Just Thinking

I like this translation of Matthew 7:6 in the Message,

"Don't be flip with the sacred. Banter and silliness give no honor to God. Don't reduce holy mysteries to slogans. In trying to be relevant, you're only being cute and inviting sacrilege."

Jesus is much more than a nice saying on a sign or a sly illustration in a book. He is our mysterious Savior.

In all of our attempts to be relevant, have we reduced the mysterious to mere slogans?

Once upon a time there was a seed, but he didn’t really want to be a seed. He wanted really to be a tree. So, he began to learn everything there was to learn about trees. He read books like, The Purpose Driven Tree and The Emerging Tree. He interviewed people who had been trees for a long time whose leaves were so many there was no number that could enumerate them. He asked them questions like,

“How do you get so many leaves?” and “How do you present yourself that other leaves will want to come hang in your branches?”

He would even go and sit in the shade of some well-known trees. Many of them did a good job hiding the Sun.

As the days passed, he became frustrated because he was still a seed with no where to rest. He didn’t know what else to do. He had done everything it seemed. He had even studied all of the soil near him. Some was too hard. Some was too soft. Some was over-ridden with weeds. There were many days that he would lie down in his warm bed, take a long drink of water, and wonder if the frustration would ever end. Until one day...

IT happened.

His limbs started to grow, and his arms branched out to the forests and towns near by. As the Sun shone through his leaves, he finally realized that he never really was just a seed. He had always been a tree just in a different season of growth.

Who I am is not a reflection of what I do, but what I do is a reflection of who I am. Who I am is the reality while what I do is the reflection.

Well, Caleb is now 5 months old, and he has been sleeping through the night for just about three months now. However, this has not always been the case. It seems like not so long ago that Caleb would wake up numerous times in the middle of the night or at unscheduled times during the day. You may be thinking, “what is so wrong with that?” Well, his awake times were not pleasant because much of it was spent bouncing back and forth between crying and screaming. There were very few of the nice little serene “baby moments” that you often think of. Kristi (the best mother in the world) and I (the most clueless father ever) spent our time passing him to one another so that we could endure the screaming. You may also be thinking, “Why didn’t you just let him sleep when he wanted?” Here’s why: it was not the right time for him to sleep. We needed to teach him when it was appropriate to rest and when it was appropriate to be awake. He’s an infant he can’t just do it. He had to be taught, and since we are his parents, the responsibility fell on us. We lovingly accepted that responsibility.

You see, that is what a parent does for a child...teaches them how to rest.

That is what our Father must teach us as well.

“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures...” (Psalm 23:1)

Have you ever thought through this passage? Look at what it says here. What is “me” (the sheep) doing? What is the pasture like?

The sheep (me) is lying down. Okay, Captain Obvious, no big deal... But it isn’t the fact that the sheep is lying down it is the fact that he is lying down in green grass! He is not eating. He is not grazing. He is not moving. He is resting.

Why? The LORD is his Shepherd. He is completely comfortable in His presence. Sheep are fearful animals, and they do not easily lie down. However, because of the presence of the Shepherd, he can lie down. In fact it is this confidence in the Shepherd not himself that makes the sheep lie down. Who makes the sheep lie down? Not the sheep...the Shepherd. The sheep is not afraid!

Not only is he not afraid, but he is completely satisfied. The sheep is not in want. All of the sheep’s needs have been met, and now he can comfortably rest in the presence of his Great Shepherd. The sheep can rest assured that his Shepherd is in charge of his provision.

We all must learn to rest. It is not an easy transition because we are grazers. Like Caleb, we spend much of our time kicking and screaming because we have not learned when and how to rest. Maybe it is because of our lack of trust in our Shepherd? I know that is the case for me. So, I need the LORD...my Father...my Shepherd to continue to teach me how and when to rest.

LORD, make me lie down.

Sarah McLachlan has the right idea of service...check out the video for "World on Fire".

We all need to be reminded that there are people all across the world who need our help and prayers...may we all listen to the Lord and allow Him to teach us to look outside of our perceived difficulties and serve those in need.

Here is a wonderful teaching on the Day of Atonement.

May we all approach the throne of grace with confidence remembering what our Lord and Savior has done for us, individually and corporately.

