"And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them." - Luke 2: 1-20
Praying for you: the peace of Christ, today and always.
Merry Christmas!
Monday, December 24, 2007
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
God is Faithful
But now, this is what the LORD says - He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour..." Isaiah 43:1-3a
Don't be afraid. I've heard more than once, tho I've yet to count them myself, that 365 times in the Bible it is written: "Do not be afraid" or "Fear not." Coincidence? I don't think so. :) Daily, a reminder to not be afraid...
What are you afraid of? Do you need to be afraid? Or is there something you can do with that fear besides holding onto it and letting it rule over you?
I find it slightly discomfiting that those verses don't say "if you pass through waters or rivers" or "if you walk through the fire..." They say "when." Trials come. It happens. But if we know Jesus, we know the One who promised they wouldn't ultimately overwhelm us. He took an entire nation through a sea on dry ground. He kept three men alive in a furnace. And He will walk with you today. "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." (James 4:8) Don't be afraid. He is faithful.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
desperate
when was the last time you were desperate for something? you wanted it so bad and almost felt that if you didn't have this something you couldn't survive without it. sometimes for us that can be a person, a material item, food, money, etc. sometimes we miss someone and believe our life won't be the same without them. occassionally we want an item and feel our life is missing something and would be so much better if we had it. or maybe you feel that if you had more money you'd be much better off. when was the last time you were that desperate for God?
have you ever been so desperate for God that your seeking to find him in every moment and crying out to him to be near you. not just the, "yeah God, your in my heart" kind of way, but more of, "God I NEED to feel you with me today" kind of way. the key word is need. that's real desperation. i've had seasons of life, and i'm sure you have to, where you needed God. your whole day was spent seeking him in everything, clinging to him because of circumstances in your life that were beating you down. in every moment you wanted to find him anywhere you could. what an awesome place to be.
but why can't we be that way all the time? why is it that in the good times of our lives, when everything's going smooth and we're loving everything about our situation that we turn to him less? or maybe, when those moments of good pass into dark times in our life we turn away from God. we shut him off and blame him angrily for what's going on in our life. honestly, this has been me lately. i've tried to shut God out of my life due to hard times, thinking immaturely how could the God who created everything let these things happen? i've given so much to him yet he lets things like this happen? truth is he didn't and i know it. this world is full of evil and fallen. we're the culprits of sin not God and the fallout of sin often results in dark times. whether or not our sin directly caused our circumstances doesn't matter when we're all sinners and the cause of this awful mess of a world.
the amazing thing is that for me, through all of the darkness in my life lately, i've felt him or seen him or heard him trying to get my attention. he's trying to open up the doors to my heart and reveal to me his love but i slam them shut. how undeserving of him i am but yet he doesn't give up on me. he's never given up on any of us from the beginning of time. he never gave up on the israelites, he sent his son Jesus to die for us because he wasn't going to give up on us. and even now, when our world is beating us down, he won't give up on us because he loves us. the proof is there, we just have to remember it when we're going through the valley.
in concluding, the last couple of weeks have been some of the lowest and highest times of my life, pure hell, surrounded by uncertainty, heartbreak, and loss. moments of newness, where i had no idea what to do but to pray and depend on him. but when they were over the bitterness crept in. i hate that i've tried to shut him off, i hate that i've hurt him when he's been the only friend there for me, the only one who's love can satisfy. he is the one i want to be desperate for because he has never let me down, and never will. his love is better than life, and i always want to be desperate for that.
have you ever been so desperate for God that your seeking to find him in every moment and crying out to him to be near you. not just the, "yeah God, your in my heart" kind of way, but more of, "God I NEED to feel you with me today" kind of way. the key word is need. that's real desperation. i've had seasons of life, and i'm sure you have to, where you needed God. your whole day was spent seeking him in everything, clinging to him because of circumstances in your life that were beating you down. in every moment you wanted to find him anywhere you could. what an awesome place to be.
but why can't we be that way all the time? why is it that in the good times of our lives, when everything's going smooth and we're loving everything about our situation that we turn to him less? or maybe, when those moments of good pass into dark times in our life we turn away from God. we shut him off and blame him angrily for what's going on in our life. honestly, this has been me lately. i've tried to shut God out of my life due to hard times, thinking immaturely how could the God who created everything let these things happen? i've given so much to him yet he lets things like this happen? truth is he didn't and i know it. this world is full of evil and fallen. we're the culprits of sin not God and the fallout of sin often results in dark times. whether or not our sin directly caused our circumstances doesn't matter when we're all sinners and the cause of this awful mess of a world.
the amazing thing is that for me, through all of the darkness in my life lately, i've felt him or seen him or heard him trying to get my attention. he's trying to open up the doors to my heart and reveal to me his love but i slam them shut. how undeserving of him i am but yet he doesn't give up on me. he's never given up on any of us from the beginning of time. he never gave up on the israelites, he sent his son Jesus to die for us because he wasn't going to give up on us. and even now, when our world is beating us down, he won't give up on us because he loves us. the proof is there, we just have to remember it when we're going through the valley.
in concluding, the last couple of weeks have been some of the lowest and highest times of my life, pure hell, surrounded by uncertainty, heartbreak, and loss. moments of newness, where i had no idea what to do but to pray and depend on him. but when they were over the bitterness crept in. i hate that i've tried to shut him off, i hate that i've hurt him when he's been the only friend there for me, the only one who's love can satisfy. he is the one i want to be desperate for because he has never let me down, and never will. his love is better than life, and i always want to be desperate for that.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
The Remedy
A couple of months ago I began reading through the Old Testament, well let's just say from Numbers to where I currently am in Nehemiah (there's some good stuff before Numbers I would agree, if you're willing to sift through to find it). So anyways, the running theme throughout the Old Testament is the Israelites' rebellion and straying from God. The Israelites spent so much time running from God, even though he showed himself to them so many times and delivered them from so many enemies, they ran.
This caused me to started thinking about my own current situation. I know God is calling me to be attentive to a certain situation and to follow him through it. However, I've spent the last few days running from that. Telling him time and again that I'm done and want out. It didn't hit me until during quiet time today, I was reading through II Chronicles about the Israelites' idol worship and how God in his grace over and again gave them a chance at redemption, but one line in the passage struck me. "But God knew there was no remedy." (speaking of their lost state of sin) I could see the parallels in my life up until that point.
