resolved to read God's Word

Ah, those pesky "resolutions." How often we go by some day or event, especially that beloved January 1 date so many of us call the new year and by which so many of us live, stating that's the day we're going to "make that change." This can be a good thing, and it's typically thought of with great intentions. But frequently, and even annually just after a year begins, I hear people complaining they've fallen off whatever wagon they intended to ride. And that can be enough to make us give it all up fast.

For many people, reading the Bible can become one of those "resolutions." And since we do have that handy 365 days in our calendar year, the start of a year or the beginning of a month are not necessarily bad times to get such a thing started.

But where to begin?

In the beginning? Genesis is not a bad idea if you want to go cover to cover. But after the excitement of creation, the sadness of the fall and the action and adventure that follow, a lot of people get bogged down a few books in, frequently for a lack of understanding what they're reading and why it's important. Whether or not that includes you, this should help your study.

For the new believer, the book of John is often suggested as a good place to start. In any of the Gospels, including Matthew, Mark or Luke, you'll get a picture of who Jesus is, frequently by His own words, and how He lived, died and came back to life in an amazing display of perfection and love for His people, which is exactly what the entire collection of 66 books is about.

Another popular standby is to read through the Psalms and/or Proverbs each day.

But if you've already done or tried all that and would like a new approach, yet have no idea what that might look like, perhaps the following will help.

• BibleGateway.com Reading Plans
The page above includes two 61 day overview plans to get you started if a year feels intimidating. There's also a 121 day overview. All three put together would gradually build you up to having spent over half a year in God's Word. Any of these are great recommendations for learning or reviewing major Biblical themes and characters. If you want to go for it, use the year plan.

• Even More BibleGateway.com Plans
This list gives you 365 day options for Old/New Testament, Chronological, Genesis-Revelation, Historical and NT only, plus a 40 day reading if you're looking for something in the Lent season. There's also a Bible in 90 days plan for the particularly ambitious. They'll even e-mail reminders for convenience.

• ESV.org Reading Plans
This list offers a variety of daily reading plans of different intensities, and even a memorization plan with a new verse weekly. Check them all out to see which might work best for you. Most come in a variety of formats, including RSS, iCal, mobile, print and e-mail options.

No matter what you pick, as you embark on this journey here are some things to keep in mind:

Pray - Ask God what He wants to show you in the text. Pray the words back to Him as appropriate, or pray along to a Psalm that expresses how you feel right now. Be honest with God. He knows your heart better than you do. Ask Him to show you the truth, and to show you the love and forgiveness of Jesus throughout the Scripture and in your own life.

Look for Jesus - Remember, Jesus is who the Bible is all about. Really. He's in there everywhere, either literally or represented by something or someone. If you are wondering where He is and how to find Him, here's a quick and helpful summary. Seeing Jesus in ways you've never seen Him before will help you get to know Him better, and helps keep you motivated as you understand Who the Bible's really about.

Pick a time/place/plan/style best for you - Do this whenever and wherever you will be least distracted. Pick whatever works best in your current life situation, but pick something. If reading is not your thing, there are plenty of audio Bibles, and the ESV site allows you to listen online as well.

Find a friend - This isn't mandatory, but a reading plan is often easier to stick with if you have someone reading with you. That way you can ask each other how you're doing and discuss what you're learning. I once created a private blog to do my study with others, and just being able to comment each day in that way, much like journaling, really helped keep me going. (For 2 whole years even. Never thought I'd say that.) It also helped me think and learn differently.

Don't give up - So you missed a day. Life happens. Just pick it up again wherever you are. 


Let it be known, daily time in God's Word isn't natural to me either. Now, by God's grace, since the start of 2010 I haven't gone a day without. (FYI, we traveled quite extensively during this time, so I made efforts to plan for reading time each day. Even at Disneyland.) I was studying along with The Daily Office Lectionary, a 2 year plan which was great for me as I read something from Psalms or Proverbs, Old Testament, New Testament and a Gospel every day.  This has broadened my understanding of how The Bible is one story pointing to Jesus, the Savior who takes away the sins of His people from every race and era.

This has been an amazing journey, and one I most certainly don't regret. I pray this will help you on your own journey in God's amazing Word.

resolved to read God's Word

Christmas 2011: The Promise

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 
                                                                  -Luke 2:10-12 (ESV)

In considering a Christmas theme for 2011, I eventually focused in on that word above, “promise.” As I draw near to the close of 2 years with time in Scripture daily, I realize I’ve been immersed in this concept throughout the entirety of the Bible. I also realize these are promises which, though amazing, are far beyond wishful fantasy.

Promises Made
We make promises all the time. Some we keep, some we forget, and some we outright break. But when God makes a promise, it will happen. And throughout the Bible, God continually makes promises to His people. Through covenants and prophets, recorded in songs and historical texts, promises just keep being made.

God even made a promise to the first two people who ever lived... after they decided to stop listening to or trusting Him. When one act destroyed their perfect world, deteriorating into the world full of disappointments we know today, God promised something unique. He promised help through her offspring. (See Genesis 3.)

Promise Fulfilled
When a baby is born, parents, relatives and friends often speak of all the promise contained in this tiny, new human who is a clean slate full of prospects. What will he do? What will she accomplish?

But no baby born was more full of promise than one named Jesus, delivered in an animal stall in Bethlehem. His mere birth fulfilled so many long awaited promises, such as that made through the prophet Isaiah, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

This was a child born to grow into a man who lived like no other man had, perfectly, and who could therefore die to do what no other man could. He died to fulfill the promise of God to renew His relationship with His people who, like the first two, now refuse to listen to God and trust Him. Then, to fulfill those promises completely, He returned from the dead and, for now, to Heaven.

“Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.” (Hebrews 9:15)

Promises to Come
Now, because of the promise that came through a baby, His people wait in hope for so much, including His renewal of all things and life forever with Him. “But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”
(2 Peter 3:13) “And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.” (1 John 2:25)

This wait may often seem long, just as did the wait for His birth, but God has a purpose even in this. “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

Perhaps He’s even directing His patience toward you.

Believe the Promise
The promises in Jesus are given to those who trust Jesus. “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13)

If you never have, or need encouragement to do so again, start listening to God in His Word, the Bible. Trust Him and believe His promises.

For you who do believe Him, thank God for all He has given and will give His people. Remember where the promises of God are found and fulfilled, through Him who was once a baby and who remains the ultimate Promise.

All the Promises of God find their yes in Jesus. (2 Cor. 1:20)

Praying for you a Christmas & New Year full of Promise.

Scripture quotes: ESV

Art: creationswap.com

©2011 miniministry.com

Christmas 2011: The Promise

trick-or-treat! here's something really sweet

Hey candy lovers, moms, dads and everyone else, thanks for visiting.

We like to have some serious fun on Halloween, which, if you ever stopped by our garage around October 31, you probably noticed. But we also like to remind you of something infinitely better than cool props, crazy performances and free candy. We want to tell you the best news we know, the Gospel.

