Sunday, October 31, 2010

diligence

It is wonderfully true what Paul writes. We are no longer under the law, but grace thanks to Christ's death on the cross. There is nothing we can do to earn God's love and favor. We have all of it in Christ. However, Paul also warns us not to view the grace of God as a security blanket in which we can sin all we want without any fear of the consequences. God's grace should actually do the opposite. We should be drawn to flee from sin in loving response for all that God has done for us. Grace motivates us to obey through a heart of thanksgiving.

Therefore obedience remains a vital sign of one who follows after Christ. No one can declare their love of Him, and then proceed to indulge in all the sins He has clearly told us to abstain from. It doesn't mean we don't slip and fall for the sin nature remains in us until the day we meet Him face to face. It does mean we aren't swan diving into sin or letting it reign over us.

Whenever God spoke to His people He reminded them of the commandments they were expected to follow. He knew the importance of them, which is why He repeatedly told them what He expected. Israel's continual falling away was a direct result of not listening to His words. This is why called emphasized the work it takes to obey.

You shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and his testimonies and his statutes, which he has commanded you. ~Deuteronomy 6:17 (emphasis mine)

Obedience it not passive. It is an active exercise of the will. We can't expect to remain standing by occasionally reminding ourselves of God's standards or flirting with our sins. We need diligence. We need to pursue His Word our firm foundation. We need to daily choose following Him. We need to pray for the strength keep walking. We need to pray for diligence.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

India updates

First a note of thanks to those who have given financially to help support my trip as well as those who have dedicated themselves to praying for me. Rather quickly I have seen the faithful hand of God in action. It's exciting to be a part of.

This past week I received back my Indian visa, clearing me for the entirety of my trip. There was a small mix-up with one of my proofs, but a quick fax from church cleared that up in less than 24 hours. From the legal standpoint, I am ready for my trip.

My ticket is nearing its purchase date as well. I received an email from the LCMI secretary giving me an update on the ticket status. As it turns out, the round-trip ticket will cost between $250-350 cheaper than budgeted. Another example of God's graciousness at work.

The discount will prove to be vital as the length of my trip has been extended by 2-3 weeks. I talked with Sanjay a few weeks ago about staying on to help train some of the native Indians in their knowledge of the basics of the faith. That way the different cities will have biblically trained people ready to meet with the children once the camps are over. My staying will all depend upon my fundraising, but the news of a cheaper flight is one step towards staying longer. I am eager to see how God makes this happen if it is His will.

The next step for me is getting my vaccinations. Personally, I am not at all fond of shots, but they are a necessary evil. I am still trying to figure which I need to get, and which I can be a little bit more flexible with. All in all the finer details of the trip are lining up rather well. For those who are praying, my funds, prayer support, and vaccinations are the biggest hurdles still facing me. God has been faithful thus far, and I look forward to seeing Him continue in His faithfulness.


Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Today is that guy's birthday. As you might be able to guess, when the two of us get together bad things happen (well at least bad things for my sister). We cause mass amounts of mayhem and chaos for all parties involved. There is no stopping us one we get each other rolling. Sometimes it is silly physical stunts while other times brilliant displays of our combined intelligence. We are just like a box of chocolates, "you never know what you're gonna get."

Technically Aaron is my brother-in-law seeing that he married my sister. The reality of the situation is that he is my second brother. He has been amidst our family for more than ten years, and we have established a relationship which is both fun and faith oriented. We exchange emails about things we are reading or specific lessons God is teaching us. As I made my decision to leave teaching, head to India, and then start seminary Aaron was an active member of my "braintrust." I respect his opinion and counsel because I know full well he is rooted firmly in God's Word. Those are the types of people whose value will never be known until we see the other side of eternity.

This will be Aaron's first birthday as a father. His daughter is nearly one year, but she was born shortly after his birthday last year. It is a joy to watch him interact with his daughter, displaying the love of His Father to her. His job keeps him very busy, but his passion for his family resonates in spite of that. He is another example for me of how to be a faithful husband and father to the family God blesses His children with.

(He's also a real treat to scooter with too).

Sunday, October 24, 2010

think I'll go to Boston


I spent this past weekend traveling with a good friend to Boston. We went with the purpose of visiting a mutual good friend who returned to that area after graduation. For those from the Harleysville area, we hit up the Old Dutch Cupboard for some sugary sweets before embarking upon our voyage. We nearly polished off the entire supply by the end of our weekend, leaving only a few morsels in the center console for future snacking.

