reflection for 2010: trained by grace

A new decade begins...

I have been spending some time in Titus lately. I am pleasantly surprised by what I have found there. I am encouraged by Paul's straightforward expression of the transforming reality of God's grace and gospel in Jesus. Here's the passage that stands out to me as the central catalyst of everything else in this little letter:

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. — Titus 2:11-14 (ESV)

I think it reflects a growing desire in me, perhaps for 2010. To be trained by grace. By Jesus. By the gospel. There are three actions grace trains us to have. To RENOUNCE, to LIVE, and to WAIT. Here are the nuggets I have pulled out so far.

RENOUNCE, in the Greek there is a sense of "refusing something offered." It is clear that my flesh (the part of me use to living without dependence upon or relationship with God), the world, and the Enemy offer me alternatives to God's way of life. While I have an inclination towards sin, that is not the end of the story. I can stand firm in resisting, rejecting, refusing anything that is offered to me apart from God.

LIVE, in the Greek there is a sense of "to enjoy life" and "be full of vigor." What a gift it is to live! To really be alive. I was reading 10 Resolutions for Mental Health from the Desiring God blog, Kilby's suggestions seemed to express exactly what this word is saying about enjoying life with God. His reflections on God, creation, and men are not contingent on circumstances, they reflect an eternal perspective on the gift of life.

WAIT, in the Greek is pretty unique. It reflects the opening to companionship and intimacy, while also the idea of expecting a promise to be fulfilled. This is a pretty amazing word. I do not want to think I know all I can about what Paul is trying to express. Since I am living in a unique, to me, state of waiting I am very excited about this. In the waiting there is an invitation to more relationship than has been experienced. It is the kind of waiting used for a man and wife becoming one. In waiting there is also a confidence in promises being fulfilled. So, as relationship and circumstance have not yet arrived at what is ultimately desired, there is great joy in the anticipation.

Lord, train me by your grace through Jesus to refuse any offer that is not from you, to enjoy the fullness of life today, and to joyfully anticipate the consummation of your will in my life and the world.

a quiet spirit

A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back. — Proverbs 29:11 (ESV)

A word to strong and passionate young men. Oh, to speak to myself ten years ago and be lest hasty or loud with my own passion.

false humility

Let another praise you, and not your own mouth a stranger, and not your own lips. — Proverbs 27:2 (ESV)

False humility towards others' praise has cut me off from good encouragement.

a student of hardship

Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, yet his folly will not depart from him. — Proverbs 27:22 (ESV)

A fool does not learn from hardship, he will simply return to his old ways once comfort returns.

the calamity of social networking

Do not forsake your friend and your father’s friend, and do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity. Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far away. — Proverbs 27:10 (ESV)

In a world of social networking and online relationships, how does this strike you?

little deaths, little resurrections

Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. — 2 Corinthians 1:9 (ESV)

I went to bed Sunday night feeling like the last few months had a been a string of "little deaths." Grief was thick. Emotions are near the surface. Then I woke up Monday morning to this verse. There is great comfort in knowing that my little deaths do not go unnoticed by my Heavenly Father. In fact, he is the one who is able to resurrect these little deaths... in his time... in his way.

marking the path

So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong. — Hebrews 12:12-13 (NLT)

When walking through the wilderness it is easy to get lost. What are the markers that line the path of your life which will keep you headed in the right direction no matter the circumstances, storms, pain, or obstacles that will come?

Hebrews invites us to come to Angels, Assemblies of God's children, God, Spirits of Righteous Ones in heaven, and Jesus (12:22-24). May all of these mark your path today that you may be strengthened in heart and confident of your direction.

this time, it's personal

Just got back from the THRIVE Winter Retreat (pics). Jordan did a great job teaching, the final alone time stood out to me. We were invited to memorize Romans 8:39. One of the methods had us rewrite the verse with our name in it:

Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate RYAN from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. — Romans 8:39 (NLT)

Something clicked for me. Try it:

Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate ______________ (your name here) from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. — Romans 8:39 (NLT)

proverbs 31 husband

Yesterday I was asked if I knew about the Proverbs 31 Husband. One usually here's all about the Proverbs 31 Wife/Woman, since that's what most of the chapter is about. Here's the description of the husband:

The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. - Proverbs 31:11 (ESV)

A lot of my mistakes in the last 7 years would have been avoided had I heeded/knew this scripture before yesterday.

