Finding Jesus "Interesting" and "Worthwhile"

Here is an excerpt from a prayer I read recently, “May knowing Jesus—[and] allowing yourself to be drawn to Jesus—become the most worthwhile and interesting thing you’ll ever want to do.” I encourage you to spend a few moments really thinking about that line, it is profound. That’s my prayer for you today. In fact, I hope it becomes for all of us a lifelong truth.

God Must Be A Fan Of "Trunk Or Treat"

Does God answer prayers about the weather? That’s one of those questions that would work theologians up into a rough and tumble, fist fight.  And you haven’t seen a good fist fight until you’ve seen a group of theologians in their priestly robes duking it out.  (Hey? What is this? My spell-checker is telling me that “duking” is not a valid word but I beg to differ. Where I come from “duking it out” has a long and noble tradition of English language common usage. And if you don’t believe me, then maybe we should step outside and start duking it out. See how nicely that works?)

Sorry for the digression….

Well, I’m not going to begin to try to answer the question about God granting us the weather we pray for—but just between you and me there were a lot of us praying and I think He did. Anyhow, most of you know that we have had a long run—literally months and months—of crummy, overcast, rainy weather (at least, that’s what it feels like). Today it was cloudy and rainy ALL DAY LONG! I actually paddled a canoe to a local fast food place for lunch today.

And then, tonight at about 5 pm, I did a double take as I saw clear skies off in the western sky. Sure enough, the rain stopped. Birds began chirping. Woodland creatures gathered around and sang a song from a Disney movie. And then I actually heard a loud and resonant voice from heaven say, “THIS EVENT HAS BEEN ORDAINED BY ME SO THAT....” alright, there wasn’t really a loud voice from heaven (or any woodland creatures). But, one hour before we began parking cars in the lot for the big “Trunk or Treat” event the weather actually cooperated.

Take that, negative, naysayer theologians! With your pessimistic robes!

 

Our big Trunk or Treat event came off wonderfully. It was very well attended. Lots of folks had fun. Kids got lots of candy. The big air-filled jumping thingy was a hit. (In fact, it’s 10:30 pm, as I’m writing this, and there are kids from the youth group, still, out there playing in the air-filled jumping thingy.) The maze was cool. The prizes were awesome. And several folks commented positively on the frightening realism of my scary monster mask. (I was too embarrassed to tell them that I wasn’t wearing a costume.)

Okay, I know, that’s an old tired joke, but it’s late and I’m a tired guy, it’s the best I can do on short notice.

It was a good night. And speaking of that... “good night!”

How Are We "Applying" The Lessons Of Life?

I read this line recently: “Everything that happens to you is your teacher.” Are you learning from the experiences of your life? Part of the pathway to wisdom is not just experience, but the EFFECTIVE APPLICATION of experience. In other words—with God’s help—to effectively apply the lessons of life that come from the experiences of our lives. This isn’t as easy as it might sound. But it is definitely worth pursuing.

Following Christ Is A Joy, Not A Burden

I had a conversation with someone today who told me that he had practically no exposure to religion when he was growing up.  But he said that the few times he did go to church with friends it seemed very “tight-a**ed” [his words].  [He said this to me right in our church fellowship hall. I guess he didn’t realize that people frown upon swearing in the church. I probably should be complimented that he, obviously, didn’t consider me to be so tight-a…well, you-know, so uptight that he was afraid to swear around me. He swore two other times during our conversation, but who’s counting, huh?]

And then he used another word about his limited exposure to religion that either “bothered” me or “saddened” me. I’m still trying to decide which one, maybe it’s both. He said that his impression, as a kid, upon going to church on very few occasions was that “religion was a burden”. The word he used was “burden”.

I told him it was too bad that following Jesus was made to seem like a “burden” to him because, to the contrary, Jesus said that he came to take away our burdens. [Said Jesus, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matt.11:28] A great smile appeared on his face along with a nod of affirmation when I said this.  I took it to be a reaction that happens when you hear and agree with a helpful insight.  But maybe it’s just that he noticed the great looking sandwiches that were being served, at that moment.

My conversation with this man—who genuinely seemed to be curious about God and matters of ETERNITY (the event was the dinner following a funeral service)—reminded me of how we have sometimes, intentionally or unintentionally, created unnecessary barriers and “hoops to jump through” for people who are searching for Christ. Or, we have occasionally presented the most compelling and beautiful message in the world in a way that makes it seem irksome and unattractive and dull and burdensome.

I know that Jesus told his followers to “take up your cross and follow me.”

And I know that there are truths that cannot be compromised.

And I know that the Scriptures clearly tell followers of Christ that there will be trouble and persecution.

Believe me, I’m very aware of those realities of the faith. And they are very important. 

But this is true too…

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the greatest news in the world.

It is a message of forgiveness and salvation and true life, real life, eternal life.

It is a faith that offers joy and peace and hope, real-true hope, a hope that will not fail!

Jesus said that he came to “proclaim that captives will be released.”

And he came to see that the “oppressed” are set FREE!

If people are missing these aspects of our proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, they are missing something absolutely critical. The joy and peace and enduring love and the ETERNAL BENEFITS of following Jesus Christ far, far, far, far, far outweigh the difficulties and if that’s not true then somebody please straighten me out because I’m operating under a horribly false misunderstanding.

[Some, who know me, are thinking that the possibility of my having a “horribly false misunderstanding” isn’t so far fetched. Nevertheless….]