However, I/we have a remedy in Jesus. He rescued me from a lost state of sin and is giving me a world of love and happiness, if I just trust him and surrender everything to him. I've spent the last couple of months reading through the Old Testament and have been tremendously blessed by the revelations God has there for us. How alive it is, and how amazing He is, but this one fact never was bigger until now. I want to learn from the mistakes of the Israelites and hear God in my own failures and rebellions calling me back to him. I want to hear his voice in the midst of uncertainty saying "I am here." So many times I've thought, "If only God would tell me what to do right now, it would be simpler." That's true, but I'm also realizing it's simpler than that. He is there often saying, "Abide in me," or "Be patient." He's not a complicated God. The lesson with my current situation I'm dealing with is this, and it's simple: He is here; wait on him. Don't become scared and run. He's here and will lead. Just be patient.
This caused me to started thinking about my own current situation. I know God is calling me to be attentive to a certain situation and to follow him through it. However, I've spent the last few days running from that. Telling him time and again that I'm done and want out. It didn't hit me until during quiet time today, I was reading through II Chronicles about the Israelites' idol worship and how God in his grace over and again gave them a chance at redemption, but one line in the passage struck me. "But God knew there was no remedy." (speaking of their lost state of sin) I could see the parallels in my life up until that point.
However, I/we have a remedy in Jesus. He rescued me from a lost state of sin and is giving me a world of love and happiness, if I just trust him and surrender everything to him. I've spent the last couple of months reading through the Old Testament and have been tremendously blessed by the revelations God has there for us. How alive it is, and how amazing He is, but this one fact never was bigger until now. I want to learn from the mistakes of the Israelites and hear God in my own failures and rebellions calling me back to him. I want to hear his voice in the midst of uncertainty saying "I am here." So many times I've thought, "If only God would tell me what to do right now, it would be simpler." That's true, but I'm also realizing it's simpler than that. He is there often saying, "Abide in me," or "Be patient." He's not a complicated God. The lesson with my current situation I'm dealing with is this, and it's simple: He is here; wait on him. Don't become scared and run. He's here and will lead. Just be patient.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Quick Update from Germany
Well, rehearsal day is over, and we're heading home for the night. 7:00am tomorrow we start a last minute run-thru of the first two sessions, and at 9:00am the conference begins. Many, many things to do yet! We have yet to see powerpoint up on the screens for any significant length of time. That's a little nerve-wracking. There are small things here and there that haven't come together, and I saw some of the guys repainting a door backstage a couple minutes ago. We could definitely use some prayer tonight and tomorrow - but we know God will come through as He always does, and it will be an incredible day.
Can't wait to tell you all about it!
Can't wait to tell you all about it!
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Hannah's Prayer
Her name is Hannah. She's an older woman, tall, laugh lines, grey hair, visibly someone who has weathered much but done it with that deep joy that marks those who follow Him. Wrapped in her dark dress coat and a brightly colored scarf, she follows us into the arena where our tech crew will soon begin the long haul of a million things that need to be done in the next three days, setting up for the conference that will begin here on Thursday.
"We pray for this," she says. "Years ago when first they begin building this place, we stand here, and we pray. We ask God that someday the Christians will come and worship in this arena. Last year for the first time, the Christians are gathering to worship here, and now you come. You are God's answer. We are so excited for this."
Wow.
Two days from now, Willow Creek Deutschland will hold the first ever women's conference in Germany. It has a slightly different connotation here than in the states - at least half the people attending the conference will be men - definitely no Women of Faith type event. :) But the topic for the conference is the role of women in ministry, which has never been addressed so publicly here before. And as someone said yesterday, "After this, everything will be different."
How cool is it that God has allowed me to be here for such a time as this, to see and to pray in a watershed moment in the life of His church? I am humbled and awed to have some small role to play in this part of the story.
"We pray for this," she says. "Years ago when first they begin building this place, we stand here, and we pray. We ask God that someday the Christians will come and worship in this arena. Last year for the first time, the Christians are gathering to worship here, and now you come. You are God's answer. We are so excited for this."
Wow.
Two days from now, Willow Creek Deutschland will hold the first ever women's conference in Germany. It has a slightly different connotation here than in the states - at least half the people attending the conference will be men - definitely no Women of Faith type event. :) But the topic for the conference is the role of women in ministry, which has never been addressed so publicly here before. And as someone said yesterday, "After this, everything will be different."
How cool is it that God has allowed me to be here for such a time as this, to see and to pray in a watershed moment in the life of His church? I am humbled and awed to have some small role to play in this part of the story.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
More About Love
This post is actually a sort of response to Josh's last post; it's not really, because I wrote it awhile ago, but it is, because it came to mind as I've been thinking about the love Christ showed/shows us. So, as a result of that weird shift in the time continuum - here are my thoughts on God's thoughts on love.
Love is patient when it could be easily frustrated.
Love is kind when it could have chosen to be cruel.
Love isn't envious of the blessings of others even in the absence of blessing to itself.
Love is humble and quiet, not boastful and self-centered.
Love chooses to forget the wrongs done to it; love refuses to stay angry, even though it has every right to be upset.
Love rejoices with everything that is good and true and right in the world, and weeps over that which is not.
Love protects fiercely, trusts unyieldingly even when it doesn't understand, hopes unswervingly against all odds, and perseveres no matter what.
Love refuses to fail.
Love embraces grace, extends it, doesn't give up.
Love recognizes it can't be earned.
Love mourns sin and celebrates repentance.
Love is meek enough - gentle enough - to both hear and tell the truth.
Love hungers for righteousness.
Love extends mercy.
Love is pure in heart.
Love seeks peace, at great cost to itself.
Love will not shy away from persecution of any kind, because its purpose is greater than any temporary pain.
Love is...Love.*
(He is also known as Jesus.)
* 1 Corinthians 13 and Matthew 5: 1-12
Love is patient when it could be easily frustrated.
Love is kind when it could have chosen to be cruel.
Love isn't envious of the blessings of others even in the absence of blessing to itself.
Love is humble and quiet, not boastful and self-centered.
Love chooses to forget the wrongs done to it; love refuses to stay angry, even though it has every right to be upset.
Love rejoices with everything that is good and true and right in the world, and weeps over that which is not.
Love protects fiercely, trusts unyieldingly even when it doesn't understand, hopes unswervingly against all odds, and perseveres no matter what.
Love refuses to fail.
Love embraces grace, extends it, doesn't give up.
Love recognizes it can't be earned.
Love mourns sin and celebrates repentance.
Love is meek enough - gentle enough - to both hear and tell the truth.
Love hungers for righteousness.
Love extends mercy.
Love is pure in heart.
Love seeks peace, at great cost to itself.
Love will not shy away from persecution of any kind, because its purpose is greater than any temporary pain.
Love is...Love.*
(He is also known as Jesus.)