What's the Gospel? Very simply, this:

• God’s perfect, and He says we have to be perfect too. Problem: None of us are perfect. We think and say and do things God tells us not to, or neglect things He says we should, all the time. Our relationship with God is destroyed.
• Jesus lived the perfect life we couldn’t, took on punishment by dying for imperfect people like us, and came to life again, proving He’s God. Only He could repair our relationship with Him.
• God calls us to stop focusing on ourselves and all the things we want in this world, and to focus on Him, trusting Jesus as our Lord and the One who does everything we can’t.
• For those who trust Jesus, He gives the greatest gift of all: Eternal life with Him forever.

That is incredible stuff and He's always worth taking time to tell you about. So take a minute to learn a little more about this incredibly good news. (<-- Go ahead and click.) To leave a message, question, whatever, just click "comments" below. No need to sign up or even leave an addy. And if there's any way we can pray for you, just let us know.

> > Another FREE treat: If you don't have one, we'll be glad to send you a complete Bible absolutely free. Just fill out this form. (Kids under 18, get your parent/guardian's permission first.)

>> New for 2011: Due to popular demand, we have a brand new blog displaying all the crazy stuff that happens in our garage every year about this time: All Hallow's Garage.

Also, if you visited the our excavation of the Pharaoh's tomb in '11, you'll read a little about the story of Jesus calling Lazarus out of the grave. You can find the complete story in John 11:1-46.

Have a great rest of the year. And enjoy the treats. ;-)

"How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" -Psalm 119:103 (ESV)

trick-or-treat! here's something really sweet

how does saving faith really look?

Do it Yourself Salvation?
As I share Christ with people, I come to see more and more just how "works-based" everyone really is. In my neck of the woods, if you ask the average person on the street about the afterlife, most are pretty sure there's a Heaven, or hope there is, and they are pretty sure they'll get there because they've generally been a "good person." Some list off a resumé of things they do, like go to church or pray or read their Bible or be kind to others. Or, as I did as a good moralist, they'll bring up all the things they don't do like smoke or chew or hang with anyone else who do... uh, does that kind of thing.

People really do want to do, or maybe avoid doing, something in order to please God, if we even believe there is such a Person. And we all want to save ourselves. Even Christians have no intention of letting ourselves truly realize, much less letting anyone else know, how sinful we really are. We have to be the masters of our fate. Somehow. Some way. There must be something we have to do.

We Really are Saved by Works
The truth is, Christians are saved by works, just not our own. Unfortunately, God says our own works are as good as "filthy rags" or a "polluted garment" (Isaiah 64:6). And we all start out as dead in our sins (Ephesians 2:5). We can't bring anything to this equation on our own.

But by God's grace, believers in Christ are saved by the work of Christ. Jesus lived the perfect life we couldn't, died in the place of His people, rose from the dead and is praying for us right now in Heaven.

And yet, while we are not saved by our own works, we are saved to good works. (Thanks to Mark Driscoll for that clarification.) There is something God will give each of His people to do here on Earth to further His Kingdom and His glory. Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." There we see that even the work God will have us do He already decided for us.

Examine Yourself
As God was powerfully calling me to Himself in my late 20s, I remember being confused about basically everything. I wasn't sure what was real, or what I really believed. In my quest for answers, I remember driving to my grandparent's house one night and hearing John MacArthur on the radio speak about examining one's self to see if we are truly in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5).

One of the most helpful tools I have used to aid people in examining themselves and understand the difference between our own human works and God working through us can be found in the back of the MacArthur Study Bible, and now online here:

"The Character of Genuine Saving Faith"
(To best honor copyrights, I'll simply share the link. You can also print their PDF version.)

List I is often the type of material I hear people recite when we discuss God and Heaven. I'm behaved. I know about God or Jesus. I go to church/pray/read my Bible. I help people when I can. I don't do or like bad things (as I define them). I'm good with God. I walked an aisle or prayed a prayer.

These aren't all necessarily bad things. The problem is when they are all focused on "me" and what I've done rather than on Jesus and what He did and is doing. In Matthew 7:21-24, Jesus says such people will hear Him say, "Depart from me, I never knew you," which is a terrifying thought. And, on their own or collectively, none of List I really indicates that a person knows Christ at all.

List II, however, is a different story. These things ignore "what I did" and move to things only Christ can do through us and enable us to do. Our motivations are different. There is an intangible quality to some of these things, but they are often seen by others in ways people may have difficulty expressing.

I also appreciate that it mentions if list II is true, list I will be also. (FYI, even if you don't have a "date" regarding your conversion, you will see in hindsight where God was working to draw you to Him.) We are no longer trying to perform. We are motivated by the love and grace of Jesus.

Spend some time with that page and study the accompanying Scriptures. Examine yourself, asking God to show you the motivations of your heart in whatever you do, and asking Him to help you trust Him where you don't. And pray He clearly shows you the difference between your useless and frustrating trying and His perfect and saving doing.

how does saving faith really look?

Resurrection Day 2011: WHY? do bad things happen to good people?

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?”

The words above, taken from Psalm 22, are words of lament, concern and fear. This Psalm, as many, asks the question, “Why?” And for us, our “why” question often becomes, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”

We all know something’s wrong with the world, and especially with the way we often treat each other. At the simplest level we feel this truth every time we hurt somebody or somebody hurts us. So it’s rather amazing that we still try to qualify people as “good.”

Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned (chosen our own way rather than God’s) and fall short of the glory of God.” And Proverbs 20:9 asks, “Who can say, ‘I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin’?”

The truth is, none of us have or even can. There are no good people. Except, that is, for one.

Ironically, horrible things happening to this good Person are exactly what Christians consider at Good Friday each year. Jesus Christ, the only Man who never sinned, willingly took on His people’s sin as He died. The only good Person to ever live was crucified and, on the cross forsaken by God so His people wouldn’t be, He quoted the first part of that Psalm above.

Yet, amazingly, the best possible thing happening to bad people is a great part of the promise of Resurrection Day. Consider this:

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God...” -1 Peter 3:18

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” -2 Corinthians 5:21

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.” -Romans 5:6-9

Jesus died, the good for the bad. But He didn’t stay in the grave. He returned to life 3 days later, ready to renew all who truly believe in Him and, with His help, trust Jesus over everything else. He answers Psalm 22 by doing the saving. Only He gives hope for new life, and for renewed relationships with Him, with each other and even with our world, as He says in Revelation, “Behold, I am making all things new.”

So perhaps the answer to that earlier question can be summed up in a quote from R.C. Sproul, Jr., “Why do bad things happen to good people? That only happened once, and He volunteered.”

Praying you see the beauty of Jesus in His salvation, hope and restoration. †

Scripture quotes from ESV
art @ creationswap.com

Resurrection Day 2011: WHY? do bad things happen to good people?

aftershock: Japan :: how you can help

PRAY.

Please pray for the people of Japan following the devastation of one of the worst earthquakes in recorded history and subsequent tsunami, along with hundreds of powerful aftershocks and an ongoing nuclear crisis.

