TGIF, Nov. 6: Losing My Head?

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. -- Philippians 4:6-7

I had a brush with Islamic fundamentalism the other day while watching the video on YouTube for The Cranberries' "Salvation" in which the chorus proclaims, "Salvation is free." An Islamofascist commented that salvation was only through Mohammed, to which I replied that salvation through Islam is not free (in fact, there is no salvation through Islam).

Well, that prompted the Islamofascist to send me a message calling me an "unbeliever" and threatening to cut off my head and cut out my tongue. I replied that "salvation" through Islam is not free since the way to heaven, according to Islam, requires that good works be done. And Islam offers no assurance of attaining heaven in any case. One is left guessing whether he has done enough good works to make up for all the bad things he's done. On the other hand, Christianity says Jesus died for our sins (Romans 6:23) and paid the price completely. And we can have assurance of salvation, according to the Bible (1 John 5:11-13). Mohammed didn't die for our sins; Jesus did. Mohammed didn't rise from the dead; Jesus did, I told him. I like how a caller to Dennis Miller put it: Islam requires its followers to die for their God; Christianity says God died for his followers.

Unfortunately, I deleted his comment before reporting him to the YouTube authorities. I'm hoping he replies again so I can. I checked his account and I'm glad to note that he lives in Iran and won't find it easy to track me down. Although, maybe he has friends living near me. Gulp!

Some things I found while meandering around the Internet recently:

• A new Bible, The Mosaic Bible, looks interesting, especially for the more liturgically minded. It uses the NLT translation. According to the web site, "Mosaic is arranged so that every week has variety of content for reading and reflection. Each week follows a theme appropriate to the Church season (such as Advent, Easter, etc). The content included for each week includes full-color art; Scripture readings; a historical reading; a contemporary reading; a prayer, creed, hymn or quote; and space for reflection.
• Determine your ministry age. Take this quiz to help determine your attitudes about leadership.
• George Barna looks at the weaknesses and strengths of leaders.
• Help for developing a church logo.
• Getting laid off or even worrying about the future of your job may be the tapping on your shoulder by God to consider your true calling to a life of significance.
• What do you think your church should do if it had $130 million?
  

The Pretender

"No one can serve two masters.... You cannot serve both God and Money. ... Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" -- Matthew 6: 24-26

I'm looking for something to pay the bills while I move toward (hopefully) effective ministry. My current situation is that I had a good job interview the other afternoon and will learn more later this week. I'm hoping they don't low ball me or make me a borderline offer. I don't need much because we've downsized and have no debts, so ... I'm also looking at going to school to earn a degree that should take me less than 3 years to complete.

I like "The Pretender" because it's about choice we make and how we compromise for money. I don't want to do that. I don't want to be a happy idiot and struggle for the legal tender. Been there done that. After all, I'm worth more a sparrow. I want to aim at serving a higher purpose and not to just earn money to pay the bills until I die.

TGIF, Oct. 30, 2009

Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.

Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, 'Who is the LORD ?'
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.

-- Proverbs 30:8-9

Being unemployed and trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up, as I humorously put it, I've concluded I need to go to school and find a job to pay the bills while I do so. I want a job that fits within the parameters of the above verse. I don't want to live at the poverty level, but I don't need to make a million bucks either. We've prepared ourselves for this by downsizing and getting out of debt so our needs are fairly simple compared to most people. So here's my prayer request for my next job:

• It should pay me enough to cover our living expenses, plus 10% for giving, 10% for saving and 10% disposable income.
• It should allow me time to continue contributing in ministry.
• It should allow me time to go to school for the purpose of preparing me for further ministry.
• And, tangentially, I need help from the Lord in showing me how I can pay for school without going deeply in debt.

I have a job interview on Monday that may be the trick. Please pray that the Lord would make it clear whether it is right for me.

My wanderings around the Internet this past week turned up the following:

• "Churches connect with parishioners online" a Chicago Tribune story says. It's about a conference where it was discussed how churches can use Facebook, Twitter and other networking tools to grow their flocks. There's more HERE.
• Drew Goodmanson explains this strategy for churches and the Internet.
  
• Mark Driscoll explains, like only he can, why religion is bad and the Gospel is good, yet so many Christians have trouble telling the difference.
• Find your calling.
• If you write about the Gospel and can get published in secular media outlets, there's money in it for you.

