An Impossible Standard Is Presented

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When We Love God It Will Be Noticeable

An important factor in loving God is “obedience”.  Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” John14:15. This reminds us that the biblical understanding of love has a strong inclination toward action.  If you and I really love God, the people around us will probably be able to detect that reality by what we DO.  With that in mind here’s a question: Do you love God?

Finding Our Identity In Christ

Christian writer, Keith Meyer, mentions some of what are listed below as possible addictions or forms of dysfunction that can be common and even applauded in churches:  “workaholism, performance[-based faith], ambition, and people-pleasing”.  It is important to find our identity in Christ and to experience love, acceptance and LIFE in Him, not in those dysfunctional traps.

Real Love Involves Commitment

Modern culture often speaks of love in terms of feelings.  While it is true that love involves feelings—and feelings are a wonderful thing—real love must be rooted in something more dependable than feelings.  Real love involves commitment…it involves a commitment that is steadfastly maintained even as the feelings of the moment go up and down., 

Nadia's Birthday And Dessert...And Dessert

“Where would you like to go for dinner tonight?” I asked Nadia.

It’s her birthday, today, so I let her select any place she desired, McDonalds, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, it doesn’t matter.  No sir.  When I’m in a generous mood like this, I get crazy!

She said, “I was thinking about P.F. Chang.”

I said, “Okay, that’s good.  When you stop thinking about whatever issues you have involving Mr. Chang, then start thinking about a restaurant, and let me know.”

But it turns out that P.F. Chang is a restaurant.  So, that’s where we went.  [Psst, guys?  It’s a little pricier than McDonalds.]

We had a nice meal and Nadia opened her card and present right there in the restaurant.  Fortunately, she really loved her necklace and bracelet.  And she kissed me several times after she looked at it.  This, once again, proves that she loves me despite what some of the skeptics, and news analysts, and Washington, D.C. think-tanks have tried to suggest.

At the end of the dinner, dessert was served in small glasses.  Have you seen these things?  It seems like a popular way to serve dessert, these days.  The glass looks like a tall version of a shot glass.  It really does not contain a lot of dessert but I think that’s the idea.  It’s more like a “taste” of dessert rather than a big, coma-inducing helping of dessert.

At P.F. Chang's enjoying some tea.

It turned out to be good for us that the desserts were served in these small glasses because both Nadia and I are trying to be more cautious these days about what we eat.  And it was good because the small dessert glasses gave Nadia a legitimate excuse to say, “I’d like to go out for ice cream, since that wasn’t much of a dessert and, after all, it’s my birthday!”

Well, the most brilliant debater in the world couldn’t even begin to argue with that air-tight logic.  Am I right?

So, we found our way to a local Oberweis store and we enjoyed some ice cream.  (For the record, I had frozen yogurt.  That’s almost like having a carrot, isn’t it?  In terms of health and nutritional value, I’m going to assume that a frozen yogurt cone is equivalent to…oh…what? Four or five sticks of celery?  Sure.)

Well, that was Nadia’s night of birthday fun and frivolity.  We’re back home now and Nadia has spent the past half hour, or so, trying to catch her breath because that much fun, all at one time?  Well, come on.  I think we all know, it can take it out of a gal.

 

At Oberweis holding a small box of chocolates.

      Back home, catching her breath, after a thrilling evening of fun and adventure.

Here's An Idea: Pray More

Every now and then I will feel some “old” fears—that I thought had been vanquished long ago—come back to visit.  When that happens, I find that I pray more and I spend more time reading God’s word.  Hey, wait a minute, maybe I should just pray a lot and read His word a lot in the first place, huh?  “But Jesus OFTEN withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Luke 5:16

Have You Been To A Crusade Lately?

It’s been a while since I’ve been to what could be called a large “evangelistic meeting”.  This is understandable since there is often considerable debate just centered around the wisdom of me leaving the house, even for a few moments.

Tonight I attended the “Harvest Crusade” in Chicago and I was able to see how an evangelistic event is done in the year 2010.  It’s pretty impressive.

Of course, the technology is noticeably updated.  Camera operators are strategically set up to capture the event on video for those watching remotely and on large screens for those present at the venue.  Many of the conference materials make references to Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, and other online technological connections that they would like the crusade attendees to make.

At one point, early in the program, we, the participants were actually encouraged to take out our phones and text family or friends and invite them to watch the program live online.  Really. 

“Get your phone out and text someone who isn’t here and tell them to watch online,” we were told by the computer generated holographic image standing on the platform.

They didn’t mention anything about “texting” or watching “online” when I went to the Billy Graham Crusade in 1974, that’s for sure!  In fact, Billy didn’t make a single reference to cell phones.  Although, he mentioned his CB “handle” a couple of times; he told us his favorite new game was “Pong”; and then he stomped around the stage for a while in his platform shoes.  (He had outstanding sideburns in those days.)

