Alone?

Isn't it interesting that after days and days (or ages, depending on your interpretation of Genesis), of creating, saying "it is good", creating, saying "it is good", that God would say that something as terrible as "it is not good"? Rob Bell pointed this out to me - the Garden was not perfect. There was something wrong within God's perfect creation: not an imperfection of what He made, but something created by the enemy.

It is not good for man to be alone.

What are you doing in your day to day activities to make sure that those who look up to you are being fed compassion and belonging? What are you doing to support them and guard them against lonliness?

Homosexuality...

Today, I defer to the wise and well spoken Brian McLaren.

The Homosexual Question

God & Geometry, Part II

Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding and in all your ways he will make your paths straight.

I can't help but think of what the angels were thinking while Moses wandered through the desert for 40 years. I mean, is it really that long of a trip? Let's say the desert were many times larger than it is, say, the size of the continental US. Would it take you 40 years to go from Miami to Seattle? How about Portland, ME to San Diego?

Clearly, the nation of Israel was violating this crucial axiom while it corkscrewed and figure-eighted through the barren wasteland from Egypt to the land of milk and honey. Forty years!!! Are you freaking kidding me?! Even if we only walked 2 miles per hour for 6 hours a day, six days per week, we'd still make our destination in less than a year!!! Okay, they couldn't stop at the McMatzah's for a Moishe-burger and Gefilte fries, but even at 3 hours a day, we're only talking 85 weeks or less to travel 3000 miles.

The Bible tells us in many places that God wants to prosper us, to grow us, to stretch us beyond who we are or ever could be without Divine intervention. With this in mind, is it any wonder why every time we grumble and rebel against Him, we automatically stretch out the amount of time between us and our eventual destination? Is it any wonder why we find ourselves wandering in circles with little to sustain us in dry, empty wilderness?

There's more to teach about, but so little more that needs to be said - Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Mt. 6.33, ESV)

I think it's very easy for us to suffer from "Small God Syndrome". Instead of imagining God as huge, complex, and wise, we see His discretion and timing as if He is out of control - too small to give us what we want, deserve, or "need". Our path wanders around like Moses and the grumbling Israelites in the desert. A small child is distracted by a small toy and easily gives up what is in their hand for something less valuable. Or, is that you and I? Do we misplace our trust for God and trade greater things for lesser because we are so headstrong on the path to what we want that we miss what we need?

What if we gave God the space to be God - to be large and in charge - and guide us on the most direct path to His ultimate destination for us? Is it possible we might look back one day and discover that He had pulled all the other things we desired to us? Is it possible that we may one day see in our wake the greatest life we could have lived because we sacrificed the lesser for the greater?

Only if our God is big enough.

Ends vs. Means, Part 1

"Perhaps" is such an interesting word for today. It expresses the truth that we are uncertain and hope that something will occur. In this context, it sounds like insanity - 2 men against thousands. Erwin McManus took me on a walk this week through the background music of my thoughtlife - a haunting, ever present descant that reminds me often that while God has a plan for all of us and promises to deliver us, He never promised a safe ride.

No, the God who spoke the universe into being has a more elaborate and convoluted plan than we could ever hope to understand. But, as He is God, and God is the epitome of greatness, why would anything less than God be His priority? I've heard Louie Giglio talk over and over about how God is righteously and rightly "stuck on Himself". That frightens us, at least to some degree.

But, we are urged to do something - anything - the next right thing. And that is what Jonathan does in that passage - as Erwin says, "chasing daylight". Asking the Switchfoot question "this is your life: are you who you want to be"? How would you live if you knew you'd be dying in a week? What kind of chances would you take, thoughts would you think, and how obedient would you be if you knew that God was not letting you off the next plane alive? Could you live for Him? Could you still point to Him, trusting His judgement?

Some of you have already left - walked away, because you blame Him for where you are or who didn't make it. But, this ignores the opportunity with which you have been presented: "Do you trust Me? Will you trust that through the bad, the ugly, and the terrible, I can make it right?"

All men die. Not all men truly live.

What will you do?

Hard to be Selfless...

I just caught a glimpse of an oft quoted and preached verse in Matthew 6. Verses 3 and 4 have this to say about why we do what we often do:

When you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret.

John Ortberg once reminded me about "impression management" - how often we say things to position ourselves as more important or less awkward or more intelligent than we really are. I just did it right there, nonchalantly dropping his name as if he spoke this as a reprimand to a longtime friend who has permission to speak wisdom into my life, when in actuality, I read it from a book he wrote. Don't I seem connected, respected, relevant?

