Not that long ago, my wife pulled out a box of books that I had growing up. In the box was 20 plus books and numerous Ranger Rick magazines. My kids love being read to and my oldest is starting to read on his own. It is awesome to see.
The books that were in the box are the "Choose Your Own Adventure" series. In a nut shells, they are books with multiple endings and you had to make decisions throughout the book. It was a series that my 4th Grade teacher intodced me to. Although I had always loved to read, this book series helped me to read even more on my own. Having always been a high sensing introvert, this book fed my imagination and helped me to stop and think. And, yes,I would sometimes read through all of the endings, then try to figure out how to get to them.
Later this year, I will be celebrating 10 years with working for the State of Nebraska. And, all of those years have been with the Department of Corrections. At the end of this month, I will celebrate 16 years with the US Army (Active Duty and the Nebraska National Guard). It has not been an easy 16 years, but I have had a lot of good times. There has been pain and sorrow during those times, but also times of joy and celebration. Those jobs, my two marriages, my four deployments, helping my wife raise our two kids, etc., have all contributed to who I am today.
What I loved about those "Choose Your Own Adventure" books was that the stories would change, depending on what choices I made. If I didn't like how the story ended, I could start over. Or, I could find the endings that I liked and then try to figure out how to get there. But, those books were not like real life. If I did not like the consequences of my actions, I could not 'go back to the begining of the story' and start over. I had to choose to accept the consequences of my decisions.
This is something that I am trying to help my young kids learn. That each choice that we make will have consequences. Some will be more pleasant than others. Others will be more painful. Many of our choices will cause many regrets. But, that is life.
In my (almost) 10 years in Corrections, I have met many people, both staff and inmates, who made bad decisions, but did not want to accept the consequences. Even though their decisions brought temporary joy, pleasure, benefits, etc., the long term consequences were extremely painful. And, these people did not want to have to endure their consequences. It would sadden me, especially when it was staff who had made the bad decisions. But, it would aggravate me to no end to see adults wine about the painful consequences that they had made.
It is some that I really try to instill into my kids. That with what ever decision we make, we accept the consequences of that decision. Whether it is something minor, like staying up late to watch a good movie or have dessert with a meal. Or, something more significant like walking away from a fight, choosing to drive without using a seatbelt, choosing a college major, etc. Big or small, good or bad, each of these decisions will cause consequences. Many will be clear, many will not be clear. Sometimes we or others will experiece unexpected consequences of our choices. Sadder still, we many unfortunately experience the unforeseen consequences of the actions of others. Or yet, even the "un-actions" of others. That is, when people either choose to to act in a situation out of fear or embarrassment, or because they do not want to help because of anger towards someone or out of selfishness.
Probably the last set of situations, the unfortunate cpnsequences due to others' inaction, are the most difficult to accept. We want to have control over our lives and we want to have good experiences/consequences. It is difficult enough to endure the negative cpnsequences of our choices. It is even more difficult when spmeone else makes a bad choice and you experience severe consequences. But, it is something that he or she will have to accept.
Unlike the books or movies, or video games for that matter, we cannot go about and change things once thay have happened. That is not real life. Though they can be good in teaching us how to make good decisions in the future, we can delude ourselves into thinking that we can avoid the negative consequences of our own bad decisions, or the bad decisions of others. It is a trap that is very easy to fall into, and one we always need to be mindful of.
Showing posts with label disciple. Show all posts
Showing posts with label disciple. Show all posts
Sunday, May 7, 2017
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
Lenten and Easter Thoughts
References:
• Psalm 102:8-28
• Isaiah 55:1-13
• John 15:1-17
I can’t remember if I have mentioned this or not, but the Bible Study that I have been leading has been going through the Heidelberg Catechism for the last several months. It has been a very interesting journey together, studying this catechism in order to better understand our own faith. Not only do these questions and answers, with their Scripture references, challenge us with our own relationship with Christ, they also give us tools to better articulate what we believe and why.
While we were going through the several pages of Scripture references for Question and Answer #31, I was struck with how appropriate three of them were for this Season of Lent. One is a Psalm, one is a passage from Isaiah, and the third is from the Gospel of John. Let’s take a short look at each of them.
Psalm 102 is a psalm of distress where everything feels helpless. It is almost like that author has hit rock bottom in his/her life, that he/she has to “look up to see the bottom of the well.” Not only does the author feel like his/her enemies have surrounded them and closing in, but the author also feels like God Himself has “lifted me up and cast me away.” Deeply troubling, wouldn’t you say?
In all honesty, how often do we feel like evil people are closing in on us and that we have no hope? How often does it feel like no amount of praying is solving the problem? How often does the darkness that we are currently walking through feel like it is all consuming? Once in a while? Often? Daily?
We all go through seasons like this, where there seems like there is absolutely no home left. We often wonder why God is so ‘quiet’ in our lives, all the while we go through darkness and pain. There are, unfortunately, no easy answer. Although we all endure times like this in our lives, we often don’t understand why. For me, it is so very frustrating to be experiencing these things, know that God loves me and will take care of me, but yet the “valley of the shadow of death” is all too consuming.
All we can prayerfully do is keep our focus on Christ and remind ourselves that He has a purpose for us. In the Psalm 102:12-28, the author reminds him/herself of this. That since God has founded the heavens and the earth, that though they all will perish, He will still endure. And, since God is a loving and faithful to those who call on Him.
Along this line of thought, let’s turn to the Isaiah passage. Here Isaiah dictates as God speaks, come to Him for free grace. God contrasts our need for physical food and drink, that is only temporary, to the free spiritual nourishment that He gives those who will receive it.
When Isaiah writes, “everlasting covenant,” he is referring to the kind of one-sided covenant that God made with Abram in Genesis. During ancient times, people would make a blood covenant with each other by walking through the blood of animals much like what Abram (later Abraham). The idea was, whom ever would break the covenant (like a peace treaty) with the other, then the person who broke the covenant should be killed like the beasts that they walked between. Both people making the covenant would walk through after agreeing what each had to do in order to uphold their part of the bargain. However, in verses 12-21, God makes the covenant with Abram, as a ‘flaming torch (v. 17) and God alone walks through the blood covenant. It is understood that the ‘flaming torch’ then consumes everything as He goes through it so that Abram cannot go through. The meaning? It is all dependent on God, not us. All we are required is to ‘trust and obey’ within our ability. God will take care of everything else.
One other thing that really stood out to me are verses 8-11. For me, these are very comforting in that, though I do not understand all that God calls me to do or why I experience all that I do, God has a plan. God calls me to obedience and to trust Him with the results. Since I do not have the “eternal perspective” that He has, I do not understand all that He is doing through me. But, God’s promise to me is that what I do in faith, He will honor and bless. If He calls me to do something, there is a reason and that God will accomplish something through it.
Fast forward several hundred years from Isaiah to when John wrote his Gospel…. Starting in John 13, we see that Jesus is celebrating the Last Supper with His Disciples. In John 13:31-38, Jesus predicts Peter’s denial. Then in John 14:1-15, Jesus states that He is the only way to come onto God (receive salvation). After this, Jesus promises the Holy Spirit to all believers in verses 16-31. Then in John 15:1-17, Jesus teaches them about Him being the Vine and everyone else being the branches. When we are connected/grafted into Him, we receive our spiritual nourishment and grow, even thrive. Cut off from Him, we wither and die.
But, what I want to focus on most is John 15:15-16. During this last, intimate meal between Jesus and His Disciples, Jesus now calls the Disciples (and us as well) His friends. Though Jesus is Lord of all creation, He calls each and everyone of us who believe in Him and His grace, His friend. Not only are we chosen by God to be His friend, but we are also chosen by Him to “bear fruit.”
This Season of Lent and Easter, let us choose to remember that God has called each of us out of our deepest pain and despair to receive His free grace. Not just that, but even more! Through the finished work of Jesus Christ, God calls us to be His friend and to ‘bear much fruit!’ Though we may understand little of what we go through, God has a purpose for each and everyone of us. Though Jesus is our Lord and Savior, our Holy and Righteous Creator, He also wants to be our close and trusted friend. How awesome is that?!
• Psalm 102:8-28
• Isaiah 55:1-13
• John 15:1-17
I can’t remember if I have mentioned this or not, but the Bible Study that I have been leading has been going through the Heidelberg Catechism for the last several months. It has been a very interesting journey together, studying this catechism in order to better understand our own faith. Not only do these questions and answers, with their Scripture references, challenge us with our own relationship with Christ, they also give us tools to better articulate what we believe and why.
