This past week, my wife and I were very pleased to participate in the CMA Pastor's Retreat. I would first like to thank all those at Christian Motorcyclists Association for the burden they have for Pastors. This retreat was like nothing I have ever been a part of. The love and service the folks at CMA showed the 120 pastors and their wives at this event was extraordinary.
We were challenged by all the speakers, but one in particular really hit home with me. Tom Carpenter was speaking on evangelism. He brought home one point rather well, he said, "If you can't weep over a city, you cannot win it".
How true. We need to be on our knees seeking God and asking Him to break our hearts for those who are lost. We need to feel the grief that God feels when he surveys those who have not partaken of this wonderful gift of salvation. We need to be compelled from within to see the lost won for Christ. Only then, can we weep, only then can we win our communities.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Choices II
Much has been made about personal responsibility. From the days of the Pilgrims when the edict of 'no work, no eat' was proclaimed, we in America have prided ourselves on the role that each individual has in being responsible for themselves and therefore the society as a whole. The important thing to note here is that the individual had a responsibility to the society. That responsibility had to do with their own personal behavior, whether that behavior was obeying the laws to provide for a peaceful existence, or in the matter of work in order to provide a comfortable standard of living for themselves and the balance of the society. This is a model that worked rather well for many years.
That doctrine was challenged in the late 19th and early 20th century by such philosophers as Freud, Dewey, and Erickson. From Freud we learn we cannot be held responsible for our behavior because we are simply products of our upbringing, and that the behavior that we display is the irresistible reaction to subconscious wounds inflicted throughout our childhood. Therefore, there is always someone else to blame for our bad behaviour. Dewey taught us that we are not responsible for society as individuals, but that society is responsible for us. Many of you might remember a book that was published a few years ago entitled 'It Takes a Village', where the author explains that it is societies responsibility to raise children and instill in them the societies values. These philosophies have become the fertilizer for the permissive society that we now live in, where it is politically incorrect to accuse anyone of wrong doing because they were acting in the only way in which they could act based upon their past experiences and the bad behavior of those who came before them. We changed from a society of personal responsibility to a society of victims, and victims are not responsible for themselves or their behavior.
When we look at this logically we find that this becomes a downward spiral from which, if the proponents of this philosophy are correct' bad behavior excuses bad behavior and multiplies itself in each succeeding generation. This requires a moral standard which is not a standard at all, but a dynamic morality that changes in each generation to accept new and more damaging bad behavior in order to maintain the appearance of civilization. We would do well to remember the lessons that were learned in the rise and fall of the Greek and Roman empire when as the moral foundations, such as they were, became dynamic the societies failed. This model, by definition, leads to regression instead of progression. Today we look back at the generations of the 1940's and 50' and mock the restrictive standards by which they lived and raised their families. Yet today's society is far less civilized than the 'Leave it to Beaver' societies we so readily ridicule.
In order to substantiate our claim to progression as a society we paint the pig with brilliant color, and soak it in cheap perfume to hide the stench of that in which it has rolled in. We blame inanimate objects such as guns, or their availability for the bad behaviour as if the presence of such objects causes the proliferation of gang activity. We ignore the root issues, and make the players in this deadly game victims unable to make good choices because of the situation they find themselves in and the availability of the objects they use to destroy themselves and those around them. Guns, drugs, alcohol, and hip hop are not the cause of the bad behavior; it is the choice to use these things destructively or irresponsibly that is the real issue. The choice to behave badly is the cause of bad behavior. What colors that choice is a matter that needs to be dealt with, however it still comes down to evaluating several options and choosing the wrong action which produces the bad behavior. We all have a choice.
Solomon wrote to his son in the Proverbs that he should,'raise up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it'. This has been borne out as we see that each generation from the sixties on has followed the pattern described above. We as parents instill a moral standard in our children that will affect the manner in which they make decisions the rest of their lives. When that standard is shown to be dynamic, or changeable, choices become based on a moving foundation. What is unacceptable today will become acceptable tomorrow simply because more people are making that particular choice.
Tomorrow we will delve into the area of choices and the affect that behavior has on the well being of the individual and society as a whole. On Friday, we will look at parental responsibility in developing a pattern of good decision making in our children, and on Saturday we will explore the difference between society and government as it affects the responsibility of the welfare of individuals within the populace.
