The First Blog of 2012: The Coming Apocalypse

The First Blog of 2012:  The Coming Apocalypse

Last year was an interesting year, for so many reasons.  Of course the big news for Christians was the coming of Christ.  It didn’t happen.  This year promises to be as apocalyptic.  Sensationalized in film, this year marks the end of the Mayan calendar and the end of the world.   If the Mayan’s were so good at predicting the end of the world, you would think they would have seen the end of their civilization coming, oh well.

I am amazed at the interest people have in the end of the world.  Over the years filmmakers have brought their view of man’s plight and struggle to the silver screen. 

• 1950s:  Captive Women; The day the world ended; On the beach; When worlds Collide
• 1960s: Night of the living dead; Beyond the time barrier; In the year 2889; Planet of the Apes; Panic in year zero
• 1970s: Wizards; A Boy and his dog; The ultimate warrior; Logan’s run; The Noah
• 1980s:  Threads; 1984; Day of the dead; Maximum overdrive; Grave of the fireflies
• 1990s: Island City; Last night; Terminator 2; Waterworld; Matrix; Escape from New York; The Postman; Escape from L.A. 
• 2000s: Devils playground; The dead outside; Aftermath; Contagion; Titan A.E.; I am legend; The book of Eli; Equilibrium; The Road; 2012

And these are just a few.  There is something about facing insurmountable probabilities and overcoming superior odds that set the heart pumping and the adrenaline flowing.  Of course it is much safer on this side of the screen.  In the movies there are only a few heroes, everyone else are dispensable extras. The world will end, and as much as our imaginations can paint a variety of pictures with gruesome monsters, far flung aliens, and terrible diseases nothing compares with what God has in store. 

            “But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.  9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.  10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up” (2 Peter 3:7-10).

Three things to point out:

1. God will judge all of creation and melt it away with fire.
2. Though it seems like a long time since this promise, it hasn’t been for God.  His is being patient.
3. His patience is so that people will not suffer judgment, but have an opportunity to believe in Jesus and be saved.

Judgment Day is coming. It will happen in His timing.  My prayer for 2012 is that He will use me to help people come to understand His love, receive His gift, believe in Jesus, and be saved from the coming apocalypse.   If you have not turned to the Father, I hope you will stop now and give your life to Him.  I’m Just Saying…

The Last Week of 2011

It is that time of year, again, where everyone reflects on the past year.  George Santayana wrote, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”    A brief moment of self-reflection goes a long way to avoid past mistakes.  So here is my brief reflection:

I was wrong – God was right – everything else just doesn’t matter. 

Not to be flippant, but if I am trusting the Lord, I can be content with what God has given me.  Godly advice is always welcome, but in the end it is the Father’s hand that will guide me.  Job’s friends where loquacious advisors.  Yet, they threw words to the wind just to hear the echoes of their own voices.  Job, on the other hand, was seeking answers to a dilemma that could only be found in the voice of God. 

Difficult situations require difficult answers.  Sometimes those answers never come. The oft-heard question of “why” escapes even the ardent believer facing difficult circumstances.  Why are my coworkers so difficult?  Why can’t I find a job?  Why is my spouse leaving me?  Why did my loved one die?  Why won’t God answer?

How has this past year fit this, so bleak a picture?  Ah, yes, even a pastor, dedicated to the work of God, goes through hard times, difficult moments, and seasons of questions.  Are people listening?  Have I loved enough?  Could I have done something different?  What difference have I made?

However, too much self-reflection can lead to depression, isolation, paralysis, and self-occupation.  Instead of thinking about the past, which I cannot change, looking to the future and focusing on what God has called me (us) to do, will change everything.

 Phil. 3:13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead.

Therefore, I want to love more and better, share the gospel clearly, preach with conviction, worship more passionately, care more fully, and trust the Lord more fervidly.   As always, I will struggle, but I will press on.  I will grow weary, but I will not give up.  I will get discouraged, but I will trust God.  I will get depressed, but I will rejoice in the Lord. 

The last week of 2011 is quickly coming to an end, and I have come to learn two inescapable truths;  “with God all things are possible” and “in Christ, I can do all things.”  I’m just saying…  

Five More Depressing Days Until Christmas

The Christmas season, as colorful and joyful as it can be, is often a depressing time for me.  “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.  Everywhere you go.  Pushing and shoving all around, even Santa has a frown, boy I just can’t wait, ‘till next year!”  Ok, maybe I am a little cynical.