While we were going through the several pages of Scripture references for Question and Answer #31, I was struck with how appropriate three of them were for this Season of Lent. One is a Psalm, one is a passage from Isaiah, and the third is from the Gospel of John. Let’s take a short look at each of them.
Psalm 102 is a psalm of distress where everything feels helpless. It is almost like that author has hit rock bottom in his/her life, that he/she has to “look up to see the bottom of the well.” Not only does the author feel like his/her enemies have surrounded them and closing in, but the author also feels like God Himself has “lifted me up and cast me away.” Deeply troubling, wouldn’t you say?
In all honesty, how often do we feel like evil people are closing in on us and that we have no hope? How often does it feel like no amount of praying is solving the problem? How often does the darkness that we are currently walking through feel like it is all consuming? Once in a while? Often? Daily?
We all go through seasons like this, where there seems like there is absolutely no home left. We often wonder why God is so ‘quiet’ in our lives, all the while we go through darkness and pain. There are, unfortunately, no easy answer. Although we all endure times like this in our lives, we often don’t understand why. For me, it is so very frustrating to be experiencing these things, know that God loves me and will take care of me, but yet the “valley of the shadow of death” is all too consuming.
All we can prayerfully do is keep our focus on Christ and remind ourselves that He has a purpose for us. In the Psalm 102:12-28, the author reminds him/herself of this. That since God has founded the heavens and the earth, that though they all will perish, He will still endure. And, since God is a loving and faithful to those who call on Him.
Along this line of thought, let’s turn to the Isaiah passage. Here Isaiah dictates as God speaks, come to Him for free grace. God contrasts our need for physical food and drink, that is only temporary, to the free spiritual nourishment that He gives those who will receive it.
When Isaiah writes, “everlasting covenant,” he is referring to the kind of one-sided covenant that God made with Abram in Genesis. During ancient times, people would make a blood covenant with each other by walking through the blood of animals much like what Abram (later Abraham). The idea was, whom ever would break the covenant (like a peace treaty) with the other, then the person who broke the covenant should be killed like the beasts that they walked between. Both people making the covenant would walk through after agreeing what each had to do in order to uphold their part of the bargain. However, in verses 12-21, God makes the covenant with Abram, as a ‘flaming torch (v. 17) and God alone walks through the blood covenant. It is understood that the ‘flaming torch’ then consumes everything as He goes through it so that Abram cannot go through. The meaning? It is all dependent on God, not us. All we are required is to ‘trust and obey’ within our ability. God will take care of everything else.
One other thing that really stood out to me are verses 8-11. For me, these are very comforting in that, though I do not understand all that God calls me to do or why I experience all that I do, God has a plan. God calls me to obedience and to trust Him with the results. Since I do not have the “eternal perspective” that He has, I do not understand all that He is doing through me. But, God’s promise to me is that what I do in faith, He will honor and bless. If He calls me to do something, there is a reason and that God will accomplish something through it.
Fast forward several hundred years from Isaiah to when John wrote his Gospel…. Starting in John 13, we see that Jesus is celebrating the Last Supper with His Disciples. In John 13:31-38, Jesus predicts Peter’s denial. Then in John 14:1-15, Jesus states that He is the only way to come onto God (receive salvation). After this, Jesus promises the Holy Spirit to all believers in verses 16-31. Then in John 15:1-17, Jesus teaches them about Him being the Vine and everyone else being the branches. When we are connected/grafted into Him, we receive our spiritual nourishment and grow, even thrive. Cut off from Him, we wither and die.
But, what I want to focus on most is John 15:15-16. During this last, intimate meal between Jesus and His Disciples, Jesus now calls the Disciples (and us as well) His friends. Though Jesus is Lord of all creation, He calls each and everyone of us who believe in Him and His grace, His friend. Not only are we chosen by God to be His friend, but we are also chosen by Him to “bear fruit.”
This Season of Lent and Easter, let us choose to remember that God has called each of us out of our deepest pain and despair to receive His free grace. Not just that, but even more! Through the finished work of Jesus Christ, God calls us to be His friend and to ‘bear much fruit!’ Though we may understand little of what we go through, God has a purpose for each and everyone of us. Though Jesus is our Lord and Savior, our Holy and Righteous Creator, He also wants to be our close and trusted friend. How awesome is that?!
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Being an Inspiration
A while back, I wrote a blog entry about how God uses us to touch the lives of others (Touching Lives). Although I felt that I was done with that particular blog entry, I felt like God wanted me to do more. After some reflection and prayer, now I will develop that concept a little bit more. Before going further, please take a moment to read 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 and Matthew 28:18-20. There are many other passages that are applicable, but these are the two that I will use.
Has anyone come up to you and said that you are their hero? Or, that you have been an inspiration to them in some part of their life? That has happened to me on quite a few occasions. And, some of them have caught me by complete surprise.
While growing up, I was often reminded by my Dad, a Presbyterian Pastor, that the younger kids are watching me. Not just that, but that I will be a role-model to them with how to act and talk. Because of this, I need to be ‘more mindful’ of what I did and how I said things. I don’t think I really took this to heart until I was a senior in high school in Kentucky.
During my senior year, a group of seniors went around and took pictures and videos of other seniors. These pictures and videos would be put together for the seniors as part of a graduation gift from the school. Of course, there were specific rules that we had to abide by. What was neat was that they asked the students different questions in order to make it more personal. A few weeks before graduation, we got to watch the video. I will never forget it! One of the guys was asked on the video, “So tell us… Who is your hero.” His immediate response was that I was his hero! I just remember sitting there stunned, that someone would think of me as their inspiration. Honestly, I can't remember why I was his hero. Since the interview was only a few minutes long, I doubt he probably elaborated.
Over the years, I have been blessed on many other occasions where I have inspired others. For me, hearing how I have been a blessing to others is God’s way of encouraging me. He also reminds me of how He often uses me without me perceiving it. Even in small things, God has shown me how that He has touched others through what I say and do.
Another example… For those that don't know me, I am not a fast runner. For most of my military career, I have struggled with passing my 2 miles run within the allowed time. While I was Active Duty at FT Bragg, a friend of mine was the coach for the unit’s 10 Run Team. This was for the up-coming All American Week (think intramural sports being played by a whole base). He invited me to be on his team. Most of the other guys in my company questioned his logic in doing so. Since we had at least 8 runners and only the first 5 who finished would be counted, I was there more for the benefit of training with them. And, my friend inspired me to do my best by training with me. I know that it was often hard for him to run at my slower pace. But, he was that serious about me being on the team and personally helped me to improve.
As I trained, I shared with friends and family that I was participating on the 10 Mile Run Team. This was something I did on a regular basis, sharing important things in my life with those who are important to me. A few months later, while I was on vacation, I visited a good friend of mine from seminary and his family. At the time, he was pastoring a church in Kansas. While I was hanging out with him and ‘shooting the breeze,’ he told me that I had inspired him to start running and to get back into shape. At that point, he had lost several pounds, was dealing with stress better, and many other things. He also shared that, because I was several years older and took up the challenge to push myself in something I struggled to do well, what excuse did he have?
It is the same thing with my family. As a father of two kids, I often see them imitating the things that I do. At times that makes me proud, because they are mimicking the good things that I do. Other times, watching what they do makes me cringe. Through their actions and words, I realize how many times they see me making mistakes. It’s an important reminder to me, no matter what they are doing, to make sure that I am being the best role-model for them. Quite honestly, how my kids act is a daily reminder that they are closely watching how my wife and I deal with life.
Lets think about this a bit. How many people do you interact with on a daily basis? If you go to school, you have your classmates and teachers or professors. If you work, you have co-workers and supervisors. There are also various friends and family members that each of us interacts with regularly. Lets face it… We come into contact with many different people while we are out shopping, commuting to and from work or school, etc. Though we may not always be an inspiration to someone that we briefly interact with, that is not always the case.
I could be out with my family at a restaurant and, because someone is having a bad day, they decide to direct their anger towards me. In this case, lets say that I was able to use my ministerial skills to deescalate the situation. As we talked, I showed him that I cared by listening to what he was saying and that I acknowledged how it made him feel. In response, instead of taking his anger out on me or someone else, he is able to get a better perspective on things.
