A Rusting Car, A Dog Chasing His Tail, and A Man Chasing the Wind

I'm bored.  My dog Zeke is bored.  So I grab the flashlight and we head out into the dark of night. I focus the beam down to a small spot on the ground and Zeke pounces on it like a fox on a field mouse.  I move the spot in circles and we're off.  Round and round he goes then he chases the allusive spot up and down the driveway.  Every time he thinks he's caught the vermin it vanishes into thin air.  We've done this for twenty minutes and he just keeps chasing the spot with all the passion he can muster.

Zeke is a German Short Haired Pointer thus his tail is . . . uh, short.  But, it's just long enough to just catch the edge of his field of vision.  When it does, he is sure it's an intruder so the show begins. He twirls around faster and faster trying to bite the fleeing, fury, snake creature. Funny?  Yeah, if it's the dog doing the chasing.

I wonder if you've ever chased after your own tail or ran after the uncatchable spot light. Maybe you've chased after wealth and every time you thought you grabbed ahold of it, it crumbled in your hand.  What seemed like wealthy before doesn't seem like enough now.  Your 401K has dwindled to a 201K.  Maybe you've chased after love and every Mr. Right turns out to be Mr. Wrong.  Maybe you like toys, big boy toys like RV's, boats, 64" plasma screen TVs, and tricked-out Harleys.  You dream about them day and night and you save for years (or worse buy them on credit)  You finally get that beauty home and two years later it is just a big money pit or at a minimum your interest has moved on to the next big toy.

King Solomon, the wealthiest man of his day had everything a man could want (gold, silver, women, armies, etc.) but listen to his words from Ecclesiastes 1 verse 14.

"I have seen all the things under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind."

Jesus said, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

What is your treasure?  Where is your heart?  What are you chasing after?  Are you running up and down the driveway of life chasing the moving spot light?  If you're without God then you're chasing after the wind.  One day, if it hasn't happened already, it will all fade away.  If this sounds familiar to you or resinates in your soul then stop running.  Ask God (even if you're not really sure about God yet) to help you to see what's real, what's lasting, what's true.  Now that's something you can really grab ahold of.

In Christ, David

Give the Gospel Your Hands and Feet Not Just Your Lips

In the gospel of John, Jesus is frequently confronted by religious leaders questioning his identity and authority. They didn’t like what he was saying about himself, especially when he went so far as to say he and God were one in the same. In chapters 9 and 10 Jesus heals a blind man, which puts a series of events in motion.

After healing a man who was born blind many are amazed by the miracle, including some of the religious leaders. But the more vocal of the leaders (important: not everyone or even a majority as far as we know- see John 9:16) are bent on disproving what happened in order to discredit Jesus and quell the support that was gaining momentum with the people. The blind man is questioned. His parents are questioned. Jesus is questioned which escalates into the more angry and reactive religious leaders picking up stones to kill him. Jesus asks them, “For which one of the good deeds are you killing me?” (10:32).

They respond, “Not for any good work, but for blasphemy…” Jesus then says, “Don’t believe me unless I carry out my Father’s work. But if I do His work, believe in what I have done, even if you don’t believe in me. Then you will realize that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father.”(10:37-38).

Jesus knows that all of the talking in the world will not convince unbelievers, especially those who are very firm in their current beliefs (or lack of beliefs). He was not confronting people whose hearts were gentle, humble and ready to receive Him. He was confronting the verbal, the stubborn, and I would suggest fearful. In this passage, Jesus is pointing out how significant our actions are to the sharing of the Gospel. When it came to this firmly entrenched group of people, He even stated that they should set aside what he had been saying for a minute and examine what he was doing.

 

Doing…You can’t preach Jesus without it.

 

Ivor

A Christian Costume or a Uniform

OK, This is probably going to be a very bad visual but it's the best I  could do.  For those of you who don't know me, I'm a regular guy, about six feet tall, 190 something, facial hair, and loosing the head hair.  Now imagine that I snuck my way onto the US Women's Olympic Gymnastic Team bus (disguised as a 5' 1" female gymnast) in order to try my hand at the floor exercise.  Got that image in your head yet?

OK, it's event time and I walk to the corner of the mat and the crowd cheers for the unrecognized and slightly unorthodox looking athlete.  I start my first pass and do a wobbly cart wheel, two somersaults, and a couple two foot hops.  I turn to do my second pass and try unsuccessfully to walk on my hands just before the security guards tie me up and carry me away.

I'm sure you're dying to see how I can bring this around to some sound Christian teaching! Well, here goes:

I was on the team bus, I had the official uniform (as unattractive as that might be), and I was doing my best to convince the world that I was an Olympic Gymnast.  But, I was just a middle aged guy from Michigan pretending to be a gymnast.  