Check this out:

“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also SHARE IN HIS GLORY.” Romans 8:16&17

Followers of Jesus will, someday—not according to me, but according to the Bible—SHARE in the very GLORY of God himself!!! Think about that for a little while. While you do, I’m going to go out on a limb and call this remarkably liberating good news.

PHOTO:  That's me pointing to "Romans 8:16&17".  See?  It's really there.  I'm not kidding!  I guess that settles that!

Speaking Words of Encouragement

“Do not let ANY unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is HELPFUL for BUILDING others UP according to their needs, that it may BENEFIT those who listen.” Eph.4:29. What would happen if a lot of people who follow Christ really took this instruction seriously? It’s interesting to imagine, isn’t it? My prayer today is that all our words will ENCOURAGE and HELP each other.

What Are You Looking For?

Here’s something I’ve learned about relationships. This may not be true in EVERY single situation, but most of the time it is. If we really want to FIND reasons for NOT loving a person…we will. On the other hand, if we really want to find reasons to love a person…we will. The reasons we are looking for are just about always there. So the question becomes: What are we looking for?

Getting Excited About "Trunk Or Treat"

Think about Trunk or Treat with me…

Children get to dress up in costumes—everyone knows that kids love to dress up in costumes.

Adults can even dress up in costumes—everyone knows that it’s funny to see adults dressed up in costumes.  (Remember the year that several newcomers pointed to me and laughed at my hilarious “Hobo” costume only to find out that I was dressed normally, it wasn’t a costume after all?  Ahh, memories…)

And then children get lots of candy, FAST.  They “trick or treat” from car-trunk to car-trunk in the church parking lot.  This is a method for getting lots of candy very quickly.  Then after some games and other festivities we send the kids home loaded down with tons of candy that they can stash all around their room and eat and eat and eat for weeks to come.  (Did I mention that the area Dentists’ Association has helped to sponsor this year’s event?)

“Trunk or Treat” is one of the most effective outreach programs we do all year.  Many people who do not regularly attend our church come to “Trunk or Treat” for their kids to have a good time and then they discover that this is a nice place with fun, friendly people.  (“Hey, some of these Christians are pretty nice folks,” they say.  They go on, “In fact, that ‘Hobo’ guy seems okay.”)

And Trunk or Treat is one of the few events that we do where grandparents, parents and kids all participate and have a good time TOGETHER.  In fact, the grandparents are going to have to settle down, last year’s incident in which the fire department had to come and get Grandma Smythington off of the roof was NOT funny!

And then, finally, at the end of the night when I give my 45 minute Old Testament Bible teaching before anyone is allowed to leave, you can just tell that people are enthralled and deeply touched.

So, I hope Trunk or Treat is on your calendar.  It’s happening this Friday, Oct. 30^th, 7pm.  NOTE: For those who are bringing candy, we will start parking cars in the lot at 6pm, as a safety measure.

(Okay, there’s no 45 minute Bible teaching time at Trunk or Treat but a guy can dream, can’t he?)

See you on Friday!

Hey Leaders, It's Okay To Say, "I Don't Know"

Here are 3 simple words we don’t hear often enough from leaders in religion, business, politics, academia, etc.: “I DON’T KNOW.”  When a leader is asked a question in a public setting it can be very hard to say: “I don’t know”, even if the truth is that you “don’t know”. I’ve been there. There’s a strong urge to want to appear to “know”. That’s why humble, honest, people—people of integrity—are so refreshing.

Do You Really Believe That God Has Been Gracious To You?

We are only willing to extend grace to others if our hearts have been captured by the realization that we are RECIPIENTS of love and forgiveness and mercy and goodness that we do not deserve. Search your heart. Do you REALLY understand that God loves you and that He has forgiven you? Do you REALLY understand that God extends goodness to you every day? Our grace toward others will flow from that reality.

Information Rich and Imagination Poor?

“The great irony of our wired age of communication is that many of our children are growing up information rich and imagination poor—and so are many adults.”—Leighton Ford. This is a strange quote to put on a blog, huh? But being “connected” doesn’t necessarily stimulate our minds in ways that foster creativity, profound learning & deep, substantive thinking. How are you seriously engaging your mind?

A Note From Jasper Marler

From time to time I encourage guest writers to share stories on my blog. The following is a submission by Jasper Marler.

As Told By Jasper Marler: 

I was in the backyard yesterday patrolling the area and keeping us safe from any intruders—these people I live with are clueless about the constant danger in which they exist and how I’m continuously protecting them from villains and trouble-makers. Don’t get me wrong, they’re nice folks and I graciously allow them to feed me and pet me and live in my house, but just between you and me, they’re walking around in a bit of a fog (especially the guy with the grey hair). Oh well, what are you gonna’ do, right? Hopefully, in time, they’ll grow and mature, and develop a more refined sense of consciousness.

Anyhoo, that’s when I saw my arch-nemesis the squirrel running across the ground heading for a tree. He was running across the ground! THE GROUND!!! (I’m laughing even as I write this!) What the heck was he thinking?!? Do you see what’s going on here?

I’ll put it this way: A squirrel IN A TREE is in his element—he’s the ultimate acrobat—but ON THE GROUND he’s in mine. It was an amazingly foolish tactical blunder on the part of the squirrel.

He was five yards from the tree when I saw him—taunting me, really—and I took off like a shot. I don’t want to brag, but I’m very fast. (When you get between 20 and 21 hours of sleep each day, you tend to be very well rested and have plenty of energy for those waking hours.)

“What happened?” you ask. 

