I was in the backyard this evening working on some stuff and playing with Annie and one of the rose bushes caught my eye. I just had to snap a picture and share – yes, this is from our backyard!
I remember I snapped a “before” picture on January 31 as I was pruning the roses around the house. I wrote about how each time I prune our roses I think about how God prunes those who follow Christ.
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He does make all things beautiful in their time…roses and faulty humans.
OK. Please read the post title again in your best robot voice…that will lend to the theme here.
Ever had one of those days – or maybe weeks? I have – I guess we all do.
The other day, I found myself in robot mode. You know, where in spite of the junk that’s going on around you, you enter that safe and socially presentable state called: ROBOT MODE. (just for effect, re-read those two words in your robot voice.)
I was bummed, busy, and had stuff to do and people to work with…so I “engaged” and went through my day as if nothing were wrong – you know: birds singing, rainbows in the sky, whistling aloud, etc. Believe me, I’m good at it too – I bet I fool most people.
Except one…OK, two. (OK, maybe more, but I’m only focusing on two here…)
I was reading in First Thessalonians this morning and this verse in chapter one caught me:
3We [Paul, Silas and Timothy] continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. (NIV)
Um, ok…”caught” is probably not the best word. “Convicted” is probably more appropriate…
Mainly because at times, if I were honest, Paul may have phrased this a little differently about me (…maybe even you).
Maybe something like:
3We continually [lift you] before our God and Father [because of] your work produced by guilt, your labor prompted by obligation, and your endurance inspired by fear of our [gracious] Lord Jesus Christ [and the totally wrong thought you have that you’ve got to “bank” good things to make Him love you, accept you, and answer your prayers].
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Oh, to be like the Thessalonians…
So yesterday, the People of the Second Chance posted the new Tiger Woods Nike ad on their website and asked for “one word” thoughts about it.
If you haven’t seen the ad, here it is:
To their question, I posted the following:
One word: Leverage
“We are not ashamed of our scars, wounds, or failures and leverage them as a source of strength and character development.” -POTSC “About Us” page.
I know this is a Nike ad, but Tiger had to somehow consent to it (in fact, he may have even asked his mom, since it involved his dad.) People feel he owes them some explanation – I don’t – but this is a way of furthering that conversation I guess. However it’s used, I still see this whole thing as something between him and his family. My only notice and consideration has been that of “but for the grace of God go I” (as a depraved & sinful man myself) and how can I use this to “leverage” or model grace to others who bring Tiger’s situation up.
OK, stay with me here.
For those who would call themselves Christ-Followers, Sunday was HUGE!
It was a day of rejoicing. A day of proclaiming Jesus’ victory over Satan, sin, and death. A day of innumerable “He is risen / He is risen indeed!” exchanges with “Marco? Polo!” precision.
You know, all the things that we appropriately do on Easter to give praise, honor, and glory to our amazing God and risen Savior.
It’s Tuesday. Now what?
We read that after Jesus’ death, the disciples hid at first, then waited for the Holy Spirit to come as Jesus told them to. Hopefully you are not in hiding today and we receive the Holy Spirit when we accept Christ as Savior…no waiting.
So, now what?
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.
1 Peter 2:24
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To The Cross
Jason Ingram | Paul Baloche
Where can I go but to the cross
To the cross
For there my shame You have washed away
Where can I go but to the cross
To the cross
For there You gave up Your life for me
You stretched Your arms out wide
I lift my hands up high, to my Savior
You stretched Your arms out wide
I lift my hands up high, to my Savior
So Lord I run to the cross
To the cross
Surrender all to my Savior King
Be my ev’rything
Chains are broken
Shame has fallen
All my sins are gone
Chains are broken
Shame has fallen
All my sins are gone
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“Present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness”
Romans 6:13
This week, I’m re-reading / listening to John Piper’s “Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die“.
On our response to the Good News of Christ:
“…salvation is not good news if it only saves from hell and not for God. Forgiveness is not good news if it only gives relief from guilt and doesn’t open the way to God. Justification is not good news if it only makes us legally acceptable to God but doesn’t bring fellowship with God. Redemption is not good news if it only liberates us from bondage but doesn’t bring us to God. Adoption is not good news if it only puts us in the Father’s family but not in his arms.”
– John Piper
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Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous,
that he might bring us to God.
– 1 Peter 3:18
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been
brought near by the blood of Christ.
– Ephesians 2:13
MARANATHA!
This week, I’m re-reading / listening to John Piper’s “Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die“.
This hit hard:
“Sin is dishonoring God by preferring other things over Him. Sin is not small, because it is not against a small Sovereign. The seriousness of an insult rises with the dignity of the one insulted. The Creator of the universe is infinitely worthy of respect and admiration and loyalty. Therefore, failure to love Him is not trivial—it is treason. Since God is just, He does not sweep these crimes under the rug of the universe.
‘[God] loved us and sent his Son to be the [wrath-absorbing] propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:10)'”
-John Piper
Final [and way overdue] post on Francis Chan’s book: Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit. [I team taught through the book last quarter in Sunday School at church and decided to blog about the book.]
Posts from other chapters:
I’ll plan on giving a synopsis and review of the Forgotten God DVD Resource in a separate post.
Chapter Six: “Forget about God’s will for your life “
I think one of the things that I appreciate about Chan’s books are his chapter titles. Chapter six is a perfect example. He takes one of the core things that Christians concern themselves with and turns it on it head (hopefully I’m not the only one here…) – that being our focus on knowing God’s will for our lives.
The big thought here is that we often miss, even ignore the Holy Spirit’s leading and prompting with our focus on knowing or figuring out God’s will for our lives. Chan is not saying to totally ignore this – but the key is not to be so consumed that everything else (people, life, opportunities, etc.) take a back seat to our search, even quest for God’s will.
I don’t think we purposely do all this, but it can and does become a distraction.
Living out the chapter title is a huge step of faith and certainly involves depending upon the Spirit for courage – trusting that things, situations, people are placed in our lives for a purpose.
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