Do you like the rain?

Sep 26^th (410 words)

Let it rain!  “I always like walking in the rain, so no one can see me crying.”  From Charlie Chaplin.  Is this a morbid thought?  Is it something Christians shouldn’t say?  Is it a reflection that you find embarrassing?  I had to bring up a quote I might have shared before. 

The whole point of Mr. Chaplin’s words is that he didn’t want to embarrass others by the inner pain that was causing his eyes to drip salt water.

Often when I write my posts I start with where I am.  Sometimes happy sometimes sad…

Today I was glad for the rain but… also recognizing incredible pain and brokenness in the world around us!  What do we do with all that pain? 

“Great Scott – dear God, we need you!” 

I just had a conversation about this world of pain – and how often God is with us in the pain instead of taking us out of the pain. 

We talked about how God suffered for us (so we don’t need to suffer the punishment of Hell)

He suffers because of us – because of the garbage we have done. 

It is also true that he suffers with us.  Literally, the suffering we experience is also felt by him.  He knows our suffering from the inside!  He is one who has suffered but he also looks at it from the outside – having created it from the start with his higher purposes.

It is incredibly comforting to be with someone who knows what you’re going through.

I also just shared a story illustrating how sometimes suffering is beyond us (we can’t understand it).  One day my dog, Sheba, had a run in with a porcupine.  When Dad tried to take out the quills Sheba snapped at him.  Dad asked if I would try.  I took out the quills one by one and Sheba looked at me with her sad eyes asking “why are you hurting me?”  I couldn’t explain to her the risk of infection or that if I didn’t take them out she would have even more pain…

If I had reasons for inflicting pain on my dog, how much more might God have his reasons for allowing us to suffer?  If my dog could trust me to pull out the porcupine quills, how much more can I trust the creator of the universe in and through the suffering I experience in this short, little life?

I’m his simple, faithful watchdog.   

What makes you cry?

Sep 18^th  (196 words)

“Dear God, in a world of many gods how do we say there is only one true God?  They won’t hear us.  They will automatically think that their gods of wood and paper and stone and metal and ice are the same as our God – the same as you.  Many will hear that we worship the one true God – and assume we are people without love, citing all the wars caused by people who believed they were following the only true God.”

This is not that.

“Honestly God, I’m tired.  Sometimes I feel like crying.  Added to this is the pressure that as a man, I’m in a society that largely thinks I shouldn’t be crying… that it is a sign of weakness… that I’ve cracked under the pressure.  Jesus, you cried.  That must mean that there are situations where it is okay for men to cry.”

Instead of crying – I sit here in a coffee shop – Who is the one true God?  How can you find him in the cacophony of all kinds of religions and philosophies…? 

Answer: God finds you. 

“God, I have a lot of people I want you to find!”

September 11th - and the end of the world

Sep 11. (350 words)

Where were you September 11^th when disaster struck?

I was in Africa – and I heard the news from our missionary friends – working three houses down from us.

What was the disaster at the Twin Towers all about?  Terrorist evil?  American greed?  An undercover conspiracy?  All the above? 

From where we stand today, does the future look brighter or more uncertain?  Can we answer: “All the above”?  Is it possible for us to have an uncertain (even evil) future while at the same time believing it to be a brighter future? 

Before writing this post I wanted the focus to be on water – and the lack of rain the world is getting right now.  I wanted to encourage water-saving ideas, and when it does rain – for us to offer up thanks to God for every single raindrop.  

Reading the news last night I then thought about opening up the questions about Russian/Chinese aggression…

Could there be a connection between September 11^th, the global rain problems and nations gearing up for war?  I think so.  “How does this offer us a bright future?” you might ask.

Very simply: we believe Jesus is coming back soon.  There might be a flash of suffering – but the bigger picture is one of undeniable hope and eternal glory. 

A flash is something that lights up the room so that an accurate picture can be taken (think of a camera flash or a lightening flash or a flash-light). 

The flash of present persecution the third world is now experiencing, and the legal foundation in our own society preparing for future persecution, and the anti-Christian media that is more and more popular – gives us a picture of a sinful world rebelling against God. 

Sinful world in rebellion against God – each word is heavy but the statement can easily be put away with dogmatic extremism.  It is more like a weatherman’s assessment of the clouds.  God gives us his assessment of the weather systems brewing.  And in his assessment Revelation 19, 20, 21, and 22 promise hope for us who live in and out God’s perfect love!

Call to action

September 1^st (164 words)

Call to action.  “Call to action is a marketing term used extensively in advertising and selling. It refers to any device designed to prompt an immediate response or encourage an immediate sale”  (Wikipedia).  What devices has God designed to get us moving?