Click here for specific ways you can pray. 

GIVE.

If the Lord leads you to help financially with relief efforts, we encourage you to give through Churches Helping Churches, a global partnership of church communities who seek to rebuild other churches in the wake of a catastrophic natural disaster.

CHC is currently assessing the situation in Japan and is working to support:

• CRASH (Christian Relief Assistance Support and Hope)
• Dale Little, president of JEMA (Japanese Evangelical Missionary Association)
• Setsu Kuroda, International Director of JCFN (Japanese Christian Fellowship Network)
• Michael Oh, President of CBI (Christ Bible Institute)

To help, please visit churcheshelpingchurches.com. You can donate via their giving page or by text. Send “chc” to 20222, confirm “yes,” to donate $10 per text.
 
We pray the greatest “aftershock” from this event is Jesus’ love through His people and His Gospel affecting this nation in amazing ways to God’s glory.

aftershock: Japan :: how you can help

Cover Tune Grab Bag: "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"

You want some fun? Check out "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" as performed by MercyMe, Jars Of Clay, Matt Maher, Thousand Foot Krutch, The Afters and Lecrae in what may be the longest hallway in the world.

I knew I got into worship bands for some reason.

Cover Tune Grab Bag: "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"

Christmas letter 2010: what Joy is this?

"Joy, unspeakable joy,
An overflowing well, 

no tongue can tell.
Joy, unspeakable joy,
Rises in my soul, 

never lets me go."

-Chris Tomlin, 

"Joy to the World 

(Unspeakable Joy)"

Joy is a word often seen and heard during the Christmas season, and it's a topic I can't seem to get away from anymore. Yet if you've had years like my last few, suffering some significant pain and loss in this world (and I know many who have and are), you might understand it's not something I want to get away from.

But the joy of which I speak isn't found in the things of this world, and therefore can't be destroyed by the loss of them, or even increased by worldly gain. Grief and gratitude are both appropriate reactions in certain situations, but true joy is measured well beyond emotion and circumstance. It is joy that comes from and is found in God alone.

There is a significant gift I received this year in which I take great joy. By God's grace, I haven't missed a day in His Word since January 1. And one of the many threads this allowed me to see repeatedly in the Bible is that of joy in the Lord. In the English Standard Version the word "joy" is translated not quite 200 times, with even more instances of the word "rejoice," and countless other expressions of joy throughout.

At the birth of Jesus, angels came to some shepherds near Bethlehem saying, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:10-11, ESV)

A few years later, when men from the east saw the star which led them to Jesus, "...they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him." (Matthew 2:10-11, ESV)

All this joy from men and angels over one child—an amazing child who would grow into a Man, live as no man had, without breaking God's Law, and come back to life after a horrific public execution, all to fulfill the promise of God to save His rebellious people in their broken world. Joy is a gift of Jesus to those who, by His grace, stop living out of that brokenness and instead trust Him.

To know this Man, then, is to know a joy we can't find within ourselves or in anything around us. To be known by Him is unspeakable joy.

On this note, I want to share something from a man God has used to help me grasp this concept as the Lord took His joy beyond mere talk or intellect and continues to form it deep in my heart. Pastor John Piper's "Quest for Joy" draws out six Biblical truths on where true happiness and joy come from as found only in Jesus. Even if you happen to be familiar with this writing, I encourage you to dwell on this truth, asking God to use it to change you in ways yet unimaginable.

May the joy of the God Man Jesus Christ truly be yours this holiday season. Praying for you a blessed, happy and joyous Christmas in Christ. †

"Quest for Joy" by John Piper. ©Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org.
Graphic used by Creative Commons license from creativemyk.com.

Christmas letter 2010: what Joy is this?

is the Bible mostly about you? or Who?

We're often taught that the Bible is about us and what we need to do and how we can relate to various characters throughout. But is that really what it's all about?

Much of the audio in this video matches the text found in the previous post. These have been incredibly helpful to share with youth and adult alike in understanding the Truth of Who Scripture is all about.

is the Bible mostly about you? or Who?

Jesus is the true & better

I heard this quoted in a sermon earlier this year and wanted to share. I've been involved with a lot of discussions on this very reality lately, and it is never a bad time to get a good reminder about the wonder of who the Lord is, Perfect God and Perfect Man.

This focuses on how various individuals and events highlighted in the Bible point to Him. They could not be completely perfect. They could not completely obey. They could not completely fulfill. They could not completely save. Neither can we. Only Jesus did, does and can. And it's only in Him that we find all that we need.

Read on...

"Jesus is the true and better Adam who passed the test in the garden and whose obedience is imputed to us.

"Jesus is the true and better Abel who, though innocently slain, has blood now that cries out, not for our condemnation, but for acquittal.

"Jesus is the true and better Abraham who answered the call of God to leave all the comfortable and familiar and go out into the void not knowing wither he went to create a new people of God.

"Jesus is the true and better Isaac who was not just offered up by his father on the mount but was truly sacrificed for us. And when God said to Abraham, 'Now I know you love me because you did not withhold your son, your only son, whom you love from me,' now we can look at God taking his son up the mountain and sacrificing him and say, 'Now we know that you love us because you did not withhold your son, your only son, whom you love from us.'

"Jesus is the true and better Jacob who wrestled and took the blow of justice we deserved, so we, like Jacob, only receive the wounds of grace to wake us up and discipline us.

"Jesus is the true and better Joseph who, at the right hand of the king, forgives those who betrayed and sold him and uses his new power to save them.

"Jesus is the true and better Moses who stands in the gap between the people and the Lord and who mediates a new covenant.

"Jesus is the true and better Rock of Moses who, struck with the rod of God’s justice, now gives us water in the desert.

"Jesus is the true and better Job, the truly innocent sufferer, who then intercedes for and saves his stupid friends.

"Jesus is the true and better David whose victory becomes his people’s victory, though they never lifted a stone to accomplish it themselves.

"Jesus is the true and better Esther who didn’t just risk leaving an earthly palace but lost the ultimate and heavenly one, who didn’t just risk his life, but gave his life to save his people.

"Jesus is the true and better Jonah who was cast out into the storm so that we could be brought in.

"Jesus is the real Rock of Moses, the real Passover Lamb, innocent, perfect, helpless, slain so the angel of death will pass over us.

"He’s the true temple, the true prophet, the true priest, the true king, the true sacrifice, the true lamb, the true light, the true bread.

"The whole Bible is about Him."

-anonymous

Jesus is the true & better

even in death we can have hope

Last week was a painful one. I literally attended three funerals in 3 days, along with three visitations on the nights before. Between two friends from our church, one somewhat anticipated after a long bout with cancer, and one so sudden and impactful that well over 1,000 people attended the visitation alone, between those two, we buried my grandma. She had been diagnosed with cancer barely a month ago, and hardly fought at all.