Well, let’s just say he’s lucky to be alive. He made it, by a fraction of a second. He made it to the tree and escaped. It was close. Oh man, I’m telling you it was very close. That squirrel is either very lucky or very blessed, call it whatever you want to call it. But know this and know it well—particularly any squirrels that may be reading this—you won’t be able to make too many mistakes like that before I have my day.

So, keep it up, squirrels. Keep it up. I’m watching.

Try This Prescription for Growth

Do you want to grow as a person? Try this: Go to someone you don’t like or someone that you have recently gossiped about and confess your negative feelings or confess that you have gossiped and then tell the person you are sorry and ask for his/her forgiveness. Then do this: GRACIOUSLY ACCEPT whatever response you get from the person.

Biblical values: humility, honesty, courage, relational integrity.

NOTE:  There is an additional benefit to this advice.  There is a strong possibility that if you do what this post advises, you will provide the person you apologize to with a profound growth experience, as well.  It’s likely he/she will be shocked to encounter such humble honesty.

File This One Under: "Miraculous"

My friend, H.G., was in a very serious motorcycle accident a couple of months ago.  He was not wearing a helmet and he sustained severe trauma to the head. I’m not a medical expert in any way, and most of you who are reading this probably are not, either. But all that’s required is some basic common sense to realize, from what I’ve written here, that this was an extremely critical situation.

The day the accident happened I rushed to the Intensive Care Unit to see him and, well, let’s put it this way, I was stunned and speechless. (If you know me well, you know that I’m not often speechless. I was that night.) I had seen the effects of a severe head injury before—it is disturbing—but when it’s a long-time friend, the sight is much more upsetting. I had some time alone with him in the room and I sat there and cried.

I was told, by people who do have medical expertise, that it did not look good. Further, the possibility of severe, permanent mental disability was said to be likely IF…IF...IF he even survived.  I went home from the hospital that night praying passionately for my friend, but honesty compels me to admit, I was also thinking about the possibility of officiating at his funeral. H.G. has been my friend since 7^th grade, as you can imagine, just thinking about a funeral brought me to tears several times as I drove home.

The next morning when I woke up, the first thing that came to my mind was my friend and the next thought was this: “God, I know you could heal him.”

Again, all of this happened a couple of months ago. Today, H.G. pleasantly shocked me by walking into church, using a walker, but standing tall and speaking with me about this incredible ordeal that he has recently endured (fortunately, there’s a lot about it that he does not remember) and talking about the rehabilitation work that he still has ahead of him. I didn’t know that he was coming to church—he surprised me—so, when I saw him standing in the lobby, well, I was stunned and speechless, AGAIN!  Some of the people who know me well are very excited about this “speechless” aspect of the story and are wondering if this can be engineered, somehow, on a more regular basis.

One of the interesting “coincidences”—and I’m using that word with a wink—about this story is that today the congregation graciously recognized myself and other key leaders at the church for “Pastor Appreciation Sunday”.  The basic aim is to thank the pastor and help him feel appreciated and, in a way, give him a shot of encouragement.

Seeing my friend at church added an extraordinary EXTRA dimension to the love and appreciation and encouragement that I received today. I’m still partially stunned even as I write these words…but, obviously, you can tell from the length of this message that I’m a little less speechless.

My friend’s presence at church today is, without question, an amazing answer to prayer. It is, medically speaking, miraculous that he would be up and around and walking and spending the morning at a church service. I thank God. I praise God. This story reveals a tremendous manifestation of His goodness.

It was just a few weeks ago that I woke up the morning after the accident and thought, “God, I know you could heal him.” God is helping me turn “I know” you could heal him into “I   K N O W…I REALLY KNOW…through witnessing a first-hand manifestation of your power and activity in this matter…I KNOW you can heal him!”

All glory and honor and praise to God!

Experiencing The Love of God, It's "The Main Thing"

“I used to think that understanding [God] was the main thing. It isn’t. The main thing is being loved by him.”—Steve Brown.  If you haven’t experienced the reality of God’s love, you haven’t experienced the most important truth of our human existence. I pray that the inexpressible goodness of Christ’s love will be a tangible reality for you today.

I'm Surpised By The Potential of Facebook To Connect People

I had lunch with my friend, Renee, today.  We hadn’t seen each other for close to 16 years.  She lives in California and I live here in beautiful Oak Lawn, Illinois where we last saw the sun sometime in the summer of 2006.  (At least that’s what it feels like, lately.)

We never decided that we didn’t want to be friends or anything like that. It’s just that life moves along and when you don’t live in the same area and don’t see each other regularly through work or church or some type of frequently shared activity it isn’t easy or convenient to keep a friendship going.

We re-connected again through a mutual friend on Facebook.  She was in town and we got together (at Panera Bread where Renee noticed that everybody knows me—I wonder why that is?) and caught up on what’s been happening over the past 16 years. 

I have to say, up until a few months ago, I had been skeptical about the “relational value” of on-line, social networking sites. A big part of that was ignorance, I simply wasn’t participating in them and wasn’t really interested in participating in them, so I didn’t know. But another reason for my skepticism was the fact that I didn’t understand the potential that on-line social networking sites have for connecting or, perhaps, more accurately re-connecting people.

This potential to connect people all over the world, through the technology of the Internet, is something that has never happened before in human history—the technological ability for it hasn’t existed—and I have to say that it’s very interesting. Folks, I believe we really are living through something that, it’s fair to say, is revolutionary.

You’re probably thinking, “There goes Dan with some more caffeine-fueled hyperbole.”