That doctrine was challenged in the late 19th and early 20th century by such philosophers as Freud, Dewey, and Erickson. From Freud we learn we cannot be held responsible for our behavior because we are simply products of our upbringing, and that the behavior that we display is the irresistible reaction to subconscious wounds inflicted throughout our childhood. Therefore, there is always someone else to blame for our bad behaviour. Dewey taught us that we are not responsible for society as individuals, but that society is responsible for us. Many of you might remember a book that was published a few years ago entitled 'It Takes a Village', where the author explains that it is societies responsibility to raise children and instill in them the societies values. These philosophies have become the fertilizer for the permissive society that we now live in, where it is politically incorrect to accuse anyone of wrong doing because they were acting in the only way in which they could act based upon their past experiences and the bad behavior of those who came before them. We changed from a society of personal responsibility to a society of victims, and victims are not responsible for themselves or their behavior.
When we look at this logically we find that this becomes a downward spiral from which, if the proponents of this philosophy are correct' bad behavior excuses bad behavior and multiplies itself in each succeeding generation. This requires a moral standard which is not a standard at all, but a dynamic morality that changes in each generation to accept new and more damaging bad behavior in order to maintain the appearance of civilization. We would do well to remember the lessons that were learned in the rise and fall of the Greek and Roman empire when as the moral foundations, such as they were, became dynamic the societies failed. This model, by definition, leads to regression instead of progression. Today we look back at the generations of the 1940's and 50' and mock the restrictive standards by which they lived and raised their families. Yet today's society is far less civilized than the 'Leave it to Beaver' societies we so readily ridicule.
In order to substantiate our claim to progression as a society we paint the pig with brilliant color, and soak it in cheap perfume to hide the stench of that in which it has rolled in. We blame inanimate objects such as guns, or their availability for the bad behaviour as if the presence of such objects causes the proliferation of gang activity. We ignore the root issues, and make the players in this deadly game victims unable to make good choices because of the situation they find themselves in and the availability of the objects they use to destroy themselves and those around them. Guns, drugs, alcohol, and hip hop are not the cause of the bad behavior; it is the choice to use these things destructively or irresponsibly that is the real issue. The choice to behave badly is the cause of bad behavior. What colors that choice is a matter that needs to be dealt with, however it still comes down to evaluating several options and choosing the wrong action which produces the bad behavior. We all have a choice.
Solomon wrote to his son in the Proverbs that he should,'raise up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it'. This has been borne out as we see that each generation from the sixties on has followed the pattern described above. We as parents instill a moral standard in our children that will affect the manner in which they make decisions the rest of their lives. When that standard is shown to be dynamic, or changeable, choices become based on a moving foundation. What is unacceptable today will become acceptable tomorrow simply because more people are making that particular choice.
Tomorrow we will delve into the area of choices and the affect that behavior has on the well being of the individual and society as a whole. On Friday, we will look at parental responsibility in developing a pattern of good decision making in our children, and on Saturday we will explore the difference between society and government as it affects the responsibility of the welfare of individuals within the populace.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Choices
When I was young I felt invincible. I felt as if nothing could hurt me, the idea that my life could end as a result of some of the stupid things I did was not even remotely a possibility in my head. My thought process simply did not include that conclusion in any logic pattern that I used to determine the choices I made. I could afford that luxury because you see, I had parents who were responsible, loving parents who were not afraid of making me angry by usurping my autonomy and they took it upon themselves to make certain choices for me. Using the experience of their years, the possible conclusions to my sometimes reckless ambitions were weighed, and the answer was no.
At the time I was unhappy about their unrealistic desire to control my life. They were simply not wanting me to enjoy the freedom of youth. That was then, this is now. Today I thank my parents for being parents first, and friends second. They were more concerned about my long term viability than my short term pleasure.
This type of parenting has somewhat gone out of vogue today. In a desire to hold on to the dreams of their own youth, many parents choose to be 'one of the gang' instead of the authority figure who takes responsibility for training their children in the art of making proper choices. The idea of limiting what a child does has been construed as obsessive, and dangerous to the self esteem of that child. I would argue that the lack of controls and training through active participation and sometimes intervention into a child's life is dangerous to the child and to the grandchildren of tomorrow.
I suppose what it all boils down to is choices. How do we go about making the proper choices. What is the foundational belief system that we adhere to that regulates the criteria for our choices, and what are the goals of our lives? For many, there is little or no foundation. The mantra that has been passed down from the generation of the sixties, 'If it feels good, do it', is the standard by which many base their choices. Situational ethics, or the concern of taking care of number one, when number one is us, is a poor foundation indeed.
This week I will be writing about choices and the biblical role and responsibility of parents. I'm sure that for some this will not be a subject that will be embraced with open arms, however, I have made a choice and like all choices it carries both reward and consequence. I am willing to accept both for the choice I have made, will you do the same with the choices you face today?