In the past, I probably would have balked at my friend's idea to drive out to Boston because I tended to be lazy and not easily motivated. I behaved that way for a majority of my college career, which, sadly, made me miss out on some great opportunities and experiences. Given the "here and there" coaster ride of the past three years, I have become less infatuated with avoiding opportunities to visit friends (even if they live farther than I would like to travel). God has blessed me with such an abundance of gospel-driven, God-honoring friends that I am excited about spending time with them whenever a chance comes along. My life is a testament to the value of true Christian community, which is why I was eager to make a trip up to Boston. (Despite the fact of it being the home of the Boston Redsox).

My time in Boston was nothing too fancy.

We toured the city,

indulged in some of the local favorites,

and caught up with our lives as we walked about.
It was a stress-free weekend from start to finish (minus the moments are unnecessary traffic delays). During the evenings, we watched baseball and discussed anything we may have missed during the day. For me, I got to talk basketball with one of the few people I know who still love the NBA, and follow it whenever they can. As I leave opportunities like these, I am grateful to God for the wonderful blessings of friends. He could have made us able to live in isolation. Instead He made us relational. It is certainly true that He is all we need, but He didn't make Himself all we get. Friends are another sign of the abundance God pours out upon His children for reasons still unknown to us.


Tuesday, October 19, 2010

my own benefit

Just in case anyone notices the lack of changes to my reading list, I confess I am in the midst of another reading slump. I've been in the battling it for roughly three weeks though some of it is due to outside influences. Phillies games tend to keep me up later than usual. Instead of heading to bed a bit early for the purpose of reading, I go to bed ready for sleep because being a fan can be rather taxing. Thankfully a lack of reading outside material is not detrimental. It is, however, like missing old friends. I plan of visiting them soon, I promise.

When the Phillies aren't playing I've been using my pre-sleep time for writing. This isn't new for me. I like to write about an assortment of things whenever I feel motivated. What is different is my writing has become a project. Two weeks ago I began writing a treatise on corporate worship. It continues to be a "hot button" issue for many churches especially when it comes to the music. My interest lies in the music, as well as all the other aspects of corporate worship. Everything done in those moments revolves around the glory and exaltation of our God. Anything we feel, gain, or enjoy is secondary. Sometimes we miss this concept. Services are often structured more for following tradition or creating comfort than bringing God's people together to declare His greatness to all. This makes me sad more than anything. God's glory should provide us with enough passion to make every worship service a God-filled experience.

To be honest I began my treatise (I really like that word) with an audience in mind. My main goal was not to gather information for my own engagement in corporate worship. Graciously the Spirit demonstrated, once again, the teachable and correctable nature of God's Word (2 Timothy 3:16). As I am reading, studying, and writing I am constantly convicted of my posture in worship. Am I joining together with God's people to give glory? Am I excited when God's greatness in put on display for all to see? Am I allowing the Spirit to move regardless of how I feel or the service is geared? On Sunday, the Spirit challenged me with those questions in the midst of my singing. He drew me back to some of the passages from my studying to alter my worship. Where I thought I would be teaching others, God's intent was to teach me. Personally, I love that about our God!

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

a (false)gospel experience

Who knew the local supermarket would be the setting for some false gospel proselytizing? I mean things can get pretty deep fairly quickly when perusing the bakery section, but during the consumption of a box of Mike'n'Ikes is surprising. In all seriousness I was caught off guard by the close proximity of this false gospel to my home. We like to think of situations like these being reserved for places "out there" without ever realizing they are right next door as well.

The conversation started simply with a man sharing some investment "wisdom" with my friend and I as we sat in the cafe section of the store. We appeased him by acting interested as he told us the wonderful benefits of buying stocks in gold and other metals. "Your yield increases by 300 percent," was the main pull of his presentation. As he carried on, we excused ourselves for some free coffee and cake samples at the other end of the store. On the trek over we discussed the focus of this man's life being money. He wanted more of it, but he also want us to get our hands on it as well. With no eagerness to head back to the table, we meandered up and down all the aisles trying to rehash our the conversation we had going before the lecture on gold stocks.

To avoid being the creepy guys who wander aimlessly around a grocery store we decided to head back to the table. Here is where the fun began. Apparently he was preparing to lay out all the cards while we took our recess. Suddenly we were being told how it was God's will for us to hear what he had to say because we needed to become rich like this particular gentleman. He sought after God's "prophets" for financial wisdom and was reaping the benefits. Apparently, he believed himself to be a "prophet" for the two of us. Before we knew it, we were encouraged to (and judge for not) take(ing) care of the widowed, needy, and fatherless. (Before I go any further, those are things the Bible says Christians are to do. I could serve those with less much more than I am now.) The encouragement was for monetary gain, while the judgment for our appearance as not overly wealthy men. According to this man, we were doing an adequate job, but there was significant room for improvement.