Death is never a good thing. It's not good because it is not meant to be good. We sin, meaning we consistently want our own way instead of God's, which leads us into all kinds of awful thoughts, behaviors and actions. And for that, He says, we earn death. It's a reminder of this world as fallen, of our own mortality, of God's seriousness about our situation. It causes incredible pain for those left behind. Yet, even through all this, we can have hope.

In the midst of everything, I decided to write a eulogy about my grandma. That brought back some great memories of my life and hers, and ways God has blessed that I see now more clearly than ever. But I also wanted to explain how, why and by whom hope is still possible. Here's what I shared:

____________

Proverbs 17:6 reads, “Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.” I really appreciated a note I read on this verse, which states, “Both young and old should cherish their intergenerational relationships.” It is difficult to realize I stand here today to remember my last remaining grandparent, but there is so much to be said for cherishing the days God has given.

In recent weeks, of course, I’ve spent a lot of time reminiscing about days spent with my grandma. As one of the grandkids, along with my brother, I’ve had my whole life to build up these memories.

I’ve been remembering all sorts of random things, like going downtown with my grandparents around Christmas as a young child, taking in all the huge displays that back then you only saw in department stores and not on your neighbor’s front lawn.

I was thinking of the time my brother and I stayed with them for a week when our parents went on a mission trip, and all the fun we had going places or just staying at their house and playing, or sleeping on the fluffy white carpet in their front room and waking to the ticks and chimes of that old grandmother clock.

Of course there are all the holidays, and the sights and sounds and smells that went along with those each and every year. They just loved getting together on Christmas and Easter for lots of sharing and gifts and food, grandma putting together some great meals, and on Fourth of July we’d watch the fireworks at the nearby park, sometimes right from their backyard, as we did even just last year.

But throughout this flood of memories, I just keep coming back to one word: Generosity.

I love this, because generosity is such a huge attribute of God Himself. God created man in His image, and even though we currently live in a damaged world, we can still see that tarnished image of the Creator in His creation. And in my grandma, I remember generosity.

I know she was generous with her time volunteering in nursing homes. I remember going to one in particular several times with her as a child, and it was really nice these past few weeks, in spite of the circumstances, to meet some of the folks she was working with in Alton until even just a few short months ago.

Grandma often wanted to go do fun things, shopping and going out for lunch. I keep thinking of trips to malls, such as Northwest Plaza even back when it wasn't all enclosed, and frequent visits to, of all places, Burger King. The dining got a little more elaborate as I grew up, but she always insisted on paying. But more important to me, especially as I got older, was just spending time together.

I’ve personally seen God provide for me and for my family through my grandparents in an incredible variety of ways for so many years, even in ways I could never repay.

And that brings me back to God’s generosity. God loved the world He made so much, He gave too. But His giving was bigger than anything we could imagine, or ever dream of doing. He gave His Son, Jesus Christ, and it’s His generosity that creates our only Hope in this world or the next.

To quote God's Word, “The wages of sin is death, but the free GIFT of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

So to everyone who receives His generosity, turning from sin and to Jesus, He gives that gift, a gift not based on anything we can do or have or give back, which wouldn’t make it a gift at all, but based on everything Jesus Himself was willing to give—His own life. That is a generosity that’s simply amazing.

I’m so thankful to God for the years He gave me with my grandma, and grandpa as well, and for letting me see just a little of His overwhelmingly generous character in them. As much as I will miss, the example the Lord gave through them is something I will never forget.

even in death we can have hope

Resurrection Day 2010: a King's story

This is the text version of a "card" of sorts, my creation for Resurrection Day this year. Check it out in full color PDF form with graphics from creativemyk.com through the title link below (and if you want a printed copy, just ask):

"A King's Story"

“In the beginning...”

Seems like a fine place to begin a story.

So what happened?

Well, for a start, “God created.”

He created everything you see around you.

The heavens, Earth, plants, animals. And people.

And He called it “good.”

And it was. The people had everything.

Satisfying work, tame animals, abundant food, perfect relationships, direct access to God.

    “It was very good.”

But they wanted more.

One day, “very good” suddenly wasn’t good enough. The people did the one thing God said not to. And when they understood they did something wrong, something against Him, they ran. They hid from God.

And God sought them out.

Their actions had direct and dire consequences. They hurt each other, and they hurt God. They were cursed. Death was new. Yet He sought them to cover them, to give them some protection from what was to come.

    And, to make a Promise.

        Someone was going to restore all this.

Generations passed. Languages developed. Nations formed. And people still wanted their way instead of God’s.

Eventually God chose one nation in particular to show Himself to the rest of the world. He gave them specific things to do so all the nations could see Him through them. And time and time again, wanting their way like everyone else, these people failed.

But God kept restating it.

The Promise was made.

“For to us a child is born...

and the government shall be upon his shoulder...”            

-Isaiah 9:6

And through these people

a King was born.

“For unto you is born this day

... a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” -Luke 2:11

His Name Is Jesus.

He was there in the beginning, the Creator through whom all things exist (John 1:1-5). He came to His creation as an infant and grew to be a Man. He was tempted in all ways as we are, but always lived God’s way (Hebrews 4:15). He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, the only way to God (John 14:6). He was the Promised One who was in all things innocent, in all of life perfect, and in all ways God.

And they tortured Him & nailed Him to a cross.

“And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour... And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, ‘Truly this man was the Son of God!’” -Mark 15:33, 37-39

Those were the darkest hours the Earth has ever seen.

Jesus died.

But this King’s story doesn’t end...

For three days, His tomb stood silent.
   And then, the impossible happened.

As some women were going to visit the tomb, an angel surprised them, saying, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.” -Matthew 28:5-6

“As (His disciples) were talking ... Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, ‘Peace to you!’ But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And he said to them, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.’ And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet (the nail scars).” -Luke 24:36-40

Jesus is alive!

The Creator took the punishment for His creatures’ rebellion against Him. He had conquered death and the grave. To the people God called His own, He made a way for their relationship to be right again. He did everything they could not. He truly was the Way. He is the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25). 

The Promise is fulfilled.

And as God reveals Himself through His people today

    the Creator prepares to create again

        a new Kingdom in a renewed Earth.

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’ And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’” -Revelation 21:1-5

The King tells His story...

    As a couple of men went walking, “Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” He asked what they were discussing and they said, “‘Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.’
    “And he said to them, ‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” -Luke 24:15-27

   

    And to His disciples, Jesus said, “‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.’” -Luke 24:44-47

What’s Your Part in the Story?

Everyone who’s ever lived has had a part in the King’s story. All of the Bible and all of history are God’s story, and all creation is waiting for the restoration to come.

Jesus came to restore His people and bring them back to Him. God calls each of us to turn from our own way and to Him, trusting Jesus as the Restorer who died to take the punishment of all who believe in Him, bringing them eternal life in a renewed Earth and Heavens with Him forever.

If you know Jesus as Lord, praise Him for what He has done, is doing, and will do for eternity in making our relationships, our work and our world right again.

