In Lystra and Derbe
Ac 14:8 In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth a and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10 and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.
Ac 14:11 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.
14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting:
15 “Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. 16 In the past, he let all nations go their own way. 17 Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”
18 Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them. 19 Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20 But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.
Can you believe this? People were trying to honor Paul and Barnabus, taking it too far by worshiping them and while Paul was trying to stop them from improper worship, the Jewish leaders enter, getting control of the crowd (because even the truth of which Paul spoke could not get their attention). How is it that the Jews completely misunderstood what was happening and turn the crowd from praise (and improper worship) into enough anger (improper anger by the way) to stone him?
It has been brought to my attention, many times how we, as believers, do great harm against things done 'correctly' in and before the eyes of our Lord! A pastor and friend of mine contributed on our church blog about 'bumper sticker' Christians who do more to turn people away from Christ than win them over to Him with His love.
See-- http://www.newheightscommunity.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=291:lord-save-us-from-your-followers&catid=31:pastors-blog&Itemid=198
What is of importance in this passage is that God took care of Paul and preserved his life, probably because he was doing what was honorable before the Lord. What is also important is that God did not spare Paul of the stoning! Of what blessing might there be in letting Paul endure unjust stoning? This boggles the mind!!! Yet, I have come to believe that Paul, like none of us, truly came to terms with the unjust suffering of His savior in that moment, as did those disciples who surrounded him and prayed for his return to life on earth! (which God obviously raised him up again, remember people were stoned until confidently perceived as dead!).
My life is surrounded by, and would be overwhelmed with the suffering of His people as they press through life. In my previous blog I spoke of Dan and his sufferings. I have friends who are suffering abuse, betrayal, unemployment, hunger. I have friends of dear friends who are suffering from cancer, failed marriages, even prison (for things they deserve). What I have come to see clearly, is that suffering is an active part of our redemption. For those who cross the boundaries in crime, prison is supposed to be suffering to actively change their hearts (how have we gone wrong in this area?). Even for those of us who suffer doing honorable things before our Lord, these sufferings are for our good as well.
The real questions are these... Are we suffering as a part of God's discipline for unholy, disrespect to Him as servants, His longing to sanctify us through correction? Or will God take our righteous suffering, wrongly accused and misperceived by others and use it for His glory?
Much of our suffering is brought upon us as part of God's discipline and correction in our lives; sinful suffering. Some of our suffering is brought on by the misconceptions of others, our motives fully accepted by God; sacred suffering. Sinful suffering, sacred suffering; Both are part of the equation of redemption. If we choose to be connected with Jesus Christ, we will experience both, yet our savior never even participated in a morsel of sin, which is why His suffering, sacred, undeserved, pure before our Father and His, is the only suffering that can fully redeem us in this life to the next. Ours is to press ahead in such a way that our suffering is not driven by sin, but driven by His glory revealed through us. Paul considered it an honor to be stoned for Christ and His righteous glory. Now that, is the power of sacred suffering.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
I've Got Nothin' But Time
Recently I contacted a friend who has ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Loug Gehrig's disease) and Parkinson's. The Lord was asking me to spend some time with Dan and he emailed me saying , "Love to get together with you, I've got nothin' but time".
Well, months went by and I prayed for Dan, but life pressed in and I've yet to get together with him. More recently, I called but only got an answering machine. I know life for him is pressing on and the diseases press on mostly ravaging the body while leaving the mind relatively intact. God brings Dan to mind many times with greater frequency as my days rush on, and I pray for he and his wife, Jann.
While it is difficult to watch and hear of such struggle, I have found that we, especially I am in the similar boat as Dan. My mind is intact, but my life is diseased with body succumbing to the paralyzing ravages of the distractions of the world, and my aging. God has been asking me to 'be with Dan', not to feel sorry for him or somehow bring comfort to myself in 'doing a good deed', but to encourage a brother who is literally struggling, more obviously, with a physical ailment that will consume his life, but not his soul or spirit.
Dan was a band director at my college (Point Loma Nazarene University) while I attended there to become a teacher. He had developed a jazz program and I joined and traveled with the band while at age 35, married with two sons God led me to change my career path. His ailment has forced him to curtail his job, but not his life. My brother Dan is real, full of 'heart' and has wit and response that would catch you off guard...until you spent enough time with him and prepared yourself for each excursion. His love for our Lord runs deep, and his musings clearly move hearts, pointing them to our Savior. His passions; Jesus, Jann,music, especially jazz but with a full connection to all other forms, and college kids, or more correctly I should just say people; anyone whom God brings across his path, and the Mets.