I know it’s about keeping Christ in Christmas.  I know it’s about the Incarnation of God in the manger.  I know that the end isn’t the manger but the cross.  I know that when focused on its true meaning, Christmas has a fullness of celebration that can rapture the heart toward heaven.  I know all this, but in my heart there is a heaviness that lies just beneath the surface, bringing a deep unsatisfying sigh.

Maybe it’s because in the midst of the celebration there is so much façade and pain.  We drove by a house last evening, where there were more blow up Christmas decorations than could be found at the Macy’s Day Parade.  And last night a friend’s grandfather died without Jesus.  Celebration – hunger, celebration – death, celebration – oppression, celebration – abuse, celebration – anger, unforgiveness, resentment, and…sigh. 

However, the Christmas scene is idyllic.  It is presented as calm, peaceful, unaffected by the chaos in the world, but that isn’t a right and true picture.  That first Christmas was crowded streets, pushing and shoving, no room for a pregnant girl, coarse bedding—puuussshhh.  That’s right breath….puuuusssshhhhh.  The baby’s delivered – crying, tears, joy. Now there are unexpected visitors, crowding in to see a promise.  Smelly sheep and shepherds…exhaustion.  And the world is oblivious that Christ has been put into Christmas. 

Maybe the heaviness is because in the midst of the celebration there is so much suffering, and I can’t do anything to abate it; it marches on before, during, and after Christmas.  Yet, that is the message of Christmas, a hurting world incapable of fixing itself, and God becomes man.  The message of Christmas is God dwelling among men to identify with our suffering and taking on the penalty of our sin with the hope of salvation.

That’s It! The message of Christmas isn’t happiness, parties, and good times! The message of Christmas is HOPE! It’s a message of the hope of redemption, the hope of healing, the hope of freedom, and the hope of eternal life! The exaltation and sigh of my heart, is God’s heart.  Yes, we can celebrate this Christmas, even in the midst of suffering, because there is hope.  I’m just saying… 

What Motivates Me

I use to work for a delivery company in Dallas, Texas, back the late ‘80’s.  It wasn’t a difficult job, but the pressure to deliver packages on time and promptly made the job stressful.  This was especially true when one-hour delivery was guaranteed and dispatch gave you 6 packages, all going in different directions.  After an 8 to 10 hour day heading home is all I could think about.  Inevitably I would get a call on the radio that a package needed picked up and delivered, and I was the only one in the vicinity.  Though stated in the form of a question, there wasn’t really an option.  For some, the idea of overtime money was appealing and they would jump at the chance.  Not for me, money never motivated my compliance.  I would rather be home with my family and playing with my children, then earning a couple of extra bucks.  Of course I would take the assignment, because not to could threaten my employment. 

Whenever we chose to do something, it is done out of some kind of motivation.  It may be our love for God, our wife, our children, or church.  It may be for money, power, or prestige.    It could even be out of obligation, anger, jealousy, or resentment.  Of course the highest form of motivation is love.  The Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13, that if we do anything from a motivation other than love we are clanging cymbals.  And there isn’t anything more annoying than obnoxious clanging. 

I get up every morning, I go to my office to study the word, write, visit a parishioner, or spend time meditating and praying.  I am often faced with the question of motivation.  Why do I do what I do?  Paul says, “For the love of Christ controls us” 2Cor. 5:14.  The Greek word for control can be translated “devoting completely,” “gripped with,” suffering from,” or “hard-pressed.”  I like “suffering from.”   I am suffering from the love of Christ.  When we are so gripped with, devoted completely to, hard-pressed by, or suffering from the love of Christ we cannot help but reach out, love, and care for other people.  When we are captivated by His love, we see everything from a different perspective; our motivation changes.

It is hard to constantly be motivated by love, because people are not always easy to love.  I know I’m not.  I am sure, as many of you will attest to, I can get on people’s nerves, try their patience, and challenge their capacity to tolerate, and vice versa.  It is in these moments that I must take a deep breathe and rely, not on my capacity to love, but on the love of Christ.  It is the love of Christ that motivates me.  It is His overwhelming grace that captivates my desires.  It is His strength and power that allows me to rise above my situation and love other people.   Any other motivation will be short lived.  Especially for guys like me who are distracted by shiny things…squirrel! 

Today, as I reflect on the Christmas Season, I am cognizant of how much God has loved me.  I don’t deserve it.  So why should I withhold love from others.  I’m just saying….