The Harvest Crusade was very good.  The music was excellent.  The musical artists included The Katrinas; Steven Curtis Chapman; and Jeremy Camp.  The speaker was Greg Laurie.  And the ushers were Floyd, Bill and Eddie.  (That’s right, it’s time the ushers get the mentions they deserve!)

The theme for the evening had to do with finding hope in the midst of hurting and pain.  That’s always a relevant subject!

There were a number of terrific moments in the course of the evening, but two moments, in particular, stand out for me.  The first one occurred when we were being led in a song by Jeremy Camp.  I can’t remember the name of it, but it was one of those moving songs that touches the heart deeply.  And as we sang together, we were encouraged to join our hands and raise them into the air.

All around this large arena, some 30,000 people were joined together, hands lifted high, singing a song of praise to Jesus.  It was a spiritually powerful moment.

As we sang, many in the crowd spontaneously began to sway back and forth, with the rhythm of the song.  But that’s where a slight problem developed.  The people I was with couldn’t sway properly.  So, as the song continued and the gentle swaying of the crowd occurred, we were knocking back and forth and awkwardly moving around with no sense of coordinated movement.

Oh, don’t get me wrong, it was still a nice moment but our swaying, sadly, never quite came together.  It was embarrassing because I noticed as thousands of people throughout the arena began pointing at us, shaking their heads with disdain, and mouthing the words “those-people-can’t-sway.”

The second stand out moment occurred at the end of the evening when an invitation was made for people to come forward to the large open space on the main floor of the arena, in order to make public their profession of accepting faith in Christ.  Thousands of people went forward—literally—and they completely filled all the available space.  It was inspiring to see this kind of response.

As this occurred, I looked at the people in our group.  There were about 18 of us.  I knew that it was good for us to see this work of God in the lives of thousands of people even in our big-city, secularized Chicago culture.  I was especially glad that some of our youth were able to see this massive, humble, public response to God.

I honestly believe that genuine decisions for Christ impact a person’s eternal destiny.  You do, too, don’t you?  So, this was a time of hope, encouragement and true joy!  It really was a great moment and a wonderful evening.

The Harvest Crusade was a blessing.

  

P.S.  On the drive home, Paul let me play with his fancy phone that has Internet access.  It was pretty cool but I think I may have inadvertently messed up some aspect of my Facebook account.  Now, I keep getting a message that says: “Ha! Your pathetic instructions mean nothing to us, you weak, analogue, life form!” 

That’s not a typical error message, is it?

Oh well, that’s the price one pays for exploring new technological frontiers.

This is some of our group standing on line outside the

 arena waiting for the doors to open.

Real Love Must Be Freely Chosen

God is the Almighty Creator, that means He could create us in such a way that we would be automatically programmed to love Him with no choice in the matter.  But love that is not freely chosen is not authentic love.  God doesn’t want to be loved by robots, He wants to be loved by you and me…people.  So, God gives us free will.  We choose to love Him.  Thanks for making that choice!

Trusting That God Is Right About Our Identity

To disagree with God is, if you think about it, a significant form of arrogance…you know, considering that He’s…well…God.  So, to agree with God and take Him at His word is humble.  “Humility says to God, ‘I trust who You say I am.’”~Thrall & McNicol.

Seeing People As God's "Image Bearers"

The most fundamental and important reality of our existence is that we are made in the image of a God who loves us.  A genuine love for other people is dependent upon our understanding that every person is valuable and special, a unique and precious soul, an image-bearer of God.  When we see people in the light of this critical truth then our love for them is built on a stable foundation.

The True Intention Of The Heart

“It is very common that we find ourselves in a constant negotiation with God about who is in charge.  But a holy and devout life calls for surrender, not negotiation.”~Bill Hull.  The issue here has to do with the true intention of our heart.  A Christ follower who is growing, has a heart that is sincerely intentional about wanting to please God &, therefore, is engaging in the disciplines & practices that lead to growth.

It's Okay To Admit That We Need Others

We are inclined to desire independence and autonomy.  Fear and hurts from our past sometimes cause us to attempt to create a life in which our reliance on others is minimized as much as possible.  However, in order to love others we have to admit to ourselves that we NEED others.  Hey, it’s okay to admit that we need others, in fact, it’s important for us to admit that we need others.

"Wait A Minute, Did You Say MY Cross?"

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The Importance of Our Moods

Our emotional moods affect others.  “American Medical Association surveys show that patients four times higher than on comparable units.’”~Thrall & McNicol.  When we are happy and upbeat and positive it doesn’t just affect us, it affects others, too.  Hope you’re feeling JOYFUL today!

Can You Handle Comedy With A Reckless Abandon?

Chris Farley was one of my favorite SNL cast members of all time.  He performed comedy with a reckless abandon that was a thing to behold.

