Following Tullian Tchividian on Twitter he had a tweet, that I think was a retweet of Trevin Wax, it went, "Too many times, we think, "I know we're saved by grace, but..." that "but" is deadly."
Why is it that we can understand the grace of God in the context of raising dead, lifeless sinners from death to life by the faith that the Spirit gives but when it comes to living the Christian life, all of the sudden we make it about what you do? Of course there is life change, of course there is a depth that salvation brings that does not belong to us but instead of exploring that depth we step out of the ocean of God's grace into the desert of legalism. It is as if we're saying, "Hey God, thanks for that, obviously you saved me because you saw something real special in me and so I'll get to it from here."
Isn't that about what you feel like at times about this Christian life? I mean, God saves you but you better get to work as soon as that happens. So instead of enjoying the Savior, King Jesus, we stray back to the life of trying to impress someone who is already impressed but not with what you can do. This is something that has perplexed me since I've been learning the doctrines of Grace, I mean you could be talking with someone about salvation and how great it is that God brought you to Himself and how he awakened a dead man and how I could do nothing for that, wretched, blind, pitiful...etc...
Then in the same conversation talking about the walking out that grace they become rabid Arminians. :) It is again perplexing and I've heard it explained as "degrees" of Law, under grace, and how this is a matter of realizing where we are and working it out from there. This is a problem because there would be oppostion to those who would try, like in the holiness movement, to say that there is a fuller fullness of the Holy Spirit that has to happen. So there is grace, yes but that grace enables you and it becomes a type of comparison, "Oh, so you haven't gotten as far as I down the 'grace road', let me show you." Again, the problem is that I'm comparing myself to someone else, not to God, not to the perfect example of grace.
Legalism so easily herds us in to categories and definitions that are outside of God's grace, the Gospel that he called us with is the Gospel that keeps us. It defines Jesus as the worthy One and that he has all authority in the life of that individual whom he calls. But just because he has that authority and some of us, in the eyes of others, do great things "for" God, leaving out Eph. 2:10, we develop patterns that will make it depend on us. It goes back to my first point, God sees someting special in me and so I need to "git er done". :) Actually, God sees something special in His Son and so our sacrifice is for naught outside of his working in us or not acknowledging that he has "before ordained" those works.
Here is the final, I'll call it "kicker" in this argument and that would be, "What sin or sins do you struggle with right now, just as much or moreso than you did as a new Christian?" So, if we are truly seeing the grace of God we realize that there is nothing we could do to earn it, before or after coming to Christ. The fact that we struggle with the same things is testimony to the hopelessness of trying to "work this thing out" by looking at our progress, rather than Christs' work on behalf of His children. So I encourge an outward look to the Savior and it will surprise you how much joy will come from that, then our boasting in the Gospel becomes, not a grind but a grace filled walk.
Boasting with you in the work that Christ has done,
Tim
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Friday, December 2, 2011
Our God is with us - Stephen Curtis Chapman
I've been gaining a lot of encouragement from this song and what a message that is there, enjoy!
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Factions - are they necessary?
I'm inherently a person to question what someone is saying, although it might offend, or, even make them think that I'm something that I'm not. So, when a brother comes to the table with a certain mindset about the Scriptures, I'm bound to question.
Such was the case the other night. Someone, in our care group, wanted to discuss a passage in 1 Cor. 11:19, "for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized." If you take the verse before that, Paul is talking about "divisions" - Greek schismata that are among the believers there in Corinth. The factions are actually heresy's that are within the church, so it is a serious passage, one not to be glossed over for sure.
But paramount to every scripture is context that would frame what Paul says correctly, for how they would understand it and how we should understand it. I think what disturbs me is when people get so over hyped about their understanding of what is said that it can lead to celebrating the very thing that breaks God's heart, namely - His glory being diminished through heresy.
Factions will exist within any church, that is for sure, we need to reveal our hearts in humble awareness of this w/o a terseness that would betray what Paul would say two chapters later, that the "Way of Love" is the best way. See, that is what Jesus prayed in the Garden when he was begging the Father to "take this cup from Me." His prayer was that we would be united, not around factions or how they were caused and what we did to not cause it or expose it, but around a bloody cross.