* 1 Corinthians 13 and Matthew 5: 1-12
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Reflecting on True Love
I was struck by a line in a song I was listening to as I was driving home late the other night. One of the lines from the song said, “The earth was shaking in the dark, all creation felt the father’s broken heart, tears were filling heaven’s eyes the day that true love died.” That one line, “ALL creation felt the father’s broken heart.” God loved his son so much that the whole Earth shook and felt it. ALL of creation. We nailed his son to a cross in a humiliating, miserably painful death.Now think about that, how would you react to that?
We’ve all loved someone, and in many cases that someone has been mistreated or harmed by another and in most cases we probably reacted in a vengeful way. Yet God didn’t. This turned me to thinking about the passage in Matthew when Jesus is praying and asks the Father to let us be with him. What if Jesus hadn’t prayed that prayer, how would God have reacted to the death on the cross? We know that God is love and this proves how much he loved us. Enough that his wrath didn’t come down on us to the point of destroying us and any chance of salvation forever.
He sent his son here to give us salvation and knew what would have to happen in order for us to receive that salvation. But it still didn’t change the pain he felt when Christ breathed his last. Love is evident all over the cross.From the Father God's pain ripping the Earth open to the prayer Jesus prayed asking the father to be with us for all of eternity. Stop and consider how amazing that is. That’s God’s grace, and that’s true love.
We’ve all loved someone, and in many cases that someone has been mistreated or harmed by another and in most cases we probably reacted in a vengeful way. Yet God didn’t. This turned me to thinking about the passage in Matthew when Jesus is praying and asks the Father to let us be with him. What if Jesus hadn’t prayed that prayer, how would God have reacted to the death on the cross? We know that God is love and this proves how much he loved us. Enough that his wrath didn’t come down on us to the point of destroying us and any chance of salvation forever.
He sent his son here to give us salvation and knew what would have to happen in order for us to receive that salvation. But it still didn’t change the pain he felt when Christ breathed his last. Love is evident all over the cross.From the Father God's pain ripping the Earth open to the prayer Jesus prayed asking the father to be with us for all of eternity. Stop and consider how amazing that is. That’s God’s grace, and that’s true love.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Choose Life
"Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the LORD your God, obeying Him, and committing yourself firmly to Him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the LORD, you will live long in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." - Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (NLT)
This is the passage on which Mark started his message, and I've been thinking about it a lot over the past couple of days. We really do have choices - dozens, hundreds of them sometimes, every day. When Jake tells me to say "pickle bucket," do I say it just because he said to? Tall carmel latte or venti carmel apple cider? Bible study or check my email? (ouch.) Say something or keep my mouth shut? The choices vary in importance, but every choice we make (turn left or turn right at the next light?) impacts the future in ways we can't see from the present. So knowing God's word is important, and trusting Him is essential, if we want to live a good life and know that we lived a life chasing Jesus faithfully.
"And love God, your God, listening obediently to him, firmly embracing him." - this is how Eugene Peterson paraphrases part of the verses above in the Message. This just reinforced to me the connection between obeying God and loving Him. Obedience is an act of love - even when, or even especially when, we don't understand why God is asking us to do something. It's arguably an act of love when we choose to obey when we don't want to. Especially if we do it asking God to change our hearts so that we have "the want to" to follow Him. As Mark said Monday night - it's worship to make wise choices.
Reading verses in context is something I try to do often, so I went back to the entire chapter of Deuteronomy 30 and read it. I'd encourage you, if you get a chance this week, to read Deuteronomy 27:1 - 32:13 - it's really interesting. (It's God's Word.) :) But a few verses jumped out at me from chapter 30 tonight as I read:
"Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, "Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, "Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it." - Deuteronomy 30:11-14
or as the Message puts it: "This commandment that I'm commanding you today isn't too much for you, it's not out of your reach. It's not on a high mountain—you don't have to get mountaineers to climb the peak and bring it down to your level and explain it before you can live it. And it's not across the ocean—you don't have to send sailors out to get it, bring it back, and then explain it before you can live it. No. The word is right here and now—as near as the tongue in your mouth, as near as the heart in your chest. Just do it!"
This is the passage on which Mark started his message, and I've been thinking about it a lot over the past couple of days. We really do have choices - dozens, hundreds of them sometimes, every day. When Jake tells me to say "pickle bucket," do I say it just because he said to? Tall carmel latte or venti carmel apple cider? Bible study or check my email? (ouch.) Say something or keep my mouth shut? The choices vary in importance, but every choice we make (turn left or turn right at the next light?) impacts the future in ways we can't see from the present. So knowing God's word is important, and trusting Him is essential, if we want to live a good life and know that we lived a life chasing Jesus faithfully.
"And love God, your God, listening obediently to him, firmly embracing him." - this is how Eugene Peterson paraphrases part of the verses above in the Message. This just reinforced to me the connection between obeying God and loving Him. Obedience is an act of love - even when, or even especially when, we don't understand why God is asking us to do something. It's arguably an act of love when we choose to obey when we don't want to. Especially if we do it asking God to change our hearts so that we have "the want to" to follow Him. As Mark said Monday night - it's worship to make wise choices.
Reading verses in context is something I try to do often, so I went back to the entire chapter of Deuteronomy 30 and read it. I'd encourage you, if you get a chance this week, to read Deuteronomy 27:1 - 32:13 - it's really interesting. (It's God's Word.) :) But a few verses jumped out at me from chapter 30 tonight as I read:
"Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, "Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, "Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it." - Deuteronomy 30:11-14
or as the Message puts it: "This commandment that I'm commanding you today isn't too much for you, it's not out of your reach. It's not on a high mountain—you don't have to get mountaineers to climb the peak and bring it down to your level and explain it before you can live it. And it's not across the ocean—you don't have to send sailors out to get it, bring it back, and then explain it before you can live it. No. The word is right here and now—as near as the tongue in your mouth, as near as the heart in your chest. Just do it!"
Whatever it is that God is asking you to do, it isn't impossible. It might be hard. He never promised this race would be easy. But it is not impossible. For you, by yourself, sheer will power - nope, you probably can't do it, whatever it is. But with God, all things are possible. (Matthew 19:25-26)
"The word is right here and now - as near as the tongue in your mouth, as near as the heart in your chest. JUST DO IT!!!!"
Observations and Reflections
So I have noticed at times I definitely can ramble, and you know what - I don't care. I've really been processing what the title of this blogspot is and it dawned on me: I never really thought about what it truly means to chase Jesus. I really love the way that sounds and the way you can imagine that. "Following Jesus" sounds cool and all, but you get the sense that you are right behind Him and going at a smooth and steady pace, not breaking a sweat or anything. "Chasing Jesus" however, sounds like a fast-paced trying just to get closer to Jesus. I imagine running at full pace and just being able to get a glimpse of Jesus. Just a continuous motion that (if you are truly seeking) you don't slow down but want to run that much faster.