Chris occasionally referred to his form of comedy as “fatty falls down”, which is understandable when considering that his comedy was very physical and some of his pratfalls are legendary.  But there is an edge to some of his best performances that went beyond mere slap stick.

I remember the first time I saw Chris play “Matt Foley”, the motivational speaker.  I was stunned. The character was accurate as a pathetic motivational speaker to just the right degree to be a hilarious parody and yet he was oddly demented to just the right degree that he was actually a bit disturbing.  The character displays a comic genius that is way more than just “fatty falls down”.  I’ve seen the Matt Foley sketches dozens of times and they still crack me up.

Likewise, Chris’ portrayal of the confused and misplaced tourist on the Japanese TV game show is sheer beauty.  His reaction when the contestants begin cutting off their fingers, as the price for losing a round in the game, is hilarious and priceless.

I love Chris Farley.  I sure wish he was still around to make us laugh.

A Good Old-Fashioned Technological Campfire

Last night, we had such wonderful brisk weather that I decided to start up a nice campfire in our fire pit.  After a roaring fire was underway, I sat back, communing with nature and enjoying the peace, quiet and tranquility for a full 8 and a half minutes.  Then I went inside and got my laptop computer and brought it out by the fire.

Since our house has Wi-Fi and I was close by the house in our back yard, I went on-line.  I tried to “Skype” Taylor but he didn’t appear to be on line.  So, I checked out Facebook and made a few comments.  Then I browsed a couple of web sites and looked up a book that I heard about on Amazon.  And, suddenly, it hit me.

“What am I doing?” I thought.  “I’m outside, relaxing, enjoying nature.  I’m engaging in something as primal and visceral and natural as humanity itself—sitting in front of a  fire—and I’m on the Internet at the same time?!?  This is nuts!”

I realized that this was one of those pivotal moments.  This was one of those moments where we would see what kind of person I am.  Am I going to be one of those people who is hopelessly tethered to the matrix-like artificial life of the web?  Even while I’m in the very presence of the natural wonder and beauty of all the strip malls of Oak Lawn?

“No!” I said, out loud.  And I stomped my foot for emphasis.  I refuse to live with the sad desperation of someone who needs the constant stimulation of a computer connection to feel alive and fulfilled.  “I do not need this computer!” I shouted as I stood up and cast the vile machine into the fire.

Well…okay…that last part just happened in my mind.  I didn’t actually throw the computer in the fire.  That would be a very expensive way of making a point.  But I did turn it off.

“There!” I said with satisfaction.  And then I sat down, took a few deep breaths and turned my attention back to the soothing rhythms of the flaming fire.  “Yes,” I thought, “this is better.  So much better.  This is the natural pace at which we were meant to live.”

And I spent the next hour simply relaxing, watching the dancing flames, and texting back and forth with several friends.

“Yep, this is how the pioneers used to do it,” I thought, as my phone softly beeped, signaling the arrival of a fresh text message.

Speaking The Truth, Anyhow....With Gentleness, Respect & Kindness

Sometimes when we love we are misunderstood because love speaks the truth and, frankly, the truth can occasionally be hard for people to hear.  But when we love, we go ahead and speak the truth anyhow.  It’s really helpful, though, if we speak difficult truths with gentleness, respect, kindness, and much…much…humility.

Connecting With God

“Some stand on tiptoe trying to reach God to talk to him - you try too hard, friend - drop to your knees and listen to him, he'll hear you better that way.”  ~Terri Guillemets.  TRYING HARDER to connect with God, often doesn’t work.  Connecting with God sometimes happens better when we just simply go to a quiet place and be still and listen.

Love Perseveres

“The art of love…is largely the art of persistence.” [Ellis]   Love requires persistence because people can be ornery, inconsistent and very frustrating.  So, somewhere in the process of loving people, we will be tempted to say, “Forget it, this is crazy. I give up!”  Real love, however, hangs in there beyond that point of frustration.  According to 1Corinthians13:7, love “always perseveres.”

What Is That Strange Growth?

Nadia has an unusual practice of throwing all kinds of food outside for the squirrels and rabbits and other creatures—like that gnome—that inhabit our yard.  I’ve told her many times that this is unnecessary.

“They’re wild animals,” I’ve explained.  “They don’t need you to provide food.  In fact, it’s better for them if you don’t provide food.  That makes them lazy.”  To prove my point, I’ve shown her the small, crudely assembled hammocks that the rabbits have set up in the back yard.

But she continues to do it.

About 3 weeks ago, Nadia said, “Hey, you know how I’m throwing food out in the yard all the time?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, something’s growing,” she said.

For a minute, I thought she was looking at my stomach, but no, she meant something was growing in our yard.  A force was at work.  Without our knowledge or consent something had begun the mysterious process of cellular replication right in our midst.

