Well, it's a pretty crazy week getting ready for GROUND ZERO, our end-of-summer camp.
This morning, as I was getting in my car to head off to another 12 hour work day, I had a thought: When your computer runs slow, you either run fewer programs or you run a stripped-down version of your operating system.
What if, to simplify my life this week, I 'ran' a stripped-down version of Christianity. Instead of worrying about the pros and cons of Calvinism, the difference between worship leaders and lead-worshipers, and the latest denominational argument, I just tried to love God and love others. My stripped-down religion would be treating others like I want to be treating and treating God like God.
Would it work? Is it sacrilegious? What do you think?
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Prepare the Way
I was reading 1 Chronicles 22 today and was really impressed by David's heart.
God has set a new task before his people: to build a temple.
This is a job that David desperately wants; just like most of us would. This is a job that will be remembered till the end of the Earth. However, God says 'David, you have shed too much blood. I will use your son instead of you." How many of us would fly off the handle at this point? It's one thing to use someone else, it's another thing to use someone so close to us. So what does David, the 'man after God's own heart', do?
So David gave orders to assemble the aliens living in Israel, and from among them he appointed stonecutters to prepare dressed stone for building the house of God. He provided a large amount of iron to make nails for the doors of the gateways and for the fittings, and more bronze than could be weighed. He also provided more cedar logs than could be counted, for the Sidonians and Tyrians had brought large numbers of them to David. Then David ordered all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon. He said to them, "Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God. Begin to build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the sacred articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Name of the LORD."
For a man on his deathbed, David goes out of his way to help a man who, by every human account, he should have been jealous of. Today, we should realize that God's plan is perfect and he will use us to benefit that plan. Whether we are meant to plant the seeds or to harvest them, let His will be done.
God has set a new task before his people: to build a temple.
This is a job that David desperately wants; just like most of us would. This is a job that will be remembered till the end of the Earth. However, God says 'David, you have shed too much blood. I will use your son instead of you." How many of us would fly off the handle at this point? It's one thing to use someone else, it's another thing to use someone so close to us. So what does David, the 'man after God's own heart', do?
So David gave orders to assemble the aliens living in Israel, and from among them he appointed stonecutters to prepare dressed stone for building the house of God. He provided a large amount of iron to make nails for the doors of the gateways and for the fittings, and more bronze than could be weighed. He also provided more cedar logs than could be counted, for the Sidonians and Tyrians had brought large numbers of them to David. Then David ordered all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon. He said to them, "Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God. Begin to build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the sacred articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Name of the LORD."
For a man on his deathbed, David goes out of his way to help a man who, by every human account, he should have been jealous of. Today, we should realize that God's plan is perfect and he will use us to benefit that plan. Whether we are meant to plant the seeds or to harvest them, let His will be done.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Double Jeopardy
A friend of mine recently committed a misdemeanor crime. The state supreme court tried and convicted my friend and he received his punishment. Then, a lower court decided to try my friend again, for the same crime. He, of course, was found guilty again and once again received punishment.
In the United States, we strive to deal out the most fair form of justice possible. We call my friend's situation 'double jeopardy' and it is against the law.
Today I read Romans 2 and saw this passage:
You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things?
I had two thoughts when I read this:
1. This seems to be a familiar situation. (People judging other people.)
2. This seems a lot like double jeopardy.
At this point I must admit that I do not have a friend who has been a victim of double jeopardy, but I merely used the story as an illustration. If we so readily sense the evil in a double-conviction in the courtroom, why can't we sense the evil in a double-conviction within ourselves. God has already passed the judgment and delivered the consequences; there is nothing left for us to do.
In the United States, we strive to deal out the most fair form of justice possible. We call my friend's situation 'double jeopardy' and it is against the law.
Today I read Romans 2 and saw this passage:
You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things?
