Moving Toward People | CCEF

I love the heart of this article:

Moving Toward People CCEF

Posted using ShareThis

No Need For Alarm

A federal judge on Thursday struck down the federal statute that established the National Day of Prayer, ruling that it violates the constitutional ban on government-backed religion.. See article here.

How should Christians react? Should we invest efforts into fighting against this ruling? Some certainly will. However, I believe those who do may only be setting themselves up for a great disappointment since we were never promised by Christ that our government would be tolerant toward our faith.

Wayne Mack and Dave Swavely the authors of a book titled "Life in the Father's House" capture these same sentiments when they write, "The Church is the one institution God has promised to preserve throughout all time. It will always endure, and even succeed, regardless of the many assaults and catastrophes that threaten it."

They point out that Jesus promised in Matthew 16:18 that He would build His church and no power, even the gates of Hades would overpower it.

They continue, "Many Christians today are expending tremendous amounts of energy to stem the rising tide of secularism and moral relativism in America. Our culture has indeed become sadly post-Christian, and may become increasingly anti-Christian in the future. But the Bible never commands us to commit our greatest efforts to ensuring that the society we live in remains tolerant to Christianity. God may very well allow it to become like Nazi Germany or Communist Russia. If He does, that would not be 'the end of the world' for us believers, nor would it be a horrible blow to God's purposes. God's glorious plan of building His spiritual kingdom will go on undaunted, regardless of whether America retains its religious liberty."

Instead our fight should be one pleasing to the Lord. Let us continue to pursue the salvation of many through the teaching of the truth of the Gospel so that our great God and Savior may be praised. That is one endeavor in which our hope will never be shaken.

We Need To Talk

We tweet, we text, we e-mail. Everybody's chatting, but is anybody listening? Why America needs to revive the vanishing art of conversation. I'm not big on reading AARP, but this article happened to catch my attention.
Read here. How sad it would be for true community to suffer because of our technology.

Along the same lines of technology causing distance here is a clip from my favorite "internetainers" Rhett and Link.

Weight

B&H Video Contest: Is God Good?

Here is one of the first entries in the video contest. You can keep up to date and vote here. So far this is my favorite, this student understands the heart of God.

Suffering

I read a difficult book on suffering a couple of years ago. As I was reading this book I often had to set it down and process my thoughts and feelings. In the book the authors challenged my beliefs about God. For me it was an emotionally difficult book. John Piper and a handful of others wrote the book titled Suffering and the Sovereignty of God. And like most of Pipers resources you and read and download it for free here. I have posted a short segment of the book below to peak your interest.

"The impetus for this book comes from the ultimate reality of God as
the supreme value in and above the universe. God is absolute and
eternal and infinite. Everything else and everybody else is dependent and
finite and contingent. God himself is the great supreme value. Everything
else that has any value has it by connection to God. God is supreme in
all things. He has all authority, all power, all wisdom—and he is all good
“to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him” (Lam. 3:25).
And his name, as Creator and Redeemer and Ruler of all, is Jesus Christ.
In the last few years, 9/11, tsunamis, Katrina, and ten thousand personal
losses have helped us discover how little the American church is
rooted in this truth. David Wells, in his new book, Above All Earthly
Pow’rs: Christ in a Postmodern World, says it like this:
This moment of tragedy and evil [referring to 9/11] shone its own light
on the Church and what we came to see was not a happy sight. For
what has become conspicuous by its scarcity, and not least in the evangelical
corner of it, is a spiritual gravitas, one which could match the
depth of horrendous evil and address issues of such seriousness.
Evangelicalism, now much absorbed by the arts and tricks of marketing,
is simply not very serious anymore.
In other words, our vision of God in relation to evil and suffering was
shown to be frivolous. The church has not been spending its energy to
go deep with the unfathomable God of the Bible. Against the overwhelming
weight and seriousness of the Bible, much of the church is
choosing, at this very moment, to become more light and shallow and
entertainment-oriented, and therefore successful in its irrelevance to
massive suffering and evil. The popular God of fun-church is simply too
small and too affable to hold a hurricane in his hand. The biblical categories
of God’s sovereignty lie like land mines in the pages of the Bible
waiting for someone to seriously open the book. They don’t kill, but they
do explode trivial notions of the Almighty.
So my prayer for this book is that God would stand forth and
reassert his Creator-rights in our lives, and show us his crucified and
risen Son who has all authority in heaven and on earth, and waken in
us the strongest faith in the supremacy of Christ, and the deepest comforts
in suffering, and the sweetest fellowship with Jesus that we have
ever known.
The contributors to this volume have all suffered, some more visibly
than others. You don’t need to know the details. Suffice it to say that
none of them is dealing with a theoretical issue in this book. They live
in the world of pain and loss where you live. They are aware that some
people reading this book are dying. There are people who love those
who are dying; people who live with chronic pain; people who have just
lost one of the most precious persons in their life; people who do not
believe in the goodness of God—or in God at all—who count this book
their one last effort to see if the gospel is real. People who are about to
enter a time of suffering in their life for which they are totally unprepared.
These authors are not naïve about life or about who you are. We
are glad you are reading this book—all of you. And we pray that you
will never be the same again."