From here the conversation felt like I was warping from one Bible verse to another. Nearly all we taken out of context or interpreted contrary to what the rest of the Bible teaches. We were told Jesus was rich through the gifts of the magi; Abraham's blessing was riches beyond comprehension; the universe is ever expanding because the "true" followers of God are getting richer; prosperity in the Bible always refers to material possessions; shalom refers to peace in terms of our satisfaction with material possessions; and pleasing God by serving the poor is the best way to boost your savings account. We were indoctrinated to the "health and wealth" gospel to the nth degree. God is the magic genie who grants us all our wishes when we rub Him the right way.

Besides the sheer abuse of Scripture, what struck me most about our conversation was how little of a conversation it was. At first, I sat back listening to what this man was saying. I wanted to be "slow to speak," but more importantly "slow to become angry." I processed what he was saying with what I believe God declares in His Word. Eventually, my friend and I started chiming in.

"Wasn't Christ poor while on earth? Didn't he talk about having no place to rest his head? Didn't he pay taxes by fishing"

"What about Paul? He was beaten, worked for his living, went hungry, and had nearly nothing to his name. He talked about suffering a lot?"

"God's blessings aren't necessarily material things. Sure, He does give material things to His children, but there is no guarantee. He tells us to trust in Him for our basic needs, but doesn't tell us to serve Him in order to gain the rest"

"Doesn't the Bible warn us about suffering? We are told to expect it. Sometimes suffering has nothing to do with our sin or lack of devotion. If God wants us to be rich then what is the purpose of suffering?"

Unfortunately, as we asked these questions the answers never came. Instead, they were ignored or explained without any logical or coherent explanation at all. I wish I would have thought even more because the man had no regard for the problem of sin or the reason why Christ came at all. I would be interested to hear his take on these things. It can be hard coming back to those two issues when the conversation isn't directly centered around them. But his belief was based on a misunderstanding or complete ignorance of those two points. He talked about religion being bad because it makes us do things in order to gain a right standing before God. For some reason, serving God by serving others merely for the gain of material possessions is a better alternative. I would rather be concerned with the state of the souls of those around me than their bank account status. I serve God because of what He has already done on the cross, and not for what I can get out of Him.

As we left, I told the man that Wednesday night was the set day my friend and I usually meet. I'm sure he would love to talk with us as much as we would love talk with him. The difference is I could care less about how much money he is worth.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

