Solitude

There is a big drive for solitude and meditation in Christian thought today. I have run into that train of thought in discussions with many of the guys I interact with as part of my Christian walk. It also came up in discussions at a Bible Study that my wife and I are enjoying.

Morton T. Kelsey says the following in his book, Adventure Inward:

“As long as my mind is raging with thoughts, ideas, plans, and fears, I cannot listen significantly to God or any other dimensions of reality.”

I have postulated in times past that there are some generational aspects to how we, as individuals, worship God in the quietness of our own hearts. Many times I have heard this time of devotion referred to as a “quiet time”. But, like many folks in the younger generation, I can’t stand it when it is too quiet. My daughter is typical of many. She can study, watch TV and listen to her iPod while talking to me on her cell phone. I can’t do all of that like she does. But I need some kind of background noise.

I am not a big fan of quiet “quiet times”. The joke in my family growing up was that the reason I never wanted to be quiet or alone was because my conscience would speak to me in that solitude. And that was not a good thing because of all the misbehaving and trouble I got in!

But there’s that word -- Solitude. Is solitude a requirement in order to have intimate times with God? I don’t think so. At least I hope it isn’t. Because I despise solitude. I find nothing inherently Holy in quietness and solitude.

Music is one of the ways that I worship and reflect on God in times of personal devotion. The Holy Spirit speaks to me most frequently through the words of hymns and, more recently, even some contemporary Christian music. My new Zune has become an integral part of my “quiet time”. Although it is not all that quiet. You can’t listen to “Then Came the Morning” by The Cathedrals with the volume on low! You have to let that one play at a volume in your earphones close the decibel level of a 747 jet taking off from Bush Intercontinental Airport.

So, here is one more thought to share with you. It is from Andrew Murray’s book, With Christ in the School of Prayer. He says:

The desert initiates us into the life of the spirit by helping us to discover who we most deeply are. To follow Christ means that we must let go of excessive attachments to passing pleasures and possessions, to ploys of autonomous power, to tangible goods as if they were ultimate. Christ asks us to abandon our idols, whatever they may be, and to love Him with our entire being.”

I couldn’t agree with that more.

I just think it is a little easier with a soundtrack of good gospel music!

What do you think?

8 Gig oughta be more than enough...

I finally bought myself an MP3 player. In typical fashion for me, I over-analyzed it and nearly did nothing at all. But, I talked to some Ipod bigots and they convinced me to give the Microsoft Zune a try. So, I bought the 8 gig version thinking that would be more than enough for me.

Well, then I bought a ZunePass and got unlimited downloading of songs and podcasts. Now I have more than 20 gig worth of old gospel songs and bunches of contemporary Christian songs that my daughter hopes will expand my mind. I also have downloaded soundtracks to musicals I was in nearly 30 years ago. Plus, I downloaded some classic rock and roll from my teen years (Ssshh, don't tell my Mom and Dad about that last part)

Here is a little window into the world of my Zune.

Feel free to check out some of the stuff that I am listening to at http://social.zune.net/member/kjkb2tx2

I am probably the only guy you know with 33Miles, Cathedral Quartet, Electric Light Orchestra, Antonio Vivaldi, and the soundtrack from Annie Get Your Gun on the same Ipod or MP3 player! But that's just me!

Currently I am listening to the following contemporary Christian artists:

33Miles
Aaron Shust
Brian Littrell
Casting Crowns
Charity Von
Charlie Hall
Chris Tomlin
The Fray
Jadon Lavik
Jars of Clay
Jeremy Camp
Jeremy Riddle
Kutless
Lincoln Brewster
Mat Kearney
Matt Redmon
MercyMe
Paul Baloche
Paul Colman
Robbie Seay Band
Sanctus Real
Shaun Groves
Skillet
Switchfoot
Third Day
and
Todd Agnew

So, what is on your MP3 player? What Christian music is on it? Is it old stuff? Is it new stuff? What are some of your favorites? I am open to your suggestions. After all, I have unlimited downloading with ZunePass! And I have come a long way from The Cathedral Quartet!

