Thank God he is not like me

Some times I try to make God in my image. Psalm 5:4 tells me "For your are not a God who delights in wickedness, evil may not dwell in you." That's a great description of God, and it doesn't sound anything like me. I take pleasure in wickedness all the time and though I am regenerated by the Holy Spirit evil still dwells in me.
The text goes gives a good description of who I am...boastful, evildoer, a liar, blood thirsty, deceitful.. just to name a few. Here is the kicker. BUT through the abundance of your steadfast love I will enter your house. That's another reason I am glad God is not like me. I wouldn't let that person mentioned above into my house, but he gladly lets me in, and while I am there conditions me to pursue his righteousness.
The catalyst of why I am glad God is not like me is, if he was he would not be able to save me. He was like me as a human knowing what I go through, but he was still very distinct from me being God and w/o sin. He bore my sin, but never committed my sin.
Thank God he is not like me.

My Holy of Holies

It was a day of Celebration when the ark was brought into the temple. It's house was a tent for many years and God was happy to now have a place of residence that wasn't portable. When the ark was placed in the temple the entire place was filled with the cloud. The text says "The priest could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God." What a picture, God's presence was so intense that the priest couldn't accomplish anything that day.
I wonder if they walked into the temple weeks or years later and forgot about that awesome day and continued with their work not acknowledging God's presence?
For many years God's presence resided in the temple until Jesus' work on the cross when the curtain was torn from top to bottom. I know from the biblical story that there is no where you can go to get away from God's presence, but often times in the business of life I unintentionally do not acknowledge his presence.
When Mandi and I moved into our new house I chose a room that would become my "Holy of Holies" a special place reserved for me to enter and intentionally acknowledge the presence of God. This little nook of the back of our house would be a perfect toy room for our almost one year old, but I want to keep it a place that is set apart to God. I spend many morning and late evenings in here reading, jouranling, visioneering, and just sitting, it is refreshing.
I look forward to the day when I will experience God's presence in its fullest extent. When I will be unable to stand like those priest blown away by His presence. Do you have a Holy of Holies? You should get one...

What I'm Reading

The Cross Centered life is a small book with a big story w/ the cross of Christ at it's center. A great picture of preaching the gospel to yourself daily and trusting it alone for your salvation and life. Think Orange is a great book stressing the importance of the church partnering with parents for the biggest impact. I recommend both these books and would appreciate dialoging with you if you have read them.

"Water Running off a Cliff"

I had a English teacher that lived near Niagera he told our class that he had seen it so many times that to him it was nothing more than water running over a cliff. (Now he is a really good guy and I know what he meant, but I understand other English teachers who would find more beauty in diagramming a sentence than in the power of Niagara.) Kidding
Our class was taken back and some were offended that he would say something like that about such a majestic sight.
I got to thinking about that later and how that often is the way we view our lives in Christ. Some times the "awe factor" is gone b/c it seems that we have been following Christ for a while. At first it so beautiful and new, then we become used to it and something that used to leave us breathless will not stop us for quick look anymore. It is kind of like comparing a New Yorker to a tourist. The tourist walks around constantly looking up, while the native walks constantly looking down and when a tourist bumps into them b/c they are looking at the sights they get mad and mumble things to them while continuing to their destination.
We can get so "Christainized" that it does seem like God's grace is just water flowing over a cliff. We don't live with an appretiation for the Gospel that we still need everyday. We live like it's not a blessing anymore. Instead of like Paul saying, "God's Grace was overflowed for me" (that was 30 years after his conversion) we say "ah, at least I'm not going to hell"
We need constant reminders that God is more powerful than Niagera, and we need to enjoy his beauty and fight against the temptation to just coast thru life missing it.
"We are satisfied with a sprinkler when the pleasures of Niagera are offered to us" -Cruver

Be a "Real" Leader

The reason this is entitled be a "real" leader is because leaders have to be willing to confront. If you are not willing to confront you are not a real leader. I have been challenged by this in the reading of Nehemiah. His confrontation skills was one of the reasons he was such a great leader. There was one point that he found an official who had made a room for himself in the temple and he went in and threw all his furniture outside. Nehemiah also confronted "The Nobles" that's not like confronting a second grader this is confronting someone with great respect and authority.
In chapter 13 Nehemiah hears that some men had married foreign women. He goes and puts the beats on them and pulls out their hair! I was reading that and thought "wow that is pretty extreme." That would not be easy for me. I will admit since this is my blog that I struggle with confronting, but I realize that it is necessary. The neat thing is as you read on you see that Nehemiah didn't confront people b/c that's what he enjoyed doing but ultimately because he loved God and loved the people he confronted. He told them how Solomon a good king was taken away by his wives. He did not want Israel to go down that road again, but wanted them to be a light to the other generations.
Paul tells Timothy in a letter that it is necessary to confront, but it should always be done out of love.

Seven Pounds the Story We All Long For.

