blog-carnival

Baseball and Buffalo Wings

Frank

You know the feeling. You’re restless and anxious. You may be fidgety, uncomfortable in your own skin. Maybe you blame it on cabin fever, “I just need to get out.” Or maybe you blame it on the stress of your job, your family, your bills. Either way, you need to do something.

It’s at this point we face a critical decision. Do we turn to God as our strength? Or do we turn to something else to fill this hole?

You see it in other people too. The overbearing Little League parent. The workaholic. The person that always seems to be on edge. The addict.

What we all have in common is the need to be filled. We think pleasure will fill us, but that never seems to satisfy. We think companionship will fill us, but people will always let us down. We think accomplishments will fill us, but those never last.

For me lately, I turn to my comfort food and an opportunity to check-out. Give me a dozen wings and a big screen and don’t bother me for a couple of hours. I’ll fill my stomach and I’ll fill my mind, but that hole still remains.

That’s because this hole isn’t in my mind or my body, but is in my soul. This “God-shaped hole” can only be filled with a deep, meaningful, purposeful relationship with our Creator. Prayer, studying the Word, seeking out His will by serving others, doing what is right. These are the things that fill this hole. But we use that up. Like a gas tank on a long journey, we need to keep stopping to fill ourselves up.

It’s a long journey, this life. Don’t try to travel on an empty tank.

(This post is part of Bridget Chumbley’s Blog Carnival. This week’s topic is emptiness.)

Baseball and Buffalo Wings

Frank

You know the feeling. You’re restless and anxious. You may be fidgety, uncomfortable in your own skin. Maybe you blame it on cabin fever, “I just need to get out.” Or maybe you blame it on the stress of your job, your family, your bills. Either way, you need to do something.

It’s at this point we face a critical decision. Do we turn to God as our strength? Or do we turn to something else to fill this hole?

You see it in other people too. The overbearing Little League parent. The workaholic. The person that always seems to be on edge. The addict.

What we all have in common is the need to be filled. We think pleasure will fill us, but that never seems to satisfy. We think companionship will fill us, but people will always let us down. We think accomplishments will fill us, but those never last.

For me lately, I turn to my comfort food and an opportunity to check-out. Give me a dozen wings and a big screen and don’t bother me for a couple of hours. I’ll fill my stomach and I’ll fill my mind, but that hole still remains.

That’s because this hole isn’t in my mind or my body, but is in my soul. This “God-shaped hole” can only be filled with a deep, meaningful, purposeful relationship with our Creator. Prayer, studying the Word, seeking out His will by serving others, doing what is right. These are the things that fill this hole. But we use that up. Like a gas tank on a long journey, we need to keep stopping to fill ourselves up.

It’s a long journey, this life. Don’t try to travel on an empty tank.

(This post is part of Bridget Chumbley’s Blog Carnival. This week’s topic is emptiness.)

R12: Why is the Christian life so difficult?

Frank

Reposted from last week to get back on a M-F schedule…

The title speaks for itself. I could leave it there and open up for discussion on Romans 12:2 and satisfy [last] week’s blog carnival on self-control all at once. But I won’t leave it there. We need to answer this question. We need to know how to overcome.

Chapter 7 in Living On The Edge lays the groundwork to answer this in future chapters, I’m sorry to tease. But the set up is just as valuable. We can’t answer this question because we don’t know why it’s an issue to begin with. This week’s blog carnival is on self-control. The question is bound to be asked, “why, as Christians, do we still struggle with sin?” Chip Ingram poses that the reason is because we do not understand the struggle. As I mentioned last time, I learned from the book Wild At Heart that our struggle against sin has three enemies- Satan, the World, and our sinful nature. Chip comes to the same conclusion but words it differently- the who, where, and what of sin. If our religious tradition focuses only on one, or even two, of these but not all three, we are destined to fail. This is because Satan wants us to fail, we live in a world designed to discourage us, and we desire comfort that satisfies our sinful nature. We need to overcome each of these.

Chip goes into the grammar of verse 2, but I’ll spare you. One important point in each of the verbs is important though: “conform” and “transform” are both passive. That means it’s not us doing it. The world conforms us with external pressure and only God can transform us by the power of His Holy Spirit. So much of my struggle against sin is relying on my own strength. I will always fail so long as I continue to rely on myself. Trying hard to ‘do right’ or be religious cannot overcome Satan’s schemes or the World system.