Shooting up in the middle of one of our bushes, by the house, is a pumpkin plant.  It was not intentionally planted and cultivated.  The seeds must have just taken root and, without any attention from us, the plant is thriving.

In fact, we have a pumpkin that’s growing on the plant.  And it’s getting pretty big.  It’s that time of year where it is growing rapidly.  Two weeks ago it was about the size of an apple.  Now, it’s already larger than a basketball.  If it continues at this rate, next week my plan is to put wheels on it, install an engine, and begin driving it around town.  (Hey, Cinderella has proven that it can be done.)

We’re actually getting kind of excited about our big, homegrown pumpkin.  (I’ve named him “Wilson”…It’s not a volleyball, but the concept of a spherical friend is similar.)  We normally get a pumpkin or two every year for Rachel, anyhow.  So, this year we don’t have to buy one.  We’ll have our own that we’ve grown.

Someone said to me, recently, “That Nadia seems to have an ability to cultivate plants without even trying.” 

I thought, “Hmm, that’s true.”

So, I’ve given her a few dollar bills to crumple up and throw out into the back yard.  Hey, it’s worth a shot.  Let’s see if she can grow a money tree.  That way we can buy all new hammocks for the rabbits.

                 Here's a photo of Nadia with "Wilson".

Yep, It's Still True: Actions Speak Louder Than Words

“Environments are more powerful than words, no matter how carefully those words are crafted.” ~Thrall & McNicol.  In our homes, churches, workplaces, wherever, people typically have a feel for the reality of the place.  The things that actually happen—the actions—reveal the truth of the place, despite what anyone may SAY.   “Actions speak louder than words.”

A Reminder That We Need Each Other

It’s not unusual for us to experience negative feelings and to spend significant time ruminating on negative thoughts when we are ALONE.  In fact, some of the more unusual negative thoughts that we will experience tend to happen when we are alone.  This is one of the reasons that we need each other.  We need to speak encouragement, hope and the truth & love of God into each other’s lives.

This Message Will Be Proclaimed

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Do Not Be Hasty In Appointing Leaders? Q & A

The following question was sent to me.  With permission from the sender, I am posting the question, along with my response.

Question:  

I have a question about scripture. In 1 Tim. 5:22, Paul says "Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands". Why? My study note says this refers to the choosing of church leaders, but that doesn't make any sense to me.

Answer: 

I can’t say that I’m positive about this, but when we are instructed not to be hasty about appointing church leaders, I think it probably has something to do with being careful about exposing people to “disappointment” while they are still young in the faith. 

Let me explain…

When a person accepts a church leadership role, that person is usually exposed, by virtue of the position, to things in the church which may be unpleasant.  For example, in a leadership role it is likely that the person will, at some point, be involved in some type of conflict resolution between people in the church.  And the sad reality is that this new leader will quite possibly see people—who he/she had thought were mature Christians—behaving in selfish, unloving, ungracious, immature ways.

Again, the point is that this kind of experience can be unsettling and very disappointing to someone who is new to the faith.

I hate to even write something like this, but it is the sad reality of flawed human beings—even Christians.  Will the new leader see people, with God’s help, rise above this kind of immaturity, sometimes?  Yes, of course, he will!  Thank God!  But, not always.

The new leader won’t see these disappointing types of things all the time, and he or she will also see wonderful acts of generosity and kindness and grace.  But the reality is that people in the church don’t always behave in the ways that God calls us to behave and leaders often see more of this than others.

This is not an attempt to hide things from people or to be deceptive.  In fact, often disagreements between people or other types of trouble in the church become known by others, anyhow.  But wisdom seems to suggest that these leadership roles—in which a person may be exposed to difficulties and petty behaviors and disappointing words and actions by other Christians—need to be filled by spiritually mature people who can handle seeing this type of thing without becoming too rattled, or having his/her faith shaken.

So, there is wisdom in appointing people to leadership who have some “seasoning” in both the church, and in life, and in living the faith.  The leadership person needs to be firmly rooted in the faith.  The person needs to be spiritually mature (this does not necessarily mean “elderly” in terms of age).  The person needs to understand that people—even Christians—can be deeply flawed and hurt each other. 

Think about the leadership qualities and insights that are mentioned above.  They take time to develop, don’t they?  These qualities and insights don’t, usually, come quickly.  That’s why, in my opinion, we are instructed not to be “hasty” in appointing leaders.

Bringing The Kingdom To Everyone

At the heart of His gospel was the fact that “Jesus was bringing the kingdom of God to those whom the authorities—the religious leaders, scribes, and Pharisees—thought were hopeless and should be shut out.”—Dallas Willard.  Over and over again, we see Jesus hanging out with the “least of these.”  He calls us to proclaim the Good News to even the most unlikely, as well.