Numbering My Days

"So teach us to number our days so that we may present to you a heart of wisdom." -- Psalm 90:12

It's interesting that this psalm was written by Moses, who wasn't called by God until he was 80 years old. The eternal significance of Moses' life picked up considerably, however, once God unexpectedly and spectacularly spoke to him from the burning bush. Moses's life was all but over (see Psalm 90:10) but God had plans for him bigger than any Moses had ever imagined or hoped.

It's generally accepted nowadays that life for those of us on the downward slope will have little more significance than babysitting the grandkids and traveling to Florida. But God has no retirement plan. See Caleb and Abraham, for instance, as well as Moses. In the same way, I don't think God's done with us once we've raised our kids.

That's why I'm reading "Half Time: Changing Your Game Plan from Success to Significance" by Bob Buford. It's for 40-somethings and older who've done what they've wanted in the material world and now are looking for something to count for eternity.

Here's some notes from what I've read so far:

• (Quoting George Bernard Shaw) "This is the true joy in life -- the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one, the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I've got ahold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brighlty as possible before handing it on to future generations." (Page 52)
• If my life weere absolutely perfect, what would its elements be? (Page 42)
• Do you understand the difference between being called and being driven? (Page 47)
• What's in the box? (The "box" is one sentence that describes your purpose or goal in life. It's a phrase used by marketers and advertisers to come up with the one word or concept they want to communicate about their product. Such as "security," "tradition," "comfort." Once you choose, everything in your life is illuminated and guided by that one thing. For Buford, he was challenged by an atheist friend to choose between "success" or Jesus Christ.) (Page 50)
  
• To put Christ in the box is to break down the walls of the box and allow the power and grace of his life to invade every aspect of your own life. (Page 52)
• Many people avoid taking the risk for a better second half because they mistakenly think it necessitates a drastic change. ... I truly believe that God uses people in their areas of strengthand is unlikely to send us into areas in which we are likely to be amateurs and incompetents. (Page 52-53)
  

The God With No Name

"And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee; for thou, Lord, has not forsaken those that seek thee." -- Psalm 9:10

(This post stems from a recent small group discussion on a recent Sunday morning at church.)

Scripture records about 50 or so names for God, depending on who does the counting. I just really want to mention one point in the discussion of the names of God. Who gives God these names? In almost every case, these names are given to God by people. He rarely gives these names to himself. In fact, you could almost call him The God with No Name.

God names himself in just two instances, that I have found so far -- and I don't claim as of yet to have made a conclusive study of this. Most famously in Exodus 3, he identifies himself, speaking from the burning bush, as "I AM WHO I AM" to Moses. This is less a name, however, than a statement of fact. He is the self-existent One. Another place where he gives himself a name is in Genesis 17, he appears to Abram and identifies himself as "El-Shaddai," which means God Almighty or God All-Sufficient. This is the moment when God promises to Abram that he will be the father of many nations and makes his covenant with him. Instead of a name, this could be seen more as a declaration of one of his attributes, which Abram really needed to hear at this moment. It's no coincidence that this name is used in Job 30 times. It also is, I believe, Jacob's favorite name for God. In each of these cases, God is repeatedly reminding these men, or they remind him, that he will provide for them. That he will deliver as he promised.

Other than those two instances (and, again, I don't claim as yet to have made an exhaustive search), the names of God are assigned to him by people based on their experience of him. For instance:

• The God Who Sees, by Hagar. Genesis 16:13-14
  
• Lord of the Breakthrough, by David. 2 Samuel 5:20.
  
• Adonai, or Sovereign Lord. (Always plural, btw.) By Abraham. Genesis 15:2
• Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord Will Provide. By Abraham. Genesis 22:14
• Jehovah-Nissei, the Lord is My Banner. As in war. By Moses. Exodus 17:15

Not an exhaustive list but just a few mentions to get us thinking. The point is that God interacts with people and that they named him based on their encounters with him. And in each case the name reflects an attribute of his, not merely some cold ceremonial name. His names reveal his character -- protector, provider, listener, even our avenger as Jehovah Sabaoth, the Lord of Host, or Lord of the Angel Armies who will return to recompense every person according to his deeds, especially those deeds perpetrated against his children (Revelation 6:9-11). (This is a name God likes applying to himself, I think because his children are so important to him and which he uses to reassure us that justice will be done some day.)

