Love Does: Sniper Fire

Chapter 2 of Love Does

"I used to think I had to act a certain way to follow God, but now I know God doesn't want us to be typical."

Typical.

Bob shares about his first encounter with Jesus and it didn't come through a lot of talking or preaching, but through watching someone live life who was a follower of Jesus. Bob was in high school hanging out with Doug and doing things boys do: shoot BB guns. Along the way of playing, Doug shot Bob in the belly. "I liked how Doug could be friends with Jesus and still shoot pellet guns."

Following Jesus may begin as a person being typical. But, intense intimacy with Jesus results in people not being typical. We are real with life and faith. Our love for people transcends all that we thought. Jesus changes us into fully loving and fully living creatures.

To be honest, I'm not sure what this means. I never thought of myself as being typical. Does typical mean traditional? Does it mean that we don't put people or ourselves in a box and think, "God can only work within the confines of that situation?" Does it mean that we stop trying to please the church and what they deem acceptable behavior?

Jesus didn't speak to typical people. He went to the poor, the suffering, the outcasts, the unpopular. When the rich or literate did come his way he generally showed them what they had gained was not what he was necessarily looking for in a person.

Maybe the key really is just to be yourself and not care what people think about you.

The other big reminder from this reading is life does need to be lived and people will see more of what you do than what you say (yet our words can't contradict our living).

It reminds me of a great t-shirt we had at college: Walk=Talk

Love Does: I'm With You

Chapter 1 of Love Does by Bob Goff.

"I used to want to fix people, but now I just want to be with them."

The culmination of this chapter was Bob realizing that his high school buddy (Randy) who had traveled with him to Yosemite had just gotten married, but rather than letting his good friend go off on life on his own (and staying home with his new bride) told him , "Bob, I'm with you." 

My first impression from this was I'm not sure I would be this unselfish at that moment in time. In fact, I know I wouldn't drop everything like this. Randy had been spending time with Bob. So, he was invested in his life. Bob wasn't yet a follower of Jesus. So, Randy took off with this kid to go to a place, probably, far away.

It reminds me of Phil Floyd from high school and how this guy invested in us high school students. He had us over for sleep overs, watching "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" all night, spending time with us young guys. Phil was newly married as well. But, instead of spending alone time with his wife, Lori, he spent a lot of his free time with us guys.

He was with us.

Who am I with? Am I even with my kids wherever they go? Sure, I try to take them places and go to soccer games, drill team events, matches where Tyson referee's, but what kind of time am I really investing in their lives. Maybe it's not that bad. I know I tend to think I'm always the worst and I could always be better.

I've got friends, but what about people I've just met and barely know?

I thought it was also great that Randy offered Bob truth and perspective during any trials that may come along. He didn't correct, but encouraged.

That's a great challenge for me in my life. How can I be this type of person?

Lord, help me to be bold and help me to be a friend that goes along and invests without asking for anything in return.

Holiness of God - Chapter 9

God in the Hand of Angry Sinners

Most famous sermon is probably Jonathan Edwards "Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God." But, this sermon probably doesn't have much place in churches today. "Ours is an upbeat generation with the accent on self-improvement and a broad-minded view of sin." We tend to think that "His love and mercy override His holy justice." And so we don't want to think He possesses wrath.

But, by truly understanding God's holiness we must see that God is angry with us because we violate His holiness and He does possess justice. This is what Jonathan Edwards was getting at, not to guilt trip his listeners but to "awakening them to the peril they faced if they remained unconverted."

"O sinner! consider the fearful danger you are in: it is a great furnace of wrath, a wide and bottomless pit, full of the fire of wrath, that you are held over in the hand of that God, whose wrath is provoked and incensed as much against you, as against many of the damned in hell. You hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about it, and ready every moment to singe it, and burn it asunder." 

Edwards states that a holy God must also be a wrathful God.

1. God's wrath is divine. Human wrath terminates, but God's wrath can go on forever.
2. God's wrath is fierce. God's wrath is a consuming rage against the unrepentant. 
3. God's wrath is everlasting. There is no end.

And yet this doesn't quicken us with an urgency to believe nor tell others. Our problem is we think the best of ourselves and think the way we get out of judgement is by living a good life. We have changed God into our idol and made him something we are more comfortable with.