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

When I survey the wondrous cross
on which the Prince of Glory died;
my richest gain I count but loss,
and pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
save in the death of Christ, my God;
all the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to his blood.

See, from his head, his hands, his feet,
sorrow and love flow mingled down.
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
or thorns compose so rich a crown.

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
that were an offering far too small;
love so amazing, so divine,
demands my soul, my life, my all.

Words by Isaac Watts
Music by Lowell Mason

Serving God or Knowing God? - A Generational Thing?

Sitting in Bible Study Thursday night my father-in-law made an interesting comment. He was commenting about folks in his day who initially were excited or energetic about their personal relationship to the Lord. This comment was made in the context of discussing sanctification. He said, "Many folks start out wanting to really serve the Lord." He said it emphatically with his arm raised and a little fist pump for emphasis.

I thought about that...

Then it hit me. This is yet another generational difference in how folks perceive the Gospel. And it not surprising. His generation is the one chronicled so well by Tom Brokaw in his book The Greatest Generation. That generation had a mindset and view of the world that lead them to service as the pinnacle of demonstrating ones devotion to something.

As I look at this present generation, service does not seem to be the pinnacle. That is not a value judgment, just an observation. Many folks today view "knowing" God as the key thing in their relationship. Here is what I see. In times past folks began serving God before they really knew God. Knowing God came later as we gained more and more experiences with God and trust in God as He led us day by day.

Today, the opposite seems to be the norm. Today it seems that the desire is to know God first. To try Him out and get to know Him first before there is a real commitment to a lifelong relationship and service. Again, not judgment here. (Although it sort of sounds like one!) Just an observation.

So what does that mean for me?

I am not sure. I grew up both serving God and knowing God. That was just the way I was raised. Unfortunately, neither of them are requirements for a relationship with God, His son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. What he required of me was that I acknowledge that I was a sinner, that I confessed those sins, asked for forgiveness, and turned to Him and began walking with Him in an obedient and personal relationship that has now stretched for almost 40 years.

At some point in there, and I can tell you the time and the place, I finally dealt with the issue of control in my life and with what Wesley would call the "bent toward sinning." It was at that point that I was serving a God that I knew intimately. Not only did I know Him. He knew me!

Any thoughts or comments that you would like to add?

Mike & Mike in the Morning ... ESPN Radio

I hear that tag line every morning. I hear it about 20 times each morning in the car on my way to work. In fact, I really look forward to hearing it each day.

Not these words actually. But rather what they represent. Those words are the words that Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic use to signal a commercial break for their popular sports talk program.

I have made Mike & Mike a regular part of my morning routine for the last 13 months. And I really miss it when I can't listen to them on my way to work.

That's just the way it is with my quiet time with God... Oh wait... What I mean is... That's the way I wish my quiet time was... You know, a standard part of my day... Something I don't miss... Some thing I look forward to... Something I can't wait for each day... Well, I am glad at least that no one else ever feels that way...

What??? You mean you feel this way, too, sometimes?

Lord, rekindle that fire in me that draws me into your presence with great anticipation. Amen

The name of the LORD is a strong tower;
The righteous run to it and are safe.
Proverbs 18:10 NKJV

Sitting Outside in the Dark

The following quote from Annie Dillard's book, Teaching a Stone to Talk, struck a chord within me this week. She says,

Experience has taught the [human] race that if knowledge of God is the end, then these habits of life are not the means but the condition in which the means operates. You do not have to do these things; not at all. God does not, I regret to report, give a hoot. You do not have to do these things -- unless you want to know God. They work on you, not on Him.

You do not have to sit outside in the dark. If, however, you want to look at the stars, you will find that darkness is necessary. But the stars neither require nor demand it.

Alas, that is how we view Holiness sometimes. We view it as a series of habits or do-s and don't-s. We think of it in terms of the things we do, or at least should do, that will make us Christlike.

We think God wants us to go to church. -- God wants us to be in His presence.

