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Archives For November 30, 1999

Thankful for “NOTHING”

November 25, 2009 — 1 Comment

5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:5-11

So my thoughts this week have been pretty much dominated by this passage – which was the passage Pastor Jason Helveston preached from last Sunday at church.

This passage is pretty marked up in my bible (as is much of the book of Philippians), but the reality that has been hitting me anew this week has been the profound truth of Jesus’ greatness and humility…and my view of that.

The one word that really hit me square in the forehead was: NOTHING

Jesus made Himself NOTHING.

The “NOTHING” He became was man.

Compared to Jesus, I AM NOTHING

though i act to the contrary at times, grasping at a perceived equality with God. (Oh, i’d never say that out loud, but actions speak louder…)

I think we concentrate on the fact that Jesus came to earth, became like us, and went through all the stuff we go through (except living/responding in a perfect way), often at the expense of our remembering He was/is GOD.

As Jason put it:

We must see Jesus on the throne before we see Him in sandals.

x

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving.  I, like most, am thankful for many things – especially this year, with our adoption story finally becoming a reality.

But most especially, I’m thankful that Jesus became nothing.  Thankful for the humility of Jesus.  I’m thankful for the cross.  Thankful for God’s amazing and radical love.

Maranatha!

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“All these”

November 13, 2009 — Leave a comment

mk 10_20This past Sunday, one of the missionaries our church supports (Rick Berry) mentioned Jesus’ conversation with the rich young ruler during Sunday School.

OK, full disclosure…  I was convicted by the remembrance of Jesus’ conversation with the rich young ruler in Mark 10:17-23.

[Gee thanks Rick!]

You can read the story for yourself, but the upshot is that this rich guy asked Jesus what must be done to receive eternal life.  Jesus recites a partial list of the 10 commandments, to which the guy responds, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”  (BTW, in my mind, I see the guy saying this with arms crossed and nodding his head in self-righteous confidence.  I guess I imagine this because it’s probably what we’d all do if someone challenged us in an area of our life.  GULP!) Anyway, Jesus responds – and don’t miss this part – IN LOVE and tells him to sell everything, give all the proceeds to the poor, and then he’d have eternal life.  Needless to say, the guy couldn’t do it and went away sad.  Christ was calling him to a sacrificial life – not just a checklist-based or costless one…and that was more than he was willing to commit to.

Certainly, one typical application of this passage is the idolatry of money or “stuff” over relationship with Jesus – the whole “camel through the eye of the needle” thing in verse 25.

The thing that convicted me was the “…all these things I have kept…” phrase.  How often we simply reduce living for Christ to a 10-item-checklist mentality.  Sure, we’d never admit this checklist-based-living-for-Christ belief out loud; but, in our heart (which is where God looks at us), it’s easy to have it.  There is comfort and often anonymity in this type of Christ-Follower life – the “it’s between me & God” – “what is the minimum I must do” mentality.

The truth is, Jesus (while He recognized and affirmed the “checklist” items in this and other passages) calls His followers (then, now, and to come) to so much more.  He knew if the ruler had kept those “things” (God knows the heart of all); but, Jesus also knew that a life that followed Him was characterized by SO MUCH MORE.  A life that costs something – and that “something” is more than money.

As a Christ Follower, I have got to be more than just a list follower/checkeroffer (if that’s a word).  That is what Rick is challenging the people he and Myla work with in the Philippines…and what he reminded/challenged me on last Sunday…

…So Father, stumbling forward I go!

In Christianity, Life
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It’s Basic: Water

November 12, 2009 — Leave a comment

“Speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

– Wisdom from King Lemuel’s mom (Proverbs 31:8-9)

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I’s basic: Water.

Yet, we often take it for granted.  I know I do.

In fact, the average American uses 150 gallons of water a day.

Yep, it’s basic.

But:

  • 1.1 billion people on the planet don’t have access to safe, clean drinking water. (That’s 1 in 6 people in the world).
  • Those people often walk more than three hours each day to get water that is likely to make them sick.
  • The average person in a developing nation struggles to find 5 gallons of water.

That’s flat out wrong.

One organization trying to address this is Charity: Water – a non-profit organization bringing clean, safe drinking water to people in developing nations:

OK, so if that doesn’t bring it home, this should:

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Consider supporting Charity: Water.  100% of all contributions go to projects, not administrative costs.