Have you ever noticed that when you are running or going towards something, it's so much sweeter when there is a goal, objective, or prize at the end? Again, it never really dawned on me that our prize is at the end of our race and we need to be vigorously going after that prize. Dehydration and fatigue might set in, but the next cool-off station is around the bend. The chase for Jesus is not a sprint in which you get ultimate fulfillment. It is an on-going pursuit in which as you pass an obstacle, you feel great, get some Gatorade, and keep going. And then you start off again. We will always be chasing the prize until we see Jesus face to face. Our pursuit is never ending but our Reward is abundant.
The race we have been set forth on may put obstacles in our path; it might even send us on a detour. However, if we keep running the race to gain the ultimate prize we are well on our way. However, we also need to remember that we might need to help others on their path and that if they stumble, we need to get them up. This prize is better when all make it to the end and ALL are there to celebrate. A party isn't too much fun when you are by yourself. If we are going to "Rock the House," we'd better have a good strong force with us.
As I just think this week and reflect on the race I have been on, I can definitely say I have fallen into a manhole a couple of times. I just had to get right back up again, wipe off the sludge that was slowing me down, and get back to running. You think Nike makes a good shoe? They've got nothing on the good old B-I-B-L-E -- best shoe you could possibly use to keep your head in the race and keep your feet pumping. That's the brand for me. I hope you all remember that the chase for Jesus is a full force drive, not a Sunday walk by the beach. Keep your momentum and drive during the week; get refueled whenever you can. And don't forget your Nikes (your Bible) at home. God is Love, and where there is Love, grace can be found.
God Bless
Benjamin C. Volling
Have you ever noticed that when you are running or going towards something, it's so much sweeter when there is a goal, objective, or prize at the end? Again, it never really dawned on me that our prize is at the end of our race and we need to be vigorously going after that prize. Dehydration and fatigue might set in, but the next cool-off station is around the bend. The chase for Jesus is not a sprint in which you get ultimate fulfillment. It is an on-going pursuit in which as you pass an obstacle, you feel great, get some Gatorade, and keep going. And then you start off again. We will always be chasing the prize until we see Jesus face to face. Our pursuit is never ending but our Reward is abundant.
The race we have been set forth on may put obstacles in our path; it might even send us on a detour. However, if we keep running the race to gain the ultimate prize we are well on our way. However, we also need to remember that we might need to help others on their path and that if they stumble, we need to get them up. This prize is better when all make it to the end and ALL are there to celebrate. A party isn't too much fun when you are by yourself. If we are going to "Rock the House," we'd better have a good strong force with us.
As I just think this week and reflect on the race I have been on, I can definitely say I have fallen into a manhole a couple of times. I just had to get right back up again, wipe off the sludge that was slowing me down, and get back to running. You think Nike makes a good shoe? They've got nothing on the good old B-I-B-L-E -- best shoe you could possibly use to keep your head in the race and keep your feet pumping. That's the brand for me. I hope you all remember that the chase for Jesus is a full force drive, not a Sunday walk by the beach. Keep your momentum and drive during the week; get refueled whenever you can. And don't forget your Nikes (your Bible) at home. God is Love, and where there is Love, grace can be found.
God Bless
Benjamin C. Volling
Thursday, October 18, 2007
LOVE LOVE and LOVE some More
The thought of how to love someone else never really occurred to me until I would say this week. It is unbelievable that Jesus loved everyone; it's just amazing that he had a genuine love and concern for every single person on this earth. What really provoked this thought was I was like WOW, I barely like half the people I talk with in a given day, let alone LOVE them. Why is it that Jesus could do that, and yet we can not? We get annoyed at a way a person drives, eats, talks, or even looks. Why is it that Jesus did not care and just gave of himself? I really pondered this week as I was talking with people and just seeing how I was not showing God's love at all. In fact, I was judging people and specifically trying to point out their flaws. God is love and if we speak his name we need to be speaking in love. I really turned a 180 this week about half way through and just said, let me have grace and for me to see people through Jesus' eyes. The two things that rang through my head are the two greatest things that Jesus said, and as a person once called it, GC squared - which is the Great Commandment and The Great Commission.
Matthew 22:37-40 "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and soul, and mind. This is the First and gret commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hand all the law and the prophets."
Mathew 28: 19-20 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you."
These passages speak volumes to me and they do so because if we do the first part, the second part will follow. If Jesus wanted us to love him and to love others, wouldn't it make sense that we would want other people to do the same? The saying "kill them with a smile" - it's wrong. I would rather say, "Save them with a smile." A smile can already show a person you care about them. Try to smile at a person and have them not smile back; it's pretty hard not to have them do that. God is about love and if we love one another unconditionally, whether that person is saved or a satanist, we are following what our Lord wants. Chasing Jesus isn't always the easy task but I know there are people in my life that if I loved them and truly loved them, that I could be such a better witness. We fall into that society in which we always have to be better and are always looking out for ourselves. Again, what does that get us except on our knees asking forgiveness, and going back to the same routine? We need to break out of the mold and become the witnesses God has called us to be. To be a witness is to be that light that shines and shows love. I have truly found the way to love another person. GRACE!! That's all you need, baby. God made that person to be who they are; by hating them, you are just smacking God in his face. If we are going to save this world one person at a time, it is through mad love. If that is the greatest commandment, I think that would be something pretty important. Now showing love can be done in many ways, saying you are cool, talking to a person and actually letting them talk and you listen, hanging out with them, making a sacrifice to spend time with them, and my favorite is just telling them that you love them.
My mom was shocked the other day when I did two things that I haven't done in over 3 months. I went to Chicago and just talked with her for the day and told her I loved her. I had no clue it had been that long since i did either one of those. It really put things in perspective for me. If I'm not showing my mom love, who else am I not showing love to? My life can get rather busy sometimes; however, my life is for Jesus and that means this worldly stuff needs to go away and I need to keep my focus and loving people mad style. My job is important, but how much more of a witness could I be if I was showing Love to every person that walked through my doors. It was amazing to see how by the end of this week how people at work could see a difference in how I handled people and it was cool that I was back to my roots of mad dog loving people. Remember what we are called to do. This is not a sprint; it is a marathon, and we need to be well trained and do this slowly. So why don't you go out today and "save someone with a smile"? You just might be able to see them smile back at you in heaven. The fields are plentiful but the workers are few. Go harvest your field today and run the course God has laid out for you.
Benjamin C Volling
Matthew 22:37-40 "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and soul, and mind. This is the First and gret commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hand all the law and the prophets."
Mathew 28: 19-20 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you."