We think God wants us to sing hymns vs. contemporary music. -- God wants us to worship Him.

We think God wants us to do good works. -- God want us to love one another as Christ loved us.

We think God wants us to give 10% of everything we earn. -- God wants us to give it all to Him and allow Him to use it to build His Kingdom.

We think Gods wants us to DO a bunch of stuff. -- God wants us to know Him intimately. And that may mean sitting in the dark sometimes.

Faithful is He

It is sometimes easy to have faith at the start of a long journey. There is excitement and anticipation. Energy levels run high. And it is certainly easy to have faith as you near the goal or the end of a long journey. But what about the long stretch in the middle?

That is where I see myself and many others these days. At nearly 47 years of age I am far from the beginning of my journey. And hopefully I am reasonably far from the end of my journey as well! So in this middle of the journey I hold on to Scriptures like these.

He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

I Thessalonians 5:24 NKJV

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Hebrews 10:23 NKJV

Spring Cleaning

It is that time of year again. At least it is down here in Houston, TX. It was 81 degrees today. It is time for a little spring cleaning.

Recently I had to clean my office at work. It desperately needed it. I had let over 6 years of papers and trade publications pile up and completely obscure most of the work surfaces in my office. So, I did a little spring cleaning.

We were able to reclaim the front room in our home that had been used by our son for a business that he operated out of our house. It is now clean and in the process of being redecorated to suit my wife’s taste. So, that was a little more spring cleaning.

My brother recently began blogging and I looked at his new blog. It was incredibly neat and clean. I looked at mine. Hmmh. Not so much. I must confess to a little “blog envy”. Mine was cluttered by a lot of extraneous “counters”, maps and other widgets that I have added over the last few years and don’t really need or even use. So, I did a little spring cleaning on the blog. (I know, it probably needs some more cleaning!)

Then it hit me.

Are there things that I have allowed to clutter up my life? Are there little extra “widgets” that take my focus off of Jesus Christ? Not that they are inherently wrong. But do they keep me so busy maintaing all those little extras that I slowly lose focus on the main thing. So, I am doing a little Spiritual spring cleaning. I am looking to simplify my Spiritual focus and get it solely and squarely on Jesus. I think that makes sense. That is even Biblical.

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

Psalm 139:23-24 RSV

What happens when we pray?

I am involved in a “Bible Study” on Thursday nights. We are using the book, Disciplines for the Inner Life by Bob Benson, Sr. and Michael W. Benson. I am not sure that I understand all that the Benson’s were trying to do when they wrote the book. But that’s OK. The book includes tons of “meditations” or passages from various Christian writers and thinkers.

In this week’s readings, I found the meditation by Emilie Griffin, Clinging -- The Experience of Prayer to be the most thought provoking in a Spiritual sense. She says, “What happens to people who pray is that their inward life gradually takes over from their outward life.”

That sounds very much like a Wesleyan understanding of Holiness and Sanctification. Isn't that the way we as folks who proclaim Holiness understand Sanctification to be? Isn’t it the Holy Spirit indwelling us and causing us to live outwardly in a way that reflects that we are inwardly being progressively made pure?

All I know is that I am thankful to God for His Holy Spirit who came to indwell and guide me day by day. I am thankful for the process that began so many years ago.

What do you think?

Walking versus Posing

If I'm not walking, then I'm just posing.

I guess I need to be reminded of that from time to time. This is especially true in terms of my Faith. I am reminded again of the differences between “Saving Faith” and “idle faith”. James 2: 14-26 reminds me of several kinds of Faith.

There is an Intellectual Faith found in verse 17. Here it talks about knowing the concepts and knowing the lingo, but not putting it in to practice. There is an Emotional Faith found in verse 19. Even the demons have an emotional response to Jesus. These are tragic examples of dead faith or idle faith. Then there is a Living and Active Faith as found in verses 21-26. Abraham and Rahab are great examples of a living and active faith in action. They are recorded in the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11. Here is what it says about them and some others.