One of my favorite stories of Dan was when we were talking about worship music, and hymns. Without flinching a millisecond, he stated that rich lyrics, not the form of music is key to a great song. Amazing Grace is rich because of the well formed lyrical impact, and though it isn't true of this hymn, many hymns tunes are drawn from 'bar songs'. You can sing "Amazing Grace" to the tune of "Gilligan's Island" and while it sounds silly, the words still speak volumes, if you choose to focus on the richness of its verbage! To this day, as I write songs for my savior, I am reminded, constantly, by God, through Dan that richness of lyrics are more important than 'form' of music.
For us, Dan's current battle is difficult to imagine, or more honestly, something we don't dare imagine might occur to our life. On the outside looking in, it breaks my heart to see such a witty, vibrant life, torn apart brick by brick physically with each passing day. I can only imagine what it would be like to 'live in such a state' as the one walking in the demise, yet, I've come to realize, that every day of my life is the same, only moving at a snails pace compared to Dan's. As we age, the ravages of time and the world wreak havoc on our ailing bodies, and, in my scant 53 years, there have been many, my body often yelling at me when I attempt anything that is physically 'youthful'. Even my mind is loosing it's sharpness and I find myself working harder at many aspects of cogitation. However, as I age, I've come to realize the most valuable commodity in life. It isn't money. It definitely isn't the ownership of things. It is time.
I find myself being led to a new 'career'. A form of teaching, or rather, living with others with the simple sacrifice of time. It begins with spending time with my Lord, reading scripture, praying with frequency and fire, listening for His direction, and then responding to His leading into the lives of those He calls me, first in prayer, many hours of it; prayer not primarily in the talking, but in the listening. I find myself peering into and then delving into His word, the Bible, ruminating and wrestling for understanding. I find myself reading books and testimonies of the pillars of faith, the likes of St. Frances of Asisi, Henry Nouwen, G.K. Chesterton, Richard Foster, Ravi Zacharias, and a host of others.
I find myself also seeing into such lives as Dan Nelson, Kurt Perry, Leo Lindberg, Dr. Micheal Klein, Brian Craig, and an even larger host of people who have taken the time to invest parts, deep parts of their lives into me. Most such 'saints' of whom you are unfamiliar, but each contributors to a better world, pouring themselves not only into me, but into all the lives of the acquaintances and friends God presented in presence as they walk(ed) through life.
So, now, I find myself sitting here blogging about some of my heroes, many who never knew me, but someday will (in heaven) and a plethora of those who did and cared with the deepest sacrifice...of time. When all is said and done of each our lives, may it be said of us that we had nothing but time, taking and using it to invest deeply in the formation, spiritual formation of another saint, or future saint, into and for the glory of God.
God has given me the gift of encouragement and wants me to use it for His glory. I've struggled through many hardships, and others will and do as well. We can each learn of His leading, gaining His courage and strength to fully 'live' each day.
Well, months went by and I prayed for Dan, but life pressed in and I've yet to get together with him. More recently, I called but only got an answering machine. I know life for him is pressing on and the diseases press on mostly ravaging the body while leaving the mind relatively intact. God brings Dan to mind many times with greater frequency as my days rush on, and I pray for he and his wife, Jann.
While it is difficult to watch and hear of such struggle, I have found that we, especially I am in the similar boat as Dan. My mind is intact, but my life is diseased with body succumbing to the paralyzing ravages of the distractions of the world, and my aging. God has been asking me to 'be with Dan', not to feel sorry for him or somehow bring comfort to myself in 'doing a good deed', but to encourage a brother who is literally struggling, more obviously, with a physical ailment that will consume his life, but not his soul or spirit.
Dan was a band director at my college (Point Loma Nazarene University) while I attended there to become a teacher. He had developed a jazz program and I joined and traveled with the band while at age 35, married with two sons God led me to change my career path. His ailment has forced him to curtail his job, but not his life. My brother Dan is real, full of 'heart' and has wit and response that would catch you off guard...until you spent enough time with him and prepared yourself for each excursion. His love for our Lord runs deep, and his musings clearly move hearts, pointing them to our Savior. His passions; Jesus, Jann,music, especially jazz but with a full connection to all other forms, and college kids, or more correctly I should just say people; anyone whom God brings across his path, and the Mets.