If you go to just about any Christian bookstore, (is there really such a thing...can bookstores be redeemed?) you can find numbers of books written about the church. If you scroll back to my previous blogs, you will also note my ponderings of what the Church is. What is interesting about all of this Church talk is that just about everyone wants to reform the Church, and just about everyone has their own theory (or maybe it's just a hypothesis) on how to do such a thing...including me.

Well, here is a news flash. We cannot, nor will we ever reform the Church.

Why?

Because here is what the Church is not. The Church is not ours. We are not the head of the Church. Jesus is the head of the Church (Eph. 1:22; 4:15; 5:22...). When we attempt to change or reform the Church, we take ownership of it. Maybe we (we, including me) should stop trying to reform the Church and allow God, through the Spirit to reform us. We can sit and debate what the Church is to do, who it is to be reaching, and how often it is to meet. However, debating is not worshipping...honoring...glorifying...edifying. We (again including me) should cease this debate about what the Church is and start living in submission to the King of kings and the Lord of lords. We should start living lives of obedience to our Master and Savior. In other words, it is time to shut up. It is time to live...serve...devote...commune...love. Let's start being the Church instead of talking about it...trying to get it right.

So, what is the Church? It is a bunch (community, family, gathering) of sinners, trying to hear the still, small whisper of the One whom it serves.

That's all.

You got my back?

Have you seen Napoleon Dynamite? Great movie!!!! As I was watching it (for the second time) last week, one scene particularly struck me. After Napoleon and his brother return from a karate class, Napoleon is at school talking to his new friend Pedro. As they are sitting in the bleachers during their P.E. class, Napoleon asks Pedro, "Do you got my back?" The first time I saw this scene, I just laughed; however, the second time something clicked. That question was what Napoleon desired deeply...it was what he needed most. He needed someone to get his back.

It is also what the Church needs today.

One of the problems that exists in the Church today that is birthed out of how we live our lives is that the desire for independence is growing. Independence essentially says that it is my responsibility to meet my needs...to serve myself. However, it seems to me that this is diametrically opposed to what God desires of the Church. He wants us to be dependent upon one another. Being dependent upon each other is about realizing that this being involved in community thing isn't just about my gifts and my desires. It is about using my gifts to serve someone else. It is about setting aside my desire for the benefit of the community. It is about laying aside myself for the benefit of someone else.

When we depend on one another, we realize that I have your back, and you have my back. Thus, the Church really is about getting one another's back.

This idea is exemplified by Jesus when He says, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45).

Paul also tells us in Galatians 5:13 to serve one another in love.

When I have your back and you have my back, we look out for each other, serve each other, intercede for each other, love each other.

So, let all of us stop trying to get our own backs and start looking for someone else's back to get.

Some thoughts if I may...some days it seems like church is just man organized at a mediocre attempt to achieve "encouragement" while subconciously seeking comfort in numbers, acceptance here on earth, "paying back" some of what God has given us. Those will continuously see church pessimistically because they will never find those things in a church, subconsciously or consciously. Those are to be provided by God alone, maybe through a church or maybe not. BUT...if we can see what church as we know it today evolved from, then church should be a coming together of people of like hearts with a desire to see God lifted up and exalted, corporately doing just that, then man's heart finds encouragement. Jesus, when lifted up, will draw all men unto him. So who is it for? God. Who benefits: saved and unsaved alike.
--Craig Sims

Craig, thank you so much for your input. Man, my heart is always warmed by what you have to say! First of all let me say with I agree with what you have to say about those who are seeking for comfort in numbers, acceptance here on earth, and "paying back" what God has given will always see church pessimistically.

We shouldn't seek comfort in numbers...we should seek comfort from the Comforter whether numbers are large or small. We should not expect complete acceptance here on earth even from our brothers and sisters in the faith because we are sinful and sin scars relationships. How could we ever "pay back" what God has done for us? That is completely impossible and borders on arrogant. We are forever indebted to Him!

It seems so often today, there is so much disdain for "the church." When in actuality the church is only a reflection of the hearts of the people. Thus, when we complain against the church, are we not also making some accusation against ourselves. There needs to be much more respect for the church.

