He Wants Us

Do you ever wonder why you exist? Do you ever feel like you don’t understand what your purpose in living is all about? This thought seems to be a prevelant one in our culture. The problem is that some say there is no real purpose; we just go day to day and what ever will be will be. But I am awakened to a deeper understanding. Most people of any intelligence will admit that the complexity of the human body indicates that we are not a product of a random, accidental collision of some space debris (My question is always, “where did the stuff that collided come from?”). Whatever you call this Creator, there has to be one. I call Him God.


The cool thing is this; He is able to make something out of nothing. He chose to create me, and you. I then move on to the question that everyone is asking…”why?”. Why did he create us? Were we created as some cosmic slaves to do His bidding? The answer is, of course, no. If we were slaves (which we are not…at least not unwilling ones) and He is all powerful (which He is) we would be beaten to stay in line and do exactly what He wants accomplished. We would not be allowed to bad mouth our master and do whatever we decided to do. We would be forced into labor that he determines. We are, however, voluntary bond servants. If we want to submit to Him and do His bidding that is the preferred way. But He does not force us there. So, what has me at the moment is this…God is all powerful and can do whatever he wants; He chose to create us; He allows us the freedom to decide whether we will serve Him. He doesn’t need us…but He wants us. How cool is that? He could do whatever he wants, when He wants. And He wants us…He wants to have a relationship with us. I read this morning in Romans that through His patience and kindness we are drawn to repentence. Our relationship is built on the fact that He extends himself toward us in hopes that we will accept. He is the dominant figure and yet he does not demand our allegiance. He offers it and is broken hearted when we reject it. My heart is moved by understanding that God wants me; He loves me and He wants to have a relationship with me. My purpose is to walk with Him and serve Him in whatever way he shows me, because He created me and I belong to Him.

Why were we created? We were created because God loves, and we are the object of His love. I think I will choose to be a bond servant because I understand that this is the best for me. The world has nothing to offer that is lasting. My Master owns it all and will withhold nothing from me if I submit to Him. Will you join me and serve the only one worth serving…the one who created you…the one who wants you?

Calling Out

According to Proverbs 9 both wisdom and folly sit upon the highest point of the city and call out to those who pass by. Those who hear and respond to wisdom add to their life and are rewarded. Those who respond to folly find themselves in the house of the dead. I find that just because we think we hear a voice, it does not always mean that it is of God. Because we are fallen creatures, people of unclean lips and unclean hearts, we sometimes have a poor filtering system. Both wisdom and folly call out. Both offer something. Wisdom appeals to our moral nature and folly to our flesh. We like folly because our flesh says it is good and we get something that makes us feel good in the moment. I would caution you to spend time discerning the voice, listening to the message, and evaluating the content. Today we hear things from people, through things we read, in the music we listen to, and all the rest. The truth spoken by wisdom will always be in line with God’s Word, His Spirit, and His nature. If the words you hear are in some way in conflict with what God has already said, you probably should run. You are likely being enticed to a place where the dead reside.

Church?

Church…I have heard people say for years that the church is not a building but the people. I guess I am confused. If the church is not a building why do we keep building bigger ones and putting the name “church” on it? Don’t misunderstand me; I am not a church basher. I love the church. But the church is, in fact, the body, the people. I understand the use of a building and the function it can have to serve people. But too often we end up serving the building. Think about it…how much time do you spend in the building? How much money is spent constructing and maintain the building? How much of your energy is spent in the building? My point is that the world is not in the building. The people we need to reach with the Good News are not in the building. So, I sense that God is saying to me that we need to simplify the process. Sure, we need a place to gather and worship and fellowship. But if we spend more time, effort and money in the building than outside the building we are missing the mission and focus.

Family Matters

I am really missing my family. We have been apart for the better part of three weeks now. I am very excited that this weekend we will be reunited in our new home in Wichita. I have thought a lot about family lately. I have heard many people say that family comes first and that they are the most important thing in their life (except for God, of course); and I would agree. But, I have a little different take on this whole family thing. Bear with me a moment.

I believe that the church is a family. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ and He is the head. We all have a home and we spend time there together. Now, in our own family we have a home and we gather there and fellowship there; and for some of us, we retreat and hide out there. And I think that is what we too often do in the church. We retreat to our family abode and we hole up there. We talk a lot about getting outside the four walls of the church and taking the message of Jesus to those who would never enter through the doors. We call it responsible Christianity.

So, what is so different about our personal families? Why do we think that we should spend all our spare time in our home away from other people? I am not suggesting that we don't need time there to refresh and regroup and just love on each other. We need that as a family of God as well. But we don't have to be in our home to be with our family. Home is a sanctuary and not a podium. If we spend all our spare time there we are not being responsible with our time. We have to learn to balance our much needed home time with an even much more needed time in our communities.

We often say that churches are too inward focused and not getting outside themselves. I think we might want to take a look at our own lives and evaluate whether we are falling into that same trap. Know this; I love spending time with my family...there is little else I would rather do more. But what I am suggesting is that we set the example for the church and get outside our own four walls and begin to go forth, as a family, and demonstrate what real love and worship is all about. God knows we need it...and God knows the world needs it.

Take Off Your Pants!