But, herein lies the dilemma: when we seek spiritual growth and transformation, are we seeking a victory that we share with only ourselves, building our own ego, our own self image, or is our audience the God who commands us to be made new in the attitude of our minds? (Eph. 4.23) Do we seek personal growth or Godular growth? I mean, who are we trying to please? Did you give that homeless lady your shirt to impress your girlfriend, make your parents think you're "getting this God thing", or to please God? Or worse, are you doing it because God tells you to and you're just trying to get in with Him? Just storing up treasures in Heaven...

Treasures for who?

I'm accusing us as being selfish in our selflessness. Do we seek to do God's will or do we seek to get his attention, respect, or favor so we feel better about ourselves, so our circumstances improve? At the root, we all have a tendency to do things, "selfless things" because of what it will do for us. It is so hard to separate ourselves from this pattern.

I think this is where the Holy Spirit comes in and comes in handy - relying on Him to move our hearts toward a decision not because it seems "right", feels "good". If we think for ourselves, we often do just that: think for our selves. We know something is rright, wrong, good, evil, etc. because of that little barometer that goes off in our hearts when something doesn't seem right or something makes sense (caveat: Jeremiah 17.9). Rather than relying on feeling, we are urged to listen for the voice of God through His Messenger. This can help us separate God's will for us from our selfish acts of selflessness.

Are you listening or are you building the biggest stack of bling in Heaven? Is that bling for your glory or His?

Pray hard.

Exposing the Truth: None of my business...

So many times I hear the question - "If God were so good, why would ___?" I've even asked it from time to time. It's a bit of a loaded question, though, isn't it? When we look at the situation, we assume that God allowed it to happen almost in a vacuum. We assume that there is no war going on and that there are to be no casualties. Aren't we sort of assuming that God wins every battle? Wouldn't be much of a contest, would it?

Imagine, the Pittsburgh Steelers, or better, the New England Patriots go marching down the field with their fistfuls of Super Bowl rings, but there's no opposing team!!! It might be fun for New England fans for about the first 3 or 4 touchdowns, but after a while, it's not much to look at, is it? For some reason we all get tragically offended to think that we are part of a game on a field, and I can appreciate that. I'm even with you for a good portion of that angst. But, when we look at the context for life in the world (Greek: kosmos - system of belief, rules, a matrix or philosophy from which a worldview is sourced), which is more fierce than a game - it is a struggle, a battle in no uncertain terms.

The basic Biblical explanation is that when sin entered the world through Adam and Eve, it brought with it a whole host of other junk - death, disease, depression, the need for disinfectant and deodorant. Alright, facetiousness aside, we - the traitor race - betrayed the God who walked with Adam and Eve in the garden. We broke the one and only rule and set loose a chain reaction that a good and righteous God could not let go unpunished. (If He did, He wouldn't be righteous, would He?) And so, with it, sin always brings consequences, shrapnel, as I like to call it. Nothing that's bad in the world can not fall into the category of shrapnel.

Some of us know this because we work around it every day. There are people on our team, above us or below us, who are doing something unethical, incorrect, or just plain wrong. I recommend a very important verse for all of us to meditate on from time to time: My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins. (James 5.19-20) Some of us have a serious ethical dilemma to face "do I turn them in? Do I say something?"

So often, our answer ranges on the weak side of courage where resides justification and rationalization. You know, "It's none of my business.", "It's not hurting anyone...", "It's making us more money, forget about it..." How blind are we to our own fear or rejection?! If it's not your business, explain that to a guy with 25 years in at Enron and all his retirement stacked up in company options when the plug got pulled. BOOOOOM!!! Shrapnel. Could someone have made it their business years before that bomb went off? Nope. It was none of their business. What about the guy who's chatting online with some girl who's not his wife, gets caught by his wife in bed with someone else who's underage, now you've got three months of 70 hour weeks doing his work while they find a replacement. None of your business...

I'm going to encourage you to think selfishly on this one for once - because Jesus would, too. He's thinking about the shrapnel that kills you when you make the unwise or unholy choice, but just as importantly, those around you who will bear the pain and scars from the shrapnel you may emit when your life explodes. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. (Phil. 2.3)" Consider others. Would you? It's not necessarily about what one individual is doing that's "harmless", but the long term and short term consequences by their behavior. What would Jesus do? Would he explain away or expose the truth?

Here's our work for the day, the week, the life: "have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them... (Eph. 5.11)"

A Horse With No Name...

The song goes: "I've been through the desert on a horse with no name. It felt good to get out of the rain. In the desert, you can remember you name, because there ain't no one for to give you no fame..."

