Important Question

This past Sunday, during the 9 am hour, the middle school kids and I were discussing Steven in Acts 7.  The three themes we talked about were how Steven knew the Word,  believed it and then talked about it -- boldly.

We ended our discussion with these three statements regarding our Christian life.

1.    We need to know God's Word with our heads.

2.    We need to love God with our hearts.

3.    We need to share God with our our mouth.

I asked them which is most difficult to do.  The collective response was #3.  I think that's what most of us would say.  But it struck me that morning that if #2 was really true, #3 would take care of itself.  When I suggested that, they seemed to quiet down a bit.  Certainly more quiet than they had been the rest of the morning.  ;-)   Perhaps I struck a nerve.

The thing I like about teaching middle school, is that they're old enough so you can press on them and push beyond some of those traditional Sunday School answers they're used to giving.

The thing that also happens when you press them -- is that you have to look in the mirror and ask yourself the same questions!  Jesus said in Luke 6:45 that out of the mouth comes the overflow of the heart. 

So the question is: What's in my heart?

That's the important question.

Stalking God

Pastor Mike asked me to teach the 7th & 8th graders this fall.  I gladly accepted.  And as I've contemplated meeting with these kids on Sunday mornings, I've tried to think of ways to make what I teach stick -- not in their heads, but in their hearts.  I've run across two things lately that have challenged me regarding that.

First, in one of the closing chapters in Bob Goff's book, Love Does, is one called: "Memorizing Jesus".  In that chapter, Goff talks about "stalking Jesus".  That is, collecting information and memorizing facts. But that's it.  He said he quit a "Bible study" he was part of because he wasn't doing anything with what he learned.  He in turn, started a "Bible doing" group.  They read, "what God has to say and then focus all their attention on what we are going to do about it."  Goff says by engaging in the Word, we will remember it better because we are living it.  Good stuff!

The second was a comment made by D.A. Carson regarding Psalm 27, verse 11.  This verse talks about teaching and leading.  But Carson's comment challenged me.  He wrote; "This cannot be said too strongly or too often; to claim that one is pursing God without concomitant reformation of life and growing conformity to the ways of God is wicked and dangerous nonsense."  That ties right back to Goff's thoughts above. Reform and conform - continually.

This is a great reminder of James 1:22-24, that tells us not to just read the Word and forget - but to put it into practice.

The Olympics. Is your life an "event"?

I'm fairly certain, a fair amount of us are turning into couch potatoes while we watch -- in awe -- the best athletes in the world compete at the Olympics.

Being a regular runner, I have subscribed to Runner's World magazine for a number of years -- mostly as motivation to get me off the couch.  (I'm not getting any younger!)  Thru that magazine I have come to follow a long distance runner named Ryan Hall.  A few years ago, he set the American record for the half marathon and this Sunday (August 12th) he will run the Olympic marathon in London.

Four years ago, Runner's World did a cover story on Ryan, just prior to the Beijing Olympics.  What intrigues me about this young man is how he weaves his faith into his running (career) life.  In 2011, Ryan wrote a book called Running With Joy.  Now, I know for some of you that statement is an oxymoron.  But hang on -- his thoughts apply to athletes, business people, parents and all areas of life.

Ryan writes that previously his moments of joy were based on performance and accomplishments.  This is very easy to do in the world of athletics.  It is also easy to do in the Christian life.  He said he was a "slave to performance".  During his frustrating college career, Ryan's pastor asked him; "What is the last thing you remember being certain that God wanted you to do?"  Ryan was sure God wanted him to go to Stanford (which he did).  Ryan said his pastor's comment reminded him "that following God is not always easy or free from struggle, but it is the best way to live life."

Ryan uses running as a metaphor because that is what he best relates to.  He notes that even if you don't end up on the podium, run a personal best or struggle with an injury, you can experience joy to the fullest.  He writes that earlier in his career, he was, "more interested in what God could do for me and not interested enough in simply receiving His love and being with Him."   How often have I been more concerned with what I get from God rather than what He offers?!  Can you relate to that?

He also writes about immersing himself in the Word.  He comments (as I did in on my Dec. 28th entry) that he needs to remember to keep his heart engaged or there's no point in reading.  Ryan will frequently  incorporate an audio Bible while running.  And this guy runs....A LOT!  (You've maybe seen him in the AT&T commercials listening to to books on his smart phone.)