Have you ever had those dreams where you are in a public place and you are naked? Not that I expect you to answer this honestly. I have...many times. I'm not sure what that says about me, but I am revealing myself to you (not literally). People talk about how this is their worst nightmare. For sure it would be an extremely embarrassing moment. So, last night I had this dream and it was different than most. I was among a large group of people and was trying to change my clothes and people kept coming to meet me and introduce people to me. I remember feeling very anxious about new people getting to know me that well. But for whatever reason I was struggling to get my pants on and by the time I was done all the people I needed to meet were gone. I pulled something from this lesson...man the puns could be flying.

My thought is simply this; do we worry so much about covering that we miss the opportunity to get to know people? We are so concerned with making sure others don't see us as we really are that we miss the chance to really get to know them. I think people genuinely want transparency. It removes inhibitions that normally cover us and keep us from really being known. We all have stuff to hide. We all want to keep our dirty little secrets to ourselves. We fear greatly the thought of someone have access to our junk. We are deathly afraid of someone seeing our failures and faults. We are afraid of what they might think about us. I say we start a revolution...let us remove our pants!

Yeah, yeah...I know. That is a little overboard. But the idea is very radical. Let us be willing to be stripped of all that covers us and be known completely. Like I said, I think people really want to experience transparency. There is freedom in someone knowing your junk. You no longer have to expend the energy to hold up the facade. You no longer have to keep up the image. Who knows? You might even reach to the heart of someone else and their issues. And it is contagious. When you are brave enough to strip before others they are less inclined to cover. Heck, we could start our own nudist colony...sort of.

You know this is an age old problem. It started when Adam and Eve covered themselves before God; and we have been covering ever since. But it is not what God desires. He wants us to remove the fig leaf and be real before the world. I am not suggesting that you vomit your junk before the world on national television. But among people you would call friends you ought to be known. And as you desire to expand your relationships you should be willing to uncover. How many times have you thought you knew someone only to find out that you didn't know all you should? You find yourself saying, "really? I didn't know that".

I think I have much more to say about this, but for now I will let you chew on that...a revolution that requires its adherents to remove their pants!

Those Dang Scars

It is amazing to me how things from the past affect things today. It is like a scar. Once it has wounded you it leaves a mark forever. I have a few scars. I fell when I was a child and cut my knee up pretty good and I have a permanent mark there. My daughter got run over by a wild and obnoxious boy and received stitches in her chin and she will bear that mark for the rest of her life (barring cosmetic surgery). Some of our scars have nothing to do with anything about what we have done; like my kiddo. Some are directly related to our stupidity; like me driving my tricycle off the edge of an elevated driveway. Regardless, scars remain.

The problem is, whether related to our own ignorance or not, we bear those marks for a lifetime. Then suddenly, one day we look down and remember that painful moment and our mind flashes to that time. In life we have those marks of pain and discouragement. We somehow heal and move on. Then one day, out of the blue, we notice the scar and our heart beats extra fast and anxiety comes as if we were back in that moment. Sometimes it is a circumstance similar to that painful moment and we are immediately thrust back into that time in our life. We are conditioned to feel the pain all over again and suffer the same hurt we once felt.

I have come to accept that scars are a part of life. I hate them and despise them. I don't want anything to do with them and beat myself up every time I notice them. Many of my scars, I hate to admit, are a product of poor decision making. And I am haunted at times with those memories. I am fully covered in the blood and know that I am no longer in that place, and the pain I feel is less and less as time goes on. I have learned to submit those things to God and not carry them like unwanted baggage like I used to. But it still remains. There is no release for the scars.

Worry and doubt begin to make my throat tighten and my stomach turns as I hear news of what MIGHT be. Or I see a place that reminds me of a painful situation. I am thankful for the full knowledge of God's forgiveness and healing. I pray each day that God will give me greater acceptance of that reality. I heard some news this morning that began to send me to one of those undesirable places. Then, in a moment, I realized that it was outside my control and that God has a firm grip on my circumstances. So, today is going to be a glorious day...despite my scars.

I Once Was Lost...

"I once was lost, but now am found..." I love that old hymn (yes I did say old). While I was not lost in spirit, I felt lost in direction. I spent the last two years in the desert, or so it seemed. It is amazing to me how hindsight is so much better. Is there anyway we can have hindsight before the foresight? I just need things to make sense. These last two years did not make any sense to me...until now. All the junk I dealt with over the last two years has prepared me, both spiritually and emotionally, to move into this tremendous arena of life and ministry. However, had I known it ahead of time it would not nearly have had the effect it does today.

The key to dealing with things we don't understand is simple; quit trying to understand. God is a debtor to no man (as one of my friends loves to remind me) and he doesn't have to explain anything to us. And if he did, what good would it do us? We would move along with the knowledge of how things would turn out and no faith would be required. "Check your brain at the door" is a common phrase that would apply here. We would live in stupid simpleness and never have to strive or trust for anything. There is no growth there.

We don't like the not knowing. I have said it a hundred times over the last two years. "If I could only see where this is going I would be ok". That is a retarded statement and an ignorant one. If I had known where this was all leading I would have ignored the process of stretching and growing before me. I would never had arrived at the place I am now with the development I now possess. Faith is required of a Jesus follower and it is never utilized by people who have it all figured out. It is a sad thing for those that have so ordered their life that faith is never required. Because the bible says that without faith we cannot please God. We must learn to operate in the realm of the unknown so we can grow in the realm of the supernatural.

Jeez, I haven't written in a while and feel like I could go on and on. I think I will curtail this for now so that I can write again.