That is what bothers me at times, about myself as well as others, the idea that I like factions, I like to tear down the heresies and make sure that everyone knows that I know what I'm talking about but that is the opposite of the message that Paul was giving to the Corinthians, he was saying, in effect, don't be molded in that way. It wasn't a surprise to Paul because Paul was gifted in the language of rhetoric or sarcasm, see chapter 5, "...you are arrogant" particularly about sin. Paul was saying, don't be a part of that but be unified in love around the cross. Also, see 2 Cor. 12:21; 13:10f for context of how Paul confronted those who he felt necessary to correct.
I've read, not lately, a book With the Old Breed by E. B. Sledge and in the book he tells a story. They were fighting to take the island of Peleliu which by the way was the bloodiest battle of all time for the Marines and after WWII was seen as a waste because they would've bypassed it to take the Phillipines. In the book he tells a story about life on this South Pacific island and the problem there was because the whole island was made of lime. If you know anything about battle in WWII it is about digging trenches so you could get below enemy fire. Well they couldn't get but maybe a foot or two into the ground, it was arduous.
After a couple of weeks on the front line they came back to those in the rear, that were getting ready to go into battle or were just troops that were ancillary. I'll let him explain:
We boarded trucks that carried us southward along the east road then some distance northward along the west road. As we bumped and jolted past the airfield, we were amazed at all the work the Seabees (naval construction battalions) had accomplished on the field. Heavy construction equipment was everywhere, and we saw hundreds of service troops, watched our dusty truck convoy go by. They wore neat caps and dungarees, were clean-shaven, and seemed relaxed. They eyed us curiously, as though we were wild animals in a circus parade. I looked at my buddies in the truck and saw why. The contrast between us and the onlookers was striking. We were armed, helmeted, unshaven, filthy, tired, and haggard. The sight of clean comfortable noncombatants was depressing, and we tried to keep up our morale by discussing the show of U.S. material power and technology we saw.
That is a great description of the life of a believer who is in the world every day. If I tried to live my life in a test tube it wouldn't work, I have to be in the world to earn a living. But this is the contrast that I feel exists in the church many times, especially the Reformed movement. You have those who want to make sure that all things are in-line with the Scriptures, w/o giving any kind of leeway to how it is lived out in our world. I see more brokenness in this world on an average day than most of the people I know. We live in a broken area of Ft. Worth, in an African-American community, or largely becoming one. Our lives aren't pretty, we struggle with sin that is deep, we struggle with finances, we struggle with knowing how to raise our children in light of the Scriptures.
What is the point? Well, the point would be why I come to a meeting of believers, to acknowledge my own sin and be encouraged to take up my cross because normally, I don't want to. I want to get off the convoy and live like the rest of the people that I see, although I don't see perfectly, at times it is what I perceive. They have clean shaven faces, they don't have the circles under the eyes, etc...they seem to have all the answers, I want to be there.
Question is, what am I providing to my brothers and sisters? How can I receive from them?
Pray for me to continue boasting in the Gospel and not the pride of my own heart that wants to have all the questions answered this side of eternity and live with new eyes to see the heavenly reality.
Your boasting friend,
Tim
Such was the case the other night. Someone, in our care group, wanted to discuss a passage in 1 Cor. 11:19, "for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized." If you take the verse before that, Paul is talking about "divisions" - Greek schismata that are among the believers there in Corinth. The factions are actually heresy's that are within the church, so it is a serious passage, one not to be glossed over for sure.
But paramount to every scripture is context that would frame what Paul says correctly, for how they would understand it and how we should understand it. I think what disturbs me is when people get so over hyped about their understanding of what is said that it can lead to celebrating the very thing that breaks God's heart, namely - His glory being diminished through heresy.