This was a great and thought provoking film. I realize it's kind of old now, but I didn't have a blog when I first saw it. So call me "not current" whatever you want I am ok with that.
It seems to me that several films have redemptive themes lately. Films that seem to echo the longing of all humanity. The charactor in this film realizes that he has a bad past and wants to do whatever he can to make up for what he once lost. He desperately wants to live a life of humilty and significance. He desires to be a hero but also has a desire to be saved by something that is bigger than himself.
He ends up giving all that he has even his own life for the benefit of others. These people who desperately need to be saved in order to experience life.
We all realize that in the story of our lives that things are messed up and broken. We want to be that solution to the problem, but we realize it takes something much bigger than us to remedy our shattered state. God sent us that hero, all the longing for significance are found in that hero Jesus who gave everything he had for the sake of others so that we can experience new life.

Living for Now.

This a journal entry from a moment in my life that I was unsure of what God's plans held and was a little discouraged b/c I was working a job I didn't go to school for. I hope this is an encouragement to anyone in this situation.
"Man this is one of those days. It's Thursday which means yesterday was Wednesday. With two clients and church I didn't get home till 9. I was running late this morning and felt like I could not find anything. (It's so much easier to take ten minutes and lay things out the night before) I am sitting in class and just realized that I am out of progress notes.
Jason asked me on Sunday how I make it through the week. I gave him a nice "churchy" answer b/c I was at church. The truth is days like today I feel like I don't have much purpose, and feel more like Billy Madison than an adult w/ a college education. I don't even feel like reading today.
I was thinking in bed last night about how much history there has been in the universe & how much history is still to take place. I am somewhere in between living in the present. How quickly my time will become a part of history like parachute pants from the 80s and the backstreet boys. (although I heard they are having a comeback) The conclusion I came to thru the narative of scripture is that my life is short but what I do matters, my faith matters, and the only reason any of that matters is b/c to God I matter."

Jesus Story Book Bible

What a great Book! For those of you saying "Why are you recommending a kid's book to me?" It is much more than that. No other book about the Bible captures the story of God pursuing his people to love and rescue them. Get it buy it read it you won't be disappointed.

Everyone Needs a Mentor

Everyone needs a mentor. Whether that is a parent or a godly man or woman to come along side you to shepherd you through life.
Second Kings 24 gives the account of King Joash in Israel. He was appointed by Jehoida who was a priest and a very Godly man. Joash was very young so Jehoida mentored him until he was of age to lead the nation. He makes a covenant with God that they will follow God, so in order to do that he had to purge Israel of all their false God's. The story says that under the direction of Jehoida Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. When I read that I wrote in the margin of my Bible, "I wonder what kind of King he would have been if he would not of had Jehoida in his life?" My question was answered as I read on.

Joash goes on to re-build the temple and does all these great things for God under the direction and care of his mentor. Years later at 130 years old Jehoida dies. He had done so much for the nation and for God that he was buried in the tomb of the kings although he himself was not a king. The very next verse after Joash loses his mentor he begins to worship false God's. God raises up Zechariah (who was the son of Jehoida) to confront Joash for his sins. This makes Joash very upset so he has his mentors son stoned. God sends in Syria to serve justice on Joash they defeat Israel despite having a smaller army & Joash is killed in his bed by his own men. Joash is not honored in his death by being buried in the tomb of the kings like his mentor was.
In this small section there are so many take aways. Having a mentor is very important. We saw from this story alone how drastically Joash's life changed when he no longer had Godly counsil. It is very important in student ministry to have a mentorship program where adults can be pouring salt into the lives of students who are at such a moldable point in their lives. I am thankful for the mentors that I had as a student.
We would be mistaken to think that we only need a mentor in the early stages of our lives. We need a mentor in every stage who is going to be a Jehoida to us. Leaders need accountability, One w/o it is a dangerous thing. Who is the Jehoida in your life? Who are you being a Jehoida to?

Owning up to your Past & changing your Future

In the book of Ezra Chapter 5 the captives from Babylon are transitioning back into life in Judah and a big part of that is rebuilding the temple. Men of Judah were working on the temple when some officials came and asked them why and under who's authority they were rebuilding the temple. They tell them they are building under a decree by the king, but the best part is when they tell the official why they are rebuilding. They said they are servants of God and are rebuilding Solomon's temple. They continued by saying that they were rebuilding b/c their fathers were disobedient and did not follow God, and because of that they were sent into captivity. Reading that I thought that could not have been easy to say that the people of your heritage (yourself included in that) really messed up. They knew where they had been but were not proud of it. They also knew that b/c of their past they had to work hard to get back to where they were supposed to be. They didn't get down on themselves & let their past dictate their future. They were there working hard to now make things right b/c God had given them a second chance.
I believe that it is important to know where we have come from to own up to it not in a prideful way but to be honest with yourself. It is good to remind ourselves that we are not perfect and that God's Grace is huge. It is not good to dwell on the past. It is good to focus on Jesus in the now and in the future.

