How many questions have you inwardly said, "If I were smart...." Well thankfully we don't have to be "smart" to have the answers for some of the hardest questions in life. I believe they are all found in the Bible...the tough part is finding them and then the REALLY hard part is how to put it into words [and I mean more than "just have faith" kind of answers].
I am wrestling with several BIG questions that have been laid on my desk. I most definitely don't feel adequate to answer them [not the "off the cuff" kind of questions]. I'm going to have to search and thing, search and think, search and think... you get the picture. They are all eventually a matter of faith. That is to say, are you going to believe the answer found in Scripture or not? Are you going to be satisfied with a "non-answer" answer if we, as humans, can't possible know the complete answer? These are the tough ones.
Never the less...a searching I will go! Why? So that I might know God better. So I might encourage someone in their faith journey. So that person might have answers for others when they ask the same question. On and on goes the reasons to dig into the Scriptures.
Happy digging!
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Thursday, May 12, 2011
True Fasting
Fasting is not a spiritual discipline that many follow any more...why is that? Perhaps the denial of anything from self is simply not acceptable. Perhaps ideas such as Lent have taken its place [by the way, I just read from a scholar that the concept of Lent started under the pagan Babylonian cult of "false mother-child" worship...will have to read more about that]. What is true fasting? Is it simply the denial of food for an extended amount of time in which we devote that time to spending with the Lord?
Read Isaiah 58. The whole thing? Yep!
Now let me ask again...what is fasting? As you read you have found out that true fasting is the following: loosing the chains of injustice [untying the cords of the yoke = oppression], setting the oppressed free [breaking every yoke], sharing food with the hungry, providing shelter for poor strangers [and, oh, clothing him too] and, finally, taking care of your family [v.7]. Isaiah also throws in, for good measure, a novel idea...keeping Sabbath [v.13f].
Whew! That sounds like a lot of hard work! I know, I agree! But hey, I'm not coming up with this on my own. This is God's word to us! Now comes the part that I like in His plan...there are rewards! It is true...there are real treasure to follow when we are obedient to His word. Not treasure that can rust, or be taken from us, or that we have to leave behind when we die. Rather, they are treasures that we have for all eternity.
First, our light will rise [v.10]. This is the joy and salvation brought by the Lord. Second, our lives will have matter and meaning [v.11-12]. God will allow us to grow when nothing else will and give us God-appointed tasks to do. And ultimately, we will find true joy [v.14]. And, I believe, that is just the tip of the iceberg.
Read Ps. 58 again, but first read 57 & 59 so you see the message surrounding it. Allow God to speak to you through His word. Then let us go obey it!
Read Isaiah 58. The whole thing? Yep!
Now let me ask again...what is fasting? As you read you have found out that true fasting is the following: loosing the chains of injustice [untying the cords of the yoke = oppression], setting the oppressed free [breaking every yoke], sharing food with the hungry, providing shelter for poor strangers [and, oh, clothing him too] and, finally, taking care of your family [v.7]. Isaiah also throws in, for good measure, a novel idea...keeping Sabbath [v.13f].
Whew! That sounds like a lot of hard work! I know, I agree! But hey, I'm not coming up with this on my own. This is God's word to us! Now comes the part that I like in His plan...there are rewards! It is true...there are real treasure to follow when we are obedient to His word. Not treasure that can rust, or be taken from us, or that we have to leave behind when we die. Rather, they are treasures that we have for all eternity.
First, our light will rise [v.10]. This is the joy and salvation brought by the Lord. Second, our lives will have matter and meaning [v.11-12]. God will allow us to grow when nothing else will and give us God-appointed tasks to do. And ultimately, we will find true joy [v.14]. And, I believe, that is just the tip of the iceberg.
Read Ps. 58 again, but first read 57 & 59 so you see the message surrounding it. Allow God to speak to you through His word. Then let us go obey it!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Worlds Away
Wow! It has been way to long since I have last written on the blog...my apologies! As I was catching up on the latest news this morning before coming into the office I was hit by this simple thought - when a tragedy strikes anywhere other than your own life it seems worlds away. Seemingly zero impact is felt. Why is that? Am I just an calloused old toot now [ya, now that I'm 40!]? Is it because I am truly not effected by the actions or words? What causes the heart strings to resound? Where does the word compassion fit into this?
You know as well as I do that if we were to respond to every call of need or help we would cease to exist as ourselves and be pulled by such a plethora of directions we would either explode or implode! Nevertheless, I believe there are calls of need or help that, if given a large screen to put all of them on, would be highlighted with our name by them. Ones we are called to get personally involved in. How do we know which ones?
I believe the answer to this is a both/and situation in our lives. I believe we are both called to pray and act upon our "heart's duty" [to quote Mulan II][not used in the eastern mysticism context of the movie though]. God moves within us and we are called to be not only aware of that movement but to also follow His leading. Hear me straight...I don't think this is always an easy thing to do or figure out. Sometimes the obvious action is right in front of us and we are simply called to obey the overwhelming "divine push." But, sometimes it is not as clear.