One of my favorite stories of Dan was when we were talking about worship music, and hymns. Without flinching a millisecond, he stated that rich lyrics, not the form of music is key to a great song. Amazing Grace is rich because of the well formed lyrical impact, and though it isn't true of this hymn, many hymns tunes are drawn from 'bar songs'. You can sing "Amazing Grace" to the tune of "Gilligan's Island" and while it sounds silly, the words still speak volumes, if you choose to focus on the richness of its verbage! To this day, as I write songs for my savior, I am reminded, constantly, by God, through Dan that richness of lyrics are more important than 'form' of music.
For us, Dan's current battle is difficult to imagine, or more honestly, something we don't dare imagine might occur to our life. On the outside looking in, it breaks my heart to see such a witty, vibrant life, torn apart brick by brick physically with each passing day. I can only imagine what it would be like to 'live in such a state' as the one walking in the demise, yet, I've come to realize, that every day of my life is the same, only moving at a snails pace compared to Dan's. As we age, the ravages of time and the world wreak havoc on our ailing bodies, and, in my scant 53 years, there have been many, my body often yelling at me when I attempt anything that is physically 'youthful'. Even my mind is loosing it's sharpness and I find myself working harder at many aspects of cogitation. However, as I age, I've come to realize the most valuable commodity in life. It isn't money. It definitely isn't the ownership of things. It is time.
I find myself being led to a new 'career'. A form of teaching, or rather, living with others with the simple sacrifice of time. It begins with spending time with my Lord, reading scripture, praying with frequency and fire, listening for His direction, and then responding to His leading into the lives of those He calls me, first in prayer, many hours of it; prayer not primarily in the talking, but in the listening. I find myself peering into and then delving into His word, the Bible, ruminating and wrestling for understanding. I find myself reading books and testimonies of the pillars of faith, the likes of St. Frances of Asisi, Henry Nouwen, G.K. Chesterton, Richard Foster, Ravi Zacharias, and a host of others.
I find myself also seeing into such lives as Dan Nelson, Kurt Perry, Leo Lindberg, Dr. Micheal Klein, Brian Craig, and an even larger host of people who have taken the time to invest parts, deep parts of their lives into me. Most such 'saints' of whom you are unfamiliar, but each contributors to a better world, pouring themselves not only into me, but into all the lives of the acquaintances and friends God presented in presence as they walk(ed) through life.
So, now, I find myself sitting here blogging about some of my heroes, many who never knew me, but someday will (in heaven) and a plethora of those who did and cared with the deepest sacrifice...of time. When all is said and done of each our lives, may it be said of us that we had nothing but time, taking and using it to invest deeply in the formation, spiritual formation of another saint, or future saint, into and for the glory of God.
God has given me the gift of encouragement and wants me to use it for His glory. I've struggled through many hardships, and others will and do as well. We can each learn of His leading, gaining His courage and strength to fully 'live' each day.
Friday, July 9, 2010
The Most Glorious True Worship of God
While preparing to present a class on worship for my church, I wrestle with weakness. It is then I am reminded by the spirit, God's word through His apostle Paul says:
2Corinthians 12:10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
And also:
1Corinthians 1:27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not —to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him.
As I struggle,I can turn to remember that in my weakness, when I delight in them, in insults, hardships, persecutions and difficulties, it is He alone that will get the glory! Worship is His people glorifying God, and it is not worship of God unless He accept it, unless He receives it as worship.
Then as I ponder this, I am overwhelmed by the fact that these paradigms fill the scripture and usually it is the exact opposite behavior or action which pleases God. Oh, and by the way, is pleasing God indeed true worship? I would like to propose an interesting proposition. Many have told me that I have a plethora of talents seemingly distributed to me in an unfair lot by our Lord. Many of the things I do are publicly displayed in the presence of people (music, teaching, leading etc.). Yet the more time I spend with our Lord, the more He seems to impress that the hidden things done for only His eyes as He asks are the most powerful acts in His kingdom.
What are some of these hidden acts? Being awakened by God asking me to pray for someone He has placed in my mind, and doing so. Hearing His, still quiet voice in the middle of my day, reminding me to pray for some thing or someone who I know is going through tough times and could use a bit of support. Grabbing a piece of trash in my path and carrying it to the nearest trash receptacle on my way, or taking extra shopping carts all the way back to the storage stall, along with mine.
I don't know what God will ask you and me to do, but He will and is asking. The question is, are we responding and doing? Do we only do the ones that will be appreciated by another? Or is doing it before our heavenly Father sufficient praise and glory for us? Could the most glorious worship be, in fact, something done as God asks without the eyes or lives of anyone else knowing?