I also think it would help to see the where the church evolved from. This will help us get a Biblical perspective of the church as opposed to a buffet (all I can eat) perspective. Here are some things I see biblical in regards to the church, taking from the points you made.

a coming together
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Heb. 10:19-25)

It is not completely clear why there were some who were giving up meeting together, but we do know that the writer of Hebrews strongly warns them not to take up the practice of failing to come together. When we come together, we have the opportunity to enter into the most holy place together. We have the opportunity to share in the hope we profess together. We have the opporunity to spur one another on toward love and good deeds. We have the opportunity to encourage one another...especially because the Day is approaching. It is true that each individual is the church, but each of us is a part of the body as well. When we come together the body is complete. I could not imagine what it would be like if I saw an arm just hanging around at the grocery store one day. That is what it looks like when we do not gather together. We are only part of what God has called us to be.

of people of like hearts
All the believers were together and had everything in common. (Acts 2:44)

This is what the church was founded upon. Everyone had like hearts. It really wasn't based upon similar political views or similar interpretations of the gifts of the Spirit...it was based upon the fact that they gathered together because they shared in the mission of God...to extend His kingdom to those who were imprisoned by and dying in their sin. Thus, having everything in common has mostly to do with exalting Jesus.

exalting Jesus
But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself. (John 12:32)

It is interesting to me Craig, that you referred to this verse. I have thought much about this verse and how it relates to what the church is to do. What is it that Jesus is referring to here? Verse 33 tells us that this is in reference to the crucifixion. What a weird way to describe exaltation. In Jesus's view him being exalted was him being crucified. That is not at all what we think of when we think of exaltation. How does this apply to the church? Can it even apply to the church? I think it can. Here's why. First of all, the crucifixion is offensive; therefore, many churches today do not want to have a cross in their sanctuary for fear of offending. Furthermore, it is rarely mentioned because there is a fear that it will scare someone away. We cannot hide from the reality of the cross! It is ugly. It is offensive. But remembering the cross and what Jesus did is part of exalting Him. When we lift Him up on the cross. It speaks of His service, His surrender, His submission, and eventually to His resurrection. It speaks of HIM!!!! As Brennan Manning refers to it...it is His signature. When the church exalts Jesus, it does draw men to Himself...not the opposite.

Craig, thank you again for your input. My comments are only my reflections at this time. I do not want to give the impression that I know it all. In fact that is why I am even working through this series of blogs. I know very little about the church...I want to know more!

Here are some other passages that I am looking at in regards to the church:
-Acts 2:42-46
-Acts 20:7
-1 Cor. 11:18
-1 Cor. 14:26-40
-Eph. 4:11-12

Church is for the unsaved but primarily i would say it is for the saved. It is were we receive training and encouragement. I am not much of a cook, so i will bring potato salad.
--Ruth Ferguson

Ruth, first of all thank you for your input. Basically what I see you saying is that church is for both the saved and unsaved. My question to you (or anyone who would like to offer) here is: Do we specifically target one group or the other? In other words, do we shape our "church" service in such a way that it is attractive to unbelievers? Or, do we primarily try to equip and encourage the saved? What does this look like...this equipping and encouraging?

Here is another idea to ponder: How is the church described in the Bible? Basically it seems as if there are two words that are used to refer to the church: 1.) kyriakos (1 Cor. 11:20; Rev. 1:10) and 2.) Ekklesia (numerous places...Matt. 16:18, 18:17, 2 Tim 2:19, Rom. 16:1, 1 Cor. 1:2; 1 Cor. 3:9-10, 2 Cor. 1:1, 1 Thess 1:1...to name a few).

Also, Ruth, thanks for the potato salad...(mustard or mayo based?)

I would like to do sort of a "pot luck" blog for the next week or so, depending upon how the dialogue goes.

Here is what I'd like to discuss with all of you who are willing to offer:

Church, what is it, who is it for?

(please offer b/c it is hard to have a pot luck when you are the only one who brings the food!!!)

Not too much to say right now...maybe I talk too much anyway...

Many thoughts brewing, but none have completely come to the surface yet.

Please don't go away. I don't know if my poor self-esteem could take it.