If you don’t know Him, ask Jesus to show Himself to you for who He really is. Trust Him. Believe in Him as Lord, Savior and God. And then look forward to His future.

The Story of
Jesus Christ
Creator,
Redeemer,
Restorer,
Promised
King of Kings.

Resurrection
Day Blessings

(All Scripture quoted from the English Standard Version.)

Resurrection Day 2010: a King's story

the missouri bird revival

"It was a fight for survival
that broke out in revival"
-Ray Stevens

The Tweet that started the questions rolling:
"3.5 church staffers just freed 1 very live bird from a drain clogged with over a foot of debris, & a very dead squirrel. Bird WIN!"


Having been a church staff member lo these nearly 8 years, I have lots of stories to tell. Collecting those stories in written form is often suggested, and this is just one of those bizarre yet triumphant tales of God's sense of humor. So sit back and enjoy.


Last week, some uncomfortable situations and news of friends and family in crisis left me in a bit of spin on Tuesday, the first day of my work week. It also happened that on top of my regular work I had a newsletter due and a massive food drive to prep for (which, praise God, went incredibly smooth). I was swamped, literally and emotionally.

But Tuesday just happened to be a really beautiful day, the kind we usually tend to miss trapped in an office with windows you can't open. (Well, you could open them. But only once.) So that afternoon somebody, or everybody, got the bright idea to take the staff meeting outside. There's only four of us, so we grabbed some chairs and went off to the side of the building to take in some sun.

As we were sharing prayer requests, I noticed a sound coming from a gutter and went to investigate. Scratching. My stomach sank. There was a bird stuck in there. Maybe a squirrel. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's creatures trapped and terrified.

I walked back to the guys and didn't say anything, but immediately started praying we could get whatever it was out.

Soon they noticed the sound too, and we all went over to investigate. This was a gutter drain from a two story flat gym roof, and it was screwed on to a flexible plastic drain that ran under a bit of ground to open up a few feet later. But the really odd thing was that the movement and scratching were nowhere near the bottom of the metal gutter. It was a foot or more above that point, which could mean only one thing. Clogged gutter.

I told them from experience there were almost definitely dead things in there. I'd freed a sparrow from the side of a house once, only to find him in there with the bones of his brethren. This, I presumed, would not be pretty.

Waiting for tools, I held on to the pipe and tapped. And then... the creature tapped back! This communication took place more than once. If I was a crier, I woulda lost it right there. I've halted traffic to rescue dazed birds in the middle of Highway 67. Nothing would stop me now.

The youth pastor produced a screwdriver, and we started the task of removing metal from plastic. Sure enough, when we got it undone it was clogged full of debris. We tried using sticks, but with little success. So I stepped in to reluctantly reach up the pipe (with my right arm, not the recently fractured left one), and started digging, pulling out clods of dead leaves and who-knows-what, my arm up the pipe nearly to my elbow as I'm mumbling, "Dead things, dead things, dead things..." Not exactly how I planned to spend my afternoon.

Eventually the associate pastor found a crowbar which we managed to use to get some more clumps out. (We also noticed the scratching sound was going higher up the pipe as he pushed...) At one point, said pastor stopped and asked, "Do you guys smell that?" but shrugged, and we kept on working.

Shortly after, a large clump fell out... and a small bird flew out! Followed by something else unidentified plopping on the ground. For the bird I was elated, as it flew off to a distant tree to look back at us in some bewilderment, with the senior pastor, and the only one without mud on his hands, waving and yelling, "You're welcome!" (Yes, he was the ".5 staffer." The cheering squad.)

We all turned back to the unidentified gray thing. Someone poked it with a stick to reveal a very dead, large, adult squirrel, and we all let out a collective, disgusted groan. Fortunately a church member, who also happens to be a nurse, had shown up to watch the spectacle, and provided a rubber glove with which I could carry the poor thing off by the tail to some overgrowth.

Mission accomplished, three of us headed inside to detox. I haven't been that covered in mud in a while, and I still have a nice mark on my forearm from the job. But the satisfaction of freeing that little bird made it all worthwhile. And a day that started off not so great ended up in a classic rescue operation.

If that wasn't enough, after I got home and we were heading out for Ben & Jerry's free cone day, I opened the door to our garage to find a very live squirrel on the hood of my car! He scampered down the hood and out the door quick, but I could not believe it. (There has since been some speculation as to whether they just have a really good network, or if it rode home on the undercarriage to take revenge over a huge misunderstanding of the day's events. However, no brake lines were chewed.)

Honestly, I can't make this stuff up. (Well, except that last bit.) I say it often, I truly love the Lord's sense of humor, and I thank Him for setting all this up in the midst of everything to provide the relief of rescuing one of His birds and giving us a lot of laughs, even in the fairly hilarious social networking discussion that ensued.

The bird we saved to live another day, but a little revival happened in me. Thank you, Lord, for redirecting my focus once again. And for simply making me smile.


"A joyful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."
 -Proverbs 17:22

the missouri bird revival

well worth a listen: Stephen Miller

I completely love accidentally discovering great music. Those who know me know I tend to get a little (ok, a lot) excited about bands that catch my ear. But let's just ramp that up a level.

I recently happened to catch Stephen Miller at The Journey in St. Louis. (No, not the "Fly Like an Eagle" guy. But I dig him as a classic.)

The first time was just a free Saturday night I stopped by for worship. I got in a little late dealing with bizarre traffic, so I missed the intro and wasn't sure who he was. But I knew he sounded extremely professional, had a great, clean sound, and I was hearing lyrics I recently came to realize I rarely do hear, such as,

"Sovereign King, I’m amazed even more
That You’d chosen me when you founded the world"

That alone said volumes. I wasn't able to get an album that night without cash, but I couldn't stop thinking about those words.

I saw him next at the latest Acts 29 Midwest Regional Quarterly. Again, no idea he'd be there, but I heard that song again, "Awaken My Heart." It's just incredible live in worship, and he added in portions of other songs such as "How Great Thou Art." This time, because it's a training conference, they actually gave the album away. I haven't stopped listening in my car since. Solid theologically and musically, and he's writing concepts I'm really camped out on lately.

"You can break my heart to bring me joy
You can take it all to make me more like You
Oooh, I trust in You, I trust in You
You are sovereign Here"

Given recent experience, I amen that every time. Just phenomenal stuff.

Thus I was very pleasantly surprised to learn he's now actually on staff at The Journey. Their music guys have been awesome about sharing their stuff with us to use with our church, so I think he's in with a pretty great bunch. Even got out at the eleventh hour to catch his first night leading worship in that capacity so my very musical husband could hear too.

So, since he was kind enough to provide a free album, and facilitate some fantastic worship times, I'd like to return the favor with a little promotion here. Right now you can download the "People of Redemption" album free with some promo of your own. Take advantage of that offer while it's available.

And here are the two songs I referenced above. This version of "Awaken My Heart" is more like the album version, and they were touring with a group called Aerial Experience, which explains the performance artist, but you'll get the idea.