Then I read the post below this morning. Take heed men.

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(Author: David Mathis from Desiring God Blog)

The apostle Peter writes,

Husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. (1 Peter 3:7)

This is strange at first glance. How does caring for your wife connect to having unhindered prayers?

Here's Wayne Grudem's challenging commentary:

So concerned is God that Christian husbands live in an understanding and loving way with their wives, that he "interrupts" his relationship with them when they are not doing so. No Christian husband should presume to think that any spiritual good will be accomplished by his life without an effective ministry of prayer. And no husband may expect an effective prayer life unless he lives with his wife "in an understanding way, bestowing honour" on her. To take the time to develop and maintain a good marriage is God's will; it is serving God; it is a spiritual activity pleasing in his sight." (1 Peter, 146)

Christian husbands shouldn't feel that time given to their wives is "time away from the real ministry." Time invested with our wives is time well spent. It's God's will—"a spiritual activity pleasing in his sight."

solo

I have really enjoyed THE MESSAGE//REMIX: SOLO An Uncommon Devotional. I'm not usually a fan of daily devotionals, and I definitely don't have the discipline to sit with a 365 day devotional over time. However, this has a different aspect I love as a person struggling to pray and as a pastor wanting to lead others deeper into prayer.

The whole thing is based on a short reading from The Message paraphrase and then leads you through a form of Lectio Divina. It uses the basic structure of READ the Scripture, THINK and meditate on the main idea, PRAY through what God is saying to you, and the LIVE in a different way. Each devotional has specific questions, instructions, or leadings to help you engage the passage. For those wanting to learn how to read the Bible, those wanting to pray through the Bible, those wanting to learn how to hear God's voice, and those wanting a more holistic experience of their relationship with God this is a great buy!

Did I mention if you are a pastor, teacher, small group leader, etc. that its a great way to lead others into those things as well? We have been using the devotionals on "Prayer Cards" each week at Crossroads to help develop our church into a "house of prayer." I have been able to look up the subject of the teaching each week, or the passage that was taught on, and find a devotional that will help our congregation during the week. Even when I wasn't able to find something that fit right, it was a great guide to writing our own!

Bottom line: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! The applications are endless. Students, pastors, adults, teachers, small group leaders... I was even thinking for parents wanting to start their own family devotionals this would be a great tool or model since it often has activities to do as you READ, THINK, PRAY, & LIVE. Check it out.

more good clean friends

Nothing more encouraging to my heart than to be able to hear the hearts of friends as they seek to follow Jesus. What a joy to have simple glimpse into the spiritual journey of some of the guys and girls I use to share life with on a weekly basis. Their joys and struggles exhort me to pursue God with them! You can join by getting your own Life Journal and learning the process of S.O.A.P. as well.

good clean friends

You may want to check out the online journals of my friends Adam and Tracy. Their reflections on scripture are encouraging and inspiring. They use a helpful tool called S.O.A.P. to listen to God through reading the Bible. You should try it!

growing, little by little

I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you. Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land.
Exodus 23:29-30

Ever grow impatient with God's process of growing you or releasing you to live and serve as you have always dreamed? I know I have.

I found encouragement from the above verse that God is faithful to release us into what we have grown ready for. If he were to completely swing open the door our character, habits, and expectations would simply lead to disappointment and attack. Jesus talks about this in regards to the Enemy and how he works:

When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.
Matthew 12:43-45

In other words, if we are freed from what has ailed us, but we do not enter ino life with God (the Kingdom) there will simply be emptiness and desolation which leaves us open for even more attack. This will leave us worse off than when we began.

Now I see Jesus leading us in victory little by little. He is growing us. Reshaping us. Transforming us. And then, when we have the character to rely on His power, we find we have travelled farther than it seems, and more and more of the life we've always wanted is ours. So it seems Jesus admonition to be faithful with little has even wider scope than simply that of service, but also in the renovation of our hearts and relationships.

While reflecting on the Exodus passage these were the questions I felt I should ask myself:

What am I waiting for God to do in my life, relationships, and ministry?

In what ways am I not ready for those things to actually happen tomorrow?

What are some of the battles I face between now and what I am waiting for?

How may these battles shape me and my dependence on God?