The cross – which crucified Jesus the Christ!

God’s grace – undeserved favor poured out for us.

God’s loving presence – being with us through thick and thin

God’s creation (1) – he made it all by his power for his glory! 

God’s creation (2) – His creation is all around us showing us his power, love, presence, beauty, attention to detail.

This is a list of devices that God has made, which, when understood and experienced, have the power to promote an immediate response.

What r u going to do in response to God’s amazing work and person?

I’d suggest we worship him.

I suggest we respond by acting in thankfulness.

I suggest we find people around us who need love!

Go for it!!!

Aug 21^st (397 words)

“Dear God, we really need your presence. We need your strength as life complicates itself.  We need your wisdom for navigating the maze of realities that open up.  The story-lines are competing for our attention.  We need your love in order to sing a different song from the society around us.  Make our feet dance to a different rhythm.”

What is wrong with society?  What is wrong in society?  Where is the social-life-world going? 

You will give different answers to these questions depending on the story you believe in your deepest being.

If you believe many of the stories of Disney you might answer that nothing is wrong with society – that this universe follows Norse Mythology – that Good and Evil [capitalized as eternal forces] are always equally at odds and equal in strength [Starwars and many of the Marvel Superheroes].  We are now locked in the struggle of good and evil – and one without the other is absurd.  Ying-yang is all that exists and should exist – whether you like it or not. 

Another Disney theme says that what is wrong with society is anything that goes against infatuation and free sexual expression.  You might not have consciously picked this up from movies like Cinderella, Lady and the Tramp and Aladdin (I’m dating myself…).  This storyline makes romantic love the ultimate goal of everything.  Quickly: this distorts love from a sacrificial decision to work for the good of another to a warm-fuzzy feeling – most clearly expressed in sex.  I reject this story-line.

There is a newer, third story-line most clearly shown in the movie Frozen.  This is perhaps the most ambitious story-line of Disney.  It is one where you become your own god – you become your own authority – you self-author your story.  You can do what you know to be right, regardless of what the gods have said.  This expression sounds the most self-empowering – the best… but it hides a stubborn refusal to submit to God and his authority. 

What is our story?  It is worked out clearest in the Bible – from Genesis to the final book of Revelation.  Our story is all about knowing God – and being known by Him (submitting to his blueprints for our lives).  Dancing with God is our greatest destiny – and he is not a tame dance partner. 

How he loves us – he is jealous for us!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUKJEhkk2G8

Love him too!   

Preparing for Heaven's crisis

Aug 14^th (253 words)

What is it that is coming? [I asked this last week]  The ground is rumbling – like the sound of a big truck passing along the road – or an earthquake.  Though there is a distant sound of big engines moving big machines – you can hear a deeper, stronger hum.  It is a melody that is in tune with life as it was meant to be lived.  You can’t hear the sound if you have your i-phone music turned up too loud. 

What is coming? 

If you know what is coming it can help you prepare. 

What is coming?

The victory of God is coming.  God is over the monstrous machines of this world – even if they don’t know it – and he will judge them!  His melody is deeper and richer than the consumerist machines.  It is fuller and sweeter than the desire to be your own god (your own authority).

This music is the coming Day of the Lord.

It will be a terrible day for some.

For heaven, it will be a celebration! 

I could talk about the short time of persecution that will come before the victory of God – but these are the machines men have built (corporate, national, political, educational machines) – which will accomplish God’s plan whether they know it or not.

Rejoice people of God, for the Day of the Lord is dawning – a light is mounting in the East – as the end of pain and suffering draws near.

Persevere Church of God!  Stand fast in God Himself!

Preparing for a world crisis

Aug 7^th (237 words)

What is coming?  The ground is rumbling.  There is a distant sound of big engines moving big machines.  They are moving closer and closer.  What is coming? 

(Wait) 

When you know what is coming it can help you make an adjustment in order to prepare. 

Do we know what is coming?  Do we have an idea of what the future holds?  I believe so. 

I believe - God exists.  He has revealed himself to us.  He has worked in history to save us by Jesus.  He has given us his Spirit to help us.  He has told us what is coming and how to prepare!

How do we prepare for what is coming?  Jesus sent his disciples out like sheep going into the wolf-pack.  Mat 10:16 – “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves…”  How did they prepare for this?  I think the assumption is that they stay close to the shepherd.  

We prepare for the world-crisis (how do you write this in the plural form? – more-than-one-world-crisis)… We prepare for the many crises in the world by staying close to God.  

He knows what is really going on.  He knows the part he wants us to play – the role for us that he has written in his play-book.  Know God, know yourself, and love – love God, love others! 

Happy August everyone.