Factions will exist within any church, that is for sure, we need to reveal our hearts in humble awareness of this w/o a terseness that would betray what Paul would say two chapters later, that the "Way of Love" is the best way. See, that is what Jesus prayed in the Garden when he was begging the Father to "take this cup from Me." His prayer was that we would be united, not around factions or how they were caused and what we did to not cause it or expose it, but around a bloody cross.
That is what bothers me at times, about myself as well as others, the idea that I like factions, I like to tear down the heresies and make sure that everyone knows that I know what I'm talking about but that is the opposite of the message that Paul was giving to the Corinthians, he was saying, in effect, don't be molded in that way. It wasn't a surprise to Paul because Paul was gifted in the language of rhetoric or sarcasm, see chapter 5, "...you are arrogant" particularly about sin. Paul was saying, don't be a part of that but be unified in love around the cross. Also, see 2 Cor. 12:21; 13:10f for context of how Paul confronted those who he felt necessary to correct.
I've read, not lately, a book With the Old Breed by E. B. Sledge and in the book he tells a story. They were fighting to take the island of Peleliu which by the way was the bloodiest battle of all time for the Marines and after WWII was seen as a waste because they would've bypassed it to take the Phillipines. In the book he tells a story about life on this South Pacific island and the problem there was because the whole island was made of lime. If you know anything about battle in WWII it is about digging trenches so you could get below enemy fire. Well they couldn't get but maybe a foot or two into the ground, it was arduous.
After a couple of weeks on the front line they came back to those in the rear, that were getting ready to go into battle or were just troops that were ancillary. I'll let him explain:
We boarded trucks that carried us southward along the east road then some distance northward along the west road. As we bumped and jolted past the airfield, we were amazed at all the work the Seabees (naval construction battalions) had accomplished on the field. Heavy construction equipment was everywhere, and we saw hundreds of service troops, watched our dusty truck convoy go by. They wore neat caps and dungarees, were clean-shaven, and seemed relaxed. They eyed us curiously, as though we were wild animals in a circus parade. I looked at my buddies in the truck and saw why. The contrast between us and the onlookers was striking. We were armed, helmeted, unshaven, filthy, tired, and haggard. The sight of clean comfortable noncombatants was depressing, and we tried to keep up our morale by discussing the show of U.S. material power and technology we saw.
That is a great description of the life of a believer who is in the world every day. If I tried to live my life in a test tube it wouldn't work, I have to be in the world to earn a living. But this is the contrast that I feel exists in the church many times, especially the Reformed movement. You have those who want to make sure that all things are in-line with the Scriptures, w/o giving any kind of leeway to how it is lived out in our world. I see more brokenness in this world on an average day than most of the people I know. We live in a broken area of Ft. Worth, in an African-American community, or largely becoming one. Our lives aren't pretty, we struggle with sin that is deep, we struggle with finances, we struggle with knowing how to raise our children in light of the Scriptures.
What is the point? Well, the point would be why I come to a meeting of believers, to acknowledge my own sin and be encouraged to take up my cross because normally, I don't want to. I want to get off the convoy and live like the rest of the people that I see, although I don't see perfectly, at times it is what I perceive. They have clean shaven faces, they don't have the circles under the eyes, etc...they seem to have all the answers, I want to be there.
Question is, what am I providing to my brothers and sisters? How can I receive from them?
Pray for me to continue boasting in the Gospel and not the pride of my own heart that wants to have all the questions answered this side of eternity and live with new eyes to see the heavenly reality.
Your boasting friend,
Tim
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Vocational thoughts - God's glory? (Part 2)
So, as I thought about this more, my thoughts flowed toward culture. I think the culture that we are called to, in our vocations, can become a concern. How does it effect what I do on a daily basis? Think about it, you spend a third of your life at work, if your just an 8 hour worker bee. That would include our commuting, assuming you have a 30-45 minute commute and time at work. So a third of your life that is immersed in a culture opposed, not fully but generally, to anything that is of faith. What do you do? How do you, say, become, counter intuitive in this? I can control what comes into my home and dictate what is done but at work it is different or is it?