At the time I was unhappy about their unrealistic desire to control my life. They were simply not wanting me to enjoy the freedom of youth. That was then, this is now. Today I thank my parents for being parents first, and friends second. They were more concerned about my long term viability than my short term pleasure.
This type of parenting has somewhat gone out of vogue today. In a desire to hold on to the dreams of their own youth, many parents choose to be 'one of the gang' instead of the authority figure who takes responsibility for training their children in the art of making proper choices. The idea of limiting what a child does has been construed as obsessive, and dangerous to the self esteem of that child. I would argue that the lack of controls and training through active participation and sometimes intervention into a child's life is dangerous to the child and to the grandchildren of tomorrow.
I suppose what it all boils down to is choices. How do we go about making the proper choices. What is the foundational belief system that we adhere to that regulates the criteria for our choices, and what are the goals of our lives? For many, there is little or no foundation. The mantra that has been passed down from the generation of the sixties, 'If it feels good, do it', is the standard by which many base their choices. Situational ethics, or the concern of taking care of number one, when number one is us, is a poor foundation indeed.
This week I will be writing about choices and the biblical role and responsibility of parents. I'm sure that for some this will not be a subject that will be embraced with open arms, however, I have made a choice and like all choices it carries both reward and consequence. I am willing to accept both for the choice I have made, will you do the same with the choices you face today?
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Commitment
This morning I awoke to the sound of ice falling from the sky. The ground was covered with a thick layer of sleet. Typically, this would be a fine day to spend in the warmth of my home, playing games with the kids and staying safe and dry. However, on this particular Saturday the call of the wild (as it were) was ringing in my ears. A couple of friends had driven up from Arkansas to enjoy the pheasant season of Iowa for a couple of days, and I was not going to bail out no matter what the weather was.
In my mind this behavior rates very high on the 'he man' meter. Braving the icy roads, 30 mph wind, subfreezing temperature and freezing rain seemed like a way of telling nature that while she had stopped others in their tracks, my life would certainly not be dictated by the weather forecast. My wife of course has no way of understanding the finer points of this logic, so she and my two daughters who are still at home thought I was crazy.
I stopped to pick up a friend of mine who lives here and found that his son had made the decision not to 'risk his neck' trying to get to work, but was ready to go hunting. This is a young man after my own heart, as I have long felt that a bad day hunting beats a good day at work every time.
We trekked off to the meeting place were the scent of hot coffee and frying bacon filled the air, the Hy-Vee cafe, because you See our wives all saw this day as an opportunity to stay in their nice warm beds, and found to compulsion to leave said beds at 6:00am to fuel our manly desire to go out and shoot food to put on the table.
Three hours later, wet, cold, and tired from walking through chest high grass that was encased in a crystal coating of frozen rain, I still thought to myself how much fun this was. By the way, I found that rooster pheasants must be henpecked by their mates as they were not co-operative in leaving their warm beds so we could shoot them. The final score was; wet, cold hunters 7, dead roosters awaiting the smoker 0. Unfortunately this is is a game were the highest score loses.
As I drove home, at 30 miles an hour, being passed twice by Zamboni drivers, I began to feel the manly pride of having braved the elements to do something that my father and his father before him had done. This thought led to another, not so pleasant thought. You see, tomorrow is Sunday, and as our hunting guests are also members of a southern gospel music group that will be ministering to us, it would be nice if the church was full. Past experience tells me that this weather will probably keep many people home, and our attendance will probably be down.
It occurred to me that we humans, whether man or woman, choose to do the things that we find important regardless of external conditions. This tells a story of our commitment to the gathering together of the saints on the Lord's day.
What is important in your life today, and how committed are you to obeying the Lord?
In my mind this behavior rates very high on the 'he man' meter. Braving the icy roads, 30 mph wind, subfreezing temperature and freezing rain seemed like a way of telling nature that while she had stopped others in their tracks, my life would certainly not be dictated by the weather forecast. My wife of course has no way of understanding the finer points of this logic, so she and my two daughters who are still at home thought I was crazy.
I stopped to pick up a friend of mine who lives here and found that his son had made the decision not to 'risk his neck' trying to get to work, but was ready to go hunting. This is a young man after my own heart, as I have long felt that a bad day hunting beats a good day at work every time.
We trekked off to the meeting place were the scent of hot coffee and frying bacon filled the air, the Hy-Vee cafe, because you See our wives all saw this day as an opportunity to stay in their nice warm beds, and found to compulsion to leave said beds at 6:00am to fuel our manly desire to go out and shoot food to put on the table.
