This is a reprint from an article I wrote for the J103 (www.j103.com) online newsletter. Enjoy!
Life is a series of clashes or interruptions we would call collisions. When humans collide it can produce immense pain; and sometimes even destruction. But when our collision is with God, it is always an attempt by God to bring His solution into our darkness. When God sends Himself into chaos, creation is inevitable.
History's greatest collision between the infinite and the finite is described in Matthew 4:16: "the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned" (NIV).
It is in this amazing and sometimes dreadful journey that God reveals Himself; and that revelation always includes light to chase away darkness. C.S. Lewis described this life as an "astonishing cataract of bears, babies, and bananas; this immoderate deluge of atoms, orchids, oranges, cancers, canaries, fleas, gases, tornadoes, and roads." Then he pointed out that this is the place in which God chooses to reveal Himself to us. "When the biblical faith affirms that God actually uses history to reveal Himself to us, it is saying that God is to be found in that immoderate deluge. God is involved in the mess; and even more remarkable, the mess can actually constitute revelation" (italics mine).
Here are a few biblical examples of history-making collisions in which God reveals Himself:
Genesis 1:3: God's Word, "Let there be light," collides with chaos, order comes, and "it is good."
Genesis 3: God collides with a serpent that has deceived Adam and Eve and sets in motion the reality of Christmas ("He [Jesus] shall bruise your head").
John 1:5: "The light keeps shining in the dark, and darkness has never put it out" (CEV).
Judges 6: The Angel of the Lord collides with a hiding, fearful Gideon to reveal the truth of his strength and might. Victory is won by a very small number.
1 Samuel 16: A shepherd boy who knows God collides with a giant Philistine champion, cuts off his head, gains riches, wins the daughter of the king, and God's people are freed from the bondage of intimidation.
2 Kings 4: God's Word, through Elisha, collides with a widow, and all her needs are met in a time of financial distress.
Luke 1:29: The Word of God delivered to Mary by the angel Gabriel collides with the rhythm of her life. She and the world are forever changed.
Mathew 9:10-13: Jesus collides with the religious crowd because He spends time with the
"un-churched." He tells them His call is not to the well but those who are sick.
Matthew 28:18-20: Jesus collides with the forces of darkness when He bestows His very
life-giving power to His disciples.
Matthew 5:13-15: Jesus announces that we are the light of the world, thus revealing our collision course with the darkness that cannot stop His light-life in us.
Luke 10:19: Jesus reveals our part in this collision, granting us authority over all the forces of darkness.
2 Corinthians 3:2: "Your very lives are a letter that anyone can read by just looking at you. Christ himself wrote it-not with ink, but with God's living Spirit; not chiseled into stone, but carved into human lives..." (MSG).
The story written and read in our lives shows forth God's truth colliding with the lives of those
we touch.
And this is The Christmas Experience.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Dual Citizenship
As I ponder our nation's political & economic climate and listen to broadcasters that are not mainstream I find myself more willing to entertain the words of some conspiracy theorists. Recently a well respected friend said, "Most Americans don't understand that we are possibly 48 hours away from anarchy!" This is not something I desire but if there is any truth to that observation shouldn't we be thinking of preparedness rather than fighting over the best seat to watch the next season of "American Idol" or "Dancing with the Stars?" Most Americans are asleep!
As a Christ follower and pastor I am becoming more and more aware of a tension that exists between being a citizen of God's Kingdom, and being an American that has a voice and a vote. Honestly, I am pretty sick of political correctness. I know I won't win any awards for writing this blog but at 53 years old I'm kind of over doing what I do for the praise of men.
The attempt by some to polticize the recent Tuscon, Arizona shooting is unfortunate. In the next few lines of this blog I will be quoting Dr. Ignatius Piazza, Founder Front Sight FIREARMS TRAINING INSTITUTE. www.frontsight.com
WORLDWIDE HISTORY OF GUN CONFISCATION
In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated...
In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1939 to 1945, a total of 13 million Jews and others who were unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
China established gun control in 1935. From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Guatemala established gun control n 1964. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Cambodia established gun control in 1956. From 1975 to 1977, one million educated people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Yes, I am a citizen of two nations. One is called America, and one is called Holy (I Peter 2:9). I intend, with God's wisdom and guidance, to function succesfully in both. How about you?
As a Christ follower and pastor I am becoming more and more aware of a tension that exists between being a citizen of God's Kingdom, and being an American that has a voice and a vote. Honestly, I am pretty sick of political correctness. I know I won't win any awards for writing this blog but at 53 years old I'm kind of over doing what I do for the praise of men.
The attempt by some to polticize the recent Tuscon, Arizona shooting is unfortunate. In the next few lines of this blog I will be quoting Dr. Ignatius Piazza, Founder Front Sight FIREARMS TRAINING INSTITUTE. www.frontsight.com
"After every mass shooting or assassination of the past, we hear the unenlightened politicians and knee-jerk liberals wailing, "If we can save just ONE life by getting guns off the street, then it is worth passing stricter gun control..."
Today is no different as the Arizona shooting is giving the usual suspects a notional spotlight to take advantage of a grieving nation, in all the hopes of stealing more of our freedom away with their slick gun control schemes.