See that is where the Scriptures come in and should inform us properly where to place our confidence. Think of what Paul says in 1 Cor. 7:17, "Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him." (emphasis mine) To break it down just a bit, Paul is addressing the Corinthians and, by extension us, about the importance of pure Marriage practices. So the point of concern is that the unbelieving spouse not be left by the believing spouse if they want to live peaceably. We come to v. 17 and he talks of this "call" that God has made. The greek word, kaleĊ, meaning to call, invite, name is the word used here. Why is this important, especially for you if/when you become dissatisfied with your job?
God did not expect them to leave just based on their emotional circumstances, their feelings. God is in control of all circumstances, He is not aloof or unconcerned about your circumstances, He is intimately involved in all of them. When I can realize that God has ordained this, that God has called me to this, then it allows me to operate in a different culture. I didn't just choose this job because it happen to fall in my lap, God is - by His Holy Spirit - creating in me a view of His character that will allow me to draw on the resources I have in Him. So when, Mr. X wants to yell and try to make my life miserable I can respond in fear, based on my own feelings or respond in faith of who God is but that character of God will not be built in us unless we see this overarching Sovereignty. That He is allowing this for my good and His glory and that eventually I will know the reason why it was allowed, although I won't know right now.
We would never want this, not ever. I had a conversation with my wife the other night, I'll admit it, at times, most of the time, I'm a glass is half empty kind of person. Well I said to her, "you know, if God, before we were born, would lay out all of the options before us, good and bad, that we would go through, I think I would look at the bad and say, 'NO WAY!'" Even if the good meant my life as it is, I have a great life with a beautiful wife and four awesome kids. That is just me, it is the way that I approach things for better or for worse. Sometimes I won't take the leap when I know that I should or think back to times when it didn't turn out so good, to shore up my good reasons not to do it. ;) But, that is not to undermine the "call", God uses even those times to show us more of himself.
I've had about 3 opportunities come at me over the last five years of different things I could possibly be doing but in each one they did not pick me. So, to say that, I just sit here, and happily be a dead log, that is wrong. I seek to know if God is calling me elsewhere without letting my feelings dictate that "call". You know, if you're a Christian and you go to church and suddenly you just feel "called" to go somewhere else? It's the "I feel called game" and boy can it be a roller coaster. Back to my point - God ordained feelings can lead us out of the place that we're at or God ordained meetings - but those can never just be based on the culture of fear or desiring a "better life" for the family and now you spend most of your time away trying to provide a better life. I don't call that life, I call that bondage.
So, let us seek to be a part of the culture of Christ and spread that aroma around as our call, from God, sets us apart to be the salt and light where we're at.
Your boasting friend,
Tim
See that is where the Scriptures come in and should inform us properly where to place our confidence. Think of what Paul says in 1 Cor. 7:17, "Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him." (emphasis mine) To break it down just a bit, Paul is addressing the Corinthians and, by extension us, about the importance of pure Marriage practices. So the point of concern is that the unbelieving spouse not be left by the believing spouse if they want to live peaceably. We come to v. 17 and he talks of this "call" that God has made. The greek word, kaleĊ, meaning to call, invite, name is the word used here. Why is this important, especially for you if/when you become dissatisfied with your job?
God did not expect them to leave just based on their emotional circumstances, their feelings. God is in control of all circumstances, He is not aloof or unconcerned about your circumstances, He is intimately involved in all of them. When I can realize that God has ordained this, that God has called me to this, then it allows me to operate in a different culture. I didn't just choose this job because it happen to fall in my lap, God is - by His Holy Spirit - creating in me a view of His character that will allow me to draw on the resources I have in Him. So when, Mr. X wants to yell and try to make my life miserable I can respond in fear, based on my own feelings or respond in faith of who God is but that character of God will not be built in us unless we see this overarching Sovereignty. That He is allowing this for my good and His glory and that eventually I will know the reason why it was allowed, although I won't know right now.