Catchy tune. Catchy lyrics. Yet, we lose the meaning in the midst of our hurried lives. Christ so often went to the desert or a solitary, remote place before a major event or undertaking - did He know something about unplugging from the hurried life that we have failed to notice? Is it possible that a temporary break from status, titles, fame, and the rain and flurry of activity with which we are barraged could help us to recharge?

Yes, this is fairly intuitive. Nothing we need to take notes on, eh?

Or, do we forget? Do we talk ourselves into believing that we are above the laws of nature, society, and physics (all God-given laws) and the "just this one time" principle won't come back and bite us in the butt? How often have you bought that lie? Are you keeping holy the Sabbath? This isn't a look at legalism and you, it's a look at "why did God put that rule out there?" Why would the Sabbath Day be so high up on the list of "only 10 things you need to know from God"?!

That song, by America, is catchy, but what if they recorded it with random tempo changes? How catchy would it be then? Rob Bell explains that God has a rhythm. God. Yes. He worked 6 days and rested 1. He told us to work 6 days and rest 1. Why? Should He really care, or is He just looking to lay down some rules because He wants to toy with us and rule over us? Consistent rhythm is far more impotant than the pace at which we work. Clearly, the Bible insists we work with vigor and urgency but, more importantly, it commands we maintain an even, urgent, 6 on 1 off rhythm.

So, how are you doing? Are you taking inventory of which cars are in the two lanes in front of you so you can plan which one is going to proceed through the stop light fastest? Do you take time to intentionally go to the desert, take a day off, and recharge? Do you take time to reflect on where you are going regardless of your title, status, and other factors that unwittingly drag you down?

Do what you must, but I say detatch once a week, throw your Crackberry in the freezer, forget all the accolades, and recharge. Sabbath. Take a sabbatical from the wolrd. Dedicate yourself to a consistent 6 and 1 rhythm and see how catchy your tune becomes...

Cleanest Common Denominator

"You were taught with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires, to be made new in the attitude of your minds...(Eph 4.22-23) NIV"

I am divorced. I believe that the scriptures do not make provision for a man or woman to remarry while both are still alive. It is a very unpopular, but biblically sound standpoint. It also causes tremendously heated debate. For this reason, I have remained single and gratefully turned down opportunities to date for the past three plus years. Scripture's clearest and wisest path for my life (given current circumstances), is to "seek first His kingdom" regardless of whether or not "all these things will be given to" meMt.6.33.

Teasing this out means - the wisest path for me to take is to continue to work on who I am through renewing my mind with God's word and becoming he best that God would have me be. Should my ex-wife predecease me, then I may take steps toward dating, but only after wise counsel and prayerful consultation with the Lord..

While quite a controversial stance, this is not the purpose of this post, rather context for a revelation God has made to me. While single, my view of the love relationships around me has become remarkably clearer. Without a dating relationship in my own face, my ability to see more objectively has been unhindered. What I have seen, for the most part, are women who are dying to be dated and men who feel they have to be dating in order to be a man.

I am painting with rather broad strokes, but I've got to ask - have you seen people jump from relationship to relationship thinking it was the relationship that was bad rather than the participants in the relationship? How many times have you seen her make the same relational mistake with guy after guy? Have you mentioned to her that the common denominator may not be the guys?

Scripture bears out that God desires a relationship with us and to prosper us, unfettered by the many snags and pitfalls that come being broken people living in a broken world. That being said, wouldn't it be smart to take some time off from intimate relationships to "renew our minds" (and, consequently, our hearts and souls) before moving to the next one? Could God be smart enough to create the universe, 600 kinds of beetles, and know what is right for us in all areas of our Lives? Is it possible that "defragmenting" your hard drive could make your computer run faster and access your files more efficiently? Is it possible that a renewed, rebuilt engine could function close to a new one? Is it possible that orange juice could taste any worse than after you've just brushed your teeth and not let the mint flavor wear off of your tongue?!

Then, why do we insist on leaving one relationship to jump into a new one, without renewing our minds? Knowing that there are three sides to every story, how much weight do we put on our side of the equation? How much have we truly prepared for a new relationship based on the empirical, objective behaviors that played even a minor tributary's role in the past relationship's collapse?

Can you pinpoint and own the actions you took that contributed to its demise?

Then, perhaps, you're ready to "put on the new self."

Then, perhaps, you're ready to meet someone else's new self.

Big Brother is Watching

Having read Orwel's "1984" during the 80s, I was disturbed by how accurately prophetic his work of fiction was at its core. At that time we didn't have web cameras, cell phone cameras, and traffic cams were few and far between. Today, I'm not sure if I'm more bothered by the red light cam that snaps $70 photos of your car blowing through the intersection or the cameraphone that catches me picking my nose at the traffic signal I no longer rush through. Doesn't it bother you that you're being photographed or filmed nearly every day and that every little move you make, intentional or accidental can come back to haunt you?