What am I facing this week that I need God’s help with?

life revisited

It was very cool to start off the College group's new series on the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7 today. We're calling it Life Revisited, a reused title from SHCC days because I think it reflects the theme of what life is like in the Kingdom of God. I was encouraged by how Jesus' proclamation that the Kingdom of God is here really is good news. Here's the intro to the sermon from Matthew 5, followed by my reflections on why this is good news:

Matthew 5:1-12 (ESV)
Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

The Kingdom of God is . . .

Good news for those who are BAD at religion, God WANTS them.
Good news for those in PAIN, God will COMFORT for them.
Good news for those who are IGNORED, God offers PROVISION.
Good news for those wanting the world to be RIGHT, God offers HIMSELF.
Good news for those who SERVE others, God will CARE for them.
Good news for those who are PERFECTIONISTS, God is what they are LOOKING for.
Good news for those in the middle of CONFLICT, they will be in God’s FAMILY.
Good news for those ATTACKED for doing what is good, God will be their SECURITY.
Good news for those following JESUS, God and his family DELIGHT in them.
EXTRA: Good news for those who are HOPELESS, God will BLESS them.

I was also thinking up modern day "beatitudes" for the "hopeless blessables," as Dallas Willard calls them:

Good news for those who are LONELY, God will be WITH them.
Good news for those who SUFFER, God brings PEACE.
Good news for those with BROKEN HOMES, God is the perfect FATHER.

Any thoughts you have about beatitudes for todays hopeless?

repentance & expectancy

Come, let us return to the LORD;
for he has torn us, that he may heal us;
he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.
After two days he will revive us;
on the third day he will raise us up,
that we may live before him.
Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD;
his going out is sure as the dawn;
he will come to us as the showers,
as the spring rains that water the earth. 
- Hosea 6:1-3

I spent some time reading Luke 3 today. It's on my "reading plan" for 2008. It's the passage that talks about John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus. He calls the crowd to repentance (v.8), righteousness (v.10-14), and leads them into expectancy (v.15). So I began to pray about what it means for me to recognize and agree with God about sin. What it looks like to pursue generosity, honesty, and contentment. And finally how to develop a trust and expectancy in God's presence and work in my life.

I was greatly helped by my conversation with Caitlin, and then blessed by the above passage from Hosea quoted on her blog. Interesting that repentance and expectancy are linked here as well. Glad that this coincided with the first real "storm" for Northern California that began today.

Usually I pray for a verse or passage to be a theme for the coming year of prayer . . . I am wondering about this passage from Hosea.

Anybody care to share their reflections on these verses as I pray about them for the coming season?

a daily prayer to consider

This prayer caught my attention (here) because it included Hebrews 5:14 which I read today as part of my (distracted) time with God.

"Whatever it takes, Lord, give me...

"Delight in you as the greatest treasure of my heart.
Delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)

"Desire to know you, be with you, and seek your kingdom above all else.
Delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)

"Discernment that comes from a renewed mind that I might know your will.
But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. (Hebrews 5:14)

"Discipline to plan for what I discern as your will.
Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:15-16)

"Diligence to do your will with all my heart."
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (Deuteronomy 6:5)

rumors

You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. – Matthew 24:6

The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts. – Proverbs 26:22

yahdaw

Behold, how good and pleasant it is
when brothers dwell in unity!
It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down on the collar of his robes!
It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the LORD has commanded the blessing,
life forevermore. – Psalm 133 (ESV)

Unity . . . Wholly Together . . . Joined . . . Harmony . . . Assembly . . . Undivided . . . One Mind . . . Peace . . . Community . . . YAHDAW in Hebrew.

How good and pleasant when the people of God are YAHDAW. It is like precious oil (an image of the presence of God's Spirit) overflowing on those as a crowning moment of relationship with one another and God. It is refreshing like the morning which brings new mercies and all the provisional grace we need. Living in YAHDAW is where God's blessing is commanded!

Commanded. That's a huge statement.

Do you feel on the outs? Do you feel alone? Do you feel that God is distant? Run to his people! Run and enter into YAHDAW. There his blessing is commanded. There he will be (I seem to remember something about "where two or more are gathered . . .")! There you will discover a place where his will is done. A place where his kingdom is manifest, present, tangible, experiential. There in YAHDAW.

No wonder the author of Hebrews (who I think is Paul) believed that the community of believers was so important for drawing near to God and holding on to hope:

. . . and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. – Hebrews 10:21-25 (ESV)

The author is so aware of our need to be cleansed as imperfect people, but still "requires" the pursuit of "togetherness." YAHDAW.