Say "I Love You" Now Rather Than Later

When it comes to telling people that you love them, keep in mind: 1) even if they know you love them go ahead and say it again, anyhow.  It can’t hurt, right? And 2) don’t wait till later to tell people that you love them.  The future doesn’t always work out the way we think it will.  “Now” is the only moment we have for certain, so, go ahead and say “I love you”, NOW.

A Few Thoughts After Watching The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards

When I was a young man, in college, I studied music and discovered that there is a long and storied history of people disliking new music.  For a long time, people have been incredibly resistant to innovations in music.  History tells us that musical conventions that are completely commonplace nowadays—for example a seventh chord—were met with hostile resistance when they were initially introduced.  People actually believed that any composer who could put such a horribly dissonant sound into his composition must surely be demon possessed. 

Seriously, this was the kind of reaction that musical innovations received.

The basic principle seems to be that our ears get comfortable with music styles as we know and understand them.  That seems pretty reasonable, right?  So, as time goes by, when something new is introduced, the tendency for most people is to dislike it.

Although I was a young man, I understood this basic principle of resistance to new music from the firsthand experience of hearing my elders complain about the music that the “young folks” of my generation were listening to.

“You call that music?” I recall an older adult asking while an album was playing on my turntable [if need be, you can do a search on Google to find out what a “turntable” is].  “That just sounds like noise to me!  It sounds like a couple of cats fighting.”

Of course, being young and impudent, that comment was my cue to turn up the volume a notch or two.

[By the way, the album I was listening to was titled, “The Fighting Cats”, so, frankly, the older guy was making a pretty good point.]

I told myself, as a young man, “I’m not going to let that happen to me.  I’m going to continue to listen to current music and maintain an appreciation for new music as I get older.  I want to be able to know and understand and enjoy the newer styles of music, even as I age.  I’m not going to become one of those old codgers stuck in a time warp, living in the past, as the world continues on.”

Okay…I told you all of that to say this: Last night I watched a fairly good portion of the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards program and once again the carefully conceived and logically airtight plans that I made as a tremendously wise 20-year-old have been foiled.  I wasn’t too keen on the music that I heard on the show and I’m not really interested in developing an appreciation for it.  In fact, during a couple of the performances it occurred to me that I seem to be an “old codger stuck in a time warp, living in the past, as the world continues on.”

And—boy, I know this is going to make me sound hopelessly, cluelessly, pathetically old, but—I just can’t take Lady Gaga seriously as an artist.  I’m sorry, but she only made me laugh.  But at least laughter is a fairly positive reaction.  Some of the other artists actually made me slightly sad.  Not really, really sad.  I’m not sitting in a dark room crying or anything like that.  But sort of sad.

Fortunately, I know how to start feeling good again.  Yep, I got out my old turntable and cranked it up and I’m enjoying some rock and roll classics. 

…Well, I thought I was enjoying some old classics.  It turns out the turntable is broke.  What I was really hearing was two cats out in my back yard fighting.

They’re not bad.

*NOTE:  Lady Gaga wore a dress made of meat, at one point, last night.  I'm not sure if that's the "Meat Dress" in the photo of her, above left, but it might be.  A dress made of meat at an awards show...now, you have to admit, that's sort of funny.

Good Change...Becoming More Like Christ

God wants to use us as His change agents in the world.  But in order to do that, He must change us FIRST.  Are you willing to change—we’re talking about good change, becoming more like Christ?  Sometimes when I think about the changes God wants to affect in us I imagine Him saying: “Okay, we can do this the hard way or the easy way, which do you prefer?”

A True Commitment To Love

Real love values “commitment”.  If a relationship can be easily walked away from, then something isn’t right.  It’s important for us to know that those we love and those who love us will be there.  And when things get tough…they’ll still be there.  Nothing “in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Rom.8:39. That’s real commitment. It’s nice, isn’t it?

The Pastor In Florida And The Law Of Love

Several people have asked my opinion about the pastor in Florida who had planned to burn copies of the Koran.  [It appears at this time, that, fortunately, he no longer intends to do this.]  It seems to me that this story presents us with an opportunity to understand something important: Followers of Jesus are called to higher standard.  Let me explain.

The man who threatened to have a Koran burning event has a legal right, based upon the laws of our land, to express himself in this way.  But, followers of Christ, have an obligation to a higher moral standard than the laws of our land.  Again, I would suggest to you that this is a very important point and it seems to be a truth about which there may be some confusion. 

God calls His people to a HIGHER STANDARD than the laws of our land.

We have an obligation to God’s law of love.  We have the high calling to love the way that Jesus loved.  Jesus identified the most important commandment, and laid down the law of love, like this:  " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Luke 10:27

Christians need to consider the truth that something may be permissible from a legal standpoint, and yet, that does not ensure it expresses God’s law of love.