So, on August 12th, I will watch for and cheer for Ryan Hall.

He'll run to win, but he's not running just for himself.  SDG.  I think Ryan exemplifies this acronym.  Run Ryan Run.

That one sentence!

Have you ever read something or heard something and had just one sentence jump out at you?  I'm not just talking about something funny or interesting.  I'm referring to something more like an admonishment.

That happened to me a couple weeks ago. (And yes, it's still on my mind.)  A pastor was preaching and he said; "Stop reading the Bible like the newspaper!"  That's the line that hit me.  Kinda like a pop in the nose that sets you back on your heels.  One of those, I-don't-know-what-he-said-next because I was still thinking about what he just said.

I have to confess, way too often, I treat the Bible as means of information and not a tool of transformation.  This is God's Word.  You know - God.  The One who knows how many hairs are on your head.  Who knew you before you were even born.  Who knows how many days you have on this earth.  The God who was; who is; and who is to come.

What prompted me to write this today was just this morning I was reading the story in Mark 5 about the demonic man whose demons Jesus cast out into the pigs.  Trinity professor D.A. Carson commented that the people in the region begged Jesus to leave, because "they prefer pigs to people, their financial security to the transformation of a life."

I like the way Eugene Peterson puts it at the end of the Sermon on the Mount.  Tell me if this doesn't set you on your heels just a little bit.

Gotta Like Free

For those techies out there, here is a free download of the Faithlife Study Bible.  It includes study notes, Bible dictionary, about 400 photos/videos, devotionals etc.  Compliments of Logos Software.  This is very nice of them.

Here is a little background on it, including a short little 2 minute video.

Blow Up The Boxes

I apparently had a Brother Lawrence Moment while scrubbing some potatoes this afternoon.  I call it that cause Brother Lawrence was a monk (I believe) who was assigned to the monastery kitchen where, amidst the tedious chores of cooking and cleaning, he sought the "presence of God" in all he did.  Thus, since I was scrubbing potatoes, did I think of Brother Lawrence.  Please do not I think I am anything close to Brother Lawrence.  It's just a potato thing.  ;-)


But, as I was scrubbing, "Mona's Monday Musing" (her weekly email) came to mind.  In it, she asked God to "blow up the boxes" of keeping God compartmentalized to Sunday or church activities.  What a great prayer.  Her request was that she would see and sense God 24/7.


Again, just to challenge us all again, being in God's word on a regular basis will help us all "blow up the boxes".  


I read this article right around the time Pastor Brett was leading many in a 90 day plan of reading of reading thru the Bible.  This article is a great challenge.  We cannot leave our spiritual diet to just 70 minutes on a Sunday morning.  Certainly not if we claim to be Christ followers.  So, as Mona wrote at the end of her Musing: " Woo Hoo!  Let's go!!"

Do You Make New Years Resolutions?

Now that my kids are older (I have 4 of them for you that don't know me), it seems I have a little more time for reflection.  I've never been much of a New Years Resolution kind of guy, but there are two resolution-type of ideas I am looking at for 2012.

The first is an idea from TJ Addington, Senior VP at the EFCA (our denomination).  His idea was to have One Thing in four key areas of life to focus on. They are:

What is the one change I would like to make in my personal life?
What is the one change I would like to make in my spiritual life?
What is the one change I would like to make in my professional life?
What is the one change I would like to make in my family life?

They are simple.  To the point.  Not complicated.  To read his whole blog on this idea, click here.

The second idea has to do with Bible reading.  Two or three years ago, Pastor Brett led a group of you through a reading of the whole Bible in 90 days.  I heard great things from that.  That challenged me to make a practice of doing the same thing on a regular basis.  Two years ago, I read from Genesis thru Revelation.  I don't recommend that since you can get bogged down in difficult and frustrating passages - and then that's your reading for the day.  This past year I used a plan that brought me through four separate sections simultaneously.  That was much better - at least for me.  It also illustrated how different passages coincide.  I always knew that, but it just highlighted it more.

The Gospel Coalition has listed a whole bunch of plans to choose from.  They even have one called, "The Bible Reading Plan for Shirkers and Slackers"!  See - something for everyone.  To check out the options, click here.

When reading, make sure you key on your heart and not your head.  That is always a challenge for me.  Yes, it's good to KNOW your Bible, but it's more important to be OBEDIENT to what we read than to just know it.

So that's it.  My resolutions  thoughts and plans for 2012.