This is a tumblelog, kinda like a blog but with short-form, mixed-media posts with stuff I like. Scroll down a bit to start reading, or a bit more to read more about me.
we live in a world of categories. it’s a symptom of the nearly unlimited choices which bombard us online and offline every day. things must be organized, sorted, and categorized to be manageable. while this can sometimes be incredibly helpful, in other cases it can be dangerously deceptive.
an…
its amazing to see the way that a father adores a daughter. I can only imagine the manner in which God loves humanity, though we are sinful and simple and full of misunderstanding. His grace is so real as he looks into our eyes.
“How fickle my heart and how woozy my eyes…”
With radical abandon, we take refuge under your wings,
walking with you through the harshness of the storm,
while the world builds sand castles with moats that will overwhelm them soon.
I thank God for the cornerstone, my strength, my shield;
for my shelter from the frailty of the life that I am living.
My life is but a vapor that is fading fast,
but the life that thrives within me,
sureley it will oulast the storm.
God give me a radical abandon to follow you where I don’t want to go.
for months i’ve been referring to my new record ‘feedback’ as a “worship” record. but after reading these thoughts from my great friend/singer/songwriter/hymn writer matthew smith, i think i’m changing my language. he describes it as a ‘soundtrack’ (i’ll let you read more below) and that…
Atheist Interview
So I’ve been challenged a lot recently with classes and ministry and… well life.
Couple of books I’ve been challenged with as well:
Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life and The Call To Follow Christ
I’m stuck. God is showing me over and over that I need discipline in my life. (This is coming from a guy who would rather stay up till 4 hanging out with friends and sleep till noon then play ultimate till dinner and do it all over again everyday.) Not simply to get where I need to go, but to honor the people whom I need to serve and minister.
Let me break it down.
I need to (in this order) Follow, Serve and Lead.
//FOLLOW//
Before anything else in my life, I MUST follow Christ.
Everyday, I must choose in my heart and mind, to follow Christ.
Packer said something very insightful (and he keeps saying a lot of good things):
“…nobody would know the truth about God…had God not first acted to make Himself known.” - J. I. Packer
How do we know God? The clearest way that we can be sure is through the Word of God. That doesn’t mean that God doesn’t speak to us through nature, through people and circumstances, but the most concrete way we know its God is through the Bible. It is sure. It is steadfast. God has revealed Himself that we might know Him.
—> For a good resource on the authority of the Bible read N. T. Wright’s The Last Word
I need to strive to spend time with God everyday… all day.
All of scripture speaks of this. The Proverbs describe in detail a life lived before God.
So often I get too busy and too concerned with other things, even good things to seek God like I should… but I should.
I need to embody the Beattitudes and the Proverbs to shine my life before men, that they may know my God. Yet, before I can follow in my life I must know how and the Bible is the first step in knowing who God is and what He is calling me to do!
//SERVE//
I must live a life of service.
Philipians 2:5-7a (or in context)
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death
Christ did it, and Paul makes it very clear that I need to serve.
This is the way of Christ.
Period.
No questions asked. Nothing is too low.
Don’t believe me? Jesus washed His disciples gross feet… including Judas’ feet. An important detail that we like to overlook.
//LEAD//
In order to lead, I must follow and I must serve.
“If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” Mark 9:35
If you want to be great, forget it. You’ve missed it. This life is not about being great. Its about making Christ great in your life. Not making Him better! But making Him the consuming passion of your existence.
That doesn’t mean that everyone is called to be a vocational minister of the Gospel.
Some of the people I respect the most aren’t in ministry of that sort for a living.
A couple who are close friends of mine who constant strives to make the Gospel central to their lives work as a receptionist/HR and in cabinetry. I love them because its evident in the way they love each other and in the way that they love others!
Where did this train of thought all come from?
What is God’s will for my life.
Easy answer, its a direction not a time thing.
God has called me to follow Him, to serve others and to Lead by making Christ great in my life. That is God’s clear will for me.
Anything past that? He’ll show me. He’ll give to me what I need and strip away what I don’t. This process is the most ridiculously awesome, scary and right thing that we could ever do.