I really do praise God for using music like this to cause me to praise Him more. Enjoy it for His glory.

Awaken My Heart


You Are Sovereign Here

well worth a listen: Stephen Miller

what's your treasure?

what's your treasure?

easily pleased

Intro video for The Pastor, the People, and the Pursuit of Joy: The Apostolic Aim of Pastoral Ministry, the Desiring God Conference for Pastors, February 1-3, 2010.

Go directly to all conference audio & video.

easily pleased

the way of escape

"...let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry." -1 Corinthians 10:12-14

A few Saturdays ago I was lurking on Twitter and noticed a post by Mark Driscoll that said, "Paul says God always provides a way of escape from temptation. Preaching on it tomorrow. Got any real life examples I might share of how God opened a door of escape from serious temptation?"

I was sure I had, but couldn't think of anything at that moment, so I went about my day not really thinking about it.

That night (on my way to a church service, no less) I stopped by our massive library HQ in search of a movie hubby hadn't yet seen. Finding it wasn't there, I headed over to the new releases hoping to make the trip productive.

There I saw the box for a film I intentionally avoided this summer due to a high likelihood of, let's just say, inappropriate thought. But because I'm so familiar with the storyline and waited years for the release, I really want to see it and have struggled with and prayed about this since even before it hit theaters. Without completely thinking it through I picked it up, reasoning that I just wanted to see how they developed a particular character, grabbed another film I'd already seen (also ironic in title, but I'll spare you) and went to check out.

When I got to the counter I was told two things:
1) My library card expired last month, which I thought was weird as I haven't had the new card very long.
2) I also had a fine for $1.05, of which I was completely unaware.

Easy enough problems to address... if you can actually pay. Unfortunately (no, very fortunately) I hadn't carried any cash on me for a week or more, and I never carry checks. I literally had a quarter that I was planning to put into a coin collection. So I couldn't renew or borrow anything at all.

Then I asked what the fine was all about. I'd turned in a book late.

The book?

"Jesus Among Other Gods."

I briefly reeled inside at the mention of my Lord's name as the clerk began to read. It was a book by Ravi Zacharias I had trouble accessing and then didn't get to finish several months ago. By now I'd all but forgotten about that and didn't realize it was turned in late. (Ha, and apparently was due on my birthday last year.) I just acknowledged to the clerk that I'd have to deal with all this later and headed out with no movies. Laughing. I couldn't have scripted this.

I laughed in the car on my way up the road. I laughed as I shared this story later with friends who were aware of the situation from summer.

But in the next few days I really started thinking about what God did there. He closed doors. He provided the way of escape. He protected me from what I imagine would have required some serious repentance, and quite possibly long term problems as it may have either encouraged old, inappropriate thought patterns or created new ones. (Never think your thoughts don't matter ... Matthew 5:21-28; 15:10-20.) I don't even want to think of potential consequences from that. And He answered prayer, as I have asked His help and guidance in protecting me from such things before, since it's only by Christ's power I can and will "flee from idolatry" (anything that takes focus off God, thus becoming more important than Him).

I've said it before, I truly love the Lord's sense of humor. But eventually I stopped laughing, got on my knees, repented for my lack of judgment and thanked my Deliverer for His love and mercy in stopping me.

My life doesn't hinge on whether or not I spend 2 hours in fantasy land watching new people enact old tales I already know. My life is all about God's glory. He wasn't going to be glorified through me watching that film that day. But by sharing this story of His protection and love, I sincerely pray He is.

I'd say that brief trip to the library was more than a little productive.

Thank you, Lord.


February 1 Follow Up:
Just paid my fine and renewed my card for 2 years. Before I went, I promised I wouldn't even pick the film up. So I went over to check out the new releases. Would you believe that particular movie was nowhere to be found anyway?

I love how this story just keeps on going, and the Lord shows His goodness and glory in His protection at every turn.

the way of escape

Help for Haiti

The situation in Haiti continues to grow more dire following a 7.0 earthquake last Tuesday and over 40 aftershocks in the region since. Please consider helping with relief efforts via Samaritan's Purse.

Help for Haiti

Christmas letter '09: why a Baby?

"In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ... And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to 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, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

"And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, 'Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.'" -Luke 2:1-11 (ESV), excerpted 


"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
-Isaiah 9:6 (ESV), roughly 700 years before Jesus' birth

____________________________
This year began with a lot of death. An inordinate amount in my experience. I was at four funerals in the first 2 weeks of 2009. I even sang at two, one of them for a friend. It had me thinking a lot about my own mortality.

But, in a turn of what I like to call "divine irony," the year is ending with a lot of new life. I know several people who are with child. I've been an aunt since I got married, but am now one to a blood relative for the first time thanks to my brother and his wife who are expecting next year.

I admit, I love the Lord's timing in all this since this time of year brings to mind an unusual and remarkable birth, that of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Honestly, it's hard for me to think of Jesus as a baby. To me, babies are small and frail and make me more than a little nervous (though some tell me they're a lot tougher than I think). But I envision Jesus as an adult—strong, mighty, glorious. Someone more wonderful than anything we can imagine. And even with years of Nativity scenes in my head, it's still hard for me to really wrap my brain around that image. The fullness of God as a human baby? And then I, in my boundless curiosity, have to ask, "Why?"

Then I consider what the Apostle Paul wrote, "Therefore, as one trespass (the sin of the first man, Adam) led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness (Jesus' perfect life, including his innocent death) leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's (Adam's) disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's (Jesus') obedience the many will be made righteous." (Romans 5:18-19, ESV)

So a man made an error that a Man had to repair. Intriguing.

Some cards I sent out this year read:
"He came to pay a debt He didn't owe
because we owed a debt we couldn't pay."

And we do owe a debt we can't pay. Every one of us does, because every one of us sins. Whenever we make anything or anyone more important than God, that's sin. It's automatically in our nature, because every baby who's ever been born was born with sin. (If you don't believe it, watch a youngster who's not getting his way. As I like to say, the selfishness comes with the package. Or just ask my mom about me as a kid. Yeah...)

From Romans 5:12, "...sin came into the world through one man (Adam), and death through sin, and so death spread to all men..." (ESV)

So that's true of every person born. All, that is, except one.

This baby Jesus, fully God and fully human, was the only baby born without sin. He was born to live a sinless life none of the rest of us who were born ever could. And He was born to die, to pay that debt for sinners like us.

From Romans 6:23, "...the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (ESV)

All the death I experienced at the start of the year, that's what each of us earns for our sin. But, for those who turn from their sin and believe in Jesus as Lord, He gives eternal life through His own death. We don't earn it. We don't deserve it. But He gives it as a free gift to all who believe. And the greatest miracle was delivered in the smallest package. Praise God.

Imperfect man damaged.
The perfect Man restored.
To pay a debt we cannot pay.
That's why Jesus was born.