We would never want this, not ever. I had a conversation with my wife the other night, I'll admit it, at times, most of the time, I'm a glass is half empty kind of person. Well I said to her, "you know, if God, before we were born, would lay out all of the options before us, good and bad, that we would go through, I think I would look at the bad and say, 'NO WAY!'" Even if the good meant my life as it is, I have a great life with a beautiful wife and four awesome kids. That is just me, it is the way that I approach things for better or for worse. Sometimes I won't take the leap when I know that I should or think back to times when it didn't turn out so good, to shore up my good reasons not to do it. ;) But, that is not to undermine the "call", God uses even those times to show us more of himself.
I've had about 3 opportunities come at me over the last five years of different things I could possibly be doing but in each one they did not pick me. So, to say that, I just sit here, and happily be a dead log, that is wrong. I seek to know if God is calling me elsewhere without letting my feelings dictate that "call". You know, if you're a Christian and you go to church and suddenly you just feel "called" to go somewhere else? It's the "I feel called game" and boy can it be a roller coaster. Back to my point - God ordained feelings can lead us out of the place that we're at or God ordained meetings - but those can never just be based on the culture of fear or desiring a "better life" for the family and now you spend most of your time away trying to provide a better life. I don't call that life, I call that bondage.
So, let us seek to be a part of the culture of Christ and spread that aroma around as our call, from God, sets us apart to be the salt and light where we're at.
Your boasting friend,
Tim
Monday, November 21, 2011
Vocational thoughts - God's glory?
From the time that I exited Seminary, I've been trying to figure out what in the world you do as a Christian worker, not just getting an education and then going on to something else. Usually when they learned that you were going to Seminary you got the blank stare or look of disgust or a gasp, "really!". Sometimes there were times of ministering, to those you worked with, yes, but working at a hospital there were many opportunities to see God's work.
I've moved on from the medical field, being in it for about 6 years as a Medic in the Air Force and then on the outside as a clinical assistant at a hospital in Ft. Worth. Now I work as a Travel Consultant, yes, just like my life at times, makes no logical sense or connection, just go with me. :) But I've now worked for over 10 years in the travel industry, it is a huge field of ministry.
For the fact that most of the Consultants, that I know, who are male, are homosexual or older men who are divorced. I know there are the exceptions, I'm one of them! Married, committed, four kids, conservative, Christian, you can't strike many more polar opposites. In fact, I have a guy that I talk to about many issues that there are between trying to strike a common ground between living in a homosexual relationship and true Christianity. It is very civil, in fact, normally, we'll always pick up right where we left off but still have a good working relationship. I had to test the "waters" first, so to say, you can't just jump into those conversations, is a misnomer, but they will happen if you are open about your faith.
What brought this about was the article that I read at For Christ and Culture by Bruce Ashford. He brought up several points worth sharing but I'll let you read the article for yourself. The one thing that caught me today was this sentence, "Is it fair to say that most evangelicals do not recognize their workplaces as a significant way to love God and neighbor?" So, you see what I see? I think that the second part of that last phrase hit me differently today, don't you love how that happens sometimes? Think about it, when was the last time that you thought of the worker outside your door or in the hallway as you pass, your "neighbor"?
It's been awhile for me but I have some thoughts on why that is the case.
First, my own vanity. How often do you not want to look at another person because you just don't know exactly what will happen? Will they reject you or will they look right at you? How is my hair, teeth, eyes, etc...? You may think this is silly but it isn't when you work in the Arts district in Dallas. Listen, if they filled up our building with the bleach that they used to whiten every ones teeth it would fill it up to the 2nd floor at least! Vanity is abounding and I don't have a lot of time being the father of four and not to mention married. Who cares what people think, right? Wrong. Many times I'm thinking about what they think but not for the right reason. Just a simple hello would do, even if they say nothing. That is the point of Jesus story about the Samaritan, they were not compatible in there race, religion or creeds but He said that this is your neighbor.