Does God Hate Haiti?

Whenever a tragedy such as the earthquake in Port-au-Prince occurs so do the usual spiritual questions. Dr. R. Albert Mohler, theologian, minister, and president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary wrote an article worth reading. In his article he addresses the question "Does God hate Haiti?" He also lays out an appropriate Christian response in contrast to some unfortunate comments recently made by another prominent Christian teacher. Read it here!

Random Shootings, Fatal Accidents, and other Horrible things

In light of the link to the video contest I posted last week I am eager to think about the goodness of God. I found an article in which Dr. R.C. Sproul, the founder and president of Ligonier Ministries and chancellor of Ligonier Academy, was asked, "Why does God let random shootings, fatal accidents, and other horrible things occur?" Here is his response:

"Since we believe that God is the author of this planet and is sovereign over it, it’s inevitable that we ask where he is when these terrible things take place. I think the Bible answers that over and over again from different angles and in different ways. We find our first answer, of course, in the book of Genesis, in which we’re told of the fall of humanity. God’s immediate response to the transgression of the human race against his rule and authority was to curse the earth and human life. Death and suffering entered the world as a direct result of sin. We see the concrete manifestation of this in the realm of nature, where thorns become part of the garden and human life is now characterized by the sweat of the brow and the pain that attends even the birth of a baby. This illustrates the fact that the world in which we live is a place that is full of sorrows and tragedy. But we must never conclude that there’s a one-to-one correlation in this life between suffering and the guilt of the people on whom tragedies fall. If there were no sin in the world, there would be no suffering. There would be no fatal accidents, no random shootings. Because sin is present in the world, suffering is present in the world, but it doesn’t always work out that if you have five pounds of guilt, you’re going to get five pounds of suffering. That’s the perception that the book of Job labors to dispel, as does Jesus’ answer to the question about the man born blind (John 9:1-11). On the other hand, the Bible makes it clear that God lets these things happen and in a certain sense ordains that they come to pass as part of the present situation that is under judgment. He has not removed death from this world. Whether it’s what we would consider an untimely death or a violent death, death is part of the nature of things. The only promise is that there will come a day when suffering will cease altogether. The disciples asked Jesus about similar instances—for example, the Galileans’ blood that was mingled with the sacrifices by Pilate or the eighteen people who were killed when a temple collapsed. The disciples asked how this could be. Jesus’ response was almost severe. He said, “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish,” again bringing the question back to the fact that moral wickedness makes it feasible for God to allow these kinds of dreadful things to take place in a fallen world."

By no means is his answer complete, but he brings up some important considerations, the fall of humanity into sin and its results on both man and nature, that suffering is not necessarily an indicator of guilt, and moral wickedness does deserve punishment. My plan is to explore this topic and share some of the teaching I come across. Hope it will be helpful.

I am looking forward to these videos!



For more information click here.

Together

In times of trouble The Lone Ranger had Tonto. Batman had Robin when he got himself into a jam. Superman had...well, he is Superman after all! And that is the point. We are not Superman. Why would we think in times of hurt, depression, anxiety, anger, fear, doubt, or any other human struggle we have what it takes to handle it alone? Truth be told Superman is only a comic book hero, and no amount of positive thinking will ever bring us close to being like him.

When Jesus began His ministry the first thing He did was build a community of 12 men. John MacArthur reminds us that even with the many character flaws of the Disciples, after living in community with each other, they carried on a ministry which not only influence us today, but which still impacts the world.

We were created by God to need each other and live in community with one another. we have been created in the image of our Triune God who is constantly living in community. The reason we do not enjoy the same is that sin has corrupted us, and any desire we have for community have become just that…OURS, revealing our selfishness as opposed to selflessness. We must draw our example from the redemptive nature of the trinity. “God is a redeeming God who does something utterly amazing to reconcile us to Himself and others” (Tripp/Lane). At the core of our faith we know that Jesus dying on the cross has put us right with God. When you dig deeper you begin to realize that the very community existing between the Father, Son, and Spirit was ripped in two as Jesus bore a bloody death so that we could have a chance to be put right with God, and once again rightly relate to our fellow brothers and sisters.

Meet the President

For the past three years I have had the great privilege of studying at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary under the influence of its president, Dr. Akin. I never sat in his classroom or in his office for conversation, yet his leadership has greatly influenced me during my time in seminary.

If you asked me what I appreciate most about Dr. Akin it would be his challenge to the students to use everything given us to its fullest potential to bring God glory. This includes our minds. If you listen to him preach you will quickly hear his heart for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. After sitting under his leadership I feel better equipped to engage a skeptical world with the Gospel.

