I Love a Good Mystery!

We all love a good suspense, mystery story where we don’t know what’s going on until the very end. I was hooked on Hardy Boys as a kid, then Agatha Christie. I progressed on to spy novels and those sorts of things. I was hooked. They had me from the beginning when there was a mysterious happening or something went wrong. I found something interesting yesterday that I thought I would post about the mysteries of God. Enjoy.

In his new book Stewards of the Story (Westminster John Knox), James Earl Massey observes, "Mystery is something whose utter strangeness and stubbornness forever resist all attempts on our part to domesticate it, dominate it, define it or dismiss it. Life is a mystery! Death is a mystery! The incarnation -- the coming of God in Jesus Christ -- is a mystery! The resurrection of Jesus from death is a mystery! Our life on this planet involves us in mystery. The Story of God's gracious dealings with us through grace involves us in mystery! We can experience the mystery, but, try as we might, we cannot explain it. We can try but it is more wonderful -- filled with what arouses wonder and awe -- than we can fully explain.

"Dr. Gardner Taylor has told about an experience he and Mrs. Laura Taylor had near the end of his first preaching mission in Australia years ago. They were treated by their host with a visit to the studio of an outstanding Australian landscape artist, a man whose work had earned him a British knighthood. As Dr. Taylor looked about in the studio, his eyes caught sight of a massive canvas on which the artwork was only half finished. He asked the artist about it. The artist shook his head, a little sadly Taylor thought, and explained that the unfinished picture was to have been a scene he had experienced during a visit to Australia's northern territory, but after much trying he had been unable to depict the real beauty of the scene that had captured him.

"Taylor saw, in the felt limitation that artist confessed to, a parable of the glory and pain of the Christian: while there is so much that can be seen and known and said about Jesus Christ, he is still a subject too vast to fully capture in our work, because his sacrificial life and work are rooted in 'the mysteries of God.'"

Try It...You'll Like It (and He will too)

I may just be weird, (no comments about that please!) but I remember commercials that aired 20-30 years ago. I remember the gimmick or punch line, and I always remember the product (I guess advertising & commercials really work!). Try it, you'll like it comes from an old Alka-Seltzer commercial. In a religious journal that I subscribe to there was an article recently entitled 25 Ways to Experience God. Here are some excerpts for today’s post that may give you some ideas for enhancing your spiritual walk. Try it...you'll like it!

• Arrive at church 10 minutes early. Spend time praying for the worship assembly for that day.


• As you study a portion of scripture, draw with symbols, words, or sketches what the passage is saying to you about God.


• Write your own words to go with the tune of a familiar hymn or worship song (then sing it aloud to God).


• Kneel or lie prostrate before God when you pray.


• Read a story to an elementary-age child from a picture Bible.


• Take a few minutes to list all the adjectives you can think of that describe God. Then thank God for each word.


• For you five favorite hymns or worship songs, find Bible passages on which they were based or that affirm the truth of the songs’ messages.


• Each day for a week, reflect on how your day would have been different if you were not a Christian. Don’t allow yourself to be unmoved about the difference Christ makes.

That Amazing Grace!

In the book Bono: In Conversation with Michka Assaya, the lead singer and songwriter for the rock group U2 makes an explicit confession of faith.
"It's a mind-blowing concept that the God who created the universe might be looking for company, a real relationship with people, but the thing that keeps me on my knees is the difference between grace and karma."


Saying that the idea of Karma is central to all religions, Bono explained:
What you put out comes back to you: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, or in physics—in physical laws—every action is met by an equal or an opposite one. It's clear to me that karma is at the very heart of the universe. I'm absolutely sure of it. And yet, along comes this idea called grace to upend all that "as you reap, so you will sow" stuff. Grace defies reason and logic. Love interrupts, if you like, the consequences of your actions, which in my case is very good news indeed, because I've done a lot of stupid stuff…

It doesn't excuse my mistakes, but I'm holding out for grace. I'm holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the cross, because I know who I am, and I hope I don't have to depend on my own religiosity.

Wow, good stuff, Bono. Let me know what you think---

R U "Plugged In"?

I received an email from a friend yesterday. In it he describes how moving to a new city last year was good for him. He said that the best thing about moving was getting “plugged in” (his words) at a church there as soon as he arrived. Now, I must say that I may have recommended last year that he look at that particular church, but that’s not important really. What is important is that he did that (got “plugged in”) as soon as he got there. From what he said in his email, he is already involved in a men’s Bible study group and may be heading out on a mission trip in the near future.