Finally, Jesus reveals our ultimate relationship with God by calling him Father, more accurately rendered "Daddy" or "Pappa," he once again fulfills the Old Testament, because all those OT names reflect some aspect of his being a father.

The question this raises in my mind -- What name would I give to my heavenly Father based on my interactions with Him? I haven't fully figured that one out.

Days Aren't Long Enough

"What can I give back to God for all the blessings he has poured out onme?" -- Psalm 116

I'm going to try and focus on counting my blessings today. And if I do a good job of it, it will take me more hours than the day contains.

First, my wife. God says in Proverbs that he who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord. (Prov. 18:22) My wife should have a sign on her forehead saying, "Love you, God."

Secondly, my children. Children are a reward from the Lord" (Psalm 127:3) and "Children are like arrows in the hand of a warrior. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them." (Ps. 127:4-5).

Finally, my grandchildren are a crown (Prov. 17:6).

God has been good to me. So what can I give back. The psalmist says to make a toast to God in the presence of the assembly. He also asks us to do one thing -- cast our burdens upon him (psalm 55:22). Peter says to do this "because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7). Isn't our God amazing? He tells us to make a trade -- he'll take our cares and give us his. And what are his cares? Us. He knows the hairs on our head, (Matthew 10:30) the tears that we shed. (Psalm 56:8) His thoughts about us our innumerable. (Psalm 139:17).

I'll cast off my threadbare cloak of anxiety and worry and let him wrap me in a warm comforting robe of his righteousness (Isaiah 61:10), which gives me because of the work of Christ on my behalf.

Healing Damaged Emotions, Part 4

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. (John 14:16)

This will be my last post of notes from "Healing for Damaged Emotions" by David Seamands. It's just a helpful, easy-to-read book and so full of good thoughts, I think this is one I'll be wanting to reread.

• In my last post I started to list the symptoms of perfectionism, the first two of which were "The Tyranny of the Oughts" and "Self-depreciation." Here are the others: anxiety, legalism, anger and denial.
• (Jesus said) "My yoke is easy." (Matt. 11: 28-30) What does this mean? His yoke is comfortable because it is tailor-made to your personality, your individuality, and your humanity. "My burden is light" means that the Christ who fits you with a yoke will never leave you alone, but will always be yoked with you in the form of a Paraclete, the One who comes alongside to help you carry that comfortable burden and yoke. (page 86)
• Healthy is a process. ... Every such desperate grasp for quick solutions is a search for magic, not a miracle. (page 90)
  
• The word "grace" is always woven into the presence of the Giver of grace. We should never use the word "grace" as if we were describing some kind of commodity that God dispenses. Grace means a gracious God coming to you. (2 Corinthians 12:9) Grace is not a commodity but our Lord Himself coming to us in His graciousness. (Page 90-91)
• DOORMATS -- Dependent Order of Really Meek and Timid Souls. Their motto is, "The meek will inherit the Earth, if that's OK with everybody." (Page 94)
• In the cross, God demonstrated His total identification with us in our undeserved suffering, as well as in our deserved punishment.
• At the cross, we begin to see how deeply Christ is the truth and not just te bright, shining, beautiful truth of God FOR all of us. His cross is the ghastly, revolting truth ABOUT all of us -- the truth about the envy and the hate and the lust and the selfishness and the rage that permeates this fallen, sinful world of human beings. (page 98)

Finally, Martin Luther's (and Seamands') solution for depression:

1. Avoid being alone. When you are depressed you don't want to be around people. But withdrawing means isolation, which further feeds depression.
2. Seek help from others. Seek out people and situations that generate joy.
3. Sing and make music. Like Saul. (1 Samuel 16:14-23)
4. Praise and give thanks. (Philippians 4:4-9, 1 Thessalonians 5:18). "In EVERYTHING (Everything? Yes, EVERYTHING!) give thanks."
5. Lean heavily on the power of God's Word. Especially the Psalms. Read them out loud.
   
6. Rest confidently in the presence of God the Holy Spirit. (Psalm 42:5, John 14:16-19)

These are good points. The first two are the most difficult because it requires the willingness and availability of others to participate and action on your part to involve others.