• By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice.
• By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.
• By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.
• By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter.
• By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.
• And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.

Now look at all of this in light of Titus 1:16. “They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.” These are very strong words, wouldn’t you agree?

Here it is clear that profession of faith by itself is an intellectual or emotional response. Without evidence of God at work in our lives there is an implied denial of God’s power and the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Without steps of Faith (actions) and walking in obedience (actions) we are just standing still. We are going nowhere. We are just posing.

Great Post on Another Blog - "Bad Enough"

I am very fortunate to have several men of God who I interact with on a frequent basis in my secular employment. One of them I work with as a colleague. Several others I interact with due to the nature of my job. One of them blogged on the topic of Sin the other day and I have been thinking about it for several days now.

Rather than try to take a similar look at the same topic, I am just going to recommend that you visit his blog and view the specific post that I am referring to. The name of his blog is The Bear's Den and the post that I want you to read is entitled Bad Enough.

I know we share some of the same readers of our blogs. But some of you have probably never visited his blog from the link on my blog. So here is a chance to visit a Brother in Christ's blog and have a chance to have his post minister to you the way it ministered to me.

What are your thoughts?

Talmudim or Disciple?

Am I a “talmudim” or a “disciple”?

Is there a difference?

Well, first let’s look at a disciple. What is a disciple? A disciple is a student of a particular teacher or leader. Jesus had disciples. He said “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:27 KJV. So, it must have been something worthy of seeking after, otherwise Jesus would not have put such a qualifier on it.

So, then, what is a talmudim? A talmudim was a very close follower of a rabbi. Many referred to Jesus as rabbi. So that is an appropriate way to look at it. Biblical history tells us that talmudim would walk behind the rabbis and follow them wherever they would go. Now think for a minute about the conditions of the Judean desert. Hold that thought and I’ll come back to it in a minute.

So how do we get a better grasp on disciples and talmudim? Well, the best way might be to compare them in this way. Many religions and philosophies have students and disciples. And they are ardent and fervent.

Consider some of the great Greek philosophers like Plato and Socrates. They certainly had followers who wanted to be like them. They wanted to learn everything that Plato and Socrates knew. They wanted to absorb all they could from those great minds. They were disciples.

Now contrast that with a talmudim. He wanted not only to know what the rabbi knew. But he wanted to be what the rabbi was. Now there is a subtle yet undeniable difference. And that has great application to us as Christians and those who would seek to be Holy. I don’t want just to have an intellectual relationship with Jesus. I want to live my life for Him. I want Him to come and live inside of me. I want to be like him in all that I do.

OK, remember up above where I told you to hold the thought about following a rabbi around in the desert? Well consider the following Jewish saying:

The best English translation may be this. “May you be covered in the Dust of Your Rabbi!”

That is an odd thing to wish upon a friend. But back in the time that Jesus walked the earth it was a well wishing. To wish someone to be covered in the dust of their Rabbi was to wish them to become as righteous in the sight of the LORD as he appeared to be. Talmudim ~ Disciples of a Rabbi would walk behind him as they traveled along. In the Judean desert he was bound to kick up plenty of dust.

So I say to you in love this Hebrew phrase:

Halevai Sh'titkasea ba-avak shel harav shelcha Y'shua ha Maschiach!

May You be covered in the Dust of Your Rabbi Jesus the Messiah!

And your response as a talmudim is to answer:

Heve metabek bafar chamim!

May we be covered to obtain His Righteousness!

May I be covered in the dust of His Righteousness.

When we pray

What happens when we pray?

Emilie Griffin says the following in her book, Clinging - The Experience of Prayer.

"What happens to people who pray is that their inward life gradually takes over from their outward life."

I think this is one of the keys to understanding the life of holiness. So often we feel the need to struggle and strain to produce holiness from the depths of our being. Like it was there all along. We just needed to squeeze it out. But that is not the way it is. Rather, as we pray and seek holiness, the Holy Spirit begins to change us slowly from the inside out. And the end result is that we are not squeezing holiness out of ourselves so much as allowing it to flow from our heart that has been changed by God.

