Fathers

As I sit in Starbucks sipping go-go juice I am reminded of what a spiritual father in our church said last night to us at a prayer gathering.  "Fatherlessness is rampant in our world, and the church provides an answer..." (paraphrased)  This week our family said goodbye to a father in our house in Dave Wood.  He provided an often fragile clan the comfort and direction we needed time and time again.  There should be a sense of anxiety toward an uncertain future, a fear that creeps in that Dave's role is just to big to fill.  But in the exact opposite spirit, there is a fresh sense of hope, a security that a good foundation has been laid.
  Dave was a fully devoted follower of Christ, so there are so many patterns and practices that can be mirrored going forward for us making important decisions.  There will be times when God asks us like Isaac to not mimic the actions of the fathers who have gone before, but to find fresh faith for our own journey.  There are so many things I want to honor and remember that Dave taught me in leadership, but I know he would as a good father say, "You must now find your way in God."  I realize now that so much of what Dave modeled to us was for such a time as this, when he is no longer with us.  Something of the call from Chris Wienand to provide fathering in the sea of fatherlessness rings clearer now.  How many people would have fresh faith and courage for their uncertain future if they had a father like Dave to spend time with?    I look forward to the years ahead, when a legacy can be passed on, and new paths can be opened to us as a family.

Thoughts on Romans 6

What are we to think of Christians who keep on sinning? What are we to think of our own perpetuating struggles and sinful habits? After reading Romans 6, I think importance of sound teaching rises to the forefront in the quest for understanding. Verse 17-18 says, "But thanks be to God , that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness." Without any pride for what we have attained to, it is really helpful to instead be thankful for the 'standard of teaching' we have received from those who faithfully taught the whole counsel of God to us. You and I can easily see why those who accurately teach the word of God are worthy of 'double honor.' It is just as easy to see why those who do not accurately teach the Word of God incur a 'stricter judgment.' The battlefield of the mind, where righteous thinking wars with wicked thoughts, has a critical result which depends on the individuals exposure to helpful teaching or rotten misdirection. Human opinion, though not always unhelpful, mingles with Divine inspiration to water down the most essential need we have: A renewing of our minds. If we study Romans 6 closely, we see that a massive shift happened in our spirits when we are 'baptized into Christ and thus baptized into His death." We were once dead to God spiritually, and sin reigned over us. But when we believed in Christ, that shift in the spirit transformed our dead/slave state to one of pure life towards God. Our flesh is the only remnant that remains of our former self, and it to is slowly waiting for redemption. The mind must be taught anew, to come into line with this radical shift in the spiritual realm. Faith must grow with every solid stepping stone of good teaching laid by experts in the Word of God. The more we hear and apply the truth, the more convinced we are who God says we are. In essence, we hear it, apply it, and become it as we should. Many people say, "Well I still have evil desires that pull me into sin." I say your right since your flesh isn't dead yet, and welcome to the war between the spirit and flesh that scripture clearly outlines. But Romans 6 is clearly highlighting that the battlefield is the mind. Verse 11 says, "So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus." Where does 'considering' take place? Right thinking is the key to right behavior, and it is clearly a discipline that God requires every believer to submit to. Right thinking comes from a right understanding of the truth, namely the Word of God. Make no mistake, sin wants a second chance to reign over you, to 'have you' as it were. It gets no such chance in those who are committed to sound teaching, from wise leaders who under the inspiration of the Spirit accurately divide the Word of truth. Now go give those who have made rich deposits of God's Word in you a big hug and thanks!

Don't Leave

John 6:66-67 says, "From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. 'You do not want to leave too, do you?' Jesus asked the Twelve." In this turning point moment Jesus is appealing to the twelve who have stuck with Him thus far, to search their doubting hearts and find what they truly believe about him. Each of us Christians who come to the same moments of decision have to ask ourselves: Do I leave and find a better alternative or do I stay the course and trust solely in Jesus. The gospel demands total commitment and resolve, regardless if our understanding of its path is totally clear. Jesus promises those who are 'faithful till the end,' a crown of life for the testing they must surely endure. People who choose to leave may be the 'cowards' Jesus refers to in Revelation, where the fear of risk and loss just became too much to overcome for some. I am personally learning the grittiness of the gospel as well as its matchless perfection and beauty, and I have seen close friends decide not to 'stay.' The gospel is foolishness to so many, certainly not the 'sexy' trend of the day, the shiny attractive philosophy that so many in this world covet. But for those of us who stay, it is the power of God for our salvation, and the end of the struggle seems nearer than ever. Its not always that easy to stay encouraged and keep your eye on the prize, especially when so many around are finding more simple and highly pragmatic solutions. Jesus values gritty faith, as He certainly modeled its worth throughout His life and ministry. He calls us to the same tenacity and fire in the face of such opposition and alternatives. I am forever grateful that God called me and wrapped my life's purpose around His gospel, yet I am sobered by the narrow and sometimes lonely path it calls me to. So lets fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, and never seriously consider leaving. Once in our eternal home, the cost of discipleship will pale in comparison to the surpassing glory and reward that is ours as we stay faithful till the end.