Well, you’re right about the caffeine.  But I don’t consider what I said to be much of an exaggeration.  Think about it: Renee and I would have, probably, never seen each other or spoken to each other ever again for the rest of our lives without this connecting tool.  Not because we were opposed to the idea or angry with each other.  It’s just how it would have been.  No doubt, this is only one of thousands or perhaps millions of similar stories.

What does it all mean?  Well, at the most basic level it obviously means that connections and re-connections of people that would have never happened at earlier times in history will now occur.  Beyond that, I don’t know for sure what it will mean.

I hope it will have big consequences for proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. I believe that it can.  But I have become convinced that it is a big deal.  I know there will be people who will minimize the depth and authenticity and intimacy of relationships that occur through the technology of the Internet and it’s true that these types of relationships have limitations.  But that does not diminish the significance of the unprecedented potential for connection.

This is not a commercial for Facebook, or any of the other on-line social networking sites, they don’t need one.  (Although if someone from Facebook is reading this and wants to reimburse me for these insightful thoughts I am open to negotiating a fair and reasonable 6-digit sum.)  Actually, if you’re reading this you probably already agree that Facebook is pretty neat. So, this isn’t a plug, I’m simply sharing the observations and the experience of someone who is surprised and impressed with a potential for connecting people that has never before existed in this way and on this level.

Figuring Out How Prayer Works

Every now and then I get into one of those moods where I want to figure out prayer. (Yes, this would be an appropriate place to laugh at me.) I had gotten into one of those moods again recently and then I came across this sentence: “If you are going to enter this divine dance we call prayer, you have to surrender your desire to be in control, to figure out how prayer works.” So, I said, “Okay God, I hear you.”

Truth With A Sledgehammer Or Truth With Love?

The truth is good and right and it should always be upheld.  However, the truth can be delivered like a sledgehammer or it can be delivered with love and grace and gentleness and humility. When speaking the truth it’s helpful to keep this in mind: How would you like this truth to be told to you? “. . . [C]lothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

This Is Just Mayonnaise, Right? Or Am I Missing Something?

Television ads have a long history of being rather dumb and insulting to our intelligence so I know this is not really anything new, but I saw a commercial last night that carries on that tradition in spectacular fashion. It’s one of those commercials where, at first, you’re not even sure what product is being presented. It looks like it could be possibly be an energy drink or something else that has to do with wild-living and a fast-paced, pedal-to-the-medal style of life.

Soon it becomes apparent that the product is “Miracle Whip”.  You know, Miracle Whip, the mayonnaise? After a bunch of fast camera shots and other edgy production techniques designed to prove just how “crazy” and “unpredictable” this whole mayonnaise thing can be, they deliver the slogan for the product.  Here it is: “We are Miracle Whip and we will not tone it down!”

I’m not joking. This is a real commercial that’s been airing on television, lately. Has anyone else seen this or have I been hallucinating?

Watch out, baby!!! I said, watch it!  “We are Miracle Whip and we will not tone it down!”

IT’S MAYONNAISE!!!!!!!!  The product is mayonnaise! Perhaps one of the blandest and most ordinary products in the entire grocery store. Is there something new that’s happened very recently that I don’t understand about mayonnaise?!? Have they started adding Tequila to it?

How dumb do they think we are?!?  (Don’t answer that question.  It could make you depressed.)

“We’re crazy! We’re nutty. We’re out of control! Watch out, baby! We are Miracle Whip and we will not tone it down!”

If this ad campaign actually works, in other words, if we hear reports that Miracle Whip sales are going through the roof, I’m going to apply this promotional technique to some of the things we do at church….

“It’s church bulletins, baby, and we will not tone them down!!!”

“We’re taking the offering at this time, you crazy nuts, and we will not tone it down!!!”

“And now, here’s our closing benediction—done with speed metal background music—and we will not tone it down!!!”

Alright, I’m done with my rant.  I’m going to go make a sandwich—with some Miracle Whip—and if I, somehow, get injured in the process I guess it’s because they did not tone it down.

Think About The Circumstances Under Which Jesus Lived Like Jesus

There are certain situations in life, that could occur, in which just about all of us would be pretty likely to say, “Well, I can’t behave like Christ under these circumstances. After all there’s a limit. It would never work. I mean, come on, it’s not realistic.” When we think this way, it seems pretty fair to say that we are forgetting the circumstances under which Jesus lived like Jesus.

How's Your "Quiet Time" With God Going?

Well, here’s a finding from a number of surveys on spiritual growth that have been done over the past few years. Ready? Here it is:

Engaging in personal spiritual disciplines is the most powerful catalyst for spiritual growth.

I know, this doesn’t exactly qualify as an earth-shattering insight for those who are relatively familiar with the Christian faith. The helpfulness of the finding is in the understanding of it’s level of IMPORTANCE to spiritual growth. The results of these surveys are not saying that “personal spiritual disciplines” are the ONLY catalyst for spiritual growth, however, they are saying that this factor was discovered to be “the most powerful catalyst.”

Here is what is meant by “personal spiritual disciplines”: personal Bible reading and study, including reflection on Scripture; prayer in which sins are confessed and time is spent talking to God and quietly listening to God for direction and challenge; and time spent in solitude with God.

Here’s another way of saying all this:  The most important factor—again, not the ONLY factor—but the most important contributing factor to spiritual growth is for a person to have a personal “quiet time” or “devotional time”. Think about the numerous references in Scripture to Jesus going away by himself to a quiet place to pray; this would be a “personal spiritual discipline”.

Here’s a comment that I have read several times in literature that has to do with this finding about the importance of personal spiritual disciplines: This practice “cannot be overemphasized”.  So, I’m presenting this information to you as something that I cannot overemphasize.