When all else fails in the Christian life, Just Fake It

I was sitting in band at NE Intermediate school. It was very loud, but they had improved over the last year. There is a certain boy in the band who "plays" the trumpet. He has been in the band all year long and doesn't know how to play a single note or even make noise come out. When it is time to play he acts like he is playing his trumpet behind his music stand puffing his cheeks back and forth while making no sound. Other times he will adjust his spit valve when it is time for his section to play.
He is scared to play b/c he does not know how and it seems too late to tell his teacher he has no idea how to play. It does not help that his band teacher is a jerk and would just get upset with him.
I think that is like the Christian life @ times. We really want to do well but don't always know where to start. We look at life and are afraid to fail. It seems like there are so many rules and regulations that is scares us. We don't want anyone to know that we struggle so we fake it and find ourselves confused and guilty b/c we don't measure up. It seems to late in the game to ask for help. But God isn't that mean band teacher waiting to yell at you, but he sits with you starts simple and helps you thru it. He says "all I want is for you to love me and the other details will come later as you grow in your love for me." He is patient, but you have to commit to the process. Everyone around you is also learning, we can do it together. So pick up that instrument and blow some sweet music to Jesus.

What I am reading

I really enjoy Andy Stanley. I am just starting this one. I have heard this book is one of his classics and a must read for those in church ministry.

Jesus, The Remedy for God's Wrath

I finished 2 Chronicles the other day. It a fascinating book. It is cool to see how all humanity really fits into the story. We mess up and are unfaithful and need a hero to come and save us. A lot of times though we don't see who that hero is, but he still continues to pursue us.
In Chapter 36 Israel not long before was a very prosperous nation under one of their greatest kings Josiah. But they again very quickly became an evil nation who were not the light to the gentiles they were intended to be. The story says they followed all the abominations of the other nations, and polluted the temple. That's not a very good verse describing Israel! But that verse that follows is such a sweet verse about God. It says God came passionately and persistently to them even though they mocked his messengers. God remains faithful when we are faithless. It goes on to say that after God pursued them that "the wrath of God rose against his people until there was No Remedy." God's wrath was so intense that there was nothing they could do about it. To us as readers if we only read that verse and did not see the entire story of the Bible it would seem that all hope is lost for us. The good and joyous news is as we read on further in the story we see that "when fullness of time had come, God sent his son." Jesus Christ came to earth to be the remedy for God's wrath because of our sins. Jesus fixed my relationship with God by totally absorbing God's wrath on the cross like a sponge. Jesus saved me from myself and gives hope for all of humanity that God did not give up on us but sent his son to remedy God's wrath and to pay for our sins. How can you read that and say that God is not good?

Life is transitions

It seems sometimes that life is one big transition. We transition from crawling to walking, from no school to kindergarten, from High School to College. After college you finally experience what some people call the "real world" as if to say the rest of your life was a fantasy like Frodo and Shire.
It's easy to live life looking forward to the next transition and miss out on so much that is happening right now. We need to be growing in Christ likeness and learn from each stage of our lives, b/c you may not live to see your next transition.
It has been neat to see God help us transition from one stage to another in our 4 years of marriage, and that God has taught us new life lessons through each one. He has now guided us back to Des Moines where we will help students transition through their teen years. I am looking forward to it.
While we are in the process of moving we have stayed half way for 10 days at my in-laws in Columbus. I spoke at their church for a week and then had a little bit of a vacation. We leave tomorrow to go to our new life in Des Moines.

Showering in God's Grace

Only in America do kids get excited when their is no water. A few weeks ago there was an announcement over the loud speaker at North East Intermediate school where I worked. The principal announced that students would be getting out at noon due to a water main break. As you can imagine all the students began to cheer. (I did too b/c that meant a short day for me)
I was thinking as a I got into my Oldsmobile that even in Scranton with all its decline and bankruptcy and unemployment there is still no shortage of clean water. Mandi and I have tap water, others have purified water, we also buy bottled water. Americans buy water softener b/c our water is too hard. (still confused as to what that means) It is not a big deal to kids that they have no water at school b/c they can go home and get it from several different places in their home.
I take a shower everyday (sometimes twice) using gallons of HOT water, and I don't even think about or offer thanks for it.
People around the world are drinking water that cows swim in. They are walking miles to go get it. And I complain b/c the water from the tap taste bad. ( I don't say that to guilt us for having clean water, but to help us be aware) What a blessing that I have so much clean water accessible to me. When I drink, wash my hands, or boil water for pasta I am experiencing God's grace. I used to think of my shower as part of my daily routine, and most of the time I still do, but some days I realize that I am taking a shower in God's Grace.

"All things New"

At the end of time the one seated on the throne will say "behold I am making everything new." That is an amazing concept. My body, heart, and all of creation will be made new.
I anticipate the day that all will be made new, yet I have found myself not trying anything new. So now I have become a blogger. I can't promise this blog will cause you to ponder about your existence, but hopefully it will cause you to stop and think for a moment, encourage you for an hour, or make you laugh for a second. I will do my best to just be me.
Welcome to myself and you!