It’s mind blowing, but $20 can give one person clean, safe drinking water for 20 years.

It’s basic: Water.

Let’s listen to King Lemuel’s mom…

x

Statistics source: Charity: Water

In Christianity, Life
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How Would Jesus Tell The Christmas Story?

November 9, 2009 — 2 Comments

think3You may have heard of WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) or the lesser known HWJD (How Would Jesus Drive), but have you ever wondered:  How would Jesus tell the Christmas story…the story of His birth?

It’s an interesting question.  There’s no book in the Bible that was written by Jesus (at least in the sense that He was the human author); thus, we don’t have that to go by.  The Gospels were written by men under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so that somewhat qualifies, but it really isn’t a telling of the Christmas story by Jesus Himself.

So, How Would Jesus Tell The Christmas Story?

Well, we actually do have some idea about how Christ would tell His story from the Bible.  It’s in a passage that jumped out at me while we were doing the Bible in 90 Days program at church this past summer.  I’m certain I’ve read the passage many times before, but this time it stuck – and in the context of reading the whole Bible in three months…it was HUGE.

You see, in Luke 24:13-27, Christ tells two of His disciples His story…His whole story.  (They were kept by God from recognizing Him until later that day – certainly God’s plan to ensure that they knew without a shadow of a doubt that Jesus was the Messiah – the fulfillment of God’s promise and the prophecies they had been taught for many years.)  In this passage, we read about a conversation Jesus had with them over the course of the seven mile trek between Jerusalem and the village of Emmaus.   Verse 27 says that, “…beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, [Christ] explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself.”

That’s a TON of info in the space of about 2 hours and 20 minutes!

So, we do have a Bible-based idea on how Jesus would tell the Christmas Story!  As we read in Luke, Jesus would have included the BIG picture of His story…not just the “manger scene”; which is, of course, crucial.  That OVERALL PICTURE is MASSIVE when you think about the fractional story we tell, think, and sing about each year (at a time that gets earlier and earlier).

[Whoa, Dennis!  It’s only November 10th…aren’t you buying in to that
“earlier and earlier” thing?  Where are you going with this?]

OK.  I do have two points here:

First, let’s not settle for the condensed or partial Christmas story.  Why not enjoy, remember, and tell the Christmas story the way Christ told it to those two disciples on the road to Emmaus.  That’s a challenge to myself as well as anyone who gets this far in reading this longer-than-usual post!

btlog_oldSecond, about this time of year, many of us get out our favorite Christmas albums or start to look for new ones for our Christmas Season listening pleasure.  In order to enable my first point, I want to plug a Christmas album that has quickly become one of my favorites.   It’s an album that tells the Christmas story as Christ told it (a la Luke 24:27).  The album is Andrew Peterson‘s, Behold the Lamb Of God – The TRUE Tall Tale of the Coming of CHRIST – which is actually celebrating it’s 10th anniversary with a 2-disc anniversary edition being released tomorrow (11/11).

The album tells the Christmas story beginning with Moses, moving to the prophets, to Christ’s birth, to John the Baptist’s “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” statement – all pointing to Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection as the Lamb of God, our Savior…all through lyrically-deep*, folk-style songs.

Some background:

If you are not familiar with this album, it is different – but in a good way.  Like so many “familiar” things, we risk becoming numb to the words and message without a fresh look…or listen.   Specifically in this case, I think we cheat ourselves if we don’t recall and cherish the complete and utterly amazing story of Christ and Christmas.  The story of God who, long before Mary, Joseph, and the manger, had an amazing plan of redemption – that really places the manger in the middle of the complete story.  If you’re familiar with this album, hopefully you know what I’m talking about.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this album.  I get no creds for this; in fact, I don’t consider this a “review”, simply a recommend or plug.  If you’d like an actual “review”, here is an informative one.  Also, if you don’t want to get the 2-disc set, at least get the single CD.

So again, this year let’s not settle for the partial Christmas story.  Let’s enjoy and remember this amazing, TRUE story the way Christ told it.  (BTW, the album is only about 45 minutes long and you can listen to it sitting in a comfortable chair – hiking is not required!)

Merry Christmas!

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JANUARY 8, 2010 UPDATE:
Listen to the album for free, via an online payer at this link.

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*OK, there is one lyric that I have an issue with.  On the first song, the line “He reigns with the angels” bugs me theologically.  I may be taking Peterson’s “with the angels” out of his original context though.  Don’t let this stop you from enjoying – singing “Father” place of “angels” works well if it bugs you!