Now to the meat!  I spent 38 years or so pretending to be a Christian.  I was baptized as a baby, knew all the "Christian-eze" language, was a member of a church, served on some key committees, and wore a cross neckless around my neck, but I was no more a Christian than I am an Olympic Gymnast. 

Jesus tells this really religious Jewish leader named Nicodemus that "no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."  He was telling this man that just because he was a Jew and was educated in the Law (the Old Testament Teaching), and wore the clothes of a Pharisee (Political and Spiritual Leaders of the day), and was a member of the Jewish ruling council, he was not right with God.  He needed to be "Born Again".

Back to the Olympics for a second.  For me to REALLY be part of the team I needed more than a change of clothes.  I needed a change of body and of mind and of heart.  I needed to be born a gymnast.  As for now, I don't think that's possible so I'll hang up my tights for now.

BUT!~ Jesus helps us to understand what he means.  We all have been born by the act or will of man and a woman.  By this we are born of flesh.  By this first birth we come into the world but are separated from God by sin.  Jesus came to give us new life, to take away the penalty and the guilt of sin, and to give us a new birth.  That second birth is spiritual and comes through faith in Jesus Christ.  By that second birth we are given the real goods.  We are truly a member of God's Church.

Are you on the team, in the crowd, or are you just wearing the uniform?  Today is the day to look at yourself and see.  If you're in the crowd stay with us in these weekly Blogs and keep your heart open.  If you claim to be a Christian, today is the day to see if you are just going through the motions and wearing the clothes or if you're really a follower of Christ..  You can tell a gymnast by their back handsprings and aerials.  You can tell a Christian by the fruit they bear...  are you wearing the costume of a Christian or the uniform?  It makes all the difference in this world and the next.

In Christ's Love, David

Stay tuned for next week's Post.  It's Ivor's turn!

Burger King Faith

Do you remember the Burger King slogan "Have it your way."?  A little ketsup (or catsup if you'd prefer), no lettuce, a slice of cheese, but hold the onions.  Perfect! My own custom burger to my liking. 

I was chatting recently with a member of my family about faith and it once again came to me that we (the human race) has pulled up to the take out window of life and attempted to order up a faith of our own liking, a god (with a little "g") who conforms to our wants.  

Tom's order looks like this, "I'll take a little god that will give me what we want but not interfere with my daily life, a god who grades on the curve, a god who will understand that I'm not perfect but better than most, and a god who won't spoil my fun.  Oh, by the way, can I have a side of prosperity and hold the taxes please."

Ann's order looks like this, "I'd like to be a small part of god,  a god that is really just the collective energy of all that is.  You know, me, you, the rocks, and the honey bees.  We're all part of god.  I'll take two orders of karma and one order of reincarnation with a side of harmony."

Kyle's order looks like this, "I'll take a glass of water and hold the god...  he gives me hives!"

Anyway, my point would be?  We've tried to make a god after our own liking and the truth is this:  God is!  God is who he is!  God is One and isn't created by our thoughts and desires.  We are the created ones.  He is the potter and we are the clay.

I had this discussion with a group of high school youth and tried to explain the concept of "truth". We used gravity as an example and it went something like this.  If you don't believe in gravity that's your purgative.  You might even be really sincere in your disbelief of gravity but when you and I go up to the roof and I watch you jump, gravity will show itself to be true.  It just is!  And God, the God of the Bible, the God of all creation is who he is regardless of what you and I want or believe.  Jesus is God wrapped in human flesh even if we want to demote him to just another really great guy who did and said really great things.

Before I finish up, I'd like you to listen to a song that Ivor has written and I want you to try hard to listen to the words.  Let them sink in.  I'll catch you on the flip side :)

There is one way to God and that way is through Jesus Christ.  Don't let anybody fool you.  My friend, God loves you!  I mean really LOVES you and wants you to come home.  He has provided safe harbor, a open gate, and a narrow road.  He has given us his Son.  You won't find peace in your wealth, in your self esteem, in your position, in your pleasure, in your fame, or in your possessions.  As you live from one day to the next, one meal to the next, one vacation to the next, or one goal to the next, I know that if you really think about it, you'll see that it doesn't satisfy.  It's not supposed to! Only God can do that and he wants to!  

I challenge you to take an honest look at your life.  I'll do the same!  Think about the dreams you had when you were young (if you are young then you'll just have to trust me on this).  Think about the things you've bought, the people you've put your trust in, the money in your 401K (if there's any left).  Did they provide what they promised?  

Jesus said "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Ultimately, it will all rust!  Ultimately, we'll all pass from this earth and none of it goes with us.  Do you know HIM?  If you're just living one day to the next I pray that God would draw you near.  I pray that he would open your eyes and your heart.  I know we want it "our way" but be careful.  You might just get what you ask for!  Trust me when I say that his way is the best way...  If you don't believe me, ask HIM.  Ask him to show you the truth.  He's calling us home friends and as they say, there is no place like home!

God bless!  

David