Undone and Nowhere to Turn

Whoever is humble raise your hand.  You can’t contrive humility, it sneaks up on you, you don’t even notice it, but everyone around you does.  To see humility in yourself is to find it fly away.  So, what do we do with the scriptural admonitions to be humble? There are two aspects to humility.  I can humble myself before others, by subjecting my will to theirs.  However, that is an outward action that may or may not reflect the heart.  Inward humility is much more difficult. 

Humility comes when we are so overwhelmed with the reality of God’s grace that everything in our lives gives sway to His will.  A humble heart sees everything through a redemptive lens.  A life of humility gives way to another, not because they are superior, but because it is an expression of God’s favor.   Humility sees others as more important because its identity is in Christ and not in being right or greater.

This has ramifications in how we live the Christian life.  The consumer heart sees church through the lens of personal interest.  The humble heart sees the church through the lens of God’s mission. The consumer heart looks at the church and asks, “How will you meet my needs?”  The humble heart looks at the church and asks, “How can I express God’s will?”   The consumer heart wants a return for its investment.  The humble heart is owned by God and is available to His will.  The consumer heart searches for something better.  The humble heart sees nothing better than God and rests in His will.

Humility is a discipline and a characteristic.  As a discipline I practice putting others before myself.  As a characteristic I have to allow God to bring me to the place where I am undone and have nowhere to turn. Humility is cultivated through the disciplines of prayer, bible study, and meditation.  We are overwhelmed by God’s grace when we spend time with Him, move in Him, and breathe Him in.  I asked the people at church to meditate on what it really means to “have a closer walk with Thee,” from the old hymn.  The closer we get to God the less we are focused on our self.  The more focused we are on ourselves the further we are away from God.

We are constantly moving between these two points.  At any point in your day reflect on what you are thinking and feeling.  Are you complaining about something…Self.  Are you looking for others to meet your needs…Self.  Are you running away from God’s mission…Self.  Are you seeking the easy way out…Self. 

It is much easier to point out when we are being self-centered than what it looks like to be God focused.  Because doing church stuff doesn’t mean you are God focused, if it is done from a need perspective.  What I do know is this:  Today as I wallowed in discouragement, self-pity, anger and even resentment, I was struck with how far away I was from God, at that moment.  I needed to refocus my attention.

I am learning again and again that I must be undone with nowhere to go, so that all I can see is Jesus. That can be very painful.  I’m just saying….

      

View From The Scope

Turning 50 seems to be the demarcation down the slope to humility.  It begins the quest for physical and spiritual introspection.  My recent experience reminds me of the humility that comes with laying one’s self bare for the cause of health.  That’s right I had my first colonoscopy.  There are many spiritual parallels to the experience.

1.  Cleansing.  Two days before the procedure I was instructed to refrain from eating anything solid.  That was almost an impossibility and torturous situation during the Thanksgiving season.  Only clear liquids were allowed me during this time.  One day before the procedure the instructions were to drink 4 liters of fluid, specially made for cleansing out the digestive system.  Flavored packs were added to make the drink more palatable, which it wasn’t.  The clear diet and horrible drink did its job and by the morning of my colonoscopy I weighed 7 pounds lighter. 

“Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin”  (Psalm 51:2) Psalm 51 talks about being washed and cleansed thoroughly.  In order to be healthy Christians we need to be cleansed; we need to allow the Holy Spirit to wash over us and remove the stain of sin that hinders our walk with God.  This takes time, meditation, and introspection.  It doesn’t happen in the hectic pace of life, but when we take time to reflect on our lives through the lens of God’s Word.  Five minutes here and there might make us feel good, but it won’t allow the Spirit time to penetrate to our very core.  We need to remove ourselves from the distractions and concentrate on the nature of God and his love for us. 

2.  Searching.  The day of my colonoscopy, the nurse prepped me with an IV, embarrassing gown, and a strong sedative.  I liked the sedative.  The doctor was skilled, and with surgical precision observed the length of my insides to see if there was anything that could be harmful to my health.  If there were, she would be able to take care of it, cut it out, or set in motion a medical regiment that would restore me to health. 

“Search me, O God, and know my heart…” (Psalm 139:23).  God is the only physician who can truly search our hearts.  He knows us better than we know our selves.  When we prepare ourselves and then allow Him to reveal our selfish motivations and sin, then we are able to set about making right the relationships that have been broken, beginning with God. 

3.  Humility.  Every time I got up or moved around I had to hold, precariously, the flimsy gown the hospital provided.  It took mental discipline to move beyond the natural instinct to remain covered and unexposed.  In the end my exposure was necessary for the doctor to do her job.  I am glad that I was sedated. 