When you come across godly men like Dr. Akin, you realize you have much to learn from them. I read an interview C.J. Mahaney recently had with Dr. Akin which gives us an opportunity to do that. In this interview Mahaney asks questions that get to the heart of Dr. Akin's character. I hope as you read the interview you will be challenged to improve areas in your own walk with God.

Learning Submission During Advent

"Jesus' life began in a stable and ended on the cross between two criminals. His apostle Paul said he wanted to proclaim nothing but this crucified Christ. We, too, have nothing to hold on to execpt this Christ. We must ask ourselves again and again: Are we willing to go His way, from the stable to the cross? As disciples we are not promised comfortable and good times. Jesus says we must deny ourselves and suffer with Him and for Him. that is the only way to follow Him, but behind it all lies the glory of life, the glowing love of God, which is so much greater than our hearts and our lives."

J. Heinrich Arnold

Days of Silent Desperation

I am experiencing one of those seasons of life when it seems I am up against an insurmountable wall. As I try to climb over it I keep losing my footing, and disappointment arrives just as I am expecting victory. In these days as I cry out to God, "Lord, I need you to come through for me," and disappointment arrives I relate to the words of Job "Behold, I go forward but he is not there, and backward, but I cannot behold him; when he acts on the left, I cannot perceive him; he turns on the right, I cannot see him. But he knows the way I take." (Job 23:8-10)

I have felt so tempted to express disappointment and anger while accusing God of withholding good from me. I realized this week that I was at a crossroads. I had a choice to act in direct inconsistency with every thing I claim to believe, allowing my frustrating circumstances to define me, and dictate my emotions, or I could walk in all I hold to be true. God loves me. Difficult times come and shape our character, but they do not destroy children of the King. I am a child of God, not by virtue or effort, but because of God's love, demonstrated by Christ and His death on the cross.

Some thoughts came to mind. First, when I stop and look I can recognize God providing for us during a difficult time. We have not been forgotten. Second, we have great examples of faith in the face of adversity. Some dear friends have become models of faith for our family. Recently they sent this e-mail describing their battle with cancer:

"The cancer has spread to her liver, and spleen in the form of numerous lesions and some more involvement with bones. MRI’s are scheduled a couple of weeks from now to assess the bone situation. This cancer (Thymoma) is slow growing and is not particularly responsive to chemo. At this time she is not planning any sort of treatment regimen. Although I am always caught off guard by news of the onset of these episodes, it is not for lack of God sending ample information to bolster us up. On the Thursday night just prior to getting this news, [WE] read something together entitled “Expectancy” in “Our Daily Bread”. It was written months ago to be read on October 1st. There is no doubt that it was to help prepare us for the news coming on the afternoon of October 2nd.

“With a handful of Cheerios, I tiptoed across the deck in my backyard trying to sneak up on the fish in the pond. Perhaps it was my shadow on the water … or maybe I wasn’t as sneaky as I thought. As I approached the railing, 15 enormous goldfish raced toward me, their large mouths frantically opening and closing in eager anticipation of an expected treat. So, why did the fish so furiously flap their fins? Because my mere presence set off a conditioned response in their tiny fish brains that told them I had something special to give them. If only we always had such a response to God and His desire to give us good gifts – a response based on our past experience with Him that flows from a deep-seated knowledge of His character. When we as God’s children are living in faith, we can have an exciting expectancy and a quiet confidence that God will give us exactly what we need, when we need it.” By Cindy Hess Kasper

Indeed, [OUR] experience of having received great and wonderful gifts from God have conditioned us to expect that He will use every one of our life experiences for His Glory and our good. We are expecting yet another miracle."

This is not the first e-mail we have received from them. Some have been soul crushing, some filled with the amazing, and all have been filled with trust while facing the impossible. How small my problems seem in comparison. How embarrassing to struggle with trust when situations are compared. I thank God for the example of my friends, and the hope they bring to my faith.

Caedmon’s Call sings a song that expresses what I am attempting to express. It is called "Always Been there"

We’ve all got our burdens
Our secrets and our shames,
We’ve all been discouraged
and watched love fall in flames,
and when we hit the bottom
of all that we can bear
When we need you...
You’re rising like the morning sun
A pillar in the night
You looked into the void
and called it light
You are faithfully providing
for the trouble that we share
When we need you you’ve always been there.

Whoa! How did I end up here?

Senior year in High School I remember the push to define what we wanted to do with our lives. the road I've traveled since then has been much different than I had pictured. I find it helpful at times to inventory and ponder the road that led me where I am. For that purpose I write this post.

The first influences in my life were my parents. Early in life I was taught to believe in God from my mother who is a devout Roman Catholic, as her parents are, and as theirs were as well. It was a passing down of faith, and my mother promised the church to do her part seeing that her children would be raised in the Catholic Church. She kept that promise despite my father and his lack of religion devotion. I choose the word religion because I would never accuse my father of not having faith. During my childhood he was not a regular church attendee. If I understand the situation correctly his issues revolved around a poor example of church discipline in a small Baptist Church which lead him to cast off religious expectation excluding the cultural ones involving Christmas and Easter attendance. My father never fought against our mother’s attempt to raise us in the church. I never remember him denying God's existence, or arguing with my mother about religion. In fact he even paid for our attendance at a private Catholic school (Asheville Catholic) for the first few years of our education.