time to think

I spend a good portion of my days cleaning personal items damaged by fire or flood. While it's not the most exciting job, I do find it somewhat therapeutic. It's low stress, which is always good. It also leaves me a lot of time to think. Occasionally my allergies throw a fit, but they're spoiled anyways. My thoughts while cleaning have very little cohesion. They range all over the map. As a break from the usual posts, I thought I would share some of inner conversations from the past week.
  • Why do humans love to hold onto meaningless junk? I have cleaned boxes and boxes full of "prized possessions." Some look like they haven't been touched in years, maybe decades. If I had my way, I would do less cleaning and more pitching. I understand sentimentality, but there's a fine line between that and hording. In addition to that, some of the homes I have journeyed to echo the same sentiment. I'm all for trying to remember the pleasantries of the past as much as anyone else. I still have various items from elementary school up through college. However, remembering the past shouldn't ever hinder our ability to live in the present.
  • Right now might be the best time to be a Phillies fan. Regardless of what happens the rest of this postseason, we are living in the golden age of this franchise. We have three legitimate starters through at least next season and a young core to back them up. Our manager is also a genius when it comes to baseball (and not as much when he speaks in public). Having grown up through the Dark Ages of this franchise, it's nice to expect excellence from this team. I know some complain about the growth of the fan-base since 2008, and I can understand their concern. I have had many conversations with people who have no idea who Danny Tartabull, Greg Jefferies, Rico Brogna, Desi Relaford, and Heathcliff Slocumb are. These people probably couldn't even remember watching a game before 2006. While I wish every fan could ride with a team during the low times (see 2010 Carolina Panthers), I won't withhold a high-five or hug just because they jumped on the wagon later. Though I will get mad when they get tickets and I don't.
  • The sport's media is ignoring the most pressing issue with the newest Brett Favre scandal. Being a distraction to his team and bad ambassador of the game are points Y and Z. A through X revolve around his failure as a husband and father. Here is a man who three years ago retired to spend more time with his family. After half a year with them, he felt the urge to play again. There was nothing morally wrong with this until this past week. Coming back has cost him his family, regardless of the final outcome. I pray for his wife who must be struggling with feelings of insignificance after her husband decided time with her wasn't satisfying enough to meet his professional and personal needs.
  • With the first week of November right around the corner, the democratic process is the highlights of most news stories. Candidates are throwing their last-ditch efforts to get the votes of those on the fence. Unfortunately, they tend to use elementary school tactics in order to do so. Dragging your opponent through the mud is downright classless. If anything it guarantees a candidate to not get my vote. If only the rest of the voters would do the same. Then, maybe we would start to see some of the change we are all praying to see.
  • Speaking of change in politics, I would love to see the rise of a legitimate third party in this country. I don't count the Tea Party as one, because they are essentially Republicans with an attitude (see Sarah Palin). The United States was never meant to be a two-party system. In fact, it wasn't meant to be a democratic system until Washington turned down the crown when nearly half the country seized at the thought of it. (He had the army and founding fathers behind him, so it was a legitimate option). I believe a lot of the problems we are facing are a result of the extreme polarization between the two parties. You can't like, agree with, or, even, vote for the other without compromising everything you stand for. Plus, the leaders of both parties are too self-motivated and self-interested to do what's right for our country.
  • Hopefully, that's the last time I get into politics again. It's not what brings me joy at all. What does bring me joy? Waking up in the middle of the night to the sound of thunder and sight of lightning. Last night, I watched the storm roll through. It was awesome! The sky lit up like the sun was shining as the rain soaked the earth. Personally, I love that our God displays Himself in such a loud and glorious way.
  • I used to hate hot apple cider. I would only take it cold. No exceptions. Over the course of this fall season, the drink has moved up on my favorites list. Add a little cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg to that cup of goodness, and I am ready for a nice fall evening. In honor of my friend Chad, that is a nice cup of "hot apple Gary."

Saturday, October 9, 2010

the cycle

Sin sucks.

Pardon my bluntness and mild level of vulgarity. But there is no denying the truth of the matter. As one who is redeemed, sin poses an even larger "suckiness" because, as Paul described, I hate and, yet, love it all at the same time. The Spirit within me wants nothing to do with it, but the flesh inside tries to hold on as long as it can. The only cure is to daily crucify the flesh to the Spirit. Unfortunately, that is always easier said than done. I look forward to the day when sin's defeat becomes a physical reality. All praise will be rendered to God like never before on that day!

Until then, I learn to hate, grieve, confess, and learn from my sins. While all are often arduous tasks, I find the grieving part to be the most difficult. Where is the fine line between Godly grief over the horrific nature of our sins and the worldly grief over the consequences and frequency? One leads to confession and worship, while the other opens the door to intense shame. Initial guilt is not necessarily bad because the Spirit can us it to bring us to the point of confession. When left it leads to doubt in regards to the forgiveness, mercy, grace, and love of the Father.

I find myself trying to "play the game" of dealing with my sin. Whether it is revealed to me or a swan dive right into, I immediately start juggling. It starts with a debate about confessing right away or letting it "sick in." Which do I think is the "holier" thing to do? Next comes rehashing the entire scenario again and again. Here guilt makes its home within. This way I can be "truly" sorry for what I done. It's not quite self-mutilation, but it's a close cousin. Finally, I convince myself that I have "suffered" enough. Now I have "proven" my sincerity before God allowing Him the ability to extend the forgiveness and freedom I am looking for. I mean I earned it, right?

This entire cycle is a disgusting twist of the gospel. God doesn't want to play games with me and my sin. He has every right to, but doesn't come down in His wrath over what I have done. Sure, I can be certain that discipline will come, but the motive behind it is altogether radical. He doesn't want to berate or dangle my sins over me until the guilt is too much to bear. He wants to remove them as far as the east from the west. His love and mercy draw me in with a desire to confess and find the freedom I desperately need. His discipline brings liberation not condemnation. He does it because He loves me and knows what's absolutely best for me. In this case confession, redemption, and freedom.

A song, Times, by Tenth Avenue North captures the struggles of my cycle while trumping them with the promises of God through Christ.