Edwards had a sequel sermon called "Men's Naturally God's Enemies." Sproul would say, "God in the Hands of Angry Sinners." "If we are unconverted, one thing is absolutely certain: We hate God."  And in turn we are God's enemies. We have all been at this point. Romans 5:10 declares, "When we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son." Thus, we have a need for reconciliation. Our tendency is to flee from Him. What we often want from God is only the riches; only the gifts and the good stuff. We want everything our way. For natural man God "represents the highest possible threat to our sinful desires." 


Those that have been reconciled are friends of God. Yet "our natural human natures were not annihilated." 

Good enough

I have been reading "Spiritual Depression" by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones.  I'm into the 2nd chapter. The first chapter made a first address of the problem by looking at Psalm 43:5 where the writer of the Psalm questions himself: "Why art thou cast down, O my Soul?" The essence of this statement and the application to our lives is 'Do we speak to ourselves? Do we allow ourselves and/or our self talk to say things about ourselves that are not true.  We must first learn to speak to ourselves rather than let ourselves speak to us. We must be handled.

In the 2nd chapter, Lloyd-Jones states that before going further we must first understand that man is a sinner, incapable of saving himself. Jesus completely fulfilled the Law on this earth.  As a sinner, man's sins must be punished. But, as a sinner man has no hope of justifying himself on his own. By Jesus fulfilling the Law he satisfied the Law. Jesus kept the law.  Jesus obeyed it.  And Jesus bore the penalty of it by his death on the cross and then resurrection.

Our response is to see our need. We are to confess our need that we can not save ourselves because we are sinners first. And sinners can't save themselves. If we confess it, God will give us His own Son's righteousness.  God imputes God's righteousness to us when we declare to God that we need it. Then God declares us as righteous. He declares us to be righteous in Him.

This is what it means to be justified by faith.

In his discourse and explanation, Lloyd-Jones makes the comment that men and women often believe they are not good enough. He states that individuals are often not ready to be called a Christian because of a belief that they are not yet good enough.  Lloyd-Jones is stating that people are still ingrained with the belief that before coming to Christ we must be good enough.  This sermon of his was delivered in the early 1960's in London. My guess is that at this time people saw themselves as "not good enough."

In my conversations with people, the overriding sentiment I hear from people now is instead, "I'm good enough."  And by being good enough they already think they have Christ or they think being "good enough" is the means in which they win the After-Life Lottery. I see this as I take people through the 10 commandments and often they respond that they really haven't done anything wrong or if they have they are not unlike anyone else.

It is an interesting dichotomy. 

I think the secret here is the clear presentation of the Gospel to people and the repetitive presentation of the Gospel to people. People need to hear that one sin makes them imperfect and that God can only accept the complete fulfillment of the Law and not just a partial fulfillment. A partial fulfillment would then give rise to boasting. Many churches today and beliefs state that they are the true church and in so doing they put forth the idea that allegiance or alignment to a church renders acceptance by God. But, this is not complete allegiance to Christ. This is partial. "You have to rest exclusively upon the Lord Jesus Christ and His perfect work." Anything else, is partial.

In the words of the hymn:

I dare not trust my sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesu's Name.

Family Picture from Easter 2011

This is outside Heritage Christian Fellowship where my oldest son attends with my brother T and his family. Left to right is Pamela (42), Derek (10), Chris (43), Tyson (15), and Megan (13).

What are you?

Do you ever get this question?

I was at the mall the other day sharing with someone. (A friend and I venture to the mall on Wednesday nights to strike up spiritual conversations with people.) We asked him what church he went to and then he goes, "What are you?" And suddenly I found myself wondering how I was going to answer that question besides the sarcastic "human" response.

25 years ago I would have said, "Christian." But, can I really say "Christian" these days when the LDS church is currently on a drive to align themselves with the label, "Christian." So, if it's not Christian then it seems to be a myriad of titles like

• Follower of Christ
• Disciple of Christ
• Orthodox Christian (though I don't what that means)
• Fundamentalist (yet I remember my college Baylor had a lot of problems with fundamentalists)
• Baptist (this rarely works because now it sounds like I'm siding with a particular religious group)

I guess in our "have it your way" world that's what has become of a single question. I don't care, I'm saying, "Christian."