Recently, my wife asked me to take out the trash. I stopped what I was doing, walked over to the trash can, removed the stuffed like a Thanksgiving turkey trash bag and took it to our can. When I returned, Carrie had a funny look on her face. She was flabbergasted and finally mustered up enough composure to thank me for doing it (without being asked or reminded 10 times, or later in the evening after she went to bed, or forgetting all together). This simple change in behavior spoke volumes of love into her heart, and I continue to try and do it every time she asks.
Sometimes God will ask us to do what appears by the world's standards and fruitless and 'below us' to do. I have come to believe that when I do these apparently pointless things He asks, amazing things happen, especially if no one knows I did it or prayed about it or graciously was Christ as I went about the unnoticed ordeal.
So the question is this, who brings more glory to Christ? The one whose outward appearance is spot free? The CEO of a highly successful business? The trash man picking up our curbside behemoth tubs? The preacher? The teacher? I think the full answer may surprise us. That 90 year old convalescing grandmother in the rest home praying her guts out for the safety of her grand children especially their relationship development with Christ may accomplish more for the kingdom of Christ than a whole host of people doing things for others and not praying at all!
So the questions are these. Whose voice am I hearing and following? Who sees what I am doing? Who gets the glory for the 'accomplishment'? What is my true motivation for doing the task? And at least one answer is clear. If it is He alone who sees and knows what I have done in response to His request, my motivation is for His glory alone, and if God receives it, it is true worship! All other forms of worship can be wrestled to waste if even a hint of personal pride enter in my heart. The offering, requested by God, done in absolute secrecy may in fact be the most glorious true worship of God.
2Corinthians 12:10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
And also:
1Corinthians 1:27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not —to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him.
As I struggle,I can turn to remember that in my weakness, when I delight in them, in insults, hardships, persecutions and difficulties, it is He alone that will get the glory! Worship is His people glorifying God, and it is not worship of God unless He accept it, unless He receives it as worship.
Then as I ponder this, I am overwhelmed by the fact that these paradigms fill the scripture and usually it is the exact opposite behavior or action which pleases God. Oh, and by the way, is pleasing God indeed true worship? I would like to propose an interesting proposition. Many have told me that I have a plethora of talents seemingly distributed to me in an unfair lot by our Lord. Many of the things I do are publicly displayed in the presence of people (music, teaching, leading etc.). Yet the more time I spend with our Lord, the more He seems to impress that the hidden things done for only His eyes as He asks are the most powerful acts in His kingdom.
What are some of these hidden acts? Being awakened by God asking me to pray for someone He has placed in my mind, and doing so. Hearing His, still quiet voice in the middle of my day, reminding me to pray for some thing or someone who I know is going through tough times and could use a bit of support. Grabbing a piece of trash in my path and carrying it to the nearest trash receptacle on my way, or taking extra shopping carts all the way back to the storage stall, along with mine.
I don't know what God will ask you and me to do, but He will and is asking. The question is, are we responding and doing? Do we only do the ones that will be appreciated by another? Or is doing it before our heavenly Father sufficient praise and glory for us? Could the most glorious worship be, in fact, something done as God asks without the eyes or lives of anyone else knowing?
Recently, my wife asked me to take out the trash. I stopped what I was doing, walked over to the trash can, removed the stuffed like a Thanksgiving turkey trash bag and took it to our can. When I returned, Carrie had a funny look on her face. She was flabbergasted and finally mustered up enough composure to thank me for doing it (without being asked or reminded 10 times, or later in the evening after she went to bed, or forgetting all together). This simple change in behavior spoke volumes of love into her heart, and I continue to try and do it every time she asks.
Sometimes God will ask us to do what appears by the world's standards and fruitless and 'below us' to do. I have come to believe that when I do these apparently pointless things He asks, amazing things happen, especially if no one knows I did it or prayed about it or graciously was Christ as I went about the unnoticed ordeal.
So the question is this, who brings more glory to Christ? The one whose outward appearance is spot free? The CEO of a highly successful business? The trash man picking up our curbside behemoth tubs? The preacher? The teacher? I think the full answer may surprise us. That 90 year old convalescing grandmother in the rest home praying her guts out for the safety of her grand children especially their relationship development with Christ may accomplish more for the kingdom of Christ than a whole host of people doing things for others and not praying at all!
So the questions are these. Whose voice am I hearing and following? Who sees what I am doing? Who gets the glory for the 'accomplishment'? What is my true motivation for doing the task? And at least one answer is clear. If it is He alone who sees and knows what I have done in response to His request, my motivation is for His glory alone, and if God receives it, it is true worship! All other forms of worship can be wrestled to waste if even a hint of personal pride enter in my heart. The offering, requested by God, done in absolute secrecy may in fact be the most glorious true worship of God.
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