How does this fit with your understanding of Holiness and Entire Sanctification?

It reminds me that I must maintain a residence in my heart fit for the Holy Spirit to dwell. Only then will I be able to live a holy life. Only then will people see Jesus in me.

Victory in Jesus

I wonder if anyone else ever feels this way. Sometimes I get a little discouraged. Sometimes I feel like the whole world is a New England Patriot and I am just a Miami Dolphin. (And I’m not talking about the ’72 Dolphins!)

My apologies to those of you out there who are not fans of professional football.

Sometimes I feel like I am in a battle and the score is Discouragement – 21 and Kevin – 0. And Discouragement has the ball on the 3 yard line. But then I read I something like:

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

I Corinthians 15:57 NCV

or:

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith.

I John 5:4 NCV

We have just come through the season that celebrates the long awaited Messiah. The score was Roman Empire – 35 and Jewish People – 3 (to keep using my football metaphor.) Yet Scriptures like the ones above point to ward a time when we have ultimate victory over discouragement, sin, death and hell. We overcome through the power of the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist made that proclamation and promise a central theme in his ministry. Just re-read Matthew 3:11 and other Gospel accounts of John’s ministry.

So the score can be misleading. 21 – 0 doesn’t tell the whole story. The game is far from over. Satan must have thought it was a blow-out that Thursday and Friday before Easter!

I heard an old, old story,
How a Savior came from glory,
How He gave His life on Calvary
To save a wretch like me;
I heard about His groaning,
Of His precious blood's atoning,
Then I repented of my sins
And won the victory.

I heard about His healing,
Of His cleansing pow'r revealing.
How He made the lame to walk again
And caused the blind to see;
And then I cried, “Dear Jesus,
Come and heal my broken spirit,”
And somehow Jesus came and bro't
To me the victory.

I heard about a mansion
He has built for me in glory.
And I heard about the streets of gold
Beyond the crystal sea;
About the angels singing,
And the old redemption story,
And some sweet day I'll sing up there
The song of victory.

O victory in Jesus,
My Savior, forever.
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him
And all my love is due Him,
He plunged me to victory,
Beneath the cleansing flood.

Victory in Jesus by E.M Bartlett

Three Quotes to Ponder

Here are three quotes that I came across recently. Actually, I only came across the first one recently. The other two I have known for quite some time.
Here they are and I am looking for some responses or thoughts from anyone who reads them.

“Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is.”

Ernest Hemingway

“He is no fool to give up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

Jim Elliot

“Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.”

Philippians 4:11


Are there any common threads that run through them?

Is Hemingway somehow voicing a Spiritual principle?

What is our response to the goal of health, wealth and happiness that is so common in society?

What are your thoughts on these quotes?

What do they say to you about the life of holiness?

I Love My GPS!

One of the neatest gadgets that I have seen in a very long time is the portable GPS. GPS stands for global positioning satellites and it is some very cool technology developed by the U.S. military. I got one for my car a while ago. It audibly speaks the directions to my destination. It tells me “Turn left on Polk Street in 500 yards.”

The voice is a nice female with a British accent. I have named her “Jill”. I like mine so much that we bought our kids each one for Christmas. They are way cool. Jill tells me how to get to where I want to go in a turn by turn fashion. And if I want to take a different route, then I just hit the “Detour” button and Jill reroutes me in an instant. If I want to find a gas station, Jill guides me there. If I need to find a restaurant, Jill knows the way.

I also like maps. I like all kinds of maps. Before I got “Jill” I would faithfully print out a Yahoo map or Google map before any excursion. I even printed one out when I was just driving across town. Before that I would go down to the local AAA office and get a TripTik before any family vacation. The point is, I like to know where I am going on any trip. I even want to plan the route myself ahead of time.

Contrast that with Jesus’ call to His disciples in Matthew 4:19. It is a simple call. “Come, follow me.” And Peter and Andrew did just that! Jesus did not sit them down, discuss potential possibilities, lay out a plan, draw up a map and then present it all to them. In fact, they didn’t even have time to put away their nets. James and John were pretty much the same way.

