Who's in Charge of this mess? I Samuel 9:1-2

What is it about man that we feel the need to have somebody in charge? It didn’t take the people of Israel long to decide that they wanted more than the prophets and judges that God had sent them; they wanted a king just like everybody else. Why a king? What’s the value of having someone visibly in charge, a representative of the people? For the people of Israel it was the hope that the repeated cycle of Judges could be ended with the dynastic line of a king. (The people sin, God brings judgment, the people cry out, God sends a deliverer, the people follow the judge till he dies, and then the people sin again; cycle repeats itself) Security and continuity was what the people were longing for. In the end, they chose Saul because he was tall and handsome (I Samuel 9:1-2). He was rather different from the judges whom God had chosen to lead his people.
We’ve haven’t changed much since their day. We still choose our leaders (both secular and religious) more on the outward appearance than we should, and we still crave the feeling of security that comes from believing that somebody is in charge. Sadly, we’re just as mistaken as the people of Israel were. Saul wasn’t in charge, God was and God is. Calling someone a king, or president, chairman or chancellor doesn’t change a thing. If you want to have peace of mind about your life, your community, or our nation, you need to start paying attention to someone what actually is capable of running things.

God ain't finished with me yet...Philippians 1:6

There are times when we doubt the direction our lives are going in. We lose momentum, get stuck in a rut, or can't seem to make any of our dreams or goals come true. It's at times like these that's it's comforting to know that God has a plan and a purpose for each of his children, and that this process WILL continue regardless of the "success" we're experiencing in life. As Paul wrote, "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Make no mistake, taking fallen sinners, washing them in the blood of Christ, and transforming them into the image and likeness of Christ is a "good work"; there can be no higher. The value of this process (called Sanctification if you want the fancy word) is easy to see, but so is the difficulty. When we look at our own lives, at our faults and shortcomings, we certainly don't compare ourselves to Christ. Don't be discouraged, God has promised you that one day you will stand before him and he will see his Son when he looks at you.

What Values are Best

I was reading an article about our local community college when I read a quote that was a clear indication of what is wrong with higher education in America. I'm not going to say which school official said it, and it really isn't important which issue prompted the quote, the words speak for themselves: "I don't think it's the business of higher education to tell people which values are best and which values they should all live by. I'd be concerned...if specific values or morals would become part of our culture to promote." In other words; the last thing a college or university should be doing is promoting values. If all value systems are equal (presumably, if you won't take a stand one way or another), then even clearly amoral value systems deserve the right to be heard and considered. College campuses in America are rife with the idea that there are NO moral absolutes in our world (except the absolute that there are no absolutes; a bit of irony). Despicable acts like pedophilia and morally bankrupt systems like Neo-Nazism have all gained traction in the public arena because nobody in authority at public universities is willing to say, "This is clearly a moral evil". In the name of acceptance and diversity we've lost the ability to condemn evil and promote good. In the words of Edmund Burke, "The only thing that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."
{note: for the record, I went to a Christian University, but my wife went to a public school and now works for a public college. I'm not saying Christians shouldn't attend public schools {I'm a public school teacher, as are my brother, sister, brother-in-law, and sister-in-law}, but Christian parents need to be aware of what's being taught (or not taught in this case) to their teens; moral relativism is NOT Christian}

How we change over time

One of the things that continues to fascinate me as I grow and mature (as opposed to getting older, which sounds less appealing) is how my ideas and beliefs go through a process of
growth and maturation as well. Some of the things that I thought as a young man I now
know were misguided or wrong. Some of the ideas that I felt so strongly about have been
replaced by concerns that I now know are more important.
One example of that is politics. As a teen, I was very concerned with politics and interested in the political process. Perhaps I'm only more cynical about politicians now, but I just don't seem able to get as excited about the latest political development; I've also noticed that after my ordination such concerns have really taken a backseat to ministry needs/concerns; I won't go as far as Cal Thomas (columnist who advocates the Church's withdrawal from politics following his experience with the Moral Majority), but I certainly have refrained from offering my political opinions at church (believe it or not people; I can hold my tongue), I certainly don't ever want the Gospel of Jesus Christ being confused with any political agenda (however well intentioned)

The area in my thinking that has undergone the most radical change is easily my understanding of how to define the Church (that is, the universal Church, all believers regardless of their particular church; for a complete breakdown, see the posting on my book which deals with this extensively). When I was in H.S. we worked our way through Galatians verse by verse in our student Bible study. I clearly remember my comments on Galatians 1:7 "If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned." With the fire and conviction of youth I told everyone that the Catholic Church was clearly preaching "another gospel" and was thus clearly condemned by the words of Paul. At the time, Mrs Sanford (the teacher who hosted our weekly meeting) asked me if I was sure about that, if maybe I wanted to tone it down a bit, but I was too sure of myself to listen.