It begs the question(s) then from all of us (especially those of us who have been at a church for a long while): Are you plugged in? Are you involved like you know you need to be? Are you serving in an area where it is your passion? Are your spiritual gifts (let’s back up: do you know what they are?) being used for God’s kingdom? If you’re new, are you waiting to be asked? Do you feel burned out from your last church and their endless needs and your willingness to work? Have you been somewhere for so long you feel stuck in what you’re doing?

I know, I know, what’s with the million questions, you ask? These are hard questions, you ask? Well, maybe so, but I believe they are needed-to-be-asked questions. Back to “plugged in”. When I was a youth minister I used to tell my graduating seniors just before they were heading off to college, “Hey, I want to know at Christmas break where you’re going to church.” You see, in some of our cities and towns where there are Christian Colleges, it’s potentially very easy for a student to get lost in the endless visiting of churches (there are so many choices). I believed the worst thing they could do was to not get “plugged in” somewhere. Yes, even as a college student. Big church, small church, doesn’t matter. Get “plugged in” I used to say. Otherwise, you’d be like many I saw in Abilene during my time that based their church-going on girls/boys and ice cream socials. Not good. Some of my students have come back and thanked me later for making them tell me where they were going. There is something about having a place (church) where you feel that you belong. Search for it. And when you find something that is close (sorry to dash your hopes, but you may not find the “perfect” place) work at it. Get plugged in. Serve. Grow. Help others grow. Remember if you’re “plugged in” to the ultimate resource, our Father, he will help. He will be with you.

"...they aren't ready for heaven; we are."

Marc Newman of MovieMinistry.com has written an excellent article on the value of the new film End of the Spear. He writes:
"What makes the deaths of the five missionaries in End of the Spear so remarkable -- particularly by gun-slinging western standards -- is that they didn't have to die. In the back of their airplane were multiple rifles. On the hip of one missionary sat a pistol. And while some of the missionaries attempted to restrain the Waodani from killing their colleagues, they were unwilling to use lethal force. As Nate Saint explains to his young son before he leaves for the fateful trip, Nate cannot shoot the Waodani, even in self-defense, because they "aren't ready for heaven; we are."
"The attack is unprovoked. A generation raised on the cowboys-and-Indians western expects the missionaries to exercise their "right" to self-defense. That these men choose to literally lay down their lives for their enemies is startling. The Apostle Paul explains, "For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:7-8). Prepare to be challenged and moved.
"If the story ended there it likely would have led to someone building a monument to which faithful pilgrims could flock and mourn. But Rachel Saint (Nate's sister), and Elisabeth Elliot (Jim's widow) were not looking to place a marker, they wanted to bring the Messiah. Led by a Waodani woman, Dayumae, who they had befriended years before, they leave their homes behind to give their lives to the Waodani.
"In the west, we are accustomed to deriving tension in films from the anticipation of a violent conflict between the "good guys" and the "bad guys." Normal expectations are that the heroes will decimate the evil-doers in a climactic battle and justice will be served. There is plenty of dramatic tension in End of the Spear. But the source of it -- women willingly putting their lives, and the lives of their own children, in peril in order to save the people who killed their loved ones -- is more thought provoking than any cathartic shoot-'em-up movie. The living sacrifice stuns us almost as much as it does the Waodani. It also sparks within each viewer the noble hope that in similar circumstances that kind of sacrifice could be repeated. We can't all be William Wallace, but each of us can choose the path of self-sacrifice for others. Each of us can choose to be a Saint or an Elliot by imitating them as they imitated Christ." (Click here to read the full essay.)

A Fork With A History

How about a good rainy-day (or snow around here),family activity? This is a variation on the "Talking Stick," a very ancient human speaking tradition. In Homer's Iliad, warrior kings pass the ribboned staff, giving one another room to speak. Native Americans still pass the Talking Stick from storyteller to storyteller.

In any event, use a fork. It's only a symbol, but a potent one. You can say, "This fork, although it appears ordinary, it gives the user storyteller power. It gives the gift of the silver tongue. While you hold this fork, memories will flow through you. While you hold this fork, everyone will listen."

Mom and Dad, and grandparents if they're around, can model how it's done for the kids. Try stories about your childhood. The kids will love that. Or about how someone (great-grandparents, for instance) had quirks, funny sayings, or adventures. Or you can tell stories about your own children. How they behaved as tempestuous toddlers and the origins of their pet names. Or maybe what happened the day they were born. Once the kids realize that telling a story like this is simply remembering things and talking about them in their own words, they'll jump in. Here are some topics to get you started:

Friendships, fears, fights, Sunday school antics, pets, trips, getting into trouble, sports, adventures, embarrassing times, sad times, bring lost, nature, tricks, school tales, local heroes, survival, accidents, and illnesses.