Now You pull me near You
When we're close, I fear You
Still I'm afraid to tell You, all that I've done
Are You done forgiving?
Oh can You look past my pretending?
Lord, I'm so tired of defending, what I've become
What have I become?

Well, My love is over, it's underneath.
It's inside, it's in between.
These times you're healing, and when your heart breaks.
The times that you feel like you're falling from grace.

I'm there in your sorrow, under the weight of your shame.
I'm there through your heartache.
I'm there in the storm.
My love I will keep you, by My pow'r alone.
I don't care where you fall, where you have been.
I'll never forsake you, My love never ends.
It never ends.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

a friend who sticks closer than a brother

"A friend who stinks?!"

"No, a friend who sticks."

"Oh, you mean like glue or peanut butter?"

"Uh, sure."

I remember this from the beginning of a Steve Green song my family used to listen to when we were little. The statement is actually Proverbs 18:24. I used it to close out "the best best-man speech ever" (as coined by a certain bride and groom). Some might have thought I was merely tickling the ears of my brother, but someone sticking closer to me than my brother is hard to imagine. Today is his birthday, only he received his present roughly four months ago. This marks his first birthday as a father. (sorry Lauren I stole your picture)
As a kid I used Proverbs 18:24 as encouragement to keep putting up with the "older brother" musings I was typically the victim of. Either Christ would continually show Himself to be that friend (which He is) or someone would come along to demonstrate the truth behind that passage. Surprisingly, my brother filled that role as we both matured. His view of me changed as well as my view of him and overreactions to his displays of tough love.

Today, my opinion of my brother constantly evolves. I have had multiple opportunities to observe how he handles himself as both as a husband and father. Analyzing my findings reveals a man with nothing but unconditional love for his wife and child. He is willing to sacrifice and serve for the well-being of his family. As a single man with aspirations for a wife and family, I admire him as an example. He provides glimpses of what my heavenly Father is, and what He desires for all men to emulate. If you asked me what I could learn from him fifteen years ago, I probably would have said something along the lines of "nothing too important." Now there's a multitude of things that will last me the rest of my days on earth and all eternity.


Sunday, October 3, 2010

the heart of a father

Hosea may be one of the most interesting and unique books in all of Scripture. God's call for Hosea to take a prostitute as his wife knowing she would never stay faithful is beyond perplexing. It appears downright crazy. Honestly, I would have significant trouble following a calling such as that. Feelings of frustration, anger, and bitterness would be expected. I mean isn't there a better (and less painful) way to demonstrate God's faithfulness to His adulterous bride than a real-life scenario?
If I were Hosea, I would have asked if one of those parables couldn't serve the same purpose. It could start something like,
"There once was a man, filled with compassion, who married a prostitute. Again and again, she returned to the empty lifestyle of her past. Again and again, her husband sought her out to bring her back home."
It would go deeper than this with details about the children and the resolve and perseverance of the husband. It could even finish with one of those statements that resonates in the ears of the listeners well after the crowd disperses. Who knows, maybe Hosea held a conversation like with this God after hearing the calling laid out for him. It wouldn't be that far-fetched.
As I keep reading, I am glad God chose to demonstrate His grace, mercy, love, and faithfulness in such a manner. It emphasizes the heart of the God who is both our Father and good husband. The warnings and pleadings depict a God crying out for and pursuing His beloved to until they come home. Hosea 11:1-4, 7-8 is my favorite display of this.
When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. The more they were called, the more they went away; they kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols. Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk; I took them up by their arms, but they did not know that I healed them. I led them with cords of kindness, with bands of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them...My people are bent on turning away from me, and though they call out to the Most High, he shall not raise them up at all. How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender. (ESV, emphasis mine)
Hosea not only heard God speaking these words to His children, but he experienced them himself in the turmoil of his marriage. Here was not a man married to an adulterous woman out of sheer obligation. He loved her in spite of her repeated infidelity. He could have given up on her at any point. Very few people would have held it against him. Instead, he echoed the voice of His Father. He refused to give her up or treat her solely on the basis of her wrongdoings. He was filled with compassion and grace towards his beloved.
Now if this is how a sinner saved by grace dealt with his unfaithful beloved, how much more compassionate and gracious is our God? He didn't just marry us, but formed us into His image. He nurtured us, grew us, healed us, and, most importantly, redeemed us. Yet we still pull away. God doesn't ignore this and will discipline (Hosea 10:10), but as a loving Father who wants the best for His children. He won't give us up, but will repeatedly show us His warmth and tenderness even though we deserve much less.