In the context of referring to the religious dietary laws of his time, the Apostle Paul wrote this, "‘Everything is permissible’—but not everything is beneficial. ‘Everything is permissible’—but not everything is constructive.” 1Cor.10:23. 

In other words, just because something is “permitted” legally, does not mean that it’s a good, helpful, compassionate, or constructive thing to do.

For example, a believer may have the legal right to bring a lawsuit against another believer.  And perhaps it would even be a slam dunk case, from a legal perspective.  But that legal right, may not reflect God’s higher law, the law of love.  In that case, the follower of Christ would honor God by waiving the legal right and submitting to the law of love.

Part of the larger context of Paul’s writing in the 1Corinthians10 passage had to do with freedom.  There is a freedom which belongs to followers of Christ and some folks in the early churches did not fully understand this freedom.  This freedom is, obviously, a wonderful thing.  We all like “freedom”, right?  But Paul was cautioning his readers to consider wisdom, and sensitivity to others, and a concern for the welfare of others in the exercise of freedom.

Just because a person is “free” to do something does not automatically mean it is a wise or compassionate action to take.

I’ve heard news commentators express the thought that the pastor in Florida has the legal right to burn copies of the Koran, but it is still not a good thing to do.  As a Christian, my response is similar but with an emphasis on the love of Christ.  Yes, he has a legal right, but is this the best way to express the truth of Christ and the love of Christ to a watching world?

I think honest followers of Jesus would say, “no”.

Referring to love—the kind of love to which God calls us—we find this phrase, in the Bible, “And now I will show you the most excellent way.” 1Cor.12:31.

As followers of Christ, with the help of God’s Holy Spirit, let’s always try to follow “the most excellent way.”

Nine Years After September 11th, Certainty Is STILL Only Found In God

I remember, Nadia called me at church and said, “A plane flew into one of the World Trade Center buildings.” I rushed home to watch it on TV and saw the next plane fly into the 2^nd tower. That weekend, the church was very crowded. People naturally look to God when life feels uncertain. Nine yrs. later it’s good to remember that true CERTAINTY and stability in life are STILL only found in God.

Easter In August

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There Can Be Value In Criticism

Let’s not be too unsettled by criticism.  We all know that it can sting, but thinking honestly about the criticism that comes our way can help us to learn and grow.  Sometimes, even criticisms that are not entirely fair can be valuable in helping us to avoid becoming complacent.

I Didn't Intend To Frighten The Clerk

I just took my daughter, Rachel, to Blockbuster Video because she absolutely had to get a video game otherwise the prison-like boredom of our home would have been too much for her to survive.  On the way to Blockbuster, the song, “Bohemian Rhapsody”, by Queen, came on the radio and, caught up in a burst of inspiration, I performed the entire song, along with the radio, as it played.

It was magnificent rendering, even if I have to say so myself.  For those of you who are familiar with the song, you will know that it has many vocal parts layered on top of each other with vocal counter-point parts and even splashes of the German language.  I delivered the tune moving seamlessly from one vocal part to the next, gesturing at precise moments to indicate the cues of certain instrumentation and changes in “feel” as the song moves from one section to the next.  My guess is that hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people would have gladly offered substantial sums of their hard earned cash to witness this extraordinary display of musical virtuosity.

But as we pulled into the parking space at Blockbuster, Rachel said, “whatever” and jumped out of the car, right as we came to the end of the song.  Sadly, she didn’t even get to hear me sing the final line. 

(I’ll pause for a moment while you wipe away a tear…)

Since I was in a silly mood, I decided to share my tale of unappreciated musical talent with the two young women working the counter at the store.  As Rachel and I stepped to the counter to check out, I said to the clerk, “Do you know the song ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ by Queen?”

Looking at me suspiciously, she said, “I think I do.”

With a big smile, I said, “I just performed the entire song for my daughter on the way over here and [with mock sadness] she didn’t appreciate it at all.”

I waited, expectantly, for her to laugh.  But the young woman looked at me—no kidding—with an expression of total fear.  There was literally fear on her face!  Apparently, she didn’t sense that I was joking around.  So, when I realized that my attempt at humor had actually somehow frightened her—I don’t know why it frightened her, but it did—I tried to help her understand that I was merely teasing.

“Sometimes I act sort of silly.  You know how that is, right?”

She didn’t answer.  But now she looked at me like I was, perhaps, one of the oddest people she had ever encountered in her life.  Then she cast a glance at her co-worker, who was listening to our exchange, and the two of them shook their heads as if to say, “we definitely need to have a tighter security system in this place.”

Have I really gotten to the place where my very presence actually frightens young people?

She quickly retrieved the game that we were renting and rung up the purchase, all the while being careful not to make eye contact with me.

As we walked out the door, I said, “Well, have a good day.”

But both clerks were already in the back room of the store—firearms in hand, no doubt—with the door locked.