However, unknown to me there is a person who grew up without good parenting or role-models. All he or she knew growing up is how to react to things, especially with anger. Now the person sees how I used my verbal skills to help someone who was very upset to take a step back and gain a better perspective. This could be the inspiration that he or she needs to seek help in making positive changes in his or her life.
We all need to remember that others are watching what we say and do. It is so very easy to walk around, living life our own way, and not think about how we are impacting others. But yet, we always are influencing others with how we talk, how we act, our mannerism, etc. As followers of Christ, we are all His ambassadors to this world. (2 Corinthians 5:20) It is not something we can choose to do or not to do. If we claim to be a follower of Christ, we are, in fact, His ambassador.
Paul writes in his second Epistle to the churches in Corinth concerning many things. In this particular chapter, he talks specifically about being reconciled to Christ (born again as some define it). That is, trusting Christ as one’s Lord and Savior. In doing so, we become an adopted member of God’s family through Christ’s death and resurrection. But, being a member of the Body of Christ doesn’t just end with our adoption. As a follower of Christ, we now represent Him to those around us. Paul exhorts us, therefore, to be positive role-models or ambassadors for Christ to those around us. Not that we will get it right all the time. But, by God’s grace, we can learn and grow. And, as we learn and grow, we can more positively impact those around us.
We impact the lives of those around us, whether we know it or not. In fact, we can be a source of inspiration to others. There are many competing voices for peoples’ loyalty and devotion. On a daily basis, children are enticed to join gangs so that they can have a ‘family.’ On a daily basis terrorist groups try to persuade those who are angry about life to join their cause. On a daily basis, there are people who have corrupt morals that seek to encourage others to follow their examples. Let us seek God’s help to also be a voice to others. Let us seek God’s help in being positive influence in people’s lives. Not just that, let us ask God to change us in such was as we inspire others to follow Him. And not just follow Him, but seek to be obedient to Him in thought, word and deed. If prayerfully do that on a day-to-day basis, imagine the kind of impact God could have on the lives of those around us!
Has anyone come up to you and said that you are their hero? Or, that you have been an inspiration to them in some part of their life? That has happened to me on quite a few occasions. And, some of them have caught me by complete surprise.
While growing up, I was often reminded by my Dad, a Presbyterian Pastor, that the younger kids are watching me. Not just that, but that I will be a role-model to them with how to act and talk. Because of this, I need to be ‘more mindful’ of what I did and how I said things. I don’t think I really took this to heart until I was a senior in high school in Kentucky.
During my senior year, a group of seniors went around and took pictures and videos of other seniors. These pictures and videos would be put together for the seniors as part of a graduation gift from the school. Of course, there were specific rules that we had to abide by. What was neat was that they asked the students different questions in order to make it more personal. A few weeks before graduation, we got to watch the video. I will never forget it! One of the guys was asked on the video, “So tell us… Who is your hero.” His immediate response was that I was his hero! I just remember sitting there stunned, that someone would think of me as their inspiration. Honestly, I can't remember why I was his hero. Since the interview was only a few minutes long, I doubt he probably elaborated.
Over the years, I have been blessed on many other occasions where I have inspired others. For me, hearing how I have been a blessing to others is God’s way of encouraging me. He also reminds me of how He often uses me without me perceiving it. Even in small things, God has shown me how that He has touched others through what I say and do.
Another example… For those that don't know me, I am not a fast runner. For most of my military career, I have struggled with passing my 2 miles run within the allowed time. While I was Active Duty at FT Bragg, a friend of mine was the coach for the unit’s 10 Run Team. This was for the up-coming All American Week (think intramural sports being played by a whole base). He invited me to be on his team. Most of the other guys in my company questioned his logic in doing so. Since we had at least 8 runners and only the first 5 who finished would be counted, I was there more for the benefit of training with them. And, my friend inspired me to do my best by training with me. I know that it was often hard for him to run at my slower pace. But, he was that serious about me being on the team and personally helped me to improve.
As I trained, I shared with friends and family that I was participating on the 10 Mile Run Team. This was something I did on a regular basis, sharing important things in my life with those who are important to me. A few months later, while I was on vacation, I visited a good friend of mine from seminary and his family. At the time, he was pastoring a church in Kansas. While I was hanging out with him and ‘shooting the breeze,’ he told me that I had inspired him to start running and to get back into shape. At that point, he had lost several pounds, was dealing with stress better, and many other things. He also shared that, because I was several years older and took up the challenge to push myself in something I struggled to do well, what excuse did he have?
It is the same thing with my family. As a father of two kids, I often see them imitating the things that I do. At times that makes me proud, because they are mimicking the good things that I do. Other times, watching what they do makes me cringe. Through their actions and words, I realize how many times they see me making mistakes. It’s an important reminder to me, no matter what they are doing, to make sure that I am being the best role-model for them. Quite honestly, how my kids act is a daily reminder that they are closely watching how my wife and I deal with life.
Lets think about this a bit. How many people do you interact with on a daily basis? If you go to school, you have your classmates and teachers or professors. If you work, you have co-workers and supervisors. There are also various friends and family members that each of us interacts with regularly. Lets face it… We come into contact with many different people while we are out shopping, commuting to and from work or school, etc. Though we may not always be an inspiration to someone that we briefly interact with, that is not always the case.
I could be out with my family at a restaurant and, because someone is having a bad day, they decide to direct their anger towards me. In this case, lets say that I was able to use my ministerial skills to deescalate the situation. As we talked, I showed him that I cared by listening to what he was saying and that I acknowledged how it made him feel. In response, instead of taking his anger out on me or someone else, he is able to get a better perspective on things.
However, unknown to me there is a person who grew up without good parenting or role-models. All he or she knew growing up is how to react to things, especially with anger. Now the person sees how I used my verbal skills to help someone who was very upset to take a step back and gain a better perspective. This could be the inspiration that he or she needs to seek help in making positive changes in his or her life.
We all need to remember that others are watching what we say and do. It is so very easy to walk around, living life our own way, and not think about how we are impacting others. But yet, we always are influencing others with how we talk, how we act, our mannerism, etc. As followers of Christ, we are all His ambassadors to this world. (2 Corinthians 5:20) It is not something we can choose to do or not to do. If we claim to be a follower of Christ, we are, in fact, His ambassador.
Paul writes in his second Epistle to the churches in Corinth concerning many things. In this particular chapter, he talks specifically about being reconciled to Christ (born again as some define it). That is, trusting Christ as one’s Lord and Savior. In doing so, we become an adopted member of God’s family through Christ’s death and resurrection. But, being a member of the Body of Christ doesn’t just end with our adoption. As a follower of Christ, we now represent Him to those around us. Paul exhorts us, therefore, to be positive role-models or ambassadors for Christ to those around us. Not that we will get it right all the time. But, by God’s grace, we can learn and grow. And, as we learn and grow, we can more positively impact those around us.
We impact the lives of those around us, whether we know it or not. In fact, we can be a source of inspiration to others. There are many competing voices for peoples’ loyalty and devotion. On a daily basis, children are enticed to join gangs so that they can have a ‘family.’ On a daily basis terrorist groups try to persuade those who are angry about life to join their cause. On a daily basis, there are people who have corrupt morals that seek to encourage others to follow their examples. Let us seek God’s help to also be a voice to others. Let us seek God’s help in being positive influence in people’s lives. Not just that, let us ask God to change us in such was as we inspire others to follow Him. And not just follow Him, but seek to be obedient to Him in thought, word and deed. If prayerfully do that on a day-to-day basis, imagine the kind of impact God could have on the lives of those around us!
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Communion and Fellowship
When you hear 'Communion' or 'fellowship,' what kind of images come to your mind? What do these works mean to you? What kind of memories do they evoke? Today, not only did we have Communion, or the Lord's Supper, during church this morning, but I sat with two of the Chaplains and a Chaplain's Assistant during lunch to talk about various things. While we were talking, I felt God stirring me a bit about how we were communing with each other, after partaking of Communion during worship. Sound a little odd or confusing? Here are some of my thoughts on all of this.
The word 'communion' is defined as follows (from Dictionary.com):
1. (often initial capital letter). Also called Holy Communion. Ecclesiastical.
a) the act of receiving the Eucharistic elements.
b) the elements of the Eucharist.
c) the celebration of the Eucharist.
d) the antiphon sung at a Eucharistic service.