 Have a blessed Christmas †

Christmas letter '09: why a Baby?

take no one's word for God's Word

"The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men. But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Berea also, they came there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds." -Acts 17:10-13 (ESV)


If last year was all about understanding the joy of the Lord, I’d have to say this year has been about doctrine and correct use of Scripture. I think I’ve grown a lot in my understanding of the Bible this year (with, of course, infinite room for growth) and how to listen when Scripture is used inappropriately or out of context.

This didn’t "just happen.” It came from plenty of study, some public but much private, and even visiting several churches. It’s on my mind so much and I'm learning so much that I’ve honestly had some trouble collecting my thoughts to write. I even had a dream recently about trying to correct someone and help them understand how to study the Bible. Because I constantly hear misquoted and misused Scripture, I'm genuinely concerned about things many of us are taught and believe without checking, then teach others wrongly so the error continues person to person on down the generations.

I also become very concerned when those who claim to be believers say things like, "Oh, well that's not exactly what it means, but God can use it." God is not the author of confusion, and we aren't allowed to excuse ourselves from confusing others. We are accountable to the Lord for presenting His message correctly. We need to repent and ask the Lord for His wisdom, correcting ourselves in humility.

I know sometimes when a person feels this way they can also fall into several errors, which I pray to avoid. I don’t want to be angry in correction or prideful in knowledge. Right or wrong, I don't want to "agitate." (Hold accountable, yes. Stir up trouble, no.) This isn't about "being right," it's about honoring God. And I know that I, too, have been guilty of Scriptural misunderstanding and explanation because I didn't do enough study myself. That simply has to stop.

Look at James 3:1-18. Proper teaching and use of words in all settings isn't just a suggestion.

My prayer is that I can glorify the Lord in helping others grow in Him and their understanding of His words, even as I grow in my understanding and ability to explain. My prayer is for His wisdom in understanding the text, not overlaying other ideas or ways I really wish God worked. I want to know Him for who He is as He is, and I want to know exactly what God is communicating, not trusting various interpretations of God's plan.

That said, here are some things to do during your own study which have helped tremendously as I move past simply being taught and dig into the Bible for myself.


1) Textual Context - We love to make fortune cookie sized quotes out of rich Bible passages and stick them on signs and t-shirts. Some of Proverbs is written in that style, but for most of the Bible, which is written as a flow of thought through an entire document or letter, it's possible miss the point of the passage altogether. Brief quotes come in handy for memorization, and, explained properly, help in sharing and teaching. But proper explanation is key, because hearing something out of context can cause it to take on an entirely different meaning in our minds (and this happens far too often with Scripture).

Be sure to always read the passages surrounding the portion of Scripture you're studying. If that means reading a whole book, do it. I really appreciate the clickable Scripture references on this site that allow you to go see what else is surrounding that portion of Scripture. Use them. And remember, the numbering system was created later to help you find things easier, not for isolation.

Try this with everyone's favorite, John 3:16. To get the context of that verse, you should read from John 3:1-21. Find out who is talking, who is being spoken too and what is being said. Even look for time references. (I'll give it away, it's "night.") Read quotes in their entirety.


2) Historical Context - While God's plan encompasses all of human history, past, present and future, the Bible was written by certain people to certain people at certain points in time. To fully understand the concepts presented, we need to know those facts as much as possible and how that audience was likely to understand what was being said.

Commentaries and study Bibles can be useful for historical information, but be careful when these become more opinion based than fact based. (We recommend the ESV Study Bible as one that tends toward a fairly balanced presentation.)

For instance, in John 3:1-21, Jesus is talking to Nicodemus who was a member of the Sanhedrin, one who is supposed to know Scripture (our Old Testament) well enough to teach. Therefore he has a different perspective than many people of that time, and Jesus speaks to Him differently. Obviously much more can be said on this verse, but this fact alone should improve our perspective of why Jesus says the things He says here.


3) Original Language - Alright, so you can't read Greek. Or Hebrew. Or any of the other languages of the Bible. Maybe you can barely make out some of the older translations. But remember, all of our modern versions are just that—translated. And our words, in any language, take on different meanings as time goes on and dialects change or die.

So what was being said in the original languages? Well, if I just described you, Biblos.com has a great resource to help you with that question. Their Bible Lexicon includes Greek and Hebrew so you can view passages to see what the words are in those languages.

To get you started, check out John 3:16 all broken down in Greek. You can click on the numbers in the Strong's column for definitions and other word options. I also have a note in my Bible stating that, "For God so loved the world," might be translated, "For this is how God loved the world."

And, hey, watch out getting all caught up on individual words in English or any translation. I've heard of all kinds of study methods that ask people to focus on individual words. Sometimes every little one. Not only does this cause you to lose sight of vital context, but sometimes because we have to use different styles of phraseology to communicate in translations, people get stuck on words that aren't in the original phrase. Definitions are important. Context is crucial.


4) Scripture vs. Scripture - Another question is, how does this Scripture align with other portions of Scripture? Remember, the Bible tells a single story. It's God's story of redemption. It's all pointing to Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross for the sins of those who believe in Him. Don't forget this, regardless of what you're reading.

My biggest caution would be against overlaying ideas that aren't necessarily there onto the text, especially when your idea is contrary to other portions of Scripture. And definitely don't try to force other Scriptures to fit your conjecture. The steps above should help with a large part of that problem. But the tendency remains, and sometimes one has to retrain the brain to understand the proper meaning of a passage rather than what we've been told or even convinced ourselves is true.

Helpful in this pursuit can be cross references, provided in most larger Bibles. I looked at a few for John 3:16, and it pointed me to passages such as Romans 5:8 and Ephesians 2:4. (Tip: Don't forget context in looking at the cross references too!)


So all of this is basic and vital to having an informed, Biblical comprehension. Don't just sit back and wait for a preacher or anyone else to do this for you. Know the Bible yourself. A true believer should find an ever increasing desire to know what the Lord is saying, so studying the Bible should become natural in your life as you grow in Him. And pray each time you read, always asking the Lord to reveal His truth alone.

By the way, in my own study of John 3:16 and surrounding, this is what I am learning:

• “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." (ESV)
  

God's love for the world meant He took action and sent Jesus to die for the sins of not everyone, but those who believe in Him. This is clear in verse 15 as well. We see several places in Scripture that not everyone will be saved. If that were true, no one would be in hell or "perish." But having heard others claim this means Christ's death is "for all," I looked up the background of "world" and "whoever" (sometimes translated "whosoever.") Jesus is talking to Nicodemus, a Jew, and is making the point again, as do many other places in Scripture, that it is not only the Jews who can be saved, but Gentiles as well. The "whoever" emphasizes people from any nation that God calls who truly trust in Jesus and will be saved through His blood. This would have been a bit of a shock for the Jews, who claimed some exclusivity as God's chosen race. (Chosen to share who God was with the rest of the world, and even have the Messiah born through them as a Jew, but that's a further study.)

That's just a little of what I'm learning from this passage as I study using all the devices listed above. It's amazing, bringing out so much more of what God is doing in restoring His creation. In His perfect justice, He gets all the glory in both His wrath and love. Praise Him for His mercy extended through the blood of Christ to those who believe.