Three hours later, wet, cold, and tired from walking through chest high grass that was encased in a crystal coating of frozen rain, I still thought to myself how much fun this was. By the way, I found that rooster pheasants must be henpecked by their mates as they were not co-operative in leaving their warm beds so we could shoot them. The final score was; wet, cold hunters 7, dead roosters awaiting the smoker 0. Unfortunately this is is a game were the highest score loses.
As I drove home, at 30 miles an hour, being passed twice by Zamboni drivers, I began to feel the manly pride of having braved the elements to do something that my father and his father before him had done. This thought led to another, not so pleasant thought. You see, tomorrow is Sunday, and as our hunting guests are also members of a southern gospel music group that will be ministering to us, it would be nice if the church was full. Past experience tells me that this weather will probably keep many people home, and our attendance will probably be down.
It occurred to me that we humans, whether man or woman, choose to do the things that we find important regardless of external conditions. This tells a story of our commitment to the gathering together of the saints on the Lord's day.
What is important in your life today, and how committed are you to obeying the Lord?
Friday, November 30, 2007
Sunrise in Iowa
I started for work very early this morning. As I drove the county road headed south, I saw another wonder of God's creative genius. To my east was a cacophony of color spread across the canvas of the sky. The brilliance of the red as it slowly melded into shades of yellow capped by the robin egg blue that gave way to the dark navy blue of a sky that was changing from night to day. God is a wonderful artist indeed.
As I looked at this, I wished I could replicate, that as some can, on a canvas and put it on my office wall. However, my graphic skills are limited to Bugs Bunny coloring books, and I still struggle to stay in the lines with those. As I thought about what a great painting this would be, I began to realise that no matter how much talent an artist possesses, they could only render a two dimensional copy of the original. The object of inspiration would still outshine the replication.
This is what our interpretation of religion is like. We develop systems of worship that might work for us, as a means to replicate the ecstasy that we feel when we have entered into a relationship with God. It is merely a human replication, or attempt to replicate, the emotion of relationship. Just as the painted picture cannot replace the wonder of a morning sky, religion can never replace the wonder of a relationship with a God who justifies us through His sacrifice.
Relationship vs. religion, relationship wins every time.
As I looked at this, I wished I could replicate, that as some can, on a canvas and put it on my office wall. However, my graphic skills are limited to Bugs Bunny coloring books, and I still struggle to stay in the lines with those. As I thought about what a great painting this would be, I began to realise that no matter how much talent an artist possesses, they could only render a two dimensional copy of the original. The object of inspiration would still outshine the replication.
This is what our interpretation of religion is like. We develop systems of worship that might work for us, as a means to replicate the ecstasy that we feel when we have entered into a relationship with God. It is merely a human replication, or attempt to replicate, the emotion of relationship. Just as the painted picture cannot replace the wonder of a morning sky, religion can never replace the wonder of a relationship with a God who justifies us through His sacrifice.
Relationship vs. religion, relationship wins every time.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Jump!!
A close friend of mine is very consistent in recommending books I should read. Forty percent of my 'to be read' file usually consists of books he has recommended or given to me. While the vast majority of the time these books are very good, every once in a while a real gem appears. Such is the book I read last week by Mark Batterson, 'In a pit, With a lion, on a snowy day'. It is the account of Benaiah. We find him in 2 Samuel Chapter 23.
Benaiah became King David's body guard, but before that he had a rather interesting life. The book takes a small event in Benaiah's life and shows how it was an indication of his character. You see, Benaiah was jumped by a lion on a day when the weather was snowy. Instead of running away, Benaiah turned the table and chased the lion. The lion ran into a pit and Benaiah was faced with a decision.
As I read this book, I began to see reflections of my own life. People have certainly accused me of doing things that made little sense, like chasing lions, and as I have gotten older, I seem to find more lions to chase. When we are chasing the lions that God wants us to chase, there will always be a pit for them to fall into.
Where I differ though, is in the pit. I tend to walk around the pit into which the lion has fallen and contemplate jumping in only to rationalize this most irrational thought away. After all, the lion is in a pit, and he can't get out. So I set up camp and watch the lion.
God has called us to be warriors. He has called us to be as Jesus was when He walked into the temple and overturned the tables of those who were desecrating the House of God. He has given each of us callings that require strength, bravery, and faith. The most important of these is of course faith, for it is faith that allows us to have the other two.
Benaiah did not think about what should be done, he knew what should be done and he did it, you can read the book and see what that was. We need to do the same. We need to trust in God and jump into some pits and overcome the things that would keep us from fulfilling the call of God on our lives.
By the way, get the book.