Promises First

I started reading Joshua today, having just finished Deuteronomy. I'm taking it slow. In the first chapter of Joshua the Lord speaks to Joshua and is passing the baton of leadership onto Joshua as Moses has died. He tells him that he should lead the people to cross the Jordan and possess the land the Lord has given them.

The Lord gives the People these promises:
- I will be with you
- I will not fail you
- I will not forsake you

And then he tells them their response:
- Be strong and courageous
- Be careful to do according to the Law
- Don't let the law depart from your mouth
- Do not tremble
- Do not be dismayed

Get this: The promise comes before the response. What I don't see is something we must do in order to receive a blessing.

This is significant because as we walk in life we are often trained by the notion that if you want something then you need to first do something good.

As students in school we are given good grades after doing good work. As employees, we receive our pay after we have performed our jobs. In sports, the trophies are given to those who perform at the highest level. So life is training us to first perform and then you will see your reward.

But, not so with God. He gives a reward first and then in response to His gift we obey Him. The command is for protection and not a condition for a prize.

So, how does a person access this reward? Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

To get the gift, we must receive it. We must renounce the way we have been taught by the world. Instead of doing good things and making sure our good outweighs our bad in order to get a reward, we must instead say, "not my will, not my way, but your way O God. I will trust you."

The Turning

Last day of 2008. I appreciate the new year for it is a chance to revisit priorities and determine what matters most and what will matter most this coming year. And yet where to start in this re-evaluation and re-determined approach to life is a challenge.

We were in Grand Junction for Christmas (Dec. 24th - Dec. 29th). It was a great time together. Great fellowship. Great food. It's always nice to retreat from life and reaffirm those things that matter most. I'm very grateful for in-laws that open their home and don't mind taking care of us all. And let us just take it easy to re-energize our lives.

December 28th we went to Redlands Community Church there in Grand Junction. This is my wife's parents church. I always enjoy going because the worship is intimate (Piano, 2 guitars, Drums) and three singers. The song selection is familiar to me and yet I can tell it is somewhat new to those attending, at least a few of the songs. It's familiar often because I'm up on the latest tunes. I always love singing new songs (Psalm 40). The size is quaint. Just enough for the regular attender to still meet new people and yet not so big that you feel like you could get lost. The pastor--Joe Gross--is very conversational in his delivery as he exposits the Word (verse by verse).

On Sunday, he spoke from Hebrews 5:11-14. A familiar passage and yet one, I'm guessing, I hadn't read in several years. He didn't read the text, though he covered every line and word. The giest of the message was, "Are you still an infant in your faith or have you moved onto meat of God's teaching and words?" That's the high level look at the text. Along the way, he mentioned some interesting thoughts, one was whether or not we find ourselves living on milk still. He made the remark that milk is a pre-digested food which he meant to say that many disciples are still in the mode of milk-learning or learning from another (i.e. sitting and listening to someone else's quiet time observations from their study of the Bible, like in a sunday school lesson or a sermon). Thus, the challenge is how many of us are actually involved in bible reading on our own and experiencing God through the reading of His word? Or are we conditioned now to just listen to the reading of the word?

Since September 15th, I've started a Bible reading plan. Initially, I followed the rote read the Bible in a year plan. However, recently, as I've started through I Samuel I've started seeing that my reading has become a ritual versus a quest for engaging with My savior and understanding His Words. So, I've started taking notes and in that process, I'm currently way behind on the yearly plan. And yet I sense my understanding of it has expanded.

This moves me to my second observation which is found in verse 14. My favorite verse over the past several years has been I Timothy 4:7-8, "Train yourself for Godliness. For physical training has some value, but godliness has value for all things." Verse 14 of Hebrews 5 has the same sentiment, "But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." Once again, the reminder is Read the Book.

As I turn the year, my prayer is that the new year will include time training myself in God's word so that I can more clearly distinguish good and evil. There are so many choices available for how I spend my time. In addition, as I train myself, I want to train my family. And yet my confidence in carrying this out is not real high. Changing myself is easier that affecting change in others.

No money...no really

I'm a little behind on my news. Its what I get for not watching the news nor do I read the paper. But, I do get some emails about various news articles. I'm just behind.