So we need to come to terms with who overcomes and how. It is not us. It is not our church. It is not some self-help book or any special preacher or brand of Christianity. It is Christ alone. And we need to ask ourselves why. To be more moral than someone else? To be more holy? Will that elevate us to some closer level to God? No! We need to remember that God is our Father and as His children He only wants the best for us. So we turn ourselves over to him so that we can “test and approve” His will.

More on how next time.

Think: did you learn anything new in this discussion?
Reflect: why is the Christian life so difficult? What specific schemes of Satan in this World appeal most to your sinful nature?
Understand: how do you currently battle the temptations of the World? What works for you? What doesn’t?
Surrender: share honestly with God where you struggle most. Ask God to reveal whomever or whatever s keeping you from the fullness of your relationship with Christ.
Take action: address whatever God reveals to you as an answer to this prayer. Ask for forgiveness and claim 1 John 1:9.
Motivation: listen to the audio message How To Get God’s Best for your life by clicking the R12 button on the right.
Encourage someone: invite someone struggling spiritually over to your home for dinner, to a Bible study, or just to coffee to catch up.

Today continues our “virtual small group” covering the book Living On The Edge. For how this group is going to work, read this entry. For an introduction with disclaimers, click here. For some numbers from Barna to motivate you to continue reading, go here. For the R12 videos, click the R12 button on the sidebar to the right. Finally, as we move forward through the book you can always catch up by clicking the R12 label at the end of each post.

R12: Why is the Christian life so difficult?

Frank

Reposted from last week to get back on a M-F schedule…

The title speaks for itself. I could leave it there and open up for discussion on Romans 12:2 and satisfy [last] week’s blog carnival on self-control all at once. But I won’t leave it there. We need to answer this question. We need to know how to overcome.

Chapter 7 in Living On The Edge lays the groundwork to answer this in future chapters, I’m sorry to tease. But the set up is just as valuable. We can’t answer this question because we don’t know why it’s an issue to begin with. This week’s blog carnival is on self-control. The question is bound to be asked, “why, as Christians, do we still struggle with sin?” Chip Ingram poses that the reason is because we do not understand the struggle. As I mentioned last time, I learned from the book Wild At Heart that our struggle against sin has three enemies- Satan, the World, and our sinful nature. Chip comes to the same conclusion but words it differently- the who, where, and what of sin. If our religious tradition focuses only on one, or even two, of these but not all three, we are destined to fail. This is because Satan wants us to fail, we live in a world designed to discourage us, and we desire comfort that satisfies our sinful nature. We need to overcome each of these.

Chip goes into the grammar of verse 2, but I’ll spare you. One important point in each of the verbs is important though: “conform” and “transform” are both passive. That means it’s not us doing it. The world conforms us with external pressure and only God can transform us by the power of His Holy Spirit. So much of my struggle against sin is relying on my own strength. I will always fail so long as I continue to rely on myself. Trying hard to ‘do right’ or be religious cannot overcome Satan’s schemes or the World system.

So we need to come to terms with who overcomes and how. It is not us. It is not our church. It is not some self-help book or any special preacher or brand of Christianity. It is Christ alone. And we need to ask ourselves why. To be more moral than someone else? To be more holy? Will that elevate us to some closer level to God? No! We need to remember that God is our Father and as His children He only wants the best for us. So we turn ourselves over to him so that we can “test and approve” His will.

More on how next time.

Think: did you learn anything new in this discussion?
Reflect: why is the Christian life so difficult? What specific schemes of Satan in this World appeal most to your sinful nature?
Understand: how do you currently battle the temptations of the World? What works for you? What doesn’t?
Surrender: share honestly with God where you struggle most. Ask God to reveal whomever or whatever s keeping you from the fullness of your relationship with Christ.
Take action: address whatever God reveals to you as an answer to this prayer. Ask for forgiveness and claim 1 John 1:9.
Motivation: listen to the audio message How To Get God’s Best for your life by clicking the R12 button on the right.
Encourage someone: invite someone struggling spiritually over to your home for dinner, to a Bible study, or just to coffee to catch up.