A couple years later, at Cornerstone University, as I learned more about the history of the Church; about the variety within the Church; and especially about Paul's contention that the Church is like a body with many parts, I began to soften my stance to the point of admitting that the Catholic Church certainly contains many believing Christian in spite of the theology of the Church.

After College I worked for the Methodist Church and a Reformed Church as their youth pastor; more experience in the wideness of God's mercy. My understanding of the Church was in flux; I was considering the Orthodox Church and Catholic Church in a new light. Then God decided to put me to the test. He brought a young woman into my life as a friend whom I would not consider dating because she was Catholic. So far so good, then I fell for her. Those of you who know the story know that we've been married since 6/30/01. It was this relationship that forced me to get back into the Bible; to LOOK at all of the N.T. and to really ask myself the tough questions about who the Church really is.

Many of my answers were found in the letter of I John. In it John describes his own definition of a Christian as someone who acknowledges that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; someone who loves their brothers and sisters in Christ, and someone who obeys God's commands. Not a word about Baptism, Communion, church structure, etc. I eventually decided to use my own curiosity on this issue to write a book (yes, another shameless plug; please feel free to read it if you're interested in the topic) about Ecumenism and I John.

Over the years my ideas on a variety of topics have grown, changed, or matured in ways that I would not have anticipated from my the lofty perch I occupied as a teen. I guess that's the biggest lesson in all of this; don't walk around thinking you know everything because God has a way of waking people up and letting them see the light.

The Turns our Lives Take

I was recently sitting in the cafe of a Barnes and Noble (a truly good place to be) while correcting papers for summer school when the father of my college girlfriend walked in and sat down at the next table. We exchanged pleasantries; caught up on a bit of news (this was over ten years ago; time flies), and proceeded to continue with the work that had brought us there...If I rewind my life to the beginning of my last year in college I would be in a place where I thought that I had the future all worked out. I was in love with this girl, we were approaching our year and a half anniversary of dating, and my future ministry opportunities seemed at my fingertips.
That "plan" all ended with the end of that relationship; I was certainly devastated (are are most when they don't see it coming) and found myself visiting my grandmother (my mom's mom) at the nursing home where she had recently been taken to seek her advice and consolation. She did not disappoint me (this time or any other); despite her failing health she offered me hope for the future; assured me that it would all work itself out, and asked me to speak at her funeral; all in one conversation.
It took me more than two years to find my bearings (relationship wise) again; and it turns out it was love from a source I wasn't even considering. My wife Nicole and I were simply friends on the night of Dec 4th 1999 when we ended up kissing for the first time. A month later, I knew this was the woman that God had placed in my path. Over eight years of marriage later I've only confirmed that God knew what he was doing all along.
I learned a lot from that failed college romance; a lot about what it takes to be the man I should be; lessons I was able to apply when Nicole entered my life.
I spent many a day wondering when the Lord was going to answer my prayers; at times sad, at times resigned to waiting; I know now that I WASN'T READY for Nicole until the day we first met. If she had stumbled into my life earlier neither one of us would have been ready. That may sound a bit dramatic, but its true. I may have been wondering why God was being slow in answering my prayers; he was wondering how long it was gonna take for me to open my eyes and see that a God-fearing girl like Nicole was just what I needed (not a complimentary theology perspective; a complimentary help-mate)
As I sat in Barnes and Noble, remembering how very different my attitude and perspectives were eleven years ago I decided that it was necessary to thank this father who had been a part in the process of what it took for me to become who I needed to be (he and his wife always treated me well; that's something to appreciate, it doesn't always happen that way; it also helped prepare me for the very positive relationship I have now with Nicole's parents). Is it any wonder that Isaiah writes, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways." (55:8)
I never saw that turn in the road coming, but when I look into the beautiful eyes of my wife; I'm glad that God knew all about it.

Do I have to be Happy with God to Pray?

In I Samuel 1:10 we're told that, "In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the LORD." By the way, God answered that prayer. Hannah was praying for a child, God blessed her with the boy Samuel who would grow up to be one of the heroes of Jewish history. We absolutely don't have to be in a happy frame of mind to pray. In fact, God welcomes our honest prayers (including those where we're upset or don't understand God) far more than he ever will a fake attempt to get what you want from him through flattery. By the way, God knows your heart anyway, so you might as well be honest and admit to God that you're confused, sad, tired, and yes, angry.
Why was Hannah praying to God in the first place? Hannah went to the temple to pray precisely because she believed that God was in control of the world; that he was the one who could answer her prayer, and that it was a waste of time to ask anyone else for a miracle. Hannah HAD faith. Not a happy go lucky, all is right with the world kind of faith; but rather a real, down in the trenches, beaten but not broken, kind of faith. Real faith. And God answered her prayer, not in spite of her bitterness and weeping, but because of it.