I had two thoughts when I read this:
1. This seems to be a familiar situation. (People judging other people.)
2. This seems a lot like double jeopardy.
At this point I must admit that I do not have a friend who has been a victim of double jeopardy, but I merely used the story as an illustration. If we so readily sense the evil in a double-conviction in the courtroom, why can't we sense the evil in a double-conviction within ourselves. God has already passed the judgment and delivered the consequences; there is nothing left for us to do.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Wisdom
Romans 1:22
Claiming to be wise, they became fools.
Over the years, one of my favorite topics of reading and research has been wisdom. One of my favorite books of the Bible is Proverbs and I just get really interested in any conversation that revolves around wisdom.
Today, I read this verse and it really summed up the topic of wisdom.
If anyone were to claim wisdom for themselves, in their own power, it would tell me that they are anything but wise.
Claiming to be wise, they became fools.
Over the years, one of my favorite topics of reading and research has been wisdom. One of my favorite books of the Bible is Proverbs and I just get really interested in any conversation that revolves around wisdom.
Today, I read this verse and it really summed up the topic of wisdom.
If anyone were to claim wisdom for themselves, in their own power, it would tell me that they are anything but wise.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Set Apart
1 Chronicles 15:1-3
After David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. Then David said, "No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the LORD chose them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister before him forever." David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the LORD to the place he had prepared for it.
The thing that really speaks to me in this passage is that David goes out of his way to prepare a place for God.
How often do we expect God to come into our lives or into our churches without us changing anything? So frequently, we expect God to work around our plans rather than discerning the plans that he has for us.
After David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. Then David said, "No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the LORD chose them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister before him forever." David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the LORD to the place he had prepared for it.
The thing that really speaks to me in this passage is that David goes out of his way to prepare a place for God.
How often do we expect God to come into our lives or into our churches without us changing anything? So frequently, we expect God to work around our plans rather than discerning the plans that he has for us.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Explosion
Acts 10:34-36
Peter fairly exploded with his good news: "It's God's own truth, nothing could be plainer: God plays no favorites! It makes no difference who you are or where you're from—if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open. The Message he sent to the children of Israel—that through Jesus Christ everything is being put together again—well, he's doing it everywhere, among everyone.
As it is now 1 a.m., the explosions have finally died down outside. Today is July 4 and, as Americans, we are celebrating our independence; or at least, we are supposed to be.
The holiday is actually called Independence Day, but I hear it referred to, more often, as 'July the 4th'. I suppose Independence is an awfully big word to squeeze on to a bottle rocket. It seems to me that Independence Day becomes, increasingly, the day that local law enforcement officers are callous to small explosions.
I would venture that the same trend is setting in for Christianity: no longer do we strive for Christ-likeness. Now, the goal is to achieve a quick explosive burst: 'How can I grow this Wednesday?', 'Will I look holy enough on Sunday?', 'Will I get the emotional high that I seek on this retreat?'.
Well, check the scripture. It doesn't matter if you're an American, it doesn't matter if you're from the South. God's kingdom is coming to all believers, everywhere and there is no stopping him.
Peter fairly exploded with his good news: "It's God's own truth, nothing could be plainer: God plays no favorites! It makes no difference who you are or where you're from—if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open. The Message he sent to the children of Israel—that through Jesus Christ everything is being put together again—well, he's doing it everywhere, among everyone.
As it is now 1 a.m., the explosions have finally died down outside. Today is July 4 and, as Americans, we are celebrating our independence; or at least, we are supposed to be.
The holiday is actually called Independence Day, but I hear it referred to, more often, as 'July the 4th'. I suppose Independence is an awfully big word to squeeze on to a bottle rocket. It seems to me that Independence Day becomes, increasingly, the day that local law enforcement officers are callous to small explosions.
I would venture that the same trend is setting in for Christianity: no longer do we strive for Christ-likeness. Now, the goal is to achieve a quick explosive burst: 'How can I grow this Wednesday?', 'Will I look holy enough on Sunday?', 'Will I get the emotional high that I seek on this retreat?'.
Well, check the scripture. It doesn't matter if you're an American, it doesn't matter if you're from the South. God's kingdom is coming to all believers, everywhere and there is no stopping him.
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