And that is where your study should always lead you in the end, the praise of God's glory. Worship Him.

take no one's word for God's Word

glorifying God online

We recently spent a month and a half with our youth group discussing technology. This included discussions about communicating to large groups, such as social networking and blogging, more personal communication like instant messaging, texting and cell phone use, and a variety of pitfalls one can get into using technology, covering time wasters, downloads and theft, and some more unfortunate uses of the internet and technology, especially regarding images we’re either barraged with or can easily find. Even covering all that we barely spoke to all that’s going on and all the things we need to keep in mind as we navigate this rapidly expanding world.

We wanted to be sure no one left our discussions feeling all technology is somehow “bad.” Technology is neutral, but we need to use it properly. So we made sure every session to ask the question each of us should ask about everything we do,

“How does this glorify God?”

Obviously in discussions about theft or lust, we could pointedly state that those things never bring God glory. But other uses of technology have potential to do things and reach people in ways never before available in history. What will we do with them?

I often discuss or am asked about doing evangelism online, and I tend to approach the topic with excitement and trepidation. I am excited that people are willing to start thinking about technology as an evangelistic tool. I’ve been honing my outreach for years, expanding and using new things as they become available and relevant to reach people, especially in long distance relationships, some of whom I’ve never met. And therein lies the trepidation, because I have also learned over time to take serious precautions as I roam the internet, and I always want to be sure anyone else considering online outreach does the same.

With that, I would like to share some online cautions. People are very willing to share everything about themselves (and everybody else) on the internet, partly because there’s a disconnect with the “real world” when one is sitting behind a screen and keyboard, and this has the potential to be extremely dangerous regardless of age. The internet has made a lot of crimes easier to commit, and scams and stalkers do abound, so sometimes a little prevention goes a long way.

You should never make the following public about yourself or on behalf of anyone else:

• Contact info., primarily phone number and address
• Inappropriate photos (Don’t take them in the first place. Better yet, do nothing inappropriate to photograph!)
• Extremely personal information for all to see (and be careful e-mailing, chatting, etc. as this can “leak”)
• Financial info. – PayPal, bank accounts, credit/debit cards, social security number, etc. (And no one from Africa offering to give you their dead spouse’s money is your friend.)

It’s also highly recommended against publicly sharing:

• Full real names (even my e-mails have aliases)
• Current schools
• Current places of employment
• Where you/they will be and when

Of course, you should also always use caution in becoming friends with anyone you don’t know. I have a policy of only “friending” those I’ve actually met on one social networking site, with the exception of perhaps a few I’ve had a reasonable number of years speaking too online. I am more open to friend requests on another, but less open with the information I provide.

And so, with cautions such as these built in, and remembering Who I represent even online, I try to utilize the internet to glorify the Lord by sharing who He is with other people I talk too. I do this in a number of ways, which can include any of the following:

• God honoring and/or Scriptural, not preachy or judgmental, status messages, quotes, etc.
• Keeping up with friends, local and long distance
• Responding to anxious status messages and posts with love, prayer and God’s Word. These are often more appropriate to address privately.
• Blogging about what God is doing in one’s life
• Legally posting music with solid Christian lyrics
• The message can vary per audience. Mix in life stuff as long as the message doesn’t go against Scriptural principles. Be consistent and real.

I have prayed for and counseled many people during chat sessions and discipled others online via e-mail, chat or Skype, which allows you to video chat for free computer to computer, allowing for deeper interaction in being able to see another’s body language while talking. This includes a friend I met through the game site Neopets and shared the Gospel with a few years ago.

I’ve helped a few people research and find good churches out of state, using the internet of course. And for many individuals, I’ve shipped books or Bibles and cards once trust was established.

This website, obviously, is extremely useful in sharing the Gospel, various resources, how the Lord called me and what God is doing in my life. This has been invaluable in quickly sharing things with others, as I can simply link them to a page of the site or blog to discuss the content or answer a question. I also use the site heavily around major holidays to link holiday letters or Halloween outreach content.

Pretty much everything I do is free, other than the cost of accessing the internet. I bought my domain name and mini ministry is now graciously hosted by a great friend in TN, but I used a free server for years. The real cost here is time and effort in reaching a culture where they are, online, and finding ways previously unavailable or considered unorthodox to tell the world the greatest story there is to tell, that salvation and joy are found in Jesus Christ alone.

As will always be the case with technology, there’s more I could say. If you have questions about reaching out online, leave a comment. I’m glad to discuss. Pray for me as God mercifully allows me to reach different people in many parts of the world for His glory without ever leaving home. This is my mission field.

glorifying God online

"I Will Rise"

"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." -Paul the Apostle, Philippians 1:21 (NKJV)

I just got to see Chris Tomlin live for the first time last weekend near Chicago. We also got to go to a small worship leader's gathering before the show. Wasn't quite what I expected, and I don't agree with every lyric or story I heard (which is pretty much the case with everyone when I compare their words to Scripture). But I do love his style and still hold to the fact that this guy's got some great stuff, so I had a good time worshiping along to the solid tunes.

One of the songs off the new album "Hello Love" which caught my attention pretty quick is called "I Will Rise." Before I even knew why the song was written, it didn't take me long to say, "I want that played at my funeral."

That statement might freak some people out. But since we are all destined to die, have no idea when the Lord will call us out of the race here on Earth, and I dream often about being in His presence, I think this sort of thing merits some consideration. I echo what John Piper says, that I have a vested interest in making my Lord Jesus look really good in life and when I die. I only pray that whenever and however He takes me, He'll use it to glorify Himself.

Check out the lyrics...

I Will Rise
by Chris Tomlin, Louie Giglio, Jesse Reeves, Matt Maher

Song lyrics | I Will Rise lyrics


Tomlin played this one at the concert, along with the side note that his grandfather just passed away, recently requesting Chris play it at his funeral. That was last Tuesday, and I hope he got through it.

Here's what Chris Tomlin has to say about the song:



I love that bridge too, and I know what He's saying, about that future hope of Glory and being forever in God's presence praising Him. But it's important to note that hope only comes in looking back to what Christ did in His death on the cross, dying for the sin of those who accept Him and rising again. I think the song communicates that fact, but I never want to assume my entire audience truly gets this vital concept, or that any of us can ever hear it enough.

This is eternal perspective. It looks forward and backward simultaneously. It is why we worship, why we will worship eternally and the only hope we have in this life or the next.

I should share that I attended four funerals in the first 2 weeks of this year, two of which I sang at, and some carried more hope than others depending in part upon how loudly the reality of the Gospel could be proclaimed through the life of the deceased. So again, I pray by God's grace that reality will be spoken and sung loud and clear whenever my time comes, even as I enter into the joy of my Master, worshiping in the presence of His Glory.

Worthy is the Lamb, indeed.

"For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him." -2 Corinthians 5:1-9 (NKJV)

"I Will Rise"