“To this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit”  (Isaiah 66:2). When we fight God by trying keeping ourselves covered, hiding our sin, and not being exposed, He is unable to do His healing work in our lives.  God is more interested in a humble heart then working hands or running feet.  Humility is laying bear before God all our sin, inadequacies, fears, failures, hopes and dreams.  Humility realizes that apart from God I can never accomplish the kind of life for which I have been created.  

Colonoscopies are not fun, but they serve the purpose of keeping me healthy.  The discipline of meeting with God isn’t easy, but is necessary if we are going to move beyond superficial Christianity into a life deep with meaning, purpose, and health.  I’m just saying…..

Anatomy of Offense: I Feel Offended

This is the final installment of an Anatomy of Offense.  For most of us, we respond positively when a person is justified in their offense.  If we are sensitive to the Spirit we want reconciliation, express a repented heart, and seek forgiveness.  However, there are times (and they seem to be the majority of the time) when people "feel" offense when no offense was intended or expressed.  Feelings of offense are often triggered by a word or deed that leads to an emotional response.  If I walk down the hall and say, “ hi”, and you don't respond, it triggers an emotional response of offense.  "I was offended because you didn't acknowledge me."  Was the offense justified?  Was the person who 'ignored' you truly slighting you, or was there something else going on? 

Asking questions of clarification can clear up most feelings of offense.  "I said hi to you in the hall way.  I was wondering if you didn't see me or were preoccupied?"  This is a question that owns your feeling and allows the person to clarify the situation.   Emails are notorious for miscommunication and feelings of offense.  I am a great proponent of emails.  I think the quick distribution and lines of communications facilitate workflow.  However, anything written can lead to misunderstanding.  When conversation isn't localized and face-to-face, nuance is missing and people can respond to emotional triggers that lead to feelings of offense. 

There are two negative responses that can occur when a feeling of offense takes place.  One is to do nothing, let the feeling fester, and/or gossip about the insensitivity of the person who triggered the feeling.  This response is destructive and leads to sin.  The second response happens when the offended genuinely wants to reconcile the situation, and approaches the person who has triggered their feelings.  Generally they make a statement like, "Can I talk to you a moment.  I just want you to know that when you _________, I was offended,” or "You offended me when you __________."  There is a problem with these statements.

In this situation the offended person isn't seeking clarification.  They place an expectation on the supposed offender to acknowledge the offense and seek forgiveness.  The problem is that there may not have been anything offensive that has occurred.  The person may have only triggered an emotional feeling.  If the "offender" doesn't apologize the "offended" will walk away, still feeling hurt and disenfranchised.  On the other hand if the "offender" apologizes they have perpetuated a victim mentality that leads people who have triggered emotions to expect contrition by others.

This is a difficult position.  If the "offender" says, "Oh, I am sorry that you feel offended, I didn't mean to hurt you,” the "offended" might feel better but no repentance has taken place.  The "offender" has only apologized for the "offended's" feelings, not any action done on his/her part.  The only thing that happens is that the "offender" becomes paranoid when ever he/she is around the "offended" 

So, how should the "offended" respond, and how should the "offender" respond? 

When feelings of offense arise the first step is to identify the feeling.  Why has the action or statement offended me?  Was the action or statement meant to be offensive?  Has the person done or said something that truly degrades or harms me in any way?  If the action or statement triggers an emotion, but wasn't truly offensive or unintentional then the "offense" is an emotionally triggered event and not a justified offense.  The second step is to take it to the Lord and lay the feeling before the throne of God's grace and chose not to hold it against the person who has triggered the emotion.  Chose to love them in the way that Christ has loved you.   But, what if the feeling doesn't go away?

The third step is to own your feeling, go to the person, and ask clarifying questions.  "You said ______, and it made me feel _______, and I was wondering if that is what you meant."  "You did ______, and it made me feel __________, and I was wondering if the that was your intention.”  Clarifying questions, like the ones above, acknowledge the feeling as yours and allows the person to give more information that could shed light and ease your feelings.  What if there is not intent of offense but the answer doesn't alleviate your feelings?

If no sin has taken place, and the confronted person feels no need to apologize, then we follow the Apostle Paul’s admonition, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men” (Rom. 12:18).  I think it is unreasonable and presumptuous to expect an apology when a sin hasn’t occurred.  The accused “offender” should be gracious, clarifying when necessary, apologize where appropriate, but not every “feeling of offense” should be coddled.           We live in a culture that has perpetuated a victim mentality, where ‘victims’ are always right, and truth is subject to feelings. 

Whether I have offended or felt offended the overriding principle is love.   I’m just saying….