If spiritual growth is important to us—and I believe it is—then it’s really important for us to learn to develop a private devotional time and make a firm commitment to engaging in that personal time regularly (daily).

By the way, do you have a daily quiet time with God?

I’m just asking because it is the most powerful catalyst for…alright, I know, you’ve heard that part already.

Again, I know that for many of us this is really obvious information. It’s basic. You’re saying, “Gee Dan, tell me something I wasn’t already aware of! This isn’t anything new.”

Okay. Okay. I realize that you’ve probably heard about personal spiritual disciplines before but: #1) just because you KNOW about them doesn’t mean you DO them—consider this is a gentle nudge to do them.  And #2) I’ve been assured that this “cannot be overemphasized”. So, I’m emphasizing it. But, apparently, I’m not OVER-emphasizing it, since it “cannot be….” oh, you get the point.

I Love It When Rachel Laughs

Whenever I cause my daughter, Rachel, to REALLY laugh, I love it because it is such a genuine and pure expression of glee and humor. [Rachel does not usually “fake” laughter.] Her laughter reminds me what a particularly “human” gift from God laughter truly is. And it touches an area of joy in my heart that very few other things in this life can reach. I pray you experience the blessing of laughter today.

Let's Talk About Really Getting Motivated

Rewards and punishments are extrinsic motivators & they have motivational value but it is limited. The motivation that comes from knowing and pursuing the purpose for which God created us is an INTRINSIC motivation which challenges us and excites us in deeper, more creative, more effective and more fundamental ways.

The House of Blues...And All That Standing

I was talking with some young, healthy college students after church yesterday and they told me they were going to a concert at the House of Blues later that night.

Have you ever been to the House of Blues in Chicago? Unless you are in one of the special balcony seating areas, there are no seats. In other words, you STAND from the moment you arrive until the moment you leave. If it’s a 3 hour show—including the opening act—you STAND that ENTIRE TIME!!!

Just to rub it in, occasionally, the performers will bring chairs out on to the stage and sit down during a drum solo.

The last time I went to the House of Blues I was incredibly tired and uncomfortable by the time we got back to the car. I vowed to myself that I would never go to another concert at that venue. (I don’t think they’re particularly nervous about my one-man boycott of their lack of seating. In fact, my boycott has apparently not been mentioned in any major media outlets other than, now, my Facebook page.)

Back to the college students…I said to them, “Do you realize that they don’t have seats, you’ll have to stand the entire time?”

They responded, “Oh yeah, we’ve been there before, we like that part of it. It’s better to stand than to sit there the whole time. What kind of sad loser would want to sit and watch a concert?!?” Then they looked at me earnestly as we all nodded our heads.

There’s no real moral to this story, it is simply another illustration of one of the differences between 18 years of age and 50 years of age.  (Alright, alright. For those of you who are “sticklers” about little details, for the record, it’s the difference between 18 years of age and Fifty-ONE years of age. Sheeeesh!)

I’m going to quit typing right now and go get on the stationary bike. And don’t anyone try to stop me!

E-Flash From Dan, Special Baptism Edition

Dear E-Flash Friends;

Tomorrow is going to be exciting!!!

You say, “Dan, you tell us that every week.”

No, wait a minute.  This time is different.  We have 14 people who will be stepping forth in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ tomorrow and getting baptized.  This is SPIRITUAL VICTORY!

Eight people in the first service, six people in the second service, three generations of one family will be baptized, a father will be baptizing his son, a mother and daughter.  Someone hold me down because I’m getting ready to start jumping up and down for half an hour again.  (I only do that when I get REALLY, REALLY excited.  Or, when the Taco Bell closes just before I get there.)

Several religious experts have been quoted as saying that tomorrow “may be one of the most thrilling church services that have ever happened in Oak Lawn, IL.”

Alright….that’s not true, I don’t actually know any religious experts.  I used to know one but he changed his phone number and he pretends he’s not home when I knock on his door.

But the part about the services being AWESOME is true.  Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:15)  The folks who are stepping forth for baptism are obeying Him and in doing so they are revealing the genuine love for Jesus that exists in their hearts.  How cool is that?  Hope you’re planning to be here.  We will have baptisms in both the 9 o’clock and 11 o’clock services.

If you want to wear your swim suit and dive in just for the fun and excitement of it all, that’s fine, but I am asking that everyone keeps the splashing and the games of “Marco Polo” to a minimum during the sermon.

Blessings to you,

Dan

P.S.  If you want to have the E-Flash From Dan sent directly to your e-mail send an e-mail message to:  COG111st@aol.com    ….and type “Sign me up for E-Flash” in the “subject” field.

P.P.S.   “Marco . . . ?”

The Only Explanation for Real Grace is God

Real grace, as described in the Bible—goodness, forgiveness and love extended to those who don’t deserve it—bothers a lot of people. In fact, the practice of grace even bothers a lot of really nice Christian people. That’s why it seems to me that grace is not a concept that any person could have possibly made up. The only explanation for the grace that is demonstrated by Jesus is God.

He's Been Reaching Out To Us

We are created beings, we did not come into existence through our own will or efforts. This is why we can never find meaning and purpose in life by looking down deep inside ourselves. We are not enough. There is SOMETHING MORE and we need something more. We need our Creator. The good news is that our Creator loves us and He has been reaching out to us all along.

It's Great To Let God Be God

I’ve got some great news: you and I are not the center of the universe. Now, if we will be very honest with ourselves, sometimes this can be a hard truth for us to admit. Here’s why this is good news, though: since you and I are not the center of the universe, the vast, vast majority of what happens in the universe is not our responsibility. Isn’t that great? What a liberating thing it is to let God be God.