Well, the next time you hear anybody, say [that] I want you to respond with: 'Over 170 million people would disagree with you...if they could. You can't talk with them, because they are dead! They were killed by their own governments after strict gun control disarmed them.'"
WORLDWIDE HISTORY OF GUN CONFISCATION
In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated...
In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1939 to 1945, a total of 13 million Jews and others who were unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
China established gun control in 1935. From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Guatemala established gun control n 1964. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Cambodia established gun control in 1956. From 1975 to 1977, one million educated people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Yes, I am a citizen of two nations. One is called America, and one is called Holy (I Peter 2:9). I intend, with God's wisdom and guidance, to function succesfully in both. How about you?
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
being good or just being?
Recently my friend Brian Ladd emailed some web links to me that introduced me to a guy named Nate Larkin. Then he brought me a copy of his book entitled Samson and the Pirate Monks. I have been reading the book for about 2-3 weeks. (It usually takes me awhile to get through one because I read 3-4 at a time.) The book is Nate's story of being addicted to pornography and his subsequent recovery process. Nate picked up his first prostitute while on the way to conduct a candle light service at the church he was pastoring. Now many would say Nate couldn't have been a Christian while at the same time committing such a grievous sin. There was a time when I would have thought the same thing. Truth is, being a Christian isn't about, to quote Nate, "being very good at being very good." But I was brought up to believe Christianity is about, first of all recieving Christ as personal savior; which by the way I still believe. But then the next thing was the task of being the best you, you can be, doing all the right things, and following all the rules. You know, the ones in that book the denomination wrote. That makes God like you better. When you don't "DO" all those things you're not in God's good graces. I tried so hard to be my own savior. I didn't know that was what I was doing. I believed that when I took a personal inventory of my life and I had more good marks than bad I was tight with God. No that's not true. What I really believed was when there was only one bad mark I was no longer in the family.
Let me pause and say I had an encounter with God when I was 14 years old that was a close second to Saul's Damascus Road experience. In that moment I immeidately realized that I must surrender my life to Jesus Christ or I would be eternally lost. I love God more than anyone or anything. I desire to live a holy life. I have no desire to live in sin; any sin. That said, my conduct is not always holy. Neither are my thoughts; and I do sin.
Now back to "being very good at being very good." Nates says it so well in his retelling of the story of the rich young ruler in Mark 10. "The young man was very good at being very good, and his life was marked with the kind of success that religious people usually associate with virtue." When the rich kid gave Jesus the wrong answers Jesus looked at him and loved him. When we think we're doing it right but we aren't, we're still loved by God. Now along with that love always comes instruction on how not to stay like we are. That's real love. (Man, if you love me, love me enough to tell me the truth. Don't let me keep driving toward the bridge that's out.)
The next thing Neal writes about this dialogue between Jesus and Richy Rich is interesting.
"...here's what I suggest. Leave this audience. Sell the stage, the costumes, and the props follow me on a great adventure. The poor young man couldn't do it. He had become so obsessed with with building his own goodness. For too long he had been keeping the rules and making up more, thinking that if only he were right, if only he could do all the right things and learn all the right things and get all the right things and say all the right things, he could bring himself to life. Jesus was saying, 'It's not about being good! It's about being! God is good and that's good enough."
I am realizing that I want to do what Jesus was suggesting to Daddy Warbucks; place my trust in a goodness not my own...abandon my pious, false life in order to find my real one. I have decided to stop trying to live for Christ and live in Christ
Yes, just being is better than being good.
If you're interested in knowing more of Nate Larkin's story and how God is now using him in ministry go to http://www.iamsecond.com/ to view a portion of his story.
Let me pause and say I had an encounter with God when I was 14 years old that was a close second to Saul's Damascus Road experience. In that moment I immeidately realized that I must surrender my life to Jesus Christ or I would be eternally lost. I love God more than anyone or anything. I desire to live a holy life. I have no desire to live in sin; any sin. That said, my conduct is not always holy. Neither are my thoughts; and I do sin.
Now back to "being very good at being very good." Nates says it so well in his retelling of the story of the rich young ruler in Mark 10. "The young man was very good at being very good, and his life was marked with the kind of success that religious people usually associate with virtue." When the rich kid gave Jesus the wrong answers Jesus looked at him and loved him. When we think we're doing it right but we aren't, we're still loved by God. Now along with that love always comes instruction on how not to stay like we are. That's real love. (Man, if you love me, love me enough to tell me the truth. Don't let me keep driving toward the bridge that's out.)
The next thing Neal writes about this dialogue between Jesus and Richy Rich is interesting.
"...here's what I suggest. Leave this audience. Sell the stage, the costumes, and the props follow me on a great adventure. The poor young man couldn't do it. He had become so obsessed with with building his own goodness. For too long he had been keeping the rules and making up more, thinking that if only he were right, if only he could do all the right things and learn all the right things and get all the right things and say all the right things, he could bring himself to life. Jesus was saying, 'It's not about being good! It's about being! God is good and that's good enough."
I am realizing that I want to do what Jesus was suggesting to Daddy Warbucks; place my trust in a goodness not my own...abandon my pious, false life in order to find my real one. I have decided to stop trying to live for Christ and live in Christ
Yes, just being is better than being good.
If you're interested in knowing more of Nate Larkin's story and how God is now using him in ministry go to http://www.iamsecond.com/ to view a portion of his story.
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