This is a good article. Governors Against State Bailouts

A couple of noteworthy lines:

Take for example the proposed Big Three auto-maker bailout. We think it's very telling that each of the three CEO's flew on their own private jets to Washington to ask for a taxpayer handout. No amount of taxpayer largess could fix a business culture so fundamentally flawed.

To an unprecedented degree, government is currently picking winners and losers in the private marketplace, and throwing good money after bad. A prudent investor takes money from low-yield investments and puts them in those that yield better returns. Recent government intervention is doing the opposite -- taking capital generated from productive activities and throwing it at enterprises that in many cases need to reorganize their business model.

Borrowing money to "solve" a problem created by too much debt seems odd.

That last one is just a good principle to live by.

Looking out

Since it is called "we are family" I thought I'd post one of our latest family pics. This is on top of Sandia Mountains in August. You can see Albuquerque there in the background. Note: We had been walking in the rain up on top of the mountain for over a mile so you can understand why someone's hair might not be as full as it normally is.

Science

We started going to a new church about 18 months ago and I've been waiting to see where God would have me serve. A couple of months ago, a need came up in the Youth Sunday school hour to help out with 7th grade boys. I thought this would be a good time to get involved. We have 12 boys in our class. Me and another gentleman tag team in working with these boys for about 25 minutes per week.

Its been a crazy transition as these boys are quite unruly. There is a mix of educational backgrounds: about 1/3rd are home schooled, 1/3rd go to Christian schools, and 1/3rd go to public schools. For the most part, behaviorally, I don't see any difference between the home schooled, Christian school, and public school kids. Many of the kids have been church-ified most of their life, so they know most answers to the questions. But, my challenge with them and with anyone is to go beyond the text and doctrine and get into application. They all struggle seeing the big picture, so I understand it is going to be a process of re-training them (I Timothy 4:7-8).

Prior to getting to our time, they have gone to a worship time lasting about 10 minutes with all the other youth and then had a short devotional by the middle school pastor which last about 20 minutes. They get to us thinking it should last about 15-20 minutes.

However, our sessions have been lasting 25-30 minutes. Now, I'm sure those reading this are thinking, "Wow, that is awesome. You must be getting into some great conversations with them."

Well actually, to be honest, at this point in the training process, I'm just trying to see them get through the basic information I have to present. And that info comprises about 5 minutes of talking. The problem is that I spend another 30 minutes with them because most of the time is spent on crowd control.

I've gotten all of them Bibles. The first class I think 2 had a Bible. So, we now have everyone with a Bible and we read several verses and passages in class. We go over ground rules of "Only one person speaks at a time" and disruptive kids sit on the outer edge of our big room. Naturally, they see isolation as a reward and completely ignore the 1 person at a time speaking, so it continues to be a challenge to selectively discipline.

This past week we were talking about the surrendering your life; that you can't truly live until you surrender. The mid school pastor did a nice presentation. I then asked them in our small group time, what was the one key word that was said in the large group presentation? It starts with an "S."

One of the boys said, "Science?"

I tell you, I busted up laughing at that and had trouble getting serious after that. Another kid said "Solomon." I was trying to get them to say "Surrender."

There was another boy who in the middle of me talking, interrupts and says, "Is it time to leave?" I said, "Let me give you a clue. At the end is a prayer, when you hear me talk about 'closing in prayer,' then you can be ready to leave." Just amazing to me these kids. I know they can be a good. They are just not trained to be good in this setting, I believe.

Overall, though, it is a fun time with them. There are 2 or 3 that are totally uninterested and are constantly searching for ways to distract themselves or the class. At the end of October, we are having a "disciple now" weekend where I will spend a whole weekend with them at someone's house teaching them.

I hope we can have some individual time. I can't help but think that many of them are partly uninterested because they don't have a relationship with Jesus. And so are just being sent "through the motions." So, I guess they are representative of the church as a whole.

Good times.

Marching on.

Lord, You choose for me

Within the last 3 months, 2 rather popular christian leaders have experienced the death of a child.

Greg Laurie's son, Christopher, 34, died in a car crash this past week, July 24, 2008. Steven Curtis Chapman's daughter, Maria Sue Chapman, 5, died in May from an incident at their home also involving an automobile. I watched the Maria Chapman family memorial service and was greatly encouraged and inspired by the manner in which the family laughed, smiled, and continued to sing praises to God, in spite of this loss.