2. a group of persons having a common religious faith; a religious denomination: Anglican communion.
3. association; fellowship.
4. interchange or sharing of thoughts or emotions; intimate communication: communion with nature.
5. the act of sharing, or holding in common; participation.
6. the state of things so held.
Based on the above definitions, communion can mean both the Lord's Supper or Eucharist, as well as the act of being together and sharing things with each other. When you think about it, we are celebrate the Lord's Supper (aka Communion or the Eucharist), we are not just remembering all that Christ has done for us. Like a prayer, we are fellowshiping with Him, as we remember His sacrifice while we were still in rebellion against Him. We are also opening ourselves up to Him on an emotional and spiritual level.
One Scripture verse that means a lot to me is Revelation 3:20. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.“ (Revelation 3:20 NASB). Though God is initiating the relationship, we have to respond. Now, I am not going to get into the doctrinal differences between Election, Freewill, etc. That is for another post. What is important here is two things. One, Jesus comes to us, to where we are, and initiates a relationship (knocking on the door of our hearts, as many interpret to mean). Jesus, who is literately “God in the flesh,” (John 1:14) comes down to our level. The Creator comes down to be with his creation. Even though His creation is in rebellion against Him, He still comes down to us! And, instead of barging in, He lets us know that He is there, and then waits.
The other thing that stands out to me is the '...will dine with him, and he with Me.' Lets think about that for a moment. I do not know about you, but that brings to me many wonderful memories. Not just of church potlucks, but of family dinners, holiday get together, or just having coffee with a friend. It is an image of two or more people sitting down and sharing of joys, concerns, current events, or even just enjoying each other's company without talking a very much. Especially when one person is hurting, the simple presence of someone else to share that time, can be very comforting. In our high tech world, we sometimes get some wrapped up with keeping up with Facebook, Twitter, or what ever, that we forget to spend time face-to-face with those we car about.
As a husband and a father, I knew how challenging it can be to turn the TV off and sit at the dinner table. That way we can talk with each other while we eat. It is so very easy for us to turn on the news or a favorite TV show on cable or Netflix while we eat. It is much easier to allow ourselves to be entertained while we eat instead of sharing with each other our thoughts and feelings while we share our food.
In Acts 2:42-47, we see something incredible. We see the Disciples (soon to be called the Apostles), gathering together with other fellow believers, as well as new believers, and sharing meals and prayer time together. Not just that, those that had property and other wealth were selling it so that all could have something together. Now, I do not believe that we have to go to this extreme in order to have fellowship with God and with each other. But, it is an incredible example. Not just for us, but back then in the early church, too. God used this communal love and sacrifice to get the attention of others.
That brings me to this afternoon. After the Protestant service, I sat down to eat lunch with two of the Chaplains and one of their Chaplain's Assistants. We talked about quite a few things, most of which had to do with either our theological backgrounds, what we thought about the worship service that morning, what our hopes for concerning the Bible Studies that were coming up starting next month, etc. After worshiping God together and celebrating the Eucharist, that flowed into our conversation while we ate. Not only did we get physical nourishment through the food, but we also continued to gain spiritual nourishment as we reflected on our shared Christian faith. Though we have different theological and denomination backgrounds, that pales in comparison to our shared love for and faith in Christ as Lord and Savior. I walked away from lunch feeling very full. Not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually.
Is that not how it should be? Should we not celebrate with joy God's grace for our lives? Should we not celebrate our brotherly love for each other? Should we not take joy in encouraging each other, to learn from each other? As a popular hymn goes, “They Will Know we are Christians by our Love.” Should we not have love for each other and mutually encourage each other? That doesn't mean we have to 100% agree with each other. But, because of our love for each other, we can learn from our differences and focus on what we do have in common.
Whether we are more introverted or extrovert (psychological concept concerning how a person processes information (internally vs. externally) and how they recharge emotionally (alone vs. with people)), we all need time with others. God created us to need companionship with others. That is, to fellowship, to develop a deep and meaningful relationship with others. Note, I did not say “romantic or sexual.” A friendship can be deep and meaningful without being romantic. Think of the relationship that two best friends, between a parent and child, etc., can have? They share personal ideas, hopes, fears, with each other, and learn from each other. As they share together and do things together, they grow closer emotionally and spiritually. This is the kind of thing that all of us Christians need to strive to do. Although we will not always agree, we still need to purposely do this. Although there will always be people in our community, even in our churches, whose personalities annoy us, we can still learn from each other.
I encourage each of you to take time each week, and spend quality fellowship time with others. It can be just a few minutes, or it can be an afternoon. It can be a quick but meaningful chat at the coffee pot, it can be a walk from one meeting to another, or it could be a lunch or dinner conversation. Seek to be available to God to be a blessing to others in this way. To share your love for God by being an active presence in their life. Let yourself be open with them and listen to their openness with you. Not only will you be a blessing to them, but they will also be a blessing to you.
The word 'communion' is defined as follows (from Dictionary.com):
1. (often initial capital letter). Also called Holy Communion. Ecclesiastical.
a) the act of receiving the Eucharistic elements.
b) the elements of the Eucharist.
c) the celebration of the Eucharist.
d) the antiphon sung at a Eucharistic service.
2. a group of persons having a common religious faith; a religious denomination: Anglican communion.
3. association; fellowship.
4. interchange or sharing of thoughts or emotions; intimate communication: communion with nature.
5. the act of sharing, or holding in common; participation.
6. the state of things so held.
Based on the above definitions, communion can mean both the Lord's Supper or Eucharist, as well as the act of being together and sharing things with each other. When you think about it, we are celebrate the Lord's Supper (aka Communion or the Eucharist), we are not just remembering all that Christ has done for us. Like a prayer, we are fellowshiping with Him, as we remember His sacrifice while we were still in rebellion against Him. We are also opening ourselves up to Him on an emotional and spiritual level.
One Scripture verse that means a lot to me is Revelation 3:20. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.“ (Revelation 3:20 NASB). Though God is initiating the relationship, we have to respond. Now, I am not going to get into the doctrinal differences between Election, Freewill, etc. That is for another post. What is important here is two things. One, Jesus comes to us, to where we are, and initiates a relationship (knocking on the door of our hearts, as many interpret to mean). Jesus, who is literately “God in the flesh,” (John 1:14) comes down to our level. The Creator comes down to be with his creation. Even though His creation is in rebellion against Him, He still comes down to us! And, instead of barging in, He lets us know that He is there, and then waits.
The other thing that stands out to me is the '...will dine with him, and he with Me.' Lets think about that for a moment. I do not know about you, but that brings to me many wonderful memories. Not just of church potlucks, but of family dinners, holiday get together, or just having coffee with a friend. It is an image of two or more people sitting down and sharing of joys, concerns, current events, or even just enjoying each other's company without talking a very much. Especially when one person is hurting, the simple presence of someone else to share that time, can be very comforting. In our high tech world, we sometimes get some wrapped up with keeping up with Facebook, Twitter, or what ever, that we forget to spend time face-to-face with those we car about.
As a husband and a father, I knew how challenging it can be to turn the TV off and sit at the dinner table. That way we can talk with each other while we eat. It is so very easy for us to turn on the news or a favorite TV show on cable or Netflix while we eat. It is much easier to allow ourselves to be entertained while we eat instead of sharing with each other our thoughts and feelings while we share our food.
In Acts 2:42-47, we see something incredible. We see the Disciples (soon to be called the Apostles), gathering together with other fellow believers, as well as new believers, and sharing meals and prayer time together. Not just that, those that had property and other wealth were selling it so that all could have something together. Now, I do not believe that we have to go to this extreme in order to have fellowship with God and with each other. But, it is an incredible example. Not just for us, but back then in the early church, too. God used this communal love and sacrifice to get the attention of others.
That brings me to this afternoon. After the Protestant service, I sat down to eat lunch with two of the Chaplains and one of their Chaplain's Assistants. We talked about quite a few things, most of which had to do with either our theological backgrounds, what we thought about the worship service that morning, what our hopes for concerning the Bible Studies that were coming up starting next month, etc. After worshiping God together and celebrating the Eucharist, that flowed into our conversation while we ate. Not only did we get physical nourishment through the food, but we also continued to gain spiritual nourishment as we reflected on our shared Christian faith. Though we have different theological and denomination backgrounds, that pales in comparison to our shared love for and faith in Christ as Lord and Savior. I walked away from lunch feeling very full. Not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually.