Second, tied into the first but still exclusive is what I would call, the "catered to" realm of my job. I work as a travel consultant in a downtown office. I can call any of the sales reps in any of the hotels in Downtown and have lunch at some of the most exclusive restaurants. They would bring me over and tell me what a pleasure it is to have me, not that I'm doubting their sincerity mind you it is just that they're sales women (for the most part). They like to sell me on the particulars of their hotels and I would like to say that I would make it more profitable for them. But, if I look at it just like that, am I looking at them as my neighbor? I hope that my relationships with them would be above reproach and steadfastly faithful to the gospel. But the feeling I get a lot of times is, this isn't reality at least not for me. Dealing with that aspect of my job and trying to love those who stay at these places and eat at these places and love these places is difficult.
Third, the aspect of servant hood at my job. You might discern from the above that my job is really not that fulfilling and for the most part you would be right. I don't look at my job and say, "Yea, I get to go to work today!", I wish that I did. Maybe part of it is that I work with Lawyers? That can make any ones life difficult. :) There is, within the field, a very upper-elitist mindset that likes the idea of being catered to, where I come out of a situation feeling like saying, "STOP", I'm just a normal person, they would come out of it complaining about the food or service or a myriad of other things. They want you to say that they are special because of where they work, what the drive, where they live, who they marry/date, what they eat, where their kids go to school. Quite honestly, this is the hardest aspect about being neighborly, when someone demands their way or doesn't acknowledge a job well done because I feel that the cliche, "you're only as good as your next screw up" applies here, HUGE. Changing the culture seems much harder from the bottom of the totem pole than from up at the top.
Now, I will say that there are some exceptions to the rule but that is the problem, they're also still under the top ones who rule the culture. Simple things like, "Thx" rather than "Thank you", sometimes I would rather not have a response, but that is part of my being neighborly and hopefully showing Gods love, responding in kindness. When they look at you, in the eyes and you address them, talk to them, say their name and no response, walk in love. This is the culture that I'm talking about.
Someone who I knew well, that worked here for five years quit just about 2 months ago after 5 years of being here and putting out a resume once a week to a head hunter. To say that she loathed it was an understatement, God finally gave her what she wanted and I think she is learning in her new job to be thankful. :) When you are working with that kind of culture, that is a bane. I don't want to be judged for how I look, what I drive, where I live and what I wear but that is this culture. To be neighborly I almost have to be counter intuitive, be a light of God's grace within the midst of great desires to be catered to. Show the greatness of God that far surpasses any wealth you could have on earth. Live the verse in John 12:25, "Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life."
That is my struggle, to show the light of the gospel that says, I don't deserve it but Christ, by his mercies has given His own life. Don't live that as a tersely said statement but as a truth in tears.
Your boasting friend,
Tim
I've moved on from the medical field, being in it for about 6 years as a Medic in the Air Force and then on the outside as a clinical assistant at a hospital in Ft. Worth. Now I work as a Travel Consultant, yes, just like my life at times, makes no logical sense or connection, just go with me. :) But I've now worked for over 10 years in the travel industry, it is a huge field of ministry.
For the fact that most of the Consultants, that I know, who are male, are homosexual or older men who are divorced. I know there are the exceptions, I'm one of them! Married, committed, four kids, conservative, Christian, you can't strike many more polar opposites. In fact, I have a guy that I talk to about many issues that there are between trying to strike a common ground between living in a homosexual relationship and true Christianity. It is very civil, in fact, normally, we'll always pick up right where we left off but still have a good working relationship. I had to test the "waters" first, so to say, you can't just jump into those conversations, is a misnomer, but they will happen if you are open about your faith.
What brought this about was the article that I read at For Christ and Culture by Bruce Ashford. He brought up several points worth sharing but I'll let you read the article for yourself. The one thing that caught me today was this sentence, "Is it fair to say that most evangelicals do not recognize their workplaces as a significant way to love God and neighbor?" So, you see what I see? I think that the second part of that last phrase hit me differently today, don't you love how that happens sometimes? Think about it, when was the last time that you thought of the worker outside your door or in the hallway as you pass, your "neighbor"?
It's been awhile for me but I have some thoughts on why that is the case.