So my invitation is to “stop playing video games in your boxers” and live the Gospel before others. This is in no way an exhaustive understanding of what God calls us to do and be, but I was simply thinking about how to follow God and to know His will. This is most certainly the start.
I’ve been hanging out with some awesome people the past few weeks and I’ve had some really cool conversations with people.
Particularly about worship.
I find myself asking more questions along the lines of why do we worship the way we do?
Answer 1: We worship God, because He is creator.
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” Genesis 1:1-2
God created.
Should this be enough to warrant worship? Paul seemed to think so.
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.” Romans 1:18-23
God created, but God also allows us to suffer. Is this enough?
He created, but He allows us to sin. Is this enough?
Yes. Though God allows us to suffer and sin, He is surely worthy of all praise.
He allows us to suffer so that we may be redeemed from suffering.
So, are we really worshiping God because He created us?
Yes. He created us that we may give Him alone praise. Our depravity is our own doing; our idolatry keeps us from that praise; OUR SELFISHNESS! NOT HIS!
He was selfless in that He created us knowing that we would turn our backs on Him, over and over… He created us TO worship… so let’s join in song!
Pt 2. coming tomorrow.
thoughts welcome.
“It is great wisdom and high perfection to esteem nothing of ourselves, and to think always well and highly of others.” - Kempis The Imitation of Christ
I am overwhelmed.
I get like this sometimes, but often it has to do with the amount of work I have to do or how emotionally drained I am from whatever situation I am a part of…
I guess those things have something to do with this, but I believe its more. I have the opportunity this week to attend Campus Crusade’s Unveiled ‘09 conference as an ambassador for the seminary. (I know, I thought they were crazy too.)
I was blessed to hear David Platt preach the Gospel this morning…
It was unreal…
Every time the man opens his mouth…
Every time I’ve ever heard him speak…
My heart breaks open.
Today it broke open for the many around the nation and world in spiritual and physical poverty and even more for those who know the Gospel but don’t seem to care…
We try to recreate God in our own image and live the way that we want to.
I think we often forget James’ amazing words: Faith without works is dead.
Our lives must reflect the Gospel which we have witnessed!
Otherwise, we’re no more Christian than the Buddhist we see at the local coffeeshop.
(Note: Please understand, we do not in any way save ourselves, and our works do not justify or mediate grace for us, however, works are a necessary part of the regenerate life of a Christian. Christ died for grace, so now we must live in the wake of that grace.)
I’ve been struggling for some time with how to express and explain this… We’re selfish… to the core of our nature…
We have no humility at all.
We long to be built up and given everything that we “deserve”…
…when all we really deserve is the wrath of the Holy One.
I can almost hear the weeping of God in this passage:
“My people are bent on turning away from me,
and though they call out ot the Most High,
he shall not raise them up at all
How can I give you up, O Ephraim?
How can I hand you over, O Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?
How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
My heart recoils within me;
my compassion grows warm and tender
I will not execute my burning anger;
I will not again destroy Ephraim;
for I am God and not a man,
the Holy One in your midst,
and I will not come in wrath.
They shall go after the LORD;
he will roar like a lion; when he roars,
his children shall come trembling from the west.”
Hosea 11:7-10
We call on God so often, but we never listen… Our agenda… Our plans… Our jobs… Our families… Our mochas… Our cars…
Our 2.5 kids and house in the cul-de-sac are more important than God.
This is so backwards.
My hope and prayer is that God will truly become the only thing and I will sit at his feet always.
I’ll run away, I’m sure of it.
But I know that is where I need to be.
(more to come…)
“Therefore, behold, I will allure her,
and bring her into the wilderness,
and speak tenderly to her.
And there I will give her her vineyards
and make the Valley of Trouble a door of hope.
And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth,
as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt.
And in that day, declares the LORD, you will call me ‘My Husband,’ and no longer will you call me ‘My Baal.’ For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be remembered by name no more. And I will make for them a covenant on that day with the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword, and war from the land, and I will make you lie down in safety. And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the LORD.”
1 John 3:18
This is beautiful