Is that not how it should be? Should we not celebrate with joy God's grace for our lives? Should we not celebrate our brotherly love for each other? Should we not take joy in encouraging each other, to learn from each other? As a popular hymn goes, “They Will Know we are Christians by our Love.” Should we not have love for each other and mutually encourage each other? That doesn't mean we have to 100% agree with each other. But, because of our love for each other, we can learn from our differences and focus on what we do have in common.
Whether we are more introverted or extrovert (psychological concept concerning how a person processes information (internally vs. externally) and how they recharge emotionally (alone vs. with people)), we all need time with others. God created us to need companionship with others. That is, to fellowship, to develop a deep and meaningful relationship with others. Note, I did not say “romantic or sexual.” A friendship can be deep and meaningful without being romantic. Think of the relationship that two best friends, between a parent and child, etc., can have? They share personal ideas, hopes, fears, with each other, and learn from each other. As they share together and do things together, they grow closer emotionally and spiritually. This is the kind of thing that all of us Christians need to strive to do. Although we will not always agree, we still need to purposely do this. Although there will always be people in our community, even in our churches, whose personalities annoy us, we can still learn from each other.
I encourage each of you to take time each week, and spend quality fellowship time with others. It can be just a few minutes, or it can be an afternoon. It can be a quick but meaningful chat at the coffee pot, it can be a walk from one meeting to another, or it could be a lunch or dinner conversation. Seek to be available to God to be a blessing to others in this way. To share your love for God by being an active presence in their life. Let yourself be open with them and listen to their openness with you. Not only will you be a blessing to them, but they will also be a blessing to you.
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Hypocrites Are We All
I was talking with a friend a while back and he said something that got me thinking. He is a spiritual person, but he does not like “organized religion.” He also said that every church that he has been to is full of hypocrites. I didn't say anything at the time, but it did get me thinking. And, to be honest, the church is full of hypocrites, each and everyone one of them. In fact, each and every one of us is a hypocrite. Some people are more honest and straightforward than others. But, in reality, all of us fail to fully and perfectly follow through on everything that we say.
This is nothing new to me. Over the years, while talking with people who no longer attend church regularly, often state that they do not because 'the church is full of hypocrites.' But yet, before we go any further, let's define “hypocrite” so that we are all dealing with the same understanding. According to the Merriam-Webster on-line dictionary (http://www.merriam-webster.com/), hypocrite is defined as:
1. a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion
2. a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings
In a perfect world, we would as act exactly as we say we believe. For example, if one claimed that he or she thought lying was wrong, they would always tell the truth. That would be the case even with never telling a “white lie” (does this color look good on me? “Yes” when in reality, they don't think so), exaggerating the truth about something (fish story), or when they were trying to protect an innocent person. In reality, we all lie at times. Some lie on a regular basis and rarely tell the truth. Others try very hard to be honest and up front all the time. But, everyone 'fudges the truth' at least once in a while. It's either because we want to please someone else or we want to protect something that we perceive as important to us.
In Matthew 5:20-24, Jesus had some very harsh words for us. Though many people think that they can please God by not doing 'bad things,' Jesus said it wasn't. God judges us by the attitudes of our hearts. He used the example of physical adultery verses actually committing adultery in one's mind/heart (lusting after a person). For Jesus, as Scripture teaches was God 'in the flesh,' (John 1:14), simply thinking about doing something contrary to the 10 Commandments was enough to be guilty of rebelling against God. You didn't have to actually act out on the desire, just entertain it in you mind/heart.
How many of us, when we feel wronged, wish that the person that we perceived (correctly or not) to have wronged us that something evil will happen to them? All of us are guilty of murdering others in our heart. How many of us, when seeing someone go by with a new phone, computer, car, or what ever, do we find ourselves wishing that we had that particular item? All of us are guilty of coveting what is not ours in our hearts. I could go on and on, but I hope that all of us get the point. I use 'us' because we all do this. We all commit these sins in though, word, and deed each and every day. Some people flaunt it when they do it. Others try to be subtle or hide it. No matter what each of us believes is 'good' and what is 'bad,' we all break these 'laws' in thought, word, and deed. Each of us, every day.
The Apostle Paul was just as guilty as all of us. He is celebrated as one of the greatest missionaries in Christian history, especially in the early days of the Christian Church. He traveled far and wide, planting churches in many cities across the known world. Many of his Epistles (letters) were saved and guided Christians over the centuries. Sometimes he wrote in a gentle and caring voice. The Epistles to the Philippians is a good example of that. Other times, he wrote with harsh words and strong criticism, as is reflected in the Epistles to Galatia and Corinth. Many people look up to his example and strive to be imitators of him, which is not a bad thing. However, he was not without fault.
In Romans 7:14-25, Paul writes about the struggles that he goes through on a daily basis. You see, he was a hypocrite to some extent. Although he strove to 'do the right thing' all the time, his sinful nature would get in the way. He didn't use it as an excuse for doing evil. On the contrary, he did so to emphasize his humanity and need for a Savior. It was only by reliance on God's Grace that he could improve in his life (sanctification). He emphasizes on Chapter 8 of Romans of the need of each of us “do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:4b). This is an on going process. While we are still on this earth, we will always be affect by and influenced by our own sinful nature. No matter how closely we walk with Christ during our time on this earth, we will all still wrestle with our sinful nature. It won't be until we die and are in Heaven that we will no longer fight this battle.
It does sadden me when people, a church, or even a whole denomination claims to be Christian, but yet their actions state something different entirely. A popular saying (questionable whether Francis of Assisi actually said it) is, “Preach the Gospel, use words when necessary.” In a nutshell, our actions (and I would dare say, our thoughts) need to line up with what we say we believe. This is very sound advice, to some extent. We should be living as we say we believe. But, not totally the case concerning evangelism, though that is something I will explore more thoroughly in another blog entry. Although we will never always live what we believe, there is a huge different between striving towards a particular goal and actively saying one thing and doing another.
Now, there are some things that people say we are 'hypocrites' for doing which are not quite true. One thing that comes to my is the issue of homosexuality. Many people say that, since many churches teach that homosexuality is a sin and many denominations will not ordain someone who claims to be a homosexual, we are 'hypocrites.' Now, if a church teaches that 'God hates fags,' then I would definitely agree with you. Scripture is absolutely clear that Jesus sought out, even spent time, with people who were living apart from God. People like prostitutes, tax collectors, etc. He never condoned (agreed with) what they did, but He still reached out to them. He wanted them to give up their sinful lives and follow Him. Some did, some didn't. Paul writes eloquently in Romans 5:6, 10, Paul clearly states that Jesus gave His life to redeem all who put their trust in Him. Jesus loved the sinner (each and every one of us), but hates sin. As a holy and righteous God, sin separates us from Him. But, He took our place so that we could have a relationship with Him. And, He has charged us with doing the same thing. We are to love and invite those who are broken, hurting, living in sin, to find hope in Christ. We are to love the sinner but not condone the sin.
Some people do a very poor job in doing this. They condemn the person as they condemn their lifestyle. Some people do it out of ignorance or because they were taught poorly. Other people do it because it makes them feel important, or at least superior. Such people are similar to the 'righteous man' that Jesus spoke harshly about in Luke 18:9-19. We are to lovingly reach out to others and help them come to a saving knowledge of Christ. Not treat others harshly because they are living in (xyz) sin. Now, things are different for those who claim to be a Christian but are living in sin, but I will discuss that at another time.
In closing, we are all sinners in need of God's Grace. As a friend once described it, “A Christian is like one beggar telling another beggar where to find food.” Just as God showed us love and mercy, we are to do the same. Just as God calls us to give up our sinful ways, we are to encourage others to do so. It will never be easy. That is why Jesus has said, “Take up your cross and follow Me.” We need to do a lot more encouraging and mentoring as we reach out to others. Only when they see the love of Christ being lived in our lives (and see how He has changed us for the better) will they want to have anything to do with our 'religion.'