First, my own vanity. How often do you not want to look at another person because you just don't know exactly what will happen? Will they reject you or will they look right at you? How is my hair, teeth, eyes, etc...? You may think this is silly but it isn't when you work in the Arts district in Dallas. Listen, if they filled up our building with the bleach that they used to whiten every ones teeth it would fill it up to the 2nd floor at least! Vanity is abounding and I don't have a lot of time being the father of four and not to mention married. Who cares what people think, right? Wrong. Many times I'm thinking about what they think but not for the right reason. Just a simple hello would do, even if they say nothing. That is the point of Jesus story about the Samaritan, they were not compatible in there race, religion or creeds but He said that this is your neighbor.
Second, tied into the first but still exclusive is what I would call, the "catered to" realm of my job. I work as a travel consultant in a downtown office. I can call any of the sales reps in any of the hotels in Downtown and have lunch at some of the most exclusive restaurants. They would bring me over and tell me what a pleasure it is to have me, not that I'm doubting their sincerity mind you it is just that they're sales women (for the most part). They like to sell me on the particulars of their hotels and I would like to say that I would make it more profitable for them. But, if I look at it just like that, am I looking at them as my neighbor? I hope that my relationships with them would be above reproach and steadfastly faithful to the gospel. But the feeling I get a lot of times is, this isn't reality at least not for me. Dealing with that aspect of my job and trying to love those who stay at these places and eat at these places and love these places is difficult.
Third, the aspect of servant hood at my job. You might discern from the above that my job is really not that fulfilling and for the most part you would be right. I don't look at my job and say, "Yea, I get to go to work today!", I wish that I did. Maybe part of it is that I work with Lawyers? That can make any ones life difficult. :) There is, within the field, a very upper-elitist mindset that likes the idea of being catered to, where I come out of a situation feeling like saying, "STOP", I'm just a normal person, they would come out of it complaining about the food or service or a myriad of other things. They want you to say that they are special because of where they work, what the drive, where they live, who they marry/date, what they eat, where their kids go to school. Quite honestly, this is the hardest aspect about being neighborly, when someone demands their way or doesn't acknowledge a job well done because I feel that the cliche, "you're only as good as your next screw up" applies here, HUGE. Changing the culture seems much harder from the bottom of the totem pole than from up at the top.
Now, I will say that there are some exceptions to the rule but that is the problem, they're also still under the top ones who rule the culture. Simple things like, "Thx" rather than "Thank you", sometimes I would rather not have a response, but that is part of my being neighborly and hopefully showing Gods love, responding in kindness. When they look at you, in the eyes and you address them, talk to them, say their name and no response, walk in love. This is the culture that I'm talking about.
Someone who I knew well, that worked here for five years quit just about 2 months ago after 5 years of being here and putting out a resume once a week to a head hunter. To say that she loathed it was an understatement, God finally gave her what she wanted and I think she is learning in her new job to be thankful. :) When you are working with that kind of culture, that is a bane. I don't want to be judged for how I look, what I drive, where I live and what I wear but that is this culture. To be neighborly I almost have to be counter intuitive, be a light of God's grace within the midst of great desires to be catered to. Show the greatness of God that far surpasses any wealth you could have on earth. Live the verse in John 12:25, "Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life."
That is my struggle, to show the light of the gospel that says, I don't deserve it but Christ, by his mercies has given His own life. Don't live that as a tersely said statement but as a truth in tears.
Your boasting friend,
Tim
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Little Faith?
Reading today in Matthew 7:19-20.
" Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” "
(Matthew 17:19-20 ESV)
I was reading this and could not get past a couple of phrases, one right behind the other. First one is, "Because of your little faith", then, "if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed". Depending on which camp you find yourself in Theologically you would use the first portion of this verse to bolster your idea of "Big faith". You would think, well, Jesus rebuked the disciples for having "little faith", so in response, I don't want to be like the disciples. BTW, why do we and many preachers do it publically w/o adding caveats, we talk about those "dumb disciples", but don't bring it around to us. How many times do we do things that are, for the sake of a better term, 'dumber'. :)
But back to my point, Jesus was talking about a lack for sure but what did they lack? Was it because they did not muster up enough faith to heal the sick boy? Well, we certainly could ascertain that if we stopped at "little faith". But that isn't where Jesus stops, he carries it on that makes a paradox in our minds, you would almost think that he is obligated to say, "you need big faith", leave that little faith behind. That is what it becomes to many, God is the 'sugar daddy' and so you have to apply yourself to get the most out of your faith. It becomes semi-pelagian, God does his part and we do ours. That isn't quite the paradox that I think Jesus was trying to create in our minds and theirs. In fact that would fit in quite nicely with a lot of church programs that are out there, "doing our part".