I can identify a consistent belief in God that can be traced back to my early days in school. I remember having a discussion (as much as one can have) at lunch with my friends in the second grade. We were discussing the theology of angels, although at that time we didn' t know that. Gulping down our chocolate milk we were pondering if it was true that Satan was an angel. I also remember being fascinated by the priest and his role in the mass. My school attended mass weekly and I remember once being sent to the principals office for mimicking the priests actions as he blessed the Eucharist. My reprimand ensured one future career option was closed.

After the birth of my first sister we started attending public school at Haw Creek Elementary. When my father spoke to us about this transition, I wanted him to think I was brave and did not mind the change. However, I was nervous. Anyone who knew me back then would probably describe me as extremely shy. Already at a young age I was dealing with an obstacle called the fear of man. It was during my sixth to tenth grade years when I was taught this was a problem of self-esteem. today I properly understand it to be a problem of pride. It was not so much that I disliked myself, in fact I loved myself! If anything I loved myself too much. Because of this self-love I was overly concerned about the opinions of others around me. I felt as if I was in a mild depression at times, but I guess it could have been hormones. I never experienced thoughts of harming myself, but I had thoughts of escaping. Escaping what? I don't really know, I was a teenager with all the drama that entails.

During the later years of high school I was able to level out these emotions as I found confidence in extra-curricular activities and improved grades. During my senior year of High School I began to question the practices of the Catholic church. I could not find the answers I was looking for and stopped attending Sunday School as I felt it did little to help me in my search. Mom gave me a copy of the Catholic Catechism to help answer my questions. this book gave a detailed explanation of what the church believed without any support or proof for their position. I was confused, and wanted to quit attending mass. My mother requested I continue attending, and I did until my sophomore year of college.

My parents having never gone to college pushed the idea to the point of convincing me that was the only choice after high school. This push toward college, my crisis of faith, and my fear of man combined for a powerful life change during my college years.

For various reasons I had trouble transitioning to college. For the first time of my life I was away from family, friends, and in some respect felt faithless. This period of my life was extremely difficult. I wanted to drop out and return home. On the advice of my parents I stuck the transition out. The next year I met a man who made a profound impact on my life. His name was John Russell. In my first conversation with him he explained the gospel to me. I understood for the first time in my life why Jesus died on the cross, that I could be completely forgiven of my sins, and enter into a loving relationship with God not based upon my religious efforts but on the sacrifice of Jesus alone. At first I was skeptical. Why had no one ever showed me this in the bible before? Later I reviewed all John had told me, a light bulb came on. My questions were beginning to be answered.

John discipled me in my faith, and I grew. He introduced me to other Christians who were involved in a campus group called Campus Crusade for Christ. I became more involved and joined the leadership of this group. I was trained in telling others the gospel of Jesus Christ, and in how to lead a small group bible study. I felt that with the help of leaders in my life like John the Lord had helped me fight against sin like the fear of man. I was certain the Lord wanted me to pursue ministry after college. My mind was set on joining staff with Campus Crusade for Christ.

I graduated Appalachian State University in December of 1998. Joanna and I were married in May 1999. We pursued joining staff, but faced roadblocks. We trusted God to bring us into ministry at the proper time. With that mindset we set about establishing ourselves as a couple, and beginning our new life together. We bought a small 3 bedroom house. We were happy, and busy enjoying life. In 2001 we were presented with an opportunity to travel to Burma with Joanna’s father. Just as John Russell sharing the gospel with me had done in college, this trip changed the course of my life. I was only able to stay one week overseas but I quickly realized after arriving back in America that my life was making little difference for God in a world so filled with hurting, suffering, and poverty. Joanna and I gained a renewed passion for ministry and started to look for a way to be involved in advancing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

By July of that same year we had sold our house, resigned from our jobs, and secured employment with an organization who sends Christian school teacher to Asia to minister spiritually, while at the same time teaching ESL (English as a second language). For the next four years we spent most of our time in China ministering and teaching. Our daughter Savannah was born in 2004 and lived with us in China for the next year and a half. It was around this time that I began to minister to a young Chinese man named Jim.

Jim was a difficult person from the moment I met him. He acted out of character for a Chinese college student. Jim’s personality irritated his classmates, and to be honest me. He was reserved with them and found it difficult to develop friendships. Perhaps because of his inability to relate well with his classmates Jim started to take an unhealthy interest in one of the foreign teachers on my team. He decided that he had fallen in love with my teammate. Of course the feelings were not returned, and although Jim was crushed he vowed never to give up his love. I had to confront Jim on the inappropriateness of the situation. During that confrontation, Jim rebuffed my rebuke. In a firm and direct manner I told Jim that as his teacher and her team leader I had the right to restrict his access to my team member. This confrontation built a level of trust between Jim and me. Over the course of the next few months Jim shared with me a secret that changed our relationship from student and teacher to friend and brother.