I find myself in a new community of believers. Initially I share nothing with them but location and the bond of Christ. Do I believe this is enough? Do I believe this is powerful enough to command God's presence, blessing, and eternal life? Will I dive in to these relationships knowing that I, along with everyone else, need cleansing and will likely hurt one another? Will I risk being uncomfortable, lonely, misunderstood, and more for the reward and promise of YAHDAW?

I wonder what stories of YAHDAW you have? When was it beautiful? When was it hard? When did you want to quit? When did God's presence cover you like oil? When did the common become a sacred moment?

Help. Your stories will sharpen and spur others and me on to pursue YAHDAW?

true religion

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. - James 1:26-27

For awhile I have gone back and forth with some people about whether or not God really likes religion (Toph is of course one of them). I always came back to this verse as an argument against the modern definition of religion: "A set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs." (ref) I argued, vehemently at times, that God is not concerned with a set of beliefs, ritual observances, or even moral code (though clearly these are derived from a fear of God and a humble and contrite heart, Psalm 51:16-17).

I am not stepping back from this position too much, but I clearly made a mistake. I did not take into consideration what "religion" meant in the Greek 2000 years ago.

"1) fearing or worshipping God; 2) to tremble; trembling, fearful." (ref) Of course the ancients knew that "religion" was more than some set of governing beliefs or ritualistic behavior. It was, at its heart, a definition for your attitude toward and relationship with God. Is your attitude one of awe, respect, and honor towards God? Then your are religious.

James exposes that this attitude towards God will be reflected in your speech, in your actions, and in your character. A tongue that builds others up actions that join the oppressed, and a heart that remains pure in the midst of evil and brokenness are all evidence of a true heart of religion.

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This does not have only theoretical implications for me. As I began my new job, Family Pastor, I had a lot of ideas about how I would be spending my time. One thing that has consumed more time than I anticipated is a local Kids Club. The leaders from last year backed off, volunteers have left for different reasons, and the few that remain seem uncertain of whether or not God is calling us to this ministry. Personally, I was not planning on leading or facilitating an after school program for kids when I signed on . . .

However, I come across these verses in James, and wonder about my heart towards God and whether it is reflected in my desire to join the fatherless and be a part of their lives. I also remembered reading from Hebrews 11:25-27 . . .

(Moses) chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.

I am not saying I would be mistreated serving in Kids Club. I just connect my discomfort with it and realize this discomfort, compared to the suffering of Jewish slaves, is nothing. Moses, by faith, entered into a difficult situation because of his encounter with God. His new found respect, honor, and awe for God led him to uncomfortable places. Even before Christ was physically on the scene, it was for his sake that Moses let go of the fleeting comforts, rewards, and pleasures of Egypt.

John Piper challenged an audience about whether or not they would choose suffering for the sake of Christ and as a blessing to others. His example: if you and a brother were adopting children and two became available. Would you choose the one with significant challenges over the completely healthy one to bless your brother and choose to enter into the suffering of this child for the sake of Christ?

So, will I choose to facilitate and serve at Kids Club simply as a blessing to other brothers and sisters in Christ as well as for the sake of Christ in the lives of those kids? I am wanting to say yes. And am beginning to move out in faith. Realizing I do not have enough faith, my prayer is:

"God, help my unbelief."

wings like a dove

My heart is in anguish within me;
the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
Fear and trembling come upon me,
and horror overwhelms me.
And I say, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest;
yes, I would wander far away;
I would lodge in the wilderness;
Selah

But I call to God,
and the LORD will save me.
Evening and morning and at noon
I utter my complaint and moan,
and he hears my voice.
He redeems my soul in safety
from the battle that I wage,
for many are arrayed against me.
Selah

Cast your burden on the LORD,
and he will sustain you;
he will never permit
the righteous to be moved.

— Psalm 55:4-7, 16-19, 22

Haven't written in awhile, this basically expresses my last three weeks. It has been a challenge to say the least. I have been wrestling with whether or not I am content with God redeeming my soul in the midst of a battle. My focus and worry is mostly on the battle, and he seems to be mostly worried about who I am. However, I have seen him sustain me along the way. There have been continual reminders of his presence and provision and sovereignty. He is in charge. He is in control. And I am learning that if he is truly sovereign then he is right to be more concerned about who I am than what is swirling around me.