These passages speak volumes to me and they do so because if we do the first part, the second part will follow. If Jesus wanted us to love him and to love others, wouldn't it make sense that we would want other people to do the same? The saying "kill them with a smile" - it's wrong. I would rather say, "Save them with a smile." A smile can already show a person you care about them. Try to smile at a person and have them not smile back; it's pretty hard not to have them do that. God is about love and if we love one another unconditionally, whether that person is saved or a satanist, we are following what our Lord wants. Chasing Jesus isn't always the easy task but I know there are people in my life that if I loved them and truly loved them, that I could be such a better witness. We fall into that society in which we always have to be better and are always looking out for ourselves. Again, what does that get us except on our knees asking forgiveness, and going back to the same routine? We need to break out of the mold and become the witnesses God has called us to be. To be a witness is to be that light that shines and shows love. I have truly found the way to love another person. GRACE!! That's all you need, baby. God made that person to be who they are; by hating them, you are just smacking God in his face. If we are going to save this world one person at a time, it is through mad love. If that is the greatest commandment, I think that would be something pretty important. Now showing love can be done in many ways, saying you are cool, talking to a person and actually letting them talk and you listen, hanging out with them, making a sacrifice to spend time with them, and my favorite is just telling them that you love them.
My mom was shocked the other day when I did two things that I haven't done in over 3 months. I went to Chicago and just talked with her for the day and told her I loved her. I had no clue it had been that long since i did either one of those. It really put things in perspective for me. If I'm not showing my mom love, who else am I not showing love to? My life can get rather busy sometimes; however, my life is for Jesus and that means this worldly stuff needs to go away and I need to keep my focus and loving people mad style. My job is important, but how much more of a witness could I be if I was showing Love to every person that walked through my doors. It was amazing to see how by the end of this week how people at work could see a difference in how I handled people and it was cool that I was back to my roots of mad dog loving people. Remember what we are called to do. This is not a sprint; it is a marathon, and we need to be well trained and do this slowly. So why don't you go out today and "save someone with a smile"? You just might be able to see them smile back at you in heaven. The fields are plentiful but the workers are few. Go harvest your field today and run the course God has laid out for you.
Benjamin C Volling
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Old Men in Smalltowns with Bad Breath; Pt. 2
During a recent quiet time with God I began questioning my current circumstances. Not in a griping or complaining “why me” manner, but rather am I doing what God has called me to do? About a month and a half ago I began a new job that during that whole pre-job process looked like a complete answer to prayers. Along with that it seemed to be an opportunity that looked to move me into the next stage of my life. However, as I said I’m now a month and a half in and wondering what is it I’m doing here? How am I making a difference for God’s kingdom? Sure I may be a half way friendly face who is helpful and encouraging to those I am in contact with for a brief moment. But in reality I’ll never see them again and how is that keeping souls out of hell?
God has given me a passion for missions and yet I feel like my occupation isn’t doing that, at least not blatantly. The reality of the situation is that I might not be blatantly keeping souls out of hell, but I am representing God’s love (or at least trying to) and God is developing patience in me, which is a much needed tool for future missions endeavors. So many times I’ve been told of the importance of wisdom in anything, and wisdom isn’t something that’s inherited overnight, it’s gained over time. Which is again frustrating and demands patience. Also, I work with many lost folks who I pray might see a glimpse of Jesus’ love in me.
Often through my impatience (there’s that word again in some form) I want to be the missionary now and forget what true missions’ looks like. Every one of us is called to missions if we know and have accepted Jesus as our personal savior. We’re called to be like him and what did he do but live a life devoted to loving and spreading God’s love. We can do that anywhere whether it’s in a hut in Tanzania, a bus stop in Ireland, or our Lake County Circuit court branch in Mundelein. That’s what true missions looks like.
God has given me a passion for missions and yet I feel like my occupation isn’t doing that, at least not blatantly. The reality of the situation is that I might not be blatantly keeping souls out of hell, but I am representing God’s love (or at least trying to) and God is developing patience in me, which is a much needed tool for future missions endeavors. So many times I’ve been told of the importance of wisdom in anything, and wisdom isn’t something that’s inherited overnight, it’s gained over time. Which is again frustrating and demands patience. Also, I work with many lost folks who I pray might see a glimpse of Jesus’ love in me.
Often through my impatience (there’s that word again in some form) I want to be the missionary now and forget what true missions’ looks like. Every one of us is called to missions if we know and have accepted Jesus as our personal savior. We’re called to be like him and what did he do but live a life devoted to loving and spreading God’s love. We can do that anywhere whether it’s in a hut in Tanzania, a bus stop in Ireland, or our Lake County Circuit court branch in Mundelein. That’s what true missions looks like.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Worship - when you feel like an alien
(HT: The Ongoing Adventures of ASBO Jesus)
Can you relate? Why or why not?
What do you do on days when this is what it feels like?
Can you relate? Why or why not?
What do you do on days when this is what it feels like?
Friday, October 12, 2007
Worship - awe of Him
"Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the Lord your God and have no awe of Him." declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty. ~Jer 2:19
I've just started reading Jeremiah this week and it is wild. Jeremiah is surrounded by a nation of corruption and rebellion to God and God tells him to stand up and be a prophet to that people. Delivering God's wrath and His desire to rebuild them.
"See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant." Jer 1:10
Today I read the top verse, 2:19, and God hit me with a thought about worship. God says that it's not only evil and bitter of us, but evil and bitter for us to forsake Him. Like we were created to worship Him and when we hold that back from Him it actually destroys who we are. Our undoing is our own doing. He won't force us to worship Him, so He'll never force us to be healthy and alive and safe and fulfilled.
Maybe we feel like he should sometimes, it would seem easier. Or maybe not force us but at least ask us. But He doesn't, He does something different, He commands it. The truth is that God's presence, more than God's person, commands our worship. He will be worshipped. ("the stones will cry out." Luke 19:40) My prayer is that I'd not be offended by the command but I'd respond with "awe of Him."
I've just started reading Jeremiah this week and it is wild. Jeremiah is surrounded by a nation of corruption and rebellion to God and God tells him to stand up and be a prophet to that people. Delivering God's wrath and His desire to rebuild them.
"See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant." Jer 1:10
Today I read the top verse, 2:19, and God hit me with a thought about worship. God says that it's not only evil and bitter of us, but evil and bitter for us to forsake Him. Like we were created to worship Him and when we hold that back from Him it actually destroys who we are. Our undoing is our own doing. He won't force us to worship Him, so He'll never force us to be healthy and alive and safe and fulfilled.
Maybe we feel like he should sometimes, it would seem easier. Or maybe not force us but at least ask us. But He doesn't, He does something different, He commands it. The truth is that God's presence, more than God's person, commands our worship. He will be worshipped. ("the stones will cry out." Luke 19:40) My prayer is that I'd not be offended by the command but I'd respond with "awe of Him."