In Christianity, General
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Thoughts on Hillsong United’s “THE I-HEART REVOLUTION” Movie

November 5, 2009 — 12 Comments

I_HeartLast night, Hillsong United premiered its documentary film, THE I HEART REVOLUTION: WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, in theaters across the US and Canada (it will premier across Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa on November 18). I’d heard about the movie a while back and forgot about it until Tuesday night. I’ve been on a business trip in Virginia this week, so I figured I’d see it after work. I’m glad I made the choice to see it.

The event started with a mini-concert and introduction by United – broadcast from Australia. It set the stage for and explained the documentary, which tells stories of justice, compassion, and mercy around the globe – all filmed over the past three years during their concert tour.

Apart from the 30-minute intro, the movie ran about two hours (a little long and sometimes bumpy in the message, but it needed to be). The film was divided into three distinct parts:

  1. Stories of injustice, loss, neglect, poverty, – the harsh and terrible realities of life across the globe…the realities that we don’t know about or often choose to ignore.
  2. The Hope amidst those realities found solely in Jesus.
  3. A call to those who follow Jesus to have a heart like Him, consider #2, and (because of it) take action on #1.

It was a profound film. So much hurt and hopelessness in the world…and we too often turn a blind eye to it.  I (and many around me) couldn’t help shedding tears at given moments during the film.  It is a profound message.

There were so many “amen” moments and phrases.  I found a few of them on Twitter to share:

  • Loneliness is the worst form of poverty.
  • If what happens inside the four walls of the church doesn’t make a difference in the streets that people travel to get there, then maybe we are missing the point.
  • We’ve trained ourselves to look past need.  Injustice and indifference go hand in hand.
  • Jesus didn’t die to give us religion, He died to give us love.
  • Preaching does not come from the pulpit, it comes from the people of God living their lives out for Him -Brother Andrew
  • There’s a dangerous division between sacred and secular… There’s nothing secular, everything belongs to God.
  • The church exists for those outside of it. -William Tyndale
  • Having seen all this you can choose to look the other way, but you can never say again, ‘I did not know.’ -William Wilberforce (regarding the English slave trade in the 1800s)
  • “Nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something”
  • You think that all the preaching must come from the pulpit. It’s not true. It comes from the life of those who follow Jesus.
  • For too long the church has made a big deal out of small things and a small deal about big things!
  • Talk is cheap, put feet to your vision.
  • The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.
  • The future will be written by the way we respond to moment that’s in front of us.

Driving back to my hotel, my mind was reeling – information overload, conviction of my own apathy, and thoughts of how I can make changes in my own life to “do something.”  (OK – my mind is still reeling)

God has really been working on my heart in this area lately and I needed to see this movie.  I pray that my heart is changed, last night wasn’t a wasted moment, that I would be part of the solution.

Will you be part too?

(If you didn’t get to see the film, I’m sure it will be out on DVD at some point.  I HIGHLY recommend it.)

In Christianity, Missional ,
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God-Pleasing Worship

October 30, 2009 — 1 Comment

I thought I would share this as we start the weekend – which is filled with many things, including opportunities for gathered worship (otherwise known as “church”).

God has been really working on me in this area lately.  I’m far from where He would have me be and know I will never “arrive” at that place this side of Heaven.

Anyway, I thought I would share two songs that have been hitting me heavy this week:

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Instead of a Show, Jon Foreman

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Fade With Our Voices, Jason Gray

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“… Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

– Jesus (Mark 12:30-31)

“Speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

– Wisdom from King Lemuel’s mom (Proverbs 31:8-9)

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

– James the Just. (James 1:27)

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What will our “gathered” worship result in this coming week?

In Christianity, Missional , ,
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Accepting God’s Omnipotence

October 28, 2009 — 1 Comment

I was reflecting on Francis Chan’s “Crazy Love” at Lunch…

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God is all-powerful. (from chapter 1, “Stop Praying”)

For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him.

– Paul to the Church at Colossae (Collosians 1:16)

Don’t we live instead as though God is created for us, to do our bidding, to bless us, and to take care of our loved ones? – Chan

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“His dominion is an eternal dominion; His kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as He pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back His hand or say to Him: ‘What have You done?’ ”

– King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:34-37)

Can you worship a God who isn’t obligated to explain His actions
to you? – Chan

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Abba, Father:

 

At times, my human inclination to the often-hard-to-grasp truth of Your omnipotence is to the echo the Disciple’s statement, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”  I pray that, through the power of the Holy Spirit and based on the truth of Your inherent and strong Word, my faith would be strengthened when my human view and questions cloud things.

