Random

Just a handful of random thoughts today…..

In my last blog post I mentioned my temptation to feel better about myself when I had more people view the site……and that post set a record for most views since I began blogging in January.  Isn’t that funny?!  Probably came from using “Satan” as a tag.

Just finished a book by Francis Chan called CRAZY LOVE.  Not sure I completely buy all the theology about who’s saved and who’s not, but I love the call to not get caught up in a lukewarm Christian life.  Full of passion and Biblical references, it’s absolutely worth a read.  Thanks to the guys at lifechurch.tv for their list of summer reading that gave me the line on Chan’s book.

Gave out a couple of dozen copies of THE BEST QUESTION EVER, by Andy Stanley, to all the graduates this year.  Hope they are readers.  Wish some of their parents would pick it up and give it a read, too.  None of us ever outgrow the tendency to make very bad choices, do we?

Our son got mostly cash for graduation.  He used part of that to cost-share an Apple laptop…and got a free i-pod Touch as part of the deal.  He’s excited about both, and Dad has to say he’s been impressed with the Apple platform.

Just a couple of posts back I wrote about the story of Elijah praying for rain after a three year drought.  Perry Noble at Newspring used that text for his teaching this past Sunday.  Cool coincidence…..

Our men’s Tuesday morning group has been going through Proverbs this summer.  Gotta be honest here.  I’ve about heard all I ever care to hear about wisdom.  Wisdom is great, I’ll admit.  Certainly better than foolishness.  Solomon was evidently wiser than his father David, but personally I’d trade all of the wisdom in Proverbs for a couple of David’s Psalms any day.  Our hearts are more important in the long run than our heads…….

 

Idol

Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel.  1 Chronicles 21:1 (NASB)

David was a good king and “a man after God’s own heart,” and he didn’t worship the physical idols that became such a problem for his son and the rest of his successors.  But I suspect what we’re seeing here is that Satan found one of David’s weak spots.  David wanted to see just how big a deal he and his kingdom had become, or maybe how many fighting men he commanded.  David must have begun to make his own power and influence an idol.  God preferred that David just keep counting on Him exclusively, and punished accordingly and severly.

I don’t guess there’s anything wrong with counting and measuring, until Satan begins to use it, which is usually pretty quickly.  Most every day, I get a performance measurement from my employer to track how I’m doing compared to everyone else in the company that does my job.  Something about being ranked higher or lower on that list tempts me to stress about job performance, and sacrifice my time and my health and my family and my relationship with God to that idol.  I have to tear down that idol every day.

And I’m embarassed to admit it, but I check the stats on this blog regularly to see how many (or few) visitors have stopped in and read the content or commented.  When the number goes up, I feel better about myself.  What is that about?  Something as silly as a blog can too easily become an idol, a way to measure the approval and attention of men and women.  I tell myself I write to force myself to put myself out there, to share my faith and influence people towards God……but Satan would twist even that into an idol to draw me from wholehearted devotion and dependance on God.  Never think just because you begin something with good, or even godly intentions that Satan won’t try to use that relationship or task or ministry to kill, steal and destroy.  Word to the wise…..

So can you think of areas in your life where Satan has stood up against you and moved you to create an idol?  If you comment, I promise not to count

 

All or none

Even while these people were worshiping the LORD, they were serving their idols.  2 Kings 17:41

Got an inch of rain last night.  Thank you God.  Every drop is a gift from you…..

Been struggling through the OT books of Kings.  A synopsys would be that David loved and followed God; Solomon got off to a nice start and faded, and it was mostly downhill fast from them on.  By the end of the book the nation of Israel is divided and conquered.  It’s a history of people that God chose to love in a special way deserting Him to follow other gods, and the results of their unfaithfulness. 

Near the end of 2 Kings it talks about how an Assyrian king repopulated part of conquered Israel that was called Samaria with men from other nations to join the few Israelites that remained.  Seems there was a problem with lions killing people, so the king logically figured he needed to send a priest from the local religion down there to appease the god of the region so he sent a priest who taught them to fear God (big G God, the real deal).  But rather than worship God instead of and in place of all the gods they brought with them into Samaria, the worshiped God AND their other Gods.