Jesus wanted them to see the contrast of what little faith it took, even the faith of a mustard seed and if you haven't looked at one of those lately, it is miniscule. So, why would he tell the disciples that they have "little faith" but what you need is even smaller faith. I believe Jesus was trying to get them to see that it isn't the amount of faith as much as it is the object of their faith. So, he could've said, "It is because of your little faith, that you have in me, that is detracting you from the true faith that it takes."
That is what holds us back at times, true little faith that has everything to do with our circumstances or trials and we're gonna 'hold the line' but God is saying, "look at the object of your faith and make sure it is me." Sometimes those trials, sufferings and uncomfortable circumstances make us look too much to our faith and we miss the opportunity to have true faith, even if it is as small as that mustard seed.
May His pleasure in showing us our little faith make us rejoice in the grace and mercy of God.
Tim
" Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” "
(Matthew 17:19-20 ESV)
I was reading this and could not get past a couple of phrases, one right behind the other. First one is, "Because of your little faith", then, "if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed". Depending on which camp you find yourself in Theologically you would use the first portion of this verse to bolster your idea of "Big faith". You would think, well, Jesus rebuked the disciples for having "little faith", so in response, I don't want to be like the disciples. BTW, why do we and many preachers do it publically w/o adding caveats, we talk about those "dumb disciples", but don't bring it around to us. How many times do we do things that are, for the sake of a better term, 'dumber'. :)
But back to my point, Jesus was talking about a lack for sure but what did they lack? Was it because they did not muster up enough faith to heal the sick boy? Well, we certainly could ascertain that if we stopped at "little faith". But that isn't where Jesus stops, he carries it on that makes a paradox in our minds, you would almost think that he is obligated to say, "you need big faith", leave that little faith behind. That is what it becomes to many, God is the 'sugar daddy' and so you have to apply yourself to get the most out of your faith. It becomes semi-pelagian, God does his part and we do ours. That isn't quite the paradox that I think Jesus was trying to create in our minds and theirs. In fact that would fit in quite nicely with a lot of church programs that are out there, "doing our part".
Jesus wanted them to see the contrast of what little faith it took, even the faith of a mustard seed and if you haven't looked at one of those lately, it is miniscule. So, why would he tell the disciples that they have "little faith" but what you need is even smaller faith. I believe Jesus was trying to get them to see that it isn't the amount of faith as much as it is the object of their faith. So, he could've said, "It is because of your little faith, that you have in me, that is detracting you from the true faith that it takes."
That is what holds us back at times, true little faith that has everything to do with our circumstances or trials and we're gonna 'hold the line' but God is saying, "look at the object of your faith and make sure it is me." Sometimes those trials, sufferings and uncomfortable circumstances make us look too much to our faith and we miss the opportunity to have true faith, even if it is as small as that mustard seed.
May His pleasure in showing us our little faith make us rejoice in the grace and mercy of God.
Tim
Friday, September 16, 2011
My struggle with the moralist in me
Question that I posed to my wife:
"If you took the subtotal of all your moral actions away would you still feel as if you were in a right relationship with God?"
The intended connection is, what faith am I placing in what I do rather than the hope that I have in Christ? Also, what do I require of others through my supposed piety?
"If you took the subtotal of all your moral actions away would you still feel as if you were in a right relationship with God?"
The intended connection is, what faith am I placing in what I do rather than the hope that I have in Christ? Also, what do I require of others through my supposed piety?
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