I just heard Greg Laurie give a speech at his church this past Sunday, just 3 days after the loss of his son, and he offered these words regarding the loss of his son. He started off by saying, "I couldn't think of any place I'd rather be today than at church, worshiping the Lord."

Then later said "I've said, 'Lord, you choose for me' and He made this choice. And I say, "He does all things well. And I give glory to God. If I could, I'd have him (my son) back in a moment. I want to put my arms around him; there are things I want to say to him, but I'll see him again."

Lord, You choose for me.

Every one we see, He has made. His timing is always perfect. He is to praised...no matter what.

Cool Covers

I don't think it is a surprise to anyone that I love music and have probably way too much music to my name.

Lately, I've been listening to White Heart's 1986 release, "Don't Wait for the Movie" when I noticed what a great cover this album had. {I understand album is an archaic term and my kids, if they read this, are wondering what I'm talking about; album is the same as CD cover.) Here is a sample of a few covers I have always admired.



Here is another White Heart, "Vital Signs." Sure, they put themselves on the cover, but at least its clever and they still tied the title into the shot.



Petra generally had great album covers. My favorites are here: "Never Say Die" and "More Power to Ya."



Isn't this better than just some cool shot of the band.



Steve Taylor did some nice covers and these are two I like. "I Want to Be a Clone" and "Meltdown."



The Meltdown cover is obviously very simple and yet I'm drawn to the colors.



Michael Roe and the 77s are showcased below. 77s are one of my favorite bands, though I tend to primarily like their 1st 3 albums.

That said, Here is "Drowning with Land in Sight"



The highly controversial (at the time) "Pray Naked." Interesting choice on the naked representatives for the cover shot.



And "Sticks and Stones" although the album title and the cover have nothing to do with one another.



Prodigal had some good covers in their short 3 album history. Here is Self-titled, Electric Eye, and Just Like Real Life.





I wish this would have been the whole album cover rather than just an inset picture.



Of course, there are times when a cover is good simply because that particular album is just great music.



Chris Tomlin, "Arriving." Again, simple tie-in to the project title.



Caedmon's Call, "Back Home."



Skillet, "Comatose." By the way, if you don't have this CD, run, don't walk to get it.



Here is probably my favorite cover so far. Thousand Foot Krutch, "Phenomenom."



Well, I'll have to revisit this at another time. As a plethora of covers have been left out. Where is a nice pic of Sweet Comfort Band's "Cutting Edge?"

Also, if anyone is confused on WHAT I THINK A BAD COVER is. Here is a prime example.



Actually, bad is too kind of a word to describe this cover.

3 Year History

(Above/Below) 40th Birthday Party - Chris 2007.09.04; Above is Tyson with Fred & Mac and Jesse Turley; Below is Eddie Collins with T. Payton (My 38 year old brother).  

Above:  Jeff Rose and Nobody Special; Below - Tyson's 12th Birthday with Hunter looking on

Above - Balloon Fiesta 2007 or at least one balloon; Below - The fam' in Colorado - Summer 2007

Above - Tyson, Megan, Derek with Janice and Walt; Below - Tyson's first day of 6th grade

Above - Walking to the bus; The 40th Cake is below that Pamela designed and made

Above - Another cake wonder by Pamela, this time Derek's 7th Birthday - 2008.2.18 and me and the mrs on Easter 2008

Above - The Proud Son; Below - Derek starts swinging with Little League - Around May 2008

Derek the catcher; And one of Derek's friends

Another friend and four more (Austin, Cameron, Derek, Noah)

Derek and Noah at Putt-Putt (derek's 7th birthday bash); Below is Christmas 2007 at T's with my Dad, Brooke and T --- (Don't you love how these pictures are in no order at all; Just be happy you are seeing anything at all.)

Christmas Party (Above) - T's Brooke and Andrew; Karla and Rick Metz; Below- My other rib

(Above) - Fred is practicing patience; (Below) T.

(Above) - Tyson at a Band Concert - Winter 2007; (Below) - Christmas 2007 - MJ, D, Ty-Guy

(above) - Megan shows off a gift; (Below) Megan and Grammy (Becky)

(Above) - Noah and Tyson; (Below) - Derek and a school pageant

(Above) Derek as ... Turkey Lurkey; (Below) Megan's 7th Birthday Party 2007.07.15