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Repentance
Hey, everyone. Still chewing over Mark's message from last night, but ran across these passages on another blog tonight and thought they might help us process through the whys of repentance, beyond just
"i should" - it's good stuff, whether we're on the receiving end of a tough talk, or need to have one with someone. (And if we're neither place right now, it's a pretty sure bet we probably will be someday, so it's still good stuff.) :)
If you missed Torch last night, keep an eye out on the Torch website for Mark's message - it should be up in a week or two. In the meantime, I hope these verses are helpful to you, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on them. Please comment! (See the sidebar to your right if you don't know how yet.) :)
Each passage below is linked to a page where you'll find 5 alternate translations or paraphrases of the verses. I often find it helpful when I'm studying to look at different translations, as a shift in wording can help me see something in the passage that I might not otherwise have seen. The passages written out here are all from the New Living Translation.
Joel 2:12-14
That is why the Lord says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. Who knows? Perhaps he will give you a reprieve, sending you a blessing instead of this curse. Perhaps you will be able to offer grain and wine to the Lord your God as before.
Isaiah 57:15-19
The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: “I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts. For I will not fight against you forever; I will not always be angry. If I were, all people would pass away— all the souls I have made. I was angry, so I punished these greedy people. I withdrew from them, but they kept going on their own stubborn way. I have seen what they do, but I will heal them anyway! I will lead them. I will comfort those who mourn, bringing words of praise to their lips. May they have abundant peace, both near and far,” says the Lord, who heals them.
Hosea 6:1-3
“Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces; now he will heal us. He has injured us; now he will bandage our wounds. In just a short time he will restore us, so that we may live in his presence. Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring.”
Hosea 14:1-4
Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for your sins have brought you down. Bring your confessions, and return to the Lord. Say to him, “Forgive all our sins and graciously receive us, so that we may offer you our praises. Assyria cannot save us, nor can our warhorses. Never again will we say to the idols we have made, ‘You are our gods.’ No, in you alone do the orphans find mercy.”
So what can these verses teach us about why we should repent?
"i should" - it's good stuff, whether we're on the receiving end of a tough talk, or need to have one with someone. (And if we're neither place right now, it's a pretty sure bet we probably will be someday, so it's still good stuff.) :)
If you missed Torch last night, keep an eye out on the Torch website for Mark's message - it should be up in a week or two. In the meantime, I hope these verses are helpful to you, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on them. Please comment! (See the sidebar to your right if you don't know how yet.) :)
Each passage below is linked to a page where you'll find 5 alternate translations or paraphrases of the verses. I often find it helpful when I'm studying to look at different translations, as a shift in wording can help me see something in the passage that I might not otherwise have seen. The passages written out here are all from the New Living Translation.
Joel 2:12-14
That is why the Lord says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. Who knows? Perhaps he will give you a reprieve, sending you a blessing instead of this curse. Perhaps you will be able to offer grain and wine to the Lord your God as before.
Isaiah 57:15-19
The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: “I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts. For I will not fight against you forever; I will not always be angry. If I were, all people would pass away— all the souls I have made. I was angry, so I punished these greedy people. I withdrew from them, but they kept going on their own stubborn way. I have seen what they do, but I will heal them anyway! I will lead them. I will comfort those who mourn, bringing words of praise to their lips. May they have abundant peace, both near and far,” says the Lord, who heals them.
Hosea 6:1-3
“Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces; now he will heal us. He has injured us; now he will bandage our wounds. In just a short time he will restore us, so that we may live in his presence. Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring.”
Hosea 14:1-4
Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for your sins have brought you down. Bring your confessions, and return to the Lord. Say to him, “Forgive all our sins and graciously receive us, so that we may offer you our praises. Assyria cannot save us, nor can our warhorses. Never again will we say to the idols we have made, ‘You are our gods.’ No, in you alone do the orphans find mercy.”
The Lord says, “Then I will heal you of your faithlessness; my love will know no bounds, for my anger will be gone forever."
So what can these verses teach us about why we should repent?
Monday, October 8, 2007
I shall not speak of evil (nor of good)
Work is a very trying place for me spiritually. Gossip runs rampant, customers are ignorant, and employees are irritating at best. It is very easy to succumb to the daily grind and start letting the pressures of work get to me. I try very hard to avoid the gossip and keep my tongue from speaking badly of certain customers and most employees.
I know full well that the workplace can be a great forum to speak the name of Jesus Christ and His gift of grace, mercy, and love. However, I am always too busy trying to complete the tasks assigned to me or the hold my tongue from speaking slander. This may very well be the devil in trying to distract me from the Word of God. But I complete my assignments and I do not join in with any hurtful words.
In the meanwhile, I am all too aware of the fact that I am not speaking of the Good News to anybody. This has an impact on me because I know that my life is not to complete tasks given to me by my bosses. It is for the Lord. And until He returns, it is our duty to spread The Message.
To make matters worse, this past week I have been reading Jesus Freaks by dc Talk. This has put a greater awareness on me, that while we live in a free country, able to speak the Word of the Lord without fear of reprimand from our neighbors, that I have not been spreading the Good News in my circle of influence. This has weighed heavily on me.
God, in His great wisdom and love, has shown me it is never too late. This weekend, I spent a great deal of time reading the Bible, and He led me to Psalm 39. David, a great leader and man of God, said
I know full well that the workplace can be a great forum to speak the name of Jesus Christ and His gift of grace, mercy, and love. However, I am always too busy trying to complete the tasks assigned to me or the hold my tongue from speaking slander. This may very well be the devil in trying to distract me from the Word of God. But I complete my assignments and I do not join in with any hurtful words.
In the meanwhile, I am all too aware of the fact that I am not speaking of the Good News to anybody. This has an impact on me because I know that my life is not to complete tasks given to me by my bosses. It is for the Lord. And until He returns, it is our duty to spread The Message.
To make matters worse, this past week I have been reading Jesus Freaks by dc Talk. This has put a greater awareness on me, that while we live in a free country, able to speak the Word of the Lord without fear of reprimand from our neighbors, that I have not been spreading the Good News in my circle of influence. This has weighed heavily on me.
God, in His great wisdom and love, has shown me it is never too late. This weekend, I spent a great deal of time reading the Bible, and He led me to Psalm 39. David, a great leader and man of God, said
I said, "I will watch my ways
and keep my tongue from sin;
I will put a muzzle on my mouth
as long as the wicked are in my presence."
But when I was silent and still,
not even saying anything good,
my anguish increased.
My heart grew hot within me,
and as I meditated, the fire burned;
then I spoke with my tongue
and keep my tongue from sin;
I will put a muzzle on my mouth
as long as the wicked are in my presence."
But when I was silent and still,
not even saying anything good,
my anguish increased.