On the drive home, I sang two other songs, but my heart wasn’t in it and, I admit, the performances were somewhat flat and lacking in passion.

Rachel simply maintained one of those “when-will-you-ever-learn?” looks on her face for the entire ride.

Seeing Relationships As Something Precious And Important

“Instead of thinking about friendship or marriage as relationships with intrinsic value, we [sometimes] look to them as a means of fulfilling our needs.  When the needs are no longer satisfied by that relationship, we discard it and move on to another that we believe will be a better use of our resources.” [Wilkens & Sanford] 

This quote is a description of how relationships are sometimes approached in our culture.  Some of us could probably think of specific examples in our lives when we’ve witnessed or, perhaps, even experienced what is described above.

God’s intention is not that friendships & relationships would be “tools” which we utilize for the fulfillment of our needs but rather that they would be understood to be connections of utmost significance and value to us—that we would see relationships as something precious and important—based on the realization that every person we encounter is made in the image of God and is loved and valued by God.

E-Flash From Dan, Sept. 8, 2010, Fall Kick-Off 2010 Edition

Dear E-Flash Friends;

Over and over again, in the gospels, Jesus talks about the call for His followers to live under his reign and His rule.  We call this: living in God’s kingdom.  When Jesus elaborates on what it means to live for Him—in His kingdom—we discover that His way involves what could honestly be described as a “strange and unique” manner of living.

Jesus actually says things like this:

Give up your life for my sake.

Take up YOUR cross.

It’s practically impossible to be saved.  [paraphrase]

Be perfect.

In order to be great, you have to be the least.

If you hate someone, it’s the same as killing him.

If your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out.

Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you.

If someone slaps you, turn and let them slap the other cheek.

Don’t ever worry.

Always be really, really nice to Dan.  He’s a terrific guy.

[Okay, Jesus didn’t say that last line, but He did say the others.]

Indeed, this is strange and unique living, huh?  Sometimes, we forget about the revolutionary nature of the teachings of Jesus.  His teachings about how to live upset people during His physical time on earth many years ago and, truthfully, his teachings about how to live are still revolutionary and upsetting to some people today.

But followers of Jesus proceed with the heartfelt conviction that He is right and He does know how to live.  It is important for those of us who want to live for Him that we sincerely try to understand His teachings and that we take Him seriously in these matters in which He tells us how to live.

That’s what we will be doing for the next 5 weeks, as we launch into our Fall Kick-Off series, this Sunday, September 12^th.  The series is titled: “The Strange & Unique Call To Life In God’s Kingdom”.

I’ve been working on the first message in the series, “Wait A Minute, Did You Say MY Cross?”   And I must admit that I got myself all excited for a few minutes and I was actually standing up in my office preaching a portion of the message.  

…Then I took an offering, had a closing prayer, and went out into the lobby of the church and greeted myself.  Boy, was it an inspiring time!

Will you, please, consider doing these 3 things?  1) Pray for our Fall Kick-Off; 2) Pray about who God might lead you to invite; and 3) Take that risk of making an invitation.

Thank you.  I’m looking forward to seeing you Sunday!

Blessings,

Dan

P.S.  If you just can’t wait till Sunday, I understand, I feel the same way.  So, do this, come tonight, Sept. 8^th, Next Step, 7pm.  I’ll be teaching on the subject of “Spiritual Growth” and I’m excited about that, too!  (Yes, it’s true, I’m easily excited, but what can I say?  I’d rather be a person who is easily excitable than someone who never gets excited, at all, right?)

*NOTE:  If you would like to have the E-Flash From Dan sent to your e-mail--whether you attend the Church of God in Oak Lawn, or not--simply send a message to:  cog111st@aol.com ;

And write:  “Send me the E-Flash” in the “subject” field.

The God of 379th Chances

Sometimes people tell me:  “Dan, I know our God is a God of 2^nd chances, but I’ve used up my 2^nd chance, and my 3^rd, and my 4^th, and my 379^th….I’m afraid I’ve pushed it too far.  I’m probably out of chances, now, right?”  No, that’s not true.  If we will go to God HUMBLY and with a SINCERE HEART, the Lord Jesus Christ died so that we could have, yet, one more chance!

When "Being Dependent" Is A Sign Of Maturity

When is “being dependent” a sign of maturity?  Answer:  When we welcome dependence as a normal part of the human condition and recognize that God is the ultimate supplier of every need.  And when we willingly acknowledge, in our dependence, our need for others and understand that this interdependency is part of God’s plan for healthy community.  That’s when being dependent is a sign of maturity.

Having An Accurate View of Jesus

The more clearly we see Jesus for who He really is, the fuller and more committed our experience of discipleship will be.  “Small” Christians have a “small” view of Jesus.  Sincere, authentic, mature, committed Christians have a rich, accurate, reverent, exalted view of Jesus.  For a fantastic description of Jesus, read (or re-read) Colossians 1:15-20.