For some time Jim had been struggling with depression and contemplating the idea of suicide. He also was hearing voices. I was the only person he had trusted with this information. He refused to tell his father or any Chinese professors for fear of disappointing them and being forced to leave school. God had placed me in a difficult position. Nothing challenged my faith more during that time in China. I felt inadequate to handle the situation. This was not my area of expertise. I had no psychological training to deal with this situation. I turned to prayer and Godly advice. One thing became certain to me, I may not know how to deal with Jim on a psychological level, but I could deal with him on a theological level. I gave Jim what I had. I offered him a relationship with Jesus. Jim accepted Christ as his savior. Eventually through some time with me in discipleship and through relationships built with other Chinese believers in a Bible study Jim made progress, amazing progress. Jim is the main reason I decided to seek training as a biblical counselor. As I think about what a theory of counseling should entail I remember that time. The sanctifying work of Jesus Christ on the cross took away the fear of not knowing how to handle Jim’s depression, and for Jim it proved that Jesus is the solution in our darkest hours.

My family moved back to the states in 2006 so I could pursue my MA in Counseling from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. We are now at the end of that journey. Our son Matthias was born in January 2009, and I officially graduate in December. As I think about what is next for us I realize what is more important are the convictions we have embraced during this journey. Our convictions will shape how we attempt to serve Jesus with our lives. Looking back one truth I have come to embrace over this journey is that a man may plan his steps, but the Lord directs his path.

Coveting Luke's Faith

I Just wanted to share this article from the New York Times posted Saturday, August 22, 2009 written by Dana Tierney. Click here.

Coverting to Buddhism

Recently I have experienced challenges to my Christianity which have caused me to think about faith in new and deeper ways. these challenges have raised questions for me such as, "What would it take to convert me to Buddhism?" and "What would the consequences of such a choice mean for me?"

I was raised in church, but I've only been a Christian for 13 years. In that time I've had opportunities to explore my faith and question it in ways some Christians don't out of fear of judgement. Because of this I feel able to say I am a follower of Jesus Christ who doesn't practice a blind faith. While I don't have answers to every question regarding faith, in my experience I have found satisfying answers for numerous questions people raise concerning Christianity. So what would it take for someone like me, who is convinced of his beliefs, to convert to Buddhism?

Imagine I have a co-worker who is Buddhist. He is a good man in many respects. He is always conscientious and kind. He takes extra time to help other workers when their productivity is falling behind. He is humorous and fun to be around. We become friends. I begin to talk to him about deeper things. One day, he says he wants to share something with me. He reaches into his pocket and pulls a small book. He says, "Humanity has done many bad things and has brought bad karma upon itself, therefore our existence is in danger. Following the Buddha's teachings is the only way to go to Nirvana and avoid the pain of being something lower in the next life. We must each follow the Buddha's plan so that we can reach Nirvana." He shares some of Buddha's teachings. After twenty minutes of explanation he tells me his personal story. He was an addict and bad to his family but finding Buddhism had changed his life and given him self-control and peace for the first time. After meeting with him he asks if I am ready to become Buddhist.

If that actually happened, and I converted to Buddhism what would it cost me? My career path? Peace with my friends and family? Even if my friend was nice and I liked him, every reason for converting to Buddhism would be subjective. (His personal testimony and religious doctrines are both subjective). If I had some problems that he could solve for me or if I were lonely perhaps I might convert based on the strength of my respect for him but if he disappointed me, I might turn from Buddhism and return to my former ways. None of these reasons would be good enough to become Buddhist. If however, he could give me logical evidence from history, science, mathematics, archeology, and logic that Buddha was real, Buddhism was true and Christianity was false I would, since I love truth and want to know and follow it, be willing to believe even if it cost me everything.

this is also how I thought about winning a convert to Christianity, but I was forgetting one important teaching. Jesus said it is hard to believe, that men love the darkness more than the light, that following Him will cost you greatly in this life. If that were not enough He promised that Christians will face persecutions and sufferings in this world. Few will find what Jesus calls "the narrow road", but those who do are heirs to glorious promises, some of which will not be fulfilled until heaven. Many people are unwilling to endure hardship for a future reward. It is difficult to willingly accept hardship or persecution. In fact apart from the grace of God's Holy Spirit drawing men no one would become a Christian. While a strong defense of the faith is important, a great personal story of change is good, and the evidence of a changed life is helpful, apart from God's Holy Spirit drawing people, none would become a true follower of Jesus.

this is a truth that has been difficult for me. Because of my experience I often feel responsible to say the right things in an effort to convince someone to believe. I desire to be an agent of change in peoples lives. My struggle proves to be fruitless, except that God is showing me I have no power to build the church. Christ himself builds the church. I need to get out of His way and let Him work. If he chooses to use me, then praise His holy name.