My heart grew hot within me,
and as I meditated, the fire burned;
then I spoke with my tongue
God knows well enough our own hearts. He has already spoken, well in advance, about every situation we would face in life. God has spoken to me through his Word. I go with a new strength and vigor for God. Please pray for me, and others, that we are able to speak words of life to people that I work with, and strangers that I may meet.
Also pray for the people who will be starting the Life 2.0 series in their homes to bring new believers to Christ. They are reaching out to those around them, so may the Lord give them words that will pierce their hearts.
Also pray for the people who will be starting the Life 2.0 series in their homes to bring new believers to Christ. They are reaching out to those around them, so may the Lord give them words that will pierce their hearts.
Monday, October 1, 2007
For Your Name and Your Renown
I've been thinking about the words to Salvation Is Here this afternoon, especially the second verse:
Hear the sound of the generations
Making loud their freedom song
All in all that the world might know your Name
We're gonna be alright*
I pray a lot of the same things, well, a lot, at Torch - and that's actually pretty intentional (and why is a topic for a later post) - and one of the things you'll hear me pray a lot is that God's Name would be made famous in our lives, and that the stuff He does in our lives at Torch will send us to the ends of the earth for the sake of His glory. It's a prayer that echoes a song Christy Nockels sang that I can't for the life of me remember any line to except "and see the greatness of His renown." (If anyone knows what song that is, please tell me; it's driving me nuts!)
It also echoes Isaiah 28:6 - "Yes, Lord, walking in the way of Your laws, we wait for You; Your name and renown are the desire of our hearts."
What does the verse say we're doing? "Walking in the way of Your laws" - or, to put it more simply - we're worshiping God.
Why? Because "Your Name and renown are the desire of our hearts." We want people to know this God we worship - and the way we tell them is by worshiping.
Kind of puts a new twist on evangelism, doesn't it?
Look again at the lyrics to Salvation Is Here --
Hear the sound of the generations
Making loud their freedom song
How do we make loud our freedom song? Well, one way is by singing at the top of our lungs at Torch - but another is by living our lives in such a way that our freedom in Christ is demonstrated to those around us...
all in all, that the world might know Your Name...
And THAT is the point.
Worship and evangelism are inextricably entwined. People see our worship (whether at church or by our lives lived in devotion to Him) and they can't miss the reality of God's presence. As we make His name famous in our lives, He'll live up to His reputation as the God who saves, and the lost will be able to join us in singing "Salvation is here, and He lives in me."
And together, we will all be able to say in truth - "we're gonna be alright."
*Salvation is Here -- words and music by Joel Houston -- © 2004 Hillsong Publishing
Hear the sound of the generations
Making loud their freedom song
All in all that the world might know your Name
We're gonna be alright*
I pray a lot of the same things, well, a lot, at Torch - and that's actually pretty intentional (and why is a topic for a later post) - and one of the things you'll hear me pray a lot is that God's Name would be made famous in our lives, and that the stuff He does in our lives at Torch will send us to the ends of the earth for the sake of His glory. It's a prayer that echoes a song Christy Nockels sang that I can't for the life of me remember any line to except "and see the greatness of His renown." (If anyone knows what song that is, please tell me; it's driving me nuts!)
It also echoes Isaiah 28:6 - "Yes, Lord, walking in the way of Your laws, we wait for You; Your name and renown are the desire of our hearts."
What does the verse say we're doing? "Walking in the way of Your laws" - or, to put it more simply - we're worshiping God.
Why? Because "Your Name and renown are the desire of our hearts." We want people to know this God we worship - and the way we tell them is by worshiping.
Kind of puts a new twist on evangelism, doesn't it?
Look again at the lyrics to Salvation Is Here --
Hear the sound of the generations
Making loud their freedom song
How do we make loud our freedom song? Well, one way is by singing at the top of our lungs at Torch - but another is by living our lives in such a way that our freedom in Christ is demonstrated to those around us...
all in all, that the world might know Your Name...
And THAT is the point.
Worship and evangelism are inextricably entwined. People see our worship (whether at church or by our lives lived in devotion to Him) and they can't miss the reality of God's presence. As we make His name famous in our lives, He'll live up to His reputation as the God who saves, and the lost will be able to join us in singing "Salvation is here, and He lives in me."
And together, we will all be able to say in truth - "we're gonna be alright."
*Salvation is Here -- words and music by Joel Houston -- © 2004 Hillsong Publishing
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Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Old Men in Small Towns with Bad Breath
Can any of you relate to this? God has clearly called you to something and you’re just as clearly running from it. Maybe it’s stepping out and befriending a person in particular or maybe it’s larger than that and God wants you to serve in some capacity. This is normal for Christians so don’t feel like the odd one. For me, I know that God has called me to ministry/missions but it seems as though every opportunity I get I’m running from that. I’m often reminded of the story of Jonah, and how he ran from God’s calling. Jonah refused to go and preach to a people he saw as a lost cause. And so he ran. God chased him until eventually Jonah had no choice but to face what God was challenging him to do. As a result of his stubborn running Jonah endured some heartache along the way. I’m not saying that God’s going to use a whale swallowing you and you spending three days in the stomach of said whale to prove a point. But he will eventually force you to make a decision, and the hard lesson I still fail to learn is that in the grand scheme of things, God’s way is much better and contains less hurt and pain. So many times I've tried to justify running from him in my own way, often to the point of even denying the call that God placed on my own life. The truth is, how fortunate are we that God wants to use us? Whether it's volunteering to help out at the Edge or asking someone you barely know to coffee, it's amazing that God would even want to use us in any way. So, how can you relate to Jonah?
And They Had All Things In Common
Last weekend I found myself in an unexpected situation. I was visiting a friend, Jeremiah, in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and he was in the process of finding a church. He goes to Eastern Michigan, and had found what he believed to be the church he'd heard about that many students went to. We pull into the parking lot, a few students mingling around, and start to head to the church. We were 9 minutes early, and like so many other services I've been to, people didn't actually show up until about 1 minute before the service started. I still can't fathom how people manage to time it so well.
We walk in and a woman greets us and lets us know we're early. "Only by 9 minutes, though" I say, and ask where we're supposed to be, as this is our first time here. She points down the hall and says the sanctuary is down there, so we go in and take a seat in the fourth row.
We're saying "Hi" to everyone we pass, and a few people come to us, somehow knowing we're new to the church (it was rather small, so this was no surprise), introducing themselves and finding out a little about us. Everyone is extremely friendly, but I'm having a very difficult time with names. In fact, it seems like everyone we've met is Chinese.
Then we're handed a program, and sure enough, it's a Chinese Lutheran church, with half the program being in Chinese. For a second I considered suggesting to Jeremiah we find a 11 o'clock service somewhere, feeling that we were imposing, both of us obviously not Chinese. That quickly went away with the realization that God had most certainly led us here, and I wanted to know what He was going to show us.