You are God…i am not. May my worship not be contingent on my full understanding of Your ways and thoughts.

dennis

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Facebook Rant – Gotta Get This Off My Chest!

October 26, 2009 — 1 Comment

I sit here typing this having just finished eating a nice meal, in my warm home, with a 2×4 sticking out of my eye partly blocking the view of both the keyboard and the monitor…

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So Facebook changed its Live Feed / News Feed / Status Updates (whatever the “official” name is) display, which has led to much uproar by users.

Groups are being formed…petitions signed, …

I drive by their Palo Alto office on my way home and did not note any protesters today.  Though, one never knows whose lurking!

Anyway, quite honestly, I really didn’t notice the change too much, nor was I really bothered. My measly (though appreciated and loved) ~190 friends offer very little “clutter” and I really do enjoy reading my friend’s posts…

What’s bugged more was the whining and ranting…

So, as a public service, I’d like to offer a forum for the very few people who frequent my blog to air their Facebook rants.

Please, feel free to view the photo below as you type your rant in the comments field below – probably having just finished a meal, now sitting in your warm home, etc…

Compassion

C’mon folks!

Just sayin’!

x
(…dropping my stone and walking away now…)

In Christianity, Culture , , ,
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Everything Falls

October 21, 2009 — 1 Comment

This song and its truth have been rattling around in my head since I got Fee’s new album a few weeks ago…

The story:x

The song:

WOW and AMEN.

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Everything Falls
Steve Fee
from Hope Rising

You said You’d never leave or forsake me, when You said this life is shake me.
You said this world is gonna bring trouble on my soul. This I know.

When everything falls apart, Your arms hold me together.
When everything falls apart You’re the only hope for this heart.
When everything falls apart and my strength is gone, I find You mighty and strong.
You keep holding on, You keep holding on.

When I see darkness all around me, when I see tragedy has found me, I still believe.
Your faithful arms will never let me go. Still I know

Sorrow will last for the night, but hope is rising with the sun, it’s rising with the sun.
There will be storms in this life, but I know You have overcome, You have overcome

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Staggering, but…

October 13, 2009 — Leave a comment

I read this the other day.  It’s staggering.

In the world:

  • hand holdThere are 143 million orphans in our world. If all the orphans in the world were moved to the country of Mexico, Mexico’s population would more than double, growing from 108,700,000 to 251,700,000.
  • 87.6 million orphans live in Asia.
  • 43.4 million orphans live in Sub-Saharan Africa.
  • There are as many orphaned and vulnerable children in Ethiopia as there are people in greater NYC.
  • 12.4 million orphans live in Latin America and the Caribbean.
  • Almost 1.5 million children live in public care in Central and Eastern Europe.

In the United States:

  • More than 800,000 children pass through our country’s foster care system each year.
  • There are over 500,000 children in our foster care system right now.
  • 129,000 of those children are waiting to be adopted from foster care right now.
  • Approximately, 25,000 children age out of the foster care system each year; many with no support system and little to no life skills.

How many children are adopted each year?

  • Between 118,000 and 127,000 children have been adopted every year since 1987.
  • More than 50 percent of all adoptions are handled by public agencies or come from countries outside the United States.
  • More than one-third of Americans have seriously considered adopting, but no more than 2 percent have actually adopted.
  • Only 4 percent of families with children (1.7 million households) contain adopted children.

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The sad part is that I may not have even read this if we were not in the process of adopting.

As a Christ-follower (and one who is adopted by God [Ephesians 1:4-6]), I am called to:

“…love because He (God) first loved us.” -1 John 4:19

I also know that:

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction.” – James 1:27

But still, I have done or thought very little about this until our own journey started a few years ago…

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We all must play a part in addressing these statistics – which actually represent precious children and teens whom God loves:

OrphSundayFor some, it is actually adopting or fostering.

For others, it is partnering with a reputable organization or two that provide care.

Some may even give to or help someone in their own community, church, or family who is a foster/adoptive parent.

The key is to actually THINK about this and
DO SOMETHING.

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So, what will you do?


Statistics source: Together for Adoption.org

In Adoption, Christianity
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