Joanna and I found an interesting story in the PARADE magazine insert of the Sunday paper. It was featuring the young actor Shia LaBeouf.
See article: http://www.parade.com/export/sites/default/celebrity/2009/06/shia-labeouf-mixed-up-life.html_71192264.html)

For his age he has been incredibly successful and has already made millions of dollars working with some of Hollywood's biggest names. At 23 and on top of the world this young man confesses his insecurities,

"I know I’m one of the luckiest dudes in America right now,” LaBeouf says. “I have a great house. My parents don’t have to work. I’ve got money. I’m famous. But it could all change, man. It could go away. You never know."

Parade writes, "When LaBeouf is feeling insecure, he sometimes stops his bike on the side of a busy road to see if people passing by recognize him. He is scared that they won’t. " Shia adds,

"Actors live dependent on being validated by other people’s opinions."

This insecurity is masking a form of pride with which we all can struggle. We love ourselves and want to be loved by others to such an extent it begins controlling our actions. How interesting that Shia has everything Americans seem to desire including fame, fortune, popularity, youth, and an exciting career, and yet he is still insecure. Wait a second, aren't these very things (fame, fortune, popularity, youth, etc.) what we desire as solutions to our problems? If only I had a better job...If only I was rich...if only.... But Shia has all these and he is still fearful.

"Sometimes I feel I’m living a meaningless life,” Shia LaBeouf says, “and I get frightened.”

Is it possible that even after obtaining all that life has to offer a person could still live a meaningless life? Shia LaBeouf isn't the only one who thinks so. Jesus said, "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matt. 16:26)

"I don’t handle fame well,” LaBeouf says. “Most actors on most days don’t think they’re worthy. I have no idea where this insecurity comes from, but it’s a God-sized hole. If I knew, I’d fill it, and I’d be on my way.”

According to worldly standards Shia has everything! No wonder he doesn't know how to fill it. None of what he has accomplished or obtained has filled it, and again, he has everything. How interesting that he recognizes what is missing as a God-sized hole. Incidentally, we all have a hole similar to his. It comes from a broken relationship with God, and no amount of worldly stuff or effort on our part can ever fill such a hole. Shia could buy any item, act in any film, date any woman, use any drug, and the hole would remain. It's a God-sized hole and only God can fill it.

Jesus said to another rich young man years ago who also wanted to fill that hole, "One thing you still lack; sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me" (Luke 18:22). This young man went away sad. Jesus was not saying he could buy his way into heaven, he was identifying how the things of the world were keeping him from coming, following, and obtaining what truly matters, eternal life.

Shia is ready for the Gospel. Are you? It is the only way to fill the hole. Understand, all people have sinned, (Rom 3:23) thereby creating the hole. The penalty for sin is death (eternal separation from the one who can fill the hole) (Rom. 6:23). Jesus Christ died to pay the penalty for our sins (Rom. 5:8). He is the one who can restore you with the God the Father.

Jesus calls us,"come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest...and you will find rest for your souls." (Matt. 11:28-30).

"Jesus Christ is a Savior who is now alive in heaven, and each [person] should think of Jesus as speaking directly to him or her, saying 'Come to me...and I will give you rest'. This is a genuine personal invitation that seeks a personal response from each one who hears it." --Wayne Grudem

How will you respond?

Consistency

What is it about human nature that causes us to react in ways contrary to our core beliefs? I have no problem believing the chair I am sitting in will hold me up, because its designed to hold me. It always acts in consistency with what it was designed to do.
I watch ants sometimes with my daughter. You never see a renegade ant. There is never an ant doing something other than you would expect. They always act in consistency with what they are created for.
But humans are different. Humans though created in His image are unlike God. they do not act in consistency with who they are. God does. While his actions at times may surprise us, when they are considered according to his word, and his character, they are always proved right and just. Shouldn't humans created in his image be the same? We would expect this to be true. We do act differently though. We are prone to error. Why is it? Leslie Vernick a licensed clinical social worker has this to say about human nature,

“Our beliefs, whether they be religious or otherwise, form the interpretive lens through which we view all incoming information. This lens colors the data in a way that reinforces our beliefs, and it forms the foundation for why we tend to think a particular way about a situation.”

This is what we should naturally expect to find, however for humans its not always true. We do not always act according to what we believe, or with who we say we are. Why not?
To answer this question we need to get down to the core of our humanness. What is the truest thing about us? Vernick continues her thoughts,

“We don’t always think according to what we profess to believe…instead, we think according to what we really believe, deep down in our hearts, regardless of whether those beliefs align with the truth set forth in God’s Word. For example, on a rudimentary level, all humans believe that we don’t need God and can make life work on our own (This belief is our prideful, sinful nature). As Christians of course, our interpretive lens of life should come out of our relationship with God and his Word. He seeks to transform us and renew our thoughts so we can interpret things truthfully, as he would have us to.”