The service was amazing. The worship was amazing. There were some there who were singing in English, some in Chinese, all in unison with the hymnal having both languages to the same music. The people, especially the congregation, not only were acceptant, but embraced us. There also wasn't a politically correct atmosphere, as though people were trying to ignore the differences, pretend they weren't there. There was one moment where a person said something in Chinese and a translator standing up with him said, "Is there anyone new here today?" Jeremiah and I raised our hands, and there was some unashamed laughter, including from the people at the podium. It was remarkably comforting for me, and, I think, for Jeremiah. Yes, we were different, obviously so, yet it made no difference. We were brothers, and in Christ, no matter the differences in language, skin tone, nationality, or even culture, we had all things in common.
Acts 2 contains a remarkable statement in verse 44:
"And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common"
Shortly after Pentecost, there were people from "every nation under heaven"(Acts 2:5). Nations, cultures, not even language could pose a barrier for the church, for the Truth Christ gave us. Many of us have never experienced that. Our culture in the Western world seems to tell us we need to be separate, that the cultural differences of even our neighbors, because of nothing more than their skin color, are too great to be able to do things as one. Yet, as this verse shows, we, under the banner of the cross, all of us who believe can be together and have all things in common, not only material, but all things.
We walk in and a woman greets us and lets us know we're early. "Only by 9 minutes, though" I say, and ask where we're supposed to be, as this is our first time here. She points down the hall and says the sanctuary is down there, so we go in and take a seat in the fourth row.
We're saying "Hi" to everyone we pass, and a few people come to us, somehow knowing we're new to the church (it was rather small, so this was no surprise), introducing themselves and finding out a little about us. Everyone is extremely friendly, but I'm having a very difficult time with names. In fact, it seems like everyone we've met is Chinese.
Then we're handed a program, and sure enough, it's a Chinese Lutheran church, with half the program being in Chinese. For a second I considered suggesting to Jeremiah we find a 11 o'clock service somewhere, feeling that we were imposing, both of us obviously not Chinese. That quickly went away with the realization that God had most certainly led us here, and I wanted to know what He was going to show us.
The service was amazing. The worship was amazing. There were some there who were singing in English, some in Chinese, all in unison with the hymnal having both languages to the same music. The people, especially the congregation, not only were acceptant, but embraced us. There also wasn't a politically correct atmosphere, as though people were trying to ignore the differences, pretend they weren't there. There was one moment where a person said something in Chinese and a translator standing up with him said, "Is there anyone new here today?" Jeremiah and I raised our hands, and there was some unashamed laughter, including from the people at the podium. It was remarkably comforting for me, and, I think, for Jeremiah. Yes, we were different, obviously so, yet it made no difference. We were brothers, and in Christ, no matter the differences in language, skin tone, nationality, or even culture, we had all things in common.
Acts 2 contains a remarkable statement in verse 44:
"And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common"
Shortly after Pentecost, there were people from "every nation under heaven"(Acts 2:5). Nations, cultures, not even language could pose a barrier for the church, for the Truth Christ gave us. Many of us have never experienced that. Our culture in the Western world seems to tell us we need to be separate, that the cultural differences of even our neighbors, because of nothing more than their skin color, are too great to be able to do things as one. Yet, as this verse shows, we, under the banner of the cross, all of us who believe can be together and have all things in common, not only material, but all things.
Friday, September 21, 2007
The Worship Corner - Spirit and Truth
The third definition of the word "corner" in Merriam-Webster's online dictionary is "a private, secret, or remote place" as in "a quiet corner of New England." I like that. I'm from New England, did you know that? (The accent comes out pretty strong when I'm super-excited or really mad about something.) About three weeks from now, there will be a spot on the Massachusetts turnpike as you're heading east where you will come around a corner, and you won't have even realized you were in the mountains until you see the view. There's a sheer drop on the far side of the guardrail, and all you'll be able to see beyond it are the glorious fall colors, and a few church steeples. It's breathtaking, and it feels like it goes on forever - both the view and the turn - and you'll be sorry when you're past it. You'll just want to stop and rest there for a minute, and soak it all in. (There is a spot to stop, but you'll need to know where to look for it.)
This is what I want our experience of worship to be. I don't always get a chance to say everything I'd like to about worship when I'm leading, but this is our chance to go a little deeper, and it is my hope that we will grow as a worshiping community as a result of these conversations. I want us to know how to stop and catch the view - to find that quiet, secret, and remote place where we can truly encounter God in a way that takes our breath away.
The Bible has a lot to say about worship. Check out this conversation between Jesus and a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well. There's a lot we could say about this passage, but I want to focus on a few specific verses: John 4:23-24.
Jesus says to the woman: "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
I love how the Message puts it: "It's who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That's the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration."
Those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship...
So here's our first discussion topic: How does this work itself out practically for you? What does it mean to come before God simply and honestly yourself?
In context, Jesus is answering the woman's question about place: she wants to know, where's the right place to worship? Essentially He tells her, "it doesn't matter nearly as much as you think it does. You can worship anywhere, anytime. It's your heart that matters."
John Wesley says in his comments on verse 24 that worshiping in spirit and truth means we bring everything into God's presence - "all our tempers, thoughts, words, and actions." (The word "tempers" here means emotions.) It means that no matter how we feel, or what we've done, we recognize that God is worthy of our worship, and we worship Him - with everything we've got.
So what does that look like?
This is what I want our experience of worship to be. I don't always get a chance to say everything I'd like to about worship when I'm leading, but this is our chance to go a little deeper, and it is my hope that we will grow as a worshiping community as a result of these conversations. I want us to know how to stop and catch the view - to find that quiet, secret, and remote place where we can truly encounter God in a way that takes our breath away.
The Bible has a lot to say about worship. Check out this conversation between Jesus and a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well. There's a lot we could say about this passage, but I want to focus on a few specific verses: John 4:23-24.
Jesus says to the woman: "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
I love how the Message puts it: "It's who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That's the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration."
Those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship...
So here's our first discussion topic: How does this work itself out practically for you? What does it mean to come before God simply and honestly yourself?
In context, Jesus is answering the woman's question about place: she wants to know, where's the right place to worship? Essentially He tells her, "it doesn't matter nearly as much as you think it does. You can worship anywhere, anytime. It's your heart that matters."
John Wesley says in his comments on verse 24 that worshiping in spirit and truth means we bring everything into God's presence - "all our tempers, thoughts, words, and actions." (The word "tempers" here means emotions.) It means that no matter how we feel, or what we've done, we recognize that God is worthy of our worship, and we worship Him - with everything we've got.
So what does that look like?
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