What would I have done in that situation? Of course I like to think that I would have left it all and followed Jesus, right? In fact I am pretty sure I would have followed Jesus…eventually. I mean I would have showed up at some point after I went home and discussed it all with my friends, made a plan and drew up a map.

But that “immediately” part is real hard for me. I am the kind of person that wants a plan and a map to follow ahead of time.

Jesus says “Follow me”.

He doesn’t have the map.

He IS the map.

He is the God Positioning System.

Jesus, Savior, pilot me,
Over life’s tempestuous sea;
Unknown waves before me roll,
Hiding rock and treach’rous shoal;
Chart and compass came from Thee:
Jesus, Savior, pilot me.

When at last I near the shore,
And the fearful breakers roar
‘Twixt me and the peaceful rest,
Then, while leaning on Thy breast,
May I hear Thee say to me,
“Fear not, I will pilot thee.”

Jesus, Savior, pilot me by Edward Hopper

Hills and Valleys

Many of you are aware that I am in an accountability relationship with my best friend Dave. I am holding him accountable for, among other things, Spiritual journaling. To that end, I have begun the same practice and Spiritual discipline. And during my quiet time today I was reading the Deuteronomy account of Moses charge to the people about their relationship with God and the Promised Land.

Here is the passage:

Observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today, so that you may have the strength to go in and take over the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, and so that you may live long in the land that the Lord swore to your forefathers to give to them and their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey.
The land you are entering to take over is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you planted your seed and irrigated it by foot as in a vegetable garden. But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven. It is a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end.
So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today — to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul — then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil. I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.
Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. Then the Lord's anger will burn against you, and he will shut the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the Lord is giving you.
Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the Lord swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.
If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow — to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways and to hold fast to him — then the Lord will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you. Every place where you set your foot will be yours: Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the Euphrates River to the western sea. No man will be able to stand against you. The Lord your God, as he promised you, will put the terror and fear of you on the whole land, wherever you go.
See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse — the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known. When the Lord your God has brought you into the land you are entering to possess, you are to proclaim on Mount Gerizim the blessings, and on Mount Ebal the curses.
As you know, these mountains are across the Jordan, west of the road, toward the setting sun, near the great trees of Moreh, in the territory of those Canaanites living in the Arabah in the vicinity of Gilgal. You are about to cross the Jordan to enter and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you. When you have taken it over and are living there, be sure that you obey all the decrees and laws I am setting before you today.

Deuteronomy 11:8-32 NIV

What stood out to me was the description of the land. “But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven.” That got me to think. And a question formed in my wee little brain.

What is the purpose of the hills and valleys?

In this passage they are to show the stark difference between the flat land of Egypt where the crops were watered by the overflowing of the Nile River or by labor intensive irrigation systems and the Land of Canaan where water fell from Heaven and flowed down the hills and valleys and onto the land. They were also a barrier of protection for the Children of God. And they were to be used for purposes of worship. But I believe that there is a metaphor here and it is a metaphor for the Spiritual life.

If we accept that our Spiritual life is journey, then we see the significance of the hills and valleys. We view every mountain as a hardship to climb and every valley as something that we must rise above and come out into the sun soaked plains. No one wants to carry a heavy burden up a steep slope. In fact, very few of us will ever see the great vistas that the mountain tops provide because we are unwilling to place foot after foot and climb to the top. Many times human nature has us looking up at the mountains and we stare in awe without ever knowing what it is like to look down from up high.

But the hills and valleys have a Spiritual purpose. They save us from the dullness of the plateau. They difficulty of climbing the hills and valleys drives us to Throne of Grace. We reach the end of our own strength and resources only to find that there are vast untapped resources from our Heavenly Father that gives us the strength we need to carry on.

The Psalmist David said it this way:

“I lift up my eyes to the hills — where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip — he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”

Psalm 121:1-4 NIV

As I look forward to the new year, I take courage from these passages.