It is those unclear aspects that we must stop and really pray over. Example: am I to go to Haiti to minister because of a great cry for help or am I to go to Omaha to rub shoulders with the homeless and bring hope to their lives? Both are good and right things to do. Both are within my abilities and gifts that God has granted me. Both are "do-able." Is it both? Is it one over the other? Or, am I called to something totally different and am not seeing the true call on my life? I know one friend that will say there is only one "right" answer [you know who you are!]. I'm not so sure. Therefore, it is now time to pray. Not just a quick table prayer so that I can check it off my list of "correct spiritual practices." I mean really pray. Fast. Search God's heart and ask Him to show it clearly to me so that I might follow it.
Guess what? You are called to do the same thing. I believe it is a constant in our lives. We are to be so dependent on God's leading that we are constantly going to Him to ask what He desires of us each and every day. This is not to be a paralyzing thing that causes us not to do anything at all; rather, it is a motivating aspect that causes us to be propelled into each and every day looking for God's movement in our hearts and lives...then it is simple obedience to follow or not. From the mundane to the magnificent, we are called to follow...even worlds away.
May God grant you open eyes today,
Pastor Matt
You know as well as I do that if we were to respond to every call of need or help we would cease to exist as ourselves and be pulled by such a plethora of directions we would either explode or implode! Nevertheless, I believe there are calls of need or help that, if given a large screen to put all of them on, would be highlighted with our name by them. Ones we are called to get personally involved in. How do we know which ones?
I believe the answer to this is a both/and situation in our lives. I believe we are both called to pray and act upon our "heart's duty" [to quote Mulan II][not used in the eastern mysticism context of the movie though]. God moves within us and we are called to be not only aware of that movement but to also follow His leading. Hear me straight...I don't think this is always an easy thing to do or figure out. Sometimes the obvious action is right in front of us and we are simply called to obey the overwhelming "divine push." But, sometimes it is not as clear.
It is those unclear aspects that we must stop and really pray over. Example: am I to go to Haiti to minister because of a great cry for help or am I to go to Omaha to rub shoulders with the homeless and bring hope to their lives? Both are good and right things to do. Both are within my abilities and gifts that God has granted me. Both are "do-able." Is it both? Is it one over the other? Or, am I called to something totally different and am not seeing the true call on my life? I know one friend that will say there is only one "right" answer [you know who you are!]. I'm not so sure. Therefore, it is now time to pray. Not just a quick table prayer so that I can check it off my list of "correct spiritual practices." I mean really pray. Fast. Search God's heart and ask Him to show it clearly to me so that I might follow it.
Guess what? You are called to do the same thing. I believe it is a constant in our lives. We are to be so dependent on God's leading that we are constantly going to Him to ask what He desires of us each and every day. This is not to be a paralyzing thing that causes us not to do anything at all; rather, it is a motivating aspect that causes us to be propelled into each and every day looking for God's movement in our hearts and lives...then it is simple obedience to follow or not. From the mundane to the magnificent, we are called to follow...even worlds away.
May God grant you open eyes today,
Pastor Matt
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
Theological Education
It has been a LONG time since I have set myself before a systematic theology text and really poured over the content [mainly because it can put one to sleep!]. Nonetheless, I am starting Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology text as an assignment from a bunch of crazy pastors that I meet with.
At the same time, I received a magazine that comes to the church which contained an article on "34 theological terms to know." Mmmm...I am starting to get the idea here!
Where is our theological education? More pointedly...where is your theological education? If someone asked you to explain the concept of "substitutionary atonement" would you be able to? Could you have even spelled it?!
Trust me, I struggle too. I even set on an ordination committee and still forget what some of these "mega" words or concepts or truths mean. But, that doesn't mean we shrug them off as some unattainable level of academia. We need to know this stuff. We need to not only know the essentials of our faith but also the ideas and theology of those around us [ie., Universalists, Unitarians, and the list goes way past the "u"'s] so that we might better reveal the true gospel of Christ.
Maybe that would be a good starting point for both of us...grab a copy of Grudem's ST and read along with me. Sounds exciting doesn't it! OK, maybe not exciting, but wow is there a lot of things that need to be explored within our own faith and our ideas, concepts, and beliefs about our Lord. Come on...join the journey [and let me know if you do so I can keep you abreast of where I am in the book][just the preface and first chapter right now]. God bless.
At the same time, I received a magazine that comes to the church which contained an article on "34 theological terms to know." Mmmm...I am starting to get the idea here!
Where is our theological education? More pointedly...where is your theological education? If someone asked you to explain the concept of "substitutionary atonement" would you be able to? Could you have even spelled it?!
Trust me, I struggle too. I even set on an ordination committee and still forget what some of these "mega" words or concepts or truths mean. But, that doesn't mean we shrug them off as some unattainable level of academia. We need to know this stuff. We need to not only know the essentials of our faith but also the ideas and theology of those around us [ie., Universalists, Unitarians, and the list goes way past the "u"'s] so that we might better reveal the true gospel of Christ.
Maybe that would be a good starting point for both of us...grab a copy of Grudem's ST and read along with me. Sounds exciting doesn't it! OK, maybe not exciting, but wow is there a lot of things that need to be explored within our own faith and our ideas, concepts, and beliefs about our Lord. Come on...join the journey [and let me know if you do so I can keep you abreast of where I am in the book][just the preface and first chapter right now]. God bless.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)