What do I glean from Vernick? We are created in God’s image, but fallen, sinful creatures. That is why we instead of acting according to what we profess to believe, we act out of our sinful hearts. This is the core of who we are.
Christians must live with a tension of “Now, but not yet”. We are saved from sin, and in one respect free from the bondage of sin, however we are not free from sinning. In our weakened, fallen state we still struggle. This is why we do not walk in consistency with who we are.

I struggled with this as I met a fearful Christian woman at the hospital last semester. this woman has congestive heart failure. She was afraid and could not sleep. Afraid of dying. But should Christians be afraid of dying? Could that be a sinful fear?
If I visit the woman with congestive heart failure and she claims to believe the promises of Christ, (namely eternal life, no more suffering, new body etc.) why would she worry about death. If she really believed this teaching at her core why would stepping into eternity be frightening? It should not be, but it is. This is why I believe our fear can be sinful. Fear can control us and cause us to act based on emotion and not on truth. We should not fear, but we do because we are fallen, sinful creatures. God understands this and is patient with our sin. He has gone to great lengths to forgive us of our sin. there is much grace for us found at the foot of the cross.

May we walk consistently with what we claim to believe, so that God will receive glory when others see His presence in us.

DRAWING NEAR

Philippians 4:4-9

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=philippians%204:4-9;&version=49

Paul is encouraging the Philippian Christians to act as ones who know they are Children of the King. These followers are to rejoice in the Lord at all times, and to let their gentle spirit be known because the Lord is near.

Because the Lord is near they are to lay down their anxiety, and to let the Lord know their concerns about all things. When they do this Paul teaches that Gods peace will guard their hearts and minds. This peace comes through practice (v.9) as the Lord draws near.

I see so much of God "Our Heavenly Father" in this, and it reminds me of a goal Joanna and I have in parenting our children. We desire to cultivate an environment in our home now that will result in good communication with our kids later. This is difficult for me. I'm an introvert. At times I find communicating exhausting. My daughter, Savannah, seems to thrive on the energy she gets from social interaction, and she is only 4 years old!

Just as God knows we face anxiety, fear and concern about many things, I also know Savannah faces these. And as God draws near to me desiring me to talk about my life concerns, I desire to draw near to my daughter so she knows me, and is comfortable talking to me about her concerns.

At her age the communication is more important than what we talk about. This is true of us and God. Paul teaches in verse 6 "...in everything...let your requests be known." God desires us to bring our concerns in conversation before Him. We are free to talk about any of them, what we talk about is less significant than the drawing near.

Because I understand Paul encourages the Philippians to practice this, I also want to help Savannah practice how to have effective and proper conversation. Recently our son, Matthias, was born. As you can imagine things around our home are a bit crazy! I have been wondering about Savannah's heart during this transition, so when I had the opportunity to talk to her alone while riding in the car I took advantage of it:

Me: Do you want to talk?

S: About what Daddy?

Me: I just want to say that I love you, and had a good time with you.

S: Is that what you want to talk about Daddy?

Me: Yes. I hope you will always talk to me and Mommy.

S: About what Daddy?

Me: Everything. How you feel, if you are happy or sad...

S: Daddy. Sometimes when you and Mommy take care of Matthias I feel sad.

Me: What does sad feel like to you?

S: I feel like there is nobody to take care of me.

And there was the fruit...

Now, because I know what Savannah is feeling I can properly minister grace into her situation, bringing peace to her heart, helping her think upon what is good, lovely, and worthy of praise.

Robert Wolgemuth wrote,

"The ability of you and your daughter to effectively exchange words, and the feelings they're usually connected to, will provide the bridge between you that will last the rest of your life."

While I freely admit I desire that nearness to last the rest of my life, I have a far greater desire for that bridge to extend back into the arms of Christ. As I look toward models for fathering I can think of no better example than God the Father. So in my sinful attempt to model His drawing near to us I hope to point my children beyond myself and toward the cross of Christ, which is the greatest example in history of God drawing near to His children, granting peace through the riches of salvation.

James 4:10 "Humble yourself in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you."

Psalm 145:18 "The Lord is near to all who call upon Him."

Hebrews 4:16 "Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Crisis in Mark 4

See Mark 4:35-41

Jesus had finished His teaching. His disciples set out the boats to cross the sea. This was not the first time Jesus finished His teaching by rowing out into the sea with His disciples. However, according to 4:37 this was not going to be a peaceful boat ride. Mark records that there was heavy wind, high waves and the danger of the boat sinking. So how strong can we surmise this storm was? These seaworthy fishermen were accustomed to storms on the Sea of Galilee and this one must have been fierce for them to fear for their lives. Although the text does not describe the disciples as being afraid in this moment we know they are as they question a sleeping Jesus in verse 38 “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

The “we” suggests that Jesus also was in danger. Almost as if they were suggesting that if you are going to act nonchalant about us dying, at least you should be concerned for yourself. They never expected Jesus to calm the storm. If the “we are perishing” included Jesus then they were not seeking His help. The disciples question was out of fear and disbelief that Jesus would be acting in such an indifferent manner toward the danger. The disciples were focused on the reality of the moment, the real possibility that they might die. They had not learned to trust in the greater reality of their God who is always in control of the ultimate outcome. Herein lies the crisis. The disciples thought that they were going to die, and that Jesus did not care. Fear increased by a lack of ability to control their situation turned into acting out of fear instead of out of faith. Panicked because they were at the end of their expertise on how to handle a weather related crisis at sea, and finding themselves in danger, called out to Jesus in v.38, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