Loyal to Him alone

I gave away a really nice Tim Brown Oakland Raiders jersey to a local San Clemente tree trimmer today. I bought it long ago when I was a 'die-hard' Raider fan, the kind that would lose his temper and sulk all weekend if they lost. What is a 40 year old man doing wearing replica jerseys of his favorite team anyway? I knew this young dude would really dig it and I was right. Afterward I felt a bit nostalgic and regret for giving it away like that. I couldn't believe a simple item like that could have any real impact one way or another on me. I thought ..."I don't want to be die-hard for anything but my faith in Christ, no matter the nostalga or memories. Everybody is different, and I know many guys would disagree here, but I felt better that it cost me something to be generous...albeit a little emotional twinge. Loyalty is a great quality to possess, so it is logical to exude it towards something truly worthy of it. Jesus to me is the only one truly worthy of 'at all cost' loyalty and devotion, even if there are plenty of compelling experiences that crave our focus and devotion. What will be the ever increasing tests of commitment and loyalty as life rolls on? May God who tests the heart find us empty of earthly devotion and only craving more of Him.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Preoccupied

You seem preoccupied...what is it? Yes I am. Its the gospel of Jesus that has captured my attention, and its complete preeminence in my thinking makes so much sense now. The more focus I give to it, the more brilliant its worth is to me. I can't escape its captivating pull and compelling implications. What in this world should capture our attention more? God the Father has a legitimate and fully logical problem with sin, He focuses His wrath on it and justly deals with it. The amazing thought is how He dealt with our sin in His only Son Jesus. He fully focused His wrath on Jesus who had willing become our substitute. Therefore God demonstrates His justice (proving that sin does not go unpunished) and we are freely given our current righteous status before Him. In the gospel we see an overwhelming gracious God who took it upon himself to bridge the unforgeable gap between our condition and His perfection. Life begins truly for the believer at the Cross. We live like He lives. I'm hooked....

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.4

Spiritual Fitness

As I meditated on the verse in II Cor.3 that states that we have been made fit as ministers of a new covenant...of the Spirit, I drew a few conclusions on what I thought it meant and its implications. When you are made fit for a task the implication is directed toward skill and endurance. No employer likes an employee who can't endure and finish the job assigned to them. The other implication is that the task of ministering this new covenant is extremely sacred and vital, and requires a skill set "fit" for the duration of the task at hand. The emphasis of this verse rests on He who made us capable, and how this new covenant task is administered...'by the Spirit'. God the Father making us competent to minister the gospel of God the Son in the power of God the Holy Spirit. The results show for themselves in the last part of verse 6....THERE IS LIFE! No life? Then no Father God making ministers fit to administer the good news of God the Son in the power of God the Holy Spirit. It is as simple and profound as that. So look for God Life and you'll be sure to find a place where the gospel is being preached and applied accurately. You can't buy this ministry like Simon did in Acts, you can't push its conterfeit...you either have it (God Life in the power of the Spirit) or you don't. Fitness in this wonderful life giving ministry comes from God alone, and oh what a path it cuts through the landscape of human history when humble men lay hold of it. Shall we raise our hand and say, "Father count me in, I want this spiritual fitness in my ministry evident by the life it brings." Its our turn don't you think?

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.4

Love this Place

The Scripture says that God appointed the exact times and locations where we would live, and that gives me a tremendous sense of security and comfort. I feel that our lot really has fallen on pleasant places, and Los Angeles is a great place to live. There is so much to take in here, and I find myself enjoying the geography, (Mountains, Oceansides, Desert) as well as the local culture. Southern California is just really cool, and it seems like God knew my family and I would enjoy the privilege of being apart of it all. Yet with the privilege comes the pain, and by pain I mean the grieving that comes with the knowledge that so many people here are lost. I am realizing that loving a city has two sides of embracing in it. One embraces the beauty and joy of all that is great about our home. The other embraces the hard yards of working and living amongst so much wickedness and ungodliness. The daunting task of being light in a dark place can squeeze you with fear if you let it. God's constant comfort from the Holy Spirit, and the strength we have in numbers together with other believers has been for me a shelter like no other. I often ask for better eyes to see the harvest here in LA like God wants me to see, and the boldness to be a soul-winner in a sea of doubters. God gave me a picture recently of LA being laden down with sins, nearing the bursting point of unsustainable corruption and brokenness. Will God give us the compassion and skill to minister when sins corruption finally catches up? I think so, probably because He loved this generation long before the wheels came off. So through high times in this city, to the lowest troughs that would depress even the most ardent optimist, oh God would you keep training me to Love this Place we call home.