Benaiah became King David's body guard, but before that he had a rather interesting life. The book takes a small event in Benaiah's life and shows how it was an indication of his character. You see, Benaiah was jumped by a lion on a day when the weather was snowy. Instead of running away, Benaiah turned the table and chased the lion. The lion ran into a pit and Benaiah was faced with a decision.
As I read this book, I began to see reflections of my own life. People have certainly accused me of doing things that made little sense, like chasing lions, and as I have gotten older, I seem to find more lions to chase. When we are chasing the lions that God wants us to chase, there will always be a pit for them to fall into.
Where I differ though, is in the pit. I tend to walk around the pit into which the lion has fallen and contemplate jumping in only to rationalize this most irrational thought away. After all, the lion is in a pit, and he can't get out. So I set up camp and watch the lion.
God has called us to be warriors. He has called us to be as Jesus was when He walked into the temple and overturned the tables of those who were desecrating the House of God. He has given each of us callings that require strength, bravery, and faith. The most important of these is of course faith, for it is faith that allows us to have the other two.
Benaiah did not think about what should be done, he knew what should be done and he did it, you can read the book and see what that was. We need to do the same. We need to trust in God and jump into some pits and overcome the things that would keep us from fulfilling the call of God on our lives.
By the way, get the book.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
When Things Look Bad
I am currently teaching a course on the History of the Christian Church. We are currently studying the apostolic period, the period in which the apostles established churches throughout the Roman Empire. Specifically we are studying the Apostle Paul's life and ministry.
I came across a portion of scripture in 2 Corinthians chapter 11 that I've read, and preached on many times, but perhaps had not really applied to my life. You see, the work of a bi-vocational preacher is difficult at times, made even more so by the pursuit of my dream, to establish a Bible College. Many is the time, out of sheer exhaustion, I begin to feel sorry for myself. I find insult or derision in the slightest of statements, and feel altogether persecuted.
I don't even know the meaning of the word 'persecution'. When I read what Paul went through and find that in spite of all these things he considered it a privilege to suffer for Christ, I stand ashamed at the attitude that I sometimes take when I allow myself to be offended. Yes I said 'let' myself be offended.
This is the difference between Paul and myself; he refused to allow anyone to divert his eyes from the mission that God had called him to. For Paul to have diverted his gaze from God to himself would have been the worst kind of hypocrisy he could have committed. Paul was totally committed to Christ and His glory became Paul's joy.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think we need to wallow in adversity. There is no value in suffering for suffering sake, as a matter of fact that type of suffering simply diverts attention from God to the individual. However, suffering and adversity for the cause of Christ is something that we should not shy away from either. There is no place in the scripture that promises us a life of comfort and leisure. We are promised, no matter what we face, God will see us through if we keep our sight set on Him. The expectation that we will never face poverty, adversity, pain or suffering is simply not scriptural. Our choosing to be content in whatever situation we find ourselves in is.
The next time you begin to feel like the world is against you, read 2 Corinthians 11:21-33, and remember that Paul continued to live in the joy of he Lord because he chose to look past the calamities of his life and kept his gaze on the Lord.
I came across a portion of scripture in 2 Corinthians chapter 11 that I've read, and preached on many times, but perhaps had not really applied to my life. You see, the work of a bi-vocational preacher is difficult at times, made even more so by the pursuit of my dream, to establish a Bible College. Many is the time, out of sheer exhaustion, I begin to feel sorry for myself. I find insult or derision in the slightest of statements, and feel altogether persecuted.
I don't even know the meaning of the word 'persecution'. When I read what Paul went through and find that in spite of all these things he considered it a privilege to suffer for Christ, I stand ashamed at the attitude that I sometimes take when I allow myself to be offended. Yes I said 'let' myself be offended.
This is the difference between Paul and myself; he refused to allow anyone to divert his eyes from the mission that God had called him to. For Paul to have diverted his gaze from God to himself would have been the worst kind of hypocrisy he could have committed. Paul was totally committed to Christ and His glory became Paul's joy.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think we need to wallow in adversity. There is no value in suffering for suffering sake, as a matter of fact that type of suffering simply diverts attention from God to the individual. However, suffering and adversity for the cause of Christ is something that we should not shy away from either. There is no place in the scripture that promises us a life of comfort and leisure. We are promised, no matter what we face, God will see us through if we keep our sight set on Him. The expectation that we will never face poverty, adversity, pain or suffering is simply not scriptural. Our choosing to be content in whatever situation we find ourselves in is.
The next time you begin to feel like the world is against you, read 2 Corinthians 11:21-33, and remember that Paul continued to live in the joy of he Lord because he chose to look past the calamities of his life and kept his gaze on the Lord.
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