Jesus assesses, and handles the immediate crisis. He knew before they began the trip across the sea that His disciples were dealing with a much more serious crisis. Their faith was weak. There is evidence in verse 37 That Jesus suggested the boat trip, and then promptly went to sleep. Jesus had a plan to challenge and stretch his disciples. He wanted His disciples to know that they could rest at peace in the midst of the storm because He was with them.

Jesus deals with the question of identity. He wants His disciples to recognize His authority over creation, and His authority over life’s situations, both of which prove His deity, leading to proper worship. In verse 39, with a rebuke, the wind and waves stop. The rage of a storm which caused crisis in the moment for some experienced fishermen became a perfect calm, and began a heart crisis in the lives of those men. Jesus rebukes them in verse 40, “Why are you still afraid?” Moreover, he recognizes their problem, “Do you still have no faith?” These words should be taken more as a statement than a question, “You still have no faith.” The disciples had heard the authority of Christ’s teachings, they had witnessed His miracles, and they still had no faith.

In verse 39 Jesus displayed his power over creation drawing the disciples attention to the fact that He is the very creator Himself. This act led to another sort of fear in the disciple’s hearts. In verse 41 it says they became very afraid, and questioned who Jesus was. The sudden storm and sudden stillness caused brain overload. They were in fearful awe of the One who possessed authority to rebuke both the waves and themselves. Jesus resolved a moment of crisis by showing the disciples the power, authority, and sovereignty of God. They were beginning to understand who Jesus truly was. He drew the disciples into a moment of true worship.

As humans who struggle with fear and anxiety we can relate to the crisis facing the disciples. Many times in our lives situations arise that are just as overwhelming and powerful as any raging storm upon the sea. We feel our boat being pounded by the waves, the water and our fears are rising, we feel helpless. The situation, and often times our God, teach us that we are not in control.

In Mark’s narrative it was Jesus who led the disciples into the storm, he knew what they would be facing. His purpose was to teach them to trust in Him, to teach them that even with all their experience as fishermen they cannot control the storm. This is true in our lives; we cannot handle every difficult situation we face. Sometimes we are humbled, and cowering in the corner. Jesus led His disciples into the storm, and all Hell broke loose. Perhaps we need to admit that following God is not always safe. Think about Joseph, Daniel, Elijah, Stephen, and even Jesus. Although the situations God allowed them to face were far from safe His grace was ever sufficient for the moment of trial.

What happened next? The disciples in Marks narrative were facing real danger, and they found Jesus asleep. We can relate to this too. Why are you sleeping Lord? Where are you? How long Oh Lord? We ask these questions in the midst of life’s crises. We look to the reality of the situation and fail to look to God. What we need in that moment is a reminder of who God is.

Jesus responds to the disciples question by rebuking the wind and the waves. They obeyed Him. This moment might be the greatest demonstration of the deity of Christ in all of scripture, creation obeying its creator. Next Jesus questions the disciples. Jesus’ questions to the disciples are rhetorical. They reveal the reason he lead them into the storm to begin with, and they speak to our storms today.

The point is not that Jesus will calm your every storm, but that He is in charge, and that He cares. When the Lord tests us it hurts. Our fear rises and our faith diminishes. Jesus knows this and questions, “Why are you afraid? Don’t you trust me?” He recognizes fear and desires to turn it into worship. This is what takes place in verse 41. God leads us through trial so we might perceive His holiness, and our hearts turn to worship as we recognize that He is good. The result is a loss of physical fear. We put off our fear and put on Christ. Why would we fear when we have Christ?

To appreciate that statement you need a proper understanding of who Christ is. This is what Jesus accomplished in the lives of the disciples that day. They understood what Paul teaches in Colossians 1:15-17, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities- all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” Because of this the disciples stood in awe of Jesus that day. The hidden had been revealed, and they stood in a state of worship.

This narrative is another example of the benefits of the Gospel. Christians must realize that in the area of emotions we are still in great need of Jesus Christ and His grace in our lives. While our emotions are good, they too are tainted by sin. They tend to mislead us, or spiral out of control. This is the moment when a difficult situation becomes a crisis. What can we do in the midst of such a circumstance? Remember the Gospel. The Bible is full of reminders for the Christian in crisis. For example 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 reads “For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.” This reality is greater than the reality of our circumstances. Christ wants to walk with us through difficultly to the point that we recognize and live out this truth.

The outpouring of the lesson the disciples learned that day is the hope we find written in our scriptures. Peter writes “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ”(1:6-7). God does allow times of trial. Sometimes He leads us into them, but His purpose is to teach us about His true nature, and to increase our faith.