When Trust Has To Go On By Itself

People sometimes come to me with an issue and say, “Dan, I don’t understand what God is doing.” I can relate with their frustration. I’ve been there too. Thoughtfully consider this comment, “When Christian believers come to faith their understanding and their trust go hand in hand, but as they continue in faith their trust may sometimes be called to go on by itself without their understanding.”--Os Guinness.  

A "Homecoming" Weekend Adventure

Ah yes, Homecoming weekend at my dear alma mater, Anderson University.  We saw my son, Taylor (a freshman at Anderson, and a wonderful young man, if I do say so myself. . .and, I just did); we visited with Cam & Candi Marler, and Grant & Jennifer Powell and many other friends and family who were in town.

What a treat it is to renew acquaintances and reminisce about fun times from long ago.  A steady stream of old friends approached me and said, “Oh my goodness, I can’t believe it, after all these years . . .”  And then after a moment of confusion said, “Oh, nevermind, I thought you were someone else.”  And walked away briskly.

I would try to follow them and engage in some conversation but you know what? That pepper spray really does sting!

There were so many highlights of the weekend: Dinner on Friday night with the Powells; the tour of the university broadcasting studios and talking with my friend, Dr. Baird; descending on the Panera Bread on Saturday evening with a large group of friends and family that basically turned into a big reunion; the pepper spray . . . oh yeah, I already mentioned that.

But one of the great moments for me was watching my niece Carly and my dear friends’ son Josh perform at the “Encore” show on Saturday night.  They both performed magnificently and to say that I was proud of them would be a DRASTIC understatement.

Well, here, I can put it like this:  The performances of both Carly and Josh were among the greatest that have ever happened in the history of the university—perhaps in the history of music.  And I say that without a trace of prejudice or bias. This is simply the sober, objective assessment of an only partially confused guy who loves these kids and thinks they are fantastic. So there!

Sometimes it’s hard for me to believe that God could be so kind and loving to a guy like me, I mean, come on, God’s got standards, right?  But when I think about the family and friends that He has blessed me with, I realize that even though He has standards—perfect standards—He also has extraordinary grace and mercy and LOVE. 

I’m lucky.  No, wait a minute. . .I am blessed!  (There’s a difference.)

Hope you’re experiencing the “blessing” rather than the “luck” these days, too.

Challenges Help Us Grow

We know, intellectually, we shouldn’t let difficulties & obstacles stop us or drive us to paralyzing forms of depression or fear. But sometimes the problems of life can be so frustrating. This quote has been inspirational to me: “Your job is to see every difficulty as a challenge that has been sent to make you smarter & better. And then look into the difficulty for the advantage or benefit that it might contain.”

E-Flash From Dan, Oktoberfest

Dear E-Flash Friends;

As I sit typing this message it is raining outside . . . and cold . . . and overcast.  Yes, I’ve changed out of my swim trunks—which I put on as an act of faith this morning--and put on my corduroy pants.  I heard part of a weather forecast on the radio and the announcer said we might actually have a few snow flurries late Saturday night/early Sunday morning.  SNOW FLURRIES!!!  October 11^th snow flurries!

I mention all of this just to prove, once again, that we are a church of EXTRAORDINARY FAITH, because we live in Chicago and, yet, we still plan outdoor church events.

So, this Sunday, Oct. 11^th, following our 11 o’clock service we will be having our Oktoberfest!  Perhaps we should call it Ok-snow-berfest?

You say, “Dan, how can we do it?  How can we have an Oktoberfest if there are snow flurries that morning?!?”

It’s simple.  We’re changing all the events.  As of a few hours ago, the events for Oktoberfest have been officially changed to: tobogganing, dog-sled racing, ice-fishing, snowman-making, and driveway-shoveling contest.  Oh yeah, and we’ll still be EATING.  (The “eating” part was never in jeopardy of being changed.)

By the way—just a little side comment, here—our church Oktoberfest is CONCLUSIVE PROOF that God has a sense of humor because we began having an Oktoberfest instead of a summer church picnic because the church picnic was often too hot.  Do you see the irony there?  Too HOT!  We didn’t want to be too hot. It’s sort of amusing if you think about it.

Well, it won’t be too hot this Sunday, so, I hope you are planning to come to the services and then join us for Oktoberfest/Ok-snow-berfest.

We will be starting a new series this Sunday, as well, titled: The Life That Changed Everything.  Over the next few weeks (how many? I don’t know) we will be working through the book of Luke and looking at the greatest life that’s ever been lived, the life of the Lord Jesus Christ.  I’m very excited about this series, I hope you are too.  This will be a great chance to invite someone.  (How many opportunities do you have to invite someone to the beginning of a great new teaching series AND an Ok-snow-berfest both at the same time?  Not too often, right?)  I hope you might think and pray about that possibility.

See you Sunday, (I’ll be the one wearing mittens)

Dan Marler

When Christian Leaders Fall

Every now and then a high profile Christian leader experiences a moral fall.  Sometimes, when this happens, I am asked by a person in our church or, perhaps, even outside our church to comment.

Here is a comment . . .

When high profile Christian leaders take a moral fall, there are three uncomfortable feelings that strike me. First, I feel sadness for the person who has fallen.

Second, I feel embarrassment.  The Christian community points to standards of behavior and says, “This is what we should be striving for.”  So, when one of our community falls, morally, there is a certain amount of inevitable embarrassment.