This is also the story for a lot of us Christians.  My temptation, like theirs, is to like God OK if it helps make life better.  I’ll give Him some props if He’ll help me out with the lions.  I believe in Jesus, but I don’t want to get all radical about it or anything.  I’ve got a life to live.  I need this other stuff, too.  These other gods (little g gods) aren’t a problem for me.  Me and God are cool.

But God just won’t put up with that attitude or lifestyle over the long haul.  The relationship He demands, eventually at least, is All or none.  It’s not a casual thing.  He offers love and grace to all, even me, but He’s not satisfied being just one of the important things in my life.

 

Relief

There’s a famous Jerry Clower routine where a character up a tree with a bobcat and calls down to his buddies on foot, “Just shoot up here amongst us; somebody’s got to have some relief.”  I was reading in II Kings this morning and that’s how it made me feel.  It’s a reminder that human nature hasn’t changed all that much, I guess, and how desperate we are for a savior. 

Being in need of relief, as perhaps you readers are, here’s a longish guest blog today from Clayton King that I saw yesterday.  (I might add that I’m proud to get Old Testament, Jesus, the church, Clayton King, Jerry Clower and the NBA all in a single blog pos…..)

WHAT THE CHURCH CAN LEARN FROM THE BOSTON CELTICS

I just spent one of the greatest evenings of my life in front of the television watching the Boston Celtics slaughter the LA Lakers to win their 17th NBA championship.  It was an absolute killing.  The Celtics played tenacious defense, their star players performed at the top of their game, the fans were deafening, and I felt like I was 13 years old again watching Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parrish do their stuff against Magic Johnson, Kareem-Abdul Jabar, and James Worthy.  But this is not a reflection on sports, it is a reflection on the church.  Basketball just happens to be the example, specifically this season for the Celtics.  Allow me?  Thanks!

The church in America finds itself in a precarious situation.  We no longer get a free pass as the respected and revered institution of the 1950s.  All major denominations are in decline, both in membership and conversions.  Younger generations are not just walking away from the church; they never came in the first place.  Church is NOT irrelevant to most young Americans.  It is NON-EXISTENT.  Get defensive if you want to, but these are the indisputable facts.  The churches that are making a difference with the gospel all have different styles and structures, but the ones that are engaging people and culture with the salt and light of the gospel have some things in common with the Boston Celtics.  Read on, this might take a while.

1.  EMBRACING CHANGE, NOT LIVING ON LEGACY
The Celtics are THE greatest team in NBA history over the decades.  Bill Russell won 11 titles as a player, and Red Auerbach won 9 titles as coach.  But it had been 22 years since Larry Bird led them to their last championship.  They have been a pitiful team over the past decade, having losing seasons 6 of the last 9 years.  So what did coach Doc Rivers do?  He spent last summer planning a trade.  He switched things up!  He got rid of dead and expensive weight and brought on 2 older and seasoned; Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.  And tonight, they won the championship.
APPLICATION – The church (speaking collectively) remembers the glory days when we held the preferred place of priority in America.  But those days are OVER and they are NEVER coming back.  We need to move on and do the work of the kingdom and quit watching old tapes of better days when men who are now old were in their prime.  It is our day now.  Let’s not throw it away cursing the darkness, hating the innovators, or killing our brothers over theological minutia. Let’s change what is wrong internally with the church and move toward our mission of knowing Christ and winning the world to Him.  Let’s honor our heroes and mentors and work with them, not against them, for the purpose of the gospel.  And if a seasoned veteran or a young lion refuses to work with you, move on and bless them in Jesus name.  AMEN.