Taking a Break

I recently enjoyed a three day camping trip with one of my best friends (the army doctor) and a couple of his friends on the shore of Lake Superior (at the Two-Hearted River); it was guys only, (wives and kids left behind in order to make the trip a rest from obligations and duties); fishing, canoeing, swimming in Lake Superior (that's a manly enterprise; believe me, it wasn't very warm at all), and mostly just sitting around the campfire at night talking about nonsense (such as trying to decide which characters in Episode IV each of us were {rule: you can't pick the character for yourself}; I was happy to be nominated as Obi-Wan, although the guy we tagged as C3PO wasn't too thrilled)...It was only a couple of days, but that time away did us all a world of good. There's a reason why the LORD rested on the seventh day; not everything in life can be about work; otherwise, when do you appreciate what you have and what you've accomplished?
Another bonus of our trip: We were entirely unplugged from the modern world; no electricity, no running water, NO cell phones, no 24 hour news cycle; just guys cooking over a fire and not worrying about all of the things that follow us around back in our daily lives.
When is the last time you truly got away from it all; if only for a day or two? Can you let it all go for a bit, or are you too worried that all of the balls you're juggling will come crashing down?
The Christian has access to the ultimate in stress management...Matthew 11:28 says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Make the time to find rest in your life; I'm pretty sure if God took a day off, you can too.

Which Bible Translation do I use?

One question that always seems to get asked of those like myself in the ministry is, "What Bible translation do you use?" For some, this question is a litmus test, a way to determine if the two people in question are on the same "team"; for others, this is merely one of those issues of curiosity akin to asking a pro-golfer what brand of club he prefers. Much has been made over the years by those who have staked out a King James ONLY position. These partisans of the King James Version have declared all users of other translations to be at best 2nd-rate Christians, at worst hopeless agents of the Whore of Babylon (somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but I've been called things to that effect). Unfortunately, that position itself is wholly un-Biblical, has no basis in the scholarship of translation, and assumes that 99% of those who claim Jesus Christ as their Savior are somehow mistaken. So much for a Church against which the Gates of Hell shall not overcome.
As you can tell, I am NOT at King James ONLY believer. By the same token, I don't have anything against the King James Version beyond the difficulty that arises when you try to use it to reach the un-churched. (For its poetic beauty and its influence on Church history, the KJV deserves to be kept in the mix to be sure)
I myself use the New International Version when I preach and for my personal study because of how readily the meaning and message of the Gospel are conveyed through its modern English. When I put the weekly PowerPoint together and choose the opening and responsive Scripture readings I typically check the KJV, NIV, NASB, and NLT to find the one that speaks to the sermon's message the best (and I usually try to rotate my use of the major translations to demonstrate my own acceptance of them).
In the end, the truth is that we are BLESSED with an abundance of excellent and trustworthy translations in English such that we should never consider ourselves to lack the true Scriptures (compared to some languages which have one or no translations of the Bible, what are you complaining about??) Every translation of the Bible into English is one man's or a committee's attempt to render the original Greek (and bit of Aramaic) into English. Anyone who has ever translated ANYTHING into another language knows that more than one English word (and sometimes several) can be used to convey nuances of the single word from the Greek. Some translations try to be word for word; others go for the meaning behind the words. That debate, while interesting, is immaterial to the question of whether or not we have the true Bible in English. We do, end of story, no question about it.
So, the next time someone asks you, "Which Bible translation do you use?" go ahead and tell them. Don't be worried about your answer, the important question is not which Bible you use, but that you do use it and learn from it.

The Value of Persevering - James 1:12

There's something about persevering under difficulties that gets God's attention. The Bible has plenty of examples of men and women who stood up against life's difficulties AND remained true to their faith. Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Ruth, Hannah, Daniel, Elijah, Sarah, Peter, Paul, etc. It's actually one of the most prevelant themes of those believers in God whose stories we know about from the Bible. In James 1:12, we're told that those who persevere under trial will be "blessed" and "receive the crown of life"; much likes Jesus' list of the downtrodden "blessed" from the Sermon on the Mount.
Anybody can be commited to a cause when its convenient, even easy, but who really is willing to say, "I trust God, no matter what." In "Forrest Gump", Lt. Dan rages into the storm, defying God to do his worst; Forrest reasoned that Dan made his peace with God in that he let go of his bitterness and anger (at his "unfair" loss). What do we need to do in order to stand our ground under trial? Pray? Certainly, that's a must even in good times. Read the Bible? Sure, knowing what God has done for others, and what God has promised to you is always a big help. Talk to someone you can trust? Yes, share you're burden with another Christian, let him/her know that you're having a rough time, be honest.
Are we supposed to be happy all of the time? Put on a happy face? No, just remain true to God, even if you have to yell into the storm, stay true.