Third, I feel bad because I know that the moral fall of the high profile Christian leader can contribute—in the minds of some—to a loss of credibility for a truth that I sincerely believe and deeply love.

A significant factor in this matter is that Christians talk a lot about values and behaviors.  So, whenever a visible Christian does not measure up to those values or behaviors, people have a tendency to shake their heads and say, “Uh huh, just what I thought.  It’s all talk and no consistent action.”  And I can understand that response.

But I believe it’s helpful to note that a value or behavior can still be good and right, even if it isn’t attained as consistently as we would hope by those who recognize and accept the value or behavior in question.  For example, we all agree—Christians and non-Christians—that stealing is wrong.  (In fact, we’re all POSITIVE that stealing is WRONG, when it was our stuff that was taken!)  However, thievery occurs despite the fact that NOT STEALING is a widely agreed upon value.

The fact that Christians do not always live up to our stated values and behaviors does not necessarily mean that those values and behaviors are wrong or outdated or unreasonable.  It just shows once again that Christians are not perfect—even high profile Christians.  Actually, we all knew that before the person fell, but—I know—it’s still pretty sensational to see it happen.

Someone might suggest, “If high profile Christians are going to fall back on the, ‘Hey, I’m not perfect’ defense when they take a moral fall, then they ought to be a lot more humble BEFORE any trouble happens.”  And I couldn’t agree more.  Jesus was pretty keen on humility, too.

I suppose it will appear insufficient, to many, for me to say this but, I’ll say it anyhow, Christians hold up behaviors and values that we believe are true and right and we believe they reflect the wisdom of God based upon the teaching of the Bible.  I’m embarrassed and I’m sorry that we do not always live up to those behaviors and values.  But I hope people can understand our inconsistencies to be a flaw of weak, fallible people—who are humbly attempting to point to something noble and right—not a lack of credibility on the part of God.

Dan Marler

Oak Lawn, IL

Alright, You First!

For those of us who are parents or teachers or bosses or leaders in any arena, remember this: the people we lead are often listening to our advice, or instructions, or teachings, or orders and as we are talking they are looking at our lives and saying: “Alright, you first.”

It's All About Running PROPERLY

I read a book about running. Some of you say, “Gee whiz, Dan, you even read books about simple physical things like running? You need a book for that?!?”

You know what? I’m going to answer that question as soon as I find a book that addresses the subject.

Anyhow, this book was about ultra marathoners. Ultra marathoners are people who run races that are 100 miles long, or even longer.  Or, they compete in races where the contestants run for 48 hours straight and whoever covers the most distance is the winner.  It’s incredible!  We’re talking about phenomenally conditioned athletes.

The book said something very interesting.  It said that human beings are built for running. Studies have shown this to be true. In fact, it described how humans, over long distances, can actually out-run horses. Really. This is true. Keep in mind, we’re not talking about short races.  Obviously, a horse can out-run a person in a short race. In a dash to the refrigerator a horse will win every time. But in a lengthy run, 75 to 100 miles, or more, apparently, men can out-run horses.

The book profiled a very secretive tribe of Indians who live in Mexico’s Copper Canyons. And it told of their legendary ability to run for long, long distances.  How do they do it? It turns out that they RUN PROPERLY.

Well, I read this book and I got all excited about running again. I got motivated to hit some long trails. I was fired up! Usually, I walk or I ride a stationary bike, these days.  But I started running.  Started slowly trying to build up to some long distances.  But, here’s the important part: I was running properly.  That’s the difference.  That’s what I learned from the book:  Running properly is key.

In the book they said that humans were made to run, it’s natural to us. So, when people get hurt running, it’s because we’re not running properly.  We’re not running the way we were naturally designed to run.  When we run properly, it changes everything. I began running, but now I was running properly, like the legendary canyon people.

Anyhow, I wrote all this to say that I hurt my knee, running.

So, I’m not able to run properly.  In fact, I’m having a little trouble walking properly. Last night I even experienced some minor confusion just trying to brush my teeth properly. (But that may be unrelated to the running.)

You say, “Dan, what about all the advice in the book? And the legendary tribe of runners in the Copper Canyons in Mexico? What about out-running horses from here to the state border and back again?”

Well, I’m using the book these days to prop up a table that has a leg that’s too short.

And I saw a piece on the Internet the other day.  That secret legendary tribe of runners in the canyons of Mexico?  They’re all seeing orthopedic surgeons. These doctors insist that the human foot is perfectly designed for surgery.

By the way, did I tell you that I recently read a book about TYPING properly? It turns out that there’s a legendary tribe of typists up in the Himalayans….

Can I Love The Life I've Been Given?

Many times I have wanted my life to be better, more interesting, more accomplished, more impressive, or just plain different than what it is.  Maybe that’s why this quote from Brennan Manning stopped me in my tracks when I first read it: “I’m wondering just how dangerous it is to choose not to love the life we’re given.” God gave me THIS life, so my prayer is: “Lord, help us love and appreciate our lives.”

Let's Stop Letting People Scare Us

Why are we so afraid?  Many of us seem to be terribly frightened of crime, diseases, environmental threats, food additives, pollution, plane crashes, shark attacks, crazed zombies, the fat content of cheeseburgers, etc.  And, yet, we all know that average life spans in our country have increased significantly in the past century.  Sure, most of those things mentioned above represent authentic potential dangers—okay, exclude the zombies—but the truth is that, in general, we live much safer, much longer lives, these days than ever before.

So why are we anxious, edgy and scared?  Here, in my opinion, are a few of the culprits.