2.  STAYING HUNGRY, NOT FAT AND SATISFIED
The Celtics had one goal this year; win the championship.  Nothing else would satisfy veterans like Sam Casell or Kevin Garnett.  I watched Garnett play at my rival high school in SC, and everyone knows he is passionate and selfless on the court.  He was just voted MVP of the game tonight by the fans after spending years on a mediocre team that could never close the deal.  Garnett brought a hunger to the team to WIN even though he was a previous league MVP and an 11-time All Star.  He could have easily played a few more years, made another $20 million and made the Hall of Fame.  But he was TOO HUNGRY to be satisfied with those selfish accomplishments. 
APPLICATION – As soon as the church becomes apathetic, it becomes nostalgic and it begins to die.  Soon it rots until it is nothing but a monument to the past.  But when the church stays hungry for souls, for serving others, for making disciples that will change the world, the church CANNOT BE STOPPED!  And as a footnote, when apathetic lazy leaders who have no hunger for the gospel and the lost hold all the authority in the church, the church will become as spiritually fat and lazy as they are.  Reality Check: Followers always reflect their leaders.

3.  STAYING FAITHFUL, NOT FLASHY
Paul Pierce is the heart and soul of the Celtics.  He earned that role.  He is the only player to have been there since before 2003 and has played his entire career in Boston.  Lots of other players came and went, but Pierce stayed, for less money than he could have made somewhere else.  And while fans were calling for him to move on and for Doc Rivers to be fired as coach after a couple of losing seasons, all those fans were riding the Boston bandwagon tonight celebrating the victory that faithfulness won.  Thank God nobody listened to those fans 2 years ago.
APPLICATION – The church does not have to be flashy, fancy, or frenetic.  We don’t need to listen to the holy haters or hire expert consultants to tell us how to successfully do what they never successfully did.  We just need to know the gospel, believe the gospel, and live the gospel according the culture and community we exist in.  Many think that because a church has been around for 100 years that means it has been faithful.  Not necessarily.  In the same way, just because a new church has a cool name and sweet video intros does not mean it will be around in 10 years or even 10 months.  Faithfulness is blessed when it revolves around Christ and His mission to redeem the world, not our attempts to be successful, cool, or relevant. 

4.  KEEP IT SIMPLE
The Celtics won the same way any team wins any championship.  They played defense.  It has always been that simple; defense wins championships.
APPLICATION – When the church gets subverted into anything other than the gospel, discipleship and community, we move away from our simple mission of being the presence of Christ to the world around us.  Politics, the environment, and boycotting theme parks are all noble things in themselves, but in the words of Leonard Sweet, the church chases after causes and mission statements because we don’t like the one that was given to us by Jesus.  “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  Make disciples and teach them to obey me.”  Simple enough to keep us all pretty busy.

Thank you, Boston Celtics, for making this 35 year old basketball lover feel like a kid again.  But mostly, thank you for reminding me how fierce, relentless, and effective the church CAN be if we know who we are and what our mission is.

Persistance

But Elijah went up to the top of Carmel and he crouched down on the earth and put his face between his knees.  And he said to his servant, “Go up now, look towards the sea.”  So he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.”  And he said, “Go back” seven times.  And it came about that at the seventh timer he said, “Behold, a cloud the size of a man’s hand is coming up from the sea.” 

I Kings 18:42-44 (NASB)

We’re praying for rain here, too.  I’m not good at sticking with a constant theme in prayer.  I’m more likely to mention something a couple times and then move on.  The prophet Elijah didn’t quit so soon…. and he about wore this poor servant out going back and forth looking for a rain cloud.  I like this picture though.  The man continued in prayer and evidently expected God to show up and do something.  Interesting also, that God sent down fire from heaven for Elijah after a single prayer…..but rain, which you would think isn’t as big a deal for God, wasn’t granted as quickly or easily.  His ways are not our ways.

Evaluation

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’  The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and “sinners.” ‘  Matthew 11:18-19 (NIV)

I’m at a company sales meeting and we were reminded yesterday by one of our managers that we (employees) are always being watched and evaluated.  Specifically in regards to how people are selected and approved for promotion, his quote was, “Is this someone I want on my team?” 