This is nothing new to me. Over the years, while talking with people who no longer attend church regularly, often state that they do not because 'the church is full of hypocrites.' But yet, before we go any further, let's define “hypocrite” so that we are all dealing with the same understanding. According to the Merriam-Webster on-line dictionary (http://www.merriam-webster.com/), hypocrite is defined as:
1. a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion
2. a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings
In a perfect world, we would as act exactly as we say we believe. For example, if one claimed that he or she thought lying was wrong, they would always tell the truth. That would be the case even with never telling a “white lie” (does this color look good on me? “Yes” when in reality, they don't think so), exaggerating the truth about something (fish story), or when they were trying to protect an innocent person. In reality, we all lie at times. Some lie on a regular basis and rarely tell the truth. Others try very hard to be honest and up front all the time. But, everyone 'fudges the truth' at least once in a while. It's either because we want to please someone else or we want to protect something that we perceive as important to us.
In Matthew 5:20-24, Jesus had some very harsh words for us. Though many people think that they can please God by not doing 'bad things,' Jesus said it wasn't. God judges us by the attitudes of our hearts. He used the example of physical adultery verses actually committing adultery in one's mind/heart (lusting after a person). For Jesus, as Scripture teaches was God 'in the flesh,' (John 1:14), simply thinking about doing something contrary to the 10 Commandments was enough to be guilty of rebelling against God. You didn't have to actually act out on the desire, just entertain it in you mind/heart.
How many of us, when we feel wronged, wish that the person that we perceived (correctly or not) to have wronged us that something evil will happen to them? All of us are guilty of murdering others in our heart. How many of us, when seeing someone go by with a new phone, computer, car, or what ever, do we find ourselves wishing that we had that particular item? All of us are guilty of coveting what is not ours in our hearts. I could go on and on, but I hope that all of us get the point. I use 'us' because we all do this. We all commit these sins in though, word, and deed each and every day. Some people flaunt it when they do it. Others try to be subtle or hide it. No matter what each of us believes is 'good' and what is 'bad,' we all break these 'laws' in thought, word, and deed. Each of us, every day.
The Apostle Paul was just as guilty as all of us. He is celebrated as one of the greatest missionaries in Christian history, especially in the early days of the Christian Church. He traveled far and wide, planting churches in many cities across the known world. Many of his Epistles (letters) were saved and guided Christians over the centuries. Sometimes he wrote in a gentle and caring voice. The Epistles to the Philippians is a good example of that. Other times, he wrote with harsh words and strong criticism, as is reflected in the Epistles to Galatia and Corinth. Many people look up to his example and strive to be imitators of him, which is not a bad thing. However, he was not without fault.
In Romans 7:14-25, Paul writes about the struggles that he goes through on a daily basis. You see, he was a hypocrite to some extent. Although he strove to 'do the right thing' all the time, his sinful nature would get in the way. He didn't use it as an excuse for doing evil. On the contrary, he did so to emphasize his humanity and need for a Savior. It was only by reliance on God's Grace that he could improve in his life (sanctification). He emphasizes on Chapter 8 of Romans of the need of each of us “do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:4b). This is an on going process. While we are still on this earth, we will always be affect by and influenced by our own sinful nature. No matter how closely we walk with Christ during our time on this earth, we will all still wrestle with our sinful nature. It won't be until we die and are in Heaven that we will no longer fight this battle.
It does sadden me when people, a church, or even a whole denomination claims to be Christian, but yet their actions state something different entirely. A popular saying (questionable whether Francis of Assisi actually said it) is, “Preach the Gospel, use words when necessary.” In a nutshell, our actions (and I would dare say, our thoughts) need to line up with what we say we believe. This is very sound advice, to some extent. We should be living as we say we believe. But, not totally the case concerning evangelism, though that is something I will explore more thoroughly in another blog entry. Although we will never always live what we believe, there is a huge different between striving towards a particular goal and actively saying one thing and doing another.
Now, there are some things that people say we are 'hypocrites' for doing which are not quite true. One thing that comes to my is the issue of homosexuality. Many people say that, since many churches teach that homosexuality is a sin and many denominations will not ordain someone who claims to be a homosexual, we are 'hypocrites.' Now, if a church teaches that 'God hates fags,' then I would definitely agree with you. Scripture is absolutely clear that Jesus sought out, even spent time, with people who were living apart from God. People like prostitutes, tax collectors, etc. He never condoned (agreed with) what they did, but He still reached out to them. He wanted them to give up their sinful lives and follow Him. Some did, some didn't. Paul writes eloquently in Romans 5:6, 10, Paul clearly states that Jesus gave His life to redeem all who put their trust in Him. Jesus loved the sinner (each and every one of us), but hates sin. As a holy and righteous God, sin separates us from Him. But, He took our place so that we could have a relationship with Him. And, He has charged us with doing the same thing. We are to love and invite those who are broken, hurting, living in sin, to find hope in Christ. We are to love the sinner but not condone the sin.
Some people do a very poor job in doing this. They condemn the person as they condemn their lifestyle. Some people do it out of ignorance or because they were taught poorly. Other people do it because it makes them feel important, or at least superior. Such people are similar to the 'righteous man' that Jesus spoke harshly about in Luke 18:9-19. We are to lovingly reach out to others and help them come to a saving knowledge of Christ. Not treat others harshly because they are living in (xyz) sin. Now, things are different for those who claim to be a Christian but are living in sin, but I will discuss that at another time.
In closing, we are all sinners in need of God's Grace. As a friend once described it, “A Christian is like one beggar telling another beggar where to find food.” Just as God showed us love and mercy, we are to do the same. Just as God calls us to give up our sinful ways, we are to encourage others to do so. It will never be easy. That is why Jesus has said, “Take up your cross and follow Me.” We need to do a lot more encouraging and mentoring as we reach out to others. Only when they see the love of Christ being lived in our lives (and see how He has changed us for the better) will they want to have anything to do with our 'religion.'
Monday, June 29, 2015
Pursuing the Heavenly Goal
Scripture Reading
Hebrews 12:1-3
2 Timothy 2:1-13
On many occasions, I have heard it said about the Christian life: “The Christian life is not a sprint. It is a marathon.” I have also heard the Christian life likened to a journey. I believe that both sayings have a lot of merit. I gave my life to Christ in January of 1994, over 20 years ago. It has been quit a challenging road for me.
I wonder how many of you have done some major hiking and/or backpacking? When I was 10 years old, my parents, my dad's cousin, his god-son, and I hiked the Grand Canyon (http://www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm). We went down the South Rim and stayed the night at several different places at the bottom. After about 6 days, we hiked up the North Rim. It was a very tiring experience, but a very positive memory. It was almost as taxing mentally as it was physically. Especially the last day when we hiked up the North Rim. We all had to encourage each other to keep on going, to put one foot in front of another. And, there were times where we had to remind ourselves that we needed to take a break and rest for a while.
Having been in the Army for over 15 years, I have gone on many ruck marches. For those who have not had the joy of experience it, imagine this… You are wearing a 5+ lb. helmet, carrying at 2-4 liters of water, carrying a M4, M16 or another type of weapon (8 lbs. or more), and a ruck sack with at least 35 lbs. Most of the time when I have done it, we left the barracks early in the morning and then marched roughly 6-8 miles back as a group. Then, when our leadership decided to, we would be released to walk the rest of the way back to the barracks. The thing is, we had to accomplish the whole ruck march within a specific period of time, and it was about 12 miles long. Needless to say, we were all quite tired by the end.
But yet, I would never be able to do a ruck march or a long hike without some sort of training. For the ruck march, we would often do short rucks (as we call them) with rucks carrying anywhere from 45-60 lbs. Although these rucks would be significantly shorter (45 minutes to just over an hour), they would be demanding enough to prepare us for the actual ruck march that we would have to do each year. Combine the rucking with running on a regular basis and you set yourself up for good stamina to accomplish the ruck march.
Speaking of running… Twice a year I have to do what's called the APFT (Army Physical Fitness Test). The standard test includes how many push-ups one can do within 2 minutes, how many sit-ups a person can do within 2 minutes, and how fast a person can run 2 miles. For me, I have to run the 2 miles in less than 17 minutes. For some people, the 2 miles run is a piece of cake. But, for some people like me, we have have to purposely work at our runs.
I do a variety of different kinds of runs to prepare myself for doing the 2 mile run. I will run a longer distance at a somewhat slower pace (right now, my long run is 6.2 miles) to build on my sustained cardio. Right now, running the 10 K takes me anywhere from 57 minutes to 1 hour and 5 minutes. Although I like to run it at a faster time, my goal is to complete the route without walking, even if it means jogging slowly for a while. On other days, I will do a shorter run, usually about 2-3 miles, at a faster pace. My goal then is to maintain an average time to where I would past my APFT run. As long as I run faster than a 9 minute mile, I am good. I will also add sprints, interval running, or something similar to work on my over all speed.