As Christians, we are told over and over that God is watching. For many of us who grew up that way, Our parents abused this principle to keep us in line. But, our Father in Heaven, if He is truly our father and not some cosmic soup-Nazi out to squash every ounce of happiness out of our lives, wants us to know that he cares so much about the banal details of our day-to-day, that He's promised a replay in Heaven. We are to give an account for all that we have done.

Now, the Bible is sketchy on the details - will it be an invite only crowd? Will it be a sold out show? Will it be just me and God on the back porch of heaven and a 15" black and white set sitting in rocking chairs throwing back a few 1Samuel & Adam's reviewing a play-by-play narrated by the apostle, Paul? Who knows? Doesn't matter. Bottom line, we get to sit through the podcast of our life with the author of life and explain every "what was I thinking" moment, moreover, what we were thinking.

So, let's get to work. An acquaintance of mine was frustrated in a retail store a few weeks ago - a Christian bookstore. His view of what "working for the Lord, not men" means is that we work hard to give people courteous, thoughtful customer service. I happen to agree. But, when he didn't get that kind of service, he explained to the clerk that she was making it easier for him to shop at Amazon.com. I believe he did it with tact and poise, but what's your response to either side?

Are you working to give the best service out there, regardless of the depth of your job description, rate of pay, or kind of day you're having, or do you succumb to external circumstances? When you don't get what you want, would you be surprised when the person behind you in line shows you the phoneCam version of your attitude? What will either of you say when the Almighty reaches for the remote control? As Dwight Moody says, "Character is what you are in the dark."

Are you working for a paycheck? Are you working for recognition? Or, are you working out of gratitude for the One who will review your life with you? Big Brother is watching. Which would you rather for your title: "The Amazing Adventures of..." or "Heaven's Funniest Home Videos"?

MINE!

John uses the Greek word "kosmos" to describe a system of rules and philosphies that engender opposition to God. This "worldview" is a similar in meaning to the "world" we are warned not to conform to. (One has more of a spatial connotation, while the latter, more of a temporal - "the age"). In either case, both writers express that there is a philosphy at work purposed to turn our hearts against God.

Many non-Christians and agnostic/atheists are what they are because of the many "bad" things that don't seem to add up to a good God. Yet, if we look at the Bible as if it really were a message from God to us, we are warned not to "surrender to the system of beliefs that blames God for all of the bad".

One area of life in which even Christians struggle to overcome this admonition is in the area of finances. Don't you notice some people just bristle when you bring up questions that are "too personal" about their finances? It's as if their money were an unruly child in a crowded mall - embarassment rapidly converted to anger. Yet, God has promised that he will prosper men not on their own efforts alone, but on His good graces and on His timetables.

The world wants us to believe that "time is money", yet in an instant companies fold, scandals unfold, and schemes unravel - regardless of all the time put in prior to the instant. How much money do you take with you when you die? None? But, if time were money, wouldn't we have it made at the end of this life? The Bible has over 2,000 verses that cover money and posessions. One of the most fundamental is 1 Chron. 29:11-12 which credits God with the power to give wealth and honor to all. If we were to view honor and financial success through this lens, what would we say when things didn't go our way?

If it's not our money, why freak out? If God's really in control, then He didn't just crash your car - He just crashed His car. That doesn't change the fact that you were driving it, nor does it change the fact that you were in posession of it. Biblically, we don't own anything, we manage it. We steward it. We tend it like a flock. Why do you think there are so many references to sheep in the Bible? It was a relevant metaphor, considering the economy at that time, and shepherds knew of the temporal nature of their flock - hair today, gone tomorrow. Ten sheep could be carried off one night by wolves. Eight could die of natural causes. The point wasn't how many you had, it was how you treated the ones you had, and how you managed your portfolio, while you had it.

So, how's your perspective? As a Christian, do you lose your mind when financial problems rear up? Do you get noticibly angry and irritable when things are tight? Have you never thought of things in this light? As a non-Christian, does this bother you? Does this help you to understand why Christians are the way they are?

While you're thinking, check out these resources: Crown Ministries, Dave Ramsey, and Ron Blue and see how they help.

Can I Get a Witness?!

There are dozens of books to be read, studied, and turned into boot camps for those men who take God seriously about living a life of purity in an impure world. Ladies, believe it or not, there are men out there, Christian men, who are walking the walk. But, can I tell you something about the walk? Walking in purity is like crossing the Grand Canyon on a tightrope, on a windy, rainy day, carrying a sofa on your back, with rollerblades on.