Today continues our “virtual small group” covering the book Living On The Edge. For how this group is going to work, read this entry. For an introduction with disclaimers, click here. For some numbers from Barna to motivate you to continue reading, go here. For the R12 videos, click the R12 button on the sidebar to the right. Finally, as we move forward through the book you can always catch up by clicking the R12 label at the end of each post.

Evident to All

Frank

“…clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12)

“But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.” (1 Timothy 6:11)

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” (1 Peter 3:15-16)

This week’s blog carnival topic is gentleness. A topic that sounds easy enough and was certainly easy to do a simple word-search in Bible Gateway to get the above passages. But let the above sink in for a moment. Can these scriptures describe your attitude, your character? Does it describe your brothers and sisters in Christ around you? Sadly, I think this is a fruit of the Spirit we do not see often enough.

But we should. “Let your gentleness be evident to all.” (Philippians 4:5) Our gentleness should be seen. And not just at church on Sundays, but every day, in every circumstance. “All” includes the impatient reckless driver on the freeway, the restaurant server who is rude or indifferent, the others stuck in a long line at the grocery store who all have someplace better to be. “All” also includes the non-believers acting in ways contrary to our convictions, believers who do not subscribe to the exact same doctrine, those whose politics do not align with our own, and those who just sometimes make boneheaded decisions. “All” includes our spouses, our children, our mothers-in-law. “All” means all.

We should restore gently (Galatians 6:1), instruct gently (2 Timothy 2:25), and deal gently (Hebrews 5:2) with others. All these passages are about dealing with others’ sin. Because “we have all sinned” we should be that much more patient and gentle with others.

The book Living On the Edge breaks Romans 12 into five relationships: God, the world, ourselves, other believers, and the evil around us. It is this last relationship where gentleness can be most evident:

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.[a] Do not be conceited.

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary:
‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:14-21)

I will be going through this book over the next several weeks (and hopefully finding a way to tie in with the blog carnival at the same time!). I hope you come back as we break down Romans 12 so that we can grow in these relationships and prayerfully, ultimately, be gentle to all.

Evident to All

Frank

“…clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12)

“But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.” (1 Timothy 6:11)

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” (1 Peter 3:15-16)

This week’s blog carnival topic is gentleness. A topic that sounds easy enough and was certainly easy to do a simple word-search in Bible Gateway to get the above passages. But let the above sink in for a moment. Can these scriptures describe your attitude, your character? Does it describe your brothers and sisters in Christ around you? Sadly, I think this is a fruit of the Spirit we do not see often enough.

But we should. “Let your gentleness be evident to all.” (Philippians 4:5) Our gentleness should be seen. And not just at church on Sundays, but every day, in every circumstance. “All” includes the impatient reckless driver on the freeway, the restaurant server who is rude or indifferent, the others stuck in a long line at the grocery store who all have someplace better to be. “All” also includes the non-believers acting in ways contrary to our convictions, believers who do not subscribe to the exact same doctrine, those whose politics do not align with our own, and those who just sometimes make boneheaded decisions. “All” includes our spouses, our children, our mothers-in-law. “All” means all.

We should restore gently (Galatians 6:1), instruct gently (2 Timothy 2:25), and deal gently (Hebrews 5:2) with others. All these passages are about dealing with others’ sin. Because “we have all sinned” we should be that much more patient and gentle with others.

The book Living On the Edge breaks Romans 12 into five relationships: God, the world, ourselves, other believers, and the evil around us. It is this last relationship where gentleness can be most evident:

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.[a] Do not be conceited.

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary:
‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:14-21)

I will be going through this book over the next several weeks (and hopefully finding a way to tie in with the blog carnival at the same time!). I hope you come back as we break down Romans 12 so that we can grow in these relationships and prayerfully, ultimately, be gentle to all.