As with the ruck marching, I have to be purposeful in my training. I have to disciple myself to run at least 2 times a week, preferably 3 times a week. Its the same with doing calisthenics (push-ups, sit-ups, etc.) 2-3 times a week so that I will do well. Although I would rather get up early and exercise, sometimes I have things that I need to do in the morning, or my body needs some extra sleep. Then, I have to take time in the evenings to work out. As with learning a new language, studying for a test, or learning a new hobby, it takes time and self-disciple.
The Christian life is the same thing. After 20+ years, I still stumble and fall. Just like I can get distracted or not fill like exercising, I have to pick myself back up when I miss a workout or don't do well on a particular day. And yes, there are days where I go for a run and my body, for what ever reason, is so exhausted that completing it is not extremely difficult. The other day I went to the gym to do my regular calisthenics and kettlebell routine. But, because I had completed a long run the day before and had not taken in enough calories to compensate for all that I had burned, I was not at my best that morning. In fact, I really struggled to complete my workout and had to change some of the routines a little so that I could do them safely.
All of us have things that we struggle with. Whether it is lustful thoughts, pride, mistakes that we made in the past, chemical dependency, healing from abusive relationships, etc., each of these can make life much more difficult. Over time, having a prayer and accountability partner, regular devotions, an active prayer life, regular church and Bible Study attendance, etc., can help us to better deal with each of these. And, each of those help us to deepen our relationship with Christ. This strengthening of that relationship enables us to become more like Him, which is what we Protestants call sanctification. It is an ongoing process, one we will be engaging in for the rest of our natural lives here on earth. Just as it often helps to have an exercise partner so that one stays consistent and is challenged to improve, so meeting with other Christians for prayer and encouragement is very important.
I have heard said once that each of us should have a 'Timothy,' a 'Paul,' and a 'Silas.' Timothy was a young man that Paul mentored to become a pastor. Several of his Epistles (especially 1 & 2 Timothy) talk about this relationship, as well as several places in Acts. That is, each of us should seek to have a 'Timothy,' someone that we can mentor, and a 'Paul,' someone whom can mentor us. And the 'Silas' relationship? Silas was a close friend and traveling companion of Paul. Silas was a close friend that Paul to turn to for help, guidance, sharing burdens, etc. A close friend in Christ. The 'Paul' in our lives gives us someone to look up to and mentor us in our walks with Christ because of their experiences. And, we often have many people in our lives that are a 'Paul' to us. Some for only a season and some who mentor us for many, many years.
The 'Silas' would be the ones that we regular do things with, like prayer groups, family outings, coffee and doughnuts, etc., so that you can encourage each other, share experiences, use as a sounding board, etc. And, finally, the 'Timothy' is one that you mentor. Even if you have not been a Christian for very long, mentoring someone else in things that you have learned is very helpful. To be able to teach something to someone else, it challenges you to learn it well. Even if it's the bare basics, I am sure that God can help you find someone that you can mentor. And, just like the 'Paul,' the 'Silas,' and the 'Timothy's' in our lives can change often.
Just as each of these relationships are important in one's growth, so too is spending time with God in personal and cooperate worship. I know that, for most of you, cooperate worship is self-explanatory. Attending Bible Studies, prayer services, worship services, etc., are all well known forms of cooperate worship. But, you might be wondering what I might mean by personal worship.
Two of the more well known forms of personal worship are doing individual Bible reading/studying/devotions and spending time in prayer. In on, Bible study/devotions, you read Scripture to learn what God has to say to you and learn more about Him. In prayer, you life of your needs and desires to Him and seek to listen to His response. Something else I have added to this for my own spiritual growth is going on a prayer walk.
In doing a prayer walk, I do just that… I literately put on my walking shoes, make sure I am dressed for the weather, and go for a walk. But, while I am walking, instead of letting my thoughts wander about my day, how much I am missing my family at that time, how much someone that I work with has bugged me that day, etc., I spend time in prayer. I pray for those who might be around me, I pray for the leadership of the military base that I am on, I pray for my leadership, I pray for my family, I pray for the country that I am in, and what ever else God brings to my mind. I have found it to be a great way to not only get some physical exercise, but to get some good spiritual exercising. Not only am I praying for others, but I am seeking to listen to God with what He might be saying to me.
There are many things that one can do to help draw closer to God, with others and alone. Just like with physical exercise, growing in one's faith takes dedication, time, and energy. Just like there are things that can hinder one's physical exercising (lack of sleep, physical injury, lack of time, etc.), there are many things that can hinder a person's spiritual growth (unrepentant sin in one's life, lack of discipline, becoming to busy with other things, apathy, etc.). And, just like one can plateau in physical exercise, so one can plateau in spiritual exercises, where it seems that you are not going anywhere.
One other thing that has helped me a lot, both with physical exercising and with spiritual growth, is the setting of goals. I'll give you an example of when I do the 10K/6.2 mile run. On the course that I run, there are a number of large buildings or other landmarks that I pass by. During my route, I focus on the next goal that I am running towards. At one point, there is a long distance between some of the landmarks. But, throughout the rest of the course, the landmarks are much closer together. I take advantage of this and constantly remind myself that “Building 123” is my next goal, as I am approaching it. When I get close, I remind myself “Almost to Building 123, tower XT is my next goal.” And, as I get close to that goal, I focus on that goal and what the next one is. Even when my body is feeling extremely tired, that has really helped me to stay focused and at least maintain a jogging pace.
The same can be applied to one's spiritual life. Setting small goals and 'landmarks' throughout the week, and one's life, to help keep you focused. For example, one goal might be to read a Psalm a day. Or, you might focus on studying each of the Minor Prophets. Another goal could be setting aside a specific time during the day to do 5-10 minutes of devotions and prayer. Another could be to meet with a friend who is also a Christian once a week for coffee, going for a walk, or something else where you can share prayer requests, insights, etc. While I was stationed at FT Bragg, my prayer life was deeply blessed by a friend we spent a few minutes most days talking and praying. It became a 'running joke' between us with one of us would start the prayer (dial) and the other would end it (hang up). Considering the fact that we usually did this over the phone, it was quite appropriate. Even when one, or even both of us, were in the field, we tried to do this at least weekly. It was something that both of us really benefited from.
As we journey through life, we will encounter all sorts of joys, headaches, sorrows, and excitements. The same is true with our spiritual walks. Just as it makes things easier sharing the joys, sorrows, etc., of life with others, so it is with one's spiritual walk. I encourage each of you reading this blog entry (and, yes, I know it is rather long), to seek out ways to improve you walk with Christ. It will take time and the road may often be bumpy. But, I know that I have been richly blessed by the different things that I have done over the years. And, my life has been even more difficult when I have not been disciplining myself spiritual. So, therefore I seek to learn from my mistakes (and apathy) and draw closer to Christ, “the Author and finisher” of my faith.
Hebrews 12:1-3
2 Timothy 2:1-13
On many occasions, I have heard it said about the Christian life: “The Christian life is not a sprint. It is a marathon.” I have also heard the Christian life likened to a journey. I believe that both sayings have a lot of merit. I gave my life to Christ in January of 1994, over 20 years ago. It has been quit a challenging road for me.
I wonder how many of you have done some major hiking and/or backpacking? When I was 10 years old, my parents, my dad's cousin, his god-son, and I hiked the Grand Canyon (http://www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm). We went down the South Rim and stayed the night at several different places at the bottom. After about 6 days, we hiked up the North Rim. It was a very tiring experience, but a very positive memory. It was almost as taxing mentally as it was physically. Especially the last day when we hiked up the North Rim. We all had to encourage each other to keep on going, to put one foot in front of another. And, there were times where we had to remind ourselves that we needed to take a break and rest for a while.
Having been in the Army for over 15 years, I have gone on many ruck marches. For those who have not had the joy of experience it, imagine this… You are wearing a 5+ lb. helmet, carrying at 2-4 liters of water, carrying a M4, M16 or another type of weapon (8 lbs. or more), and a ruck sack with at least 35 lbs. Most of the time when I have done it, we left the barracks early in the morning and then marched roughly 6-8 miles back as a group. Then, when our leadership decided to, we would be released to walk the rest of the way back to the barracks. The thing is, we had to accomplish the whole ruck march within a specific period of time, and it was about 12 miles long. Needless to say, we were all quite tired by the end.