Laughter in the House

There was laughter in my house this last few weeks. There was joy and happiness. And that produced laughter. And I think that pleases God.

Psalm 126 says:

When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.

Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negev.

Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.

How many times when we see the glorious work of God, it's just like, well... it's just like a dream. It's just hard to comprehend. As we were together as a family this Christmas season, I was like someone who was dreaming. I look at what God has done for our family, and it's like a dream. The reality has not yet sunk in.

And so the psalmist, “When God worked, delivered Zion, we were just like those that dream.” So excited in what God was doing. It is just that the reality of it hardly seems to register in my feeble brain.

“Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD has done great things for them”

Psalm 126:2

Oh, how special it is to just have that kind of joy and freedom to just be able to laugh over the good things that God has done.

“The LORD has done great things for us; whereof we are glad.”

Psalm 126:3

Is that an understatement, or what?

Merry Christmas!

If I get nothing else for Christmas I will be happy!

I have received the greatest gift that I could have received this Christmas when it became clear that we were all going to be together as a family for Christmas. It is going to take a lot to top last Christmas in terms of material gifts since last year was the Beach House experience with our best friends in the world, the Woods.

But, this Christmas is already shaping up to be more blessed and more precious. We are together as a family and we are experiencing God's blessings and His presence in our lives like never before. We look forward to celebrating the birth of the Babe in a manger and thinking about the impact of the gift of that Child on the world.

As a father I cannot help but wonder about all the thoughts that went through the head of Joseph of Nazareth. There must have been lingering doubts. Even after a supernatural visit from an angel. Nevertheless, Joseph took Mary to be his wife and became the earthly father of our Heavenly Father. Wow! What a responsibility that must have been for Joseph. History does not really record much of Joseph's life. We don't know how much of Jesus' life Joseph was able to experience. There is no mention of Joseph in Scripture at the launch of Jesus' public ministry at the wedding feast. In fact we do not hear anything of Joseph after the trip to the temple when Jesus was still a young boy. Perhaps Joseph died soon thereafter. Again, we don't know.

But, I am blessed with the gift of seeing both of my children loving and serving God as adults. What more can this father ask for this Christmas?

Fallout from the "Rule of Life"

How is it that I get a homework assignment when I am not even taking the class?

My best friend Dave is taking a Masters of Ministry class at Mount Vernon Nazarene University. As part of his Spiritual Formation Class he was given an assignments to write a paper entitled, Rule of Life. In that paper he was to outline some rules of life that will aid him in cultivating various Spiritual disciplines.

One of the disciplines that he will be cultivating is Spiritual journaling. That's great. He needs to do that. He's a pastor and we all know pastor's need to be doing all kinds of that religious stuff.

So how do I figure in to all of this? Well, part of the discipline is to have someone hold you accountable. That's where I come in. Which is great, because I am really good at holding people accountable for stuff. It's kind of like bossing people around. (Yet another thing I am good at!)

But then the Holy Spirit began to minister to me and speak to me about my level of Spiritual Discipline. He sort of asked me how I would hold someone accountable for something that is so valuable to your Spiritual growth and yet have no real experience with that activity myself? That was a very good question wasn't it? (I guess the Holy Spirit is pretty good at this sort of thing too!)

So, this morning I began a journal. I sat down before we left for church and began to write some things that I felt led to write at that particular point in time. I am not sure if I did it
right or not. But I know I made a start. My goal is to spend some time each day journaling. I don't know where that activity will lead. But I know that something positive will come out of spending more time in a new Spiritual discipline.

I am open to any suggestions or comments about journaling. Feel free to share them with me. Email me or comment on my blog. Certainly it will become more fresh as I am spending more time in the pursuit of Spiritual growth.

Oh yeah, and it will most certainly help me to help Dave as he lives out his newly written rules of life. Dave is my closest friend. We are very heavily invested in each others lives and families. We are brothers in nearly every sense of that word.

Pray for him.

Pray for me.