Not that this is news or anything, but that’s a real challenge, isn’t it?  This verse tells me that the world didn’t want John the Baptist on their team because he was a weird guy who dressed funny, ate odd meals, and didn’t go to their parties.  And Jesus wasn’t a candidate for promotion because they said He ate and drank too much with the wrong people, folks that just didn’t measure up.

I figure God was pretty much pleased with Jesus and His cousin John.  And even though their family and friends were sometimes confused and frustrated by them, Jesus and John also had some really close relatioinships and they had influence on the people that knew what was in their hearts. 

These are the evaluations that matter most to me.  I have to keep telling myself that, though.

Do I Ask?

And again David asked the Lord what to do.  2 Samuel 5:23a (NLT)

Been reading in I & 2 Samuel, which starts out with Samuel, but basically focuses on Saul becoming Israel’s first king and David eventually succeeding him.  Anyone that thinks the Bible is boring should read this stuff.  It has all the makings of a soap opera.   Murder, violence, torture, intrigue, pride, sex, betrayal, lies, family turmoil, etc, etc.

Anyway, David is the hero and I kept on running into this statement.  “And David asked the Lord……”  David asked God abouth whether to attack his enemies, specifically how to do it, whether to go recover his stolen family, where to move to, who to trust, why things happened, etc.   And the thing is, when David asked, God answered the boy and gave him good direction! 

This convicted me because even though I read my Bible and pray and do the quiet time thing as best I can, I just don’t involve God much in the day to day, minute to minute decisions I make the way David did.    I bet my life would look different if I asked God more and depended on myself less.  I think one of the reasons is that I’d rather not be bothered.  I know that sounds terrible, but it’s true.  If I ask, God might tell me something.  And what if it’s not something I want to hear?

How about you?  Are you asking? 

 

New Orleans, here they come…

And let our people also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, that they may not be unfrutiful.  Titus 3: 14 (NASB)

Loaded all three of our teenage kids on vans this morning for a week-long missions trip as part of the rebuilding effort in New Orleans.  They were excited to be going anywhere with a bunch of their friends, frankly, but let’s pray they recall why they are going and that they learn something about serving God as they serve others. 

Hard on their mom and I to have all of them leave.  We’re used to having them in shifts at this stage in our parenting career, and it’s eirily quiet here in the house this Sunday afternoon.

Don’t Wink

The man of integrity walks securely,  but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.   He who winks maliciously causes grief, and a chattering fool comes to ruin.   Proverbs 10:9-10 (NIV)

This sounds so basic, but…..

Telling the truth marks us as men and women of integrity, or not. 

The Bible practically shouts it matters to God.   Nobody is fooling Him and He doesn’t wink at lies. 

Speaking and acting truthfully matters to the people we come in contact with.  Character, or lack of character, is usually discovered. 

And in the end, we even find out for ourselves who and what we are in our hearts. 

Meetings

If possible, so far as it depends upon you, be at peace with all men.  Romans 12:18 (NASB)

Are you are like me and seem to spend a lot of your life in meetings.  Some leave me energized and some kinda suck the life right out of me.  Church meetings are no different. 

Some disagreements or differences of opinion with fellow Christians stretch and challenge me in a good way.  They make me look at the positions I hold, why I hold them, where they come from, why I value them and who they honor.  And as I dig into the depths of ”me,”  I’m continually amazed at my selfishment and self-centeredness, and how far I drift from thinking like Christ.  And I love the men and women that point me towards God and away from myself.

Yet sometimes meetings between Christians don’t go that way, do they?  I’m not sure I can put my finger on the difference, but I can feel it in the room and in me.  My challenge is to obey this verse in meetings when something or someone “pushes my buttons.”  I need to recognize that I often (way TOO often) have a similar effect on people when I open my mouth to share MY views.  With that in mind, as far as it depends on me, all meetings I participate in should be peaceful….if possible.