Oh, and one other thing. Applaud as each person finishes, no matter what he or she says. Short story, long story, impressive story, or simply a wisp of recollection -- doesn't matter. Applaud anyway.

Not much time for a regular post today. I received this recently and just had to share. Here's the text that was under the photo:

Cheerleading, tumbling lessons and camps since age 3: $30,000
Annual cost of attending USC: $120,000
Annual cost for staying just the right shade of blonde: $10,000


Cheering when the other team scores: Priceless

Hook 'em!

What Am I Doing?

Influence. What kind are you having on the world? I found a great quote from John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist church. The picture here is of a statue of Wesley in Australia. Methodists, under Wesley's direction, became leaders in many social justice issues of the day including prison reform and abolition movements. Wesley's strength as a theologian lay in his ability to combine seemingly opposing theological stances. His greatest theological achievement was his promotion of what he termed the holiness of heart and life. Wesley insisted that in this life, the Christian could come to a state where the love of God, or perfect love, reigned supreme in one's heart. He continually insisted on the general use of the means of grace (prayer, Scripture meditation, and Holy Communion, etc.) as the means by which God transformed the believer. Here’s the quote:

“Do all the good you can. By all the means you can.

In all the ways you can. In all the places you can.

At all the times you can. To all the people you can.
As long as ever you can.”

A great way to live, I think. Sounds like Jesus.

What is Real?

“Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!”
- The Wizard of Oz

What is the first special-effects or effects-heavy film you remember seeing and thinking “WOW” at the visuals? I know for many it was 1977 – Star Wars, what else? What are some recent examples? For me, King Kong was amazing, I forgot he wasn’t real… Let me know.

A 24/7 Spiritual Life

“…Talk about them wherever you are,
sitting at home or walking in the street;
talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night…” (Deut 6:7, MSG)

Yes, I know Moses is talking here about the Law and the Commandments and following them, but he is really talking about living a spiritual life; He is talking about how God wants us to live everyday. In an article I read just this morning the author mentions how we have fallen into the belief that in order to be “spiritual” we have to go on some retreat off in the middle of nowhere or find “quiet time”. He believes, and I agree with him, our spiritual life is 24/7, and if we cannot live a spiritual life in the middle of our day, we cannot do it at all. Listen to what Paul says about it:

“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life- your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life- and place it before God as an offering.” (Romans 12:1, MSG)

Now I’m not saying that the times we get to be alone and study and pray are not important. I am not saying that Church worship on Sunday cannot lift us up. We definitely need those times. Our call however as Christians is to be that salt and light ALL the time. Our job is to be that difference (or be holy as Peter puts it) ALL the time. Remember today how important it is to live that spiritual life everyday, ALL day, not just when you get that “quiet time”. Pray on-the-go that God will help you take that sleeping, eating, going-to-work, walking-around self, and make something of it!

A Great Song With A Great Message

Before the Throne of God Above
Charitie Lees Bancroft - 1841-1923

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong, a perfect plea:
a great High Priest, whose name is Love,
who ever lives and pleads for me.

My name is graven on his hands,
my name is written on his heart;
I know that while in heaven he stands
no tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair,
and tells me of the guilt within,
upward I look, and see him there
who made an end of all my sin.

Because the sinless Savior died,
my sinful soul is counted free;
for God, the Just, is satisfied
to look on him and pardon me.

Behold him there! the risen Lamb!
My perfect, spotless Righteousness,t
he great unchangeable I AM,
the King of glory and of grace!

One with himself, I cannot die;
my soul is purchased by his blood;
my life is hid with Christ on high,
with Christ, my Savior and my God.