Much has happened since the last time I blogged. A few weeks ago I had to buy a new computer because my other one decided that it had had enough. It revolted...went on strike...retired...quit! So, I was quite frustrated since I do nearly everything on the computer. About that time, Gracelyn had another incident. She was playing and turned her head quickly, straining a muscle in her neck. She was completely incapacitated. I had to carry her to the bathroom or anywhere else that she needed to go. It was extremely frustrating! You see, I am a "fix it" kind of person. If something isn't working, I want to make it work. If something is broken, I want to find some way to fix it. Both of these situations were such that I could really fix neither of them. So, I did the next best thing, I got mad at God and let Him have it. Yes, I know what you're thinking..."you showed Him didn't you." or "wow, what a mature disciple...did you learn that in seminary?" I had basically had enough. As we were preparing to take Gracelyn to the doctor (yet again), I gave God an earful. What was interesting is that I didn't get any indication of a response. It seemed as if He just let me vent.

So, in my mind here is what I was thinking:
1. I am living in a town where I don't feel like I fit.
2. I have felt like I was in constant transition from the time we moved out here.
3. I'm tired of things happening to my daughter that I can't fix (her cheek...now the neck)
4. My wife was denied family medical leave act, and her position could be filled before her return to work.
5. I had to buy a computer which we could not afford.

So, it was as if I was going down the list, telling God what I had "suffered" through...as if He hadn't been there through all of it.

Then God spoke.

It was about a week after my tirade when we received a letter in the mail which contained a check that paid for 90% of the computer. Immediately Kristi and I were overwhelmed! We didn't really deserve this check. Besides I had been such a big baby. As soon as I saw the check, it was as if God said to me. I've always taken care of you, and I am not going to stop now.

A few days later God spoke again.

We received another letter in the mail, and upon opening that letter we received another check, which paid for the rest of the computer. This check came from quite an unlikely source, which made it mean that much more. This check was from a couple who can barely afford to pay their rent. Wow! Again, I was overwhelmed with God's grace.

As I look back over the past few weeks, I am again encouraged by God's provision and the obedience of His children who listened to His voice.

Over these last few weeks Psalm 34 has spoken much comfort and encouragement to my heart.

34:1 I will praise the Lord at all times;
my mouth will continually praise him.
34:2 I will boast in the Lord;
let the oppressed hear and rejoice!
34:3 Magnify the Lord with me!
Let’s praise his name together!
34:4 I sought the Lord’s help and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
34:5 Those who look to him for help are happy;
their faces are not ashamed.
34:6 This oppressed man cried out and the Lord heard;
he saved him from all his troubles.
34:7 The Lord’s angel camps around
the Lord’s loyal followers and delivers them.
34:8 Taste and see that the Lord is good!
How happy is the one who takes shelter in him!

David wrote this Psalm after he tried to fix a problem that he had. He pretended to be insane before Abimilech (1 sam. 21:10-15). However, David recognizes in this Psalm that it not he who can fix his problems. Notice in verse 2 he does not say that he will boast in what he can do. He boasts in the Lord. It is the Lord who helps, answers, delivers, hears, saves.

Yes, I have tasted and seen that the Lord is good! So, I too boast in Him.

Satire: A literary work in which human vice or folly is attacked through irony, derision, or wit.

Just in case you haven't found this out yet, the article below is a satire...it took me a few days to figure this out, but it isn't real.

What is sad, however, is that it isn't far from the truth! Although the events described in the article did not happen, are they so far removed from the truth that they couldn't? No, it wouldn't be a satire if there wasn't some bit of human vice being attacked. Although the events were not true, the heart of the article is not far from the truth.

So, as you get a good chuckle (as I did) from this satire, let us not forget to examine our hearts. Who are we worshipping? Let us all press on to worship the One who created us to worship Him!

Enjoy more satire at the Holy Observer

Worship Festival "Sucks"

The worship scene in Seattle may be losing momentum. According to attendees of last week's Bowels of Praise '04, many worship enthusiasts "just weren't into it." Said Ryan Conklin, 17, "I don't know, man. Like, there's usually a lot of crying going on if the worship is good. But people were just standing around, listening to the worship. I can't get into the worship if other people aren't into it."

