approaches has to do with the desired outcomes. "Parenting by default and trial-and-error parenting are both approaches that enable parents to raise their children without the effort of defining their life," Barna explained. "Revolutionary parenting, which is based on one’s faith in God, makes parenting a life priority. Those who engage in revolutionary parenting define success as intentionally facilitating faith-based transformation in the lives of their children, rather than simply accepting the aging and survival of the child as a satisfactory result."

For the complete article go here.

Least & Lowest

One Ring to Rule them All

Focusing on Jesus' crown of thorns:

“What did the great Romancer do when he wanted to present us with a token of his love and commitment? He made a sacrifice beyond comprehension. A sacrifice so great, so grand, so unfathomable, so ‘other than’ anything you and I could possibly imagine that it left an indelible mark in eternity. He gave us a ring of thorns, a crown of ultimate pain and surrender, a token of unarguable love. He presented us with a symbol bathed in blood and born in sacrifice.”

~Furious Pursuit p. 154

On Bended Knee

LISTENING

John 13:1-5, 23 It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.... One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him.

MEDITATION

Imagine you're present at the Last Supper. The meal is over, and Jesus leans back to recline near the table, as was the custom of that time. He's among his disciples, people with whom he's shared three powerful, challenging years. They've all been through much together. Yet Jesus knows much is still yet to come. Imagine what the scene must have looked like.

Now imagine Jesus asks you to join him. What are you feeling as he calls you to him? Are you thrilled? Nervous? Fearful? Contented? Do you feel safe or vulnerable--or perhaps a combination of both? Pay attention to your response and your emotions. Take a moment to figure them out. Then imagine Jesus invites you to lay your head on his chest. He's inviting you to listen to the very heartbeat of God. What's your response? As you listen, what do you hear?[Spend about 15-20 minutes in silence.]

**Taken from "Enjoy the Silence" by Maggie and Duffy Robbins, copyright 2005, Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here: http://www.youthspecialties.com/product/259916