1) Information overload.  We are inundated with details of all the troubles and problems on earth instantly and continuously.  That’s a slight exaggeration, but we do know more than ever before about the difficulties, trials and disasters that befall our fellow U.S. citizens and our fellow brothers and sisters around the world.

Sometimes it seems like every sad tale of woe on earth is relayed to us instantly via TV, radio, and the Internet; and within several hours in all the periodicals.  Being bombarded with so much grim turmoil every day begins to make a person a little jumpy after a while.

2) Media sensationalism.  Now, every new disaster to come along gets a special name by each news outlet, e.g., “Hurricane Watch 2009!” and it’s importance and impact is magnified by the media’s competitive need to present it to their readers/watchers/listeners in a more compelling way than their competitor.  If five inches of snow is forecast in Chicago, it’s a pretty good bet it will be called “Catastrophic Blizzard Watch ’09” or some other heart-pounding name by a local news outlet.

Words like “crisis”, “catastrophe” and “disaster” are used measurably more in the media today than they were just 10 or 15 years ago.  We all know that the various media producers are competing for ratings, but come on guys!  We’re all getting scared.  Give us a break from all the “catastrophes”.

3) Science and academia have contributed to this escalation of fear.  Every time we turn around, some new threat of impending doom is being presented in somber tones by a recognized scholar or scientist.

When I was in college they scared the heck out of us with population explosion predictions.  All the food on earth was going to be gone in about five years, they said.  Too many people.  Now I’m reading there’s no such problem, in fact, it may be just the opposite.  In many parts of the world, including the U.S., I’m now hearing that the population isn’t growing fast enough.

Did you know that in the 1970’s scientists were frightening people with predictions of a new Ice Age that was coming?  Seriously.  Now we hear endless chatter about global warming, complete with impassioned warnings from George Clooney and Cameron Diaz.  Which one is it?  Ice age or global warming?  Should I buy ice skates or swim fins?

(And, by the way, when did Cameron Diaz become an expert on Global Climatological studies?  Was it before or after Charlies Angels 2?  I’m just curious, that’s all.)

Climatologist Stephen Schneider of Stanford was quoted as saying, “Scientists should consider stretching the truth to get some broad based support, to capture the public’s imagination.”  He also said, “We have to offer up scary scenarios, make simplified dramatic statements, and make little mention of any doubts we might have.”

That is a telling comment.  Go back and re-read it and think about what this man is saying.  It’s an admission of blatant manipulation through fear rather than objective scientific reporting.

Science journalist, Tom Bethell says, “All science based on dire warnings about the future should be suspect, and all such science is almost by definition politicized . . .”

I recommend that we pay a little less attention to all these peddlers of fear and doom.  Obviously, there’s no need to take unnecessary risks or to disregard sensible precautions for safe, healthy living.  But it seems like we’re being “worked” by some people who have a vested interest in “working” us.  And it probably wouldn’t hurt to give short shrift to a lot of it.

Also, to those of us who are following Christ, we need to remember that we have His presence with us even in the face of real danger.  “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me…” Psalm 23:4

I don’t want to live in fear and my guess is that you don’t want to either.

And what the heck, have a cheeseburger once in a while, too.  It won’t kill you.

Dan Marler

E-Flash From Dan, The Kit Kat Guy

Dear E-Flash Friends;

I get into routines. Always have. It’s just, apparently, part of my nature. I get into routines when it comes to eating certain things. Some of you know about my predilections toward Taco Bell, and Mountain Dew, and Panera Bread iced tea. These are the objects of some of the routines that I get into. (By the way, I am imaging, even as I type, the comments—at my expense—that some of you are thinking, right now, and I don’t appreciate it.)

I’ve intentionally made some of these less-than-flattering routines known because I believe that if I mention these matters and tease myself first, that will diffuse all the teasing that others would be likely to give me. That theory still hasn’t worked too well. But I’m giving it more time.

Sometimes I am confronted with my routines in ways that are slightly uncomfortable or even, perhaps, downright embarrassing. For instance, a while ago, I walked into a local gas station where I fill up my car. As I approached the counter, the attendant said, “Hey, it’s the Kit Kat guy! How you doing Kit Kat guy?”

I wanted to protest and point out to the attendant that, “I do not get Kit Kats every time I come into this gas station!” But, admittedly, my protest would have been somewhat weakened by the fact that I was holding two handfuls of Kit Kats as I was walking to the counter.

(Drats! Why are the wise guys in my life always getting the last laugh?)

By the way, I WAS NOT really holding two HANDFULS of Kit Kats, that was a joke. I was only holding one Kit Kat . . . . alright, maybe two. Three at the most.

In some ways, our upcoming SHIFT weekend will be dealing with the concept of Shifting from negative routines to positive routines. Positive routines in our thinking, in our behaviors, and even in our understanding of our past. Positive routines in our relationship with God.

Just want to remind you that SHIFT is coming up beginning this Friday evening at 7p.m., continuing Saturday afternoon from 1-5p.m., and carrying on into Sunday’s services. Hope you’re planning to be a part of SHIFT.

Many blessings,

Dan Marler


P.S. Here’s the daily “Facebook” thought I provided today . . .
Here are 3 simple words we don’t hear often enough from leaders in religion, business, politics, academia, etc.: “I DON’T KNOW.” When a leader is asked a question in a public setting it can be very hard to say: “I don’t know”, even if the truth is that you “don’t know”. I’ve been there. There’s a strong urge to want to appear to “know”. That’s why humble, honest, people—people of integrity—are so refreshing.


P.P.S. If you have a Facebook account and want to be “Facebook Friends” I’d love to “connect”.