For Heather Melton, the worship needs some new life. "We need our Nirvana, you know? Like, Delirious is old school. And 'Heart of Worship' is just a played out song, man. The worship doesn't pump me up like it used to." Garrett Ross, 24, has been following the worship circuit around the country for the last couple of years. "When it started - it was pure, man. The worshippers today don't have a clue. I was at Bowels '99 when the worship exploded, man. Now, the worship has sold out to corporate America, with big budget worship albums and stuff.. The worship sucks these days, man."

Worship promoter Bill "Hands Lifter" Kyle says such trends are cyclical. "The worship industry is fickle. You just have to ride out these downturns in the quality of the worship until a hot new worship band comes along and kicks everyone in the rear-end. I saw it in the late 90's, and I'm sure we'll see it again. Good worship writing and playing will always rise to the top. Until then, we'll just have to put up with the worship we have now."

Article taken from The Holy Observer

Ughhhhh!!!! What is worship about anyway? I'm so tired of worship being looked at as some genre of music...or the next thing. Worship is eternal because it is directed to an eternal God. If worship sucks, it is because people's hearts suck!

"I hate, I despise your religious feasts;
I cannot stand your assemblies.

AM 5:22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them.
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
I will have no regard for them.

AM 5:23 Away with the noise of your songs!
I will not listen to the music of your harps.

AM 5:24 But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!

AM 5:25 "Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings
forty years in the desert, O house of Israel?

AM 5:26 You have lifted up the shrine of your king,
the pedestal of your idols,
the star of your god--
which you made for yourselves.

We aren't too removed from Israel. We have become idol worshippers. Our idol has become the worship of worship itself.

May the Lord purify our hearts and give us a hunger to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. Lord give us the heart of the writer of Psalm 137, so that we would be able to say this with him,

PS 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept
when we remembered Zion.

PS 137:2 There on the poplars
we hung our harps,

PS 137:3 for there our captors asked us for songs,
our tormentors demanded songs of joy;
they said, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"

PS 137:4 How can we sing the songs of the LORD
while in a foreign land?

PS 137:5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
may my right hand forget its skill.

PS 137:6 May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth
if I do not remember you,
if I do not consider Jerusalem
my highest joy.

If we forget why we are singing, may our tongues cling to the roof of our mouths!

We just got back from taking Caleb to get some blood drawn. He is a bit jaundiced, so they needed to check his bilirubin (ok...that is enough medical jargon). While they were drawing his blood I was standing above him, rubbing his head for comfort (I'm not sure if it was more for my comfort or his). As soon as they pricked his foot, he began to cry...ok scream. I could have stopped them from hurting him. I had the power to stop all of it, but I knew that he needed to hurt. So, instead of stopping them from hurting him, I needed to be with him...comforting, soothing, listening, watching, holding. He needed to hurt.

"Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand." (Is. 53:10)

The Father had the power to end the pain of His Son, but He knew that the Son needed to hurt. In fact it was His will to crush Him. The Father caused the Son to suffer on our behalf, knowing that it would eventually draw us to Him.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Is. 55:8-9).

At times it will be the Father's will to put us in painful positions. He does have the power to end our pain, and eventhough, we cry out to Him to end it, He doesn't. This is extremely difficult for us to understand. Our thoughts are not His thoughts. His ways are higher than our ways. It is during these times that He is standing above us...comforting, soothing, listening, watching, holding.

Sometimes, we just gotta hurt.

Today as I was holding my son (I just love seeing that in print), he was grabbing my finger. What an incredible feeling it was to have my son who is completely dependent upon me to provide for him holding on to my finger. My fingers seemed to be ten times larger than his.

He has such small hands. My hands are bigger than his...I can do for him what he cannot do for or by himself.

My Father's hands are bigger than mine. He can do for me and through me what I could never do by myself. If I could only hold onto His finger!

It is such a privilege to be a father. What a picture of our heavenly relationship!

"what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?" (Ps. 8:4)

Caleb Baggett is officially here!!!!

6 lbs 9 ounces

19 3/4 inches long

Will blog later with more details. God is most definitely good!!!

Check out the list of banished words for 2004 compiled by Lake Superior State University in Michigan.

Banished words.

What would some of your banished words be?