But yet, I would never be able to do a ruck march or a long hike without some sort of training. For the ruck march, we would often do short rucks (as we call them) with rucks carrying anywhere from 45-60 lbs. Although these rucks would be significantly shorter (45 minutes to just over an hour), they would be demanding enough to prepare us for the actual ruck march that we would have to do each year. Combine the rucking with running on a regular basis and you set yourself up for good stamina to accomplish the ruck march.
Speaking of running… Twice a year I have to do what's called the APFT (Army Physical Fitness Test). The standard test includes how many push-ups one can do within 2 minutes, how many sit-ups a person can do within 2 minutes, and how fast a person can run 2 miles. For me, I have to run the 2 miles in less than 17 minutes. For some people, the 2 miles run is a piece of cake. But, for some people like me, we have have to purposely work at our runs.
I do a variety of different kinds of runs to prepare myself for doing the 2 mile run. I will run a longer distance at a somewhat slower pace (right now, my long run is 6.2 miles) to build on my sustained cardio. Right now, running the 10 K takes me anywhere from 57 minutes to 1 hour and 5 minutes. Although I like to run it at a faster time, my goal is to complete the route without walking, even if it means jogging slowly for a while. On other days, I will do a shorter run, usually about 2-3 miles, at a faster pace. My goal then is to maintain an average time to where I would past my APFT run. As long as I run faster than a 9 minute mile, I am good. I will also add sprints, interval running, or something similar to work on my over all speed.
As with the ruck marching, I have to be purposeful in my training. I have to disciple myself to run at least 2 times a week, preferably 3 times a week. Its the same with doing calisthenics (push-ups, sit-ups, etc.) 2-3 times a week so that I will do well. Although I would rather get up early and exercise, sometimes I have things that I need to do in the morning, or my body needs some extra sleep. Then, I have to take time in the evenings to work out. As with learning a new language, studying for a test, or learning a new hobby, it takes time and self-disciple.
The Christian life is the same thing. After 20+ years, I still stumble and fall. Just like I can get distracted or not fill like exercising, I have to pick myself back up when I miss a workout or don't do well on a particular day. And yes, there are days where I go for a run and my body, for what ever reason, is so exhausted that completing it is not extremely difficult. The other day I went to the gym to do my regular calisthenics and kettlebell routine. But, because I had completed a long run the day before and had not taken in enough calories to compensate for all that I had burned, I was not at my best that morning. In fact, I really struggled to complete my workout and had to change some of the routines a little so that I could do them safely.
All of us have things that we struggle with. Whether it is lustful thoughts, pride, mistakes that we made in the past, chemical dependency, healing from abusive relationships, etc., each of these can make life much more difficult. Over time, having a prayer and accountability partner, regular devotions, an active prayer life, regular church and Bible Study attendance, etc., can help us to better deal with each of these. And, each of those help us to deepen our relationship with Christ. This strengthening of that relationship enables us to become more like Him, which is what we Protestants call sanctification. It is an ongoing process, one we will be engaging in for the rest of our natural lives here on earth. Just as it often helps to have an exercise partner so that one stays consistent and is challenged to improve, so meeting with other Christians for prayer and encouragement is very important.
I have heard said once that each of us should have a 'Timothy,' a 'Paul,' and a 'Silas.' Timothy was a young man that Paul mentored to become a pastor. Several of his Epistles (especially 1 & 2 Timothy) talk about this relationship, as well as several places in Acts. That is, each of us should seek to have a 'Timothy,' someone that we can mentor, and a 'Paul,' someone whom can mentor us. And the 'Silas' relationship? Silas was a close friend and traveling companion of Paul. Silas was a close friend that Paul to turn to for help, guidance, sharing burdens, etc. A close friend in Christ. The 'Paul' in our lives gives us someone to look up to and mentor us in our walks with Christ because of their experiences. And, we often have many people in our lives that are a 'Paul' to us. Some for only a season and some who mentor us for many, many years.
The 'Silas' would be the ones that we regular do things with, like prayer groups, family outings, coffee and doughnuts, etc., so that you can encourage each other, share experiences, use as a sounding board, etc. And, finally, the 'Timothy' is one that you mentor. Even if you have not been a Christian for very long, mentoring someone else in things that you have learned is very helpful. To be able to teach something to someone else, it challenges you to learn it well. Even if it's the bare basics, I am sure that God can help you find someone that you can mentor. And, just like the 'Paul,' the 'Silas,' and the 'Timothy's' in our lives can change often.
Just as each of these relationships are important in one's growth, so too is spending time with God in personal and cooperate worship. I know that, for most of you, cooperate worship is self-explanatory. Attending Bible Studies, prayer services, worship services, etc., are all well known forms of cooperate worship. But, you might be wondering what I might mean by personal worship.
Two of the more well known forms of personal worship are doing individual Bible reading/studying/devotions and spending time in prayer. In on, Bible study/devotions, you read Scripture to learn what God has to say to you and learn more about Him. In prayer, you life of your needs and desires to Him and seek to listen to His response. Something else I have added to this for my own spiritual growth is going on a prayer walk.
In doing a prayer walk, I do just that… I literately put on my walking shoes, make sure I am dressed for the weather, and go for a walk. But, while I am walking, instead of letting my thoughts wander about my day, how much I am missing my family at that time, how much someone that I work with has bugged me that day, etc., I spend time in prayer. I pray for those who might be around me, I pray for the leadership of the military base that I am on, I pray for my leadership, I pray for my family, I pray for the country that I am in, and what ever else God brings to my mind. I have found it to be a great way to not only get some physical exercise, but to get some good spiritual exercising. Not only am I praying for others, but I am seeking to listen to God with what He might be saying to me.
There are many things that one can do to help draw closer to God, with others and alone. Just like with physical exercise, growing in one's faith takes dedication, time, and energy. Just like there are things that can hinder one's physical exercising (lack of sleep, physical injury, lack of time, etc.), there are many things that can hinder a person's spiritual growth (unrepentant sin in one's life, lack of discipline, becoming to busy with other things, apathy, etc.). And, just like one can plateau in physical exercise, so one can plateau in spiritual exercises, where it seems that you are not going anywhere.
One other thing that has helped me a lot, both with physical exercising and with spiritual growth, is the setting of goals. I'll give you an example of when I do the 10K/6.2 mile run. On the course that I run, there are a number of large buildings or other landmarks that I pass by. During my route, I focus on the next goal that I am running towards. At one point, there is a long distance between some of the landmarks. But, throughout the rest of the course, the landmarks are much closer together. I take advantage of this and constantly remind myself that “Building 123” is my next goal, as I am approaching it. When I get close, I remind myself “Almost to Building 123, tower XT is my next goal.” And, as I get close to that goal, I focus on that goal and what the next one is. Even when my body is feeling extremely tired, that has really helped me to stay focused and at least maintain a jogging pace.
The same can be applied to one's spiritual life. Setting small goals and 'landmarks' throughout the week, and one's life, to help keep you focused. For example, one goal might be to read a Psalm a day. Or, you might focus on studying each of the Minor Prophets. Another goal could be setting aside a specific time during the day to do 5-10 minutes of devotions and prayer. Another could be to meet with a friend who is also a Christian once a week for coffee, going for a walk, or something else where you can share prayer requests, insights, etc. While I was stationed at FT Bragg, my prayer life was deeply blessed by a friend we spent a few minutes most days talking and praying. It became a 'running joke' between us with one of us would start the prayer (dial) and the other would end it (hang up). Considering the fact that we usually did this over the phone, it was quite appropriate. Even when one, or even both of us, were in the field, we tried to do this at least weekly. It was something that both of us really benefited from.
As we journey through life, we will encounter all sorts of joys, headaches, sorrows, and excitements. The same is true with our spiritual walks. Just as it makes things easier sharing the joys, sorrows, etc., of life with others, so it is with one's spiritual walk. I encourage each of you reading this blog entry (and, yes, I know it is rather long), to seek out ways to improve you walk with Christ. It will take time and the road may often be bumpy. But, I know that I have been richly blessed by the different things that I have done over the years. And, my life has been even more difficult when I have not been disciplining myself spiritual. So, therefore I seek to learn from my mistakes (and apathy) and draw closer to Christ, “the Author and finisher” of my faith.
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