Choosing To Love God

In order for love to be meaningful, the one who loves must choose to do so willingly. If someone is coerced into loving, the love he gives is not authentic.  So, God gives us free will.  God loves us FIRST…true love is always INITIATED by God.  But God allows us to choose to respond in love to Him, or to ignore Him.  I encourage you to acknowledge God’s love for you and to CHOOSE to love Him.

"Picking" And "Choosing" Our Areas Of Submission To Christ

“Our common way of avoiding radical discipleship is to be selective: choosing those areas in which commitment suits us and staying away from those areas in which it will be costly. But because Jesus is Lord, we have no right to pick and choose the areas in which we will submit to his authority.”—John Stott.  Being a disciple of Jesus involves submitting our entire lives to Him.

Do Squirrels Pray For God's Protection?

Jasper was standing at the patio door looking into the backyard with great intensity.  In fact, I wasn’t really paying attention to his level of intensity.  I didn’t notice just how much he was raring to go.  So, when I opened the door, I was practically knocked aside when he bolted out as if I had lit his tail on fire.  And he was followed closely by his friend Jake.

They both crossed the yard like streaks of lightning and that’s when I noticed a squirrel on the ground.  Those 3 words are very important, “on the ground”.  On the ground is not a good place for a squirrel to be when two dogs are present.  “The boys” [we refer to Jasper and Jake as “the boys”] …the boys reached the squirrel before he could make it to the nearby tree and I thought, “Oh no, that poor squirrel is a goner.”

But the squirrel pulled an amazing move.  I doubt that any running back in the NFL has ever pulled a move this slick.  He zig zagged with a quick cut and ran UNDER JASPER’S LEGS to the fence, several yards away, and then he ran up to the top of the fence!  I don’t know how he did it.  I wish I had video taped the whole thing because it would be awesome to watch it all in slow motion.

Then the squirrel ran one direction and switched back to run the other direction balanced on the top of the inch-wide fence.  The boys were jumping and barking and they were coming very close to grabbing the squirrel, while he ran as fast as he could back and forth on this thin perch.

I held my breath and watched, still thinking, “This squirrel’s in trouble.  I’m afraid they’re going to get him.”

But the squirrel had one more amazing move up his sleeve.  (Yes, this particular squirrel was wearing a long sleeved shirt.)  The squirrel caught Jake moving one direction and he quickly ran diagonally down the wall of the fence, the other direction.  Before he hit the ground—and just as Jasper was closing in—he leaped from the fence over Jasper’s back to the tree and then up the tree trunk.  Of course, once the squirrel was in the tree, he was on his turf.  He made it.  He survived.  I don’t know how he survived, but he did.  It’s one of those stories that the squirrel will be telling his little squirrel grandchildren someday.

[Chewing on an acorn]  “…That’s right, little ones, that’s when grandpa leaped right over the back of the big black dog.”

[Wide-eyed] “Really, grandpa, you really did that?”

“Yep, I could do moves like that in my sleep back in my younger days. [Munch, munch.]  Someone hand me one of those chocolate covered walnuts, would you?”

The boys stood at the base of the tree looking up and barking in a lame attempt at striking fear into the heart of the squirrel.  But they blew it.  The squirrel stood on a branch, high up in the tree, looked at the boys and laughed.  In fact, I think he may have even waved a little bit while he laughed…his sleeves flowing in the breeze.

As the boys walked back into the house, I teased them saying, “There were two of you guys, the squirrel was on the ground, and you still couldn’t get him.  That’s pretty pathetic.”

So, Jasper and Jake have pulled out their playbook and they are reviewing diagrams, trying to figure out where they went wrong.

The whole thing has made me wonder:  Do squirrels ever start their day with prayer, asking God for divine protection?  Because if I was this squirrel, I would definitely assume that today, I got a little help from on high.

God Knows Us Completely And Still Love Us Perfectly

We are longing to be really and truly known by someone and, yet, to still be loved.  But our fear is: if people REALLY knew me, they wouldn’t love me.  That’s why this truth is so wonderful and extraordinary:  the one Person who actually knows us completely—the One who knows every detail of our existence—loves us totally and perfectly.

Enduring Something Difficult On Behalf of God

Some of us occasionally wonder if circumstances will ever occur in which we will be expected to endure something difficult on behalf of God.  If that ever happens to us, it will probably be helpful to remember that Jesus has already willingly endured something very difficult on our behalf.

Finding Satisfaction In God

Here’s an interesting thought I read recently: “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”—John Piper.  If we are constantly searching for satisfaction in things other than God, it can subtly, or not so subtly, suggest that He is not enough—that He is insufficient.  On the other hand, when we find GENUINE SATISFACTION in Him, it gives Him glory.