Jul 14, 2009

God Is God & I Am Not

"When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?" Psalm 8:3-4

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May 29, 2009

11 Years

Tomorrow I celebrate being married to my bride for 11 years. In ways it's hard to believe. We have packed in so much in that time. Three states, five houses and four beautiful girls. There have been seasons of joy and times of great difficulty. We have seen God work through difficult circumstances and seen how He's grown us through it.

I'm so glad that after 11 years, my wife brings out in me the desire to be a better man for her. She is my faithful support, sounding board, companion and prayer warrior. I've seen her be open to what God has for her and follow his leading. I've seen her influence on others grow. I'm so proud of her.

I've seen how marriage can humble me, propel me to my knees and cause me to be dependent on God's work in me to be the husband he desires me to be. Because in myself I'm selfish, arrogant and proud. I've seen the benefit of seeing marriage not as a vehicle for happiness, although there is incredible joy in it, but holiness, as Gary Thomas puts it in "Sacred Marriage"(which I highly recommend).

Marriage has been an incredible personal reminder of Christ's intense love for his bride - the church. Knowing that he is always faithful, ever true. That he is patient and keeps his promises. That his grace and forgiveness covers all her sins, my sin. That he gave himself sacrificially. That he desires me to love my wife the same way, laying aside my rights to serve her. That my marriage should be a living declaration of Christ's relationship to his bride. Knowing what Christ has done for me, what would limit me from expressing the same to my wife? Selfishness. Complacency. Pride. I need God. It's impossible in myself to love like that, yet through him all things are possible. If he is the one who is at work in my life, then his fragrance is going to flow out of my life. His presence will be evident. My wife will experience his love through me with the love that he has given me. I can't take credit for it, but I can take blame if it doesn't happen.

Whether single or married, experiencing great joy or difficulty, it's about knowing the love of Christ and responding in surrender,a lifestyle of worship. He is our greatest need at any and every point in life. It's not always easy, but there is incredible joy in it.

So after eleven years of this part of my journey...

To my beautiful bride...Happy 11th Anniversary. I love you.

To my beautiful Lord...Thank you. I love you.

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Mar 24, 2009

Current favorite worship song...

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Mar 11, 2009

God Provides

This past weekend I had the opportunity to speak on Matthew 6:13, where Jesus taught us to pray "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil". What an important prayer to have on our lips! Because through every trial comes a temptation. But not only through trial, good times as well. I am so glad to know the promise that God sets those restrictions on the intensity of the temptation. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so you can endure."

I am reminded of this in a story told by Ravi Zacharias, a Christian apologist. He tells the story how in Vietnam in 1971 he met a young Christian man named Hien Pham. Hien served as a volunteer translator for the American military as well as for missionaries. During that time Hien and Ravi became close friends. They parted ways four years later after their experiences in Vietnam. Ravi hadn't heard from Hien again until an unexpected phone call in 1988.

In that phone call, Ravi heard the shocking things that had happened to Hien since the fall of Vietnam. I quote Ravi below:

***
"Shortly after Vietnam fell to the Communists, Hien was arrested. Accused of aiding and abetting the Americans he was in and out of prison for several years. During on long jail term, the sole purpose of his jailers was to indoctrinate him against the West-and especially against democratic ideals and the Christian faith. He was cut off from reading anything in English and restriced to communist propaganda in French and Vietnamese. This daily overdose of the writings of Marx and Engels began to take its toll on him. One of the books he was given to read pictured the communist man as a bird in the ironclad cage of capitalism, throwing itself against the bars of "capitalist oppression" and bloodying itself in the process. Yet still it continued to struggle in its quest for freedom.

Hien began to buckle under the onslaught. Maybe, he thought, I have been lied to. Maybe God does not exist. Maybe my whole life has been governed by lies. Maybe the West has deceived me. The more he thought, the more he moved toward a decision. Finally, he made up his mind. He determined that when he awakened the next day, he would not pray anymore or even think of his Christian faith again.

The next morning, he was assigned to clean the latrines of the prison. It was the most dreaded chore, shunned by everyone, and so with much distress he began his awful task. As he cleaned out a tin can filled to overflowing with toilet paper, his eye caught what he thought was English printed on one piece of paper. He hurriedly washed it off and slipped it into his hip pocket, planning to read it at night. Not having seen anything in English for such a long time, he anxiously waited for a free moment. Under his mosquito net that night after his roommates had fallen asleep, he pulled out a small flashlight and shining it on the damp piece of paper he read at the top corner, "Romans, Chapter 8." Literally trembling with shock he began to read:

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have
been called according to his purpose...
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He
who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up fro us all-how will he not also, along with him,
graciously give us all things?...
...Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution
or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?...No, in all these things we are more than
conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither
height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love
of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:28, 31, 32, 35, 37-39)

Hien wept. He knew his Bible, and he had not seen one for so long. Not only that, he knew there was not a more relevant passage of conviction and strength for on on the verge os surrendering to the threat of evil. He cried out to God, asking for forgiveness, for this was to have been the first day in years that he had determined not to pray. Evidently the Lord had other plans.

The next day, Hien asked the camp commander if he could clean the latrine again. He continued with this chore on a regular basis, because he had discovered that some official in the camp was using a Bible as toilet paper. Each day Hien picked up a portion of Scripture, cleaned it off, and added it to his nightly devotional reading. In this way he retrieved a significant portion of the Bible."

***
Hien was later released from prison and he escaped from the country through a miraculous story as well. What an awesome reminder of God's faithfulness! In the midst of suffering He is there! Stay faithful in midst of everything - trial, temptation, suffering, blessing! Father, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil!

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Feb 27, 2009

Jars of Clay

One of my favorite Bible teachers today is James MacDonald from Harvest Bible Chapel outside Chicago. He has a great way of communicating in a no nonsense, straight forward, non-apologetic, biblical sort of way. I respect that. I aim to be that kind of man. He has a great radio ministry called Walk In The Word, which can also heard through podcast. I highly recommend it! Recently James was diagnosed with prostate cancer. His courage, faith and testimony through this and his treatments is such an example to me.


Each of us are probably going through "stuff". May we cling ever tighter to the One who offers peace and hope in the midst of all of life's situations. May we show that He is supremely valuable in our lives and worthy of everything we are regardless of our level of comfort.

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

2 Co 4:7-11

...
While being treated in California for his cancer, James MacDonald went to a taping of The Price is Right. He's the guy making funny gestures in the front row. The video is too funny! Praying for you James! (FOR SOME REASON THE VIDEO DOES NOT WORK IN INTERNET EXPLORER. YOU CAN SEE THE VIDEO HERE.)


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Feb 18, 2009

History Lessons From Hannah

I just saw my daughter's papers that she wrote for school. They cracked me up. Spelling and grammar is as she wrote it:

Martin Luther King Jr is special because: "he said that no matter what your skin color is you can all go to school together. No matter what your skin color is you can all eat together. No matter what your skin color is you can all play together. No matter what your skin color is you can all watch TV together."

Abraham Lincoln was: "the presidet. He like to learn every day. He was nice. He got shot and dide. He was tall. He was the 16 presidet. His mom dide. He was cool."

What will history, or a future 7 year old, say about you?

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Jan 9, 2009

Challenge From An Atheist

I heard about this video today and have now seen it for myself.  It's by self described atheist Penn Jillette from the comedy duo "Penn & Teller".   While I'm not a fan, this video clip is a challenge and also an encouragement to living out authentic Christianity.  The quote that sticks out in my mind is "How much do you have to hate someone to not proselytize?" What a reminder that we are salt and light! Check it out...


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