And then, some woman you know starts throwing rocks at you!!!

Job is urged by his friends to admit that he has been unrighteous because his friends believe that God is punishing him for it. He reminds them repeatedly that he has done nothing wrong, even stating "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl." (Job 31.1)

For most guys, looking at women lustfully, even in the "wow, she's hot", socially acceptable way, is a pasttime that we have not only grown fond of, but also very skilled at. We can think lustfully about a woman as easily as that woman can drive, talk on her cellphone and do her lipstick - it's second nature.

Unfortunately, once God has revealed to our hearts the importance of purity, we've gotten so second nature at it, it's nearly first nature. While you and your girlfriends are having a 45 minute conversation about that cute little outfit you just got and how Belk had it, but Kohl's had it for less, and you got it in three colors and saved another 10% off the sale price, are you aware that there are godly, Christian men who are trying to cross the Grand Canyon?! You may not even know it, but your cute little outfit is more than cute, it's dang near making us lose our balance!!!

Guys, can you weigh in on this one for me? Are there Christ loving, Proverbs 31 kind of women out there that have the confidence and character that make you lose your mind who unknowingly cause you to stumble? Guys, can you vouch for your brothers, that it doesn't take a pervert to struggle with lust?

Sisters, has a guy ever made you aware that while your sole motive is to look cute when you put it on, some of those outfits you start wearing here in HotLanta around this time of year truly give the devil a foothold? Could we make a deal with you? We'll tell you you're beautiful on demand if you'll just trust that we really mean it and you'll cover up just a little bit? We love you. We love your character. We love your love for the Lord. We love that you love the Lord more than you could ever love us, and we're secure in that.

But, could you give a brutha a hand an cover yourself with the other?!

God and Geometry, Part I

The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. This is a vital axoim in math, but for comic Stephen Wright it was disastrous in baseball: "I tried to steal third from first and argued that second was out of my way."

I'm a bit of an outside the box rebel, like Wright - eating cereal with a fork. Too many rules are one too many. Likewise, when I am out to get what I want with a burning desire and unbridled focus, I am not a fan of the law of God, specifically the oft quoted "wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6.23) I recall as a non-Christian seeing this as obnoxious and cumbersome, another in the long list of reasons why God sucked and I wanted nothing to do with Him. "You're so great, God, how 'bout some rules that work in my favor?!"

Theologically, this is much easier to explain to someone who holds God's will for their life as the highest cause. Until I became a Chrisian, my plan was the only plan. Being a Christ follower, I discovered, carries with it the assumption that you are doing just that: following Christ. He even stated he had a perfect will for my life. Your life. Geometrically, before him, we were stuck at point A or A and a half. But now, He has something far better than point B, He's got a perfect will for us call it point "X" - the highest and best purpose for your life.

Sin, in God's eyes, is anything that we do that creates a curve on our path from where we are to point X. I can't think of a better word than "death" for what that earns us - relational death, financial death, emotional death. If perfect relational, emotional, fiscal, or physical health is His plan, what else do we call voluntary failure to live up to potential? Distraction? Sure, but distract my fresh basil from the light for a day, and what ensues? Wilting and death... Not all that desirable, eh?

The Bible teaches that we live in a broken world, ruled in part by the enemy of God, and are thus prone to be distracted by anything that catches our eye. We are in bondage to shiny, sparkley, sexy, sleek, stuff which will constantly take us off the path from A to X. It's like spiritual ADD.
Reminds me of a favorite joke:

Q: How many kids with ADD does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
A: Let's go ride bikes.

Today, let's start with the basics. Let's all, Christians or not, imagine that the Bible is right, inerrant, and true and that there is a God who loves us and invites us to call Him "Father". Let's imagine that He really is all knowing and all powerful and refuses to mess with free will. Next, let's imagine He's got a plan to prosper us and not to harm us, to give us a hope and a future and abundant life. Now, let's imagine He's trying to explain how to get to that life, point X, but we're busy with our Quest for Stuff, Power, Prowess, Fame, and/or Other non-Point-X-Miscellany. He's stuck talking to ADD boy.

So, what are you up to? What's disctracting you from His plan for your life? What's your purpose in relation to what His picture of your ultimate role in the eternity long saga could be? I've never said "God, I know you're wicked smaaht [Bostonian for "beyond intelligent"], but I have a better plan, so why don't you just tend to the orphans in Africa and I'll get back to you when I need you to bail me out of the mess I'm about to create."

At least, not in those words...