Tabloid Christianity

Frank

While not intentional, this week’s blog carnival topic, faithfulness, is timely and appropriate. You cannot even say the word without images of Tiger Woods or Sandra Bullock filling your mind. Sadly it’s become impossible to define the word without invoking its opposite. What should be the norm is overshadowed by tawdry headlines and tell-all confessions. I say “should” because faithfulness is God’s design. He instituted the sanctity of the marriage covenant to reflect his covenant to his nation, Israel. In fact, if you’re looking for headline-grabbers, look no further than the 28th book of the Bible. There you will see a scandalous relationship as an object lesson for why faithfulness is so important to God.

Like Hosea, we can learn from our own current events. Does it surprise anyone anymore to learn about a Hollywood celebrity having an affair with their co-star while shooting their latest blockbuster? If it does, it shouldn’t. What do you expect when you pull someone from their family, isolate them on location, and then reenact scene after scene of passionate words, warm embraces, and… well you know the rest of the story. It shouldn’t be a surprise when we see the same headlines for our favorite sports stars. They too, are on the road away from their families a majority of their season. It’s not “addiction” or some kind of god-complex that comes with being a celebrity that enables them to think they can get whatever they want. If it was, why isn’t every movie star and athlete an adulterer? Instead, it is the lack of keeping their roots deeply embedded in their homes and their families.

Just as adultery is anathema to God’s faithfulness, the root-causes can also apply to our own spirituality. Should we be surprised to stumble and fall when we’re not firmly rooted in God’s own word? When we spend days, if not weeks, months or years away from God, shouldn’t it follow that we’d have a love affair with the world? That is what’s so tragic about “Sunday Christianity.” A couple of hours a week cannot be expected to compete against a 40 hour work-week. A visit to church on holidays cannot stand against the hours of polluting our eyes and our ears with the filth that comes through our media. So we become unfaithful to our Lord. We have our affair. We have no regrets. Until it all comes crashing down. Then the paparazzi get their pictures, your face is on the front page, you lose sponsorships, you lose custody. Inexplicably your spouse takes you back. He cries over you. He caresses you. He forgives you. The Lord takes you back.

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (1 John 2:15)

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. (Revelation 2:4)

For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations. (Psalm 100:5)

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)

Tabloid Christianity

Frank

While not intentional, this week’s blog carnival topic, faithfulness, is timely and appropriate. You cannot even say the word without images of Tiger Woods or Sandra Bullock filling your mind. Sadly it’s become impossible to define the word without invoking its opposite. What should be the norm is overshadowed by tawdry headlines and tell-all confessions. I say “should” because faithfulness is God’s design. He instituted the sanctity of the marriage covenant to reflect his covenant to his nation, Israel. In fact, if you’re looking for headline-grabbers, look no further than the 28th book of the Bible. There you will see a scandalous relationship as an object lesson for why faithfulness is so important to God.

Like Hosea, we can learn from our own current events. Does it surprise anyone anymore to learn about a Hollywood celebrity having an affair with their co-star while shooting their latest blockbuster? If it does, it shouldn’t. What do you expect when you pull someone from their family, isolate them on location, and then reenact scene after scene of passionate words, warm embraces, and… well you know the rest of the story. It shouldn’t be a surprise when we see the same headlines for our favorite sports stars. They too, are on the road away from their families a majority of their season. It’s not “addiction” or some kind of god-complex that comes with being a celebrity that enables them to think they can get whatever they want. If it was, why isn’t every movie star and athlete an adulterer? Instead, it is the lack of keeping their roots deeply embedded in their homes and their families.

Just as adultery is anathema to God’s faithfulness, the root-causes can also apply to our own spirituality. Should we be surprised to stumble and fall when we’re not firmly rooted in God’s own word? When we spend days, if not weeks, months or years away from God, shouldn’t it follow that we’d have a love affair with the world? That is what’s so tragic about “Sunday Christianity.” A couple of hours a week cannot be expected to compete against a 40 hour work-week. A visit to church on holidays cannot stand against the hours of polluting our eyes and our ears with the filth that comes through our media. So we become unfaithful to our Lord. We have our affair. We have no regrets. Until it all comes crashing down. Then the paparazzi get their pictures, your face is on the front page, you lose sponsorships, you lose custody. Inexplicably your spouse takes you back. He cries over you. He caresses you. He forgives you. The Lord takes you back.

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (1 John 2:15)

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. (Revelation 2:4)

For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations. (Psalm 100:5)

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)