I have a new favorite worship song (new? Lyrics written over 100 years ago!). This is a really powerful song, which we sang Sunday, rich with Biblical allusions. The word that comes to mind when singing this is: intercession. Perhaps, intercession is not a word that we use very often when speaking about Christ as Savior. Yet the ministry of intercession is integral to who Christ is, what he did and how we are saved. What does it mean for Christ to intercede for us?
First of all, intercession is necessary because humanity is dead in our sin, alienated from God, and lives in rebellion to Him. Psalm 130:3 puts it well: “If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?" We know the obvious answer. Therefore, we see our need for one to go before the Father and intercede on our behalf for the salvation of our souls. This is one of the roles of Christ. Yet, God the Father is a just and righteous God and so he cannot simply disregard our sin. Our sin must be atoned for and we must also obtain some more positive active righteousness whereby we can then be seen as worthy to be in God’s presence. Scripture teaches that Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God came to this earth and lived the perfect life which met the righteous demands of God. Not only this but he suffered, died and rose to life in order to make atonement for our sin. It is then these two things, Christ’s life of righteousness and his “death as substitute” which become the basis for his intercession before the Father on our behalf. So we see then how Christ’s life, death and resurrection are intimately connected with his role as intercessor. Those for whom Christ lived and died are those for whom he intercedes before the Father. Let me share with you a passage from Hebrews 7:25 which clearly bring out this point: “…he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them”. I also like how John puts it in 1 John 2:1, “we have one who speaks to the father on our behalf.”
Turning more specifically to the song, we see the emphasis upon Christ as intercessor from the very first line, “before the throne of God above, I have a strong and perfect plea, a great high priest whose name is love, who ever lives and pleads for me.” The second and third verses beautifully fill out the understanding of Christ bearing on his body the penalty for our sin and also achieving for us a righteousness which we then obtain only by faith.
One final thing about this song is the line, “my name is graven on His hands, my name is written on His heart”. This line comes from Isaiah 49:16, where God says of Israel, “Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.” This is a profound statement in light of the Ancient Near East culture. The pagan religions of that day would carve the names of their gods into their flesh. This is similar to what we find with the prophets of Baal when they confront Elijah in the contest they had. The ironic thing is that this grotesque picture of utter devotion for the pagan religions is exactly the thing which our God says he has done with those whom he loves. He has quite literally, written our names upon the palms of his hands. This is the message of the good news and the reason why we sing. Sorry for the long blog, but may you sing that song with a new devotion to our intercessor!

Are We Christian Revolutionaries?

In Revolution, George Barna describes qualities found in early churches in the book of Acts. In the effort to increase their obedience and faithfulness to God, Barna discovered that Revolutionaries are characterized by what he identified as a set of spiritual passions – seven specific emphases that drive their quest for God and a biblical lifestyle.:

1. Intimate Worship: believers worshipped God every day, in private and in the company of other believers. This didn’t require a “worship service”.


2. Faith-based Conversations: The evangelistic efforts of the first believers included low-key/high-impact conversations about truth, purpose, and prayer.


3. Intentional Spiritual Growth: Believers tried to learn more about the Christian faith. The put Jesus’ teaching into practice. Their faith was at the center of their lives.


4. Servanthood: Serving people was the best way of demonstrating the example Jesus had set for them.


5. Resource Investment: The first Christian shared everything with anyone in need. Their resources benefited all believers.


6. Spiritual Friendships: The friends of Jesus became each others friends after he left them. This provided encouragement and accountability.


7. Family Faith: Christian families taught the ways of God in their homes every day.

When asked how the church is going to react to his survey findings, Barna concludes an interview that I read recently with this comment: “We’ve got to be real careful that we don’t try to build arguments that limit people’s ability to pursue God simply because they’re taking another path… It’s not about “mega-churches”. It’s not about “seeker” services. It’s not about reputations- it’s about facilitating peoples’ relationships with Christ.” I think this last line is really what it’s all about: Helping people find Christ.

You Did That On Purpose!

There’s a saying that makes its way into my household every once in a while that I cannot stand! One of my children will end up yelling this inflammatory sentence at their brother or sister (because of something was "done" to them), sending the accused running to Mom or Dad for help. “You did that on purpose”, is a real negative thing to assume about the other person and we try our best to reassure that no, they did NOT do that evil thing on purpose; it was an accident and so on. All the while hoping that it was true. That it indeed was an accident.
If we can, as children and adults, be accused of doing something on purpose to hurt why not turn this phrase around and use it for good, for someone else’s good. Webster’s defines purpose as aim, end, plan, intention, determined resolute. Now, before you start saying to yourself, he’s going to talk about New Year resolutions, hear me out! I abhor New Year resolutions about as much as the next person but I want to make a different point here. Doing something good on purpose takes planning but most of all it takes stepping outside yourself and looking for what someone else needs. Resolutions are mostly self-related, personal goals: stop smoking, lose weight, save money... Doing something on purpose for someone else is self-LESS.
If you’re going to make a resolution this year (hopefully by the time you read this you haven’t failed yet another round of resolutions!), do it with purpose and for someone else! Someone once said, “History is willing to overlook almost anything – errors, paradoxes, personal weaknesses or faults – if only a man will give enough of himself to others.” Make this year’s, gulp, resolution one that will benefit someone else and who knows we might end succeeding for once. Also, in a good way, someone might call after you and say, “You did that on purpose!”